Looking forward to looking forward - March/April Goals and Progress

[StraightForward]

Thread title inspired by Chisamba

Putting myself first last thread was useful, so I'm doing it again:

Self
Finish next 5 weeks of Dressage Rider Training 1, and then go back to the beginning with the harder exercise options.
Run 10 miles/week
Walk at lunch 3x per week
Feldenkrais 3x per week
Ride without stirrups 1x per week
Eat clean 90% of the time

Tesla
Make cantering "just a thing we do", both leads each ride.
Continue developing contact in all gaits and through transitions.
Deal tactfully and methodically with whatever curveball she throws next.

Annabelle
Clean C/W transitions from both leads.
Keep improving counter canter.
Adjustability and power in the trot.
Keep touching on all the 2nd level elements - ToH, RB, simple changes, mediums, SI, HI.
Hopefully ride in a clinic (it's tentative, no dates announced yet).

[Chisamba]

I have distinct goals this time.

Me: eat less calorie dense foods weigh less. ( I gained a bit of my losses this Christmas)

Ride smarter not harder.

Caliburn. Develop sit in canter using shoulder fore and some Travers. Develop clear walk canter walk transitions

Saiph. : relaxed piaffe that is more in place, start some part duex passage

Kimba, same as Saiph but also do the sit in canter that Caliburn is working on

[blob]

I like the idea to ride smarter not harder, Chisamba.

Trying to be realistic about my goals...given that I'll be moving barns in April

Me:
Do some kind of non-horse related working out 1x a week
cook or eat leftovers 5x a week
Learn how to/practice driving a trailer

MM:
Find a way to get us out of our rut--cross train, more lessons, something
Work on giving lighter aids and getting bigger reaction
work on fluid canter transitions (from trot and walk)
Work on halfpass zig zags at trot
Get settled at new place

RP:
Practice 1-3
Trot poles
Continue working on SI and LY
Get settled at new place

[exvet]

I too have some 'similar goals" A. I need to lose 5 lbs. Much of it is muscle from all the work I'm doing but I don't like the creep. As for the rest of my goals, well of course it's to improve my riding.......more of the same in terms of what I need to do to improvement myself.

Brandon - get him comfortable cantering away from home and finally do a respectable training level test away from home - likely not this go round but a reasonable goal for the next.

Junior - show third at the April show and see if we're worthy of continuing from there. I also plan to do more jumping.

Ace - the ever present steady eddie pet. He's just a love all the way around. He may never win a ribbon or an award but he's probably the only one who truly is irreplicable, well second to Junior.

[Moutaineer]

Hmmm... goals...

I think the number one thing is to get this darned shoulder healed up so I'm not telegraphing disturbing feelings of vulnerability to my horse.

I'll revisit other more lofty riding goals once that's resolved.

[mari]

Had a not-great jumping lesson today, after a really nice dressage ride yesterday.

Self:
More sitting trot. Be less crap at it.
Be less crap at seeing a distance when jumping. Practice over poles until I am less crap.

Horse:
Keep plugging away at changes, shifting the focus slightly to obedience to the aid, instead of wildly throwing them in whenever he thinks it is appropriate.
Building strength in the collected canter.

[khall]

Well I definitely have some goals this time!

Me: lose another 20 using some weight training cardio Pilates 3-4 days a week

Henry: maybe find a home? Oh he’s going to be a hard one to see leave!! But I’ve got a coonhound rescue willing to help with him as long as I foster

Joplin: piaffe under saddle passage in hand. Show Cedar:). work on right lead ( my right shoulder!!). Forwards and back in canter. Ride out in the hay fields some. Clinic end of March with Cedar which is when we will start piaffe US. April go to show venue. Instead of showing we are going to go to the venue after the show to ride tests in the show arenas. Something Poplar Place allows for a few days after their schooling shows.

Gaila: piaffe wih CC HI in canter. Try to take her to poplar place too if at all possible. Clinic with Cedar

Hoping the guardianship will be settled

[Kyras_Mom]

I am kind of where Moutaineer is. The horse has been very tense...Springtime? Teeth? Ulcers? Me? I really don't like dealing with her when she is like that and so yes, I ride defensively. After my last ride oy vey. Rode her bitless but it was windy and I know she is not a wind horse. Spooked repeatedly and very tense. I finished up by holding onto my grab strap and just letting her go where ever she wanted to. She did have to maintain a decent walk (not way over tempo but not draggy either). It was kind of interesting but she did calm down and quit spooking. Sunday, I just did a ground lesson with the flag. Trying to get her to read my intentions and not just (over) react and do what she wanted with her head high. I asked for a lot of head lowering and she was pretty good there and did some good sighing so hopefully is releasing some tension. She also had a good turnout where she really let it loose...on her own time. I just left a message with the vet to set up a dental.

I know she is at a newer venue but I got to ride her for a solid month before we got snow and frozen ground and she was doing fine. I can't believe she has since decided it is that scary. She is very chill and calm both in the stall and leading her to turnout. At the old place, polite leading wasn't always a done deal. I hope I can figure it out soon. Searching for barns is a drag and don't know if that would help anything.

