Super Size My Cob

Downhill To Healthy

2012-03-09T20:38:00.000-05:00

I'm alive - and breathing, so are my equines. I've been around - reading, commenting here and there. Just not posting as nothing is really going on right now.

Bonnie... well she is on the road of recovery. The last bit of scare she gave us was a bout of colic last Friday. I didn't have to call the vet, thankfully as she came out of pretty quickly. I did cancel my trip to show one of my dogs so that I was close to check on her daily.

We've resumed normal feeding, she's not even getting soaked feed anymore.

She looks like hell though - I really debated on putting this picture up but I can't even describe the tole this ordeal had on her without the picture.

To give a better perspective this one is from October 2011

.... and today 3-9-2012

She went approximately 15 days of eating nothing but liquified feed, grass pellets and normal pelleted feed soaked to a soup. Fed no less the four times a day. There was at least one day that she was not able to swallow anything.

At this point we've had 6 days of "Normal" and I'm so grateful. I'm certain it won't take long for her to put the weight back on and starting looking like her normal self.

Rosie... Is sound. Every once in a while she'll step on something pointy just right and take an off step but that's all. I assume it will take a while for the sole and frog to callous over. In the meantime I'm going to start riding Rosie next week, and bring Bonnie into light lunging work to gain muscle she's lost before I start riding her again.

90% and a Thank You !

2012-02-27T19:25:00.001-05:00

90% is where I'd say Bonnie's health is. She's now on her normal diet of three flakes of hay, and normal pellets softened not mashed or souped.

While her flanks are still really sunken, she had good capillary refill on the guns so I'm just going to take a deep breath and assume it will take some time for her to fully rebound.

120% is what my PBO "S" gave during all of this ordeal with Bonnie. I can't even begin to express my great appreciation for her level of attentiveness and care she provides my horses. The constant communication, checking on Bonnie late nights, providing four or five "feedings" a day. I know at one point, when Bonnie was having issues swallowing, she fed her a hand full at a time making sure Bonnie swallowed each one before moving on. I know she reads this so "S" - Jim and I would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all you have done.

Healing Powers of Grass Soup

2012-02-25T10:55:00.000-05:00

Thursday I put a bucket full of "grass soup". Literally. I put 1 pound of grass hay pellets in a water bucket and filled the bucket with warm water. I set it in her stall next to her dinner of pellets and grass hay pellets soaked to a mush.

I assume she drank it because her stall was not wet, except for the urine spot, like it would be if she dumped an entire bucket over.

Yesterday afternoon for her "lunch" when everyone else was getting hay, I put another bucket of grass soup in her stall. I watched as she slurped it all gone. I gave her a flake of hay and her daily dose of Banamine (she get's one more) and she happily munched hay with little difficulty.

Her urine spot wasn't as large as normal, but her manure is looking better, and there was the normal amount of piles.

This morning she'd eaten all her hay over night and drank about 1/2 inch or so of water from her stall bucket, and this morning is finally eating hay in turn out.

She still has some slight swelling around the nerve, and she's pretty "head shy" on that side.

I'm hoping, I'm praying we are well on our way out of this mess.

The Day That Was Not Worse Than Yesterday

2012-02-22T20:46:00.000-05:00

Today Miss Bonnie is sassy and vibrant, not wanting to lead politely, spooky and snorting coming in from pasture.

Also showing early signs of mild dehydration. Her urine spot in her stall was a bit smaller, but still significant. Her manure while same amounts is dryer in consistency. She is VERY sunken in the flanks.

She did eat the entire flake of hay, there were quid balls but I'd say 98% of the flake from last night was eaten.

Now if only she'd drink. I started electrolytes yesterday evening. She drank a very small amount from her buckets over night. No idea of she drank in the field.

I'm open to ANY idea's to get her drinking. Already tried the gatoraid straight in a bucket - she showed no interest.

I'm also not entirely sure the swelling in her chest is a from a kick. It wasn't localized to one area - her entire midline from throat latch to chest was swollen. I also had started exactly 4 feedings before the quiding started was topping her pellets with Tribute's Essential K. It's a feed dressing of minerals and protein. I stopped the EK with this past Monday's evening feed and Tuesday the swelling in her neck had gone down and is completely gone today.

If anyone had kicked her it would have been Rosie. They are turned out together and no one else is with them.

Thanks to everyone for your well wishes, thoughts, prayers and advice, it is greatly appreciated!

Answers

2012-02-21T19:39:00.000-05:00

PBO "S" sent me an update on Bonnie after morning feeding. Bonnie was still not swallowing normally, but was swallowing better than last night. This was at least a "nothing worse".

Vet gets there and I show her pictures of last nights swelling. She grabs a flashlight, gloves and stethoscope. She prefers to exam the horse in their stall so long as they are quiet, so we walked into Bonnie's stall and put her halter and lead rope on her.

First check is teeth and interior of mouth. After realizing that Bonnie wasn't going to be stupid she had me toss the lead rope of Bonnie's withers and hold the flash light and looked all the way to the back of her throat. She felt all her teeth etc. Her only comments is that there were no waves to surfaces of her teeth. She explained that waves are important on the surface to move hay from front to back.

Other than that, nothing wrong with her teeth or mouth.

She moved on to the swelling on her nose. It is very swollen on the right side, the left I believe is just "spread" from the right side.

She pushed lightly on the spot itself and Bonnie did a bit of head tossing. She's not a head tossing type of horse so it obviously bothered her. She pushed in certain spot in the bump and Bonnie reacted very violently from pain. She then pushed on the same spot on the opposite side and there was no reaction from Bonnie.

M. in the diagram below is the root of her pain...

Source

M is the Infra-Orbital Nerve.

This nerve controls sensation not motor function. It is also the culprit in neurotic head shakers.

Vet believes that she bumped her face or, more likely, was on the receiving end of at least one hoof, probably a pair of hooves. The other probably hit her in the neck causing the swelling there yesterday. Just took a few days for it to come out.

Treatment is a couple of days of Banamine.

She ate her mash much better tonight. No strange swallow thing going on at all.

At this point I will completely relax once she starts drinking water normally. She's not dehydrated by capillary refill rate on the gums, but her flanks are sunk in.

Bonnie - New Symptoms

2012-02-20T22:01:00.000-05:00

This is Bonnie tonight...

Left side of face - little swelling

Right side of face - a lot of swelling. Follow the line of white and you can really see it.

And the midline of her neck- it's right down the middle... This is what scares the crap out of me.

She is now having difficulty swallowing, makes like a gag choking face even when sucking water up into her mouth. She is NOT choked.

She has not drank any water from her buckets in days- all her fluid is coming from her soaked feed, which is really soaked to a mush and getting four times a day.

She has urinated at least twice today, normal amount both times. It is dark though.

She has left her normal amount of manure in her stall, and it is not dry. If anything it's soft enough to just be formed.

Her temp was 99.2 - normal

Her attitude is normal - perky self. Nickering, fishing in pockets for treats, curious, demanding food.

Gave her 1 gram of bute paste and took away everything she could possible try to consume. I did leave her water buckets.

YES I've called a vet. I called 4 different vets until I found one who could come see her tomorrow. I then called that vet back this evening after noticing this swelling. After explaining what I saw, and what we did, she said I did all the things she would suggest. She also said that if she changes for the worse to call her and page as an emergency and she'd juggle her to the top of her rounds tomorrow.

S will be looking in on her tonight before she goes to bed. I can't enough good about my PBO "S". In my opinion she's gone above and beyond helping me make sure my little mare is ok. Constant communication, giving her personal "If this was my horse..." opinions. I truly appreciate this.

Update and a Need For Bubble Wrap

2012-02-19T16:20:00.001-05:00

Update on Bonnie- Dentist was incredibly thorough with his exam today. Before sedation he moved Bonnie's top and lower jaws together to ensure there was good grinding on both sides and note any reaction at all. She lifted her head and backed up but had good grinding.

He watched her try to eat hay. At first she wasn't real interested but started biting at the flake like a dog bites \ gulps at meat. Once she got a mouth full she gave a half hearted effort at chewing then spit it out.

She has slight swelling on the right side of her nose about three fingers up from the nostrils, just below the nostril bone. It's tender but she didn't object violently when we palpitated it.

After that he sedated her per my request. It's not needed to do normal floats with her but with this I wanted no reason for him to look at everything.

He put the speculum in, opened her mouth and took a good long look. Then he checked every tooth from the back forwards. There was one spot he filed on the inside of her left upper teeth. He checked inside each cheek, top of her mouth all the way back to her throat. No ulcers, cuts or abnormalities.

In short he couldn't find anything wrong, so he called his vet and explained what he observed, gave age and normal behavior background. His vet said that if she's running a temperature, which she hasn't yet - I'm checking daily, then most likely she smacked her nose on something hard enough to cause chewing to be sore. To give 1 gram of bute next couple of days. If she starts to run a temperature to do a course of penicillin.

Sedated she ate an entire flake of hay without issues, this tells me it is most definitely pain in or around the jaw related.

I put another flake in a hay net (she doesn't have shoes or halter on) and hung it in her stall. I bought Orchard Grass pellets and will use those instead of alfalfa cubes. We are soaking her grain to make it easier for her and giving the bute. If by Tuesday evening there is no change I will call my vet out. I'm looking to use a different vet and develop a good relationship with her so this will be a great time do so.

Then there is Rosie.

Yesterday Boyfriends mother invited me to go watch her show at Moorehead University. It was long drive, I was introduce to the world of Intercollegiate Horse Shows - namely Hunt Seat Equitation. Very interesting process. She got a first place ribbon and a decent bag for the effort and we headed back home.

I had to go check on Bonnie so invited her to ride Rosie of which she readily agreed. She brought her own Dressage Saddle, girth, and Dressage whip.

She tacked up Rosie while I picked out Bonnie's stall so I could count manure piles and density of the wet spot.

The PBO came out to give me an update on Bonnie and decided to stick around to watch L ride Rosie. As we were walking out to the arena L comments that the silver tip of her whip is gone, it was about that time that Rosie took a three legged lame step. Lame on right hind.

Guess what she stepped on.... you got it. The dressage tip landed slot up, and Rosie stepped square on it so it didn't crumple or tip. Instead in embedded. It was stuck about half the length of the slot into her hoof where the point of the frog meets the sole.

I held her hoof up while PBO used vice grips to pry it out. It was in deep enough that it bled. We squirted a whole bunch of Betadine Scrub on it, hosed it thoroughly, packed it with Furazone, taped with vet wrap and duct tape.

This morning the puncture site is warm, not alarming, but warmer than her other hoof in the same spot so did the above all over again. Considering epson salts soak tomorrow evening if still warm.

Bonnie and Quidding

2012-02-18T08:48:00.002-05:00

Quidding is a habit which some horses form due to mouth pain or other health problems. When a horse quids, it stores a bolus of food in the side of its mouth, or it drops food after a few bites. Sometimes horses will form balls of material while quidding and then spit them out.

The last two days I've found those gross balls off chewed and saliva soaked hay in Bonnie's stall. Not just one or two, but many. She's rooting her hay all over her stall, and she also hasn't finished her three flakes of hay in her stall from WEDNESDAY morning! She IS eating her pellets (soaked).

First thing one thinks of is teeth. Her teeth were floated on February 4. He took his time, showed me the points, let me feel after wards. I felt nothing and looked good to me, but I'm no expert.

Dentist was first call I made yesterday morning. He has a couple of idea's to check, said he would also discuss with his mentor (I LOVE he still has relationship with his mentor) and will see her first thing Sunday morning.

Second call I made was vet. Vet said I was doing the right things and if she's still quidding after the dentist, or if he couldn't find anything, she could fit her in early to mid week.

Until then I doubled her complete pellet, added another pound of Essential K, and alfalfa cubes for last night and this morning. She's not a horse that does well with alfalfa so last night I picked up Orchard Grass pellets and will switch her to that.

I also, being the neurotic horse mom that I am, took scissors and "chopped up" about 1 flake of hay and put into a feed bucket in her stall. If anything we can monitor how much of it she's consuming.

I've never experienced a horse that wouldn't or couldn't eat hay before so I'm pretty worried, and will admit I kind of panicked calling every horsey friend I have looking for advice. Not to mention she's only 18, a bit too young to be quidding due to age.

Any advice here will be appreciated as well, even if it's worse case, it gives me things to throw at my vet and dentist.

Status Quo, New Sales Item, and Planned Rides

2012-02-16T21:22:00.000-05:00

With our weather we are kind of in a holding pattern with riding. It's consistently too wet for us to ride consistently.

My PBO and I measured out a small dressage arena yesterday, then we both hopped.. well ok - she hopped, I crawled, onto our ponies bareback and just had fun. Loosy goosy meandering around the arena kinda fun.

Strange thing though, and I've noticed it before. Rosie doesn't like me sitting on her back without a saddle. Her ears are almost always pinned. She's ok walking around, but ask to trot and I get attitude head tossing and sudden stops. I'm not certain if she's ever been consistently ridden bareback before, or could this be something different? I'm looking into getting a basic bareback pad so maybe that will help.

I added a Harmohan Kraft Hunt Bridle to my "Virtual Barn Sale" tab. It's in excellent condition and does include the snaffle bit. This bridle would fit from cob to average horse size. I didn't measure the bit - but I believe it to be a 5 to 5.5 in size. I can measure if anyone would like.

Now for the fun part. It's February and I am ready to RIDE! I'm investigating lots of new and challenging things for Rosie and I. The most awesome part is my PBO said "I'm game for anything!" when asked if she'd like to do some of these things...

Fox Hunt
Hunter Pace
Gymkhana
Ride for A Cure (new button on my side bar)
ACTHA

Definitely doing the Ride for a Cure so will be buying all sorts of pink stuff for Rosie and I!

What do you guys have planned for fun rides this riding season?

Prayers for Olivia

2012-02-14T13:52:00.001-05:00

Ashley over at The Process of Learning's mare Ella foaled yesterday to a beautiful filly, perfect in every way.

EXCEPT... She's premature, foaled on the 313th day of gestation. 320 days is the "safe" area.

Please go read and pray that this beautiful little filly pulls through and is normal.

New Video

2012-02-13T06:32:00.000-05:00

I put a new training video up on the Video pages. I felt better about this ride.

Confessions of a Horse Owner - Fear

2012-02-10T07:40:00.001-05:00

Hi, my name is Jeni and I'm afraid to canter my horse.

STILL

Clearly, I do canter Rosie. I can tell you there is nothing enjoyable for either of us. I'm a tense, frustrated, angry canter rider. I'm always waiting for that moment when she drops out from under me.

Just sitting here thinking about it my breathing shallows a little, my heart rate goes up, all the classic signs of anxiety.

I can canter any other horse without these feelings. I can sit and relax and enjoy canter on Bitsy, a strange horse to me. I canter, even gallop Bonnie and she's bucked me off numerous times without feeling the vice grip of fear.

It's just Rosie... It's embarrassing. It's frustrating, and makes me angry with myself. I've never been afraid to do something on a horse, ever, until now.

Now I've said it, I've written it. It's down for the whole world to see. So what's next, how do I solve this? I've been "pushing through the fear" for months now. It's not getting better. If anything it's worse.

The logical thinker that I am says "Break the problem down into it's elements"

Rosie is learning canter under saddle. This means the transition isn't crisp and smooth. It's during those few seconds between asking and her thinking 'yes' or 'no' that I first tense. Tense I can't demand the transition so she gets off balance and on the forehand. This means that if she does pick it up she's off balance and often on the wrong lead.

Once in canter, I have weight in my stirrups, my core is tight as a rock, and my seat is concrete. Rosie halts off seat immediately. I'm demanding with my legs and whip (showing it to her), but my entire body is screaming at her "Stop now!". So now I've just confused my poor mare, and the more I persist the grumpier she gets. She never does anything naughty or mean. Just pinned ears and a little attitude shown in tail wringing.

Can't say I'd be that patient with my rider... I love this horse!

So problem is - I need to be precise in asking for transition, and I need to relax. Easy right?!? So how do I get to that point?

First off, Rosie will be getting once a week training ride with Jodie. Focusing on canter. End of training ride I will get a schooling on what to work on the next week.

Second - I'm going to do a lot of bareback riding. Just hacking around - having fun. Loose rein kind of stuff. Learn my balance again and gain more leg and core strength so I can handle the down transition from canter.

