Well, not my own yet... but Ashley over at A Process of Learning is having a giveaway for a blog makeover! Hers is really adorable, so I'm blogging to see if I can get double entries and to let everyone know!
On the horsey news front: We did crossrails today!!! I just set up the second smallest crossrail we could do and did it. Well, I walked her over it first, but there was no stopping or even a big hesitation. I think it's finally starting to click.
There were all sorts of fun things to play around with since my barn had a desensitization clinic recently. The funniest part was that the brush they set up with scary tarps etc was not nearly as scary as the seating area for Bijou. She really doesn't like lawn chairs. I got her to let me put one on her back last time I worked her, but she still shied away. I let (or maybe made) her walk up to anything scary, sniff it for a sec, and then it was time to forget about it. For the most part it would work. She would start to fixate on the scary thing as we approached, and I would leg on with my inside leg to correct her counter bend. She would flick an ear back toward my leg as if to say "oh ya, you're over there and I'm supposed to be working" and by the time she thought that we were past whatever it was that was so scary to begin with.
I also started bareback 'training' with her today. I like riding them from the pasture up to the trailer bareback, but I haven't really had the guts or trust to do so yet. She was really cuddly today when I went to get her, so I thought I'd try it out. I scritched on her really well and then just hopped up and down next to her a bit. When I first got her that would have been impossible! Now she doesn't even raise her head or flick an ear. She's too tall to just pop up onto, so I tried taking a step back in order to get some momentum. That's the part she wasn't too fond of. I made her settle back down and did it a few more times til I found a gopher mound that I could use for a stepladder. That worked out just great! I laid across her for a second or two til I started slipping and called it good. I'm really impressed with her, I think that she really trusts me now and we're going to go far as long as I can keep her that way :D
I've got quite a few days off this week, so hopefully we'll get lots of practice in!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
big girl steps, here we come!
So a few posts ago I was bemoaning my baby steps. I've finished moving, figured out a schedule at least for the next week, and now we're taking big girl steps!!
Well, ok. Maybe like 10-15 big girl steps at a time. We've gotten to half circles of good trot and canter, and we're working on going over raised poles and dealing with all the scary things in the big arena. Everyone whines about scary indoor arenas, but I have a scary outdoor one. There's construction in one corner, a high walled roundpen in the other that makes interesting noises, and a whole barn full of horses waiting to spook, or snort, or something along a whole long side. Most of this isn't really that scary, until it is!
Well, ok. Maybe like 10-15 big girl steps at a time. We've gotten to half circles of good trot and canter, and we're working on going over raised poles and dealing with all the scary things in the big arena. Everyone whines about scary indoor arenas, but I have a scary outdoor one. There's construction in one corner, a high walled roundpen in the other that makes interesting noises, and a whole barn full of horses waiting to spook, or snort, or something along a whole long side. Most of this isn't really that scary, until it is!
I'm just so happy to be on my beautiful mare
My ankle is almost back to normal, we're w/t/c/ and over poles again. Everything is looking up. Now hopefully I haven't jinxed myself for my ride today. I'm going to think about trying crossrails again! Maybe I'll be ready for the x-rail class in the August show my barn is hosting?!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
two steps forward, one step back
I've been moving! We moved into this awesome large farmhouse tucked away in a little valley just outside of 'town' without really being that far away from town. It has a huge yard for the dog, a whole shed for the bunnies, and lots of gardening space and FREE water!!
This means that for whatever reason (usually because I tell myself that I should be unpacking) I haven't been out to the barn in oh.... a long time. It feels so miserable because I finally got to the place where I was taking Bijou out enough that I didn't have a ticking time bomb on my hands and I could work on new things because there wasn't a crazy pent up sugar high horse meeting me at the fence every day (or at least holding still so I could catch her:D).
I almost don't even want to go out and make that effort now because I know something else will catch up with me and take me away. I have a job pending and they're very mysterious about what kind of hours I will be needed for so I can't even really fathom planning what the next few weeks will look like as far as barn time. I also picked up a few odds and ends jobs that schedule on a weekly basis. I want to get in as many hours as I can working to pay for the horse, but at the same time I need to make sure I can get out to DO STUFF with her! I'm ranting... it's not really helping...
So. I am going to take the time I have and use it to prioritize and then get things done.
1) Unpack some crap, or at least stack ALL my stuff in my room somewhere so that I can still open/close the door so that I stop getting the stink eye from my room-mates.