So my goals...continue working on my hip issues. I have a few more PT sessions and am starting on my rowing machine. It is improving but slowly.
Just do some hopefully low key riding to keep advancing her fitness and get her teeth done and see if that fixes the issues. If not, onto the next rabbit hole .

Susan

[Imperini]

It's been quite some time since I've joined in on one of these but I'm going to do so this time.

Me:
Hip exercises at least 5 days a week (they're movement exercises not really stretching or muscle building but they work I had just gotten out of the habit of them)
Healthier eating to lose some weight

Paloma:
Bought a Pivo so it's time to get some video
Energetic rides!
Improve our contact - don't let my left rein flop all over the place just because she doesn't want to take contact on it
Work on canter walk transitions - no crashing into the walk - this is a me thing because canter walk transitions were good when she spent a few months with my trainer in Canada
She seems to get happier the more difficulty I add into the rides so keep things exciting for her

[Aleuronx]

Hmm, I will take some inspiration from others and pop in some fitness goals. There is some pudge I'd like not to have, maybe just get fitter.

Me:
Pick up weights again, 2x a week to start
Maybe yoga? Maybe some HIIT videos? Something?

Kora:
Get back into solid work under saddle
Truck out 6+ times. Investigating a new place this weekend that is closer to me but smaller indoor arena.
Hack out more than lunge if home indoor is busy and weather allows
Get thy to trainer when she's home in April to prep for shows (??)

[Moutaineer]

Interesting session today. We'd decided he needed to let off some steam, so Trainer lunged him (I'm not allowed with the shoulder at the moment,) and he was a wild man. I think winter confined space is being quite hard on him.

When she went to change the rein over to change direction and adjust the side reins he had a bit of a panic attack. So she decided that some simple ground work would be an interesting idea.

And interesting it was. He was freaked out about it. Piaffing, kicking out, sweating and flinging his head around and really worried about the whole thing. Trainer worked through it carefully and methodically and kindly and he calmed down quite a lot, but he was more anxious than usual on the cross ties afterwards, even.

Trainer reckons PTSD to some previously over-stressful experience being worked in hand--we all know that there are some people who are quite rough and demanding with this work and can make a sensitive horse feel really trapped and it can be a fiasco. I happen to know that he only started to spook in a big way when they started pushing him with the upper-level work, so I'm wondering if it's all correlated and if we can get him more comfortable with the in hand work he will learn to control his emotions better.

It's worth a try, so we've decided to pretty much start him back on the ground with baby steps and work on building his self-confidence and see where that gets us. Can't hurt.

[demi]

I think about Mountaineer and Kyra’s mom often when the weather is crazy. I’m lucky that Rocky doesnt spook a lot, but when she does, I tense up trying to protect myself and it often does further damage to my hip joints. Even if I manage to grab the oh $h!t strap, it still hurts, and I”d hate to have to grab it with a bad shoulder!! There are times when it’s better for me not to ride at all.

I havent thought carefully about goals this time but it’s good for me to set something down in writing so I’ll come up with something in the next day or two. I do want to get the first level tests on vid for virtual sport horse coaching. I am going to Michigan next week for 8 days so that makes for a short two months. Setting all the animals up for DH to care for while I’m gone takes a week and then another week to get things back in order after I get home…

[heddylamar]

I don't know what I've done to Maia, but the BO's husband on the roof of the house with a leaf blower didn't even get a head twitch on Saturday. Then today she attempted to deposit me on my butt for squealing brakes on a car over a half-mile away.

Maia also picked up the canter on the proper lead each time I asked today. And she did a semi-serviceable half pass.

[Kyras_Mom]

Hallelujah! Ms.Kyra was sane tonight. Had a nice shortish ride. She even did some serviceable canter. Nothing to write home about but decent balance and not plowing on the forehand. I have figured out one thing that later in the ride, she wants to go back to the barn. She is subtle/sneaky about it but some of the tension comes from that. Lately, when I am at the barn, I have been the only one there and riding. I am not sure where everyone else went? Anyway, as the ride progresses, she gets lonely and is hot to trot to return to the barn. I am sure some of this is hormonal as she transitions back to regular heat cycles. Tonight, as I was cooling her out, the warp speed walk showed itself only when she was going toward the gate/barn. However, she listened to me and would slow down. I have her scheduled for a dental on the 15th to attend to her teeth. At her age (20) I think I am going to have to go to every 8-10 months for dentals. Fingers crossed that my horse is back .

Susan

[StraightForward]

The weather has settled so much, that should help a lot, Susan. Kyra would do that speed walk to the gait thing with me too - after auditing that Buck B. clinic, I would let her go a few steps, then take a rein and head her the other day and insist she keep up her fast walk. She got tired of that game after a few repetitions.