Third - Canter as much as possible but make it targeted like canter down center line from A through X - working trot at G track right or left depending on which ever lead we were on. The idea is to give myself something to focus on so it's not "Oh crap I have to get her into canter, keep her in canter for x amount of times around the 20 meter circle". Smaller chunks should naturally lead to larger chunks. Also the transitions in and out should help make them more crisp and natural.

Now I just have to get brave enough to execute my plan...

New Pages and A Successful Trail Ride

2012-02-08T13:31:00.000-05:00

You may, or may not have, noticed that I removed the field study tab, and added Sales Items, and Training Video tabs.

If you were to walk up to my horse trailer two days ago and open the door the very first thing(s) you would see is an Aussie Saddle, a brand spanking new western saddle I just bought within the last year, a Billy Cook western saddle, various saddle pads, a tack box, and some things I've just thrown in there to get out of the way. I've become a "Tack Horder". It's time to let go, which really means I want something but have to earn some cash to buy it, so the virtual garage sale begins.

I will be adding stuff to this as time goes on I'm sure. When sales are "pending" I'll note that and when sales are final I will be deleting the item off the page. All prices are negotiable unless noted and I prefer PayPal but may consider other payment methods.

Now the Trail Ride!! Wow what a heck of a lot of fun! S and I rode two hours of the Little Miami Scenic Bike Trail. Starting in Loveland, Ohio. This is a shared paved trail that used to be an old rail road. While it's flat and kind of boring that way - there was still a lot of things to challenge our youngsters.

As I said the trail is shared. It is shared with bicyclests, joggers, joggers with baby strollers, folks walking their dogs, folks walking their children, dogs walking their folks, roller bladers. There is a dirt path along side the trail to ride on but no real escape from horse eating dangers.

Both mares were "Up" but neither was crazy or unmanageable. This was S and Whispers second time on the bike trail so they already had an initial meeting with all the above dangers. Rosie had never seen a bicycle, let alone a baby stroller or a roller skater.

S and Whisper

Rosie gave everything she found alarming a good hard look but nothing more and moved on when asked. We walked and trotted. Had to trot quite a bit to keep up with Whispers power walk but that was ok by me. Rosie was doing this cute, comfortable, balanced and light trot that I could ride all day long.

Rosie and I

The only real hard spook out of Rosie is when a bicyclist didn't announce he was coming up behind and around us. He even startled me when he appeared out of no where whizzed on past. Didn't realize drafts could teleport but she did, not far though, only about half a step. Settled right down and continued on.

Dentist, Clinics, and Unedited Lesson Video

2012-02-04T16:36:00.000-05:00

Today was equine dental care day. I arranged for a highly recommended Equine Dentist to come to the barn. I have to say I was very impressed him. He has this calm, quiet way about him. He was not reactive to any of the normal horse behaviors. He listened to the problems each horse was experiencing and after examining provided some possible causes of the issues.

Rosie had some sharp hooks where her bit was pressing against and was dropping a good amount of pellets while eating.

Bonnie's issue is that when eating her pellets she is lifting her nose up and out until it's past horizontal with the ground. She's also dropping 80% of her mouth full so we've been soaking her pellets until this appointment. She had a decent amount of unevenness and hooks.

I really liked that he did all work in their stalls, was firm when needed but always fair, giving them a moment to work it out. He never once got "big" or loud with them.

Equine Affair is coming up in April and I'm applying to ride in at least one of Mark Rashid's clinics. You have to be chosen by the clinician so there is no guarantee. He's hosting four different clinics: Achieving Effortless Transitions: Developing Invisible Aids During Transitions, Low Stress Round Pen Work: Easy Methods for Catching the Uncatchable Horse, Developing & Understanding the Role of Collection in Everyday Training, and Troubleshooting: Pinpointing & Solving Problem Behaviors.

I'm interested in the Transitions and Collections clinics so am applying to both.

It's suggested that you supply a video with your application so yesterday I called my "pit crew" to help. "Mother" from the blog "I Am Boyfriend" came to be my videographer. Jodi, my trainer, came and "coached" .. well ok really kicked my butt for an hour long lesson.

I'm not real happy about my ride yesterday. Both Rosie and I are out of shape. I felt like a fish flopping around in the saddle. Canter transitions sucked - keeping her in canter sucked. Riding the canter sucked...

However in an effort to be honest to my blog here is an unedited video from the lesson yesterday.

There is one moment when I asked for canter and it felt to me like she was about to buck, so I one reined stopped and circled before she could. In looking at the video I think she was just off balance on the forehand when I asked for it. I'm still battling my brain and fear. I will get through it!

When Two Dressage Queen's Crash a Rodeo

2012-01-28T22:50:00.000-05:00

My PBO and I have decided that our young mares need to get out for some adventures...

Earlier this month I saw ad on Craiglist for a "Trail Riding Clinic" in Kentucky about an hour haul away. S and I decide to do it. Then Amy from Slow and Steady Wins The Race gets a hold of me and asks if I want to join her for a lesson with Jodi. I say sure - set it and let me know what day/time. So she picked the same day as the trail clinic... Well luck would have it the trail clinic was hosted 5 miles from Jodie's barn, the clinic didn't start until noon and our lessons were in the morning. It all worked out perfect.

The lesson was non-eventful. Rosie was heavier in my hands than normal, but I expected it since I've not ridden her at all in several weeks. I normally taken January off for both a physical and mental break for both myself and my horses. She was also pretty lookie and was curious about everything, but not crazy or scary.

At the end of my lesson I asked Amy if she'd like to ride Rosie and cool her out for me. She readily agreed and hopped up. Smiling, talking, and walking we got to know each other.

Then off to the clinic S and I go.

We get to the facility and it's beautiful, and is about a mile off the road and a single lane sometimes dirt, sometimes black top lane. Get to the barn, get a stall assignment, settle our horses and get signed in. Almost everyone there is a western trail rider. There are a couple of hunter jumpers, and one endurance, wanting to go to competitive trail riding, rider. Quite a few Arabians including one that was crazy over reactive ridden by a woman who is just like her horse. We were the only riders who primary riding discipline is Dressage.

We each took our time going through...

Or over...

and through...

... and gate opening

More going through...

Don't forget the snail mail !

The absolute best part of all of this is just getting our mares out there. There was a lot of reactive horses and as we all know horses tend to feed off other horses emotions. Our mares were 'up' at first but didn't get over reactive and very quickly just ignored the other ones that were not so quiet.

Next Sunday we ride the Little Miami Scenic Trail !!

Weather - a Rant

2012-01-23T21:48:00.001-05:00

Ok - I don't normally lament about the weather much, just some snarky comments here or there but never a full on rant..

Well - I'm tired OF THIS WEATHER!

Now.. We don't have inches ~~feet~~ of blowing snow..

Or constant ice...

But what do have is LOTS and LOTS of Rain...

... and the temperature fluctuations! Geeze this morning it was over 50 F degrees.. Tonight it will be mid 20's and tomorrow in the 30's.

I'm so tired of this and worried about how turbulent the spring will be with winter being this screwed up.

I know Ohio isn't the only place with wild and weird weather - how is everyone else coping?

.... end rant.

Shearing Isn't Just For Sheep

2012-01-22T17:44:00.000-05:00

We had an ice storm Saturday night, with temps never reaching out of the 20's yesterday so there was still ice today. However, today it was to get above freezing so I decided it was a good day for a pony spa day.

I've been debating on clipping Rosie. Not a full body clip but a conservative trace clip. I've talked to lots of people about it and one of them suggested that I clip from her throat latch down her neck to her chest then between her legs. If I did that I most likely wouldn't need more than her mid weight blanket.

Today's fun and games included clipping....

The goat beard and mustache are gone...

So is the mohawk bridle path...

And tufts of hair from the ears...

I decided to put a 1 inch guard on my clipper blades and clip from her throat latch down her neck, and her entire chest. She still has more coat then Bonnie....

I then did something pretty stupid. I put Bonnie and Rosie outside in the arena as they've not been out in two days because of the ice. I left Bonnie's blanket on... It's not water proof.

It's not raining - just foggy... She still managed to get soaked through.

No other blankets in the barn fit her - she's a size 70. BO has 54" and 84". I have an 84 for Rosie.

She's wearing Rosie's 84. I didn't get a picture of it - I should have.

I took the leg straps off didn't want the chance of her getting hung up. The chest ... I buckled to top one to the hood loop. The bottom one as tight as it would go to it's clip. Then the surcingles I tightened as much as possible and other than hanging off her butt a lot it's not going anywhere and she's not going to get a foot hung.

After Glow

2012-01-15T12:27:00.000-05:00

Even though I am still coughing I decided to keep my lesson appointment yesterday. I'm so glad I did even though it wiped me out.

Winter has finally hit Cincinnati and 20 F is just too cold to ride outside so I went to Jodie's barn and rode one of her horses, Bitsy.

Bitsy is an Appendix QH, about 19 years old and a been there done that kinda girl. She's trained to third level Dressage and very forgiving of rookie mistakes.

To get the most bang for my lesson buck I always go with a "This is what I want to learn/do today" and yesterday was learning 1. How to get a horse long and low with hind quarters engaged and back rising, and 2. How to teach Rosie to do it.

Jodie said Bitsy was the perfect horse for this as she will be tolerable when I get to the "how to reach Rosie" part.

There is so much that goes into riding Dressage - you want your horse light, so you have to be light. Light in posting, light in seat... Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep your calves on a horse to push them forward, but keep your butt muscles as light as marshmallow with no tension while posting? All the while keeping your heels down, your shoulders back and down, head up, fingers closed on the reins, and the thumb the highest point (think holding an ice cream cone) on the reins. oh.. and to breath. Breathing is important.

To get long and low at the trot the horse has to be forward, very forward into contact, and you need to be doing all the above almost perfectly. Then you lengthen your reins while keeping the horse moving forward and engaged, the horse is supposed to seek the contact.

Let me tell you, Bitsy made me work for it and I also realized my balance still has room for improvement, but I wasn't horrible - only a couple times where I fell on my "forehand". I'd stop, apologize to Bitsy, then go back to it.

In no time I getting very nice long and lows, feeling her power from behind, lifting her shoulders and swinging around the arena. On the last time around Jodie asked me to really give it all I've got going down the long side so I did and I achieved my first ever extended trot - on any horse.

Then I asked her to fix my canter equitation. Rosie is teaching me a very bad habit of pushing with my seat, nagging essentially to stay in the gait and I need to nip that in the bud.

Bitsy has the best canter. Balanced, rocking chair smooth and just there. Started from the trot, she immediately picked up when I asked and all I could do was smile. I sat deep, I relaxed, I smiled.

I learned there is a queue difference to keep the canter between English and Western. In Western all queues are done with the outside leg. Nothing is ever done with the inside leg. In English, once you are in the canter and you feel the horse start to slow, or wanting to break to trot you use your inside calf to remind them hold the gait. Apply calf, and relax. That whole "relax" thing is often forgotten.

By the end of the lesson I was doing walk/canter transitions by breathing and thinking. I LOVED IT.

It was one of those lessons and rides where you have an "after glow" long after.

Dogs

2012-01-13T20:24:00.000-05:00

I've been very sick this past week with what I like to call "The Plague". The doctor said "Bronchitis and Sinus Infection" - any rate I've been doing the bare minimum in regards to the horses so I thought I would entertain the masses with some dog pictures.

This past weekend as sick as I was I still had to go to Michigan and pick up the rest of my moms things to go through. I brought home one of the rough collies for a few months.

I took him to the barn Monday morning when I went to clean stalls. He'd never seen a horse before and BO's Thoroughbred, Nan, showed an interest in him. Meaning she didn't snort, run or even blow but followed us as we walked to and from the barn in front of her paddock.

Shade and Nan touch noses

Shade would get distracted and she'd drop her head back down to his level. I caught him licking her..

Shade is such a people dog. If he can't follow me everywhere I go, he watches. His color is blue merle, he's almost 8 years old.

CH Triple D's Moon Shadow ~ Shade

It's easy to see why he was my moms favorite.

And this little girl is our rescue Libby. We've had her for about 6 years now and she shares the couch with me about 98% of the time. I snapped this picture when I was home sick for the third day in a row. She seems pretty annoyed that she's having to share her couch so much.

Pretty Heads with Mustaches

2012-01-03T20:26:00.000-05:00

Who would of thought a pretty head like this...

Would grow a mustache like this!

Looking Back and Forward

2012-01-02T20:12:00.000-05:00

I re-read my January 1, 2011 post and snagged my goals out of it.

By January 1, 2012 I want to be living in the country, with my horses on my property.

Smaller goals I have:
1. Ride my own horse in a Dressage test (most likely Rosie)
2. Show Bonnie in Western Pleasure (means teaching her to "jog and lope")
3. Handle one of my dogs in another dog show (already in the works for April in Tulsa, OK)
4. Go on family trip this summer and have fun

My number one "Resolution" is to just live my life to the ultimate fullness I can.

Looking at these I can say I did them all - and so much more. It's not been an easy year, but it's not been as hard as some of my friends.

In July Rosie and I competed in her first Dressage show. She exceeded my expectations and we placed in every single class. Even the first blue ribbon ever.

I have rated Bonnie down and now anyone can ride her. She has her moments of redhead fiery and has struggled with some arthritic stiffness this fall but is still the best mare when it comes to teaching the young'ns.

I took several dogs to the Collie National Specialty show in Tulsa, OK. Earned a very prestigious third place with Izzy, and her two pups Hank and Lianna, in Brood Bitch. This class the dam is judged solely on the quality of her pups. To get a third in that class with pups from my mom's last breeding before she passed away was better than any Best in Shows!

... and my family took a week long vacation to Pictured Rocks, Michigan.

Unfortunately we are still living the little house in the city.

I've moved my mares to a great place and we're all happy at the moment. I really love the boarding facility.

One of my goals for 2012 was to breed Rosie. Due to economic realities we are pushing that off until spring of 2013, for a 2014 foal. Seems so far away but it really isn't..

So instead of getting ready for a foal this summer I am going to show Rosie at least twice and enjoy a lot of riding on both the mares. Goal is to get out of the Intro classes and into Training level.

We have one litter of Collies planned and the breeding paid for. So with luck the first litter in three years will be born around the end of June. This is a much anticipated litter by a lot of people in the Collie world.

Continue to work on the little house in the city and save save save every $ possible for that little house in the country.

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T18:53:00.001-05:00

credit www.123newyear.com

Happy New Year to all my friends and Family!
May your best days of 2011 be your worst days in 2012!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T09:35:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas !!

Wishing Everyone Love, Peace and Harmony

Christmas Eve Ride

2011-12-24T22:21:00.000-05:00

Santa brought Rosie a new blanket from this place. Size 84 1200 denier medium weight turn out. Waterproof and wind proof. So now if I choose to clip her she'll be toasty warm!

Then I rode Rosie pretty briefly - basics only. Here are couple of pictures that I love.

I can't see a whole lot of wrong from either of us..

Sure I could pick out little things... like my heel is not down, and I'm collapsing to the inside just a bit..

And some soft backing...

I'm asking politely and she's thinking about her answer...

Then she answers with soft slow but steady backing of a few steps...

Now I know a judges perspective as we trot down center line...
Really shows how WIDE Rosie is! Wow!

Halt and hold contact.. something that I've added very recently.

Making Someone Smile = Priceless

2011-12-16T21:48:00.002-05:00

I wasn't able to get pictures this evening, but I made a young man's day, maybe even month.

My hay guy has a mentally challenged son who comes with him when he delivers hay. Last month he watched the horses from a distance but when I asked if he'd like to ride one he said "maybe some time".

Today he told his dad "Ask her!" Hay guy says "He wants to know if you're going to ride your horse". I said "I can but I need to do it now before it's dark and can't help stack." He said that's cool go get the horse ready.

So I asked the boy "Which horse the big one or the little one?" Of he course he said the big one.

He held Rosie's lead while I saddled, He held Rosie's reins while I put my helmet and gloves on. He watched me for about 5 minutes then asked me if he could try =)

By this time his dad was inside the arena with us and I asked him and he said it was fine.

Handed the boy my helmet and helped him up. His smile was immediate and ear to ear beaming.

Showed him how to do a one rein stop and to turn her while I led her around on lead line. He asked if he could "go faster" so I asked dad who said it was ok. So I asked Rosie to trot in hand, but she would only go a few steps and quit. The boy was loosing his balance and she was doing her job.

