A Pair of Riding Horses

Summer Sunday

It was kind of hot today, but not humid so I was pretty tolerable. Still I waited until evening to ride.

I'd kept the poles in the arena and the little jump, but "someone" had dismantled everything during the night. I went out first, reset the poles and moved the little jump to a better location. About five minutes later, Chance went into the arena and took the jump back apart, scattering the poles and blox all over the place. Ah, well.

I saddled Tucker up first and started off with some really nice flat work. He was quite willingly round, had a nice forward trot and, at least on the left rein, a good canter and counter canter. The right lead was a little problematic when I tried the counter canter as he kept breaking, but some hissing and determination on my part eventually got him all the way 'round the arena twice on the counter lead, so I left it alone for the day.

The trotting pole work was nice and clean, despite the distraction of a visiting rooster from my neighbor's house. The bird was exploring the far end of the arena but to his credit, Tucker just kept an eye on him while he kept on working as I asked. I'd lowered the little jump to only about a foot, but Tuck still jumped it instead of stepping over.

Chance was next, and I was really pleased with him. His head went down immediately and all through his trot work, he stayed in a nice little frame. The canter was not quite as steady and his head came up, but I think that's still how he tries to keep his balance. Since the gait is pretty irregular, with varied impulsion and some quickness in the corners, I figure he just needs some practice and repetition to learn how to canter in the frame. I don't believe in working too hard to hold a horse up or together when he's learning how to carry a rider as it's something he needs to figure out on his own.

I think it was V. Littaur who wrote extensively about letting the green horse stabilize himself when he was first under saddle. He advocated riding on a relatively loose rein, giving the horse its head and neck to learn its own balance. I'm not quite that free with my youngsters as I do like to be able to steer, but I don't tend to hold them up or hold them together.

What I like about how Chance is going right now is that he is seeking the bit on his own at the walk and trot, quite willing to stretch down into the contact. The canter will come quickly.

Toby got a carrot even though I didn't work him. He deserves one just for being Toby.

Poles and Fences

Three On the Lunge

I opted for some lunging today. I had decided I really needed to work all three and didn't have the ambition to do all the saddling up.

So, instead I set up a 2 foot high jump and laid out some trotting poles and caught the Boys, one at a time. Today, everyone was playing "catch me if you can" to some degree. I am afraid Toby's semi-evil ways have rubbed off on both Tucker and Chance. Fortunately they are both suckers for a treat, so they are never really impossible to catch.

Tucker was first and, I would say the best over the obstacles. He trotted the poles nicely, stretching his stride and elevating to cover the distance. Then, into the jump he was quiet, soft, and relaxed. He got a little lazy once and knocked the pole down, but on the whole, he managed it really well.

Toby was next and after his flat warmup, he also did the poles well. I probably should have spaced them a big farther apart for him as his stride is really long, but he adjusted well. When he realized we were jumping, he really perked up. Unlike Tucker who will run out now and then, Toby focuses his radar on the obstacle and heads for it with determined enthusiasm. Sometimes there's a bit too much enthusiasm, but he always jumps well.

Chance was quite forward in his warmup, trying to canter off at every opportunity, and he as fussing about whatever bugs or flies were out, but he finally settled down. He cantered the poles the first time through, then with my verbal correction managed to trot them nicely, handling the same spread the Big Boys had done with no trouble at all.

The jump posed no problem at all this time. He is a fast learner as this is only the second time I've asked him to go over something actually requiring a jump. But, it was not perfect and twice, during the session, he headed in and simply forgot to get off the ground, knocking the rail and the blocks holding it all over the place. I will say that each time--once in each direction--he made a lovely effort when I sent him back over, so he has the sense to figure out how to correct his own mistakes.

Everyone earned a tasty carrot, and a good spritz of bug spray.

I'll go back out and tuck them in for the night later with the famous "midnight snack."

ANother Day Gone

School was a Bummer

Came home with a tension headache after a horrendous day at school.

One of the seniors who failed my class with some 60+ days absent and a failing grade point average caused a terrible ruckus. Included were a number of threats against me. I was pretty ugly.

Hopefully, the administrator in charge has found a solution where the girl will make up time and classwork in a modified summer school program suited to her work schedule. She really does need her job, which I understand, but I also could not certify her as passing when she in no way mastered 60% of the course material.

Anyhow, by the time I administered one more final exam, graded that and then calculated all the year end grade averages and submitted the required grades, I was worn out.

Never guess what I didn't do when I got home.

Don't think the Boys care. They look happy.

Nothing to Report

Horses Fine

Me, tired.

Had a long day at school despite its being only a half day. I had two exams to give to two classes. And, I needed to grade them both and figure the grade averages for the year.

Then we had a rather long meeting on school safety procedures.

When I got home, I just had no energy left. Or, no ambition. Or neither of either.

Thoughts: To Caroline--PK is Phillipe Karl, master of the French school of classic equitation.

When I rode with Lockie Richards, he simplified many of the complex riding methods of the world into easily understood concepts. He was himself a master teacher who had hundreds of marvelous techiques to deal with almost any training problem with nearly every kind of horse. (Lockie also rode at the Spanish Riding School a few times and narrated an excellent documentary on the School.)

When we were discussing some of the various ways to ride, he introduced the German school as driving the horse from behind into the bit. The French school worked the horse from front to back, suppling the front end to "allow" the hind end to step forward. He also said some horses were naturally German and others French. Russell R. was more French and worked better if we used those techniques.

Lockie also said that he'd ridden in some of the top German schools and found many of the horses very "strong" to the contact in front. As a matter of fact, he recalled one time when riding with a German master, that he found himself almost not strong enough to maintain the kind of contact his mount demanded.

I always remember these lessons when I am riding and considering exactly what is right and correct. Everyone will talk about "lightness" to the bit, but that is never actually defined. I have always felt my horses were going better when I had some good solid contact on the bit. It would actually be a matter of pounds, not ounces. But, I still tend to ride more "French" in the sense that my horse also needs to be suppled in the front so he can come through from behind. The contact needs to feel "alive" as if at any time I could bend him right or left easily and close up his frame more if I wanted to. I also seem to want to feel a little sense that if I let the rein play out, my horse would want to stretch down and out, not up and out.

Fortunately I was pleased to discover that Gabriel, my new trainer, was happy with the feel Tucker gave him when he worked him on the long lines, and also when he rode him. He had said that watching me ride Tuck, he was not too sure he was taking the bit as much as he should be.

So far, then, so good. Tucker does, however, tend to "lock" his jaw a bit and resist by stiffening thrhough his poll. This is one of the reasons why the long lining, even with an overbend, is good for him as it really does make him give in. When I am on the ground--as Lockie taught me for longlining many years ago--I have much more leverage than I do in the saddle. Planted to the earth by gravity, I have a decided advantage with a horse trying to resist the action of the bit. But, because of that, I must also be tactful and ready to "give" quickly. It's a tricky job, as I said yesterday.

By the by, Kenny Harlow establishes the "give to the bit" as one of the first basic training exercises in the horses he works. The idea is to hold the rein until the horse "drops" its head to the bit. You must release the rein entirely and instantly each time the horse gives even a fraction, until, eventually, the horse's reaction to the lightest touch of the rein is to give to the bit. Dressage does need more contact than that basic "give" creates, but using his (and John Lyons's) basic techniques can make a really positive change in a resistant horse.

OK, I'll get down of the soapbox now. Perhaps tomorrow I will put some of my concepts into practice and do some riding of my own.

Lines Between the Lightning

Or After the Thunder

The timing of the weather fronts is really frustrating. A thunderstorm came through before dark, and at the time I was going to work the horses. I went out to close off the pasture and encourage them to come into the barn for some alfalfa cubes.

About 45 minutes later, the rain stopped, so I went back out to longline Tucker. I felt he needed to do some really round, submissive work.

I started him off on a small circle around me, using the lunge whip to encourage him to engage his hind end. Wow! We had about 4 circuits of really upper level, collected trot. I didn't press for more of that and let him out on the large circle first to stretch a bit for a warm up and then to work into the frame.

At first it was pretty good, but then he started to swing his hind end out instead of tracking under his body. This is a relatively new evasion, so I dropped the outside rein to the lower ring of the surcingle and took it around his hind end to get some lateral control and to keep encouraging those hind legs to step under.

Essentially, the session went well except for two issues. The first was Chance's and Toby's shenanagins in the adjacent paddock. They were goofing around and periodically took off in a made gallop which sent Tucker off into a mad gallop until I could get him back under control.

The second issue is a chronic one I haven't quite figured out how to solve. When Tuck submits to the reins he tends to overbend. Sometimes, he drops quite low. I can generally kind of snap him back up with a correction on the outside rein, but that doesn't always hold and he will overbend again. When he is up and correct, he really looks wonderful and uses himself well. When he overflexes, he is still using himself, but I think he's acutally dropped a little on his forehand or is not really "through" to the bit.

Still, since I do not work him in that frame for more than a few minutes at a time, it is kind of OK. It actually does supple him and work the muscles he needs to develop, so it's not really detrimental. I would, though, just like to see him more consistently work in a more correct, vertical frame.

Again, the mosquitoes came out in force--may have to call the Mosquito Control guy to get some spraying done soon--so I left the other two Boys to their carrots and came back in to report.

