5/31

Camping for 2 days!!  Melissa, Kendall, Summer and I at Indian Creek.

5/28

Trail ride wtih Gem and Jen on Oso.  Just did a loop in the neighborhood.  Gem was fanastic.  Finished with some jumping on Gem.

Then started working on online audition filming.  Z5 driving was a little rusty, but we got some footage for me to study.  I have a few things to develop with Z.  Lead by the tail needs to be more responsive.

5/27

Finally, the wind has calmed down.  I felt like I was getting a little sick, but that subsided today as well.

Rode Starlet.  Her mouth and feel with the bit were all but ruined by the person who took her for a few months.  I'm in repair mode.  Making a program of softness with the bit.  We did figure 8 until her mouth got quiet.  Poor girl - she's just thinking brace all the time.  She might be my dressage horse someday, but for now we've got to rebuild fundamentals.

Then played online with Z on the 45'.  Really focusing on the relationship and listening to her.  Her maintain gait needs practice, but otherwise, she's nice and soft on the end of the line.  I think we're getting close to filming.

5/24

Kris with her Billy Cook saddle.  Played with the send, also.

Rode Z for the lesson.

Played online with Z on the 45'.  Progress!

5/23
Beginning of getting Liberty filmed with Z.  We have some things to address, but it was a great learning session for me as her human partner.  Jen was over and did some filming for us.

5/20

Trimmed Ruby and Zari

Trimmed Z and played a short liberty session.  Very nice connection and great responsiveness.

Working on either connection, responsiveness or relaxation.  We had it all today.

5/18

Amazing day.  Connecting with Z, more ears forward than I've EVER seen.

Connecting with Gem and then jumping him for the first time over some of the higher jumps on my property.  I've always lacked the confidence to do it.  Big day for sure.

5/17

Lots of time with Z.  Building a connection!

Session with connection game, but modified from what I learned from Molly.  She's starting to consider asking questions.

5/14

2 sessions with Z

Connection game

Riding with contact and some posture

Prepping for Liberty filming

5/

Played with Z in the round pen.  Looking for lightness and a connection.  Focusing on the shoulder and not letting it fall in.  Also practicing the draw... a LOT!

Trimmed Sky earlier this week.  He needed a good amount of rehab due to the time between trims.  He grows a lot of toe and had flared walls and laminae separation.

Dentist

Phil checked:

Gem
Z
Rain
Fantzy
Cowboy
Rio
Sky
Starlet

Gem and Z needed some minor work.  Rain was good to go except for a hollowed out tooth that will probably crumble over time.  He didn't feel the need to pull it.  Fantzy will probably need some work done in the next round (6 mos).  Cowboy, Sky and Starlet were good.  Rio had a little work done.

Endurance Season 2012 Begins!!

Rode the Kenlyn today with my great friend, Melissa!  The weather was perfect and the ride was even more perfect.  My horse is not in top condition, so I wanted to take it slow.  I got a very late start leaving the house and was hustling to get registered and ready to ride.  We left about 5 minutes after the group and ended up going the wrong way for about 2 miles (1 mile out, 1 back).  We lost 30 -45 minutes but we were both planning to have a low stress ride and didn't let it bother us.

The first loop on this 25 mile race is about 17.5 miles.  This was a lot for Zarah and felt guilty for not having prepared her better.  However, she got almost all A's on her vet card (B for gut sounds) at the midway vet check and she seemed ok.  I got her a good mash and water and hay and she ate for about 45 minutes before it was time to go again.  

She did NOT want to go again!  She was very resistant and we had to have quite a discussion before we got going.  Kholo was the same for Melissa, unfortunately.  Once we got going she was ok, though.  Of course, she hauled butt coming back in on the 2nd loop and we did lots of cantering so we could make it in time to get a completion.  For the first time in my life, I got the TURTLE AWARD!  I was the very last finisher as Kholo pulsed down a few seconds before Z.  

I would do it all again.  I had a blast with Melissa, I love being with my horse, the weather was amazing and the challenge was awesome.  I'm looking forward to a great 2012 of 50's starting in July.  Z and I have some training to do!  

I love my life.  

Teaching and Learning

Helping Chrissy and Kris, Kristina watched

sideways on the ground. both chose to improve distance (gave them the choice of quality, distance, speed)

then isolating the ends

ended with follow the leader with lots of bending

Great day!

Z was a great teachers mount. Love her.