When he dismounted he was shivering cold - but grinning huge and asking when he can do it again.

I love my mare!

Opinion ~ Saddle Fit

2011-12-13T22:01:00.000-05:00

I put the "Wide" (red) gullet into my Wintec All Purpose saddle and it appears to fit better. The size larger is the "Extra Wide" (white) that sat flush against her withers, and the next size smaller, "medium wide" (blue), pinched the shoulders. The saddle fitter I spoke to recommended the "red" gullet and pad up with the Mattes or Thinline type of pad if needed.

So I took some pictures - the best I could standing on a plastic cat food box with a very curious mare trying to figure out what I was doing. Please ignore the shavings on the middle of her back - I thought I got them all =/

Looks level (and tiny)

Rosie turned just as I was clicking - best of three I took from the back

Good wither clearance

Looks wide enough where the flocking at the nail starts?

Left side is hard to see because of her mane - and she moved so a tad blurry

Even though it was dark, I went ahead and rode her. I used my normal all purpose pad just to see how she was compared to previous rides. My thoughts:

1. Where did the brakes go?

2. I can still put my hand between pommel and withers when sitting in saddle.

3. Ears are forward

4. Um... half halt?? I'm still walking!

5. Reaching for contact at walk

6. Rosie is asking to trot -- ok TROT

7. WOW BIG TROT !!

8. Um... half halt??

9. It's COLD and Dark what am I doing?

10. Ears still forward - one half cocked in my direction

11. By stander asks if she will do a nice round circle... I say 'um should let's try'

12. Ok Jen remember inside leg to outside rein and weight the outside stirrup - ready... set... TROT

13. WOW BIG TROT!

14. ... and we have bend, working off our hind quarters, contact and round =) I love this horse!

So all in all she was MUCH more willing to give me forward, felt like she was leaping into trot. It was pretty cold, and dark so I called it quits after 10 minutes.

Status Quo

2011-12-10T02:07:00.000-05:00

Not really much to write about lately. It's rained every single day for the last 7 or 8 days. Not a gentle rain either. Inches and inches of water fell from the sky.

So i've been doing a lot of the same stuff all us horse owners do. Clean stalls, make sure they are fed, warm, dry and safe. Beyond that I've been playing taxi mom and Christmas shopping.

Oh, and hurting myself... I get to accessorize my wardrobe with this wonderfully chic wrist brace.

Nothing too serious just "severe sprain". Not sure how but was cleaning stalls and it went pop. Hopefully more to write about after the weekend.

Cowboy Magic Thrush Killer Field Study Results

2011-12-01T21:31:00.000-05:00

Cowboy Magic Thrush Killer Field Study Participant:

I've been using the Cowboy Magic Thrush Killer on Bonnie. She had thrush in all four sulcus back to heel bulbs where her shoes had been.

Our weather here in southern Ohio has been absolutely wet and miserable.. Soupy muddy mess. I had my doubts that this product would be any better than the Kopertox or Thrush Buster I've been using for months with little to no improvement.

I followed the directions:
1. Clean hoofs thoroughly
2. Apply a half dollar size amount of Thrush Killer to the sole of the foot.
3. Brushed in with stiff hoof brush
4 Let her stand for 2 or more minutes on dry ground.

With-in a week the thrush is gone. I had my trimmer confirm this as well.

I started using it on Rosie and after one application the oder is gone so I'm sure I'll see the same results.

I would recommend this product to anyone fighting thrush!

Something Special

2011-11-29T21:04:00.001-05:00

From our very first meeting... I knew...

The look in her soft eye tells you...

The way she takes care of her rider...

Even as a young lady mare... She tried so hard...

The way she watches the world with intent...

... and has reaped the rewards of goals achieved

Rosie has achieved one more goal...

She is no longer a "Percheron x Belgian"

She has been accepted as a

Foundation Sugarbush Draft Horse !!

Click HERE to learn more about the Sugarbush Draft Horse breed!

Saddle Woe's

2011-11-26T20:23:00.000-05:00

Saddle still not fitting correctly. I've got it sitting up off the withers now by going from Extra Wide gullet to Medium Wide. It appears to be pinching at the shoulders now at the narrowest (is that a word?) part.

Went to local tack store and they have a saddle fitter as part of their staff. I have to say she was very helpful answered all my questions with honesty and wasn't interested in selling me a new saddle. Even though I did take a consignment home on trial - more on that later.

So I told her what I had, what the initial problem was with the X-Wide gullet it, which gullet I put in based on the measuring thingie. What the new gullet solved, but created new issue. I explained Rosie, and while she has some wither, she is typical flat draft back. She has enough wither that my saddle does not roll.

She said to go with the next widest gullet, which I will do, then use Mattes pad to make up any room. If I feel it still is too low to the withers, to try a thin-line. She said that is what she would do until Rosie finished filling out.

I also discussed Duett saddles - she said they are naturally low in the pommel and may not be correct either, even though they are wider. They didn't have any there, but they did have a Albion Dressage wide tree, 16.5 seat. She said the tree itself is a bit wider and may fit nicer, it at least gives me an idea of how a different saddle would fit her. So she set up with a demo dressage girth because I wasn't sure if I had one; my saddle is an All Purpose so that girth wouldn't work at all.

Off to the barn I went. Today I decided to try the consignment saddle because our weather is going to turn bad starting tomorrow afternoon and I've only got it for a week. I put my leathers on it and tossed it up on Rosie. It appeared to sit balanced, it wasn't higher either in pommel or cantle. Billets fell in the correct locations and I could slide my hand easily between the points and Rosie's shoulders. Plenty of wither space.

I haven't ridden in an actual dressage saddle in years, and to top it off my leathers on the highest hole were too long. I didn't want to punch new holes as I need help with that because of having one leg noticeably longer than the other. So I wasn't too happy about that because my legs fell more into a chair position so most of the time I just dropped them. I was able to get Rosie nicely forward and she was pretty responsive for her. I just can't tell if it fits her any better.

Tomorrow morning if I have time I'm going to change the gullet in my saddle and see if I can get to a happy medium so we can continue to build her top line in. After Christmas I'm going to have the saddle fitter come out and do a true fitting. At that point I'll decide if I have to buy a new saddle or not.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!

2011-11-23T22:09:00.000-05:00

Wishing everyone a splendid Thanksgiving Holiday!

~Jeni~

New Page - Fun In The Mud

2011-11-21T21:20:00.000-05:00

I added a new page for the Cowboy Magic field study yesterday. I took starting pictures of Bonnie's hooves, I should have gotten pictures of Rosie's. Maybe tomorrow.

It's been raining since Saturday evening. Our ground is already saturated, creeks and rivers are high, there is no place for this water to go. It is standing everywhere. I wish I could push it back to those who need it.

I've been free lunging Bonnie about 15 minutes a day. I don't have a round pen so sometimes it's a bit of a challenge but for the most part I can move her around with minimal effort. I leave one jump of cross rails up and if she chooses to take it, I let her but don't force her to take it. She normally takes it at least once, jumping the cross rails huge, makes me laugh. She's finally content to just trot without dramatic bursts of galloping bucking farts! I may attempt to ride her this week =)

Tried to free lunge Rosie - very glad no one was around to watch that, pretty sure it was comical! Never tried with her before, she did quite a bit of end to end galloping before I got her to focus and I was able to move her up and down a fence line a small amount. I had to exert a lot of effort, often running to get ahead of her with dramatic body action to move her. I'm not sure I got anything accomplished with that other than she exerted some energy. I finished by putting her on a lunge line and walk/trot/halt on voice command - she's rusty, but I eventually got it. Will be doing more of that.

Got to use the new coolers this evening too, but needed one for myself. I was soaked through my Ariats up to the knees of my jeans.

Had a blast running in the rain, splashing through the puddles and flinging mud with my mares!

More Crafts - Blanket Bar's!

2011-11-20T19:08:00.000-05:00

I have been looking all over locally

Dover Saddlery $19.90 + 6.95 shipping
** Dover's product description: Solid wood blanket rack with four 24" dowels with chain for hanging. 36" long, with 10" between bars for compact hanging at shows or in barn.

Nothing local and everything I found on line was reasonably priced until you figured in shipping.

So I got to thinking - this thing can't be hard to make - and more sturdy. So off to the hardware store we go.

I purchased four 1 1/4" x 48" wood dowels, 20 foot of chain that will support 70 pounds, eye loops, and two rings.

My husband cut each dowel into two 24" pieces for a total of 8 dowels. He then marked and installed the eye loops.

The hardest part was separating the chain link to attach to the eye loops in the dowels...

All most finished...

Finished product - 2 cooler/pad hangers !!

The best part - we made two of these for $46 !!!

Coolers and a Field Study Participant for Cowboy Magic Thrush Killer

2011-11-19T09:44:00.000-05:00

Here is what you can do with 12 total yards of non-pill fleece and a sewing machine from the space age...

I fumbled with filling bobbin.. heck even finding bobbin.. I'm so non-crafty but in less then a couple of hours I had the finished products! Total cost for two coolers - $68.

Ohh a new dress!!!!!

Rosie thought she looked smashing and was ready to greet the guys at the dance...

She even asked me if it made her butt look big...

Ummm Rosie honey please don't make me answer that!

Warm *yawn* good night!

Bonnie was a little less than thrilled with me and more interested in S's horses eating their dinner...

Pink ???

Hay!

Cowboy Magic has a new product called Medicated Thrush Killer. Active ingredients are Chloroxylenol which is an antibacterial and Salicylic Acid which is anti fungal (but also used in acne treatments). The website states it kills Fusobacterium necrophorum. The bottle states it kills both gram positive, gram negative hoof bacteria as well as fungus.

Directions are fairly simple "Clean hoof thoroughly with hoof pick, apply half dollar size to bottom of each hoof and brush in around frog and horse shoe with hard tooth brush or stiff hoof pick brush." They also claim "Works instantly with a 2 minute soak on dry ground"

I decided to do the study as I've been "treating" thrush for months now in both mares switching between Kopertox and Thrush Buster. I've always been able to keep it "almost gone" but never completely. It's been horribly wet this year with record rain falls month after month. So the ground is wet, muddy mess, but they always have a dry place to stand if they choose too. So between environmental issues out of my control, as well as their previous living conditions you can imagine it's been quite the battle.

The other contributing factor is when we pulled Bonnie's shoes we discovered the thrush was worse then I originally thought.

I received my free two bottles of Thrush Killer middle of the week and will start the study today. I'll continue using Thrush Buster on Rosie, and use the Cowboy Magic Thrush Killer exclusively on Bonnie. I'll post the results when the study ends, or I run out of the medication.

Third Canter Under Saddle ~ Video

2011-11-12T17:58:00.001-05:00

First thanks for all the info on the supplements. I decided to go with something called Activ-flex 4000. I can get it locally at an "Equine Health Food Store" and it costs about $25 a month. Here is the analysis:

Guaranteed Analysis
	Per oz.	Per lb.
Glucosamine Sulfate	8,000 mg.	128,000 mg.
Chondroitin Sulfate	4,000 mg.	64,000 mg.
Type II Collagen	3,000 mg.	48,000 mg.
MSM	3,000 mg.	48,000 mg.
Ester C (Ascorbic Acid)	1,000 mg.	16,000 mg.
Perna Canaliculus	1,000 mg.	16,000 mg.
Yucca	150 mg.	2,400 mg.
Hyaluronic Acid (HA)	125 mg.	2,000 mg.
Bioperine	100 mg.	1,600 mg.

Decided to not do the "load" process and just start with a maintenance dose, it may take longer to see improvement but without a lot of "supervising" I didn't want to introduce something new so quickly.

Today I met "Mother" from the blog I am Boyfriend at the local tack store. She's letting me try a Mattes pad as well as a Roma all purpose with the Sheep Skin wither relief on Rosie. I have to say Bif's "Mother" is an absolute trip and though we've never met before I felt like we've known each other for years!

So off to the barn Jim and I went. He agreed to do some video for me.

I used the Roma today and noticed an immediate improvement in saddle position. My saddle didn't slip at all when I mounted either. It always did a small amount previously, and I didn't tighten it any more than I ever have. I also felt more "upright" when sitting in it. I'm not sure how else to explain it.

First is sitting trot in a figure 8. I LOVE how she is so light off my leg, swinging her hind end out around the circle. I need to focus on my elbows - I notice you can see daylight between them and my ribs, but my hands have improved!

Left lead canter. She picks up left lead fairly easier. You can see where I'm still fighting my body but I eventually get sitting up and almost correct. I think I'm pushing my seat instead of just sitting.

Right lead canter. She's not so fast picking this one up. I have to be careful when I ask that I'm very clear or she gets the wrong lead. It's also harder to keep her moving to the right. Still pushing with my seat but more in an sitting up position.

I also did what felt like a gallop, but from what my husband described it was probably a much better, and forward canter. He said she was reaching and relaxed, and I was sitting up right and just going with it instead of "forcing it". Unfortunately no video of that one.

Caring For the Senior Horse

2011-11-09T18:37:00.000-05:00

I'm venturing into a world unknown to me. I've never had an"older" horse. I was raised on a working farm in Michigan by my depression era grandparents. If "it" couldn't be used, we didn't have room for it. This included pets, which included horses.

My horses as a kid/teenager were a 10 year old Morgan/QH Mare who was absolutely INSANE when in season, but all other times perfect. I learned how to care for horses with her. At the same time my grandpa bought me a 2 year old 3/4 Egyptian Arabian mare (out of the fire and into pan?) She taught me to ride.. no I mean TRUELY ride! To this day I still have the "stick like glue no matter what" seat. That Arab teleport will teach you to just go with it. Anyway the point to that is that they were both young horses. I sold the Morgan/QH mare at a 4-H auction and kept my Arab until I moved away from home. So I never learned how to care for the aging horse.

Bonnie is 18, she's not always had the easy life. I don't know a heck of a lot about her past (prior to my friend D buying her). I do know she's barrel raced, and pole weaved, and from her reaction to anything crop/whip she's been beat. She's had hip surgery (got into a fight with Clyde and ended up with a bone chip). When I bought her I did very basic flat work, and she's done some eventing, and cross country. She LOVES to jump! Not to mention many, many trail miles.

She's not moving so well these days. Pretty stiff in the hind quarters and I want to do my best to make her as comfortable as possible. Stall rest isn't for her. She stocks up just from being in over night, so she gets as much turn out as weather permits. Which means if it's raining she comes in, other than that she is out side.

I've been giving her for over a year now smart omega 3 from smartpak, but obviously that does nothing for joint health. I'm thinking of moving her to some sort of Glucosamine and Chondroitin supplement but the choices are so overwhelming I'm lost.

Then there is the whole "senior feed" thing.... Reading everything I can find - but welcome any advice, what's worked, what's not worked, what to stay away from. Oh.. and she's a super easy keeper with "whimpy" hooves. I'll save the hoof issues for tomorrows blog post.

Perfect Day

2011-11-08T21:06:00.000-05:00

I bought two pieces of anti-pill fleece yesterday, Purple for Rosie and Pink for Bonnie. I purchased 6 yards of each (it was on sale at $4.99 a yard!). I got two coolers for Bonnie out of her 6 yards, or I can make a quarter sheet out of it. Rosie I will only get one, I've got to sew the two 3 yard pieces together for it to be wide enough to fit over her. I'll take pictures once I've finished them.

It was over 70 degrees today, so I took a vacation day and went to play with my ponies. Now that Rosie stands very nicely on lead line, ground tied or with the lead tossed over her withers, it's time for her to learn to stand tied. So today was all about cross ties. It's not that she doesn't cross tie, or tie to a post, or trailer. It's that when she's decided she's been tied long enough she just leaves. Either busting her halter, the ties, or if the object I've tied her to will move, she pulls it along with her.

Today in the cross ties, I left her to gather my grooming box, then after grooming, I left her while I put that away and got my tack. I was deliberty being very slow, taking my time. She never moved !!

Tacked up and rode all over the property. I also schooled for quite a bit on forward. I wanted forward and balanced trot, a nice marching medium walk, and good free walk. Then I cantered! I'm still having some mental issues, so I'm making a point of when I ask for it, you give it to me. If I trot after 10 steps, 15 steps, 20 steps, one circle, so be it but you better get your butt into it when I ask. More important No.Bucking.

