Oye! Chrissy and I planned to take an early evening trail ride after getting some hay put away that was delivered today. I planned to ride Rain and pony Nina. Chrissy was looking pretty positive and ready to go and I was the weak link, slowing things down. I did not ground work Nina first and I should have. I played with Rain a bit, not much though.
As we started going down my long driveway to make our way to the trail, I realized I had a lot of horse under me! Rain is usually my calm horse, eager to go, but level-headed. Tonight she was full of life and Nina wasn't any better. I was trying to get Rain to ease into the ride and Nina to find her spot as my pony-horse. We were nearly 2/3 of the way up the driveway when I looked back to see where Chrissy was. I had looked back several times, always checking to make sure she's cool, but I'd had a stretch of time - maybe 100 yds, where I didn't look back.
I looked just in time to see the two of them braced against each other and Cowboy's brace escalated into a little crow-hopping. Chrissy rode it for a bit and then tried to dismount. She nearly got off gracefully! But at the last moment she lost her balance and landed with a thud! Honestly, she was so close to just making it look good. Of course, she was a little stirred up then and walked him the 1/4 mile back to the barn.
I of course, still had my hands full with mares and decided to make my way back to the barn while making some changes in my situation. I did circles and figure 8's at the trot and canter, teaching Nina to hold her spot and Rain to partner up. They were both so full of energy and it was probably 5 mins of that before we calmly made our way back.
After some talking, we decided that I should hop on her horse and see what I get. First we worked on suppling as he's become quite bracey. We also worked on maintain gait at the trot. When I felt like he was blowing and calm in the brain, we walked off to hit the trail alone. The sun was going down fast and I knew we couldn't trail ride, but I let him know that leaving wasn't so bad by giving him a grass-eating break when were out a ways. I hopped off and everything.
But then... MOSQUITOS!! OMG - they are so bad this year with all the rain and I'm hating them with all my heart. He was sprayed before we left but I swear the mosquitos think that fly spray is like gravy. I was swatting them off him the best I could but decided we should just get back so Chrissy can hop on him and remember that he's a good boy. I rode him back, hopping off at one point when the mosquitos were so bad he was just shaking around like crazy. I got back on before we were at the barn and then rode him some more, getting him more soft on the bit.
Then, I convinced Chrissy to hop back on him in the round pen. She noticed that he was a lot softer - a good thing for her to see that 20 mins of good timing can change a horse's response to the bit pressure. She played some more with lateral flexion then walked him around playing with direct rein.
But then... a Big Spook! Seriously?? He scooted away and Chrissy bailed off to the side. She hit the round pen rail and landed pretty hard. Wow - what a night. We took care of her, got her some ice and motrin. Checked that nothing was broken and went back out to put horses away for the night.
It was a tiring and frustrating circus of an evening. As we cleaned up and fed and got horses out for the night I realized something that probably played a role. I've been feeding alfalfa at night. I normally feed only grass and will sometimes throw some alfalfa as well if the horses look dull-coated or need an energy boost. However, I wonder if I simply have overdone it the past week or so. There just seemed to be a buzz in the herd.
Sometime during feeding Abby cut her forehead and needed doctoring, too. Are all the horses just on an alfalfa buzz? Did I cause the mayhem by not being careful enough with the amount of alfalfa I've thrown? What a night.
For Chrissy, this is the stuff that will turn her into a horsewoman. For me, I don't know... watch what I feed? And make sure I know what horse(s) I'm headed down the trail with before I even mount? Getting in a hurry often doesn't pay.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Gemini in the rain
Had a successful, but shorter than I hoped session with Gemini. His catching game in the run was beautiful. He partnered very nicely, bending his neck around so I could halter him in front of my stomach while in Z2. We went to the arena, started on the ground, practicing the rock slide and falling leaf. Moving his fore w/o moving my feet from 22ft away is a challenge. He's very in tune with me, which is nice, but he seems to get a little lost. So slow and easy, one step at a time, we got some nice movements.
