Blanket Bizarre

But I Need A Bazaar

Whatever went on today before I got home continued once I was home. The evidence was plain to see, and the Boys were still being silly.

Chance's lovely new midweight blanket was torn asunder. It had a big flap ripped open in the back. Worse, with the weather prediction for snow, sleet, and rain, he really needed a blanket. Even worse, just about all the blankets I have are 78" and he wears a 72".

The riot that must have started earlier was still in session with all three Boys a' frolickin' in the arena where the sand was soft and the footing lovely. Good spirits or something sent them all galloping and leaping about.

I went into the barn for a minute, and came out to see Tucker, naked, rolling in the sand. There, next to him, lay his nice new turnout. This was indeed a puzzle and a pain because I had intended to ride him and all the romping had made him sweaty and now, sandy.

I carted his blanket inside, then snagged him and led him in. Fortunately his coat is like teflon, and most of the sand brushed off nicely. We had a lovely school with some nice forward work in a proper stretch. Then I did some canter work with canter plies. The nice thing about that exercise is how it makes his hind end engage and his forehand elevate. Once happily done with those, we walked for a while as I discovered I really haven't done much with turns on the forehand on him. So, we worked that for a bit, added some turns on the haunches and some walk half pass and then called it quits.

Back to the blankets. Somehow, the escape artist had managed to break nearly every buckle on the blanket and without repair parts, it was now just a useless hunk of fabric. Out to the blanket repository in the carport. There, I found the brand new blanket I had gotten on sale this summer. 75" Maybe Chance size, maybe Tucker. A BIG 75", so now Tucker was dressed in blue.

Down into the basement on another search, I found the old Goretex blanket I had used on Tucker when he was a baby. Still in pretty good shape, it was missing the surcingle, but desperation breeds invention. Some baling twine and an extra leg strap soon supplied the parts, and to my relief, the Classic Coverup fitted Chance to a T.

Thank heavens I have so many blankets around here. My other options would have been two sheets or a lightweight blanket with a waterproof sheet over it.

Of course, there is no guarantee any of these "clothes" will be intact tomorrow. Then again, the ground is frozen once more and perhaps that will slow down the shenanigans.

In the meantime, I guess I will just have to see if I can repair the wounded garments for the next round. Tucker's will just need new hardware. Chance's will be more of a challenge. It may be too much for the sewing machine so I might have to stitch it by hand. Some iron on patch fabric might reenforce it.

Then again, what will ever protect it from horse teeth?

And what about that swelling on Tucker's chest which looks suspiciously like a hoofprint?

Stay tuned for the next episode of: "Bad Horses Gone Wild."

Another Day, Another Ride

Kind of OK Footing

The ring was OK in some places and hard in others, so I only worked Tucker for about 15 minutes in the arena.

That was after I took Toby out on a short trail ride and rode him in the ring for about 5 minutes. He was a bit cautious in the woods, so I am not sure if it was the hard ground or just a little cold weather and "I haven't been out in a while" anxiety. He was a good boy, though, so all was well.

Tucker was super in the ring, but I wasn't too keen about how hard the ground was. The sand was nice on the sunny side but I could still feel that the cushion just wasn't there. The freeze is deep and the thaw wasn't enough to soften up any more than perhaps two inches of sand at the most. Put that on concrete and it isn't enough give to do too much schooling.

Being a bit daring, I saddled Chance up. He was eager to go out on a hack in the woods. Too eager. He was on his toes and kept trying to trot. Normally, that kind of behavior wouldn't bother me, but Chance is still not reliable to the bit and throws his head around if I check him too much. Since his steering is still kind of questionable, I don't feel I have all the control I need when he gets a little silly. Since he felt like he wanted to take off instead of just walk, I turned around and headed back after we reached the field. He did try to scoot off once even then, so I think made the right choice.

Back in the ring, we just walked. This time we concentrated on steering. Chance is pretty good to the right, but when I try to circle left, he falls in with his inside shoulder and his whole body follows. I discovered pretty quickly that my tendancy to correct him by pulling him over to the right was dropping my weight into my right seat bone. Wrong. What I needed to do was weight my left seat bone and push my left hip forward towards his outside, right shoulder to correct the left shoulder drop.

Worked like a charm. But is sure wasn't easy. I had to concentrate because he kept trying to put me on the right seatbone so he could fall in. The lovely thing was that when I did it right, he softened his back and jaw and seemed quite content.

Times like this, I have to keep telling myself I really do know how to ride. I also have to keep telling myself to ride correctly. It's as much brain power as it is muscle.

Got a Ride In

...Of Sorts.

The ring thawed out enough to do an easy ride.

Leave it to Tucker to spoil things. For some reason, he decided he just was not going to go past the gate to the woods.

Something early in the morning had upset the whole gang because getting them settled in for breakfast was a game of musical stalls. Toby never did eat everything and kept going out to crib on the fence.

Whatever it was held power for the afternoon as Tucker simply balked and refused to go forward once I was in the saddle.

I was not happy, so I got off, went in and got the lunge line and whip and worked him in a circle by the gate until he stopped leaping and spooking every time he passed that side of the arena.

When I got back on, he was far from settled, but I was able to trot him around in a stretchy frame making him overbend to the inside each time we passed the "scary spot."

It was cold. It was windy, and the footing was uneven, but really, the nonsense was totally uncalled for. By the time we were done he had worked up a bit of a sweat, so after a walk I put him in his stall with the sweatsheet on.

Later, when I turned him back out, the Boys were still a bit agitated.

I guess I need to be a "fly on the wall" out there just to see what goes on when they get so silly.

I dragged/raked the arena, so tomorrow, if it is again above freezing, I will have a nice surface. I may drag it again then, so when it freezes back up, at least it will be level.

There is potential for some snow by midweek and then a break in the really cold weather by the end of the week. This time of year, you just have to take it as it comes.

Still Waiting

...For Some Kind of Thaw

The ground is still as hard as granite.

However, the temperature is not quite as frigid so it is a bit easier to be outdoors.

I stripped all three stalls on Wednesday. In the process, Tucker tossed his head and clipped me right under the chin. Great. Whiplash and a slightly dislocated jaw. I worked my jaw to get it back in line but I knew I was in trouble with my neck.

Sure enough, Thursday morning, I awoke with the beginnings of a bad migraine. I went to school but by the end of first period, I was totally sick. I had to leave. I went to the chiropractor to get the vertebrae adjusted, but by then it was too late.

I spent the rest of the day in bed. Miserable in head and stomach, as so often happens with my migraines. It took until Friday morning for the last of the irritated nerves to settle back down.

I was out of it and woozy in the morning, so I ended up calling in sick again. I hated to do it, but I just didn't feel well enough to drive in, let alone teach any classes. I hope they managed to find a substitute to cover my classes. I did email in some lesson plans, so that was kind of OK.

By early afternoon, I was nearly back up to par. I still think I could use another adjustment, but I will see if I can get an appointment on Saturday.

I had been doing so well up until the head clonk. The "activator" adjustments were holding and I was feeling pretty darn good all around. I hope the horsie whiplash doesn't set me back.

In the meantime, I will just have to be a bit more careful and remind certain big horses that big heads need to stay out of my face and space. *G*

Freezing!!!

Everything is Solid

The ground is like granite and there is ice everywhere the water lies.

I think today will be the worst with a bit of moderation towards the end of the week. But the weatherman is saying the cold will not break until around the 16th.

So, all is not conducive to much riding. While I can trailer out to an indoor, right now it's too darn cold! 16 degrees, 8 degrees at night? (-8 C, and -13 C for anyone out there.)

The boys have nice blankets and free access to the barn. My water trough has an electric heater, so that stays ice free. I have one of those coiled hoses I keep in the house, but I do worry that the barn water might freeze. If so, I have either an electric hair dryer or a heater to put by it.

I wanted to buy some heat tape to wrap the pipe, but the only stuff they had was a heating wire and you had to wrap the pipe in insulation too. Since the faucet has a leak everything would get wet and I don't know if that would be bad. I need to investigate a bit more.

Meanwhile, the truck went in for service to fix the heater fan. By the time it's done, it's going to cost me $400. Swell. Just what I needed, another bill.

It never ends.

Practice Makes Perfect

Well, Sort Of

I managed a ride yesterday.

The ground was thawed and it was starting to sleet, but it was my only chance to practice my new found skills.

Tucker was a bit slow on the upswing, but once we got going he was very forward. I rode in the Ansur Classic which encourages a bit more correctness for my leg and found it fairly easy to hold myself in what I think is the proper position.

My elbows at my side and the elegant upper body posture are another matter and something I really need to concentrate on.

Since Tuck's posture was a little "up" I had to work a bit as well to keep in in the level stretch but when he was there, his trot was exceptional. I'll have to ride a few more times to see if his foward, soft stride is really going to be as easy to get as it was or if he was just in his own "forward" mood.

Either way, I was quite pleased.

I did find myself being bounced a little on some of the transitions down and some of my "ups" were pretty darn sloppy as well. But, I wasn't asking for much frame or much contact, and I didn't have my spurs on, so Tucker's responses were not quite as quick as they usually are.

