I know I know. It's been a while. I'm really not the best at juggling, not with the balls, not with life! NOT a juggler!
Work has been on again off again. Right when the weather looks like it's finally going to even out a bit for us so we can have a little more predictability in scheduling, it either gets windy, rainy, or the temps drop suddenly for a day or two only to surge right back up. The constant shifts in weather not only make it really REALLY annoying to plan out lessons, rides, and leisure activities, but it also makes both the horses and myself a little grumpy...some of the horses are coping by acting grouchier than usual, others feel fresh, and others just can't be bothered to pay attention. I, on the other hand, keep getting stupid headaches when the rain comes and goes and I feel much more tired than I do around this time of year. Usually, this is when I start to become wide awake and super energetic. But enough whining...I've been too whiney.
We are making some progress at the farm. Doc has found a forever home so the thoroughbred projects are officially (and finally!) gone! I do very much miss having the thoroughbreds to ride because I am quite partial and lets face it, they are more my size than these crazy ponies, BUT I am glad to see them all finally move on to their own families.
Buster is being a little rockstar. I have since passed him on to Kaddie as her project since she is a few inches shorter than me and even that little difference in height makes a huge difference on such a little pony. Kaddie is thoroughly in love with him...how could she not be? He's a cool little dude. Super brave and absolutely adorable. Kaddie has Buster understanding his leads, popping over small jumps and he even did a little grid and a trail ride. He's still not so sure about clippers and water but he's been so easy to work with so far so I think he will accept them soon.
Nellie was next in line to be broke to saddle but must have twisted something or have an abscess so we let her have off the past few weeks to mend. No reason to rush.
Trick has been in work with Hope and Kaddie. Since I had some time open up this past week and the weather was fairly cooperative I took over his work. We worked a little more on fixing his forwardness issues on the lunge and worked in hand as well. He's very smart but surprisingly a little more nervous than he was when we first got him, but the week with just me working him already seems to have brought him around a bit. Perhaps he just gets confused and nervous with multiple people working with him. I never get a chance to really watch everyone work with the ponies so there is a good chance each person expects slightly different things from him...some horses just don't handle conflicting expectations as well as others. He was doing really well this week and was so calm after some lunging so I played with the mounting block. He was so calm about that, too...so...I just swung on. He definitely didn't over react or do anything naughty but he really doesn't feel too much like he's been ridden before. If he has that maybe just a handful of times, several years ago...because he sure felt like it was his first ride. I found that he really likes to carry his head way above the bit which makes things a bit difficult because when he gets quick, he also pulls up against my hand. He's also pretty sensitive so rides will have to be very quiet for a while. But no buck nor rear nor any other dramatics other than trotting like a drunk pony and taking a while to respond to my voice commands. He should figure it out fast enough, IF the stupid weather will just stabilize a bit! Breaking horses is hard when you also have to work around weather, because a couple of days off for a newly broke horse sometimes sets you back a few steps, whereas a broke horse can pick up where they left off.
Bear has converted to western for the time being because he seems happier and more comfortable in that type of work. If anything it will at least teach him that slow and steady is very acceptable. He has a knack for it, he is so very sensitive to seat and weight, it's very fun to ride him because you don't need the reins for a whole lot. Just sit a certain way to turn, put more energy in your body to trot or canter, take out energy to slow down, sit deep to stop. He is very responsive and has seemed pretty happy with his new job.
Bubbles needs to find a home! He is an AWESOME pony but just doesn't seem to have a place at our barn. I just don't have the smaller sized, more focused/educated riders for him. Otherwise, I'd want to keep him forever and ever...he's a jack of all trades and my favorite to jump because he is so willing, nonchalant and automatic. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. I want him so badly to just suck it up and carry the less balanced kids but he just won't do it! If I had more "gung ho" kids we might be able to make him work, but I just plain don't have them. Do you know how frustrating it is to have a pony perfect in every single way except he won't do the one little thing you need him to do? Oh well. Like I keep saying. It takes an extremely special pony/horse to make a lesson pony/horse. Many just don't like it, and understandably so. It's a bit boring, it requires tons of patience and tolerance, and enough knowledge to know when to ignore a kid something a kid is doing and when to listen.
Gabe is still with me, and doing pretty well. He is finally going forward forward forward and starting to accept the bit. We don't hardly ever had any panicky, upset, explosive or shut down moments anymore, and he is actually looking happy in general now, and pretty happy about work, too. Which makes me happy! His progress is still pretty slow, but it is a solid progress now. He's starting to move off my leg much better and sit up and bend through turns. We are starting shallow serpentines and stretchy trot as well to get him much more supple and through. He seems to get it a little more each time, and he's even graduated from his "training wheels" (aka, mullen mouth bit and drop noseband, to keep him happy and me safe!) to a big boy loose ring with a bean and regular noseband :) Earlier this month, he also ventured to Hilltop Farm with his pasture friend, Moose, for an adventure to see how he would behave off the property. The trailering went SO much better with Moose there, he behaved himself once in a stall at Hilltop, and had a good lesson with Micheal and was fairly consistent with how he behaves at home, so it was very encouraging!
Lessons are running pretty smoothly, though getting some of these kids to set goals for themselves is a chore! (You know who you are!) Me: "So, what do you want to work on?" Kid: "I dunno" Me: "Well, what kind of classes do you want to show in this year?" Kid: "I dunno" Me: "Do you have a certain discipline you want to work toward?" Kid: "Ummmm...not really" Because of this type of dialogue, I am having some trouble figuring out how to plan out shows for this year. I don't even know what KIND of shows these kids want to do! Alas, the woes of being a multi-discipline, low key, family oriented barn!