Then, my plan was to do cloverleaf with transitions. I also wanted to practice getting the lead out of the trot that I asked for every time. Z and I are struggling a little bit there, but I realized with Gem it was a piece of cake. Why? Because he canters slowly, thoughtfully, rhythmically. Z canters like she's running from a fire and her rhythm is erratic. It was great to feel that I can actually get the canter lead I ask for with Gem. Now to develop that with Z...
Gems canter departs were so soft and I was focused on asking with the correct hind struck the ground. We got some very nice transitions up, like butter. It made me full-on smile.
As we were getting really warm and having nice success, the rain started. Bummer. I took him into the barn, trimmed his feet a little, then when the rain stopped, we went back to the arena and played with the other side (the left lead).
Then, my plan was to do cloverleaf with transitions. I also wanted to practice getting the lead out of the trot that I asked for every time. Z and I are struggling a little bit there, but I realized with Gem it was a piece of cake. Why? Because he canters slowly, thoughtfully, rhythmically. Z canters like she's running from a fire and her rhythm is erratic. It was great to feel that I can actually get the canter lead I ask for with Gem. Now to develop that with Z...
Gems canter departs were so soft and I was focused on asking with the correct hind struck the ground. We got some very nice transitions up, like butter. It made me full-on smile.
As we were getting really warm and having nice success, the rain started. Bummer. I took him into the barn, trimmed his feet a little, then when the rain stopped, we went back to the arena and played with the other side (the left lead).
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Pushing the envelope with Kime
Amazing lesson! Really pushing me to take things to the next level. I watched some of Jen's lesson first, then let Miss Z catch me to warm up for our lesson. We ended up going from about 1:30 to nearly 5pm. I was tired!! Some notes:
1) Falling Leaf - Z's shoulders are caving in. I need to move the fore around more and keep the distance between us the same all the time.
2) Modified Rock Slide - moving Z1, then Z4, then Z1 again the other direction. At the end of the 22, I could influence the zones, but Z would not stop moving when I stopped asking. How interesting! I worked on bringing my life down more clearly and quicker.
3) Back-up - we started out just showing transitions on the rail. We got our backup card pulled because it was slow and I was working harder than she was. Sometimes I get our back up good and then other times, it's like moving her through cement. Is it just me? Anyway, Kime helped by adding a ton of commotion in Z1 while I when through the phases. She became our phase 4. That helped, Z got lighter... Now, how long before I add the cement back in? lol
4) Transitions - if I feel the need to use my reins, then use them effectively and drop them again! I was not being clear and not being effective, which forced me to hold the reins more than I needed.
5) I have tight shoulders. Yup, I sure do.
6) Tailbone to the cantle! I love this one. First time I really could visualize what I wanted my body to do and get it done. This really helped me round my lower back and keep it that way.
7) My horses pushes me up in the rising trot and I control my down. I know that. I wasn't doing it though. Also, the sitting trot is a backwards rising trot. This means that I push myself lower and deeper on the diagonals. This is the way to ride the trot bareback. Ohhhh!
8) We used the western saddle at first, then switched to english. I've been gripping with my legs in the english saddle. Turns out my legs are stiff when I ride english. If I swing my legs a little, I find a lot more harmony. How interesting is that?
9) We did ride the rail, transitions, and then a ton of passenger lesson at the canter. I realized the canter PPL in the english saddle was a little harder for me. Neither is very difficult, but I have to keep building my independent seat in the english saddle.
10) 9-step backup! Remember, the horse doesn't move back until step 8! If my horses starts to halt on step 5, keep her forward until step 8. This builds the soft feel on the reins and prepares the horse for contact and finesse riding.
11) LEADS! Detecting the lead, knowing the lead, bringing my lead hip forward, asking for it from the hind and not the front. So much to know and I've got a learning curve to ride still. I was a little chastised because I'm not always asking for a specific lead. Apparently, I'm too advanced to not be that particular. Doh! We rode around at the PPL in the canter and I called out the leads. With Z, I was wrong a lot of the time! If I sit in the lead position, and I'm in the right lead position, it should feel better. I had to do that a while before I started to feel the difference. Wow! I've gotten pretty far w/o this info. Now, I have to rebuild some skills with that knowledge. What a blast! It's like building a house. It's one thing to build the frame, it's another entirely to put the electrical system in. So, I'm now going to be very particular. Lead arm out and moving, lead hip forward, feel the hind lead take off. Time to pay close attention to the feet at the canter. Also, if I could get Z to canter a little more slowly, that would help a ton.