At least the day was cool and it seems we will be having similar temperatures for at least a few more days.

Gabriel may be coming on Saturday, so I could have a lesson. Not sure yet, but I am hoping. I really enjoy working with him.

Cool Breezes

Oops....We Forgot

Finally a lovely break in the weather. So, I headed out to ride Tucker. He seemed pleased to be caught even though all three of them were in the farthest corner of the pasture.

I started off with a good session of walk. I tried some walk pirouettes on each hand and Tuck seemed to manage them quite well. But I do need a ground person to check to see if he is correctly stepping with his hind feel instead of simply spinning on one. Pirouettes are a little tricky to get just right, but I am pleased with Tucker's willingness to turn on his hind end.

We moved up to trot. It felt nice and bouncy, with a fairly slow tempo, and a nice round frame. I worked from ten meter circles to leg yield, to shoulder in and then some good half pass.

Then I asked for canter. Things started off well, but I had decided to focus on counter canter to build Tuck's balance. That's where the "ooops" comes in. Tuck has forgotten how to counter canter. With typical Thoroughbred quickness, he has decided I must want some kind of lead change whenever I change direction. He is really trying to please, but at the same time has "switched off" my aids and is simply trying to do something he thinks is right.

The rest of the session was not the prettiest ride I've ever managed. Tuck kept throwing in lead changes--sometimes semi-flying ones--and I just kept trying to ride one circuit of the arena on each counter lead. After about fifteen minutes of schooling, we finally managed to keep each lead, I gave him a pat and quit for the night.

Actually, there is nothing surprising about this as it is one of the problems that can happen when you start to school the changes. That's one of the reasons the counter canter should be well established. Tucker's is...or at least it was....guess we just need to work on it again. *G* What does surprise me is how quickly Tucker figured out the concept of the lead changes and managed to come up with his "attempt to overplease evasion by anticipating" solution to the training challenge. He is as smart as Russell was, if not smarter, and that is quite a compliment to his intelligence. The smart ones are hard to train, but I love it.

I longlined Toby to finish off the evening. The mosquitoes were on the move and hungry. I'm sure I don't need to say it again, but Toby was a star on the lines, despite the bugs. He is such a pleasure to work on the lines it made a perfect ending to the day.

Weather Or Not

Damp Either Way

The heat and humidity together were horrid. All I did was feed the Boys and pick out one stall in the AM and I was soaked with sweat. Mr. Weatherman's prediction of good weather was not right for sure.

I decided to wait for evening to do at least a little work with the Boys.

Well, that was another mistake. I put Chance on the lunge line and managed to get him worked well on the left rein as a nice cool breeze kicked up. It was quite comfy out there and he was working well until...well, big drops of cold rain started falling.

With heavy thunderstorms predicted, and an ominous looking sky, I surrendered once again to Mother Nature, and gave up.

Of course, I had just spent the hour before trying to get Tucker out of the tackroom. Somehow I had forgotten to hook the gate at the far end of the barn and left the stall guard off the tack room door. I found a 16.3 h horse happily raiding the grain bin, wedged into a 10' wide room with cabinets on both sides. Needless to say, the place was a wreck. I drove the tractor out from under the shed roof, cleared everything from the door leading out to the lawn, and tried to convince Tuck to come out that way. He tossed his head, hit the top of the door and stalled. He wouldn't come forward and he wouldn't back up. He was totally stuck in there.

Goodie. The floor is only 1/4 inch plywood over beams and he'd already put a hoof through the floor twice in earlier raids, so this was getting dangerous. I had a 4ft X 4ft piece of plywood over the holes, reenforcing the floor but there were still several places where another errant hoof could spell disaster for horse and floor.

I was nearly at my wit's end and Chance, who was in the aisle of the barn, was not helping by trying to get in the tack room behind Tuck. So I went into the barn from the outside door to get him out of the way. I shooed him back outside, turned around, and saw Tucker's head sticking out into the aisleway. Somehow, he had managed to turn himself around. That should have been a impossible task considering how narrow the space was, but apparently my big boy is quite agile. Thankfully, he stepped back down into the barn aisle and saved himself.

Mental note. ALWAYS close the stall guard into the tack room.

Sweating it Out

Shoulda Ridden Earlier

I waited a bit too long this morning to ride, so by the time I went out, it was getting kind of warm out there--upper 80's. But the humidity is still down, so I figured working in the heat would do some conditioning for us both...or trice.

I rode Tucker first and he is still working well even with a week off due to the heat. As a matter of fact, he tried to do some flying changes right from the start. He didn't quite get it, but the mere fact that he offered is a big step. His trot work, shoulder in, haunches in, half pass and all is making really good progress as he is getting rounder and rounder and activating his hind end more and more willingly.

The canter is also improving as he is finding his balance better and better. The simple changes are more solid as well which is another big accomplishment. All these things are signs that Tucker is transferring his weight to his hind end and learning better how to correctly engage. We did several sessions of counter canter, and while the left is better, the right lead is also getting stronger.

Even though it was getting hotter, I saddled up Chance. He's lost a little of the steadiness we'd had in his last ride, but he is not throwing his head around at all. I kept the overall ride short but incorporated a good selection of training exercises including a number of canter departs on each lead. When I was training Tucker, I used a "hiss" to give a vocal cue for canter. It is an aid I can resort to in the show ring as only the horse can hear it. Each time I wanted Chance to canter, I used that "hiss" and soon we had a nice prompt depart. The nice thing is that nearly every time, he took the correct lead with only about one misstep on the right rein.

I finished up with some trot/halt/trot transitions and called it a day.

If I decide to work Toby, it will be later when evening cools things off again.

No Report

Hot Day in School: Thursday

Well the cool off is not so cool off. I ended up staying in my classroom all day and it was wearing.

Thought I would ride after the sun started to set.

I fell asleep on the couch instead--hope my chiropractor doesn't read this.

Guess the heat got to me after all.

The Boys are, however, going out to the pasture occasionally. This after about five days of simply standing in the barn.

And I wonder why my training is going so slowly.....*sigh*

The last day of school for the summer is June 24th, so after that I can ride in the morning or whenever I so choose. That always makes it easier when the weather is hot.

Perhaps Later

At Least It's Cooler.....

Relatively speaking, that is. Still upper 80's. Got home a bit late and I have a meeting soon, so the horses did not get any work...yet. If the meeting closes early enough, I will at least lunge Tucker in the cool, cool, cool of the evening.

To follow up Caroline's story of Zip and his nap, when I went out for later night feed last night--or this morning around midnight, Chance was napping in his stall. He didn't bother to get up when I turned the barn lights on. I put his hay in and he just lay there, reaching over to munch on it. He was so comfy and adorable I simply could not disturb him by making him get up to eat his feed out of the tub. So, I poured it on top of the pile of hay.

Well, that suited Chance just fine and he started eating the feed too, without bothering to get up. I guess it's OK if he eats in bed? Talk about the easy life. *sigh*

I'll Say It Again

It's Still Too Darn Hot

They closed school for half a day. Pretty dramatic. Classes were hardly going on anyhow as most teachers and students were clustering in the rooms with air conditioning, including the auditorium.

I had a room with AC myself, so my students just sat back and relaxed. I did vocabulary with my freshmen and my seniors are still watching "The Prestige." Fascinating film even the second time around. The kids really seem interested in it.

Horses? Standing in their stalls (12' X 12' boxes) with the fans blowing on them. Although Toby and Tucker were together when I got home. Chance was in his own stall looking quite content with his mane blowing in the fan breeze.

Toby looked a little worn, though. I think the heat got to him a bit more than the others.

But, thunderstorms and a "cold front" are on the way tonight. "Cold" is relative as the temperature is supposed to only go down to the 80's, but that's almost a 20 degree drop! And the horrible tropical humidity is also supposed to go away.

Unloaded some alfalfa cubes, cleaned the stable, unhitched the truck and put it in the garage, (in case of hail), and came back in the house dripping with sweat.

Anyone want a free sauna? Come to New Jersey!

100 Degrees and Counting

It's Too Darn Hot

But, bless my school Principal who gave me an air conditioned room to teach in. I was on his list of people who need to be rescued from horribly hot classrooms.

Meanwhile, the Boys are hanging out in the barn in front of their fans. The heat is supposed to break tomorrow night with thunderstorms, so I am hoping the forecast is right on.

So, I will take the time to hold court on the flying change, counter canter issue. I've read several articles about it since which do hold with the principles of training I have always believed in, so that always makes me feel good.

The idea, is to develop the flying change out of the counter canter, and only when the counter canter is established. This is to develop a straight and correct flying change.

Interestingly enough, when I did get the two lovely changes from Tucker, both came from a very well balanced and engaged counter canter. I collected him in the counter canter, switched the bend and the leg aid probably at just the right time, and there it was.

Now, I do have the advantage of having trained three other horses to change and have Toby as a well established "flying changer" to ride to settle my brain around just when I need to give the aid. You really need to ask when the horse is off the ground, just ready to strike through with what will be the new leading hind leg. And, of course, the horse has to respond to the new leg aid with a surging, longer stride on that hind leg to get the change. Sounds complicated, but if you do ride a trained horse, it is surprisingly easy to "feel" just the right moment.