Her canter is AWESOME! I have to learn to ride it, it is so HUGE and POWERFUL, but smooth and balanced! I've never ridden a canter on a horse as big as Rosie and I can barely steer beyond simple circles, but I'm doing it. I was giggling at myself because I remind myself of a little kid learning to ride a bike. They often forgot to steer because they are concentrating so hard on balance and peddling.

Rosie was very sweaty, so I cooled her out riding around the entire property again. There are lots of scary things, like chickens in the coop, sheep, swimming pools, cars, etc. She looked, snorted but stood when asked on loose rein.

I gave her bath today too. Last of the winter most likely. She was perfect, didn't move one step in the cross times so she got a reward of some hand grazing on the greenest grasses.

Looking for Info

2011-11-04T21:32:00.000-04:00

I need to make a couple of coolers for the mares. I can get fleece pretty cheap and I'm fairly certain I can sew some binding on the edges.

I can't find an actual pattern or yardage amount anywhere on the inner-webs.

Can someone please give me some measurements of a standard square cooler? I'd prefer Large to XL size if possible. I can always measure down for Bonnie.

Wish It Was A Vacation That Kept Me Away

2011-11-02T19:18:00.000-04:00

Instead... I suffered a debilitating back spasm at work last Wednesday. The vice like clamp started just below my shoulders and went all the way down to the coccyx and the pain was so bad it literally sent me to my knees. Once I was able to stand back up the pain was centered around the lower lumbar area where I have compressed disks. The pain was as bad as I experienced two summers ago when I couldn't walk.

The really sad and frustrating thing about this for me is that I'm stronger and more physically fit then I've been in over 15 years. However, the lower back likes to remind me just how fragile the human body can be.

Thursday and Friday of last week were spent doing absolutely nothing beyond what was necessary - which meant ~~neanderthal penguin~~ shuffling to the kitchen for food, or to the bathroom from the couch. I put myself on a strict, ice, heat, ibuprofen, rest regimen until Saturday. On Saturday I asked my dear husband to please drive me to the barn, I was going to ride something, some how.

Against his better judgement, I'm sure, he took me. I put a halter and lead rope on Rosie and used a jump standard to climb up on her. Jim then proceeded to lead me around until I went from leaning forward clutching mane to balance, to sitting up. Then he turned me loose to ride around by myself.

Here is a quick video. She's dirty, and I'm helmet less which is a huge no no so please ignore that.

You will notice she is walking so slow and careful. I wanted to trot, but she wouldn't, really couldn't because I was so tense in my legs, seat and back. Also my balance was horrible and she was extremely careful to stay under me.

Sunday was a better, but I still couldn't sit or stand for long. Monday was even better and my son and I met my instructor at the barn for some Halloween riding. She did a training ride on Rosie and got her cantering off leg and no more bucking. She also checked saddle fit and says it's good until she develops more muscle just above the shoulder where it's hollow. She said check it again in a month. My son rode Rosie at walk all over the arena and around the obstacles, then I got up and rode without stirrups walk, sitting trot and a bit of posting without stirrups.

I rode Rosie bareback again for about 15 minutes last night and things are good with the back. I'm muscle stiff so much so that movement and stretching helps tremendously.

Benefits of Adjustable Saddles

2011-10-26T19:59:00.001-04:00

First - Thank you for your kind words about Clyde. He was one heck of a horse, I tried to buy him several times over the years but he was never "really" available. He's also Bonnie's half brother - same Dam different Sire. He was the first horse I rode when I came back to riding in my 30's. His family is taking his loss very heard, especially his boy who learned how to ride, rope, and generally have fun on Clyde.

Now on to the saddle fitting...

Saddles. My saddle is two years old. I brought it brand new when I bought Rosie. It has the interchangeable gullet system, and I went that way on purpose. I have two horses, two differently built horses, and horses change shape, and grow.

Yesterday I ran to my local tack store, same store I purchased the saddle at, during my lunch break. Two things on my mind to purchase - one of these :

It's the Wintec easy measure gullet gauge that tells you very quickly which size gullet fits your horse. It's not an exact science but it's a good start.

And I was after a book I've been wanting for awhile now - 101 Dressage Exercises for Horse and Rider.

I walked in the door, and since it's very much like walking into your neighborhood bar where everyone knows your name, I was greeted by first name and with the statement of "Looks like you're on a mission what can I help you with?"

I explained quickly that my saddle, you could see the commission sales possibility flash briefly in her eyes, is not fitting so well. I explained my saddle brand, Wintec All Purpose with the Cair easy change gullet system, which gullet is currently in it, extra wide, and why I felt it was not fitting.

I told her what I was after - that measuring thing-a-ma-bob that wintec makes. She went right to where it was at. It was pricey for what it was, but it sure looks easier then wire hangers, cardboard, and tracings, and more exact. I also checked the prices on the entire gullet system (all sizes in one package) and individual gullets. They didn't have the entire system, but it runs in the $100 range. They did have some individual gullets - they were in the $25 range.

They did have the book. So I purchased both and after work headed to the barn to start measuring, sizing and figuring out what to do.

When I got there, S told me she had the entire system and if I wanted to try any sizes to feel free.

Following the directions on the measuring thingie, put saddle on head of withers and push it back until its in proper riding position. Mark where saddle nail is on horse and remove saddle. Place weight bearing edge of measuring thing where mark is on horse and side straight down until the weight bearing edge is sitting flat on both sides. Look at colored gauge and that's the size.

Rosie was in the "Blue" medium wide range. Remember current gullet is extra wide, white, and is sitting directly on withers, spine when weight bearing. I quickly replaced the gullet (not so easy or quick in spite of the name of the system "easy change gullet") with the blue one. Here is the fit in photos:

Plenty of space (my hands are small) I could easily get yet another finger in there if I had one...

Sliding down the shoulders...

Both sides... no struggles

And sitting level on her back...

True test was when I rode. It still pushed down, but not flat. I could get 2.5 to 3 fingers between pommel and withers. She moved out nicer, felt like she was leaping into her trots, and she wasn't so fussy when doing transitions up or down. I've also made appointment for my instructor to come out on Friday to take a look. At this point it may be just different padding options to give it another bit of lift.

R.I.P Clyde

2011-10-25T20:59:00.000-04:00

I didn't own you big guy, but I enjoyed many great rides with you, including this one on the day you came with Bonnie to welcome her to new life with me.

At just 16 years young, my dear friend had to put one of his families favorite horses, and the horse that his son rode daily, down. Clyde coliced today and never really came out of it. Vet was called and determined Clyde had a tumor on his intestine and there really was no other option.

Please say a prayer for my friend and his family as the deal with this loss.

Everyone hug your ponies - you never know what will tomorrow will bring.

~Jeni

Uh Oh... I Think It's Saddle Fit

2011-10-24T18:09:00.000-04:00

So I've been noticing some other tell tale signs that Rosie just isn't happy to be moving out under saddle. Things like ears back on transitions, not wanting to move forward, head tossing etc. The "Bucking Incident" could have been the "Wake Up and Check The Saddle" call.

Her body shape has changed since I bought her, and my Wintec All Purpose with the Cair easy change (nothing easy about it) Gullet system. At the time, she was an "extra wide" (fitted by saddler) and that was the gullet in the saddle when I purchased it. Well Rosie was a four year old then who had not been worked at all, well really never had a saddle on as they didn't have one that fit.

She's six now, working for 1+ hours x 6 days a week at mostly working and extended trots with lots of stretchy walks, spirals, circles (20 and 10 meters), cavaletti, etc. Her body has shaped and changed over the years obviously - but now she's REALLY getting well muscled.

I noticed last night that pommel of the saddle was sitting directly on top of her withers AFTER bearing my weight. It's not that way when I saddle and tighten the girth. I can easily get my three fingers sideways between withers and pommel. It's only after I've been sitting in the saddle does it smosh down on her withers. Poor girl, I'd be a bit upset with that as well.

So I started looking through pictures, at the Starry Nights Dressage Show you can clearly see the pommel sitting up off her withers, so this is a very new development.

More to come tomorrow as I do a more thorough investigation, pictures and tracing.

Two Horses and a Crappy Cell Phone Video

2011-10-23T22:52:00.000-04:00

Day two of "Bonnie Back To Work". I decided to do some at liberty work first. She ran crazy until she broke a sweat and I was pretty busy keeping her from turning her butt to me. She even took the jump by herself at full gallop. I am at awe the power of this little mare.

She finally settled down a bit and I took some video with my phone. I need practice, and ignore the inane whistling. It's her queue to look at me for direction. I had to be pretty persistent with it. You can see girth rubs from our trail ride. This is why I'm lunging and not riding.

After this I clipped the lunge on and we had us a good work session with no stupidity.

I rode Rosie too. I set up a square using cones and spread out my ground rails so that I could do figure work over and around them. My focus was keeping her soft, focusing on pushing her out with my inside leg. My goal is to reduce the obvious hand motion to bend her. She gave me really good tries with several successes. More success then not. Then for cool down I worked on keeping her soft into contact at the walk and halt. She tends to push her nose out at halt instead of holding herself. I was consistently getting halts with her in perfect frame, and be able to throw my reins away and she holds it!

And I noticed something new today on Rosie!

It's not in this picture from September 26, 2011...

Do you see it?

No no.. it's not more hair! It's a TOP LINE !!

If you look past my failure to brush her after the ride, you can see it now?!?

Fire Breathing Dragon Does Chestnut Pony Impersonation

2011-10-23T09:09:00.000-04:00

Bonnie went back to work yesterday. Nothing hard, nothing strenuous, nothing that even broke a sweat.

She went into it kicking, and screaming much like humans do when their vacation is over. She insisted on including rearing, bucking, and blowing into the whole thing too.

All we did was lunge. All I wanted was walk/trot. In typical Bonnie fashion I got so much more from the opinionated red head.

She performed Airs About Ground that would have impressed many a Lippizzan.

The bucking would have challenged even the best bronc riders.

Chronicaloutdoors.com

I swear I saw smoke come out of her nose when she blew at me.

rollredroll.com

I had to get big, and scary! She snorted flames and reared, and I ran at her screaming and growling like a mad woman, lunge whip snapping at her like a giant snake. Bonnie thought for a split second, ran backwards, then leapt into the direction my arm, finger, and mind was pointing. It was all hysterically dramatic. Reminding me of a toddler in a supermarket melting down because he can't have his cheesy poofs!

I don't lunge in boring, mindless circles. My lunging covers the entire arena with many direction changes. It includes ground poles, cavaletti, figure eights, and a small cross rail jump. I try to do all three gaits as I feel walking nicely on lunge is just as important as a balanced canter and nice consistent trot. I try to do it as quietly and softly as I possibly can, expecting quiet and soft from the horse as well.

It wasn't until I got to the jump with Bonnie before she settled down and gave me some decent work and listened to more subtle queues.

We'll see what today brings...

My Pretty Pony

2011-10-19T20:06:00.000-04:00

Tuesday I took time to really pamper Bonnie. She is just the coolest mare ever and she just deserves every nice thing I can do for her.

I brushed and brushed her early winter woolies. Treated some fungus on her chest, trimmed bridle path, and got her whites, white...

Then I braided and banded her mane....

... and treated her to about 15 minutes of hand grazing in the greenest grass there is!

I'm really happy with her current weight and will bring into work again to build up muscle.

Today is a rainy, cold day. The girls were out for most of it, they do have shelter but didn't use it. When I got to the barn to clean my stalls this evening, S had brought them in and Bonnie was on her second cooler. She came in soaked through and shivering. By the time I left she was dry and warm again.

Trots!

2011-10-18T20:57:00.000-04:00

Monday night when I got to the barn, I was just going to clean up the mares a bit, and treat a couple of girth rubs on Bonnie. My PBO, S, and her friend where there getting ready to ride. They asked if I wanted to ride with them and.. let me tell you- they did not have to hold a gun to my head!

They are trying saddles out on S's mare Whisper. Trying to figure out which they like best. I did a lot of warm up. Rosie and I are both tired and sore from the trail ride. Once warmed up did short bouts of trot work, mixed in with a lot of walking.

I'm trying to figure out how to get her to lengthen her stride at the trot. S helped me figure out that what I think is forward, really isn't. Rosie wasn't really tracking up, meaning her rear hoofs were not landing where the fronts just lifted from. So off I went, her normal trot up the short side, then when I hit the long side I just let her power up. Took us a few tries, but she REALLY got it when I went into two point because I couldn't sit that trot, nor could I post it effectively. When I was in two point she really stepped up under herself, even that little bit I could feel the difference.

I have to figure out how to carry myself in that forward motion before my horse can carry herself and me.

I cantered on the left lead to just ask for the transition, and get myself sitting up instead of leaning forward. We held it for about half of a twenty meter circle before I asked for the trot. Small steps of progress - but it is progress.

Another thing I've been working after watching some videos of my riding Rosie. I noticed a lot of her tripping was the result of me throwing away the contact on downward transitions. So I've been very conscious of holding the contact through the transition, especially now that I'm starting the canter. It's really helping, she's not tripping at all.

Now if I can just get her to step OVER the cavaletti and instead of ON them I'll be happy!

Here is Rosie 3 weeks after moving.. Do you see the difference from day one at new place? Beside the winter woolies growing in?

I wish she wouldn't have turned her head to look at me, but still a good picture.

Just Riding

2011-10-17T21:43:00.000-04:00

So close your eyes and imagine... wait ok - so open your eyes, but clear your mind!

Imagine a bright clear fall morning, mid 60's and breezy. Fall leaves are at their peak colour. The weather for the day is only going to get better as it goes on.

This is what I enjoyed Sunday morning as my good friend D and I loaded up both my mares into his trailer and headed to Paint Creek State Park. I was anxious because Bonnie has been a complete horse lunatic lately, well since we moved. I'm not being dramatic either. We are talking a real fire breathing, rearing, bucking, lunatic horse!

I wasn't so worried that D couldn't handle her, but more that it wouldn't be a relaxing ride. You see I bought Bonnie from D. He is the one that trained her, desensitized her, etc. He is well aware of her antics. D no longer lives in Ohio and this is the first ride we've had together in six years. I really wanted the girls to be good.

Get to the park, unload. Rosie stands ground tied (yeah!) while I groom and tack up. Bonnie is quiet tied to the trailer while D grooms and tosses his western gear on her. Both mares are 'up' but nothing stupid.

Off we head on down the trail. I have to keep a bit of contact on Rosie she really wants to truck on out. Bonnie is all lookie loo and slow walking. I tell D I'm going to do a bit of work at figure 8's to check the steering and halt control. Rosie immediately went into work mode, just like at the show. I was grinning!

Between my two mares, Rosie has become the head mare. However, I made D lead with Bonnie. Rosie is not brave, or a trail blazer, so I wanted to be the follower for a bit. Rosie walks faster than Bonnie naturally so I had to halt Rosie a lot at first to keep respectful distance between them. Every time I backed Rosie off, Bonnie would stop, backup and attempt to spin. D worked through it. She does the same thing almost every time she comes up to mud or water, she's ALWAYS done that.

Every time Bonnie threw a temper tantrum, I'd keep riding Rosie right on by and away from her. Rosie was perfect with this. Then as Bonnie caught up I'd let D pass us by and move in behind them again. Never any issues with leaving Bonnie behind, or letting her walk off away from us.

We rode a total of 7 miles, up hills, down hills, across creeks, through mud, over logs. I worked on a lot of Dressage exercises out there. Leg yields from one side of the trail to the other. Free walk stretching down into the contact. Medium walk... side pass over logs.. well we attempted the side passes. If I got even one correct step, I celebrated!

Eventually Bonnie settled down and reduced her drama to spooking in place, and the second half of the ride was perfect.

I think I'm beginning to completely trust Rosie to keep me safe. There were a lot of pretty steep down hills, leaf covered and slippery. Watching Bonnie carefully pick her way down, most of it she choose to do side ways and slowly, I knew it was going to be rough for Rosie and I. I know that once you start down just be still and let them go, but Rosie refused to go down sideways, so I picked up some contact with her, and leaned way back in my All Purpose saddle and just let her go. That took a lot of trust on my part to just let her find her way. It took a lot of trust on her part to just go down the hill. She does question, but always listens and trusts my answer. It's really starting to feel like a partnership.

Tonight I get to the barn to check on my girls, and put some Swat on a couple of boo boo's that Bonnie has. PBO, S, is there with her friend. They ask me if I want to ride with them. Well, gee.. let me think.. um YES! This post is already too long so will post tonights ride tomorrow!