Besides, I was focusing more on me and what effect my position and seat were having on him rather than expecting him to be perfect.

So far, so good.

And so far, too darn cold for most of the rest of the week to expect to get in the saddle. Temperatures are barely above freezing today--hoping the sun will be warm enough to melt some of the sleet cover--and by Monday, the high is only supposed to be about 20 degrees f. Worse yet, I think there is a wind coming with the Arctic air.

I will be taking the truck in for service Monday. The heater fan is not working. 4500 miles on the truck, waranty expired on things like that, and the fan doesn't work? I'm hoping it's something stuck in there like a squirrel's nest or something. Otherwise....I need an emoticon for flying away dollar bills. *sigh*

Just a Little Adjustment

Makes All the Difference in the World

I rode in a clinic with Patrice Edwards on Tuesday. I was an eye-opening experience.

First and foremost, Tucker was an angel. This may not seem significant, but to me, it was tremendous. So far, in his life, Tucker has been at two showgrounds, one indoor arena, and home with me. Yes, he did spend several weeks with Kenny Harlow in Virginia, but that was not the cure-all for his bad behavior in strange places. Frankly, he could get quite scary, and I was worried as to how he would behave in a new place with only minimal preparation.

While my friend Stacie was still having her lesson, I was able to lead him around the arena a few times. He only startled at a door with a window in one corner, but otherwise seemed more curious than afraid. I mounted up and began to ride him a bit. Twice he made his head tossing, front leg strike, little squeally buck threat but he also let me quickly correct him. Then he was fine. After about five minutes I tried trotting and aside from trying to join Stacie's horse on his circle by running a little into the outside rein, he settled in nicely.

By the time Patrice was ready for me, he was a perfect gentleman.

Here's where the real fun begins. Patrice complimented me for working with Thoroughbreds. Apparently many people just don't want to bother. I told her about Tucker's wicked buck and she had an interesting insight.

Because Tucker has a short back, bucking is very easy for him--something my trainer Chris had told me before. Then Patrice pointed out how the saddle was just nearing his 18th vertebra--where the ribcage ends--and how pressure at that point can jam the horse's back and create, as she termed it, "a pretty vicious buck." Furthermore, when the horse is tense, his muscles contract, shortening the back more, so that it is even more likely that his rider will end up sitting close to or on to that sensitive spot. So, a tendency to sit back when he is tightening his back will only exacerbate his desire to buck. I laughed and said, "I guess that's all the more reason to sit in the front of the saddle."

Once that was established, Patrice began working on my position. I haven't had a lesson in months and even then, Chris does not work much on my position, concentrating instead on the horse. I knew I had gotten sloppy, but I did not know how making some subtle corrections would make so much difference in Tucker's way of going.

Patrice explained that he needed to stretch his back muscles. I have always asked him to go down and round, but apparently, his conformation will do much better with a more stretched out, foreward and not so low posture. Luckily, all the training I've done with him paid off here, because I was able to easily put him in the frame Patrice suggested and just as easily keep him there.

I wish fixing my own posture was a similar piece of cake. Again, I am not far off correct, but just enough so that I have to keep reminding myself of just where all my body pieces have to be.

A gifted teacher, Patrice does have all kinds of simple, clear ways of explaining what's correct as well as ways to help the rider remember when she is not there. My leg needs to be stretched longer and more foreward in the thigh. I need to focus on keeping my shoulders up and back. And I need to close my elbows at my side. Absorbing the horse's movement through a flexible pelvis was not too much of an issue once I corrected my leg. I do need to think a bit of more lateral movement at the trot and a kind of "oval" rotation at the canter. Otherwise, all is well.

One of the more interesting concepts I haven't quite grasped yet is "feeling the horse's lips" at the top of my hand instead of his bars at the bottom. While I do understand the concept, I'm not yet sure I have a handle on the execution. If the ground is thawed tonight, I need to get on and think about this one a bit until I can actually feel what's happening.

Because she knew I had a lot of riding/training experience under my belt, Patrice finished us up with the "canter plie" exercise. Once more, I was absolutely delighted with Tucker's responsiveness to my aids.

The idea here is to canter in a circle. Then, ride up the center line and ask for a leg yield movement. Since the horse can't acutally leg yield at the canter, he should step under a bit more with the leading hind leg and then, you push him foreward, increasing the hind end engagement.

So, canter on the right lead. Leg yield to the left, and when the right hind steps over a little, engage forward.

We worked both reins at this, and even though Patrice thought Tucker would be more difficult on the left lead, he picked it up very quickly and in short order, we were done schooling.

Patrice also said that since Thoroughbreds muscle up very quickly, it was important that I not drill him too much on exercises. She does not want him to develop too much bulky, inflexible muscle but rather more elastic muscling created by variation.

I was delightful to find Tucker moving more freely when I made adjustments to my seat and posture. I was also revealing to find how much better he was at going softly forward when the stretch was modifed to a more level elevation.

But best of all, it was marvelous to have him so well behaved, attentive, and utterly responsive to my slightest aids. It made everything so easy.

Could I be more pleased? Unlikely. The kid was a star!!

Ah, A Taste of Spring

Before Winter Returns.....Again

Lovely day today except for the lack of real sunshine.

The ring footing was great, so I had a nice school on Tucker. Quite an improvement since yesterday's work since he was far more willing to carry himself. He kept his head down on all his canter departs and only laid his ears back once when I put on some really strong aids to get him to turn correctly.

It will be interesting to see what Patrice Edwards has to say about his training. I haven't had a lesson in months, and my primary input has been from Chris, so having another set of eyes and perspective to give us feedback will be great.

I then rode Chance. He is a riot. I got on, headed round the arena, and as soon as we reached the gate to the trail, he stopped, didn't want to turn away and just kept insisting we go out. That was not the plan as I wanted to school him a bit. I think he heaved a big sigh of resignation and off we went around the ring.

Today turned into a steering lesson. He really likes to take the bit on the right side and try to yank it out of my hand. And he is very reisistant to turning in that direction. Fortunately, we only had one moment of concern when I didn't react fast enough and he almost hit the fence by the woods, but after that, I stayed ahead of his reactions and kept him mostly where I wanted him to be. I had forgotten how frustrating babies can be when they just don't understand how to stay in balance.

The trot, at first, was fast and forward, but I just let him go. The nice thing was that, except for when he was flailing out against the rein, he was keeping his head down. It's not going to take long to fix most of the basic problems. In the meantime, he is really fun to ride and has a super attitude about being corrected or asked to do something my way instead of his.

Once I finished with Chance, I saddled up Toby for a short school. It is so nice to get on a horse and know my aids are going to work. Both Chance and Tucker were very interested in what I was doing and hung at the fence by the gate watching Toby's every move. So, I told Tucker to watch and in each direction of canter, aske Toby to do a flying change. Master that he is, he gave me two perfect ones, exactly where I wanted them, precisely where Tucker could get a good view. I don't know if we left and impression, but he was definitely watching as I told him that was something he was going to have to learn how to do.

All in all, it was a good riding day. Good, as well, because there may be snow tonight and the next two days are supposed to be cold again.

Guess I will be shivering at the clinic. It is not supposed to be much warmer on Tuesday.

Yuck. Winter wouldn't be so bad if spring weather didn't keep teasing us.

Two Under Saddle

Finally a Thaw--Again

I guess I shouldn't complain. This winter has still been incredibly mild. It's just that now when the cold hits, it's harder to put up with because I am not acclimated.

I'd gone out to do some errands in the morning and it took me all day to warm up again, even though it was much warmer outside--well above freezing.

It was nearing 4 PM when I went out to ride Tucker. He was, again, quite angelic for the most part. He is not quite as supple as he needs to be and I do have to keep reminding him to be soft to the reins, but he was forward and really gave me no problems about staying forward through all his exercises. We had a bit of head up on the left canter depart, but even that was an easy fix.

I schooled for about 20-25 minutes and then went out on a shot hack along his "comfort trail." He hasn't been out in at least two weeks but he just dropped his head and walked happily along.

When I got back, it was still light enough so I saddled up Toby and took him out back to see how the flooding looked. The engineers the Township hired to study the area are coming out on Tuesday morning, so I needed to have a look in advance to make sure there is something to show them.

To make a long story short, I have been working for well over two years to correct a stormwater flooding problem into the State Park from the warehouses across the Turnpike. Now, a new warehouse they built has a huge water basin to hold its stormwater and most of the flooding has been stopped. However, the whole area has been severely affected by the past flooding and the runoff from the Turnpike is still causing problems.

I got one of the warehouse developers to put up $100,000 to do a study of the problem. They were supposed to start back in July. I have no idea what they've been doing since then, but my question at a Township Council meeting at the beginning of the month spurred a flurry of activity and they are finally coming out to look things over.

Since Tuesday is the Patrice Edwards clinic, I had already taken the day off from school. So, in the morning I will have time to meet with the engineers and try to set them on the right track about the study.

My clinic ride is not until 5 PM, so I will have lots of time to watch some of the earlier lessons to get an idea of what to expect. My friend, Stacie, will be riding once with Patrice tomorrow and again on Tuesday two rides before mine. I'll get lots of feedback from her too.