With Tucker, the big thing is the balance. If he is light on his forehand and engaged in back, and able to collect the gait, he can manage. One of the articles suggests that before you train the changes, the horse needs to be able to counter canter a ten meter circle. That is, if you think about it, a rather challenging exercise. I am reasonably sure Tucker can manage that on the left lead, but I doubt his right lead can handle it.

As a cool aside, here, I taught PJ the flying change by using the half pass. He simply could not get the concept from counter canter, nor changes of direction (used with Toby and Russell R.) so I had to adapt. I would do a half pass from the centerline to the rail, riding it with slight bend so at the end the change of bend would not be a huge change. Then I cued with the outside leg, changed the bend, and he got it. Very interesting. Again, all dependent on some of the other basic exercises being firmly established before challenging him with the changes. He too was very good at the changes, but, unlike Toby, did tend to get a little rattled sometimes at the tempis. If he got worked up, he'd miscue. Toby would go like a metronome. But that was mainly a difference in temperament rather than training.

Be assured, once this weather breaks, I will be back in the saddle testing the theories. And I will definitely be working that counter canter to make sure it is solid and correct on both leads with an emphasis on the right to develop his strength.

I did mow the lawn last night, so things don't look quite so out of control as far as the grass goes.

Don't know if I am up to any outdoor work challenges tonight. It's just too darn hot.

And the Heat is On

90+ Degrees, And That's in the Shade

Took a lesson yesterday, and it was horribly hot.

On the plus side, besides the temperature, Tucker was really good. Gabriel kept insisting he is looking better and better both physically and in his training.

The trot work was great with Tuck willing to step more and more under himself with a quicker stride behind which is the basis for collection. And, he is carrying himself in a more elevated frame. What pleased me as well is that because of the heat, we took a number of walk breaks, and each time Tucker gave me minimal problems going back up into the frame to work again.

Then we moved on to canter as I wanted to try the flying changes. We did a number of canter walk canter transitions and a stretch of counter canter on each lead. Gabriel agrees that counter canter will help strengthen Tuck's prolematic right lead as will a lot of transitions.

Then we tried the changes. Gabriel had me do a 10 meter half circle reverse back to the wall, change the bend and make an obvious "swing" with my legs to the new lead canter aid. Tucker kind scuffled the change behind and then kind of scuffled for the change in front, and that was on the "bad" side. On the good side we got something akin to a change but definitely not what I'd had at home, but that's OK. Then we tried the bad side again. This time, Tucker leapt into the air with his hind end and, according to Gabriel, I checked him in front istead of pushing him on, and lost the offer he'd given me. Ah, well, when you feel as if you are going to be bucked out of the saddle, I guess checking is sort of a typical reaction. *G*

I decided that was enough mostly because the heat was unbearable and both Tuck and I were wilting.

Proof postitive when we went back to try a little lateral work at the trot and Tuck was out of gas on the second rein. He quit at the shoulder-in/haunches in combo and did it at a walk. Then, we did get the diagonal to the half-pass at the trot, so I figured that was enough. Besides, if muscle fatigue was setting in because of the heat, Tucker was being smart. The last thing I need is for him to collapse on his stifle again.

One of my friends who takes lessons too was watching and was totally blown away at how much Tucker has changed too. She hasn't seen him in several months.

I guess it's for real. I really do know how to develop a dressage horse. *S*

Short Time on the Long Line

Two on a Circle

I had to go back to school tonight to see a student performance, so my time was limited.

The ring was pretty soggy with a number of puddles from yesterday's rain. So I decided to lunge.

As ever, Chance came first to be caught so I worked him first. He has improved remarkably on the lunge line, willingly moving nicely forward at all three gaits in both directions.

Tucker was next. He is a bit lazy out there so I just let him warm up at a slow trot and ended the trot session with some more vigorous work. His canter is always interesting. The left lead is definitely stronger than the right. He was carrying himself well up on the left. On the right, he doesn't hold himself as well and, he has a tendancy to cross canter. He sort of takes a one skip stride, trot move with the left hind and "zap," he's on the right lead in front and the left lead in back. Tonight, for the first time, I made a strong correction immediately both with my voice and with the rein. He caught on quickly with his body and brain connecting to quickly correct himself.

This just confirms my belief that he needs to build up his strength in that right hind. Counter canter with inside bend is a good exercise as are many many half halts and transitions to trot and back up on that lead. Time and effort should make a big difference.

Had to laugh when I got home again tonight after the concert. Tuck and Toby were standing forlornly at the locked arena gate. I had closed it in anticipation of forcast thunderstorms so they could not get out to the open, hilly pasture. Chance was nowhere to be seen, but all three fence rails at the gate were knocked down. (These rails were not so securely nailed in, I fear.) Now, essentially this meant that the only barricade between the arena and paddock was about nine inches of fallen fence rails, and obstacle quite easy to step over. I will presume that Chance, being the most creative of the three, had figured that out and gone out to the pasture to graze.
Meantime, the two big boys, entirely repspectful of the concept of "fence" simply could not wrap their minds around either jumping or simply stepping over the fallen rails.

As soon as I opened the gate, they quite eagerly headed out, probably to meet with the third member of the team. Of course, it was dark, so I am only surmising, but it surely did look suspicious.

Oddly enough, I remember Russell, even as a very experienced jumper, stopped in his tracks by one fence rail left up in the fence line at the height of only about ten inches.

Strange and amusing. Three horses I've known--and I think PJ did something similar--that truly believe a fence is supposed to keep them on the other side.

Doesn't Look Like Promising Weather

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head

Had a chiropractor appointment after school, then decided to do some shopping--like I really needed anything.

It was off and on rainy all day, but by the time I came home, it was definitely on.

Since I fed the Boys late--6:45 or so, I can't work anyone for at least an hour. I was thinking of doing a bit of lunging anyhow since I'd had myself adjusted. But, if it keeps raining, I may have to give up that idea.

Guess I just have to wait and see which way the weather turns.

What Was He Thinking

Or With a Thoroughbred is That an Oxymoron?

I collected Toby first for a ride thinking, because of the mosquitoes, that I'd ride the dirt road between the farm fields. The road parallels my pasture fence at some distance, then turns right, eventually ending up across from the end of my pasture, but again at a good distance.

Now, mind you, Toby has done this ride dozens and dozens of times. I ride the length of the road, then turn around a ride back for a total of about 15 minutes. If I let him graze on the farmyard grass (the road ends at the farmhouse up the road from me) it's a bit longer, but it's just a little relaxing hack.

Not tonight. Tucker and Chance were out in the pasture--where Toby had left them and where they usually are. When we were partway along the last leg of the dirt road, he looked across the field and saw them! He's seen them before. Tonight, they must have been wearing Halloween costumes or something. Up when his head, over went his body and he got that dreadful bounce in his back presaging a buck. He was starting to bounce around, totally absorbed in the fact that there were other HORSES on the horizon. What was Toby thinking? Who did he think they were? He was going into frenzy mode.

I had no choice. I dismounted. I know far too well that I simply cannot sit his bucks. Good thing. I had a heck of time trying to lead him back home as he was spinning around me, totally fixated on those HORSES in the pasture. It was ridiculous.

Once we'd hiked home, I climbed back into the saddle and started to ride him in the arena. Suddenly, Tucker and Chance came galloping into the arena at top speed--I'd not closed the gate--Toby simply stood there and looked at them as they charged past. I guess he finally recognized them. *sigh* Somehow, I managed to herd them back out, close the gate and then put in nice little work session with the senior member of the little happy herd.

I rode Tucker next, and just kind of played around with him, testing his responses to my aids. We did shoulder-in, half-pass and turns on the haunches at the walk. Then I went right to canter and did a series of repeated half halts, then canter walk canter transitions over and over on each lead, focusing on keeping him light to the rein and equally light to the leg. Then, I picked up the left lead, encouraged some quality and did a half circle reverse to the rail, asking for a flying change. There it was, front and back, lovely and controlled. I dropped back to a walk after a few strides, praising him mightily.

I wish I could say the effort from right lead to left was as successful, but it will be fairly soon. The touble, I think, is that he does not have the same balance or ability to carry himself on the right lead and tends to try to drop to his forehand. Again, this is the side with the weaker stifle, so I really do have to build him up before I can expect more from him. It's just going to take some time and strength.

I did a little trot work which, after all the cantering was really quite nice with a round, light, bouncy feel to it.

I thought about riding Chance but opted out. I think I need to build my own strength and fitness as well.

Interesting night...I think...even if Toby didn't.

Monday, Funday

Two for the Ride

Felt much more awake today. Good thing as school was as busy as ever.

Then, for some strange reason, I decided to do a little shopping after work. Spent some time trying on clothes at the mall, bought a few things I surely didn't really need, then decided to go get my hair cut.

It was a rather warm day, bordering on hot, so I figured I'd wait to ride until later in the evening. Actually, I didn't go out to ride until around 8 PM. It was really cool and lovely out there. I saddled up Tucker first and rode him without the ring lights for the first half my my schooling session. He was really a good boy. I put him on the bit from the start with minor protest on his part and then he bounced off into a nice forward trot that only got better as we continued. I did serpentines, circles, shoulder-in and haunches in. Then worked the shoulder-in, ten meter circle, haunches in. Tuck has a little difficulty doing the haunches in on the left rein, the same side he finds challenging for the half-pass. I suspect moving his right hind leg over and under might be a little hard for him as that's the stifle he was sore on. I think it's just a matter of strength and suppling, though, so I'll just take it slowly.