Weather is changing tonight, rainy and cold for the rest of week but I'm going to try to ride every day. I want to work on that trot!

No News is Good News

2011-10-16T19:53:00.000-04:00

Really not much to write about lately. I'm three full weeks into the new barn and loving every day more than the last.

Bonnie and Rosie are back to normal weight and building muscle. They don't even look like the same horses that I unloaded three weeks ago. Hips are rounded, top lines filling in, no more visible ribs. You can feel ribs, not see them. Perfect. Now it's a matter of finding the correct feed amounts to maintain.

I'm loving that both mares nicker at me when I walk up to their paddock, or into the barn if they are in their stalls. I like to think they are happy to see me, but reality is I'm just the "Dinner Lady". That's ok, I'll take it! They are not stalled much at all. I think the last time was Wednesday. Since then outside 24x7.

Rosie's little bucking fit last week did a number on my fragile back. I've been resting it by not riding, and minimal lifting. Just so that I would be able to ride today!

I'll write about that tomorrow. For now I'm couch jockey and yawning big.

The Lovely Blog Award

2011-10-12T21:08:00.000-04:00

Thank you Megan for naming my little space in blogville as a "Lovely Blog"!

Rules of this award is to tell 7 things about myself, and give to 15 of my favorite blogs. Since I'm pretty sure most of you have received this award, and I enjoy every single of the blogs I follow I award to all of you. Grab it if you want to play along!

So 7 things about me:

1. I LOVE my job! My title is Manager of Customer Support. I manage a team for 4 support specialists for a software company. The five of us provide total support for approximately 10,000 customers. Total = no escalation.

2. My favorite holiday is Halloween. I love trick-or-treating with my kids and do not look forward to the day when my youngest, now 13, does not want to go. I dress up in costume and everything!

3. When I was a kid I was in 4-H. Horses and Rabbits. One of my projects was a sewing project. I made my own stable blanket for my Arab. I still have that same blanket - do not remember how to use the sewing machine.

4. I drive a sports car - don't own a truck, but have a horse trailer!

5. I read just about everything and anything but my favorite is fiction. I think my all time favorite author is Dean Koontz. I've read every Harry Potter book, and to have conversation material I read all the Twilight books with my daughter.

6. I LOVE Hockey! Being born and raised in Michigan, I have to be a Red Wings fan. However, I don't really have a "favorite" team. I do have favorite players.

7. When I started this blog, I didn't really think I'd have the commitment, or even really like writing. I've found it to be quite the opposite. I love blogging and I appreciate my audience. I think even if no one ever commented I'd still write. It's good therapy.

Draft Attitude!

2011-10-10T20:44:00.001-04:00

Big horses throw big temper tantrums !!! Canter apparently is not Rosie's favorite thing to do. Canter apparently is difficult.

But BUCKING is easy!

Ya'll can breath... she didn't come anywhere near unseating me.

PBO was watching me this evening while she hand grazed her geriatric mare. She said first buck was tiny, second buck was a full on buck to get my attention.

Rosie is so big the bucks were fairly smooth. The first one took me by surprise and I did the wrong thing, I stopped her. The second one I was ready for and she got a swat with my crop to keep moving forward.

She's only bucking on the right lead, which is also the direction she dislikes bending on. Left lead is fine. I'm really hoping this isn't a pain/saddle fit reaction. Both bucks where when I pass the gate out of outdoor arena though so it's hard to tell. Sweat pattern under the pad is even on both sides. Saddle is not too tight either, I can fit my hand between the girth and her, but it doesn't slide. She doesn't buck at a trot. I'm not cantering much, one complete circle both directions so don't think she's muscle sore, even if I am. I'll keep a close eye on it though. Could be attitude, could be something else, either way not allowed.

Riding Through the Fears and Tears

2011-10-09T15:50:00.001-04:00

One year ago Rosie and I took a serious fall. One that if I had not stayed on through it all, would most likely have ended with a hospital stay. That day, that exact moment in time I was asking my green, very large mare to canter for the first time under saddle. Instead of picking up the gait she went down, hard.

I have not cantered HER since then. I canter Bonnie, I cantered Karaat, I'm fairly certain I can canter any other horse. The block was Rosie, the fear of falling again.

My wonderful husband came to the barn with me today. I needed someone there, for support, and safety.

My first attempt - I'm lucky Rosie is tolerant is all I can say. I was so close, but I just wouldn't let her move into it, but she was doing the most lovely extended trot ever before I halted.

And.Cried.

Jim asked me what I was feeling. Plain and simple...

SCARED

I'm not sure I can even explain what I am so damned scared of, falling? Well yah it'll hurt, but that doesn't stop me from cantering other horses. That I won't be able to stop her if she bolted? HAHAHA - she's too darn big, and too darned lazy to bolt far. Buck? She's never offered to even try.

So after some nice free walking, breathing, and a serious inner discussion reminding myself that I CAN DO THIS !!

I asked again, this time I just cleared everything out of my head, paid no attention to my form and asked.

.... it was UGLY

... It was unbalanced

... I was protecting my back, and didn't have my butt up under me (un-intentional)

... I was leaning too far forward, toes were out, heels not down

BUT

It was a canter - one circle each direction. Jim got video of the last half circle I did.
Rosie was very tired by then and I was more interested in how she listened to the transition change.

.... remember I said it was UGLY !

A Natural

2011-10-03T21:29:00.000-04:00

Mares are settling in well, putting on weight nicely. I no longer feel spine and can barely feel ribs. Can't see either, or hips points on either mare. I've cut their pellets down to Bonnie 4 cups a day, and Rosie 8 cups a day, and thinking I'm going to cut that even further. Combined they are going through a bale of hay a day.

This evening I had to pick my youngest son up from Cross Country practice, then high tail it over to the barn to do chores so he came with me.

By the way.. I LOVE doing CHORES!

As a treat I let him ride Miss Rosie. I tossed my helmet at him and put halter and chain shank on Rosie. I put the chain under her chin. We walked out to the outdoor arena and the PBO "S" was out there schooling her warmblood Whisper. My son climbed up on her bareback and I lead him around a bit, getting him to relax his legs and sit up and on his back pockets. Did some trotting - "S" and I were laughing at him because as Rosie trotted he's saying "I can't do this... I can't do it!" Not scared mind you, just intimidated. When I'd look up at him he was always smiling so I know he was ok.

I finally got him to put his arms out in airplane, got him looking to where he wanted and Rosie just goes with his movement. Taught him to halt her by sitting up as tall as he possibly can, then even a bit taller. His grin said it all as she stopped immediately.

Then I tossed the lead over her neck and clipped the chain to the lead like reins. Turned control over to the rider and just walked along side as he told me where he wanted to go, and moved Rosie there on his own. I even got him to trot about 10 steps on his own. =)

After that he filled water buckets while I picked out the stalls! Very proud of my boy. Sorry for no pictures. I wanted to stay real close to him just in case.

Where I Got My Shirt

2011-09-28T21:55:00.000-04:00

Thank's ya'll for the great comments. Things are working out with schedules and the mares and I are slowly relaxing as we find our groove and they learn to trust us humans again.

Since ya'll commented on my "Happy" t-shirt thought I'd share with ya that I got it from Behind The Bit's blog.

New Digs - Pictures

2011-09-26T22:10:00.000-04:00

I'm sure the novelty of cleaning stalls will wear off, but I can tell you I've enjoyed it the past two days!

Job well done...

Bonnie's still nervous and jiggy but she'll calm down soon enough...

Whatcha doing ???

The green pasture in the background with the run-in shed is theirs too...

Coming to gate when called... Rosie has turned into the lead mare over the summer.

I had a great ride on Rosie - absolutely no pulling or bracing from her!

Working Trot - sitting

Working on free walk

Happy Horse Owner!

Rosie Conformation Pictures

2011-09-25T17:32:00.000-04:00

This was an education for me as I've never taken actual conformation pictures of any of my horses. So I did some research on how best to do it. Also checked the Sugarbush Draft Registry application for their requirements, which is all four sides. Discussed with my husband the requirements, what my research told me and went out with a plan.

Rosie is shedding summer coat (oh joy). Which means her darker winter coat is growing in. I wanted pictures before the woolly mammoth appeared so today was the day. It's a bit sunny for my tastes in picture taking but it was either today in the sun, or the rest of the week in rain. meh.

Without Further Ado...

I'm open to any critique of the photo's.

Sometimes You Get Lucky

2011-09-24T17:05:00.000-04:00

And today was one of those days.

Started out at 8 am to pick up borrowed pickup truck. Got to the new barn and met my hay guy who is very punctual! He not only delivers he stacks for you too. Great guy all around. So we got the 41.5 bales stacked and I set up a monthly delivery of the same. The hay is WONDERFUL, green, soft, no weeds, orchard grass, brome and clover mixture. Smells awesome.

Then we ran to the feed store and got 20 bales of shavings and another 2 bags of 14% pellets because they were on sale for $9.50 a bag - normally $15. Went back to barn and stacked that up then headed up to get the girls.

Got there and some of my riding buddies were there. They hung out while Jim and I loaded my gear into the truck.

Then the fun part - the part, I think, we all dread, loading. I mean it could go flawlessly - or terribly bad. Just no middle ground at all on that one.

Jim and I fetched Bonnie and Rosie from the field - he put Rosie in the round pen while I had a conversation about respect with Bonnie. Nothing fancy just made her move her feet when and where I wanted.

I took a deep breath, let her know I had cookies in my hand, squared my shoulders and walked up the ramp with 100% confidence that she would just follow me. She stopped to smell and look, made eye contact with me then walked right in behind me !! YEAH! I had to refrain from the hoots and hollers in joy because she's not been on a trailer in almost 2 years.

Grabbed Rosie - didn't even do any ground work, just squared my shoulders and walked up into the trailer. She followed me like it wasn't any different then walking into her stall.

So proud of my mares !

My little audience told me my show was boring ! LOL They were hoping for some entertainment with loading.

Got to the new place off loaded - put them in their stalls for some hay, discussed the bad handling habits at previous place and explained in no uncertain terms that she was not to let them walk all over her and to put them in their places. Unpacked my tack and put it away, dumped grain into my new locking lid trash can, feed both mares another cookie and gave them a smooch for being such good girls and left them to adjust.

Their day of "new" wasn't over. They were turned out into their own paddock with run-in shed for the rest of the afternoon and will be outside 90% of the time after the next couple of days.

Tomorrow is picture day ~ Confirmation shots of Rosie for her registration application!!!

Acceptable vs. Not Acceptable

2011-09-22T21:52:00.000-04:00

Excuse the bad lighting cell phone pictures please.

This is the stall right next to Rosie's - plenty of shavings and is clean = acceptable

This is Rosie. Horses had not been turned out because it was "grey" outside. So I put Rosie in the round pen, and Bonnie is a private paddock opposite of her (I didn't get a picture of her on this day)

This is Rosie's stall AFTER it was "cleaned" by barn employee... Notice the clean shavings over the dark spots?

Further inspection, it's urine spots and manure...

I cleaned stall - you can see the saturated floor...

... and this is what I cleaned out of it. Notice no clean shavings. I raked off what little was there and cleaned out the wet.

... not acceptable

Tomorrow is one last trail ride at the barn with my barn friends if weather is decent.

Moving day has been moved up to Saturday. I can't wait !

Hay, Vaccines, Deworming, Farrier

2011-09-19T19:58:00.000-04:00

Last minute things are falling into place. I've ordered my hay delivery for this upcoming saturday. My hay storage space can only accommodate about a month or so of hay. I wish it was more but even then, economics says at this point I need to order in smaller quantities. I'm going to go with 40 bales a month to start and adjust as needed but never a minimum of 40. I like the 10 extra bales as cushion.

I'm debating on feed. I was thinking of going with Safe Choice for both mares, however I stopped at a feed store local to the new place and checked out their options. They produce a 14% protein pellet with minimal starch and sugars. I'd like to see the fat % a bit higher BUT because they are local they have the trace elements and minerals that is lacking in our area so I should be able to drop the added supplements I'm giving. I guess I can boost the fat with some flax oil or something like it. Only time will tell.

They also carry the most popular commercial brands as well so if this doesn't work out I can easily move to something else. However, I'm a "more hay, less pellets" type a girl so my hope is that once they are back into condition I can back off the pellets to just a small amount so they can get the trace minerals.

And it's time for fall vaccines here in Ohio. More precisely EHV 1 and 4, FLU and Rabies. I've already ordered, and paid for them through the barn I'm leaving but order won't be in for 10 days. I'll just pick up when they are in and administer myself.

... and worming. Will do that this week too before I move. I wonder if I can get S to do fecal testing and worm as needed?

Oh and Friday is Farrier day for Bonnie. Four shoe reset. I'm hoping this will be the last set of shoes ever. I really want to work on getting her hoofs hard and healthy. Rosie had a trim two weeks ago - her hoofs are opposite - they are extremely hard, but chip/crack easily.

I'm hoping quality feed helps with that as well. S is a well known, highly recommended barefoot trimmer so I'm going to let her work her magic and see what happens. Bonnie has never been completely sound barefoot since I've owned her. Always a little "ouchy" so I've kept her shod spring through late fall.

A Little More Information

2011-09-18T15:45:00.000-04:00

A huge THANK YOU to everyone following my blog for mainly - well, listening to me whine and vent.

I am moving to Flying Hearts Farms. It is not a boarding facility. It is a training/rehab place that the owner has decided offer a couple of stalls as partial care.

Partial Care Defined:

Horse Owner Provides the following:
Hay
Grain
Bedding (shavings)
Cleans Stalls daily
Scrub water buckets
Vaccines
Dewormer
All other things

Facility Provides:
Feeding your feed at your amounts 2x a day/7 days a week
Unlimited Water (that's how the contract reads)
Use of all amenities (Tack room, wash rack, feed room, arena w/jumps, trails, etc.
No fee trailer parking
Turn out/in daily

What this means I am going to be very hands on with the day to day care of my mares. It means more work, less time with my family, however the benefits are that I can now ensure they are getting the care I want and not what someone else defines.

Whew ~ Things are Moving Quick!

2011-09-16T23:02:00.000-04:00

First - thanks all who commented in my previous post. After pouring over all the color charts, the DNA information, etc I agree that Rosie is a classic Liver Chestnut.

I had to determine this because I am applying for a Foundation Stock registration with the Sugarbush Draft Horse Registry for Rosie !

Barn C is my choice and we'll be moving next Sunday. Over the past weeks I've been stressing over all of this pretty badly. The last straw was Thursday the horses hadn't been turned out AT ALL for, heck I don't know how many days, all the horses were hungry and crabby in their stalls. Night feeding according to BO at our little meeting last week, is to be 5 PM each night. I can tell you that hasn't happened in a long time, at least consistently. Thursday, myself and 3 other boarders left the barn at 8:40 PM and the horses had not been fed, even checked on since that morning. Obviously, we fed our own horses but we were all hesitant to feed others horses as we don't know each horses health or feed requirements.

I called S at Barn C this morning and said "I need to move ASAP" she said you can come today if you want. Will be ordering hay, feed and shavings this week to be delivered next Saturday. I can't say I'm real excited about this move, but it's clean, safe and I will be taking care of my mares which is the utmost importance to me after this year of boarding hell.

Colour Palette

2011-09-09T20:35:00.000-04:00

I am frequently asked what colour Rosie is, and I always answer "Liver Chestnut" as that is what the vet called her.

July 2009

This question came up again this week as a matter of importance, and I wasn't sure how to answer it. I was asked specifically: "Is she that color all season long though? Her base color is the only thing that has me guessing. I want to say she's either a sunburned black, or a liver chestnut, but the color options from those pictures runs the gamut (grey on seal bay, smokey black, etc)."

To answer the first part of that; no in the winter she is more black than anything else. But when you look at the picture above you will see some lighter hair around the coronet, fetlocks, and pastern of the front legs, and up the cannon bone of the rear legs. Not to mention all the dappling.

In the winter there is no dappling, and all that blonde is black.

I've seen pictures of when she was young, yearling I believe, and she looked to be Haflinger coloured. She was not dark at all. I know nothing about her sire or dam other than their breeds.

July 2011

While her body colour hasn't changed much since 2009 to 2011 her mane colour is changing. There is much more silver in her mane today then there has ever been.

August 2011

Do you see it in there? That's not sun burn, it's all in the under side.

So what colour do you guys think she is? Do you think she'll change colours again?