Miss Moose has had some ups and downs. We've been dealing with a little bit of a shoulder issue but it seems to be sorting out with no problems. She also went to her first event at Olde Hope and banged out an AMAZING dressage test with a 22.5, blowing our competition out of the water...but completely froze up at the jumping parts so we were eliminated. However, we did get to school cross country anyway, and I finally got her going forward over the jumps again and even into the water. At home her jumping, even in the ring, has gotten nervous and very rushed, all since the stupid clinic I took her to. I was finally getting her jumping fairly well and one little bad experience knocked us back to the beginning. It made me do some thinking. Originally I was going to give her this year to try eventing and if it wasn't going well, we'd opt to do just dressage or I'd sell her for another horse. However, seeing how hard it is to get her confident over fences and how fast it can be taken back to the very beginning and how upset it makes her, AND seeing as how I have been becoming super partial to dressage and not getting the same amazing feeling of accomplishment from a good round of jumping, I think I have officially decided to just do dressage with Moose. I don't know why I fight it so much, I love dressage...Moose likes it and judges love her...and though I LIKE jumping I don't LOVE it...I still keep fighting for eventing. Well I think I'm just going to come out and admit that dressage is where we belong. We might still try to event or do small jumpers, but it is on the back burner now. And I have to say, I feel excited to have made the decision. I want to see just how far I can take Moose up the levels.
That said, here is a bit of exciting news I just received today. I saw a post from Jane Savoie about needing 1st level demo riders for her clinic in October. I sent her a message and she requested a video. Karolyn graciously agreed to make a spur of the moment video with me and I sent it to Jane. This morning she told me that we looked great and to consider it done, I'm in the clinic! So Miss Moose and I will go to Gladstone, NJ in October to ride for two days of the clinic and I will get to audit for free (saves me $500 woohoo!) and Jane foots the stabling bill. Moose gets to stay at the USET headquarters farm, Hamilton farm, for the days we are there. I am beyond excited...any exposure I can get to big names ROCKS, I basically get two lessons plus auditing for free, and the clinic is a great subject: The Art of Teaching...so I will have some fabulous new teaching methods to come home with and apply. Hooray! So now boot camp begins...Moose needs to be much more solid in her first level moves than she is right now. Her leg yields need to happen more immediately and her counter canter, while actually one of the easiest first level skills for her to pick up, needs just a bit more obedience. Even though it is all the way in October I'm already psyched :)
Off to get some mundane errands done!
Monday, May 14, 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
I'll update now before I get comfortable!
Today was a fairly good day for the horses.
Buster was first today. He felt really good at the walk and trot...minimal wiggling, good balance and steering, mostly obedient, so I decide to just try this whole canter thing one more time. Now that I know what he does hn I ask for canter (shoot forward, dodge around) I prepared a little better. I shortened m stirrups a hole do I could get out of the saddle a bit and really step down in each stirrup. I rode with a shorter, steadier contact, and when he was in canter I wrapped my lower legs around him a bit more and really clung on with my inside leg around the corners so centrifical force couldn't throw me to the outside. And viola! A canter! We cantered the whole ring in both directions and he seemed to settle into it so I think we are good to go now, the first real canter is out of the way! We also did our first trot poles and he did really well!
I rode Doc next and did work out of the ring and on some hills and managed to get a nice forward step at the trot and got him to soften his jaw for much I the ride, so hooray!
Gabe had the weekend off which seemed to cause him to be a little anxious and stuck today but we still got our three gaits fairly forward and straight.
Bear even felt pretty goo today and we worked on stretching at all three gaits and staying steady and relaxed over trot poles.
Off to teach!
Buster was first today. He felt really good at the walk and trot...minimal wiggling, good balance and steering, mostly obedient, so I decide to just try this whole canter thing one more time. Now that I know what he does hn I ask for canter (shoot forward, dodge around) I prepared a little better. I shortened m stirrups a hole do I could get out of the saddle a bit and really step down in each stirrup. I rode with a shorter, steadier contact, and when he was in canter I wrapped my lower legs around him a bit more and really clung on with my inside leg around the corners so centrifical force couldn't throw me to the outside. And viola! A canter! We cantered the whole ring in both directions and he seemed to settle into it so I think we are good to go now, the first real canter is out of the way! We also did our first trot poles and he did really well!
I rode Doc next and did work out of the ring and on some hills and managed to get a nice forward step at the trot and got him to soften his jaw for much I the ride, so hooray!
Gabe had the weekend off which seemed to cause him to be a little anxious and stuck today but we still got our three gaits fairly forward and straight.
Bear even felt pretty goo today and we worked on stretching at all three gaits and staying steady and relaxed over trot poles.
Off to teach!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Hopefully April Will Not Bring Too Many Showers
I keep telling myself that I will update the blog, but then I fall asleep (or into a stupor until I fall asleep) I come home at the end of these already surprisingly busy days ready to melt into the couch and not move til morning (and again, I now have a mountain of laundry awaiting my motivation!)
Lessons have been picking up ad the horses are shedding out and getting beauty treatments and getting fitter. Everyone is working on strengthening their noodle winter legs and doing exercises that will help both rider and horse regain balance and harmony on the flat and over fences.
We have finally sold two of the thoroughbreds, Evil and Red, and now just have Doc left. So focus is now starting to shift toward the pony projects we need to get prepped to sell.
Buster is getting the hang of working undersaddle and is now starting to work on figures. He's starting to get comfortable so now he's starting to test his boundries. I still need to figure out how to get him cantering with a rider but I'm focusing on getting his walk trot as consistent as I can before I work on the canter.
Bear is slowly coming back into work, working on losing weight and building strength. I'm just focusing on balance and obedience right now and not fussing on details at the moment.
Bubbles is a brat...but a champ at the same time! He has some bad pony habits like being barn sour if he thinks he's done working or trying to canter off when he's asked to trot, but on the flip side he's uber quiet and laid back and for a plain ol' nothing fancy potentially part Tennessee walker pony that needs to learn to not move and jump hollow, that boy can jump! He's already quite surprised me with his abilities and his very laidback additude about jumping no fuss, no rush, no hesitation or panic. In fact he did his first grid today in a lesson, and I had to jack the fences up just to get his attention...otherwise he just tries to lazily trot over everything. He has no problem with height, and he will only get better once he learns to stretch his top line over the fences. He's a cool little pony...but apparently too snotty for most of my kids! Bad pony!
