Tractor's Gonna Get A Workout

There's At Least Another Foot

All I know is that the snow is over my knees in most places where I did not previously shovel or plow. I just dug out the path to the barn one more time and it was another 9 or so inches filled in. That's the third time I've shoveled it, and once plowed it out with the tractor.

To add insult to injury two of my evergreen trees have lost branches in my driveway, and the evergreen in front of the house next door has lost a branch across my driveway as well. These are not little branches, but fairly substantial ones. I am confident the tractor can move them so I'm not too worried, but it certain means some extra effort here. The plowing and digging out is going to be bad enough, but add the tree branches and we have a real mess to deal with in the daylight tomorrow.

Thank heavens I have the tractor with the front end loader! I think even the truck with the plow in full working order would have a major challenge this time. The problem is getting the snow out of the way rather than just pushing it to the side. A snow blower would do well, but I don't have one, so tractor will have to do.

Actually, once I'm out there, the whole challenge becomes a bit of an intellectual exercise as well. It's kind of like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. Each piece of the clearing out effort has to be just so to work. I'm sure I can get the west side of the driveway cleared OK. I am not sure about the east side. The only advantage there is that most of the pushing is downhill, so if I can keep the amount of snow piled up in front of the loader, I should be able to push it away. We'll see.

Honestly, I haven't seen this much snow here in perhaps 10 years. And I honestly cannnot recall having two big storms...well three, actually, come one after another like this. Today, we were hit by the first storm coming from the west, and then the second one a few hours later, coming up along the coast from the south. The only blessing here was that, from what I saw, we did not get the high winds predicted. That has kept the snow from drifting too much.

Now, there is an ugly rumor that there may be another storm coming next week.

Please! Enough already. My jigsaw puzzle is nearly complete. Once it is, there are no more places to pile the darn stuff.

The horses have spent some time under the run in sheds and some time standing outside in the paddocks. I do know that the sound of cracking tree branches spooked them out of the barn when I fed them. So the theory that they would prefer to be outside where they can run away from danger instead of being locked in the barn may have some merit. It may be just as well. If something should happen to the barn itself, I'd be just as happy if they weren't inside.

There is reason to keep horses inside now and then, of course. And sometimes, they play the fools and stay outside when they really would be better off inside. But for tonight, I'm just as content to know they have the choice.

Meantime, as I watch the snow still coming down--although it seems to be tapering off at last, I will try to rest easily until daylight when I can see what's really happened out there. I just called my friend Stacie in South Jersey and her power is out, so I can add her to my list of worries.

Once again, let me say it--Bummer!

Phase One

The First Storm

Just a quick report for now. And yes, Charlotte, I did take some pictures. I'll post them later.

We had perhaps 8 inches of snow overnight. This was a very wet snow and kind of heavy...not too much fun to shovel. However, the blizzard is still on its way and some snow is starting to fall again even as I type.

I decided to go out and clear at least one side of the driveway for now, with the idea that if we do get another 18 inches, the tractor will have a shot of clearing only that instead of 26 inches or so. Years ago, when I had the truck with the plow, I would go out while it was still snowing and, like the road department, keep ahead of the snow, clearing the driveway before it got too deep to push. Since it stopped snowing for a couple hours this morning, I used that same concept.

But once again, people are driving by as is if there is no snow at all. Several big trucks came by as I was trying to clear the end of the drive at the road. They hardly slowed down at all. I hope the rest of the cars out there were headed home, or someplace they really needed to go because the storm is promising to be terrible here.

Blizzard conditions mean it is nearly impossible to see well enough to drive. I once went to church on a Sunday as a storm was kicking up. I had the truck with the plow on it, but had no idea what was coming our way. I went to the barn to take care of my horse--good boarding stable where I didn't HAVE to go, but I'd promised to plow the driveway for them. My plow had some problems, but I did manage to push some of the snow out of the way before the plow froze in place just a few inches off the ground. Enough clearance to drive home, at least.

I headed out. It was 15 miles of some of the worst driving conditions I have ever experienced. I was in four wheel drive and that was fine, but twice the snow blew so hard, I was in a complete whiteout and could not see the road at all. Visibility: absolute zero. Fortunately, I knew the roads so well, I managed to stay on them. My only little mishap was running into the guardrail on the Turnpike bridge with the plow when I got a little too far over to the side. Thankfully, I made it home safely.