Trotting the property

Me and Kendall. We planned for 1 hour of trotting. Rain was tough for Kendall today and I'm guessing Rain is having a tougher cycle (spring menses).

Trimmed gem and touched up Z.

Riding around the pasture - FAST!

Touch up trim on Z

Rode Z with Kendall and Rain in the front, then passenger at the trot and canter in the arena. She was full of energy and go today! She wanted to gallop everywhere. :) I can't wait for the endurance races this season.

Kendall did passenger lesson on Rain in the arena, too. She loved it and you could hear her yelling, "This is soooo fun! I could do this forever!" while cantering around. Love to see her have so much fun.

Gotta get Gem trimmed and do some fecal samples.

walking and riding

with chrissy and kyle

cowboy, rain, z

walked 4 then rode 2 back

rode cowboy a bit

chrissy did great

kyle walked rain some (i think he and Rain were not getting along great)

lesson with kris in the morn

she and rio did 20 mins of passenger!!

great, great sideways

figure 8

mounting is improving

rode ellie - great ride

lots of trot and feeling her move out

rope hack, want to get back to the bit

she's ready for more

6 miles with Z

It's time to get serious about conditioning Z. With my walking, I have a lot of opportunity to bring her along and walk some, ride some. Today, I took her for 6 miles and I walked 3 and rode 3. I walked the first 3, straight out from home. I then got on to ride back. Well, Z had a little more interest in going home than I expected and I ended up with a lot of horse under me! I had Deuce and the sun was setting fast. For a minute, I thought I had gotten myself in a jam.

I called Steve to come get Deuce as I was worried about it getting dark and cars whizzing by on the dirt road. I then went to work on Z partnering up with s-bends and sidepassing. After about 1/2 mile, she was with me and good to go. We came home in the dark, but the moon was so full we still had a shadow. Z was so great after the initial few minutes and I just love that mare. I asked her to trot some and she went straight into her ground-covering extended trot. Boy, that mare can fly!

I had boots on her fronts - her frogs are a little unhealthy right now. Hoping to turn those frogs around quickly with white lightening gel treatments, trimming and keeping them extra clean.

Come on, SPRING!

The weather finally gave us a reprieve today. It was warm (about 50) and only a little breezy. The snow is finally melting and the horses are starting to shed. I had a little pep in my step! I maybe did too much, as I was absolutely exhausted by bedtime.

Started with a short trail ride with Kendall and Chrissy. Chrissy and Cowboy left the property confidently, but unfortunately the country road sights and sounds were a little too much. We only went about a mile before we decided to turn around. Z was excited but responsive. It was great to ride away after a few months of indoor arena and riding only on the property.

I trimmed Z's fronts and Ellie's fronts. Z is struggling with some thrush so treated again with white lightening and managed her frogs. Ellie has a very flat foot but some good structure to work with. I didn't get to her hinds as she was having a hard time standing still with the herd out of sight.

I then rode Ellie in the indoor. She was full of energy and again, worried about the herd. She actually reared with me in the saddle for the first time. Surprised me! I brought the herd closer with some hay outside the indoor and we were able to have a better ride. We worked on the trot and circling and figure 8's. I thought she'd be going home today, but looks like she's here for a few more days. I will ride her some more while she's here. I want to build on the new attitude she found after yesterday. I had to hop off after the rearing and do some focused ground work. She worked up quite a sweat, but her idea of partnering with me was much better and she was ride-able.

After that, Steve and I fixed fence so I could re-open the west pasture. It's been closed due to down fence for 2 months. There's still 1-2 feet of snow in that pasture! This will be a huge melting week.

After all that, I had my 4 miles to walk for Avon training. I was so tired, it was more like a stroll. But I did it! Great day.

Maintenance

Got Rio and Cowboy dewormed with Equimax. Should have done this weeks ago. Realized today that I bought it but forgot to administer it.

Applied thrush meds to Rain, Gem and Z. All 3 need a soak - which is no surprise. The ground has been the worst I've seen it since moving in. So much snow and they are living in a small area, off the track. Need to do some trims and soaks this week.

A quick play on a windy night

Kendall, Rain, Z and I played in the indoor after chores tonight. I did a little groundwork with Z while Kendall rode Rain bareback. I played with FLC's and sideways. I hopped on Z for a few minutes bareback, but the temps were so cold we didn't last long. Short session, but fun with Kendall on her horse.