Gabe is doing quite well. I wish I had took video of his first lunge and first ride so I could have a before and after video. Our first ride he was so anxious I thought he'd shoot out from under me or rear...he was clacking and grinding his teeth like a maniac and bobbing his head...everytime I'd touch the rein he'd panic, and I could barely get him to move forward. I also had to do a flying dismount as he wouldn't halt without freaking out. But several rides later and now we are walking, trotting, cantering, halting, and doing large circles in a fairly calm, consistently forward manner. So I am very pleased, and he has some fun gaits in there so I'm excited to see what I can get out of him. He has a long way to go and it will be a very delicate process...but I'm really happy I get to work with him. I've always liked horses with some problems because I like figuring out how to get the best out of them, it's very rewarding! Thanks for the opportunity Karly!
Moose has been all over the place! Some days she's fabulous, others she is just so bored with everything that she's a royal pain to ride because she's so busy fussing over one thing or another. I have found that she's the type that you can't baby when she's being unfocused...I have to tell her right out to do it and do it now because I said so. She's now going over jumps a little better but now she is apparently a show jumper...she approaches nicely, then looks on to the fences, puts her head up and rushes the last few strides and puts a ton of air between herself and the fence. Oh geez. But at least now she is being careful about her jumps! I signed us up for our first event at Olde Hope on April 15th in the into horse division, so the jumps will be 2'3". I'm not expecting much from this event, I'm chalking it up to a good schooling show. I think she's the type that just needs to get out there and start doing her job and get a bajillion miles of experience under her belt before she will actually be competitive. Hopefully we will at least get a pretty picture or two put of it :)
Off to veg and prepare for another day of riding and teaching!
Lessons have been picking up ad the horses are shedding out and getting beauty treatments and getting fitter. Everyone is working on strengthening their noodle winter legs and doing exercises that will help both rider and horse regain balance and harmony on the flat and over fences.
We have finally sold two of the thoroughbreds, Evil and Red, and now just have Doc left. So focus is now starting to shift toward the pony projects we need to get prepped to sell.
Buster is getting the hang of working undersaddle and is now starting to work on figures. He's starting to get comfortable so now he's starting to test his boundries. I still need to figure out how to get him cantering with a rider but I'm focusing on getting his walk trot as consistent as I can before I work on the canter.
Bear is slowly coming back into work, working on losing weight and building strength. I'm just focusing on balance and obedience right now and not fussing on details at the moment.
Bubbles is a brat...but a champ at the same time! He has some bad pony habits like being barn sour if he thinks he's done working or trying to canter off when he's asked to trot, but on the flip side he's uber quiet and laid back and for a plain ol' nothing fancy potentially part Tennessee walker pony that needs to learn to not move and jump hollow, that boy can jump! He's already quite surprised me with his abilities and his very laidback additude about jumping no fuss, no rush, no hesitation or panic. In fact he did his first grid today in a lesson, and I had to jack the fences up just to get his attention...otherwise he just tries to lazily trot over everything. He has no problem with height, and he will only get better once he learns to stretch his top line over the fences. He's a cool little pony...but apparently too snotty for most of my kids! Bad pony!
Gabe is doing quite well. I wish I had took video of his first lunge and first ride so I could have a before and after video. Our first ride he was so anxious I thought he'd shoot out from under me or rear...he was clacking and grinding his teeth like a maniac and bobbing his head...everytime I'd touch the rein he'd panic, and I could barely get him to move forward. I also had to do a flying dismount as he wouldn't halt without freaking out. But several rides later and now we are walking, trotting, cantering, halting, and doing large circles in a fairly calm, consistently forward manner. So I am very pleased, and he has some fun gaits in there so I'm excited to see what I can get out of him. He has a long way to go and it will be a very delicate process...but I'm really happy I get to work with him. I've always liked horses with some problems because I like figuring out how to get the best out of them, it's very rewarding! Thanks for the opportunity Karly!
Moose has been all over the place! Some days she's fabulous, others she is just so bored with everything that she's a royal pain to ride because she's so busy fussing over one thing or another. I have found that she's the type that you can't baby when she's being unfocused...I have to tell her right out to do it and do it now because I said so. She's now going over jumps a little better but now she is apparently a show jumper...she approaches nicely, then looks on to the fences, puts her head up and rushes the last few strides and puts a ton of air between herself and the fence. Oh geez. But at least now she is being careful about her jumps! I signed us up for our first event at Olde Hope on April 15th in the into horse division, so the jumps will be 2'3". I'm not expecting much from this event, I'm chalking it up to a good schooling show. I think she's the type that just needs to get out there and start doing her job and get a bajillion miles of experience under her belt before she will actually be competitive. Hopefully we will at least get a pretty picture or two put of it :)
Off to veg and prepare for another day of riding and teaching!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Ack! Spring!
Nice weather has brought me an insanely busy schedule already and boy I am tired...and my laundry is so backed up...I just don't have time to do it and when I do have time, I schedule a lesson or a trip for Moose or I visit the SO in Maryland. Boy this summer is going to suck the life out of me! If you see me in a lifeless pile as the barn gets busier, find me some caffeine, please!
So this update won't be too detailed because I am ready for bed!
Oh let's see...
Moose is doing alright but has lost all confidence over jumps from that clinic so we are kinda back to basics for jumps for a while. I feel bad for her...she goes up to the jumps like she wants to go over but is scared outta her mind...gets right up to the jump and panics and her feet stick to the ground. But she's starting to go over things again now so I'll just keep things easy. We have a xc schooling at olde hope this weekend so we will take our time, start tiny and build up a tiny bit.
I was so proud of her the other day when a helicopter landed right across the trail from us when we were on a hack. All the other horses were going nuts but moose just tensed up a bit and I let her trot away from the area and she didn't get silly at all...good girl!