I've realized I need to add test riding to my goals. For Tesla, I'd like to be able to ride through T-1 by the end of April. For Annabelle, I want to revisit First-3 this month, and also ride through 2-1 in April. 2-2 adds the serpentines with simple changes, so that might be a challenge for May-June. Will need to get our redneck dressage court set up soon.

[Imperini]

For my first Pivo experience I accidentally recorded my warmup and turned off the recording for the actual work but that's okay because it kept losing me in favor of trying to track cones sitting on a jump standard

The good news is a had a fantastic ride and found a new gear in the trot I thought might never be found with Pal. She seemed pretty pleased with herself too.

[Chisamba]

For my first Pivo experience I accidentally recorded my warmup and turned off the recording for the actual work but that's okay because it kept losing me in favor of trying to track cones sitting on a jump standard

The good news is a had a fantastic ride and found a new gear in the trot I thought might never be found with Pal. She seemed pretty pleased with herself too.

Check that you phone/ camera holder is tight and level otherwise it tips up as it rotates

[exvet]

Well I have covid. So what did I do since I was sent home from work yesterday? I rode today. I got my taxes done and my mother's taxes done. I am NOT going to let this affect me more than it already has. Had to take a PTO day damn it. Both horses did reasonably well. Junior, I'll say did really well. The more we work on collection the better his medium gaits get and the more relaxed he remains throughout the movement. The mantra for the day with both boys was, correcting what is not going right with the request for more forward, not speed, but more impulsion. At least for today it seemed to really translate. Tomorrow is supposed to be an equally beautiful day. Hope to do more riding especially since I can't go take my mother to do her weekly errands. Perhaps I'll be able to solidify what we accomplished today.

[goldhorse]

Well, the laminitis sh!tshow is finally calming down. This is the worst episode that I've ever experienced. I bought Piggy 9 or 10 years ago when he was 9 and knowing that he had foundered at about 2 years old. Don't ask me why I bought him. Only stupid people do stuff like that. Anyway, we've had our ups and downs with his feet but this episode had me worried. After a lot of bute, tylenol, ice, and now metformin, it looks like we've turned the corner (knock on wood). I'll get more blood work next week for his insulin levels and a new set of xrays. Fingers crossed that he didn't rotate more. And then my farrier will have to try to figure out a solution. We used to do glue on polyflex shoes but I'm not going to be able to find a farrier here that's willing to do that much work.
My next show was planned for the middle of March but EHV has hit California including one of our local show venues (Murieta) so our barn is happy to hunker down until this outbreak resolves.
Other goals: well I guess I can tweak my fitness program so more. Back to more weight lifting and more swimming and hopefully less alcohol.
Oh, and I had to postpone delivery of my new saddle for a month cuz I couldn't try it with Piggy being unable to be ridden and the saddle fitter wanted to fit it to me and be done. Definitely a first world problem

[goldhorse]

exvet, I'm sorry that you got covid and I hope it is a mild case.

[mari]

Good luck exvet! Don't power through when you feel covid-tired though, rest rest rest.

[exvet]

Goldhorse I will raise my hand and say I'm a stupid one too. I purchased a filly who's dam and fully sibling had laminitis multiple times. She was only 2 and had not had a bout yet. Coming from a Morgan background I knew better but her bloodlines were coveted by many and she was definitely everything a welsh cob should be. She had a bout of laminitis the second summer I had her, not overweight but definitely metabolic syndrome poster child.

I also agree with those in CA and neighboring states being very careful about the EHV outbreak. I just got a letter from our state vet who stated that as of Monday we have not had any neurological cases here in Arizona and only one confirmed respiratory case, the other cases (2) were flu. They're recommending that any new horse to a property be isolated for a minimum of 3 weeks and temps taken twice daily.

Tis the season, for two-legged and four-legged respiratory crud to be going around but the neurological stuff is damn scary.

[demi]

Goldhorse, I had a pure bred Arab that had laminitis. When he was younger, 8-10ish, we shod him normally, but in his teens when the laminitis got worse, we tried different shoes. First we tried half rounds for easier break over but he was sensitive and acted like he couldn’t stay balanced with them. His knees would buckle just standing still. So the my farrier wanted to try putting the shoes on backwards! I was skeptical but this was farrier was a master with iron and my vet said go for it. They were carefully shaped and fitted. He was very comfortable in them. He wore his shoes backwards til he died in his late 20’s. DH and I rode him on trails regularly and he was our “company” horse. He didn’t have many bouts of the laminitis and was never severely lame from it. We did rest him whenever he had a bout, including limited turn out because he played too hard.

Good Luck with Mr. Piggy. Hopefully there is no more rotation

[Chisamba]

Both of my mares came to me because of laminitis and insulin resistance. Fortunately I have been able to limit the negative effects and return them to riding sound.

I truly believe free choice hay, soaked, and the vitamin nutrients provided and if course exercise has done the most to adjust their metabolism to a less susceptible level

[Moutaineer]

I'm running around like a headless chicken trying to get ready to leave town, and getting the "Potters is 3 legged lame" call from the barn wasn't on my list for today.