My only concern is how Tucker will behave in a new indoor. He has never been to this farm before, so it will be a test of his new-found maturity to see how well he takes it all in. I certainly hope we will be able to do some work and not spend the whole lesson trying to convince him nothing in the ring is going to eat him.

And I have captured Mommycat so I can get her spayed before she has another litter of kittens. Poor little lady is presently in a cage in my sunroom and absolutely terrified. She is very easy to handle, so I suspect at one time she may have been a domestic cat, but at least a year of being a stray has left its mark. I feel terrible about locking her up, but the last thing this world needs is litters and litters of stray kittens. Getting her spayed will give her a far better life.

That leaves trying to catch Poppycat. He is a cream orange tom with no interest at being handled. Have to wonder if I can lure him into the trap. He's been showing up morning and night for a nice meal, so we do have some rapport.

It's so sad knowing these cats are strays. I'm glad I can try to make their lives a little nicer.

Two Days Riding In

Back in the Saddle

The ground thawed enough the last two days so that I had some fairly good footing to ride--not a lot of time, but at least enough to give Tucker a school.

His worst fault was being lazy. Just getting him to go forward was a challenge. His trot was a little jog until I insisted he get his hind legs going. It is possible not having shoes in back is making a difference in his willingness to stride out, but honestly, I would think by now a good kick would leave some impression! *G* I didn't put my spurs on, though, so I had to rely on taps of the dressage whip--not the ideal way to get him to go.

On Tuesday, I concentrated on balancing him up a bit and some transitions. Tuck still has a habit of falling apart a bit on the downwards but overall, even without the steady work, that is getting better. Too, I need to be sure I sit up and use more of a "body" half-halt than too much hand. Once I settled that a bit, I let him go long and low and just asked for "forward."

Wednesday, I rode again, this time primarily working on forward, long, and low, encouraging him to use his back. I started off with just a little trot and cantered early on as that is more likely to get him to release his back. Back in the trot, I concentrated on my circle in, circle out exercise to loosen him up laterally which always helps the forward. Then I did some shoulder-in at the trot, and carried that into the next canter session. I let the shoulder-in develop into a canter half-pass, to a counter canter, and just for fun tried for a flying change in the corner.

Well, to my surprise, with a little tap of the whip, he actually gave me a change from right to left. It wasn't pretty and it wasn't perfect, but it was a flying change! Tucker's first! Right to left was a total failure, but...well, big boy stuff! I'm not going to work on it too much for now as the primary obstacle is getting him to really work off his hindquarters in the canter first, especially in the downward transisitions. Until then, the change will be just too hard for him. Still...cool.

I went to my orthopedic doctor for my knees today. I haven't been to him in over a year when I finished my last session of stem cell injections to help regrow the cartilege. My knees have been really sore for the past two, going on three months. I was beginning to think the time to look into replacements was coming fast.

Not so. My doctor assured me that the initial treatments normally last 6 months to a year, so I was right on schedule to need some follow-up sessions. The bad news is that he didn't have another open appointment until March 6, so I am going to have to put up with this discomfort until then. He will be doing a round of prolotherapy to tighten the ligaments, the stem cell injections for the cartilege, and then some laser therapy to help with the pain. He also told me the laser would help my foot and any other joints that have some pain.

This guy is on the cutting edge of all kinds of therapies as an alternative to surgery. As it turns out, I would have been better off not having the arthroscopic surgeries I did have to remove the damaged meniscus and cartilege as what he does heals those instead. When I told him there were a lot of kids at school having knee surgeries, he grimaced. They, he said, are going to be headed for arthritis early on and he would never do surgery on someone that young. At least I was in my 50's when I had mine.

The whole world of medical alternatives to old practices is amazing. I am glad I have found Dr. Magaziner. He is one of a very few doctors in the whole country using some of these methods. Lucky me.

Winter Musing

Cold, Cold, Frozen

And I didn't ride again.

Needless to say, the footing was not good. However, it is supposed to get a bit warmer during the week, so the ring will probably thaw enough so I can to some work. I am riding in the Patrice Edwards clinic on Tuesday the 30th, so I do need to get some riding in between now and then.

Meanwhile, the Boys are all snuggy in their new insulated blankets--kind of a silver gray in color. So far they are still clean since the mud is frozen, and everyone looks quite dapper.

The barn faucet finally froze, but I used an electric heating pad to get rid of the ice plug at the nozzle, and all was well. I was thinking of getting some heat tape to wrap it in, but never got around to it. Guess that's another project for this week.

Funny how the work just seems to keep going no matter what the weather. Little chores take on a life of their own in the winter, often more than you plan for.

Last night, for example, the Boys got into the main aisle of the barn and trashed things. My fault for leaving Chance's inside stall gate open. I went out to find three horses happily hanging out in the aisle surrounded by sheets, piles of manure and tipped over garbage can. At least they were nice and cozy, getting along well, and very protected from the wind. Can't say that I blamed them but by the time I had the chance to clean it all up, the manure had frozen to the floor mats.

Then, of course, when I finally got the water running, I overfilled a bucket and spilled that all over the aisle. Which, in turn required me to use some of Toby's old bedding to soak it up so it wouldn't freeze into a skating pond.

Etc.

Somehow that's just the way things go in the winter.

Wind on the Way

But Sunny Skies

Typical. The weekend weather is going to stink. Windy and cold on Saturday, and cold again on Sunday. Monday and beyond promise moderating temperatures.

So. I long lined Tucker again tonight after he spent the soggy ground day inside to keep his feet and shoes protected. He was as good as gold. He never ceases to surprise me. When he stays in, he does not seem to build up energy and act all silly when he finally gets out.

Of course, I could be living in a fool's paradise about this.

In the meantime, I'll enjoy it.

Chance was all snuggled up in his stall last night when I went out for late feed. Both he and Tucker are always ready for a nice nap. Toby lies down to sleep too, but I think the younger boys are more prone to be prone.

I didn't work either Chance or Toby again. I had to change the trailer plug on my truck so I can trailer Kelly to her lesson tomorrow. That turned into a bigger job than it should have been as I could not figure out how to get the old plug disconnected because of the clip holding it in.

I had to call Kelly's dad to come by to help me out. Then, once we got the plug replaced, we decided to hitch up to save me the trouble in the morning. The lights worked OK, with a little feedback when all the lights were on, but that might have been some dampness from the cleaner I used to polish up the trailer plug. Then, when we hooked up the equalizer bars, the spring holding one of them to the hitch kept slipping out of position. This necessitated another 20 minutes of special rigging to hold it in.

Once more, a job that should have taken a half hour consumed at least twice that. I was hoping to get back to school for the senior performing arts students' showcase performances. Guess I will have to go tomorrow night instead.

Never try to plan ahead when you have horses. Something connected with them will always consume every spare minute and leave you in the lurch.

Wind is picking up. Nothing like the rest of world has suffered over the last few days, but enough to put a crimp in most of outdoor activities.

Then again, if the ground dries out a bit as it freezes up, Tucker is good to go out.

And that, after all, is always a good thing.

Shoes On--For Now

And I Am Paranoid

Every time I see Tucker, the first thing I do is look at his feet to see if the shoes are still on.

Today the ground was frozen, so he was out. Now, though, at just past 6:30 PM, the temperature is rising again. My ring footing wasn't bad, so I lunged him for about 25 minutes or so. We both got fairly wet as the drizzle was trying to become rain or snow, or something.
I put the cooler on him and locked him in the stall, where he is going to spend the night and, probably the day tomorrow. I just can't risk having him out in the mud. I hate leaving him in, but he is pretty good about it, so for now, it's the only solution.

We had the first snowfall of the season this afternoon. Nothing spectacular, just a dusting, but for once, it actually looked like winter. I don't know what the future promises, but I can do without the white stuff.

Saturday, I am supposed to trailer the young rider who helped me with Chance to a jumping lesson. Sad to say, problems at her stable make it awkward for anyone from there to help her. She and her mom are good friends of mine, so I don't mind, but it's too bad things aren't better for her where she boards.

The barn politics are one thing I certainly don't miss about boarding my horses out. At least having them home, I don't have anyone to argue with about care, riding time, turnout, feeding, etc.

A New One

Both Shoes???

Well, Tucker has done it now. Somehow he managed to pull off both front shoes.

I will talk to my shoer about the possibility of leaving him barefoot, but I don't think that will go. We have had a serious crack in his one hoof and I am not sure it would be strong enough. Also, I have a clinic on January 29, and I doubt he would be OK for that.

If I had known the winter was going to be warm, muddy, and soggy, I MIGHT have considered trying barefoot early on, as we did pull the back shoes, but I doubt he would stay sound if the ground were frozen and hard.

The problem now is that I may have to leave him in every time it gets wet and right now, that is most of the time. It just isn't fair to any horse to be stuck inside all the time. I will just have to figure out something.

I took Chance out for a short trail ride after I stripped and rebedded Tucker's stall. He was, as always a good boy. I do think I need to take him on a different track, just for variety, but for now this was fine.