Red is slowly starting to come around for me but he's so very offended that I am making him be more responsible for himself and stay balanced and keep his head straight. Rides right now are hit or miss but each ride he gets a little less dramatic so that's something. I am excited for him to make some breakthroughs because he is such a cool horse with so much raw talent. He is leading much better now though, Igot him to finally understand that he shouldn't throw his head up when I pull on the lead but slow his feet and drop his head so now I don't need the chain. I still have to remind him to be attentive a few times but it's much more pleasant. I think he and I will have a great relationship once he realizes that what I'm asking him to do will actually make rides easier and more enjoyable for him. Right now he's pretty sure I'm unreasonable and impossible to work with!
Bubbles. Heh. Well he's not really cut out to be a lesson pony. Butte more I get to know him and the more comfortable he gets the more I see a devious pony who actually seems as though he has been in a lesson program before and flunked out! He's so very fun to ride and someone along the way has taught this pony to jump and jump very well (smoothest easiest ride on a line and see his distances like a champ!) but he seems like he's a bit naughty about little kids and/or many changes of rider. However I did manage I find one student that fits him so hopefully they will continue to have some fun together! But I am sick of lesson pony shopping! I thought for sure Bubbles was it. Geez...you fix a ponys sore mouth and he repays you by being a clever, naughty thing. Well...at least he seems so much happier than when we first got him...and I have to admit that he makes me laugh. An I still find him to be a cool, fun pony...just maybe not a little kid up down lesson pony :(
Quigley and Bear are just kinda doing fat camp.
Kaddie is working with Doc and Greyson. Greyson is doing fantastic and finally seems to have figured this whole canter thing out. So now him an Jess are working together and so far seem to be a good team. He's such a neat pony. Doc is taking his time and learning to relax and go softly on the aids.
Buster hasn't had as many rides as I'd like lately but he's being fairly pleasant.
Hope got Nellie to wear a saddle the other day! Cricket on the other hand needs a major wake up call. She is definitely trying to be the boss and is a very hard headed thing. Corey may be coming out to help work with her a few times because she is trying to use her strength against me and I simply am not strong enough to make a good impression on her. I think a few goes with someone that can physically demand respect from her a few times will help a lot, since right now she's pretty sure that she can take anyone on and she's not afraid to throw herself on top of you if you pressure her.
I picked up Karlys horse, Gabe today to start him in training for the next two months. Poor guy is so overwhelmed right now, but I'm excited to work with him and very excited to get my first outside client for training with hopes that it could lead to more outside training projects in the future...plus I see it as an opportunity to build a name or myself since I have little show record and won't have much chance this year to do anything impressive in a show ring since Moose is so young and I have no other horses to bring along to show. One little step at a time :)
Goodnight!
So this update won't be too detailed because I am ready for bed!
Oh let's see...
Moose is doing alright but has lost all confidence over jumps from that clinic so we are kinda back to basics for jumps for a while. I feel bad for her...she goes up to the jumps like she wants to go over but is scared outta her mind...gets right up to the jump and panics and her feet stick to the ground. But she's starting to go over things again now so I'll just keep things easy. We have a xc schooling at olde hope this weekend so we will take our time, start tiny and build up a tiny bit.
I was so proud of her the other day when a helicopter landed right across the trail from us when we were on a hack. All the other horses were going nuts but moose just tensed up a bit and I let her trot away from the area and she didn't get silly at all...good girl!
Red is slowly starting to come around for me but he's so very offended that I am making him be more responsible for himself and stay balanced and keep his head straight. Rides right now are hit or miss but each ride he gets a little less dramatic so that's something. I am excited for him to make some breakthroughs because he is such a cool horse with so much raw talent. He is leading much better now though, Igot him to finally understand that he shouldn't throw his head up when I pull on the lead but slow his feet and drop his head so now I don't need the chain. I still have to remind him to be attentive a few times but it's much more pleasant. I think he and I will have a great relationship once he realizes that what I'm asking him to do will actually make rides easier and more enjoyable for him. Right now he's pretty sure I'm unreasonable and impossible to work with!
Bubbles. Heh. Well he's not really cut out to be a lesson pony. Butte more I get to know him and the more comfortable he gets the more I see a devious pony who actually seems as though he has been in a lesson program before and flunked out! He's so very fun to ride and someone along the way has taught this pony to jump and jump very well (smoothest easiest ride on a line and see his distances like a champ!) but he seems like he's a bit naughty about little kids and/or many changes of rider. However I did manage I find one student that fits him so hopefully they will continue to have some fun together! But I am sick of lesson pony shopping! I thought for sure Bubbles was it. Geez...you fix a ponys sore mouth and he repays you by being a clever, naughty thing. Well...at least he seems so much happier than when we first got him...and I have to admit that he makes me laugh. An I still find him to be a cool, fun pony...just maybe not a little kid up down lesson pony :(
Quigley and Bear are just kinda doing fat camp.
Kaddie is working with Doc and Greyson. Greyson is doing fantastic and finally seems to have figured this whole canter thing out. So now him an Jess are working together and so far seem to be a good team. He's such a neat pony. Doc is taking his time and learning to relax and go softly on the aids.
Buster hasn't had as many rides as I'd like lately but he's being fairly pleasant.
Hope got Nellie to wear a saddle the other day! Cricket on the other hand needs a major wake up call. She is definitely trying to be the boss and is a very hard headed thing. Corey may be coming out to help work with her a few times because she is trying to use her strength against me and I simply am not strong enough to make a good impression on her. I think a few goes with someone that can physically demand respect from her a few times will help a lot, since right now she's pretty sure that she can take anyone on and she's not afraid to throw herself on top of you if you pressure her.
I picked up Karlys horse, Gabe today to start him in training for the next two months. Poor guy is so overwhelmed right now, but I'm excited to work with him and very excited to get my first outside client for training with hopes that it could lead to more outside training projects in the future...plus I see it as an opportunity to build a name or myself since I have little show record and won't have much chance this year to do anything impressive in a show ring since Moose is so young and I have no other horses to bring along to show. One little step at a time :)
Goodnight!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Mother Knows Best
I learned a valuable lesson yesterday...I know my horse best, and I need to just follow my gut sometimes. Because I didn't, I now have a sore butt!
I took Moose down to Chesapeake City, MD to ride in a cross country clinic with Stuert Pittman yesterday morning. She was much more like her good ol' laid back self...yay! We popped over a lot of jumps and kind of just let her see as much as possible.