2) Figure out the job thing, seriously. All I have to do is ask when/if they want me scheduled and let them know that I need to know, right?
3) Get out to the barn. Do something with the crazy ponies. Period.
This means that for whatever reason (usually because I tell myself that I should be unpacking) I haven't been out to the barn in oh.... a long time. It feels so miserable because I finally got to the place where I was taking Bijou out enough that I didn't have a ticking time bomb on my hands and I could work on new things because there wasn't a crazy pent up sugar high horse meeting me at the fence every day (or at least holding still so I could catch her:D).
I almost don't even want to go out and make that effort now because I know something else will catch up with me and take me away. I have a job pending and they're very mysterious about what kind of hours I will be needed for so I can't even really fathom planning what the next few weeks will look like as far as barn time. I also picked up a few odds and ends jobs that schedule on a weekly basis. I want to get in as many hours as I can working to pay for the horse, but at the same time I need to make sure I can get out to DO STUFF with her! I'm ranting... it's not really helping...
So. I am going to take the time I have and use it to prioritize and then get things done.
1) Unpack some crap, or at least stack ALL my stuff in my room somewhere so that I can still open/close the door so that I stop getting the stink eye from my room-mates.
2) Figure out the job thing, seriously. All I have to do is ask when/if they want me scheduled and let them know that I need to know, right?
3) Get out to the barn. Do something with the crazy ponies. Period.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Summer is here
The flies are out, the grass is growing, and the ponies are fat, shiny and happy!
And I also finally have time to do things like... you know... RIDE!! including getting Bijou out almost every day over the last week or two (time has a different meaning during summer, days of the week are unimportant, weeks and months are way too complicated).
We've been taking baby steps. I've done a lot of research over the last few weeks of being laid up and I'm trying to use what I've found and move forward. I tried side reins, partially because that's what I have, and partially because that's what I've always done. She really didn't seem to figure it out. She'll put her head down for half a second as more of a 'shoo fly' movement to rid herself of the pressure than actually stretch into the contact. I'm afraid if I make them any shorter she'll just end up behind the bit, and that's not a habit (or muscles) that I want to be developing.
I feel like my baby steps are so small compared to what I'm reading about on other blogs (for example, the whole bitless journey at Science Vs. Tradition or the path to barefooted-ness with Andrea) but I know that when I was looking for blogs I loved to hear about all those people who were right where I was, or one or two steps ahead so I'll continue on for you phantom readers. The normal day consists of walking the eight million miles to the FURTHEST pasture they could put my horse in (but whatever, she's on grass 24/7 so I'm ok with it) and walking up to her as she walks up to me - Improvement #1 - since it used to take me 20 minutes to catch her. I can't tell if the carrots or the neck and belly scritches did it.
I have been working on dragging her over to the trailer. She's pretty not enthusiastic about leaving her friends to go hang out with me, to the tune of tiptoeing her way slowly forward as I keep even pressure on the lead... not ok. Today I stood only at her shoulder, didn't let her get behind, and every time she'd get extra sluggish I'd take the end of the lead and flick it at her rump. Boy did that speed her up! All of a sudden she's so much happier to be following along :D. Then I park her near the trailer somewhere, tell her to "whoa!" and brush off the dusty dirties. She gets her saddle pad, with no flinching now, and her saddle, with only one or two steps to the sides rather than 10-15 like it used to be. Improvement #2 - I can tack up my horse without fearing a loss of toe, finger or both!
Depending on if she's been out the day before, I'll lunge or not lunge. Usually over a pole in the small arena. I don't know why but she does better in smaller spaces. Or maybe I'm just a wounded shrimp who's lost all her chutzpa? The big arena still scares me/us. We're putting that on the to-do list for a day I feel brave, in addition to walking the outer loop around the pastures where there are stinky cows! Lunging has become a non-ordeal - Improvement #3 - I can lunge in many surroundings and over obstacles!
Riding consists of a lot of head in the air and impressions of a giraffe. She'll happily walk over poles, although with much care taken to EXACTLY where she puts her feet. I'm glad she's careful because hopefully that translates to clean jumper rounds long down the road? My current sequence of thought goes something like:
"squeeze for a walk, Good girlie! now sponge the inside hand, hold outside steady. Use alternating leg taps to swing the barrel and keep her forward, sponge more inside hand, more more more there! Good GIRL!!"