I kept a heating pad on the plow all night long, drained the frozen fluid out the next morning, put fresh fluid in and got everything working. I headed out of the garage door, plowing my way forward, and got stopped by the HUGE pile of snow in front of the truck about 20 feet out. That meant that the eastside of the driveway was now impassable.

By plowing diagonally, I did manage to clear out the west side driveway...my driveway loops around the house. Later that day, one of the big machines from the Operating Engineers dropped over and cleared out the first driveway side with one gigantic scoop of snow. Otherwise, I think I would have had to wait until spring to get out on that side.

My plan had been to plow at intervals all night during that storm, but the faulty plow thwarted me. I learned my lesson. If there is any way to keep the snow from building up too much, I'm in on it. So far, so good.

But I'm not sure what the next several hours are going to bring. It doesn't look good.

More later.

Calm Before the Storm

Sunny and Beautiful

It really is a lovely day. The sun is bright, the temperature is hovering just a bit above freezing, and the sky is blue. Hard to believe the dire weather forecast ahead....12-18 inches of snow and near blizzard conditions.

My car is in the shop. The auto body repairman said it was "undrivable" because the hatchback has a big gap in it. Rain, snow, and exhaust fumes would get in the car. That meant I could get money for a rental from my insurance company. But, I already have the SUV Durango that I use to pull the trailer, so why bother? It does use more gas, but it has a bit over 6000 miles on it and is a 2003, so it can use the exercise.

Speaking of exercise, C. called as planned this morning and since it was such a beautiful day, we arranged to go out for a trail ride together. There was a little miscommunication, but soon my phone rang and she was out by my pasture fence after riding along the woods, so I hurriedly mounted up Chance--already saddled and waiting-- and managed to get him out of the arena before Toby and Tucker mauled us too badly. I'd tried to keep them out of the arena, but when Toby saw C. and her horse JJ, there was no stopping him and he plowed through the gate before I could close it. That forced me to mount up in the woods, so I carted my mounting block out there and clambered aboard. (I call it "clamber" as my mounting is somewhat awkward as I struggle with my very bad knees.)

Chance was delighted to have a friend to go out with. JJ is a 10 year old Arabian and C. rides him in endurance. She has a first place in a 100 miler, and in a 50 miler, and has done numerous other rides. But that does not mean JJ is super quiet. The funny thing was that Chance fed off him and he fed off Chance, so for the first part of the ride, at least, we had quite a bit of jogging off.

It was a great ride, though! This was the first time I rode Chance along the field by the NJ Turnpike with big tractor trailers racing by. While they are a couple hundred feet away, and separated from us by both trees, bushes and a chain link fence, their noise and looming presence can still be intimidating. But with the more experienced JJ as his partner, Chance settled in nicely.

We road around the first field and then decided to ride all the way around the Van Dyke Farms 200 acre field as well. Then, we threaded our way through the wooded trails back to my house where C. left me to go back to her farm across the way.

What a pleasure to have someone to ride with! Out two horses seemed well matched pacewise, and even appearance wise. Like Chance, JJ is a chestnut. Like Chance, he has a wide blaze in a similar shape, and even white under his chin like Chance. He does have four white stockings while Chance only has two hind ones, but the could easily go in a pairs class. JJ is around 15h, I think so Chance has a few inches on him--both in height and around the middle--and they seemed quite happy with each other.

C and I chatted the whole way, and I'm sure we'll find lots to talk about if we keep riding together. All in all, we were out for about an hour and a half which was a lot for Chance. He didn't seem the least bit tired, and we did walk the whole way, so that was nice and relaxing. I'll have to admit I was kind of stiff when I dismounted, but since I haven't been in the saddle that long in ages, I'm not surprised. I'll probably have a few more aches and pains than usual tomorrow as I sit, homebound, watching the snow fall, but it was worth it.

It was a grand ride and a beautiful day.

I'm Gonna Cry

Enough Snow Already!!

Now we are under another snowstorm watch. This one is coming from the west and promises, at the moment, to dump "substantial" snow on all of New Jersey.