I have been learning Moose's jumping style. She gets really thrown off very easily if anything isn't extremely straight forward. Even adding ground poles in front of a jump can really fluster and confuse her. She's still very much in the experimental phase of learning p jump...she tries new ways of taking jumps almost every time so I'm just keeping the jumps low and simple and staying quiet and letting her figure it all out. She really hasn't jumped all that much (ever) and we've only just started jumping again after a winter of just flatwork. I also know that at the beginning of a ride she's sloppier and more flustered. Then if I did my job right, she gives me some really good relaxed jump efforts. Then, if I stupidly keep pushing her, or I jump her one jump too many, she starts to tire and get sloppy again and may even shut down on me again. So I try to end her on a good note and not push her til she gets sloppy again. The progress is slow but there is progress.
Well I wasn't planning on jumping her quite so much or so high at the clinic but I listened to Stuert. Moose was being a champ...sure she stopped at some goofy looking jumps but she just needed to look at them and then shed go over on try number 2. I think she's just the type of horse that needs to have a gazillion little jumps under her belt for her to build her confidence and then we will have a big breakthrough someday where she will stop questioning and just go over whatever is in front of her.
Well Moose was sloppy at first, then she really pulled it together and wa s even seeing some distances and taking some nice BN fences with good form and confidence and I remembered just how exhilarating riding a good horse xc can feel.
I would have ended her there. We pushed her a little with some more height than shes seen so I would have stopped whole we were ahead...but the clinician asked us to try another line...the first jump was a novice fence and presented like a big, dark, looming wall...and was bigger than I've ever asked moose to jump. And now she was getting tired too. But we tried...ad you know, she came in like she was going to try for me...but she got right up to the base of the fence and seemed really confuse as to why there was no room to take off, and chested into ito. We tried again but her confidence was taken down a notch, and she panicked at the base again and I came off. I got back on and tried to jump the smaller jump next to it that she had already jumped but it seems she got really thrown off and stopped at that one too. I got her over a couple of little jumps again and ended with a good note. But I should have followed my gut and said Moose had enough before we even tried that fence. She needs more confidence over little fences before I ask for more height...I think she really just couldn't figure out where her feet needed to go to make it over that height.
But she was awesome. I was so proud of her. I have a few bad videos and equally bad photos but I do have video of my fall so as soon as I get my camera back from Corey I'll share it!
I also finally just followed my gut and tried a new bit setup for moose for jumping xc. She seems to get thrown off and flustered if she's trying to focus on a jump and I try to talk to her with the reins at the same time, and can get dramatically upset by even a teensy half halt sometimes. I really think she doesn't like the tongue pressure, and will also get distracted by the bit and pull it back with her tongue to bite it.
So I decided to try a Myler so it had some bend and give to it but could collapse completely so she can't fold it with her tongue to bite it, and she held it in her mouth much more quietly than her other bit, but still a little distracted/overly offended by it xc. I don't want to bit my little sensitive princess up...not my style. So knowing how much she doesn't like nosebands, I tried my old kineton, which goes over the nose and hooks under the bit, so nothing is restricting her from moving her jaw, and when I use rein, it puts pressure on the nose and keeps te bit from being pulled down around her lower jaw. It also keeps the bit more stable. She really seems to like it! A LOT! She doesn't fuss and bite it or try to spit it out, and I feel her in my hand all the time...she's not afraid to reach into my hand and move forward, and when I need to adjust her when cantering around our course, she rocks back for me without sucking behind the bit, falling on the forehand, or freaking out. She felt really confident and steady in it. My fall also proved how much she likes it. The last time I fell off Moose and hung on the reins I thought we were both going to get seriously hurt. She freaked out and reared and threw herself around in panic. This time, I hung on the reins, and she just kind of shuffled to the side and stopped. I feel certain she would have freaked out if I didn't have that kineton on her keeping the bit up off her tongue and lower jaw. She just can't stand that feeling. So hopefully she continues to enjoy this set up. I ordered her a loose ring myler to try for dressage...I'm hoping she likes it. I'm hoping she finally feels content and happy with holding the bit rather than spitting it out or biting at it.
And here's a quick update on some of the projects!
Greyson is doing great under Kaddies patient riding and now Jess is riding him as well. His canter is relaxing and becoming much more balanced and therefore controllable. Kaddie even took him out xc and reported he jumped everything like a champ!
Bubbles also had a xc outing and was also a champ, jumped whatever I pointed him at quite politely. He also had a jump school in the ring and did awesome. He's starting to chill out an settle into the idea of his new job. I'm hoping to throw him in a lesson or two a week to see how he rides for the kids.
Bear and Quigley are still just doing fat camp!
Doc ha his ups and downs but Kaddie is figuring him out and he looks more chipper every ride.
Red is starting to mentally accept going back to work so right now we are just workig on filling in some of the holes in his flatwork. He's quite crooked and tries to hind behind the aids do I'm trying to get him to keep his body straight and step more confidently forward and into the bridle, but he's a quite anxious guy so it will take a little while to get him consistent.
Buster is doing well and getting more balanced and confident but sadly my size difference to him is starting to cause problems...I can't canter him! I'm too big and wobbly up there to stay balanced as he learns to canter with a rider, so at the moment I am brainstorming as to what to do...im thinking I'll try my smaller lighter western saddle that I used I ride ponies in for fun and see if it's more stable on him. If that doesn't work, I may have to get him solid w/t and solid canter on the lunge and have to get a confident super balanced kid to canter him, but I don't want anyone to get hurt...buster rally doesn't like cantering with a rider!
I actually had two very successful jump schools on Pav so we will see what time brings us with him. Hopefully I can keep him laid back about his jumps.
Off to bed in prep for a full warm day of riding and teaching!
I took Moose down to Chesapeake City, MD to ride in a cross country clinic with Stuert Pittman yesterday morning. She was much more like her good ol' laid back self...yay! We popped over a lot of jumps and kind of just let her see as much as possible.