Fortunately our vet happened to be 10 minutes away, and want straight over. He pulled his shoe and found the rest of that abscess that popped out of the coronet band a week or so ago, and carved out a drain hole for it, which will need to be cleaned and packed for the next week, while I am out of town. (We have an excellent working student who's palm I will cross with silver.)

Potters is much happier now. The spot is right over where the ice studs in his shoes are, which I found interesting.

[goldhorse]

So I'm not the only one who decided having a laminitic horse was better than not having him I had him on a free lease for a year while the original Goldhorse was rehabbing and then Piggy's owner said she had to sell him. Only 1 other person was interested in him and it was going to be a bad fit so I lowballed her and she accepted. Later, she told me that she knew I would always watch out for him which I have tried to do.
Today, I took his boots off and he walked and trotted sound in our dressage court!!!! Blood work and xrays on Monday. Then on to the farrier. I think he will go into rim pads or pads with packing. One laminitic horse in my barn is in the reverse shoes and it's helping a lot. But Piggy is not that bad. He doesn't like nails near the irritated laminae and he especially doesn't like being out of balance. So at the end of a shoeing cycle, he's cranky cuz the shoe is holding him in a place he doesn't want to be. Barefoot was working for a long time since I could get him rebalanced at 3 weeks with a little rasping. And couple that with the prolonged drought that has dried out our soil so there's no relief for a horse sensitive to concussion. At least at this newish to us barn, the footing is wonderful and he was adapting to shoes until the laminitis hit.

For those who are into this stuff: His ACTH is normal. His leptin is normal. His insulin has always run high but it suddenly went off the charts. HIs feet always get sore during shedding season. I was looking at the shedding pathway which is driven by prolactin which also happens to induce insulin resistance. There's not much I can do about that link. He's on low carb hay (ESC+starch<10%). Basic vitamin mineral supplement. No access to grass. Lots of exercise. I am anxious to get him back into work before he loses his muscle tone and becomes a blimp. And I think he'll be on metformin for the rest of his life.

Rumor mill here is that USEF is shutting down all shows in California for the month of March. I haven't been able to find confirmation of that.

Mountaineer: as you know, an abscess is a good vet call. Not one of those catastrophic injuries. Do you think he had bruising from the studs?

[Srhorselady]

Laminitis is such a horrible disease! My understanding is that Metformin works for some horses not for others. It didn’t work for mine. One of the reservitrol products, Equithrive, was the Only product that helped one of my mares. She had the metabolic form of laminitis with the stretchy lamina. She never rotated until the very end at age 21 after her first bout at age four. Until 18 she was rideable and diet manageable. Those last three years we tried every supplement and shoeing option. I love the Softride boots, although they are expensive. Good luck with Piggy. I read every new study I see on Laminitis.

[Moutaineer]

Goldhorse, best of luck with Piggy. You are doing right by him!

Farrier will be out just after I get back from my little trip, so I will be asking him whether the studs and pads could have been causing a pressure point. What are you going to do, though? This horse really can't go barefoot in front, and I can't have him ice skating... we may have to look at a smear of drilltek or something next winter.

[StraightForward]

Goldhorse, glad Piggy is starting to do a little better. Hope he continues to mend!

Moutaineer, sorry Potters is having an issue, but I guess good that it's "just an abscess?" It sounds like he will be in good hands while you're gone.

I'm continuing to be super pleased with Tesla. Yesterday we rode after dark under the outdoor lights and the Killdeer started flocking around the arena and making quite a racket. She did a tiny bit of looking, but I reminded her to pay attention and she went right back to work and was all business. Today it was cooling off again and was a bit blustery during our ride but she never turned a hair, and we got two full circles of canter on the right lead with no swapping in back or attempts to stop. The first canter to the left took a little convincing, but the second one she jumped right in. She is also quickly improving with the nervous popping the bit and crab walking type things she was doing after canter attempts, or when she thought she ought to be done for the day.

I brought my jumping/AP saddle out for the first time since probably August and did some 2-point and general riding forward with Annabelle. Was going to pop over some jumps, but the ones that were out yesterday had been put away. Maybe next week we'll try some crossrails and start thinking about jumping lessons again. I feel like I might be a little bolder riding her to the jumps now that I've got more confidence with cantering Tesla (where every stride feels like a jump). I think A liked the break from dressage; we did a little hand gallop up the arena and she got a little cheeky and gave a little kick at the end, lol.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

I didn't put goals yet.

This time is starting a little rough with Lynx having the mystery cough and honestly just feeling pretty squirrely under saddle.

And I've been feeling off too. Mentally and physically. Not sure why, just struggling a little.

I think my only real goal right now is to just get back on track and feeling better for both of us. For Lynx : Hope that the Zyrtec helps or that it was just a virus that passes quickly. He's also on just powdered ulcer meds from Wedgewood. Not sure if they will work cuz I know it's not that ideal treatment but it's at the back gave me. I also hope to get his teeth done next week. We also will start to lunge with the equiband once or twice a week if he's feeling better. And maybe the weather will start to be nice enough to go outside!