Needless to say, the footing everywhere is pretty wet. My ring holds up well as far as slipping goes, but it has several patches of puddles. It's OK to ride in except when it has rained a lot and the base below the sand gets so staturated that the horse's hooves cut down into the clay. I just don't like to cut it up too much when it's that wet. Unfortunately, it looks like more rain tomorrow will lead it to that extreme.

Then, it's supposed to get cold again. If so, I am headed for ice. I think what I will do is drag the ring over twice tomorrow, hoping to level it out and get some of the water off. If it freezes then, I might still be able to use it a little--at least for walking.

Nothing like a wet winter to put a crimp in every plan. *sigh*

Soggy Saturday

Wet Three Day Weekend

So, I have Monday off due to Martin Luther King's Birthday, a national holiday, and it's supposed to rain.

Naturally. The week was chilly but dry, enough to get my ring into really good shape just in time for a bout of three days of rain.

This morning did not look too bad with peeks of sunshine, but I had a chiropractor's appointment. By the time I came home, the spitty spotty rain had started. I had a few chores to do inside, finished up, and went out to ride Tucker.

He was on "spook at the woods" mode when we started. I have no idea why unless there had been hunters out there earlier. I do know the area by the gate leading into the park was stacked with cars and trucks this morning. Perhaps there had been some activity out there--or perhaps not.

Tucker likes to find things to spook at--the blue plastic barrel, for instance. He was probably the one who rolled the barrel to its present spot by the arena fence. Chance may have "helped" but it is usually a Tucker activity. So, now that the barrel is there, it is certainly worth a spook.

Ah well. We did manage to get some nice work in. The lateral work was lovely, and once we got going, the canter was good. I managed a few collected strides here and there as preps for the downward transitions. All in all, it was well worth the soggy effort it took to saddle up and ride.

Chance's former owner, Lauranne, sent me some pictures of Chance as a baby. He was and is so cute!

Horsey Faces

Pics for My Workshop

I have a computer workshop at school tomorrow and I need some pictures.

What better than horse heads?

I took these just a bit before sunset. I had to stay outside the fence or be horsemugged. As it was Toby wanted to hog all the shots.

I did manage to get Chance to pose, but every time I tried a profile shot, he would turn to face me. So here he is, head on.

Once more, I guess you can tell, he too would mug the camera given half a chance. But he is a full Chance, so I kept the fence between us for the photo session.

And then, of course, Tucker decided to stand still long enough for me to snap the shutter.

One of these days I will do a formal photo session and see what I can do about getting some really good pictures of the Boys.

Silly Boys A'Frolicking

Excited to See Me, or Just Excited?

The Boys were running around being silly when I got home.

I would like to think they were happy to see me, but I'm never quite sure as playtime does seem to be a regular part of the daily routine.

This time, Chance was in full gallop, back and forth across the paddock. Toby and Tucker were more in trot, buck, maybe run a little mode.

I love seeing horses play. It is definitely a sign they are happy, content, and probably well fed.

When I was getting my mail, a conservation officer dropped by. Apparently someone had called the police because there was shooting out back of our houses. I thought it was still hunting season for small game, but I may be wrong. I have no idea who would have called or why. I saw two hunters on the weekend, fairly close to the safety zone, but I figured it was legal. I guess I will have to look up the law to see. Maybe the gun season is over.

It is a never ending adventure around here. My fire alarm system is on the blink and sent in a false alarm while I was at school, so the fire marshall came. Then, later in the day, after I had cleared it all up, the darn thing went off again while I was in the house. This time, I shut it off and called the alarm company for service.

In the meantime, I've gone to the chiropractor twice to get my neck fixed again.

It goes without saying that I have not ridden since the weekend. Too cold today.

Happy Tractor

It Does Prefer Diesel

Yes, I accidentally put gas in the tractor. It only ran for about a half minute before it stalled, so there was no damage.

A grand repairman was here when I got home from school. He drained the tank and the lines. I had to go get a fresh can of fuel, but that was OK, since I was sure this time I had diesel.

My little tractor is now happy and snug back under the run-in roof, ready, willing, and able to handle all my little chores--and snow should we get some.

If you look carefully, you can see it smiling.

Wish I'd Had My Camera

Sheets Off in the Heat of the Day

Chance posed in the ring so beautifully I was really sorry the camera was in the house. He had his head up to see some kind of activity in the house just beyond the patch of trees and he looked gorgeous. It was true Kodak moment, and I had no way of immortalizing it except in my mind's eye. Oh, well, at least I saw it.

Everyone spent the day without jackets. I'm sure the Boys were quite happy to be free of clothes and everyone seemed to have rolled a bit. Surprisingly, despite all the mud around no one was too dirty.

A quick brush cleaned Toby up for a trail ride, and we had a nice one in the sunshine.

I opted for ring work for Tucker as the forecast was calling for rain again and the ring had finally dried out after the last downpours, so I knew I needed to take advantage of it. He was a good boy and is actually getting the hang of the canter/walk/canter transition we need to master for second level.

I then saddled up Chance for a bit of ring work as well. This was not his idea of a good time. He flipped his head around everytime I put some contact on, and made a great show of heading towards the gate into the woods. He is so funny as he can walk so-o-o-o-o-o slowly when he doesn't want to go. This was his protest as we passed the gate without going out. On the plus side, once he figured out that flipping his head up did nothing worthwhile, he dropped it down, went on the bit to some degree and even managed to trot in both directions with some nice lower carriage. He is clearly a quick learner and I should have some nice work from him in a week or so.

Still, I am as much a trail ride in the woods junkie as he is, so we will still go out to have some fun. At this point, though, it has rained hard again, so I guess all the mud puddles out there are even bigger. Looks as if we are going to have to do some wade in the water training sooner than later.

Nothing like a good, challenging trail to make a good horse.

Way Too Warm

For January, At Least

It was well over 70 degrees f today. Short sleeved tee shirt was in order and I had to take the sheets off the Boys.

Lovely weather to work outside in. I stripped two stalls and unloaded twelve bags of feed before going to the chiropractor and physcial therapy. Then, when I got home, I picked the riding ring and took Chance out for a trail ride.

Just my luck. The gorgeous weather had brought out a group of ATV's. They were revving their engines in the woods where I was planning to go. I think someone had gotten stuck in the mud--serves them right, it's their mud--but the noise was enough to make me dismount, just in case. While Chance has been generally unspooked by everything so far, I didn't think meeting a groups of ATV's was a good idea. I don't know exactly how much control I have over him as far as steering and brakes go, so I opted for my feet on the ground.

The ATV drivers came out along the exact trail I had headed in to, so I scurried back out to the field and held Chance about 20 yards away. The riders did slow down and keep their engines as quiet as possible once they saw us--so I'll give them high points for that. And, I must admit, Chance did not seem either impressed or bothered by them at all. However, that was with me holding him from the ground, not in the saddle. Once they'd passed, I led him for quite a distance into the woods to a place where I knew there was a fallen tree in a good spot for a safe remount.

On the way in, I met a young man who had found one lost beagle yesterday and another one today. He was looking for rabbit hunters who may have lost the dogs. I doubt if he had any luck. I am beginning to believe some of these hunters around here just don't care at all if they leave a dog behind. I think they fugure if the beagle isn't obedient enough to come back at the end of the day, it's not worth taking home again.

Knowing the ATV's, hunters, and beagles were generally out of the area, I took Tucker out. This was on his "comfort trail" but going in the opposite direction. I'm not sure we've finished this ride too many times. Today was almost no exception. As we were heading down the last part of the trail to the field, he balked. This time I think it was the fallen log with the sun shining on it. We had a bit of a battle over this one. Since he never felt as if he were going to buck, but was just totally stuck, refusing to go in that direction, I kept circling and pushing him on. I am going to guestimate it was a good five minutes or more of one step foward, balk, try to turn around, circle, step sideways, balk, paw, refuse to turn, manage a circle, one step forward, etc. I made angry noises instead of trying to soothe him about it. I can do a pretty good growl when called for. Finally, though not at all too sure, I started to go. We skirted the log with a good neck craning glance and made it out to the field and the last leg home. Mind you, this is all of a fifteen minute trail ride on a normal horse. Tucker seems normal going in the opposite direction. It's just going this way that he sees the goblins under the logs.

Just outside the safety zone near my property, we passed another hunter, gun in hand. I made a comment that all would be fine as long as he didn't shoot, and he kind of waved me on. We made it home safely.

All of which made me decide to simply lunge Toby in the ring for a bit. He had been all worked up in the morning when a hunter had crossed through the woods behind the paddock, exactly where this last guy was, so I figured there was just no point in stirring him up again. He is simply no fun at all to ride when he is closing in on hysterics. So the schooling day ended quietly.

Then, I decided I'd drag the ring. I put the drag on the tractor and saw that the fuel gauge was reading kind of low. Drove over to the garage to get some fuel. I think I may have goofed big time and put gasoline in the diesel by accident. Managed to get near the gate when the engine quit. If I did screw up, I can only hope I didn't do any damage. The engine only ran about a minute before it quit. It was either gas, or bad diesel. At any rate, now I have to call the repair place if I can't find anyone around here to look at it for me.

Why do I always manage to make an adventure of a perfectly beautiful day? It never fails.

Either One or the Other

Two Days Down

And not in the saddle again.