Then I walked him on a long rein and put the ring lights on. When I picked up the rein again, he protested, but it was short lived. Again, he trotted off with a bounce. I had decided I'd finish with a few figure eights at the canter with a simple change or a one trot stride change. I didn't quite expect what finally happened. When we crossed the center line, he felt so balanced I decided to try a flying change. I just gave a little tap with my whip when I asked and suddenly, there it was!! Not perfect by any means, as he came off the bit, but it was a solid flying change, left lead to right. It was soft and relaxed. I cantered on a few more strides, brought him down to walk, and with a ton of praise for a job well done, dismounted and gave him a big hug.

I think the changes are really going to be easy for him. The simple change is getting pretty solid as he drops right to walk from canter and, as always, picks up the new lead without any trouble. That may have made the difference with the flying change, but we will see. One "fly" does not tempi changes make.....*G*

I saddled up Chance next after spraying him with the "evil, scary" fly spray which, to my delight was almost no trouble at all. I am so glad because I had just started to get him settled into accepting the spray last fall and hadn't used a sprayer on him all winter, so he must have remembered his lessons.

From the first stride, he was down on the bit and a nice little starter dressage frame (Training Level here in the USA.) But even better....he stayed there!! He was really steady on the bit, in a nice forward trot. What a pleasure!! I asked for just a little canter and things got a bit messy on the left rein at the depart, mostly because he didn't respond to my leg aids. Duh!!! When I asked on the right lead and added the word, "canter" to the aid, the depart was almost instantaneous. He's not quite able to keep his little frame at the canter yet, but he's not far from it. I was actually surprised as I hadn't ridden him for several days. Apparently he must do some thinking during his time off because he improves every time I ride him. I honestly felt tonight that I could have competed in good standing in a walk-trot starter class with him, he was that solid.

I am very excited about Chance right now. He may end up in the show ring yet!

I was awed with the way all three Boys looked tonight. Their coats are absolutely gleaming--and that's with minimal grooming. I don't know if the feed I've changed them to has anything to do with it, or if I just forget from year to year how wonderful they look after shedding their winter coats.

I love my Boys.

Oh, yes, as I was feeding Chance his carrot and blocking the stall door so Tucker couldn't go in to steal it, Tuck's head went up and he headed for the arena where the lights were still on. I caught a glimpse of something running across the sand...something with a white plume of a tail. I do suspect it was a fox, rather startled to find itself in the "spotlight!!" I had to laugh at Tuck. When I went out to the arena, he came right along behind me as if to say, "I saw it. Did you? Do you think we can find it? You stay in front, I'll watch your back."

Under the Weather

Me and the Weather

Saturday had predicted thunderstorms all day. After running a bunch of errands in the morning, I came home, lay down for a few minutes, fell asleep and missed the daylight. Then it was raining, so no horsie stuff.

Sunday I drove out for a saddle demo at a long time friend's house, came home, fed the Boys, lay down for a bit and fell asleep and missed the daylight....again....nice day too.

I think I must have had a bug or something. Feeling much perkier today. Of course, it's getting warmer out, so riding will be even more exhausting. Still, I have a lesson on Saturday...maybe, do I'd better tune up.

Be back later with the report.

Up. Up. and Over

A Tale of Three Jumpers

I decided to lunge everyone tonight. I also decided to have some fun, so I set up a little jump made from my blue plastic barrels with slope poles as wings so the line wouldn't catch when my Boys jumped.

Chance was first in and is the most inexperienced jumper. He really has improved immeasureably with his lunging and is almost even on both the right and left reins. He will still drift out on the right, but it's really not bad anymore. With a nice warmup at trot and canter, I set him at the jump on the left rein. Well, challenged as he was by the height--probably about 2'3" or so, more than he's jumped before--he somehow managed to lift himself over. Well, the pictures of his father show marvelous form with knees up to his chin. I don't think Chance inherited that attribute. Or, is just could be he had absolutely no idea what to do with his legs. It wasn't a pretty picture. But, it wasn't a disaster either, and as we went on an eventually moved on to the right rein, he improved considerably. The big issue, I think was, that he couldn't quite figure out how to really jump off his hind end, so the front had to do too much of the lifting and couldn't quite get out of the way. Still in all, he was willing, able, and certainly showed an ability to handle it. Were I interested, I have a feeling I could school him into a pretty able jumper and, I also think his form would really improve.

But I'm not. At least not any more. I used to ride hunter/jumpers and I even evented in my younger days. I've been over some pretty big fences in my day--5' plus--and I loved it. But there is a risk there I no longer care to take. Sometimes I miss those "wings" and all that "flying" but I'll enjoy Caroline's experiences instead.

Tucker was in next and of the three, he would probably be the best looking over fences. His first jump, his knees were way up and his heels practically hit his girth area. He really uses his front end well and definitely jumps off his hind end. The other nice thing is that he seems to be very quiet and pretty bold about tackling things in a calm manner. I'm not keen on horses that want to rush to a fence and he doesn't seem to do that at all. He'd be fun, but I'd worry about his soundness. He did have surgery to correct a club foot. so that would be a concern, although my vet said it would never be a problem. His foot size and shape are kind of like Russell R.'s too and eventually Russell developed navicular which I attribute to the many, many fences he jumped.

Toby is definitely the most athletic jumper of the team. He is neat with his front legs and really has a nice bascule. But, when he takes off, he looks as if he could "jump the moon." There is an ease and strength that makes it look so easy. I his not quite as elegant as Tucker but impresses with his sheer ability. He will get quick to a fence and if he makes a mistake can get a bit rambunctious. The only time I really jumped a course in the show ring with him, he placed 2nd, so I know he probably would have been a good prospect. He has nice sized feet and has proven to be really sound for all these years. However, he has a cowardly streak about new things and can be super quick and athletic about a runout or stop. He would have needed a lot of work--like Jazz--to settle him into accepting new things. His spooks are still unpredictable and dramatic.

It was really fun and interesting to watch all three doing the same exercises tonight. Once again, I was struck by how lucky I am to have three such nice horses. They are so easy to train and such a joy to work with. Frustrations come, of course, but I always seem to find an answer. It took a long time to get Tucker to be a "happy camper" but it was worth it. Now, I can just kind of "play" and enjoy the journey.

A Nice Ride

Tucker Is a Star

I rode just one horse tonight. Don't know why, but I guess I was just a little lazy.

Anyhow, it was worth it. Tucker was a pleasure to ride. I had some nice trot work, with very forward strides and a feeling of "eagerness" on his part. I did shoulder-in, haunches in, leg yield and "beginner" half pass with him as well as some serpentines. Then I moved into canter and again got some good work. But best of all were the two simple changes. He went right down to walk, kept it foward and then took the canter lead with no effort at all.

It was short schooling session, but really productive and fun.

Afterwards, I dragged out the fly sheets and suited everyone up. The bugs are about, and I think that's what's making the Boys tend to hang out in the barn. Actually, since each horse stood quietly to be sheeted without being tied or even brought in from the paddock, I figured they agreed it was time for the "summer outfits."

Hate to Say It

Two Day Migraine Sort of Thingie

My neck went out on Sunday night. The chiropractor was closed on Monday for the holiday. I was miserable all day and then ended up with a stomach thing. Stayed home Tuesday. Went to the doctor and finally felt better by Tuesday night.

No horse report. The Boys are spending daylight hours in their stalls so I guess the flies are starting to bite. Will have to put their fly sheets on and put the fans in the barn.

Mosquitoes!!!

On to Plan B

I wanted to take everyone on a hack, but when I took Toby out into the woods he was attacked by mosquitoes. He is pretty good about it, and tried to trot off, but he kept his wits about him and we took the shortest route home. I trotted and cantered him in the arena for another 5 or 10 minutes and called it a day with him.

Then I saddled up Tucker and went on to Plan B. I decided today to simply keep him in a balanced frame where he was not using my hand for support nor dropping onto his forehand. The walk was fine but when I halted, he went to his front end, so I did a reinback. That wasn't pretty as he had put all his weight on his front legs and gotten stuck in the wrong balance so he couldn't step back. Then, he didn't want to go forward. However, it wasn't much of an issue and once he figured out what I wanted, he was fine. Once we'd sorted out the walk/halt/walk, I pushed him into a very slow, cadenced trot and repeated the exercise I did at the walk. Trot, halt, reinback if he was on his forehand, trot, etc. Once we'd mastered the basics there, I did some canter with the same concept in mind. Tuck can almost canter on the spot, but on the downward transitions he still tends to drop on his forehand. Today, with the reinback exercise, he stayed pretty solid.

I will not do this with Tucker every day as the reinback can cause other problems of its own. It can mess up the halt as the horse will automatically step back, and it can discourage forwardness. However, once in a while as a training exercise, it really does set a horse back on his haunches if he tends to lean onto his forehand.