I am going to try and go get massage to kind of unlock my body. And I'm thinking about seeing if I can get some physical therapy. I had a jumping lesson on a school horse yesterday. I was struggling with my right ankle and just could not keep my heel down and even had a little bit of swinging. And all my years and even being in a shape that has never ever happened. I partly think it was a stirrup/ saddle issue. But still, I need work. I just have not been a feeling like I can ride.

[exvet]

LPS, I think you're actually on the right track. These young ones who are still growing and maturing go through stages. I've been back and forth with Brandon as well. One thing I repeatedly find is that he's better when I'm better. It's amazing how much more correct his canter departs are when I do not give up my position in any way <PERIOD>. His squirrel moments have a lot to do with his lack of mental maturity and the fact that despite having filled out he's still a long way from being 'fully baked'. So, my take on that is that, not that I need to back off of the training completely but give him more time to work stuff out in hand and be ever diligent in recognizing when mentally he's jumped ship and not to push him over the edge because that accomplishes nothing. My goal with each ride is to make things very black and white and if he gets frazzled simply break it down into smaller increments and give him an opportunity to succeed, reward profusely and call it a day. I also will not ride him when my body doesn't feel all there, like yesterday due to this covid crap. I rode Junior but then I felt I was too 'achy' to give Brandon a good ride so I lunged him instead. It's kind of bad when you can feel each and every past fracture - usually only happens with cold wet weather but covid has found every spot. At the end of it all, between his needs and mine, it means he's going to take more time to develop than Junior even though Brandon is more athletic and a better mover - AND THAT IS OKAY .

[demi]

Hey LSP, good advice from Exvet! And don’t feel bad, I haven’t written goals yet, either. It’s ok. Im trying to remember this is a goals AND progress thread, and sometimes it takes more than two months for the progress to be really noticeable. If I make goals and dont meet them, I feel bad, and then don’t consider the progress enough. But it’s important to think about our progress…

I charged up my Pivo last night, all revved up to get First level 1 videoed, but after thinking about it (while laying in bed most of the night not able to sleep because my hips hurt) I am going to wait until I get back from Michigan. This will put my goal from last period on hold even longer. It’s ok! I’m doing this for fun.

Some more thinking from last night: I want to video the second level tests before I video First 1 for virtual judging/coaching. There was some short discussion on Second 2 in another thread, so I reviewed it, and think 2-2 is good for Rocky. The reason is that there is so much lateral (suppling) movements before the medium trot. When I do the tests, it let’s me to find a good rhythm or balance or something that I don’t get just riding. It’s the “thinking” behind the way the tests were prepared that I need. If I ride through (and video) the Second Level tests, then when I go back to the First Level tests, they should (hopefully) have improved.

I am aware of the theory of showing (or even virtual judging) one or two levels below the level one is working on at home, but I don’t think I take that far enough, personally. I have been doing many of the Second level movement, but not complete tests. I work on trot lengthenings, and even get some medium trot, but it isn’t solid enough to show. Now, I think it’s time to do the complete 2nd level tests and even video. That way I’ll have some visual for comparison. Some how I’ll put this into a goal for March/April.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Exvet, as usual you are full of great reminders and regards to the training of young horses.

I rode a green pony for a friend in a dressage lesson. The pony is 15 but very green and I don't think before they owned it had good training at all. He called for friends the whole time but settled enough to get down to some work.

Then I had the dressage trainer hop on Lynx since he had been so weird the other day. He absolutely was more tense and way spookier and actually even spun halfway with her. So it's definitely not my imagination! I ended up just pulling him out at the walk and we did some lateral. Leg yield to shoulder in and then haunches in and Haunches out.

I do think his teeth are a priority. He's supposed to also have a chiropractic appointment on Monday. I'm not sure if I can swing it though. He just had a massage/magnawave last week. And then I have the farrier coming as well. And I'm in the middle of buying a jump saddle. I just feel like it's a little too much in one week so I might have to postpone. Although I do understand it would be nice to get him looked at if he is being weird. I've always looked at that body work as extras though. I know not everybody feels that way but I'm just trying not to overextend my finances here in just a short period.

He looks good otherwise when I do wonder if it's teeth. On the bright side he barely coughed so progress there.

[blob]

Sorry Lynx is not quite himself, LSP, hopefully it sorts itself out. I would say that it might be worth postponing chiro until after his teeth are done. Sometimes teeth can create body tension (poll for sure, but other places too) and then even if the chiro work does some good the adjustments won't really stick if teeth are playing any part. So you might get more benefit from the chiro if you wait some!

But I really feel you on the extended finances--I feel like i'm in a flurry of horse expenses suddenly. Moving barn inevitably means more money spent as I need to get some new supplies and board is more expensive. Plus I had put a deposit down for a new trailer back in December, and that should arrive end of this month, which means I have to pay the rest of the money, woof. Both of mine are also due for teeth. Then add MM's allergies as well. Always something!