Thursday was a leftover migraine headache, again triggered by my neck. Darned if I can figure out what throws it out of whack, but I was sidelined until I made two visits to the chiropractor. Thank heavens that works!

Today, Friday, it rained again. Not exactly good for much riding outdoors. Times like this I do miss the indoor arenas I had at two different boarding stables, but perhaps being forced to take time off now and then mellows the whole riding process.

I finally got the lightweight sheets for everyone. There was an order mix up as it turned out. The did not have my order for the other 78" one for Toby, just the 72" one for Chance. The orange in the larger size was in, but not the smaller. So I changed things up a bit. I got a neo yellow sheet for Chance in the 72" and ordered an orange in 74" for him when that comes in. They shipped them right out so I now have two orange horses and one yellow one. Kind of cute citrus collection.

However, tomorrow, it is almost certain I will have three naked horses again. Already the temperature is up to around 60 degrees, and Saturday it may well get up to 70! And this is January! We haven't had any real winter weather yet. Next week the temperature is supposed to go back down into the 40's so I guess I'd better enjoy the shirtsleeves on the weekend.

I don't mind the colder weather as long as my footing doesn't freeze solid. Or at least if it thaws out during the day. Trails are OK when it's frozen, but I need daylight for them. Right now, I can get one trail ride in before dark. The days will get longer pretty quickly, so eventually, I will be able to get two short trail rides in. Or, if the ring thaws during the day, a decent school before it freezes up again. Kind of a poker game of riding.

Hopefully I'll have a handful of aces on the weekend.

For the Want of a Shoe

Short Ride With a Boot (Wednesday Evening)

I can't seem to quite find a boot to use on Tucker when he loses a shoe.

I have an old Mac I can't get on him even though it should be his size. I have EasyBoots in several sizes, but the one that should have fit was too small. The next size up stayed on for all of about two circles in the arena.

I had taped his foot with duct tape, so he had some protection for at least another turn before than too fell off. Luckily he was perfectly sound. We had a short, but productive school where I worked on canter trot transitions and just kept him forward.

My wonderful farrier was here this morning (Thursday) to replace the missing shoe, so all is well for the rest of the week.

Chance and I went out on a trail ride again. He's just so much fun out there. He is the only horse I've ever ridden who goes faster walking away from home than back. As a matter of fact, as soon as we turn up the trail heading for the gate and the barn, he slows down noticeably, almost like the reluctant schoolboy.

Before long, we will have explored most of the trails out back. I guess I'd better start training him to trailer load and ride so I can take him places. He is definitely an adventurer.

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Soggy New Year

It rained all day yesterday.

So, both the horses and I kind of hung out inside. My ring was flooded in the few low spots and it looked as if the drainage ditch into the groundhog hole by the fence might have even been filled to the brim. I'll know better this afternoon as the sun is out and the water will have found its way to wherever it goes.

The other low spots are still a problem even though we put some fill in them. They don't interfere too much with riding as they are off the track, but I do get tired of them. More fill may help or just force the water to find someplace else to settle. My arena was not especially graded when it was built and is suprisingly rideable in all but the wettest weather or when it freezes up.

My dream would be to do a bit of regrading and then add some rubber shavings to the sand, but the pricing for that is way out of range at the moment. So, for now, I really can't complain too much. Most of the year, I have a nice sand surface to ride on, and while not perfect, it certainly is excellent for schooling.

The weather is still unusually warm here with the temperatures going up into the 50 degree f range and even near 60 degrees later in the week. That means it's likely I will need to take the sheets off the Boys for the day. Since really lightweight sheets have not yet arrived, they will end up naked. Lovely for all involved until they decide to roll in the mud.

I am not looking forward to that.

Back to work at school today and I think I am coming down with a cold. I may not ride tonight, if I don't feel a bit better. I guess I will just wait and see.

Over the Water and Through the Woods

Out on the Trail Again

I took Toby out first today. I thought I'd check to see just how bad the trail around the little lake in the back was. It was.

This is a restored sand mine. The State of New Jersey took a lot of time and effort to change the big hole the mining company had left into a neat little natural lake. At one time, there was a nice pathway all around it. Over time, the mini-bikes and ATV's have rutted it up to the point that there are numerous places where the water just settles into big swampy mud puddles. It is near to the swamp proper, so the land does not drain well to start off with, but at one time, except for a patch in the back, the trail was nice enough that I could trot.

No more. Picking your way along trying to find some good footing in the water, or trying to avoid the water for better footing takes total concentration and a careful walk. Toby is wonderful about it all and will go willingly through the water if need be. But we had to be cautious since it was hard to tell how good the ground was under us. It might be OK again in the summer if we have a good dry spell, but for now, I think it's far too much of a challenge for Tucker and I'm not too keen on taking Chance there either.

When I got back, Chance and Tucker were playing tag in the arena, behaving like a couple very silly cl0wns. I looked down at Tucker's feet and sure enough, he had pulled a front shoe. I found it a few feet away, lying in the sand.

Perfect. The last day of the year, and, since rain is predicted for New Year's Day, my last chance to ride him out on the trail with some dry footing and he had to lose a shoe. I guess I should have ridden him first instead of Toby.

So, I saddled up Chance and once more he eagerly headed out for adventure. This time, I took him down the trail to the lake but instead headed up along the ridge. We had to pass the horse-eating monster gray rock, but Chance never gave it a second look. Quite a contrast to both Toby and Tucker who are totally convinced the boulder has jaws and is going to jump out to get them.
Once again, Chance proved himself a super trail horse.

I told him when we got back that he was already a "trailmonger," and soon he would be a "trailmeister." What a gem of a horse he is.

So far, all looks to be in line for a really good New Year. Here's hoping all who read, and all who visit, and everyone who never sees this blog find 2007 to be prosperous and full of joy.

Happy New Year to All!

On the Lines

Ringwork for a Change, or a Chance

I long lined everyone this afternoon.

Chance didn't particularly like the lines' insistence that he keep his head down, but he only threw two totally mini-tantrums. Nothing to even discuss. Once he figured out that he needed to work that way, he was just fine. I must admit, he is a nice mover in all three gaits and tends to stay nice and forward. He really is a honey.

He has put on some weight and is starting to look better fed. I'm still not sure how much he is going to grow and develop, but only time will tell. What is fun is that when I call him he comes right to me, even if he knows we are going to work. I guess the difficult start he had in life and all of Lauranne's loving care when he was a newborn has convinced him that humans are really OK. He is definitely one of the friendliest horses I've ever met.

Tucker was lazy as usual, requiring a bit of persuasion that "forward" was the best way to go. I had some really nice work from him until the turret on the new surcingle broke. That limited some of my more refined rein aids. But, to Tuck's credit, he didn't take advantage. The biggest problem I had was trying to keep him from overbending to the bit and getting too low in the process. I will have to work that out because when he is correct and up, he looks great!

Toby was, as usual, virtually perfect on the lines. Years ago, he told my animal communicator that he like to long line because he could see me. He never takes a wrong step. In fact, he was so good, I changed the rig to a direct rein instead of a "vee" connection on the surcingle because he was to quick to come round on the bit. I don't ask him to carry himself in an upper level frame much since he has retired from competition. No more FEI for him. He's quite happy doing the lower level carriage. And yet, if I want to, I can do any one of the upper level exercises with a minimum of effort if I ever want to play. Tempi changes are a cinch for him and all the lateral work is just as easy.

Guess I can use Toby to remind me of what I need to do as I move Tucker up the levels--and maybe even Chance, my happy little trail horse.

Rockabye, Babies

Why Outside?

I just got home from a vegetable shopping trip to the farmer's market, and found the "kids" of the herd bedded down in the paddock on the old hay.

This is not the first night I've found them snoozing out there. However all three stalls are nicely bedded in clean straw for Christmas. You'd think that would be the preferable bedroom. But no, they have to nap outside. The temperature is still pretty moderate, 46 degrees or so. I guess being outside is just more fun--kind of like camping.

Chance is a trail junkie! Nick came over to do some work today, so I set him to unloading my 54 bales of hay while I did some barn work. The Boys were out in the pasture. After a bit, they saw me at work and decided to investigate. When I finished and set Nick on another task, I took Tucker out for a hack on the same trail where we'd met the ATV yesterday. When I got back, Chance was at the gate, hanging over it with a longing expression on his face. I took Tucker in and Chance stayed at the gate, staring out into the woods. I unsaddled Tucker and called the kid in. It wasn't until I told him that, yes, we too could go out on the trail that he decided to come to me.

Once more, he proved himself a star. This time we even trotted a bit on the way out. He was definitely eager to go and totally disappointed when I turned into the first woods trail--the one he's been on before. I guess he was looking for adventure. Once we were in the woods he kept looking for new places to go. I think I will have to take him out to the tree farm sooner than later. At this rate we'll never get any ring work done, but I'd rather have him happy than trained. He's still a kid and deserves to have some fun in his life. Plenty of time to learn how to do that "dressage stuff."