I then rode Chance, with the goal of simply having him keep his head down towards the bit for the entire ride. I decided as well, not to push him past his "concentration" or stamina point so that he would start to toss his head out of furstration. I was really pleased with him. Although his right turn still needs a strong leading right rein at times instead of working off the outside, left rein, he kept himself in a nice little, though sometimes erratic, frame on the bit without bringing his head up. The only little mess was when I asked for the left lead canter and he lurched into it instead of doing a decent depart.

Chance is, in general, taking the canter from a leg aid, so that's really good for a young horse. Today, I only rode him for, at most, fifteen minutes. Since nothing went wrong, and he tried for every stride, I have absolutely no complaints. He is coming along just fine.

Real Work

On a Nice Saturday

I had two good rides today.

Tucker was first and after a long and low warmup, I asked him to come up onto the bit and do some more serious work. He was a little sluggish at first and wanted to drop down onto his forehand, but some shoulder in got him stepping under better. Then I rolled into the canter and did a few transitions. He lightened up enough for me to practice a series of simple changes first on a figure eight and then on shallow half circles back to the rail. It did not drill him, or overschool because I know he is just coming off nearly three weeks of layoff. Still, I was quite pleased with the fact that he really hasn't lost much of the schooling I was working on before his gravel. It is now just a matter of getting his fitness and strength back up to par.

I rode Chance next and from the first asked him to walk down and round. He was little silly at the start and kept trying to rush off into the trot, but it didn't take long for him to settle into a nice round walk. Only then did I ask for trot and again, he stayed round.

He still takes a good hold of the right rein, and doesn't step as well to the left rein, but it is always getting better. When I wanted to canter, I simply gave the leg cue and he hopped right off on the correct lead in both directions. As usual, the right lead was a little less coordinated and just before I was going to stop, he fell into the trot, completely disorganized. This time I just pushed him back to canter without worrying if he was settled again. It wasn't pretty, but he took the lead, finished another half circle and then, on my cue, went back to trot. He was tossing his head and fussing with the bit at that point. I'm not totally convinced it is entirely because of a balance issue. Sometimes, I think he just decides he's had enough work and protests by flipping his head around. I gave him a sharp correction which seemed to surprise him, but he did have second thoughts and dropped back down to the bit.

The left lead was softer, but I do need to work on his bend in that direction. Again, it's a relatively easy fix. At the rate Chance is coming along, I would be likely to be able to compete at Training Level (walk/trot/canter) in mid summer if I wanted to. However, with the rising costs of gasoline and everything else, I doubt I'm going to show too much. It's no big deal to me anymore as a test of my own training, so unless I really feel I need to prove something, I will not likely be in the show ring.

Imagine, with Toby fit, I actually could have three horses to compete if I wanted to. Pretty cool.

Normally

Normally I'd Be Out There Riding

But...well, I didn't have time last night due to the Honor Society thingie. We did have a really nice dinner and the ceremony was very pretty with the candles held by all the students.

I was cheered by the audience after I sang the National Anthem and everyone who spoke to me later was mightily impressed. It is both humorous and charming. I have been teaching there for over 30 years and still, many of my colleagues have no idea that I sing. (Mostly at church where I am a sometime soloist, get paid upon occasion for weddings, do summer music thing at other churches, and I have done one paid concert so I guess I am fairly good. I do know my limits, though and would never have been able to have a professional career.) If you've never heard the US National Anthem sung, consider yourself lucky. It is a vocalist's nightmare. Apparently the tune is an old English song (To Anacreon in Heaven) and the lyrics are all one huge sentence totally impossible to phrase so the words make sense. Luckily, I have a pretty big range of notes I can sing well, so I can handle the messy music.

As I said, apparently everyone who heard me thought so too, because even today I was getting compliments. I'm glad. The whole ceremony was for the kids and I was able to set a really good tone for the evening. I really feel blessed to be able to sing like that.

OK, done with the selfish promotion. Came home tonight pretty tired from the week. The weather is still gorgeous out there, but the Boys were all hanging out in their stalls earlier. Don't know if the bugs were out or what, but I was surprised they weren't out in the pasture. So, I fed them right away.

When I went out later to help my neighbor collect the empty feed bags he gives to his feed man, my little herd was happily grazing at the far side of the pasture. They looked so content and happy I just din't want to drag them in.

We do have a three day weekend. Memorial Day is on Monday so there's no school. The forecast is for good weather, so I figure I can make up for some lost training then. I really want to try some quality work with Tucker, but am still just a little unsure of how sound he really is. I want to work him when I feel I have the time to really evaluate that.

Meantime, I need to make some adjustments to Toby's cribbing collar. He has figured out how to crib in his stall with it on without triggering it. The company has offered a suggestion to modify it but I want to take my time trying that as well.

So, with my own tiredness and the happy pasture Boys, I guess I am giving up for tonight.

Three Before the Thunder

I Love My Boys

It was raining when I drove home from school, but when I got home the sun was out. The carpentry teacher from school who is going to build my run-in came shortly thereafter to look over the job specs and the lay of the land. He was a bit taken aback by the leaping and galloping horses since I'd let Tucker out to play---the ground had dried out during the day from really bad mud in the AM. I guess they are pretty impressive and kind of scary when you are not used to it.

Rain threatened again after he left, but I decided to ride. I started with Chance, rushing a bit to tack him up as thunder rolled on the distant western horizon--usually the sure sign a storm is on the way. I put him in a single jointed full cheek snaffle at Patrice's suggestion and he went just fine in it. More and more, each time I ride, he is seeking the bit and keeping his head down in a little young horse frame. I wasn't going to canter, as there were a number of water puddles in the ring and he didn't want to get his feet wet, but in the end he felt so good I did anyhow. We had a little trouble getting the right lead, but no big deal. The right lead canter is now much slower and far more balanced than it was two weeks ago. The left lead is really nice. I am thinking another week of work and he will really steady up. By the time I was done with him, he had worked up a nice little sweat in the suddenly returned sunshine.

I plucked Tucker from the paddock next and he actually seemed quite pleased to be working. He was nice and forward and sound, but there is a little stiffness on the left side. I suspect the two weeks of limping cost him some of his suppleness. I didn't ask for too much except a long reined trot with lots of circles and changes of hand. Then I cantered. Again, the left lead--the side with the hoof issue--was not quite as supple or balanced as the right until we did a bit of work. I am going to be generous with him for the next 5 or 6 rides since I do think the lameness compromised some of the muscling he's been developing. I'll need to work on getting him even again.

Risking the impending rain which seemed to be coming back again, I took Toby out on a nice hack in the woods. He really had a nice forward, energetic walk and wanted to go. There aren't too many places to move out, though, so we stayed in the walk until he decided to canter up a little hill and along the trail on his own. He trotted a little later as well, but I had to pull him up so I didn't lose my leg on one of the trees we needed to wind around. The wood roads would be nice for some faster work if it weren't so muddy and wet. It really does get slippery.

It chilled off half way through the ride, and at the end, began raining, so when we got home, I put waterproof sheets on everyone. Then, it seemed to be ready to rain even more. I put Tucker back in his pen and went to do some quick grocery shopping. When I got home the sun was back out, so I put Tuck out for a few more hours. If the forecast holds for tomorrow, he will have to stay in again. I feel bad, but at this point I just can't risk his hoof/shoes in the mud.

Like Caroline, I didn't have anything too exciting or groundbreaking happen, but I enjoyed every stride. I have three good horses to ride.

Discretion is the Better Part of Valor

And Tuck Takes Off

I had decided to lunge Tucker, mostly to see how sound he was. As it turned out, it was the wiser choice.

First, he looked fine. Maybe a little step or two not quite right, but mostly a good sound, striding out trot. That is, until Toby and Chance decided to some storming in from the pasture. Top speed, they charged through the other side of the arena, then to the paddock, leaping and careening madly.

Thank heavens I wasn't in the saddle. Even on his best days, Tucker could not have ignored the rioting pair. He leaped, bucked, galloped, and generally ripped around me--remarkably not pulling the line out of my hands. The nonsense continued for about five minutes with a few later episodes when Chance decided to leap about some more.

It was cool and windy, so I suppose there was some excuse. The good news is that Tucker did look good.

At that point I decided not to ride anybody but to rather spend the rest of my time lunging. Both Toby and Chance were good boys, I am happy to report, although Chance was kind of excited to start off with and cantered off instead of trotting to the right. At least he took the proper lead.

All in all, everyone, including me, got a good exercise session.

Erratic weather is here today (Tuesday) so I may be stuck, and the rest of the week does not bode much better.

I'll do what I can, but being soggy, cold, and miserable is not my idea of a fine Spring riding session.

Missed the Window

And So Came the Rain

It was lovely this morning, but I had to go to church. On the way home, I had to stop at the feed store to stock up.

Came home, unloaded some 700 lbs. of grain and went into the house to recover a little.

In the meantime, the skies darkened, and within an hour or so, it started to rain--hard.

Tucker was turned out with the others, but when I looked out, everyone was settled in under the run in, so I didn't bother putting him in.

I think the showers will be off and on the rest of the night and, apparently well through tomorrow. Prospects look bleak for much riding.