I have been learning Moose's jumping style. She gets really thrown off very easily if anything isn't extremely straight forward. Even adding ground poles in front of a jump can really fluster and confuse her. She's still very much in the experimental phase of learning p jump...she tries new ways of taking jumps almost every time so I'm just keeping the jumps low and simple and staying quiet and letting her figure it all out. She really hasn't jumped all that much (ever) and we've only just started jumping again after a winter of just flatwork. I also know that at the beginning of a ride she's sloppier and more flustered. Then if I did my job right, she gives me some really good relaxed jump efforts. Then, if I stupidly keep pushing her, or I jump her one jump too many, she starts to tire and get sloppy again and may even shut down on me again. So I try to end her on a good note and not push her til she gets sloppy again. The progress is slow but there is progress.
Well I wasn't planning on jumping her quite so much or so high at the clinic but I listened to Stuert. Moose was being a champ...sure she stopped at some goofy looking jumps but she just needed to look at them and then shed go over on try number 2. I think she's just the type of horse that needs to have a gazillion little jumps under her belt for her to build her confidence and then we will have a big breakthrough someday where she will stop questioning and just go over whatever is in front of her.
Well Moose was sloppy at first, then she really pulled it together and wa s even seeing some distances and taking some nice BN fences with good form and confidence and I remembered just how exhilarating riding a good horse xc can feel.
I would have ended her there. We pushed her a little with some more height than shes seen so I would have stopped whole we were ahead...but the clinician asked us to try another line...the first jump was a novice fence and presented like a big, dark, looming wall...and was bigger than I've ever asked moose to jump. And now she was getting tired too. But we tried...ad you know, she came in like she was going to try for me...but she got right up to the base of the fence and seemed really confuse as to why there was no room to take off, and chested into ito. We tried again but her confidence was taken down a notch, and she panicked at the base again and I came off. I got back on and tried to jump the smaller jump next to it that she had already jumped but it seems she got really thrown off and stopped at that one too. I got her over a couple of little jumps again and ended with a good note. But I should have followed my gut and said Moose had enough before we even tried that fence. She needs more confidence over little fences before I ask for more height...I think she really just couldn't figure out where her feet needed to go to make it over that height.
But she was awesome. I was so proud of her. I have a few bad videos and equally bad photos but I do have video of my fall so as soon as I get my camera back from Corey I'll share it!
I also finally just followed my gut and tried a new bit setup for moose for jumping xc. She seems to get thrown off and flustered if she's trying to focus on a jump and I try to talk to her with the reins at the same time, and can get dramatically upset by even a teensy half halt sometimes. I really think she doesn't like the tongue pressure, and will also get distracted by the bit and pull it back with her tongue to bite it.
So I decided to try a Myler so it had some bend and give to it but could collapse completely so she can't fold it with her tongue to bite it, and she held it in her mouth much more quietly than her other bit, but still a little distracted/overly offended by it xc. I don't want to bit my little sensitive princess up...not my style. So knowing how much she doesn't like nosebands, I tried my old kineton, which goes over the nose and hooks under the bit, so nothing is restricting her from moving her jaw, and when I use rein, it puts pressure on the nose and keeps te bit from being pulled down around her lower jaw. It also keeps the bit more stable. She really seems to like it! A LOT! She doesn't fuss and bite it or try to spit it out, and I feel her in my hand all the time...she's not afraid to reach into my hand and move forward, and when I need to adjust her when cantering around our course, she rocks back for me without sucking behind the bit, falling on the forehand, or freaking out. She felt really confident and steady in it. My fall also proved how much she likes it. The last time I fell off Moose and hung on the reins I thought we were both going to get seriously hurt. She freaked out and reared and threw herself around in panic. This time, I hung on the reins, and she just kind of shuffled to the side and stopped. I feel certain she would have freaked out if I didn't have that kineton on her keeping the bit up off her tongue and lower jaw. She just can't stand that feeling. So hopefully she continues to enjoy this set up. I ordered her a loose ring myler to try for dressage...I'm hoping she likes it. I'm hoping she finally feels content and happy with holding the bit rather than spitting it out or biting at it.
And here's a quick update on some of the projects!
Greyson is doing great under Kaddies patient riding and now Jess is riding him as well. His canter is relaxing and becoming much more balanced and therefore controllable. Kaddie even took him out xc and reported he jumped everything like a champ!
Bubbles also had a xc outing and was also a champ, jumped whatever I pointed him at quite politely. He also had a jump school in the ring and did awesome. He's starting to chill out an settle into the idea of his new job. I'm hoping to throw him in a lesson or two a week to see how he rides for the kids.
Bear and Quigley are still just doing fat camp!
Doc ha his ups and downs but Kaddie is figuring him out and he looks more chipper every ride.
Red is starting to mentally accept going back to work so right now we are just workig on filling in some of the holes in his flatwork. He's quite crooked and tries to hind behind the aids do I'm trying to get him to keep his body straight and step more confidently forward and into the bridle, but he's a quite anxious guy so it will take a little while to get him consistent.
Buster is doing well and getting more balanced and confident but sadly my size difference to him is starting to cause problems...I can't canter him! I'm too big and wobbly up there to stay balanced as he learns to canter with a rider, so at the moment I am brainstorming as to what to do...im thinking I'll try my smaller lighter western saddle that I used I ride ponies in for fun and see if it's more stable on him. If that doesn't work, I may have to get him solid w/t and solid canter on the lunge and have to get a confident super balanced kid to canter him, but I don't want anyone to get hurt...buster rally doesn't like cantering with a rider!
I actually had two very successful jump schools on Pav so we will see what time brings us with him. Hopefully I can keep him laid back about his jumps.
Off to bed in prep for a full warm day of riding and teaching!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Time Eludes Me
More daylight+cooperating weather+visiting Corey= not a whole lotta extra time to sit down an blog! So here are a few updates.
All the horses seem to be feeling spring coming up, and therefore they have been a little difficult!
Bubbles is coming along quite nicely so I hope before we really get packed with lessons I can start to integrate him into the program. Just trying to get him a little longer and lower in his head carriage so he won't be so tense and will be easier to steer for the kids.