As for Tucker, we had a milestone on the trail when I finally tried jumping one of the fallen trees across the trail. It was more of a "trot over" than a jump, but he was both quiet and bold about it. Later, we explored a bit, mostly because, like Chance, he wanted to investigate the path ahead. I had a bit more time for him, so we went up the lane that used to go to my grandmother's house--now bulldozed after falling down--then turned around and came back. If it weren't so darn wet, I'd love to see how he'd be about going around the lake, but I have a feeling the footing is under water. I'm not keen about riding anybody on that kind of terrain.

I gave Toby the day off. He made an evil face at the sight of a bridle, and practically smiled when I walked away with it.

How to Ruin a Lovely Hack

ATV in the Woods

Oh, well, it had to happen sooner or later.

My luck with Tucker ran out this evening. We were having a lovely hack through the woods after a nice school in the ring. As I was in the last curve before the little trail heading home, I saw headlights out in the area near the lake. Sure enough it was someone on an ATV (all terrain vehicle) and, unfortunately, they were headed our way. I trotted Tucker down the path to the little trail and turned off, but we weren't fast enough. The ATV bore down on the road we'd just left and Tucker started to get riled up. I could feel his back start to hump and since I know I cannot sit more than one buck, I dismounted as fast as my cricketly knees would allow. He bounced just a little as the ATV went by, and then settled down in my hand. I had to lead him home--a short walk, but surrender nonetheless. With him, it's better safe than sorry.

He was a little silly in the ring because my cousins next door were setting up a target to shoot at with their air rifles--another annoying distraction. But Tucker does not focus entirely on his work, so their activity set him into a couple spooks. I was nearly done by then anyhow, having worked for a bit on collecting and extending both the trot and canter on either rein, so their presence encouraged me to go out on my hack a bit sooner rather than later. Had the timing been different, I might have met the ATV in a spot where we wouldn't have been able to escape.

ATV's are illegal in the State Park, but that doesn't stop them. Signs are posted all over and there is a stiff fine as well as confiscation of the vehicle if they are caught. Trouble is, there is usually no one to catch them. They have ruined some of the trails and, in the summer, often ride around the lake in the back eroding its banks. It's just one more frustration to quiet rides.

On the other hand, I took Chance out again on the longish trail, all the way to the back of the Park. He was amazed to see the field on the other side and had a good time. So good that I'm not sure he really wanted to go home again. He is the first horse I've ever ridden who actually goes slower once he knows he's headed back. We met a guy with a pickup truck--also illegal out there as there are no motorized vehicles allowed--and Chance behaved well. Usually, when Toby and even PJ met such "out of place in the woods" things, it was a bit of an adventure. For Chance it was an interested shrug of the shoulders. Cool. I think he's going to be fun guy to just get on and go whereever I want to go!

I took Toby out to the Christmas tree farm and had a nice little trot on the dirt road out there. It was still sunny then and everything was just glowing. There are still quite a few trees left, and I hope they will grow nicely this summer. Alan, the farmer who runs the farm, works hard and deserves a good crop. He also leases the land to me I use for my pasture. The surrounding farmland, now part of the State Park, used to belong to his grandfather and has been farmed by his family since about 1900. It's great to see farming pass down from one generation to the next as it's a dying "art" here in New Jersey--the Garden State.

Ah, well tomorrow I have to go get hay in the morning. Perhaps if I ride when I get back I won't run into any distractions.

At least the ATV's won't have their headlights on. *sigh*

Another Day, Another Trail Ride

And Some Schooling

I rode all three Boys again today.

I worked Tucker in the ring for about a half hour. Even without my spurs, he was pretty well forward. I think my aids are a bit more refined and subtle when I do have the spurs on, but he was willing to go without too much effort on my part.

I did the shoulder-in, ten meter circle, haunches in on both reins several times, suppling him up and he became pretty solidly round in a more elevated frame. I still need some "eyes" on the ground to give me a better evaluation, but he felt good nonetheless. If I ever set up the acrylic mirrors I have materials for, I will be able to see how we look, but for now, I need to rely on "feel." I also did a fair bit of canter/counter canter on each rein, finding him more likely to break on the right lead if I wasn't careful to keep my driving aids on. Then I experimented with a few canter/walk/canter transitions. Overall, he was far better at them than the last time I tried them about two weeks ago. Interesting. It must be as much an intellectual exercise as a physical one since he remembered the principles even though he is no fitter than he was then. I finished up his school with a hack through the woods to cool off--over 40 degrees f again--warm for December. He was angelic.

I decided to test out Chance in the field to see if his calm, but interested attitude on the trail was a fluke. I must say, I am impressed with his quiet eagerness. I think he really enjoys the adventure. I still don't feel totally capable of steering him, but he never feels out of control, so it's no big deal. We went out onto the farm field road, circled around a bit in the cornfield, then looped back onto the road to head home. All of about 15-20 minutes, but out in the open. He was an absolute star.

On the way back, I let him have a mouthful of green grass at the edge of the field. That was amusing, because he couldn't manage to chew it with the bit in his mouth. All the way home he walked like a drunken sailor, totally focused on the grass instead of where he was going.

That left just enough time to take Toby out for a short trail ride. He tried to duck away when I showed him the bridle, but once he was saddled, he headed right for the gate and we had a nice forward ride. One little spook at something lying beside the trail marred what was nearly perfect, but that's Toby.

All in all, another good day in the saddle. I think I'm getting spoiled.

Into the Woods and Out Again

Trailing on a Winter's Day

I took all three Boys out for trail rides. With all the rain, my arena is very wet, and since I haven't been riding, I just wanted to have some fun. Besides, once Chance saw me take Toby out, he was hanging over the gate to the woods, with a longing expression on his face.

Toby and I went out to the back to check on the flooding. There is still water in the trees, but it is slowing receding. The Turnpike runoff may still be causing some problems, but without the warehouse water pouring in, the situation is so much better. It's still sad to see land that was once dry now part of a swamp. The once lovely trail along the power lines is ruined. It may dry out this summer, but now I wouldn't risk riding through.

They are going to widen the Turnpike again and under the new enviromental laws, we may be able to force them to take care of all their runoff instead of dumping it into the State parklands. I still have to write up a letter to send them, but I did speak up to the engineers at a Turnpike information meeting. I do miss riding back there as it offered a nice option for a good little ride with a place to do some galloping if I wanted to.

Tucker was just a little uncertain when we started out, but he settled into a good walk as we went along. Again, I only stayed out for a short ride, but it was fun nonetheless. I was a little worried because when I had gone out with Toby I met a young couple along the trail. who were on their own adventure. They were on a treasure hunt using a GPS unit. I have to look this up, but apparently, there are web sites where people set up the hunts. They go out an plant treasures somewhere and others have to navigate their way to find them with the GPS. The couple was heading for one more treasure in the very direction I was going to be riding Tucker. I'm not sure how he would have reacted to seeing or hearing them tramping about in the forest, but luckily, I didn't have to find out. Now, of course, I wonder if they did find the last hidden treasure before dark.

Chance was feisty and showed a bit of temper as we began our ride. I had to open the close the gate from the saddle. His skill at this is still limited since he doesn't back well and also doesn't yet have a clue about going sideways. Getting out to the trail was no problem, but when I tried to turn back to refasten the gate behind us, he wanted none of it. He was totally determined that we were going OUT on the trail, not back. He was tossing his head and plowing against the rein, putting on quite a show of refusing to do what I wanted him to do. For good or ill, compared to Tucker's tantrums, this one was totally non-intimidating. He doesn't throw himself around and he doesn't feel at all as if he would buck or rear. I just gave him a minute to think about it, walked him on a bit to a wider place and pulled him back around to the gate. Silly boy.

He is a gem on the trail, and had I wanted to, I think I could have taken a new route with no problem. But, it was getting a little dark, so I stuck to the short path. If it's nice tomorrow, I may try another trail with him. I am a bit limited, but I can stay out for an hour if I go around the fields. I'm not into really long rides anyhow and generally use the trail as either a reward or just a way for all of us to relax for a day's work.

I am really happy to be able to hack out all three by themselves. I think in the long run, Chance is going to be the best of the group out of the ring. He is already showing an lust for adventure and seems to pretty sensible about it. If so, he will be the perfect horse for me! I need one I can just have fun with whenever I want.

Up To My Neck In Christmas

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

What a pain in the neck having a pain in the neck is. I got adjusted on Friday and Saturday. I felt fine until late on Christmas Eve, while I was in church. Christmas morning, today, I woke up with neck problems again. I am now wearing my neck brace and it seems to be helping.

Christmas dinner is at 4, so I don't know if I have time left to do anything with the Boys...again. I was planning on riding early but just couldn't manage as I was sure a headache was coming on.

I don't think they mind too much, but I do know both Tucker and Chance do enjoy the adventure of being ridden. Toby is a bit harder to read. He seems to enjoy our outings, but he often plays hard to catch.

I found a new farmers' market not to far away and bought the lovliest carrots with lush green tops. The ones I got at the supermarket were pathetic compared to them and the good ones were half the price! At any rate, the Boys are being treated for the holiday with sweet carrots and delicious apples. I already got them their orange sheets as the long lasting presents, but I they they enjoy the temporal reward of sugar on their tongues. The way they dive into the treats is quite something.