"squeeze.... squuuueeeeze...... trot yay! keep hands steady against all the jostling around between her imbalance and mine, no really, steady hands! ok yay there was a moment of give at the poll! sponge inside hand, both hands steady, inside leg, inside leg, inside reign, outside rein supporting... awesome giraffe impression... then two steps of brilliance"
"sit, outside leg to canter, bumpity along for a moment while she thinks about which direction and hopefully picks up the right lead?! yay we have the right lead! Light in the saddle, following motion with the hands, must steady that lower leg that's swinging everywhere, little more contact, beautiful!!"
reverse, rinse, repeat. Her canter work is somehow stronger than trot work? She seems to get the being on the bit more. I'm wondering if it's a contact thing, I can keep contact better at a canter.
Overall, many important improvements with only more to come! I'd really love to hear what people are thinking the moment they ask for a trot, or when they finally get roundness from their horse. I feel like the thought process will give me clues to the series of perfect cues I'm supposed to be giving.
I'm happy with baby steps for now, its tough because I want to be progressing so fast, but muscles don't grow in a day, and neither does either of our patience. I'm happy it's summer time and I get to spend all the time in the world (after I'm off work of course :P) loving on my beautiful girl!
And I also finally have time to do things like... you know... RIDE!! including getting Bijou out almost every day over the last week or two (time has a different meaning during summer, days of the week are unimportant, weeks and months are way too complicated).
We've been taking baby steps. I've done a lot of research over the last few weeks of being laid up and I'm trying to use what I've found and move forward. I tried side reins, partially because that's what I have, and partially because that's what I've always done. She really didn't seem to figure it out. She'll put her head down for half a second as more of a 'shoo fly' movement to rid herself of the pressure than actually stretch into the contact. I'm afraid if I make them any shorter she'll just end up behind the bit, and that's not a habit (or muscles) that I want to be developing.
I feel like my baby steps are so small compared to what I'm reading about on other blogs (for example, the whole bitless journey at Science Vs. Tradition or the path to barefooted-ness with Andrea) but I know that when I was looking for blogs I loved to hear about all those people who were right where I was, or one or two steps ahead so I'll continue on for you phantom readers. The normal day consists of walking the eight million miles to the FURTHEST pasture they could put my horse in (but whatever, she's on grass 24/7 so I'm ok with it) and walking up to her as she walks up to me - Improvement #1 - since it used to take me 20 minutes to catch her. I can't tell if the carrots or the neck and belly scritches did it.
I have been working on dragging her over to the trailer. She's pretty not enthusiastic about leaving her friends to go hang out with me, to the tune of tiptoeing her way slowly forward as I keep even pressure on the lead... not ok. Today I stood only at her shoulder, didn't let her get behind, and every time she'd get extra sluggish I'd take the end of the lead and flick it at her rump. Boy did that speed her up! All of a sudden she's so much happier to be following along :D. Then I park her near the trailer somewhere, tell her to "whoa!" and brush off the dusty dirties. She gets her saddle pad, with no flinching now, and her saddle, with only one or two steps to the sides rather than 10-15 like it used to be. Improvement #2 - I can tack up my horse without fearing a loss of toe, finger or both!
Depending on if she's been out the day before, I'll lunge or not lunge. Usually over a pole in the small arena. I don't know why but she does better in smaller spaces. Or maybe I'm just a wounded shrimp who's lost all her chutzpa? The big arena still scares me/us. We're putting that on the to-do list for a day I feel brave, in addition to walking the outer loop around the pastures where there are stinky cows! Lunging has become a non-ordeal - Improvement #3 - I can lunge in many surroundings and over obstacles!
Riding consists of a lot of head in the air and impressions of a giraffe. She'll happily walk over poles, although with much care taken to EXACTLY where she puts her feet. I'm glad she's careful because hopefully that translates to clean jumper rounds long down the road? My current sequence of thought goes something like:
"squeeze for a walk, Good girlie! now sponge the inside hand, hold outside steady. Use alternating leg taps to swing the barrel and keep her forward, sponge more inside hand, more more more there! Good GIRL!!"
"squeeze.... squuuueeeeze...... trot yay! keep hands steady against all the jostling around between her imbalance and mine, no really, steady hands! ok yay there was a moment of give at the poll! sponge inside hand, both hands steady, inside leg, inside leg, inside reign, outside rein supporting... awesome giraffe impression... then two steps of brilliance"
"sit, outside leg to canter, bumpity along for a moment while she thinks about which direction and hopefully picks up the right lead?! yay we have the right lead! Light in the saddle, following motion with the hands, must steady that lower leg that's swinging everywhere, little more contact, beautiful!!"
reverse, rinse, repeat. Her canter work is somehow stronger than trot work? She seems to get the being on the bit more. I'm wondering if it's a contact thing, I can keep contact better at a canter.