It had to be said...

2011-09-08T22:43:00.000-04:00

Decision was made for me tonight. I tried to have a good conversation - state my concerns in a non emotional, non confrontational manner. I really did. However when excuses were made and I did everything in my power to keep my calm going I could only say the following:

"We, the boarders, are responsible for the care of our animals"

BO's reply "No, I am"

My response:

"We, the boarders, are responsible for the higher farrier and vet bills caused by your lack of proper care"

Probably not my finest moment as her and her family is going through their own personal hell, but it was the truth and it needed to be said.

I believe after tonight at least two of us are moving our horses in the next 30 days or less.

Continued...

2011-09-06T19:43:00.000-04:00

A big thank you to everyone who commented on my last two posts.

Barn search update :

Barn A: Will not do pasture board at all. Still no open stalls. Still waiting. They are a western pleasure show barn. Him and Her are judges and typically do youth shows along with lesson and training program. It is small well cared for place close haul to equine only trails.

Barn B has been taken off the "to be considered list". I've learned to trust my gut and my gut is throwing up every single red flag there is. So I sent a very simple "After careful consideration we've decided to put our horses at a different facility" email. Nothing more and nothing less.

Barn C isn't fancy but everything is clean, almost neurotically clean. It is a private barn as well, except she is a certified barefoot trimmer and does rehab. She also is almost neurotically clean - wait I said that. She believes in, and is setup for 24/7 turn out - PERFECT. This place is not very big at all she has three grass paddocks and a sacrifice lot. An extremely nice lighted outdoor arena with the most excellent sand footing I've seen in a long time. Well organized and bright tack room, a separate grain / supplement room - hot and cold wash rack. Everything was bright, clean, well marked and labeled.

She disclosed that mud season is VERY muddy there, but that's nothing new for me. Also that she has all the material to re-fence the large paddock - just not the time to do it. It's just her and no one else.

I've asked her to send her contracts and paper work so I can read it through.

Now on to my current boarding barn: The boarders have called a meeting for later this week. I'm going to go and add my 2 cents. This barn was not always like this - it's been a decline since the Barn Owner became ill. If she would give up control and hire a real manager things maybe a bit different. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening.

Basic Needs - A Rant

2011-09-03T15:27:00.001-04:00

Horses are pretty easy when it comes to the basics needed to care for them.
They need some sort of food source, plenty of clean fresh water, shelter, and their herd. Shelter does not have to be man made, a nice shady tree can do the trick too, and the "herd" can be other horses, goats, or even human.

Yes, yes there is so much more involved like hoof care, teeth care, etc. But for the purposes of this post I'm going to focus just on the basics.

If those basic things are met, horses are generally happy, at least we humans assume this. It would be so much easier if they could talk "Hey you.. Human. Yah YOU, my hurts." or "This hay sucks can we try something new?"

There are so many "horse people" out there, they all thing they know best. Heck, I KNOW, I know best! Ha ~ no not really. I just have the common sense stuff down.

I ask myself "If this 12x12 box with bars for windows was my home, would I like it if it was urine soaked, manure dirty, with little bedding?"

Or "mmm this green slime in this bucket sure adds a great flavor to my water."

I'm fairly sure everyone reading this would say "yuck! NO! are you crazy?"

So why when those of us who board our horses let BO's or BM's (not the body function) tell us that it's ok for our horses to stand in stalls for days/weeks/months at a time. Or make up excuses "oh your horse just likes to dump their water bucket that's why the stall is wet", or "We only give small amounts of hay because they soil it quickly."

Well this is what I've been dealing with for the past 9 months or so. It started late fall 2010 when I started noticing that water buckets were not full when the horses were in at 6:30 PM. At that time Rosie was in a 12x12 stall and it was ALWAYS wet with very little bedding. So bought extra bedding and put in there. Then they moved Rosie to a 12x18 stall. I thought that would be better all the way around. Boy was I wrong. As recently as 2 weeks ago I walked into her stall to get her. She was standing on bare rubber mats with a PUDDLE of urine in the middle.

From just after Thanksgiving to May the horses NEVER went out. Several of us boarders would show up at various times of the day/evening and all water buckets would be empty (each horse has two) and they would be hungry. They would get breakfast at 8 am - (2 flakes of hay and their ration of grain) then NOTHING until night feeding. Which from what I could tell was never regular.

I would turn my mares out while I cleaned the stalls, or scrubbed buckets. BO told me numerous times she didn't appreciate me turning my horses out. I ignored it. I could understand if it was muddy and they were destroying the pasture - it wasn't. Ground was often frozen.

There were a handful of us boarders who knew this wasn't the way to care for a horse, mostly the food and water part. We made agreements with each other to always throw at least 3 flakes of hay to each of our horses whenever we were there. We water every single horse in the barn every time we were there.

Fast forward to March 2011. Many horses started to develop thrush. The BO's advice was to soak the hoof in bleach/water (like put hoof in bucket of the solution?!?) then duct tape baby diaper to seal hoof. REALLY? Well I can understand if you don't know better as the horse owner, but the BO sure should know better.

I started putting my horses outside into round pen sized dry/mud lots to just get them out of their stalls. Bonnie was continually stocked up, and her first few steps out of her stall were always ouchie.

I had my vet come out and evaluate my horses and he told the BO the exact things I was. They need more hay and TURN OUT every day. I offered a solution of rotating horses in the the outdoor arena and she said "No - there is no harm in horses standing in their stalls like this".

For many many months now I have been cleaning my stalls, often times after they had supposedly been cleaned. I have also been feeding my own horses almost every day. Please don't think that I have a problem with cleaning/feeding my own horses because I don't.

I have a problem paying someone perform that service for me and it doesn't get done, or it's not done well.

The thing is, I believe most of the people in this barn have the same concerns I do, yet no one will speak up, except for me and maybe one or two others (out of 15). I keep reminding them that it's because of the dirty stalls, lack of turn out, and not enough quality feed that is causing their vet and farrier bills to be higher. Many of the horses have suffered severe cases of thrush which are 100% caused by the dirty, wet stalls they had to stand in for so many months.

I promised myself and my mares that they will not spend another winter in this place. This is why I'm so desperately exploring options and interviewing BO's.

Ok Rant Over...

Decisions

2011-09-01T22:59:00.000-04:00

Big secret.. ok not so big... I've never been real happy about the level of care my mares get at my current boarding situation and things seem to be getting a bit worse. Here we are in September and both my mares are loosing weight. It's not drastic but I'd really love to see them with a bit more fat padding going into winter. Then there is the whole turn out, or lack of it, during winter months, always battling to ensure they are getting enough hay and water, etc.

My goal this year was to move out of the little house in the big city and into a little house in the country and move the girls home. Well economics says differently at this point in my life so I have some decisions to make.

To move the girls, or not to move and make the best of it.

Full Care, partial care, or self care

Location

I've put my name and deposit down on a waiting list months ago at great full care place (A), but I need two stalls and they rarely have one available. It's 12 miles north of my office, which makes it 32 miles from my house. It's $300 month per horse, and no fee for trailer parking.

Then I found a private barn owner who is leasing stalls out of her barn for $150 per stall, self care (B). Location can not get much more perfect. It is almost half way between home and work and private. Fencing has to be redone and I need to run my own electric along top inside rail (keeps Rosie off new fence). It is setup to be 24/7 turn out if I want it.

Contract is a bit harsh, wording like "if horse gets loose for any reason, it must be stalled immediately then removed from farm within 7 days". Well PBO has 7 kids, am I to be held responsible if one of her kids leaves a gate open? Must pay for trailer parking and not ready until after November.

Saturday, I'm going to look at another private barn, owner is leasing stalls at $175 partial care (C). Stalls are available today. Partial care in this case means I provide grain/hay/bedding and clean my stalls. They feed\water twice a day and turn out/in. I don't know much more than that. It's 20 minutes due East of my office not real convenient from home but I'm driving nearly an hour from home now and this will be about 30 minutes closer.

Only A has an indoor arena, C has an outdoor, and B the neighbor said I could use her outdoor arena (no indoor). A and C are owned by trainers, and C claims to be a barefoot trimmer as well. B is a family that has just purchased property which has barn, 6 acres and wants to board a few horses.

I do know something needs to change. I want to enjoy my horses and not dread what new nightmare I'm going to find when I go to the barn. I can't afford vet\farrier bills that occur from the subpar care they are receiving. I LOVE the barn's atmosphere itself though. It's quite, no drama, indoor and outdoor arenas, the boarders are like a family. Not to mention the HOURS upon HOURS of trails to ride.

Late August Trail Ride

2011-08-28T19:05:00.000-04:00

There were 7 of us today...

The weather was P-E-R-F-E-C-T

My Point and Shoot is hooked to my saddle

Which means in motion pictures are kind of slanted..

We stopped to let them graze after about an hour of solid riding..

Everyone is all smiles...

"L"in the distance checking his phone... He's a firefighter

I rode the big girl! and what a GREAT ride!!!!

7 miles later....

We are back at the barn...

Most of the horses were still fresh!

Afterwards we BBQ'd some burgers and hot dogs and us a great picnic!

Intro B Video

2011-08-23T06:32:00.000-04:00

From the Starry Nights Dressage show in July.

This was the 63% - 4th place Intro B test.

My warm up was "un-orthodox" to say the least. I was flexing her head loosing up the jaw, I also had to get her listening to my seat so was actually doing walk/trot transition. I know, not the best thing to do BUT it is MY warm-up and it works.

Quick Post

2011-08-17T18:20:00.000-04:00

Thank you everyone for your remarks about shoeing Rosie. I was pretty sure I was on the money and your comments enforced that. If the vet is coming out for someone else in the next couple of weeks I'll have him check her and get his opinion.

New and exciting things are in the works for my mares and myself, but I don't want to go into too much detail until everything is set, but it won't be long now.

I've been extremely busy getting my daughter ready for college, lots of shopping, and my boys ready for school. Where has the summer gone?!?

Oh... Trail Ride tomorrow with another draft rider... Her draft is BIGGER than Rosie so I know she won't take me places Rosie and I don't fit like my "small horse" riding friends.

To Shoe or Not to Shoe - need advice

2011-08-13T14:09:00.000-04:00

My farrier has suggested I put shoes on Rosie...

This completely confused me as she has very nice, hard hooves and no issues what so ever on varied terrain, including gravel driveways and roads. To my knowledge she's never been shod, and I had no plans on doing so.

I asked Mr. Farrier why should I shoe? His response was that her hoofs are not growing very fast. I'm aware of this as we are 8 weeks out since last full trim. However, he's filed oval and rasped chips at week 6 and again yesterday at week 8. Her frog is healthy and not protruding, she is not low in the heel, she is very balanced and feels awesome when riding. She was exactly the same way last summer.

He just couldn't come up with any other reason to put shoes on her.

I offer to pay for these files/rasping trips (she's not the only horse he does in the barn on these trips) and he does not take money from me.

It doesn't make sense to me to put shoes on her. Has anyone else heard of shoeing a horse because their hoofs are growing slow?

Knowing When To Let Them Fly

2011-08-05T23:26:00.000-04:00

I'm having a real hard time with my daughter. Oh don't get me wrong, she's a wonderful person. She's turning into exactly what I'd hoped she would. She's funny, loving, responsible when it counts, able think on her own, and she takes the world by it's horns and says "Let's go!"

Warmup/sketch book

My problem is that is she is going away to college in 10 days. While I don't see her much anymore, my home is still her mailing address, she still ~~lives~~ sleeps here (sometimes). She is nearly 20 years old. She took a year off after high school. While I didn't agree with it at the time, I think she needed it to grow up a bit.

Pen

She took it upon herself to apply to Columbus College of Art and Design to attend this fall. CCAD was founded in 1879 and is one the oldest operating art schools in the United States. It is a private school that offers Bachelors and Masters degrees in fine arts.

Pen

Samantha's program of choice is graphic design and advertising.

String and Paper textured acrylics

She received a Deans grant because of the quality of her portfolio. She stopped drawing and painting for a while, I'm extremely happy she has decided to make it her education choice.

Water Colors

I know she's only going to be two hours away...

Photo Manipulation for local band cd cover

but I still worry like a mother will...

Photo Manipulation for a book cover proof

I already miss my INCREDIBLY talented daughter, but she is ready to jump out of the nest.

Free Hand drawn with Wacom pen tablet

Yes, I've kept every little sketch, scrape, partially finished and completely finished object. I have paintings big and small, pottery, drawings, etc. I've made her sign and date every piece as one never knows what will happen tomorrow. Every image here can be clicked to enlarge, and each piece was in her portfolio for college entrance requirement.

* all images are copy write of Samantha Ingram. Do not copy or reproduce without express written permission.

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

2011-08-03T19:19:00.000-04:00

Well, I don't have a farmhouse, nor anything resembling a porch but hope to some day. However, this looks like a lot of fun so I'm joining in anyway.

Click on me to go to link.

Here are your questions for the day:

What season was your wedding? If you aren't married, the what season is your birthday?
What names did you call your grandparents?(ie- grandma, granny, gran, grammie)
What's your favorite smell that comes from your oven?
If you eat eggs- scrambled, fried, over easy, sunny side up, or other?
What's the tidiest room in your house? What's the messiest?

Here are my answers:

1. I was married in the spring. I choose spring as it's my most favorite season. Spring is all about new growth, and regenerating growth after long winter. I can't wait for the sun's warmth to melt away the winter.

2. I called my grandparents the traditional Grandma and Grandpa. My daughter called my father Papa (he passed away before he met my other two children). My kids all called my mom, Grammie.

3. Hot apple pie, chocolate cake, and roast beef.

4. Egg's are not a favorite, but when I do have to eat them I choose scrambled with cheese and onion.

5. Hahaha Tidy???? The bathroom I guess. I really dislike a dirty germy bathroom. The messiest? That's easy it's my bedroom. It seems to be the place where everything gets thrown into when company is coming.

Helping Hands and Thrush Update

2011-07-30T22:26:00.000-04:00

Southern Ohio is in the grips of another 100 + degree heat index trend. It's been this hot since before the show, and hasn't let up so no riding since then. I just don't have the energy after work to do much more than hose the girls off, feed, water and muck their stalls.

Yes, I said feed, water and muck stalls. Yes, I'm still boarding. Things have changed a bit though. The BO was diagnosed a few weeks ago with cancer that has spread to several internal parts and has started chemo. Her husband and daughters are trying to keep up with the barn duties but heck, every one needs a hand. There are a couple of us who have started to care for our own horses as much as we can. I have to say I really enjoy doing it.

If you remember about a month or two ago I had my farrier confirm that Bonnie had two spots of thrush. Right rear and left front. The left front cleared really quickly, but the right rear took some time. For weeks now it's just been a spot that looked damp. No oder, no black goo, just "damp" looking. This past week or so I noticed the spot getting smaller and smaller and now even that is gone. Farrier confirmed for me yesterday that, yes indeed, the thrush is GONE!

I hope the heat and drought breaks for everyone who is experiencing this crazy weather soon!

Thinking....

2011-07-23T19:18:00.001-04:00

Possibly a good thing, but one never knows for me.

I've had a week to go over the rides from the show last Saturday here's my list of what was good and not so good.

First the good:

1. Transitions were light and right on the mark

2. Bends were correct

3. Was balanced - both of us

4. Aids were effective and Rosie was truly working with me

5. Halts were straight and square

6. Steady contact was kept at all times, and Rosie was round and moving through her hind quarters. I believe there was only one time where she went on the forehand. I caught it immediately and corrected it.

... and the not so good
1. Circles SUCK ! I need to use more leg and less hand to get the bend. Left is better than right

2. More forward at the walk - both medium and free

3. Free Walk - need to train "stretch down". Rosie really has no concept of this.

4. Diagonals need to be straighter.

5. More Straight from X to C as well. I think she's walking off a bit crooked and I'm correcting.

In-spite of these things I can honestly say that for Intro B - Rosie and I rode to the best of our abilities. She gave me everything I asked for even if it was a bit sticky to the rights. We got all 6 and 7 with a lot of "Correct" comments - most of the criticism is in regards to needing to be more forward.

Ok so what is next...
Well - first we learn to canter! I say "we" because I'm sure her big stride is going to be a completely new adventure for me. Not to mention I've not cantered much at all since I hurt my back a year ago. I'm going to have to learn it all over again.