We can learn a lot from horses. Their world is full of simple pleasures and simple solutions. They are clear about expressing their feelings and somehow manage to work out all their conflicts directly and honestly. I often wonder how much better off we all would be if we could face the world ourselves with their perspective.

May we all find Christmas in our hearts to last the whole year through!

Better Late Than Never

In the Saddle

Finally, I managed to ride. My neck was OK, but not perfect. I am going to need an adjustment again today, but the riding had nothing to do with it.

Tucker was a good boy. I finally feel as if he is a normal horse as far as the riding goes. I feel confident getting on him even after a layoff and I can count on him to do the basics with no fuss and bother.

Challenging him is another matter and he will always be a bit annoyed with that. Last night it was asking for a proper reinback. He will step back, but not more than two strides before he either stops or tosses his head. I was a bit more insistent this time, but careful as well. Reinbacks can be very dangerous as one of the most common evasions is rearing. The rider needs to be cautious about both rein pressure and insisting the horse keep its head down.

Fortuntate, Tucker is quick to let me know when he is upset or ready to blow up about something so I managed to keep the exercise low key. Besides, he'd already tried some walk pirouettes for me, so perfecting the backing was not an essential success for the ride.

I rode Chance for a bit as well with the goal of getting him to keep his head down and his back a bit round. He picked it up at the walk pretty quickly. The trot was another matter, but quite amusing. He is such a quiet guy that his biggest evasion is to just slow down and eventually stop. So, to say it was a stop and go process is pretty accurate. However, we did get approximately two circles in either direction in a bit of a frame.

They were approximate circles for sure. Chance has a tendancy to fall into his inside shoulder, particularly on the left rein. My mistake is dropping my seat to the outside trying to push him over so that my inside leg gets shorter. While a lot of body English will take him over to the outside that way, it is far more effective long term for me to drop my knee on the inside and push him over from my inside seat bone.

Bless Lockie Richards for teaching me that one. He always had a way of making what seemed like a difficult problem into an easy fix. I probably have hundreds of skills in my training bag of tricks I learned from him. He was a master horseman, trainer, teacher, and above all, a true gentleman.

What is lovely now it that I have three horses I can pop on to ride any time I want to. While Tucker is a bit less reliable on the trails, it's a pleasure to just mount up and know I'll accomplish something during each and every ride--and, if I don't want to accomplish anything except have a wonderful time, I can do that too!

Back in the Groove--Maybe

Work and an Unhappy Morning

I lunged Tucker and Chance last night at about 10 PM. I do have lights in the ring, and having the horses home does have its benefits.

I'd done some Christmas shopping after school and I got my hair cut, so by the time I got home it was dark. Then I had to wait an hour after I fed the Boys before I could do anything. So, I ate my own supper as time ticked by.

Tucker was great, with none of his bucking nonsense. He had started to pick up that habit on the lunge and would break away from me to gallop off with the line trailing. I am hoping he has decided to give up on that one.

Chance was a little angel. He lunged nice and forward in both directions for a good stretch. He did take the wrong lead several times on the right, but it was easy to correct. I guess, like most horses I've known, he is "left hoofed," and just is more comfortable on the left lead. He actually looked quite comfortable going on the right, so I don't see it as a big issue. Since he's not yet ready to canter under saddle anyhow, I'm not at all worried.

Toby gave me a scare this morning. He was pawing a bit in the stall, then he went out to roll before he finished his breakfast. Then he lay down in his stall, and later went out to the pasture and lay down again. Colic.

I called the vet, and called school to tell them I wasn't going to be in in the morning.

The vet got here in about 40 minutes. Sure enough, she found a big gas bubble in his intestines. We decided to be extra careful, the vet gave him a small dose of banimine and then we tried to tube him with mineral oil.

That did not go over well.

Toby is generally a star for the vets. Tubing was apparently over the line. AS Dr. Perez tried to insert the tube in his nose, he get more and more angry. I knew, even with the twitch I couldn't hold him and he had backer her into a corner. I've also seen him strike with his front hoofs when he gets really mad about something, so with discretion the better part of valor, we decided to stop.

Dr. Perez gave him a sedative. In a minute or so, Toby's head was nearly on the ground. Even then he resisted the tube, actually refusing to swallow it. Somehow, with me braced under his chin to hold his head up, the doctor managed to get the tube down into his stomach and administer the drench.

I watched him for about 45 minutes after she left and he seemed to be feeling much better, so I headed off for school.

Believe me, there will be no errands after work today as I will head straight home to be sure my Boy is OK.

The last time this happened was right before a major snowstorm struck. It can't be the weather this time as it's clear and sunny today.

Here's hoping all is well.

Vespers

Superstition Abounds

The weather was gorgeous today and yesterday and I still didn't get in the saddle.

Yesterday, Nick came to work so I did some other chores while I directed him in moving some fill around. I let him drive the tractor, so he was in 7th heaven. Boys and machines are a magical combination.

Today, I have another excuse. My church held its Vespers service at 4PM and I sing in the choir. About ten years ago, I took a trail ride on Vespers day and had a bad fall, breaking my wrist. Since then I superstitiously treat Vespers Sunday as a jinxed day for riding. I am always extra cautious.

Today, since we had to be back at church at 3 PM, after getting out of the morning service at 11:30. I had to make a quick run to the supermarket for some supplies for the choir party after the Vespers service, so by the time I got home, I didn't have all the time I needed to work the Boys. I opted for another day off instead of rushing around trying to get something done.

I made my two dishes for the party, did a little barn work, a little house work, and before I knew it I had to feed the horses and go back to the church.

It was a lovely service with a little too heavy program of instrumental (bell choir, brass choir, youth band) and not enough singing (our choir only did three pieces out of at least 16 performances) but the Christmas story was as rich as ever. This year was just reading of the scripture followed by related musical pieces. We sang, Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming, En Natus Est Emmanuel, and One Bright Star.

The party after was, as usual, a fun affair, with good conversation more than a few laughs, and good food. Gotta love a holiday that consistently brings all those benefits!

Still Not in the Saddle

Wasting the Weather...

...but it just seems every day brings something new to do.

Yesterday, I was back at the chiropractor. My neck is getting better, but it just keeps going out. It's something I do when I am asleep. I'll get adjusted after school and then I am going to try wearing the neck brace/collar tonight to see if that does the trick.

I am going to dinner tonight with the friends who mounted a political campaign for Mayor of my town. We worked so much togther that we formed a bond of sorts. And, we are planning to make some more political waves in the next election. In the meantime, the candidate suggested we all get together for the holidays. So we've picked a nice restaurant and plan on having a good time.

The bummer about being busy is that the weather has been scandalously perfect fo riding. 50-60 degrees f., just enough rain to keep the footing soft but not muddy, and no appreciable wind. I had to take the Boys' sheets off for the day both yesterday and today.

I keep hoping the lightweight sheets from Chick's will come, but so far, no luck. The current orange sheets are just too heavy when the temps are so high.

Temporary Surrender

Here's the house at night. Not too bad, eh?

...To the Holidays by a Neck

I went to the chiropractor Monday, then the doctor for metabolic testing on Tuesday with another chiropractic tune up.

Am am metabolically unbalanced again, but not so much. A slight adjustment in my supplements should set things right. It may explain why my adjustments weren't holding. Or, I may be fighting off some kind of bug. Or, it's the weather. Either way, it should sort itself out in a day or so.

In the meantime, I haven't ridden. I don't think the Boys care. They are just hanging out in the sunshine or the rain....since that's what it did today. They also "supervised" the hanging of the Christmas decorations on the barn. I have an overhang by the door--the end of the run-in shed on the east side of the barn. I put up a green garland with lights. Then I went to add the star and found it wouldn't light. Luckily, I had purchased a string of white, LED mini lights, so i replaced the star's malfunctioning lights with them and voila! I now have a truly white star above the barn. Cool.

I did the house decorations last night and did the house fence tonight. I have to decide what to do with the rest of the LED frosty white lights I bought. I am thinking of using them on the fence. Of course, by the time I decide, Christmas will be here. *LOL*

No pressure to ride as apparently Chris will not be down again until Spring. I'm not sure what exactly is going on, but I'm sure I'll find out. All I got was an e-mail from Stacie who apparently spoke to him.

No problem for me. This time of year it's really hard to keep a regular riding schedule anyhow. As long as the Boys are happy, they can play, frolic, and eat. And I can just sit by and watch.

Slight Glitch in the Progress

Shadow Monsters in the Forest

I rode everyone out in the woods yesterday. Lovely weather and a nice day slightly shortened by a bunch of errands after church gave me at least two hours of riding time.

Trying to ride three horses in two hours is an interesting chore, especially since in-between mounts the unridden beasts went back out to the far side of the pasture. So each capture required a hike.

Toby and I went out first. About 30 yards into the ride, he stopped, threw up his head and stared worriedly off into the farther woods. I caught a glimpse of a leaping shadow which I presume was a deer. Deer are very dangerous to horses, you know. *VBWG* We call them "fangtails" around here because the real danger is that they run away, their little white tails pointing straight up looking ever so much like a shark's tooth. Thus, they are a terror....as they run in terror from the big horses. Don't ask me. Toby tries to go the other way when the deer are going another way altogether.