Kaddie has been helping me with Doc and Greyson and they are both doing pretty well. Doc has his up and down days but he seems to be relaxing a little more each day for Kaddie. Greyson's canter is starting to relax as well...I don't think he will ever be a slow canterer but now he's learning to balance himself a little better so he is steerable!
Quigley and Bear have joined fat camp and will be mainly working on losing weight and some low key strength building exercises...I want to see if Bear will pony off of Quigley so I can get the fat camp kids exercised at the same time...I think there is potential for that to work.
Buster had his fifth ride today and his second ride in the big ring! Today I didn't even bother to lunge him first and he did great. He's starting to understand the aids but is still very wobbly, but he seem very brave and not upset by it all. Right now the goal is to just get him forward and straight an accepting the bit, and learning how to steer. I'm going to wait until he is a little more sure footed before asking him to canter again.
Nellie started some round penning yesterday and seems to have calmed down since the last time I round penned her and seems more focused and ready to get to work.
Red started back into work today...he has some major rust to knock off!
As I get to see all the students more often, I am slowly getting the lesson horses and kids into a program to help the horses get fitter and the kids sharper. This spring will be full of grid work, cavaletti work, stirrup less work,h hill work, and flatwork.
Moose continues to b horribly frustrating. She's perfect at Hilltop in tht nice, distraction free indoor. But anywhere else, she is a monster. I feel like I'm riding two different horses! I'm going to try a couple of different bits...she keeps sucking the bit back with her tongue and biting it and fixates on it...then leans into it too hard, but will react violently when I make even a small half halt or correction. So I'm looking for a less distracting bit that she can't fold back to bite...like maybe a myler or a mullen mouth. She's just never been very quiet in her bit but has gotten worse since we started working on a shorter rein. Grrr.
This saturday is sadly the day that I will leave this earth. Sorry everyone :( I am riding in a xc clinic with Moose and they only had Beginner Novice open...so with the way Moose is acting in general plus the fact that she is jumping like a loon or slamming on the breaks at new jumps...well, I am going to die. So it was nice knowing you all. I am glad that our first xc school of the year is with a clinician so I have some eyes on the ground and some fresh suggestions because Moose is just unlike any horse I have ever taught to jump.
Ok gotta do some laundry...been wearing the same breeches several days now...ew.
All the horses seem to be feeling spring coming up, and therefore they have been a little difficult!
Bubbles is coming along quite nicely so I hope before we really get packed with lessons I can start to integrate him into the program. Just trying to get him a little longer and lower in his head carriage so he won't be so tense and will be easier to steer for the kids.
Kaddie has been helping me with Doc and Greyson and they are both doing pretty well. Doc has his up and down days but he seems to be relaxing a little more each day for Kaddie. Greyson's canter is starting to relax as well...I don't think he will ever be a slow canterer but now he's learning to balance himself a little better so he is steerable!
Quigley and Bear have joined fat camp and will be mainly working on losing weight and some low key strength building exercises...I want to see if Bear will pony off of Quigley so I can get the fat camp kids exercised at the same time...I think there is potential for that to work.
Buster had his fifth ride today and his second ride in the big ring! Today I didn't even bother to lunge him first and he did great. He's starting to understand the aids but is still very wobbly, but he seem very brave and not upset by it all. Right now the goal is to just get him forward and straight an accepting the bit, and learning how to steer. I'm going to wait until he is a little more sure footed before asking him to canter again.
Nellie started some round penning yesterday and seems to have calmed down since the last time I round penned her and seems more focused and ready to get to work.
Red started back into work today...he has some major rust to knock off!
As I get to see all the students more often, I am slowly getting the lesson horses and kids into a program to help the horses get fitter and the kids sharper. This spring will be full of grid work, cavaletti work, stirrup less work,h hill work, and flatwork.
Moose continues to b horribly frustrating. She's perfect at Hilltop in tht nice, distraction free indoor. But anywhere else, she is a monster. I feel like I'm riding two different horses! I'm going to try a couple of different bits...she keeps sucking the bit back with her tongue and biting it and fixates on it...then leans into it too hard, but will react violently when I make even a small half halt or correction. So I'm looking for a less distracting bit that she can't fold back to bite...like maybe a myler or a mullen mouth. She's just never been very quiet in her bit but has gotten worse since we started working on a shorter rein. Grrr.
This saturday is sadly the day that I will leave this earth. Sorry everyone :( I am riding in a xc clinic with Moose and they only had Beginner Novice open...so with the way Moose is acting in general plus the fact that she is jumping like a loon or slamming on the breaks at new jumps...well, I am going to die. So it was nice knowing you all. I am glad that our first xc school of the year is with a clinician so I have some eyes on the ground and some fresh suggestions because Moose is just unlike any horse I have ever taught to jump.
Ok gotta do some laundry...been wearing the same breeches several days now...ew.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Do Not Forget to Communicate...
...your horse wasn't born knowing what you want! Try not to forget that you are riding something with a brain, not a machine...be clear, be fair, be considerate of what each horse need from you. Some horses needs a therapist, some need a mother, some need a boss, some need a professor...most need a mix. For example, today I had Alexis ride Bear, who is extremely anxious about jumping I set him up a little grid that really required some thinking hoping to get him thinking rather than just mentally yelling at the top of his lungs and charging the jumps. Since hes so anxious and tense and want to scramble through at top speed, the rider naturally wants to pull back to slow him down...but whats does that do for the tense horse? Makes them more tense. I wanted Bear to relax, realize that the rider would stay out of his far, and let him figure out his feet. So Alexis played therapist/mother today, talking to him, telling him he was the best pony in the world, telling him good try for each effort, and staying relaxed and calm to set a good example. No miracles today, but Bear started to act less anxious and panicky when Alexis loosened up her reins and concentrated on just staying relaxed and centered an talked to him calmly throughout the exercise.
So again I stress, if thing are not happening the way you want, stop and think WHY, and remember that you're horse is probably wondering what the heck you want from them, too.