I need to figure out how to get her to stretch down at the gaits. With Bonnie I'm able to alternate pushing my legs into her barrel as she walks to naturally drop her head. Rosie is a different story. She is so large I'm having issues doing that .. short leg syndrom! Any idea's on this one?

Straightness will come with confidence so not so worried about that, but I will be adding more straight line work to our sessions.

Forward movement is most likely my fault. I need to be more fit to handle her forward movement, not to mention the confidence and trust in Rosie.

Bends to the right - she often feels like concrete against my right leg. My trainer said I'm not strong enough to move her over, but honestly I want her moving off my leg at a feather light touch so I don't want to start super strong. I'm thinking more right circles, keeping things as light as possible and making sure I'm staying as correct and balanced as I can. I'm toying the idea of using my spurs at first but not sure. I open to suggestions on this one as well.

My goal - Training Level
Time Line - Same Show Summer 2012

I'm not rushing anything at all for the sake of competing. I'm treating the shows as my reward for the progress I've made in our training. "Our" because I have to learn the movement correctly, then train Rosie, hopefully correct as well.

Starry Nights Dressage Show

2011-07-17T22:02:00.001-04:00

What a day! Successful too!

Rosie and I started our day with a quick bath. I'd already scrubbed her really good earlier in the week and did her tail and mane so no deep clean or shampoo/conditioner needed.

After a very stress free load up we were on our way. The show was at Walnut Creek Stables which is a very beautiful facility. I leased a stall in the large main barn for the day and am so glad I did with the temperatures in the mid 90's with high humidity. Each stall had a steel grid stall door on the back side for light and ventilation. It was cooler in the barn with a nice breeze through the isle way.
(all pictures are click to super-size)

In Rosie's stall

Between my nerves and her naturally being up because of the different environment, warm up was interesting. In door she was at least listening...

Warm-up in the Indoor

Once outside I had plenty of "Go" but her brakes were broke... very little stop to her.

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and exhaled slowly, forcing myself into calm and relaxing everything.

I did all walk/trot classes because neither Rosie or I have enough confidence in the canter yet so I didn't want the added stress of worrying about it. This means that equitation and Dressage Suitability is all ages, and all riding abilities.

Suitability and Equitation

Check out the Saddle Pad!

The tally for the day :
3rd in Dressage Suitability
1st in Dressage Equitation
60% Intro A (I completely screwed up one movement) - 5th place
63 % Intro B - This test I got all 7's and 8's for 4th place.

I totally hosed one 20 meter circle in Intro A. I knew as soon as I started it it was going to be bad but recovered well and was the only mark under a 6. I had same judge for Intro B so I went to work correcting the things she remarked on.

Intro B felt TERRIFIC !! Circles are a bit sticky on the right bend and the judges only bad remarks was that I was using a lot of hand on the circle to the right. At least she didn't remark on me using my entire body weight to move her over!

Every Color but Red!

Case of Nerves

2011-07-15T23:28:00.000-04:00

Night before show day and I'm a ball of nerves. I've attempted to organize my day down to the minute detail in hopes that things run smoothly, at least up to the point where we get to the show barn.

When I voice the fact that I'm very nervous about this show people always react with "Why, this isn't your first show?"

So in trying to dispel the nerves I've decided to write about why I'm nervous.

While it's true I've been riding and competing horses since I was a pre-teen child, I've always had the luxury of riding an already trained horse.

This goes farther than that though. Rosie is the first horse I've bought on my own. Meaning I didn't have someone I trust help me out with the decision. I thought long and hard about what I was for, I did the breed research, the shopping... ugg the shopping. I did the "test ride" ensuring she met all the basic riding skills as well as determine how she would handle almost anything.

I made the decision to buy her. Then the work began. I've done all the training. I take full responsibility for the good and bad in her training.

So I researched, picked out, purchased, trained - and am now competing MY HORSE.

I think the perfectionist in me is just scared of failure. I'm not looking for blue ribbons, success for me will be having a calm mount, not plowing through any fences, and staying in the saddle.

I think I'm ready - I spent this evening cleaning tack, removing the stuff I store in my trailer and putting the stuff out the way in the tack room. I bought a new saddle pad and stock tie today. I cleaned my boots and found Rosie's coggins test. I made sure my white breeches, white shirt, and Dressage coat are in good order and have them hung on hanger waiting. I need to stop at Target on the way to the barn in the morning and buy white undies (why are white breeches so darned thin), socks, and band-aides.

It All Starts With The Toes

2011-07-14T23:08:00.000-04:00

Second lesson in a week and I've already correct a couple of my bad habits, as well as worked through a lot of Rosie's power house tendencies.

Now the hardest thing to do in the world is to keep your heels down while you're concentrating on keeping forward movement at the trot, posting, pushing with the inside leg, shifting weight to the outside leg and weighting the outside stirrup, keeping your thumbs the highest point of your hand, lifting your inside hand, and holding steady with the outside hand. All.In.The.Same.Step !

.. whew at least is it for me. My heels and their "down-ness" has always been an issue for me ever since I was a kid competing.

Tonight before Jodi got there I had my friend S tell me every time I lifted my heel so I could think about WHY I was lifting it.

I was CURLING my toes in my boots when I was thinking hard about doing that whole huge paragraph above. Curling forces you to tense everything up, and your heel lifts. The trick is to always widen your toes in your boots to keep the heel down.

Rosie is much better about the pulling, almost cured. She's bending and moving away from my leg nicely too.

I rode both tests tonight (Intro A & B) and worked on equitation. Jodi said I rode them great and if I do the same Saturday I'll score really well.

Tomorrow a light ride to loosen both our muscles and another bath then show day. The show is in the evening in hopes of cooler temps. The farm has outside lights on the arenas so should be a blast!

I'm NERVOUS !!!

103 Degree's Fahrenheit = Fun With Water

2011-07-11T23:07:00.000-04:00

When I got to the farm at 6:30 PM 103 is what the "outside" temperature was according to my car. This does not into account humidity. Which is darn near close to 100%.

Way too hot to ride so I decided it was "Spa Day" for Rosie. Her tail was a mess and she was encrusted in natural fly bite protection => dirt!

I assembled all the tools..

Big 'Ole hay bag full of her evening hay to keep her busy.

Bucket of Cowboy Magic shampoo and conditioner, sponge, scrubby mitt, and the complete arsenal of the grooming box.

She really enjoyed the rare treat of hand grazing while she dried in the shade.

Then rolled again just before she got her dinner =/

O'well I accomplished what I wanted and her tail is dreadlock free !

A Picture Story

2011-07-10T20:46:00.001-04:00

So I got up today pretty much feeling like a

but I went to the farm anyway and rode Rosie.

While Jim hung up the Dressage on the appropriate posts in the outdoor arena; Rosie and I worked on the bending and loosing up her jaw clenching and it only took a few circles before she stopped bracing and we moved on to our tests.

Still battling with that 20 meter circle, but at this point I'm fairly certain that once I'm in good level footing we'll be just fine. I say this because I was able to push her out easily with my inside leg and bend her around the circle, rail to rail. This made me smile and feel happy inside just like seeing this perfect does.

However it was so hot today that we felt as dried up and petrified as this

**First two images from Google Images. Daisy and Pine Cone I took with husbands Nikon D5100 while on vacation.

Lesson's and Unexpected Rodeo

2011-07-10T00:21:00.000-04:00

Today was Lesson Day and I was a bit apprehensive as Jodi hasn't given me a lesson on my either of my two horses in about a year. I've always gone to her and rode Karaat.

You see, I'm training Rosie all by myself from greener than green to a horse anyone can ride. She came into my world as a pushy, no ground manners, minimal steering and brakes.. well only on her terms. This was three summers ago. So I was afraid that Jodi, who in my opinion is a great instructor and trainer, would be all over me for things I've done wrong with my horses even though I feel like I've made great progress.

With Rosie the fundamental things I've been working on, rather insisting from her, is complete respect from the ground. I had to stop making excuses, not enough time, not the only one that handles her, she's young, she's HUGE.. the list keeps going.

The worst thing about her for the longest time was leading. She'd be all up in your space, run you over, not move away from pressure, another endless list. Let's just say, if you don't want your horse to do it, she did it.

Jodi was delighted at my progress with Rosie's ground training. She walks beside and slightly behind me on loose lead. When I halt she halts, immediately. If I want to move her over while leading I just put my fore arm against her shoulder and she steps over away from the pressure. She now stands still for grooming and tacking without tying, inside the barn and outside in the middle of where all the "barn" action happens. Today a bunch of kids were getting ready to go for a trail ride, and a gentleman was there repairing the tractor. Jodi's jaw dropped when I showed her the "Put your bridle on yourself" trick. This is a horse that would try to walk away, every time, when you removed halter, or bridle. Not.No.More !

On to the actual lesson. I had a list of things I wanted Jodi to evaluate and give tips. First of all, make sure I'm correcting clenched jaw and blowing through my aides correctly. I was, lots of circles and just make a wall/boundary with my hands and wait her out. Next on the agenda was her falling out on the forehand and feeling like concrete against my legs when trying to bend her. This is related to the clenched jaw, which is result of me clenching my jaw and putting death grip on the reins. Go figure that all this stuff is related to each other.

Jodi showed me how to fix both of these and by the end of the first one hour lesson my 2000 pound horse was doing self carriage again and felt like 2 ounces in my hands. She's bending around my leg and moving away from it. Her jaw and face was relaxed. I did an awful lot of repetition, for both Rosie and myself. I needed to relearn the "correct" and get faster at "correcting" but in the end I got it and was riding with a huge smile.

And then there is Bonnie.... Ya'll know that a bronc rider has to stay on for 8 Seconds right?

Well, I stayed on for 6 of those 8.

Not sure what happened, or why, but we were going along great. Good equitation, nice slow gaits, everything. Nice jogs, nice lopes. Was working on slowing down the lope, had already loped both directions several times, very nicely too. I was at the end of a walk break and as I came around a barrel I trotted out about 15 steps and asked for right lead lope and BAM! Two HUGE, her heels over my head, bucks! I probably would have recovered from that if she hadn't of thrown in another pretty huge crow hop which put me too far forward and heading off. I grabbed around her neck and swung my leg over and landed on my feet. I immediately went into big boss mare HUGE and moved her back very quickly, as well as around. Got back on and tried it again. This time I caught her as soon as she tried to drop her head and applied the emergency brake, aka one rein stop. Rinse and repeat and no more rodeo.

No idea what got into her. If something was pinching or hurting she should have reacted MUCH sooner than that. She was bitless, in western saddle. There hadn't been any tail wringing, head tossing, evading, bulking, rushing, nothing to indicate pain or even mild discomfort. Again, she was completely fine with loping off after that, either lead.

Sloppy Wet Ride and Braids

2011-07-08T23:05:00.000-04:00

Outdoor arena was sloppy wet in most places, and just plain wet in others so Rosie and I did a lot of walking. The small amount of trotting we did was practicing crisp transitions, walk/trot trot/walk halt/trot and trot/halt. Also ensured as straight of lines as the footing afforded.

I used the standing water as training too. She loves to "play" in water so today I insisted that we just keep trucking through the water. She was funny, at first she had to stop and look the water every time. I let her have a first look, but after that just keep a going.

She's getting MUCH better about not rushing through my hands. She only tried it once and I believe it was more about poor footing then actually being naughty. I started some lateral work, just the beginnings of side pass trying to lighten her up off my legs. She gave me some decent effort.

Then it was SPA TIME! No bath just a thorough hose off to get all the mud and sweat off us both.

Then I went to work cleaning up her mane. I haven't even trimmed her bridle path since last fall. It had grown out about 4 inches. I don't have clippers so I scissor cut it until I can borrow some next week. I trimmed up the ends of her mane making it a bit more even.

Finishing up with practice braids...

Sorry about the crappy cell phone image, and you can see where I screwed it up but I think this is what I'm going with.

Yes Mom, I know I'm beautiful

Now to figure out what to do with that crazy forelock!

Tomorrow Jodi is giving Rosie and myself a lesson!! My first since October I'm so excited! I have a list of things I want to go over.

Breath Taking Views

2011-07-07T23:07:00.000-04:00

Hanging off Rosie's side!

From the Saddle

Count Down and Light Bulb Moments (both horse and rider)

2011-07-06T20:58:00.000-04:00

Let the Count Down Begin:

10 days till Show Time !!!

Which means Rosie and I are doing some SERIOUS training. With a 5 day break, and my husband being the last to ride her, she had a rude awakening today. It was 90 F outside, light breeze and mid humidity so was ok for trot work with lots of walking.

Today she was VERY wiggly and tried a couple of times to walk off while I was grooming and tacking up. I'm working on ground tying with her. So from the get go it was all about establishing myself as Boss Lead Mare.

I choose to NOT bridle her where I tacked her, instead we worked on leading nicely. I'm still using a chain under her chin, but NEVER have tension on it unless absolutely necessary. She can very easily drag me where ever she wants to go. So while she is in this stage of still pushing her limits with me when I least expect it I'm using the chain for safety.

Bridling is SO much nicer now that I've taught her to drop her head into the bridle. She even opens her mouth for the bit on her own. This always results in her getting a piece of a cookie as a reward. 100 % improvement from this time last year when she picked her head up while I was pulling the crown of the bridle over her ears, lifting me off my feet.

On to my ride. Mounting was exciting as my saddle slipped to the side. I had tightened but not enough apparently. So with the seat of the saddle on her side I jumped off. She just stood there while I shoved it back where it belonged and tightened one more notch! Good Rosie!

It was the remount that I had to get big and scary because she tried walking off while I was lifting my foot into the stirrup. A few good taps with the dressage whip moving her around where I wanted her to go and she stood stock still for me to mount up.

I started with a lot of walking, both collected and stretchy. Goal was forward marching type of walk, lifting up our feet. Not her normal plow horse plod. Also straight halts and straight lines walking the diagonals. I also wanted her moving off my leg, more bending in our circles and corner. I don't wear spurs, but today I felt like I needed them. She was like a concrete wall against my inside leg.

Now the trot work. Remember a few posts back I mentioned she has developed this habit of dropping her head, clenching her jaw, and blowing through my hands and trotting off. Not out of control like bolt, but just WAY fast and there is no way you can do a pulling war with a Percheron!

Today... whew! The very first time she tried it today no way she could be tired because it was the first trot we did. We start out nice, next thing I know she's dropping her head and popping me up off balance and away we go.

Rosie's first Light Bulb Moment: So first time was an immediate application of the horsey "emergency brake" aka one rein stop. Just glued my seat, relaxed my legs and pulled her around to the left. Right back into a trot from halt with a reminder tap with the Dressage whip that I want it NOW. Three steps halt.. NOW! Ask for trot again.. then halt after 5 steps. I'm still not collecting at all, just contact, or so I thought. Did this until I was up to 10 steps with out her imitating a pacer, gave her a nice walk break (still demanding an active marching walk). Next trot I asked for I was pleased as it was rhythmic and floaty, that trot of her's I LOVE.

Jeni's first light bulb moment. I need to keep my reins shorter. The more contact, and forward I pushed her the better she was. I also tried shoulder in's to slow her down on the long side. It WORKED!

Then on to the dreaded 20 meter circle. I honestly have no idea what a 20 meter circle should look like in size. I know you need to hit both E and B at the rail and the horse should be bent slightly around the leg like you are pushing them out. I'm sure those first few circles were HORRID! Inside leg was pushing against a concrete wall, it was more egg shaped then circle...

Next light bulb moment for me... clench my jaw and Rosie clenches hers. Well DUH I know this! I often end my rides with a head ache because I do clench my jaw almost all the time. So.. I started singing.. Can't clench your teeth if you're singing now can you?

AND GUESS WHAT?

Rosie relaxed into the trot, her back came up (so much I thought she was going to buck), her head went down and vertical and she self carried herself!!! I was thrilled and shocked! So shocked it had to be a mistake right?

After walking the serpentine pattern end to end and post to post straight pushing her around with the inside leg I tried it again. I believe we trotted perfect 20 meter circles both directions completely collected and her carrying herself.

Rosie's next Light Bulb Moment. If I shove my muzzle against the hose when mom is spraying me with it, I spray her and she laughs and hugs me!

4th of July a small Michigan Town

2011-07-05T23:07:00.000-04:00

Wow! What a trip. LOVED ever single second of it too! My bestest cousin and her family lives here...

View Larger Map

Over the next few days I'll post about the trip but todays post I'd like to dedicate to our 4th of July celebration.