Fortunately, the shadow disappeared and we were able to have a safe ride.

Chance, all innocent and eager, was delighted to go out for his ride. He trotted a few times in his enthusiasm, but when I chirpped to him he came right back. Good thing. Without confirmed steering, I wasn't too keen on trotting amongst the trees.

Third ride out was Tucker. I opted for taking the trail from the opposite direction because I had spied a white paper plate in the trees, lying just so the sun shone on it. A shining white blob in the treeline, very visible is exactly the kind of thing that makes Tucker silly, so I decided to have it at his back on the way home.

Mistake.

We were over halfway through the ride when the leaves rustled up ahead and, from Tucker's head up "uh oh!!" reaction, I have to suspect the shadow deer was back again. I am no fool. Meeting a deer on Toby is bad enough, but to see one from Tucker's back would be to not be on Tucker's back for long. I nudged him a bit forward, patted his neck, got a stride or two more, then another balk, one of those head shakes of his and I decided to circle back. So we headed back down the trail we'd come on.

While I am a little disappointed, I am also content that I never pushed for a dangerous battle and, by circling off onto another little side trail to make the reverse, I made the choice of going back, not Tucker. This way, I never made an issue of his balk and just pretended we were heading where I wanted to anyhow.

Having been dumped off from one of his bucks, I can tell you, I do not want to repeat the experience too many times. It's far better for me to find a way to avoid the explosions. Since he was angelic for the rest of the ride, I will still give him good marks. He's not the perfect trail horse, that's for sure, but as they say, "He'll do in a pinch."

S'OK

Day to Play

Chris didn't come today. Karen's horse is still not quite up to par after being lame and Michelle isn't quite up to riding at the moment. That left too few of us for it to be worth the trip.

Fine by me as my day was growing more confusing as it went on. I spent the good part of it wondering whether or not the repairman was coming to fix my gas fireplace--again. So I cleaned up a bit only to find a credit card bill I had neglected to pay on time because I was having the neck and migraine problems. I sorted that out, fortunately, and began to do a bit of cleaning---far more neglected than the credit card bill. Then, Nick, the young man I've hired to do some work called to let me know he would be over in about an hour.

So, I was stuck at home. Waiting for something to happen.

Nick called again to tell me he was lost. He's still not familiar with the roads around here. A bit later, I called the gas company to find out if the repairman was really coming--which he wasn't--and then finally made it outside to do horsey things.

Nick's arrival circumvented riding for a time as I had to supervise him into beginning the job of leveling at least one stall and resetting the rubber mats. Over time, the stalls had developed sunken places. I had to get him his tools, try to find a pair of gloves that fit him--never did--and then help get the stall stripped.

Finally, with the day waning fast, I saddled up Chance--who kept trying to "help" Nick, and give him a short ride. Still no luck on getting him to drop his head, but that will come with time and patience. I think I need to long line him a bit more.

Tucker was waiting for me when I got back into the barn. So I saddled him up. Whatever was on his mind I'll never know because when I put my leg on, he balked. When I pushed some more with a totally loose rein, he reared up a bit and still wouldn't go. So, I turned him around and offe he went on the left rein. He was still off and on a bit crabby but did some most obedient work overall.

I am just a little concerned that his hind feet may not be completely comfortable. I had his hind shoes pulled with the last shoeing, hoping for a bit better traction on the ice and snow--should we have any. He may not be quite solid on them. The ground has been frozen for at least two nights now and with all the hoofprints left in the mud hardened into bumps, it might have given him some discomfort. I'll keep an eye on him.

The temperatures are going up again this week. Hopefully I'll get some good rides in.

Why?

It's Happened Again

The week before my trainer is supposed to come down to give lessons, and I end up flattened with a migraine, preceded by several days of a miserably sore neck and meetings I needed to attend.

So, guess what! Tucker hasn't been worked since Tuesday when I long lined him, and Chance hasn't been worked since Sunday.

I don't really worry too much about either one, however. Chance is a quiet fellow and doesn't have enough training to show off. As for Tucker, he has more than once proven he is quite a solid ride after some time off. He's pretty fit, so he won't get worn out, and I am sure he will do all he is asked. It's nice to feel confident about it all for a change.

Then again, Chris, my trainer, is coming to my house, if plans work out as anticipated. (It will all depend on how many of his other students can ride since at least two horses have been laid up for at least a month with injuries.) It is hunting season, and if the deer hunters are out and about, that may distract Mr. Easily Amused Tucker. (Does that spell MEAT?) Chris drives down from Massachusetts, some 5 hours, to train us, so it's not worth his while unless he has a full schedule. Here's hoping as I am not sure the weather will hold for another shot at lessons at my house until Spring. This is the only way he can teach me on Tucker and Chance and give Kelly, the young rider from the farm across the woods a lesson as well.

In the meantime, the heavier weight orange sheets were much appreciated last night as the mini snowstorm blew in. Who knew? It was cold enough for winter blankets this morning, but the sun seemed to be warming things up again, so the sheets stayed on. I keep hoping the other set of lightweight orange ones will show up soon. They would be perfect over a blanket.

Don't know if Iwill ride today either. It all depends on whether or not the winds have died down. I can't tell much from my tiny windows here at school, but the tree branches still seem to be dancing.

Just my luck.

Orange Sheets

But Not All Flourescent


Well, one set of orange sheets came yesterday. They are of good quality and lined, so they have a bit of weight to them, much like a Warlock.

Toby and Chance are now sporting them for hunting season. Tucker, though, is still dressed in the lighter weight sheet I ordered from Chick's Saddlery. It is a brilliant flourscent orange, much brighter and much more visible than the other Boys' coats. It is a lightweight, unlined waterproof sheet and I must say, I am very impressed with its quality, appearance and price.

Hopefully, I will be getting the two others I ordered as well because if ever there was a safety sheet for hunting season, this one is it. I can put another sheet or blanket under it for added warmth if I need to, and if the weather is warmer, as this season seems to be, it is still suitable. If Chick's doesn't get the orange ones in this week, they may send me pink ones instead. While the herd won't match, I don't think any hunter will mistake one of my Boys for a deer dressed in these colors.

Monday is the off riding day and I was back at the chiropractor in the morning. Then, after school, I had a young man drop by who is going to do some work around my little farm. I need some good strong muscle power to do some floor leveling under my very heavy rubber mats. I also have some muddy spots that need fill and a fence to repair.

Nick seems enthusiastic. His dad, whom I met at the chiropractor, wanted him to do some good hard work somewhere, so hopefully, I will be able to get a few of the chores done that are just too heavy for me to handle.

The weather seems to be holding. My trainer, Chris Warner, should be coming down from Massachusetts here to New Jersey on Saturday. I am hoping we can have a lesson at my house. That way, Chris can see Chance and we can work him a little. Kelly, the young rider can also hack her horse over to take a lesson as well. She teachers little ones in the mornings and can't afford to lose the income to take a morning lesson with Chris. Usually, we trailer over to a farm with an indoor about 20 minutes away. If the weather is nice, we can use my ring, save the trailering and solve the problem of how to do three horses since my trailer only carries two.

Addition from Tuesday, December 5

I long lined Tucker and he was a doll. He really is a beautiful horse and I think he is finally maturing metally to match his physical presence.

I put the heavier orange sheet on him too because it is much colder than anticipated. Now everyone matches. Cute little bundle of carrot-like horses.

Two Days in the Saddle

In and Out of the Arena

My neck still isn't right, but at least the headache part is gone, so I was up to riding again.

Not Friday, though. By the time I got home the rain and wind were already starting, so I just gave up and let Mother Nature have her fun.

But it didn't rain too much, so the footing in my riding ring was great. I rode Chance first and challenged him with a much longer session of trot. Little by little, the steering is getting better and he is offering to drop his head now and then. Obviously, his tempo is far from steady, varying from very forward to slo-mo, but in general, I was able to keep him trotting.

I totally confused Tucker by asking him to start off with his head up. He just stood there, his feet planted to the ground. He closed in on a tantrum and reared a little, but I put him into a tiny circle and finally got him going. As an experiment it was a failure. Once I stretche him down and pushed him on, I could elevate him with far more success. He still tries to stop on his forehand, but I am more and more able to correct that.

I worked Toby in the ring as well. I just ride him in an easy training level frame now, but it's so much fun being able to do flying changes whenever and wherever I want. He is a blast. What a great horse to learn from.

Sunday, the day before deer hunting season, allowed me to ride out into the woods again. I took all three of the Boys on the same 20-25 minute trail. Everyone was perfect, although I have to remember to steer Chance a bit more than the more seasoned fellows or else he kind of wanders off the track. He really acted as if he was having a good time. What a sweetie.

I have ordered flourescent orange sheets for everyone. Tucker's arrived on Friday. I had an older small one for Chance, so he is in orange, and Toby, for now is in red while we await the United Parcel Service delivery. Equiteric notified me they shipped on Friday, so with luck Toby will be in safety orange in a day or so. I always worry during the deer hunting season.

I must admit, Tucker stood out like a lightbulb in the pasture when I saw him as I came home from church. The orange is absolutely electric. I'll have to try to get a picture when the whole gang is similarly dressed.