Today was pretty productive. I rode Buster first. I reviewed lunging with him to see where his head was a and review voice commands and staying forward. He was very goo and let me swing on him with no fuss. He found his balance under me pretty fast and we had a nice walk and trot around ad practiced a few transitions and some steering. I asked of a canter and he took two strides, decided it was horrible and tried to turn and bucked, but I got him straight and got him forward again for several more strides and left it at that. He's a quick learner so I think next week we might be able to venture to the ring, maybe with a lead horse first to help him move forward with more confidence in a bigger space.
Pav came next. I need to try to get him in some sort of shape and see if there is any possibility of reschooling him how to jump more politely for a less educated rider. I took him out to the track for a warm up since the old boy is very stiff and it takes a good long time to get him to loosen up. In the ring I worked on cantering some small fences and tried to keep him in a steady rhythm all the way to the fence without holding onto his mouth...he reacts almost like a race horse to increased rein pressure when approaching a jump...more rein = more speed. So I want him to just keep the same canter the whole way to the fences and keep him stretching over his back. He did pretty well today, only one time did his do the infamous Pav Freight Train move, and it wasn't that bad. If he can jump like this all the time, he'd be a much more useful horse...I could use him in lessons or we could find someone who could lease him. But his brain is on a switch, someways he's great and others he's a spaz over fences. But I'm still hoping that he will finally just decide to act his age and get bored with jumping an stay nice and steady all the time.
I got to hop on Quigley today. He was very good and seems easy peasy to ride. Cluck to trot, kiss to canter. He's very balance through his turns and his canter was pleasantly well balanced and comfy. If he were smaller he'd be a great kids beginner horse, he seems very safe and sane and all around a good guy. I took him out to the track and had a little trot and canter to see how he acted and to help him start to lose some weight. He was very well behaved.
Moose had a dressage day...she's been so very frustrating these past few months. She's better now that she's back at Knights Landing and off all that food, but she is just going through a phase where she has zero interest in focusing on her work...I cannot hold her attention for longer than ten seconds at a time no matter what I try. I imagine she is feeling spring but still...it is really holding us back. And she's really just not settling in to the bit...even when I first put her bridle on he is chomping and crunching and trying to spit it out and she's never content to find a nice way to hold the bit and stay there when I ride. I've had her teeth checked and changed noseband an watch her like a hawk for back soreness again but I his cannot fin anything wrong. I really think I might experiment with a few different bits and see if she simply doesn't like the one she has now.
After a few lessons I pulled Trick out and round penned with him for a few minutes. Sadly he's still off but I got I demo to Alexis on how to work the newer ponies in the roundpen so maybe we can get them all working soon with a joint effort. I'd like to teach a few more of the older girls how to work the ponies!
Tomorrow it's supposed to rain, but I will have a lesson with Michael. Hopefully Moose will be naughty so Michael can see what se does when she's not focusing and can help me through it. She is always pretty dang good at Hilltop and tells Michael she's a perfect little mare all of the time and not naughty at all. HA!
So again I stress, if thing are not happening the way you want, stop and think WHY, and remember that you're horse is probably wondering what the heck you want from them, too.
Today was pretty productive. I rode Buster first. I reviewed lunging with him to see where his head was a and review voice commands and staying forward. He was very goo and let me swing on him with no fuss. He found his balance under me pretty fast and we had a nice walk and trot around ad practiced a few transitions and some steering. I asked of a canter and he took two strides, decided it was horrible and tried to turn and bucked, but I got him straight and got him forward again for several more strides and left it at that. He's a quick learner so I think next week we might be able to venture to the ring, maybe with a lead horse first to help him move forward with more confidence in a bigger space.
Pav came next. I need to try to get him in some sort of shape and see if there is any possibility of reschooling him how to jump more politely for a less educated rider. I took him out to the track for a warm up since the old boy is very stiff and it takes a good long time to get him to loosen up. In the ring I worked on cantering some small fences and tried to keep him in a steady rhythm all the way to the fence without holding onto his mouth...he reacts almost like a race horse to increased rein pressure when approaching a jump...more rein = more speed. So I want him to just keep the same canter the whole way to the fences and keep him stretching over his back. He did pretty well today, only one time did his do the infamous Pav Freight Train move, and it wasn't that bad. If he can jump like this all the time, he'd be a much more useful horse...I could use him in lessons or we could find someone who could lease him. But his brain is on a switch, someways he's great and others he's a spaz over fences. But I'm still hoping that he will finally just decide to act his age and get bored with jumping an stay nice and steady all the time.
I got to hop on Quigley today. He was very good and seems easy peasy to ride. Cluck to trot, kiss to canter. He's very balance through his turns and his canter was pleasantly well balanced and comfy. If he were smaller he'd be a great kids beginner horse, he seems very safe and sane and all around a good guy. I took him out to the track and had a little trot and canter to see how he acted and to help him start to lose some weight. He was very well behaved.
Moose had a dressage day...she's been so very frustrating these past few months. She's better now that she's back at Knights Landing and off all that food, but she is just going through a phase where she has zero interest in focusing on her work...I cannot hold her attention for longer than ten seconds at a time no matter what I try. I imagine she is feeling spring but still...it is really holding us back. And she's really just not settling in to the bit...even when I first put her bridle on he is chomping and crunching and trying to spit it out and she's never content to find a nice way to hold the bit and stay there when I ride. I've had her teeth checked and changed noseband an watch her like a hawk for back soreness again but I his cannot fin anything wrong. I really think I might experiment with a few different bits and see if she simply doesn't like the one she has now.
After a few lessons I pulled Trick out and round penned with him for a few minutes. Sadly he's still off but I got I demo to Alexis on how to work the newer ponies in the roundpen so maybe we can get them all working soon with a joint effort. I'd like to teach a few more of the older girls how to work the ponies!
Tomorrow it's supposed to rain, but I will have a lesson with Michael. Hopefully Moose will be naughty so Michael can see what se does when she's not focusing and can help me through it. She is always pretty dang good at Hilltop and tells Michael she's a perfect little mare all of the time and not naughty at all. HA!
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