Had to laugh about Caroline's comment about the border collies. Jack, when he was younger, never did wear out. Now, at 15, he has finally slowed down. But the pup, Mic, just kept going and going like a little windup toy. Scott is great with them, though, and when the dogs travel with him, they usually have the run of the farms where he shoes. Jack was always very well behaved and I am sure Mic will be no exception.

Shoe On Tuck Off

But on the Mend

Scott came late this morning to shoe Tucker. He carved a chunk out of his toe and told me to pack it with epson salts and Betadine. He will be back at the end of the week to do the other Boys and check on him again.

Mic, the little border collie puppy is adorable!! And old Jack has really been revitalized by the kid. They are so cute together. I will post some more pics tomorrow. I do love border collies, but their endless energy wears me out. When Jack was young, he would play "fetch" the whole time Scott was here to shoe three horses. I can see why these dogs are so valuable to the shepherds. I love watching them work the sheep. My friends have a flock of sheep at their house just for training herding dogs. (Not much real sheep herding around here so they compete on special flocks.) It was so much fun watching the dogs work. Honestly, it is absolutely beautiful to see a good herding dog doing his job. Totally awesome.

It appears Tuck's trouble did start in the toe. I don't know if Scott had come sooner if it could have been carved out and treated or if it was already to far gone by the time Tucker became lame. Scott did tell me to call him first if I did have a hoof problem, but I don't know if that would have made a difference in this case. Regardless, Tucker is in good hands now.

He is, though, not 100% sound. He trots sound to the left (the injured hoof is the right front) but going to the right, he is very slightly off. I let him graze on the lawn for the afternoon as his limited turnout. Tomorrow I will put him out with his buddies for a short afternoon if he still looks sound. If not, he will have to stay in.

Because I'd had a chiropractic adjustment after Scott left, I opted out of riding. (It was my neck again.) Instead, I decided to lunge Chance and just catch Toby at least three times. The idea is to catch him and not do anything with him so he doesn't think running off the always the best option.

Chance was lovely on the line. The more I work with him, the more I like him. He really does have nice gaits and carries himself well. He is quite and impressive little horse...who by average horse standards is really not so little at a bit over 15.2 h. I think is will make, should I decide to do it, a really nice dressage horse--perhaps the best I've had. Three solid gaits make the difference here. Toby has three solid gaits but is not physically balanced enough--his neck is set level. Tucker has good balance, a super canter and walk, but a more limited, flatter trot. That will improve, but it will require training rather than capitalize on his natural ability. Chance has an "elevated" front end, a nice neck, good haunches, and those three good gaits. I am really getting enthusiastic about his potential.

Toby was caught as planned, cuddled and carroted. I am sure he is quite pleased with himself.

No Report

Rain and More Rain

Miserable day. Rainy and chilly. Definitely stayed indoors.

Scott is coming to put Tucker's shoe on tomorrow. I am excited not only to have Tucker back in action, but also to see Scott's new puppy!! (Scott with pups. He sent me these pics)I will have my camera in tow if it is dry enough out there and the rain stops. When Scott called tonight, he said little Mic, the pup, was a muddy mess. Apparently old Jack is showing the kid the ropes. Jack is deaf and has some really bad arthritis, but he loves the puppy and, I hope, is teaching him all he knows.

Soggy day off for the clinic boys.

OK, So I Don't Know How to Ride

Clinic Report

Riding with Patrice is a certain ego leveler. Think you know what you're doing? Take a lesson and learn you actually don't.

Because Chance is a "tabula rasa," (blank slate) the goal today was to ride him absolutely correctly so he doesn't learn any bad habits. Think that's easy???

Well, did you know your leg is pretty darn irrelevant in keeping the horse straight? Did you know it's all a matter of your seat and balance? No fidgeting, now, no correcting, just ride right and he will relax and walk straight. Easier said than done.

And then, keeping your elbow down by gravity, under your control, and maintaining an absolutely even, steady contact on the right rein while on a left circle ought to be a cinch too, right? No pulling the left rein to stay on the circle...nope...just the right rein contact and sort of an "expectation" to turn left. Hard to explain, but it does work, after a fashion. The trick is trying to keep the contact correct with a green horse quick to escape or bounce off the bit if my balance or his goes even slightly astray.

If I sound somewhat frustrated, I am, but not necessarily in a bad way. Patrice's meticulous approach to getting a horse straight simply by being totally straight and correct in your own riding, including your seat, leg and the hand is exhausting mental and physical work, but it produces a "correct" horse.

Since I have already trained two crooked horses she's seen, she was particularly hard on me when I rode Chance. He was, by the way, a good boy. A little tense to start off which is where the kind of "dead or super soft leg" approach started off. The idea was for me to be very nonchalant and relaxed whenever he tried to trot off. It really did work, but it was a lot harder than you might expect.

The steering work focused on Chance's tendancy to bulge himself out to the right, so that was really useful. But again, not correcting him with the rein, seat or leg with also a lot harder than it sounds.

Stacie was at least as frustrated. I didn't watch her whole lesson, but again, working to get Toby straight is not necessarily easy either. And, she had some position problems beyond that due to all the time off from riding and practice she's had since Lucky became unsound.

I can only imagine how difficult it must be for her. She has ambitions to become a really good competitive rider--something I really don't care so much about as the journey of training a horse is what I'm about--and not having a horse of her own to ride is no way to get there. What she would like would be a solid, straightforward schoolmaster she could ride and just concentrate on her own position and being absolutely correct. At least, I think that's what she wants.

Wish I had a million dollars so I could find her that horse. I don't need one myself, but I would love to be able to see her with one.

Think I need to buy another lottery ticket.

Another Good Day

Tuck on the Trot

I trotted Tucker for a few strides around me on the lawn and he looked sound. As he still is unshod, I am not planning on riding him, and he will have to stay in his little pen. He is not particularly happy about that, but is also not behaving badly.

Tomorrow morning, Dr. Klayman is coming to do the second round of annual vaccines. I had a call from Dr. Dante on my answering system asking how Tuck was and telling me Dr. Klayman would look him over when he was here so Dr. Dante would get the report that way. What a great veterinary group they are! They really do care about both patient and owner. I have already written a note to leave since I will be at school when the vet comes. I need to add to it that if Dr. Klayman wants to take off the wrap and look at his hoof, that's fine, especially because I will be home before one since we are going to the Patrice Edwards clinic in the afternoon. I can easily rebandage it then.

With Tuck happily mowing my back lawn, I rode Chance. He is progressing rapidly with the basics of "on the bit." The head tossing is decreasing and today, for the first time, when I asked for canter, he actually managed most of the work with his head down to the bit. His right lead is still a little quick but even than is really improving. The left lead has a soft, relaxed feel to it that tells me he is going to have really good canter work as time goes on.

I have to wonder if the man who started him as a three year old might have done some canter schooling. Otherwise, I am truly an amazing trainer myself, because already Chance is taking both the gait and the lead from a very light, single leg cue. He needs a little help in positioning to take the right lead, but it really is no problem at all. I have never really had a problem getting the horses I have trained or ridden to take the correct leads, so it might just be my understanding of the aids and the way the horse needs to be going to take the asked for lead.

I did not work Toby because Stacie came over after work to ride him. When I spoke to her tonight she said she had a good ride. The right lead canter was much better for her, so that's a big plus. Tomorrow's work with Patrice should be a great help.

So once again, another good day at Follywoods.

A Really Good Day

Good News For All Three

First the Tucker report. Tuck continues to heal and looks sound at the walk. I did not trot him as he still has no shoe and I am leery that he might have developed the gravel/bruise when his shoe was off the last time. I may try a little trot test tomorrow if the bandage is still in one piece when I get home.

I turned him out on the lawn to graze for about an hour--after blocking off the carport with the feed in it--and he was really happy to be out and about. He is staying in the little run in shed/stall/pen thingie until he is back to 100%. His hoof and the crack on the coronary band looked good today. I called Scott last night and left a message filling him in on everything. Now it's just wait and see.

I lunged Chance after dinner and he has come along amazingly well since about a month ago when lunging was almost out of control. He did some excellent trot and canter on both hands and was completely under control. He was great!

I do have to admit I think he is quite pleased about his new role and the lessons. He is practically beaming with self-confidence and seems to be relating to me more and more each time I handle him. He comes willingly when I call and actually acts as if he wants to work. It's as if he knows he is a star and wants to bask in the accolades. He deserves it. He is one grand little horse.

Toby decided, after reading Caroline's blog, to play "Catch me if you can," all over the pasture when I went out to collect him. Chance did not help at all since he thought the game was "gallop to the far end as fast as you can." I just kept walking after them, pushing Chance aside every time he came to see what I wanted. After perhaps fifteen minutes of this, Toby decided all the effort just wasn't worth it and he let me walk right up to him and put on his halter.

I gave him a nice lunging session which was, as always, perfect. He is such a gentleman and so responsive, it's a pleasure to stand in the center of the circle and just watch him go.

Carrots all around finished up the evening. The weather was gorgeous. The day had warmed up to the 60's and there was a light breeze blowing. The only downside was that there were a few insects--maybe some kind of gnats--buzzing around to be annoying now and then if the breeze stilled. Those six legged critters are the big downside of the nice weather.

I am happy as can be with my Three Boys.

Blowout!!

At Last!