I've found with RP lately that as I try to do more lateral work and more transition work he also is needing more opportunities to stretch in the middle of his ride, rather than just before and after. When the work gets harder, I think he holds tension in his back and so giving him frequent chances to release is proving helpful. and not just stretch trot, the last few rides he's also need some canter breaks in a long/stretch frame with me up in two point to get the quality of work back. I still find it interesting that for a horse who is generally so sensitive, his response to lateral aids are actually quite dull. I need to finally bust out that PIVO and get some video to make sure I am not leaning/twisting or doing something else to block him from doing what i want. But I also know right now a lot of it is strength building and repetition that he needs.

I"m a bit worried about MM who's struggling some with some respiratory allergies for the first time and seems to have lost a decent chunk of weight. She is not unhealthy skinny by any means esp to someone who doesn't know her, but she is much leaner than her norm. She is bright eyed and eating well. But I did do a bit of a bump in her grain -- about 500kcals worth, so let's see how that goes. She had several days off when the allergies seemed esp bad but I got on her again today (day 2 of much improved breathing).

My trainer noticed last lesson that I've started leaning/sitting a bit too forward latley, so trying to correct this on both horses, of course now when i start to sit back, both horses slow down/think I'm asking them to transition down or stop. So I'm trying not to swing my weight around too much but rather sit up and back from the start and maintain.

[exvet]

I hope that both Lynx and MM get their issues sorted out soon and suspect they will. I realize that it's still stressful for those who care and feel like all they can do is wait and see. I also get the money thing oh so well. I found myself today paying for USDF participating membership, USEF membership, and my show entry for the upcoming recognized show in April. It seems like everything is creeping up in prices, ouch!

[khall]

I had a fun ride out in the field yesterday on Joplin just doing long straight lines with transitions up and down. Last ride in the hay field for awhile until it greens up. Burning tomorrow.

Then had a good ride today in the arena on Joplin getting that right lead better and better. Gaila was fun watching her canter on line. How much better her engagement is. She too though left lead better than right. Though she’s switched in the last year.

Gorgeous weather we are having. Fencing and other farm chores tomorrow before rain moves in next week.

Juliet had what we think was PSSM episode last week. Back to back weirdness that is a head scratcher. Banamine helped the first day but took a long time. Second day vet had me dose with banamine and ace and she came round quickly. I’ve never seen her stand there with her back legs shaking like a horse that is cold would do. It was not all that cold at the time.

[piedmontfields]

Greetings, all! I wish you all health and recovery (as needed)---horse, human and other friends.

While Emi sometimes says to me "I just want to hack and bird watch", she is actually doing quite well with a couple of more focussed arena rides each week (plus hacking and conditioning rides). I am trying to work her just enough but not too much, if that makes sense. She actually did quite decent 10 m canter circles in our last session. It is quite the process to re-build strength and I am more appreciative than ever of how strong she was before the late 2021 injury.

Sorry to hear that Juliet had a PSSM episode. It can be really awful for the horse and take quite a bit of time for recovery. Emi has avoided episodes for many, many years, largely due to management---but that simply isn't enough for a lot of PSSM horses.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Blob, that's a good point. I'm going to go ahead and reschedule the chiropractor. I do think the teeth are the priority and at least he just got a different form of body work recently.

I sure hope MM gets better as well. These horses are always finding new ways to worry us.

Khall, totally jealous of you riding in a field. We have a field next to the barn. I want to get Lynx out there when the weather gets nicer. We had a short few days of nice weather but now we are getting snow again. And honestly even though I think it would do Lynx good, with the new level of intensity of spooking I'm not sure how confident I am taking him out there alone...

Piedmontfields- glad Emi is still doing well and getting stronger all the time. Such good news!

[Kyras_Mom]

Jingles for everyone that needs them. Those nebulous problems are most frustrating. Kyra's waiting on a dental too. Something in her mouth has her bothered (I think).

Well, yesterday's ride was kind of Jekyll and Hyde but we managed to end on a good note. I hand walked her twice around the arena and put out some cones (3 in a triangle). She had Thursday off but she was very chill so I mounted and we got about 20 feet down the rail before she jumped out of her pants . However, in reading some of the comments in the other posts, I decided maybe some nose to knee would maybe be a way to her brain. She calmed down...for a moment then one of the barn farriers pulled in and she felt like she needed to scoot every time he (randomly) banged a tool. I just said I'm over it dear...sat deep and sent her forward...I did not care how. We had a few moments with her ears up my nose but she seemed to get the idea I wasn't going to back off because oh dear, she didn't like what was going on by the barn (she could hear but not see what was going on). We did cloverleafs around the cones I set out. That seemed to give her something to focus on (me too). Unfortunately, she has way more stamina than I do so I had to keep taking breaks . I also kept to the north half of the arena to avoid the spookier rail but by the end, we did the entire perimeter with no drama. Somewhat surprising to me, she really mellowed out and the last 3rd of our session was drama free. Her MO last week was to get more wound up as the session went on so I was happy with that. I didn't try canter. I just don't get a good feel with her in the bit-less bridle so we just skipped it. We have plenty to do at walk and trot. I will probably just lunge today. Maybe set out the poles.