Overall, many important improvements with only more to come! I'd really love to hear what people are thinking the moment they ask for a trot, or when they finally get roundness from their horse. I feel like the thought process will give me clues to the series of perfect cues I'm supposed to be giving.
I'm happy with baby steps for now, its tough because I want to be progressing so fast, but muscles don't grow in a day, and neither does either of our patience. I'm happy it's summer time and I get to spend all the time in the world (after I'm off work of course :P) loving on my beautiful girl!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Back in the saddle again
I got on the other (slightly more sane) mare that I have access to today for the first time in 6 weeks!! She was only slightly naughty, but being able to figure it out gave me the sense that I could still hold my own even against a silly moment or two. I think Bijou would actually be easy compared to her because this mare is so bouncy and flighty. Bijou would be harder because she is more liable to spook, but less likely to take off. At least with the other mare I knew when she was going to get uppity.
Bijou did the sweetest, kindest, lovingest thing today. I went out into the pasture to grab the other mare, but I thought I'd get some scritchin' in on Joujou first. I walked about 30 ft into the pasture and Bijou met me halfway! Today is the first day she's walked up to me (other than the one day after I thought I'd ruined her face) since I've got her. She walked right up, and presented her shoulder (one of her most favorite itchy spots) and I gladly obliged. It's days like today when I feel like she and I will make progress eventually. I'm jealous of all those people who's horses are naturally just easy going, but I know that I need a little pep for when I get where I want to go: the eventing world.
Speaking of eventing... I need to buy new reins... and Doversaddlery.com has these adorable 'ice lavender' reins for a really good deal. They're rubber reins, which I like for x-country anyway, but then I got looking and they have the same brand bell boots, and the same color saddle pad!!! I'm such a dork, especially because I know that my eventing days are going to be a long ways from now (I'm still debating on whether I'll be able to do w/t and 18" in October at Twin Rivers) but I could be SO SPIFFY if I went all decked out.... We'll see.
It feels a little useless going out to lunge and only lunge, but I keep telling myself that it's good for us to build a bond (which definitely has grown) and that she needs to get out somehow. The trainer that I had coming out to ride had an old injury flare up, so she's out of the picture for probably as long as I am.
Lately I've been using lots of ground poles. It worries me that every day the ground pole is still something to be startled by. She's gotten better, but I'm worried about when I take her somewhere new and she has never seen the fences before and we're expected to have no refusals. It's so hard to think about jumping her because I know I'm a long way off from it, and especially from training a youngster because my left leg will just get run through every time. I try to set up interesting distances to make her think about her feet, and she's gotten pretty good at it. I think she's got a nice balance between getting excited over fences, and just lolligagging around them. I still want to set up some bigger stuff, but I don't think it'll really work out in the small round pen. Anyone have any good ideas of teaching them to jump stuff... even when you can't be on them?
Goals: get to the gym because I'm out of shape! Ride the other mare more to get my equine legs back, brush out the snarly tail...
Bijou did the sweetest, kindest, lovingest thing today. I went out into the pasture to grab the other mare, but I thought I'd get some scritchin' in on Joujou first. I walked about 30 ft into the pasture and Bijou met me halfway! Today is the first day she's walked up to me (other than the one day after I thought I'd ruined her face) since I've got her. She walked right up, and presented her shoulder (one of her most favorite itchy spots) and I gladly obliged. It's days like today when I feel like she and I will make progress eventually. I'm jealous of all those people who's horses are naturally just easy going, but I know that I need a little pep for when I get where I want to go: the eventing world.
Speaking of eventing... I need to buy new reins... and Doversaddlery.com has these adorable 'ice lavender' reins for a really good deal. They're rubber reins, which I like for x-country anyway, but then I got looking and they have the same brand bell boots, and the same color saddle pad!!! I'm such a dork, especially because I know that my eventing days are going to be a long ways from now (I'm still debating on whether I'll be able to do w/t and 18" in October at Twin Rivers) but I could be SO SPIFFY if I went all decked out.... We'll see.
It feels a little useless going out to lunge and only lunge, but I keep telling myself that it's good for us to build a bond (which definitely has grown) and that she needs to get out somehow. The trainer that I had coming out to ride had an old injury flare up, so she's out of the picture for probably as long as I am.