Tucker has a good sized crack about in inch or so long in his coronary band right in the front center of his hoof. The abscess/gravel has finally blown.

It was raining and really windy this morning, so I left the poultice on since it still looked nice and neat and there was plenty of cotton to absorb any discharge. Tonight, when I brought him out to change it and soak his foot, he was almost completely sound. I would suspect that a big opening in the coronary band might still be a little sore.

He was quite cheery and his eye was quietly content for the first time in days. He was also a very good boy about standing well with his soaking boot on, not really spilling too much of the soak tonight. I suspect it might have felt good to have that sore spot in the warm water.

I rebandaged the whole foot with lots of Ithammol on the coronary band. I don't want to take any chances of his doing damage to his unshod foot while the rest heals. I have him stalled in the side stall with the little pen set up under the run in roof where he will stay until he is fully healed and reshod.

The weather was really nasty today. Cold, rainy and windy. Suffice it to say that after shivering all day in school--guess the heat was off for the season since it had been hot last week--I did not even think about riding. I'm not sure it's going to dry out by tomorrow either. Hard to say how much work the two lesson horses are going to get before Thursday's clinic.

Still Tuck's almost smiling face made the sun shine on my day. What a relief.

Maybe???

Tucker May Be Better

I'm not sure yet, since I didn't take off the wrap I put on this morning, but Tucker was walking better.

I really had to convince him to come out of his stall this morning for his soaking. I checked on him several times during the day and finally, around 4, decided to drag him out to graze on the lawn for an hour or so.

As time wore on, he was walking better. Not sound, yet, but definitely not as three legged lame as he was yesterday. It could be the abscess is finally broken through, but I am not taking off the bandage yet. I wrapped the area with cotton and a really good layer of Icthammol so it should be fine until morning. I'll get up early and soak and rewrap. I'll keep my fingers crossed tonight.

I did have to laugh though. There is a lot of grass to eat in my unmown lawn, but when I went out to feed and put Tuck back in, he was in the carport where I store the hay. When he heard my voice, he backed out, looking a little....very little, sheepish. Why was he in the hay when there was all that grass to eat? Well, there was also a bag of feed in there. Sure enough, the bag has a Tucker sized mouth hole gnawed in it and he was having a snack. Clever boy.

Meantime, the two dressage lesson stars had the day off. Both of them worked exceptionally hard yesterday, so they deserved the vacation.

The downside is that is it supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow, so the vacation may be extended.

I have a clinic with Patrice Edwards on Thursday. That is generally not too stressful on the horses as she really makes the rider work. If Chance goes, I'm sure it will be an interesting and truly beneficial lesson. Stacie will be riding Toby, so I hope Patrice will help her sort out the right lead canter issue. As for Chance and me--since I really doubt Tucker will be sound enough and reshod to go--no reason to push him--anything we can learn together will be absolutely wonderful.

So perhaps the countdown to the big "pop" has finally begun.

Still Waiting

Lesson Success

Still waiting for the gravel to blow. Maybe tomorrow???

Meanwhile, Toby and Chance went for the lesson.

Chance was a bit "high" at the start, and I still a bit "low" from the after effects of my migraine. So, after a bit a lunging, Stacie got on him for me. Not that he's bad, but he was just a little excited and I am definitely getting older than I used to be.

May I say, she did a great job to riding him and, it was good for me to see as he really didn't do anything naughty. He was VERY forward, but that's about it. Gabriel liked him a lot. Said he put his hind end underneat himself, had three good gaits, had a really nice hind end, was cute, and he loved his markings.

When I got on, Chance really reached down for the bit, took it and worked in a really nice little frame for about 10 minutes, maybe longer. Then, after a short break, he started tossing his head up and getting fussy. Interesting as that seems to be his protest when he starts to get tired. He had, by that time, already worked longer than I ask for at home, so once I managed to get him to the bit again for a few strides, we called it a day. I was quite pleased.

Gabriel asked me if I'd like to take more of a lesson by riding Toby for a bit, but I said "no," as I was still not 100% after the migraine and this cold thing. To me, the lesson is more about the horse than about me anyhow and it was a totally positive experience for Chance, so that was what mattered.

While Stacie rode, I gave Chance a nice shower in the wash stall. He was really good for that, again a pleasure since he was afraid of the hose at home last summer. Then I loaded him up to wait in the trailer. Loading still requires a feed treat, but that is a good start, and I can manage by myself. What is funny though is that he managed twice (once at home) to get his head into the opposite stall and then he got got "stuck" with it there behind the front center upright bar. Both times I had to take down the back butt bar, and back him slightly out of the trailer to get his head back where it belonged as he simply could not do it as long as he was closed into his stall side. Strange, but curious that he could get himself in but not out of an awkward position. Once he is tied in his own stall side, he's fine.

Stacie had a super lesson on Toby and he looked GREAT while she was riding him. Again, though, her little right seat bone problem showed up again when she tried to canter on the right lead as Toby kept throwing in flying changes. She was really frustrated by it, but I think a lesson with Patrice will help out enormously. Gabriel and I could see she was putting her weight onto the left seat bone, which made Toby fly the change. One good thing was that she felt she had a solution by taking Toby's head to the left to push his body to the right to keep him on the lead. That totally confused him and he ended up simply taking the left lead and staying on it. It really is a simple fix, but in order to do it, Stacie needs to really figure out how to keep her seat to the right even if Toby tries to throw her to the left seat bone. I do know he can get a little twist in his canter if he's a little reluctant to use his hind end on one side, so that might be what's happening. Trouble is, I really can't recreate it when I ride him because I instinctively know how to correct it and just do it before things go haywire.

No biggie. I know Stacie was frustrated, but she rode everything else SO well this is just a little tiny glitch in the proceedings.

Good News

No X Rays Needed

Dr. Dante came today as scheduled and he didn't even have to take out the x ray equipment.

Tucker is about to pop a gravel right in the center of his coronary band on the lame foot. The abscess wasn't quite ready to pop, so the Dr. pressed on a it a bit, hoping he might urge it along.

Now I am back to the soaking and poulticing--not the whole foot, just the coronary band area. He said Tucker should be just fine by Wednesday.

Hard to say when it will blow, but it looks to be be soon. Good thing as Tucker is very sore. Every time the vet touched the spot, he flinched and pulled his foot away.

Never met Dr. Dante before and I liked him a lot. He is the newest member of the practice but worked with another vet I know as a partner. He has a really nice way with the horses and a really good manner with the owner. I am really pleased to have met him.

And relieved to find out that Tucker will be OK soon.

It's been raining all day, so no riding with the other Boys.

Lessons tomorrow, 4:30 and 5:30, so it will be later on when I post on Chance's first real outing. And, of course, Gabriel's assessment of my little man.

Waiting Mode

What's Going On?

Tucker is still very lame. It is worrying and my mind is imagining all kinds of bad things. It's Friday and the vet should be here later in the afternoon.

I was sick yesterday so I ended up staying home--either really bad allergies or the start of a nasty cold. I also had my knees injected in the afternoon.

Wednesday I lunged both Toby and Chance so they did get some work.

Had a migraine this morning as a result of the cold/allergy thing so I still felt rotten. Home again, but I went to the chiropractor in the early morning and am feeling much better at least with the headache. Still not sure about the whatever else I caught.

More later after the X rays.

No Resolution Yet

Still Limping

Despite Caroline's good prediction, Tucker is still lame. After staying in his stall all day, he was "marginally" better than yesterday when he was really sore.

So, I called my vet's office when I came home from school. The next step was to take x rays to rule out anything more serious. Looks like Dr. Perez, Dr. Klayman's associate may be able to come on Thursday. The problem is that I have a doctor's appointment for my own knees that day at about the time she can come here for Tucker. Apparently she travels with an assistant, so it is possible they can take the x rays even if I am not here. I am, meanwhile, waiting for Dr. Klayman to call me so I can update him and ask if there is anything else I need to do.

Tuck is just a little depressed and definitely feeling sorry for himself, as I can well understand. But he is a really good boy about being in his stall while the other two are outside. They have access to his door too, so that might instigate him to be naughty, but he just doesn't seem to get upset. I think he understands he needs to stay in so he will get better.

I opted to ride just Chance tonight, and we had a really good school. He is still unsteady with his head as his balance keeps shifting. But he is offering to drop down onto the bit more and more each time I ride. I am fairly sure now he will be my lesson horse when Gabriel comes on Saturday. It isn't exactly what I had hoped, but I am sure it will be a good lesson. Patrice Edwards will be here on Thursday next week too, so Chance my have to fill in there too.

Meanwhile, unless I am missing something, Toby does not seem to be cribbing at all. He has always cribbed while he eats, often leaving his stall and food to go out to crib on the fence instead of the edge of his stall. He would also crib after having a treat and just about any time in between. Tonight, I did not see him crib at all.

He does not seem distressed or upset at all. He is eating well, and appears, overall to be quite content. If what I am seeing is true, this new contraption is truly amazing. I have tried everything I could think of to keep him from cribbing in the past. He wore a muzzle at the last boarding barn to protect their fences and I put chicken wire up in his stall to keep him from ruining the edges there. I tried various cribbing straps with no luck and also had another kind of electric collar that just would not trigger with his technique.