12) Swing my legs at the canter in the english saddle - at least until I get more fluidity. Lean wayyy back and keep my tailbone to the cantle. And at the trot, follow with the shoulders. I do that at the walk, time to follow-up at the higher gaits.
13) Z and I were both cooked when it was over. I was starving, we were both sweaty... Z had given me her all. I'm learning so much with her and she's a great horse for this. She has tons of go and endurance naturally and when I'm a good leader, she'll never quit me. I'm lucky. She's a champ.
Thanks, Kime!
1) Falling Leaf - Z's shoulders are caving in. I need to move the fore around more and keep the distance between us the same all the time.
2) Modified Rock Slide - moving Z1, then Z4, then Z1 again the other direction. At the end of the 22, I could influence the zones, but Z would not stop moving when I stopped asking. How interesting! I worked on bringing my life down more clearly and quicker.
3) Back-up - we started out just showing transitions on the rail. We got our backup card pulled because it was slow and I was working harder than she was. Sometimes I get our back up good and then other times, it's like moving her through cement. Is it just me? Anyway, Kime helped by adding a ton of commotion in Z1 while I when through the phases. She became our phase 4. That helped, Z got lighter... Now, how long before I add the cement back in? lol
4) Transitions - if I feel the need to use my reins, then use them effectively and drop them again! I was not being clear and not being effective, which forced me to hold the reins more than I needed.
5) I have tight shoulders. Yup, I sure do.
6) Tailbone to the cantle! I love this one. First time I really could visualize what I wanted my body to do and get it done. This really helped me round my lower back and keep it that way.
7) My horses pushes me up in the rising trot and I control my down. I know that. I wasn't doing it though. Also, the sitting trot is a backwards rising trot. This means that I push myself lower and deeper on the diagonals. This is the way to ride the trot bareback. Ohhhh!
8) We used the western saddle at first, then switched to english. I've been gripping with my legs in the english saddle. Turns out my legs are stiff when I ride english. If I swing my legs a little, I find a lot more harmony. How interesting is that?
9) We did ride the rail, transitions, and then a ton of passenger lesson at the canter. I realized the canter PPL in the english saddle was a little harder for me. Neither is very difficult, but I have to keep building my independent seat in the english saddle.
10) 9-step backup! Remember, the horse doesn't move back until step 8! If my horses starts to halt on step 5, keep her forward until step 8. This builds the soft feel on the reins and prepares the horse for contact and finesse riding.
11) LEADS! Detecting the lead, knowing the lead, bringing my lead hip forward, asking for it from the hind and not the front. So much to know and I've got a learning curve to ride still. I was a little chastised because I'm not always asking for a specific lead. Apparently, I'm too advanced to not be that particular. Doh! We rode around at the PPL in the canter and I called out the leads. With Z, I was wrong a lot of the time! If I sit in the lead position, and I'm in the right lead position, it should feel better. I had to do that a while before I started to feel the difference. Wow! I've gotten pretty far w/o this info. Now, I have to rebuild some skills with that knowledge. What a blast! It's like building a house. It's one thing to build the frame, it's another entirely to put the electrical system in. So, I'm now going to be very particular. Lead arm out and moving, lead hip forward, feel the hind lead take off. Time to pay close attention to the feet at the canter. Also, if I could get Z to canter a little more slowly, that would help a ton.
12) Swing my legs at the canter in the english saddle - at least until I get more fluidity. Lean wayyy back and keep my tailbone to the cantle. And at the trot, follow with the shoulders. I do that at the walk, time to follow-up at the higher gaits.
13) Z and I were both cooked when it was over. I was starving, we were both sweaty... Z had given me her all. I'm learning so much with her and she's a great horse for this. She has tons of go and endurance naturally and when I'm a good leader, she'll never quit me. I'm lucky. She's a champ.
Thanks, Kime!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)