I've never experienced a "community" celebration like this and it warmed my heart to see such patriotism still alive and kicking in this world we live in now.

It started with my morning walk down to the coffee shop to feed my caffeine addiction. The first thing I noticed is that over night an American flag was placed in every yard in town.

Downtown was bustling with tourists (yes it's a HUGE tourist area) and locals alike.

There was a parade that EVERYONE turned out to watch. Every time an American flag or a service man or woman passed by the crowd applauded them. Here is a short slide show from some of the parade..

Following that there were various family oriented activities. One of those was the "Water Fight". The Volunteer fire department get all their gear on, bring out the tank, pump trucks, and hoses and proceed to have a huge water fight with each other and get EVERYONE else wet in the process!

We're in da U.P. Eh!

2011-07-04T08:44:00.000-04:00

Not Lake Erie...

2011-07-03T08:53:00.000-04:00

There are approximately 247 of these in the state I'm in...

Not all of them are in operation but they do make for fantastic views if you are brave enough to climb all the way up...

This mailbox is handy in the winter here...

Where Am I ?

2011-07-01T08:47:00.000-04:00

I decided we needed a vacation... so the boys, Jim and myself all piled in the car and drove...

and drove...

Until we saw this....

Then...

We drove further north west until we saw this...

No Words Needed

2011-06-25T19:33:00.000-04:00

Bonnie vs. Thursh and Western Pleasure Day

2011-06-19T22:19:00.000-04:00

Thursday was farrier day... I had Bonnie's shoes reset and confirmation that'd I found a mild case of thrush in her right front.

Does this Saddle Make Me Look Fat ?!?

... I did. Farrier did an excellent job of trimming the frogs. He scrubbed out all four hoofs and treated each with a 3::1 bleach solution then Coppertox. Rosie was trimmed, I have her done oval shaped. He cleaned her frogs nicely too, and stopped a crack.

Friday was day off for everyone as it was supposed to be stormy. That didn't happen.

No Bonnie, you're perfect !

Saturday, another "rain out" day, but Jim and I ran all over the area looking for White Lightening Gel to treat the thrush. Couldn't find it anywhere so bought the last bottle of Coppertox on the shelf. It was the ONLY thrush treatment I could find. I have a little bit of Thrush Buster in my groom box.

We spent several hours Saturday worming both mares, cleaning, and thrush treating hooves. We went ahead and treated Rosie's even though I'm not finding any black ooze nor any foul oder.

Her beauty takes my breath away

Bonnie's hoof inspection today showed the black ooze gone, with just a "wet" mark and very little oder. I cleaned well and used what little Thrush Buster I had left because I had a mild reaction to the Coppertox. I'm hoping the thrush is completely gone by the end of the week if I keep treating it aggressively everyday.

I never tire of this view!

Today was Western all the way. I think Bonnie looks just fabulous in the new saddle. It fits her perfectly, it fits me good. Western is so different to me now so I'm "adjusting". I can tell you the seat is comfortable, stirrups are correct, well balanced, and slightly turned. I didn't move around at all

Bonnie was so relaxed that when she was trotting her lower lip was flopping. She wasn't lip flapping on purpose, it was just really relaxed. She even gave me a bit of a spook... birds shouldn't be flying out of horse trailers, but it didn't seem near as hard of a spook as before.bitless. She immediately moved on with no tension at all.

No rides on Rosie because the weather turned stormy on me again. Hopefully tomorrow.

Two Rides and a Question for the Viewing Audience

2011-06-16T22:50:00.000-04:00

I've managed to get in two more rides this week. Tuesday I rode Bonnie, I had full intentions on riding Rosie but I just couldn't bring myself to be up for that battle. I really just wanted to ride, if you know what I mean.

This was Bonnie's third ride since October, and second ride bitless. It was a cool 70 F degrees outside, very low humidity, blue skies and light breeze. Absolutely beautiful weather again. Bonnie was up, even called out once, very unusual behavior for her.

My goals for Bonnie is slow her down, have her relaxed at all gaits no matter what I do. She will become my youngest sons mount this summer and I'm hoping he will be able to to do a walk/jog/lope class at a fun show this fall.

Bonnie and I are really liking this whole no.bit.thing. Second ride and I'm only find small holes in our training and would be comfortable letting my son ride her now at walk/jog. She is responding immediately to me when I pick up my rein hand and slows or halts depending on how high. One handed neck right with very little motion. She's still high headed but as long as I wait her out and just be as relaxed as I possibly can she does relax nicely

I didn't ride at all yesterday, but today after work I decided to try my hand with mother nature and hoped to get a ride in on Rosie without any lightening. It started to rain just as I pulling into the farm's lot, clouds looking a bit ugly but by the time I got changed into m breeches and boots it was clearing up.

I didn't waste time with much grooming, just dried her a bit with a towel and tacked up. Did some leading work in the outdoor then up I went. It was starting to rain just a bit. Nice warm rain enough to keep the bugs at bay.

My riding goal today was bending at both walk and medium trot, and immediately catch her when she starts to power through my hands and direct her in a different direction.

I set my course up in half of the arena. I created a square with barrels and cones, put 5 weave poles down just off center, and two ground poles on the long side. I walked the course first, bending her both inside and outside by lifting the rein and tipping her nose in that direction until she loosened up her neck and was... um pliable is the right word here. Half halts through the seat, and then moving up into that marching active walk. I was being very active with my seat and hands moving with her with contact but no resistance. I was rewarded with her back coming up and using those powerful hindquarters. I think you could have seem my smile from the moon!

Gently ask for the trot and she immediately stiffened against my hands. I caught that first pull probably two steps into it before I sent her into a circle. I kept that inside rein raised up a bit so that she had to tip her nose in and bend around my inside leg as soon as she stopped leaning on the bit I released the circle but not my contact. With-in three steps she started pulling against my contact again - rinse.repeat on the circle but this time I asked for more forward and WOW rhythm !! I released the circle and that was the last of the pulling for today. The rest of the ride was non-eventful. Lots of walk/trot trot/halt trot/walk walk/halt transitions. I didn't ride long, just about 15 minutes then lightening was close enough to chase me inside the barn to untack.

Ok now a question for any Dressage people who are reading.

I'm showing her in a Dressage show July 16. I will be cleaning her mane up, but I am not cutting or pulling it short, just more even. So the question is "The Braid" what would you do ?

Running Braid or French Braid (My friend Sydney's blog - great read)

Scallop Braid

Weave

Riding Through the Naughty

2011-06-13T21:52:00.000-04:00

Rosie is officially in training and she's not happy about it. I'm showing her on July 16, Dressage Suitability w/t, Dressage Equitation w/t, and Intro's A and B (both w/t). I talked to my trainer about Training level and she said not yet. I wish I could get some lessons between now and then but it's not possible as Jodie was severely hurt by a young TB that kicked her last week.

We started out good, nice lovely walk up from the pasture where she was eager to be caught. She stayed out of my space walking behind and just to the right of me. She stopped and stood when I stopped.

I tied her to post in outdoor arena for grooming and tacking up. She was a lot of looky at the goings on of the farm and I was ready to pull the rope if needed if she was going to pull back. She is very capable of pulling the posts out of the ground. It was very busy tonight as the BO was loading the first cutting of hay into the hay loft using a conveyor, tractors driving past, guys standing around gawking, etc. She calmed down very quickly and enjoyed her grooming.

She dropped her head nicely for me to put her bridle on, but turned to bite me when I tightened the girth.

Naughty!!! I have long finger nails so I made sure the next time she swung that big ole head around at me her muzzle ran right into one. It surprised her and she gave a snort in disbelief! I didn't swing at her, I didn't scratch her - she simple ran her muzzle directly into a sharp object. I fiddled with the girth some more with my dreaded thumb nail posed for her to run into again... and she did, but only that one additional time. Her head went back to straight ahead and relaxed while I fiddled with the girth some more on each side reinforcing that lesson.

Mounting has been an issue for us in the past. Today she stood stock still while I climbed on. Even using an over turned bucket to mount I'm still climbing up!

Need to work on:

Speed regulation at the trot
Straight halt
More speed regulation at the trot
Marching walk - straight

I was using cones to work on transitions. Trot between and breath through halt. Walk around the cone and pick up trot again. We did a lot of circles and serpentines at the trot softening it.

I walked a lot, an awful lot. Long diagonal walks, serpentine walks, cavalleti. She was warm, not dripping sweat by any means.

Naughty!! Trotting down the long side she was blowing right through my hands. I ride her in nothing more than a simple snaffle and I'm against "bitting up" to correct these power struggles so circles and circles and even more circles were ridden.

Tomorrow I'm going to try a western "training" exercise. While in forward movement I'm going to lay the outside rein against her neck (close the door), lift the inside rein to tip her nose inside and put my inside leg on. It's a bending exercise that naturally controls the gait and puts some flex exercises in.

Naughty!! She decided she was done, completely! Say WHAT? I say we trot! She says "Head toss, I'm big and scary. Hop up a bit." "I say WE TROT NOW !!" "oh OK you don't need kick so hard!" Tomorrow I'm going be sure to have my dressage whip handy to keep the forward movement going.

We worked on roll back again. Tonight I got three soft steps back in a row !!! Huge pats and off I jumped.

I think today I expected too much and the more tired she got the worse it got. She is very out of shape and these naughty behaviors didn't come out until after 20 minutes of good work but that's no excuse.

I'm going to set an alarm of 15 minutes on my cell phone. That will be my "find a good note to stop on now" alert.

Everything she did tonight that was naughty is typical young horse stuff and I'm sure we'll work through it.

I took my time pampering her after I unsaddled her. She ground tied for me very well while I brushed and put long braids in her mane.

Do any of you have suggestions for over coming the naughty behaviors?

Here's To... Or Two

2011-06-12T18:07:00.000-04:00

I have to say that I am very VERY happy with this bitless bridle. It took Bonnie and I all of 3 minutes to "adjust" if you will. (all pictures taken after the rides)

I did more walking and walking, and even more walking with some very short jog sessions thrown in. No head tossing, no bit chomping, head was alway down and relaxed. Bonnie neck reins beautifully and I kept all gaits western gaits. No more "working trot" now it's all jog and lope.

Even though I was using my English All Purpose saddle on her I still rode very western as that will be her main job as soon as I pick up a 28 inch girth for the new saddle.

I think she's smiling

Jim came to the barn with me. He put Rosie's first ride of the season on her. Again, I opted to not lunge and went with the addage "If she's going to show her worst she needs to do it now". I didn't get any pictures of him riding but he did VERY well. Rosie is not an easy horse to ride as she requires an "active rider" to be a leader and take charge.

After he'd had enough I hopped off Bonnie and put the All Purpose on Rosie. Time to go to work! First three strides and I was grinning ear to ear exclaiming out loud "I LOVE RIDING THIS HORSE!"

I got her walking really forward, then halt. Worked on that a lot as she was really taking advantage of Jim on the "whoas".

I'm tiny next to her!

Rosie and I did a lot of walk with some trot transitions thrown in. Lot's of circles to control her speed at the trot until she softened. I tried one side pass each direction and got an honest try out of her, can't ask for more than that has never been part of her training. Also asked for a roll back (back up for western folk). I've never asked for this under saddle so took lots of coaxing and patients until she finally moved one foot back. TONS of praise! Try again and I got two feet to move and I called it quits.

It was a glorious day doing what I love with the man I love.

Life does not get much better than this folks!

Busy Busy Busy

2011-06-11T14:34:00.000-04:00

School is finally out for my boys and they left to visit their family in Florida yesterday. I've got two and half weeks of no "kid schedule" always a welcome break even though I miss them! On top of this, our EXTREME heat has died off. Tomorrow supposed to be low to mid 70's and sunshine lasting through the week!!! I will be riding every single day !

Speaking of riding I set my riding goals to be in show ring July 16 with Rosie. Going to do my intro tests again, but on her. If I can get a reliable, adequately balanced canter I may pull on those Big.Girl.Breeches and do Training level 1. All depends on that darned Canter !!

I was hoping to have Collie puppies by June 29, but Izzy's breeding didn't take. Very unfortunate as a lot of people where excited about this breeding. Contract states I get a breed back, but I'm hoping he will let me wait until her spring cycle as I don't have the space to handle winter puppies. Until then I've started conditioning her and will have her back in the show ring by end of July! Never know, maybe I can get her qualified for Eukanuba. I have until October.

In other news...
We're about half way finished with our screened porch re-do. My husband has done the majority of the work, with help of a friend for the "on the roof" stuff.

Scenes from today...

I can't wait !!! I picked out interior colors for the porch already, as well as exterior. We are re-roofing and painting the entire exterior of the house as well.

Hopefully there will be horsey stories and pictures over the next week!

Surprise Trip

2011-05-31T09:20:00.000-04:00

Memorial Day weekend is also our wedding anniversary. This year we celebrated 6 years in Hocking Hills, Ohio.

Hocking Hills is known for their great hiking and cabins. It's a popular honeymoon place as well.

We hiked one of the smaller trails called Cedar Falls. It was an "easy" trail complete rocks to climb over, under and through for 2 miles.

Once we got away from the more popular areas of the trail we could concentrate on the sights, scents and sounds. The smell of cedar is so soothing, and the drip and running of water over the cliffs is music to sound stressed ears.

The main water fall was spectacular, but crowded so we didn't stick around here long, but continued on the trail.

We eventually came upon several other water falls that we could get right up to, or in my case, into.

I swallowed my fear of small spaces and crawled into a couple of crevices this one really freaked me out.

It's amazing how life clings to the cliffs and rocks.

The most bizarre thing we saw is this group of butterflies drinking from a small amount of water on the rocks. I was literally kneeling less than a foot away from them when I took these pictures.

We ended our day doing a guided trail ride at Uncle Bucks Riding Stable.

Jim has never ridden outside of an arena but he was very confident on his horse, a big Belgian / QH cross mare. I rode a conformational miss-mash of Lippizaner and Appaloosa. Let's just say Warrior was interesting... gaited like a big warm blood, but too short strided to be smooth.

Jim did great, everytime I turned around to check on him he was smiling and relaxed =)

Back In the Saddle Again

2011-05-20T22:51:00.001-04:00

... but not exactly as planned.

My thought was to ride and bathe both. I rode Bonnie, did not bathe o'well theres always tomorrow.

I haven't ridden a horse, any horse, not even the Kmart Penny Pony, since I rode Karaat in the Dressage show last October. I took a break to allow my body to heal, namely my lower back. Seven months later, I'm as pain free as I'm ever going to be at my age. Time to mount up and get this season going!

Plan was to use my bran-spank'n-new western saddle and the new.to.me bitless bridle on Bonnie. Well... Saddle fits really good, except my western girth is too big.. like WAY too big to be safely used. So it came off and I quickly tossed on my All Purpose saddle.

Now for the bridle dilemma. I was completely prepared to go bitless using the big and has something to grab hold of in.case.of.emergency western saddle. My scared of eating ~~dirt~~ mud mind kept reminding me that ity bity English saddles have NO HANDLES and Bonnie doesn't have the big hair of the 80's mane like Rosie does. So on with the bit.

Going back to that whole not riding in 7 months thing... My mares haven't been ridden in exactly that long either. Oh boy.

I was prepared though. I had a "riding plan" and it was simple. No chance for failure, so simple. I took a page from Kate at A Year With Horses and set up a four cone course, but added two in the middle of the box. If you get a chance I highly recommend visiting Kate's blog, you won't be disappointed.

I decided to NOT lunge. I know.. kinda.. dumb right? I mean I did say 7 months of no riding. Bonnie actually had 7 months of vacation, I've done nothing except groom, love, and hug on her all that time.

Taking a deep breath I pulled up my big girl breeches; looked at Bonnie and said out loud "You're either going to kill me in a bucking fit, or we'll be just fine." I exhaled and mounted without thinking.

That mare is a rockstar !!

She was forward and looky, but not crazy jumpy as she can be when the mood strikes. I had no plans for anything faster than a walk in the not exactly soupy, but not exactly dry, outdoor arena and she wasn't much interested in anything faster either.

We walked between cones, exhaled halt at each cone. I did square, diagonal, figure 8's, flower petals, etc. I kept very light contact, just took the slack out of the reins as she gave it. She gave me a few consecutive steps of soft, round and with hindquarters reaching up under her. MUCH more than I expected for first ride.

All in all a GREAT day!

Bitless