This one, called the Barclay's collar, from Australia triggers only when he expands his throat to swallow the air. Then it delivers a static shock. Though it may sound cruel, when it did click on, Toby just flinched a little bit. Then he started to crib again, thought better of it and, over time, seems to have given it up.

Since I am sure his colics--gas colics--have been caused by his cribbing, I think a little shock is far kinder than a bad tummy ache with potentially life threatening consequences.

So, the stories continue to intrigue at Follywoods. I don't know how any of them will end, but I surely would be pleased with some "Happily Ever Afters" about now.

Ups and Downs

That Foot is Sore!!

Tucker was definitely more lame this morning and tonight when I got home from school.

Hard to say if that is good or bad. If he has a bruise, then the bute would make him sounder. But he had his bute this morning and he was not sounder tonight. Of course, he might have bounced around in the teeny tiny little paddock, but it couldn't have been much and last night he was confined in his stall.

So, is it an abscess brewing? I called Dr. Klayman and he said I should put him in the stall tomorrow and see how he is when I get home. If there is no improvement, he will come out to look at him again and take some x-rays.

I stripped two stalls tonight, so it took a good while and then I had to soak and wrap Tucker again.

By the time I finished up, I was too tired to ride.

I usually give them Monday off anyhow, so no great loss.

I need to get to bed early tonight so I can get up earlier than this morning to do the chores and bandaging. It took me just a little longer than I had expected to do Tucker this morning and was a little later getting off to school than I'd planned. I still made it on time, but the drive was a bit hectic as every traffic light seemed to stay red forever--as they always do when you are in a hurry.

Let us see what tomorrow brings.

Big Bird

Does Tuck Have Wings?

Al least he thinks he does. I put him out on the lawn to graze since the grass needs mowing and he was not likely to run around with the other horses in the paddocks instead of out with him.

He found the bird feeder with corn and seed in it. As you can see, he had a grand time playing Tuckbird at the feeder. What can I say? When you're cute, you're cute!!

Tucker is still lame but as you can see, quite willing to put weight on his right front--still wrapped in vetrap and duct tape here. That is far better than he was on Friday, but definitely not sound. I still did not see any sign of an abscess blowing out anywhere. I hope sooner than later.



I have a lesson upcoming with Gabriel on Saturday, so I am schooling Chance as replacement horse #1. Stacie will be riding Toby, so I need another option. It's actually OK as Gabriel really does want to see Chance. But disappointing as we did have plans for Gabriel to ride Tucker to start working on the flying change.



I also have a clinic with Patrice the week after, so Chance may have to step in there too. The "man" is going to get right into the swing of things. He was much better today, though still erratic with his head. I really need to keep my elbows close to my side when I ride him to give my arm a more "fixed" though not stiff or resistant contact. Once I did, it started to make a difference as to how he was carrying himself.



As yesterday, the trot and left lead canter were better than the right lead canter, but the right was not as rushy as it was either. I could work the rein a little on the left lead but on the right he was too unbalanced to really insist on much. Still, whenever he did raise his head, he would stiffen a little and be more likely to break gait back to the trot. As long as I could keep him a little supple on the right, the canter stayed. I've only ridden one or two horses like that before, so I know the feeling and once I develop a technique to keep him a little bent and a little "on the bit" the lead will come really quickly.



I do like the feel of his canter under saddle. It has a bit of a bounce and I think, with work and strength, it is going to be really nice. His trot is actually quite good as well and with work is going to develop nicely as well. He really is a good little horse--only little in comparison to Tuck who is at least 5 inches taller.



I rode Toby in the arena as well, just going through the basic exercises Gabriel had us do in the last lesson. Ten meter circles at the trot, shoulder in, half pass, canter ten meter circles, half pass, counter canter, and some really nice flying changes on the center line. He was so easy to ride it was just delightful. I didn't close him up into a really tight upper level frame and still every exercise was as easy as could be. Amazing what 16+ years of training can accomplish.


So, as much as I miss riding Tucker, I still have two great horses to occupy me on a Sunday afternoon.



Lucky me.

Small Sigh of Relief

Tucker and the Cribber

Tucker looked much better this morning. Either the Bute helped or his foot felt better. I soaked him again and put on the Icthammol poultice. When I went out later for evening feed, he was out in the pasture!! SOMEBODY had opened his door and let him out.

WHO, by Chance, could that be???

The good news is that Tuck didn't look any the worse for it and walked back in considerably sounder than he had been last night. I didn't see any evidence that an abscess had broken out anywhere, but the Ithammol is awfully messy. I will have a better look tomorrow and wash his foot throughly to see if I can find any discharge.

My other thought was that--something that happened years ago to Russell R.--somehow he may have given his foot a good whack and shifted a nail in his shoe into the quick of his foot. Taking the shoe off helped Russell, so it COULD help Tuck. We'll just have to wait and see.

I rode Chance for a nice schooling session. He was much improved, offering to go down to the bit more and more often. Again, it's not steady yet, but if he keeps up at this pace another week or so and he will be going really well. The big accomplishment was two really good canter tours on either lead. We went all the way round the arena and did several circles on each lead. The right was a bit quick--kind of like Caroline's early canters on George, though not quite as "motorbiking." The left lead was really nice aside from his head up position. Then, after a break, I tried the right lead again and it was much slower and far better balanced. Maybe I should start off on the left lead next time to see if the right lead is better after he has cantered some.

After the school, we went out for a nice hack in the woods.

I decided to just lunge Toby since I had a new cribbing collar to try on him afterwards.

This is a new shock collar that gives the horse a static shock when he tries to crib. I had an electric collar before but it didn't work. This one uses no battery and has and entirely different design.

Toby has colicked several times and I attribute it to his cribbing as the colics seem to have been caused by gas--swallowing air. I have tried just about every anti-cribbing device and treatment I could find, so if this works it will truly be a miracle. So far, after I adjusted the collar correctly, Toby cribbed a few times and I heard the collar "click" He quit the cribbing immediately. I will, though keep a close eye on him as not being able to crib might be traumatic. I just hope it doesn't cause some other bad habit to develop.

So far, I am pretty impressed with the collar after watching him for about a half hour. If it works, I will be one happy camper.

Panic Attack!!

Called the Vet

When I came home after successfully getting the truck inspected, I called the Boys in for supper and Tucker did not come.

I fed Chance and Toby and called Tuck again. His stomach finally won and he came hobbling, all twisted into horrible contortions, with his hind end totally uncoordinated. It was a really scary sight.

He made it to the stall and his feed, and I, after a quick exam of his hind legs, headed for the phone to call my vet. Luckily he was still on the road and not too far away so he said he'd come out tonight. I was not expecting that, but I was quite happy about it.

By then, whatever was going on with the rest of his body, Tucker seemed to have decided the pain was in the right front. He was pointing it seriously and really looked uncomfortable. His fetlock was hot and swollen, and I felt some heat in his foot. I was pretty suspicious it might be a hoof abscess but he was in such pain, I didn't call my vet back to cancel the visit.

Sure enough, thank goodness, Tuck seemed to test sound in his ankle and joints, and really reacted painfully to the hoof testers. Off came the shoe...Scott will love that...and Dr. Klayman did a bit of probing but didn't find a track, despite finding one very reactive spot near the inside of Tucker's toe. Whew!! Painful for sure, but a relief that it was not likely something more serious.

So, Tuck will stay in, have his hoof soaked, his front legs wrapped in standing bandages, an Icthammol poultice on his foot and bute for the pain.

I may have overreacted having Dr. Klayman out, but he said he was already kind of in the area. Still, I do feel bad since he was next heading out for a colic. Then again, Tuck was so lame, it might well have been something really critical.

Hopefully things will improve over the weekend. If not, Dr. Klayman will want to look at him again and x rays might be in order.

I've given Tuck his Bute and I'll be going back out shortly to soak and wrap.

Obviously, the riding was short circuited by the medical "emergency."

Oh Well

Too Worn Out

I have been playing "cart teacher" in school this week as my classroom is being used for testing. As a result, I have to take all the materials I need to teach class to another room on a cart. Inevitably, at some point I have forgotten something and then need to go back to my own classroom, a good hike away.

Then, the teachers (substitutes) running the testing programs do not have keys to my room ( a computer lab) or the lab next door, so I need to keep tabs on locking the doors when they are at lunch or done for the day.

My knees were not happy today and I was worn out by the time I got home.

Do you hear an excuse coming? Fact is, I didn't ride. Top it off that it was choir rehearsal night too so I would have been a little pressed for time.

The Boys didn't mind. When I came home from rehearsal, they were happily munching on the hay I'd left under the apple tree at the gate by the house. I gave them a fresh stock to keep them content along with some cuddles. I'll go out for late night feed a little earlier than usual, so I can get to bed.

Plan A is to get up an hour early so I can take my truck back to the inspection station as soon as it opens and hopefully get it passed. The battery had gone dead over the winter when I wasn't using the truck and the engine computer had gone "off line" so that it all failed the emissions testing. The inspectors could not get a reading. They told me to drive the truck for at least 150 miles to reset the computer system. Now that I have done that, I certainly hope all is well.

Now all I have to do is roll out of bed at the crack of dawn......If I don't make it, I will try to get there after school. Or Saturday.....or....next week.