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!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)