I have already had a workout today. I did an exercise test for my Signos (that is the weight loss program I am doing). I had to keep my HR at 75% of my calculated maximum for 15 minutes . I haven't worked myself that hard forever? With this hip issue, most any walking (and heaven forbid I run...I can't) has been painful so I haven't done much except for activities of daily living and riding/working the horse. I used my rowing machine for the test, did the specified time and I survived . I probably won't be able to move tomorrow. Thank goodness, I have done a few short rowing sessions in the last couple weeks. Then I had to help Mom shower. That can be a workout in and of itself.

Heading to the barn soon.

Susan

[chantal]

Wow, as always, so much going on. Yes, jingles and healing to all dealing with, well, everything. Gosh, exvet, are you feeling better? And healing to all the horses too.

We are coming out of our own season of winter, Mikey is finally on the up and up and we are cantering a few minutes each ride. Dealing with tension and bitting and my reactions, I cannot transmit any stress to him at all or head tossing and mouth opens etc. We've had a few unexpected, very exciting diagonals so I can get tense. He is developing nicely muscularly with all our rehab and is offering very nice trot, passagey so I need my instructor to help with that. I haven't been here before, so I don't know if it's too much or something to be encouraged. And I have to be able to keep my position and the correct contact, which i am letting go at this point with all his fussing. I think I need to keep my contact, keep my biceps and forearm relaxed and elbows at my hips and let him figure it out. And not break at my wrists. All while keeping my knees down and relaxed and my midsection back, yada yada. I have video from a saddle fitting last Friday but not sure if I want to post it as we were focused on one or two things and he was having fun with his trot. My position and contact were not helping him and to be honest I was pretty floored with his movement. I have been feeling this coming on 30 m circles when shortening and opening his trot. Add in a saddle I was showing her (not mine) that was too small but I might want to look into after he muscles up, and it wasn't the prettiest. He did make me laugh though, this winter has been a thing and what a gift he gave me when I expected my saddle fitter to see a huge regression in our training. So all said and done, goals:

Figure out the head/mouth thing (new bit? dentist being called this week)
Work on my position so I can help him
Get more videos (a friend has a pivo i can use) to help me work on my position
Figure out if I can keep riding the schoolmaster a few days a week to help with all of this
Strengthening work for me off the horse

[exvet]

Nice to hear from you chantal. Thank you for asking, I'm finally feeling a bit better today. I'm required to be at work tomorrow so hoping that the majority of it has passed by then.

I have to say that my horse and I are built alike, react alike, etc. The only time I feel we have true power and relaxation (minus the negative tension) is when I'm out on the trail - we work on the trail and don't toodle around but both his and my attitude are much less tense. I have to figure out how to get that in the arena. As a kid I figured it out when I was in hunter/jumpers. I went from over thinking it all and having mediocre rounds to not giving a care, riding with just feel (still finding my spots) and pinning in the top three at most shows. I need to find 'that' again. I think it would help both myself and my horse significantly.

[chantal]

More jingles exvet, gosh, hoping you feel so much better tomorrow.

I love jumping my guy and doing poles, we do well with that, and that translates well to dressage for us. Even playing with XC last year was great for both of us.

We had a good ride tonight. I asked for more forward, in the same cadence, with connection, when he tried the passagey thing tonight. He went much better. I worked on my position and getting his hind end to really step under, I had a friend as eyes to help me. Surprise surprise no mouth stuff when we were forward. He did pull one spook and I kept the outside rein and booted him with my inside leg and he was like oh, okay. So, a little confidence boost for me there. And it was a baby spook. And our canter was better both ways, so I'm pleased.

[mari]

Coming from some helpful discussions on the video thread, I've been focussing on keeping lightness in the bridle and respect of the bit, and trying not to sacrifice even one inch of my own position and comfort. Doing this in my jumping tack with a rope gag snaffle is about one million times easier than in dressage tack with my normal link snaffle...

[exvet]

Coming from some helpful discussions on the video thread, I've been focussing on keeping lightness in the bridle and respect of the bit, and trying not to sacrifice even one inch of my own position and comfort. Doing this in my jumping tack with a rope gag snaffle is about one million times easier than in dressage tack with my normal link snaffle...