Lately I've been using lots of ground poles. It worries me that every day the ground pole is still something to be startled by. She's gotten better, but I'm worried about when I take her somewhere new and she has never seen the fences before and we're expected to have no refusals. It's so hard to think about jumping her because I know I'm a long way off from it, and especially from training a youngster because my left leg will just get run through every time. I try to set up interesting distances to make her think about her feet, and she's gotten pretty good at it. I think she's got a nice balance between getting excited over fences, and just lolligagging around them. I still want to set up some bigger stuff, but I don't think it'll really work out in the small round pen. Anyone have any good ideas of teaching them to jump stuff... even when you can't be on them?
Goals: get to the gym because I'm out of shape! Ride the other mare more to get my equine legs back, brush out the snarly tail...
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sanity
It is amazing the difference in a horse when she's been worked the day before. I goes from overreacting to everything, jumping many feet in any direction at theslightest provocation, walking over her human for no good reason, shivering when the saddle is placed on her back, CAREENING around the round pen, and totally forgetting that she knows some english words (like eeeeaaasssyyy troooot, and WHOA!) to a calm and well mannered mare.
We had a good day, lots of arena stuff, had her following hand signals and voice commands. She really didn't want to jump over the pole but oh well. Got a few nice shots of her oh-so-green pasture with her buddies that she's all to familiar with. I think she knew I had carrots, that's why I got happy pointy ears instead of a big fat butt like I did yesterday when I showed up. She and I are really so lucky to be living somewhere so beautiful. Overall I'm really happy with her sane-ness after being worked only one day. It seems to really
make a difference for her, and if that's all it takes then that is what I'll have to do. I did take some more time to braid her tail back up and put some moisturizer on her feet. I still haven't located my MTG, but I found my purple bucket, so one piece of the puzzle is in place. She does need her feet trimmed, so I'm going to try to have the kindly BM rasp her down a bit to minimize chipping (I thought she was supposed to be getting all the nutrients she needs for good feet?)My ankle is not exactly happy about the whole process. I'm not super sure I should be trekking out into the very uneven pasture, but if that's what it takes then that's what I'll do. It keeps me sane too!
Here's more pics from work time:
yes, I think that's called suspension - no feet on the ground! Hope she keeps that up for when I'm sitting up there :D
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Tomorrow is one month
from the break, and today I got Bijou out! I had a trainer who I trust come out to try to get some work done on her until I feel secure enough in the saddle to make sure I'm not going to come off/re-injure myself.
The bad:
- It took Shelly and the trainer 25 minutes to catch her :/ that's embarrassing. I think I'm making a pit stop for carrots for next time. I will get that horse to WANT to come to me. I think I'll practice by chasing her in the roundpen and then turning away to make her follow and 'catching' her and feeding her a carrot. Anyone got any suggestions? I know she's not afraid, but just likes to play that game.
- She snatched away from me just after I had gotten her bridle on and ran off with her reins dangling. I am going to brush up on all my pony club procedures because I know there are precautions for these kinds of horrific experiences (she didn't hurt herself, but the reins died) and I've just gotten lax with all my well trained mounts. And now those days are behind me, and it's time to take the dang precautions!
- Her feet are cracking, so I oiled them up. I thought being on fresh pasture she should be getting exactly what she needs for good feet, but I guess not. I'll have to have the BM, who's also a farrier, trim her up a smidge. (Sydney, I'd appreciate your input on this one, how do you get a horses feet strong?)
The Good:
- The trainer got on her with very little incident, but only walked around because she didn't want to get into a fight she couldn't win. Understandably, Bijou was a little hot.
- she's fat! And she's got so much shine to her it still shone through several coats of dust.
- She trotted out REAL big for me, and even paid attention to voice commands after over a month of not practicing. Took a few body language reminders, but we got them back after about 5 minutes.
I also found that I was capable of handling her, so I think we're going to be spending lots and lots of time in the roundpen. The only thing is I have to do a lot of stuff with her 'free' because I can't be tugged around.
I do have a Dr's appointment tomorrow, hopefully he gives me the go ahead to start hanging out with her, otherwise I'll probably do it anyway. I've missed my pony soooo much!!!
I also have someone who's not really a trainer, but just a rider who wants to exercise horses. She should be coming out Sunday, so we'll see. That way if she rides a few days a week, I lunge once or twice, and the trainer comes once a week, Bijou should mellow out really nicely and get some miles under her belt.
Goals: Check saddle fit now that we're fat, Shop for new reins, figure out the feet thing, and finish healing up!
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