On Saturday I did literally tons and tons of counter canter work and, of course, flying changes. My focus and goal were to keep Junior forward, up, open and through the bridle with no diving or hitting me in the hands. After my last lesson, my instructor said I needed to start focusing on not just getting the change but keeping Junior through and forward so that we were already prepared for the next change (like doing tempis, despite not being ready for those yet). Considering where we came from only a year ago I know/knew this would not be easy. I used my Pivo. Not sure I'm ready to share it; but, it highlighted some of what I already knew. Like you said, in a snaffle/dressage tack, it's not easy. I did like our collected canter. It got better and better; but, what I did NOT like was even though I thought I was trying hard sitting up straight and not sacrificing my position, I was giving in to his pull/weight in my hands/shoulders/etc. It was better for sure but definitely not where it needs to be to get totally through, clean changes with the jump. I do think I need to work more on the same and add some of Chisamba's wisdom to the mix. Now that I know he has a decent collected canter and collected counter canter in there, I need to ride with the attitude that HE IS GOING TO CARRY HIMSELF. I have already introduced more exercises where I try to keep the canter on my seat and release up front with him not diving and plan to do more with this. I think hacking away at both aspects - improving the quality of the collected canter and getting him not just engaged which is easy for the fireplug but softer and lighter up front is going to be the key to decent flying changes. The other thing that I noticed on the video in regard to position is that I tend to keep my legs too far back. I need to do better about bringing my leg back to the girth, at least the one that is supposed to be at the girth

[chantal]

I jump and hack out in the same bridle that I ride dressage in, snaffle, looose-ring, fat, KK like bit at this point. I would prefer an eggbutt. The past 2 years it was a single jointed eggbutt snaffle, very fat. Mikey is so light in the bridle, but when I don't have enough contact and he's not forward enough, he's bouncing around and opening his mouth.

[Ponichiwa]

Hope all in the grips of winter are staying healthy and sane, and those in the heat of summer are... well, actually the same to you as well. And best wishes to all those horses and humans that are healing.

As for me and the Beige Blimp, we're trucking along. I've stalled out on my own weight loss, again, after a successful January and a well-at-least-I-haven't-slipped-backwards February. But Queso is doing well, even coated in grime as he is (how do the light-colored horses get so dirty??). Exvet's and mari's journeys are resonating with me ("You will carry yourself!")-- we must all be at similar points in the engagement journey. What has helped tremendously every time I feel him brace is kicking off a 10m circle. Turns out, when he's actually bending through his whole body he can't brace through his neck.

Anyway, our goals this time around are fairly simple:
Queso:
- Half steps 1x/week for bodybuilding and improving the balance and engagement in extensions and in the canter
- Touch on flying changes 1x/week-- hoping to get them clean and uphill and on the aids and supple by the end of this challenge. Right now we get to pick about 2-3 of those attributes at a time.
- Strech goal-- maybe go to a show? Hesitant to commit thanks to my somehow simultaneously lethargic and arduous weight loss journey

Me:
- Walk, ride, or bike at least 40min/d
- Lose 5 lb

[Moutaineer]

I'm in Cave Creek Arizona for the week hiding from the cold. My weightloss goals are on hold until I return to the land of ice and snow next weekend.

I spent the morning watching nice horses go at my friend's barn, sitting outside in the brilliant sunshine while they all complained about how cold and miserable it was when a light breeze blew up...

[exvet]

I'm in Cave Creek Arizona for the week hiding from the cold. My weightloss goals are on hold until I return to the land of ice and snow next weekend.

I spent the morning watching nice horses go at my friend's barn, sitting outside in the brilliant sunshine while they all complained about how cold and miserable it was when a light breeze blew up...

Glad you're enjoying the desert. I own one horse property which my son lives in over in Desert Hills, not far from Srhorselady. I liver in Rio Verde on my other horse property. Neither are too far from Cave Creek. So many of the reiners are here this week due to the show at WestWorld. As for the complaints on the weather, well, we did have absolutely beautiful weather for two weeks so the change is a little hard to take

[demi]

I probably won’t have any defined goals till the end of this month. My riding has been low priority for the last couple of weeks and when I have had a chance to slip in a ride, the weather hasnt been cooperative. Going to see mom and family in Michigan tomorrow for 8 days. I’ve got my heavy jacket and down vest packed. It will be in the 60’s here this week and in the 20’s and 30’s in Michigan. DH will have his hands full taking care of all the animals but he’ll do a good job. The house will be a mess when I get back but I will totally forgive him because he’s so good with the animals. And he really does a good job cleaning the barn!!

[Imperini]

Hope everyone, horse and human, that have been feeling unwell are improving and feeling better.

I couldn't believe how wimpy I was regarding the cold when I went back to Michigan for a few days last month. Our bodies adjust to not having to work much to keep themselves warm pretty easily it seems. It feels really cold here when it's very nice for a week or two and then drops back down to cold(er) and windy.

I believe my Pivo issues may be due to the fact that Pal is spectacularly camouflaged for the desert environment and the outside of the barn/arena area are tall dirt walls which Pal also blends very nicely into. I'll keep experimenting though.

The good news is the minute or so of actual horse video I got did show me some things I need to work on so it's not all for nothing. My lower legs seem to not be doing what my brain thinks they're doing and Pal is curling a lot more often than I realized. We also had a person climbing on the roof of their vehicle and throwing stuff from the roof onto the ground when I was videoing so the curling may have been me riding more defensively than normal but still it's not ideal and is something I need to work on.