OK, OK, I can handle it. I can. I can. I still have some places to pile the stuff with my front end loader. And I was fine shoveling the initial path out to the barn the first time.

Since I've already smashed up the tailgate of the car, it will be fine to load it up with hay again and cart that to the barn. Why I might even go over to the sandpit and pick up a few extra bales just to be safe. And, I should have time tomorrow to go buy some more alfalfa cubes.

I have plenty of food in the house, although, I am nearly out of milk, so I'll put that on a very short shopping list.

It's just that....I hate it! I hate dragging myself through the snow, or having to watch where I put my feet so I don't slip on a patch of ice. It's hard to get the stalls actually clean when the manure is frozen in solid lumps so you can't differentiate between the frozen bedding and the actually clean stuff. And filling the water trough by carrying buckets gets old too. While I did use my coil hose yesterday, it's a bit shorter than the old one, and I really had to fight the coils. I may manage to attach two hoses together which will make it better, but that too is annoying.

Fact is, everything is annoying. I think the problem is that snow forces you to do things "its" way, instead of your own. First, of course is that the spontaneity of life is lost to preparation. You can't put off an errand "until tomorrow" because tomorrow you may be stuck in the driveway, unable to go anywhere. You have to decide what rugs the horses need to wear and set up the barn so there's a minimum of tasks needing your slogging through snowdrifts.

And then, there's the imprisonment of it all. The snow forms barriers everywhere. Once you decide to shovel a path somewhere, that's the route you have to travel unless you want to shovel another one. Stepping in a drift fills up your boots and makes your feet cold, so you limit yourself to the confines the snow determines.

Of course, there is the inevitable promise of meltdown some time in the future. As bad as snow is in its frozen form, when it melts, there's nothing quite like the slop, mud and general sogginess it creates. Depending on the ground conditions before the snow, it ranges any where from a slippery surface mud to that deep abiding pull off your boots mud as the melted precipitation soaks itself into the earth trying to find a place to go.

As I look out my window now, all I can see is white. Even the blacktop road, is covered in while salt in my line of vision. Some people seem to think its beautiful, and for moments, so do I. The world is still, clean, incredible. Blue shadows paint patterns of tree branches on the white canvas of snow. Unraked leaves disappear from view under white wrapping, as if nature is telling me it's Ok that I didn't clean them all up this time. Little bird footprints decorate the back yard along with cat pawprints telling me my little stray has been touring the barn. Snow hides and reveals secrets at the same time.

But even with beauty...enough is enough!

White As Snow

Is More Coming? (Edited to correct spelling!!)

There is another storm coming from the West Coast. If it hits us, it will be mid-week. I hope I have places to put the stuff if I have to plow again. *sigh*

The minister of my church put a positive spin on the snow this morning in one of his prayers where he mentioned the idea of being cleansed white as snow...and how the snow reminds us of God's promise to forgive us for our sins. Even if you are not religious, the visual image can work, but what was interesting is that he mentioned later how some exchange students visiting from Africa who were here had seen snow for the first time in their lives. What a moment it was for them when they finally understood the Bible passage. Up until that moment, it was just words instead of a reality. Kinda cool...or cold, as the case may be.

It struck me that so often our verbal expressions depend upon assumptions of our audience's cultural background or life experiences to work. Back to the snow, for instance, how could someone ever really grasp, "blanket of snow," or "marshmallow topped fenceposts?" I use the marshmallow description mostly because it was in a literary worksheet I used with my students and some of them--even after living in New Jersey, couldn't quite get the picture the metaphor created. They had either never really noticed marshmallows or snow topped fenceposts, so they just didn't get it. Take it a step further to a person who has always lived in the tropics and not been exposed to many photographs or movies, and the entire image is completely lost.

How does all this relate to my horse blog? Those of us immersed in the world of horses all speak a fairly common language. Here and there are a few differences such as "rugs" vs "blankets" or "manege" vs. "arena" vs. "ring," but somehow we manage to understand each other.

But try to explain to the outside world how you were pleased your young horse took the correct lead, or how you chipped in at a fence, and you're usually rewarded with blank stares. Oh, they are often polite, but the glazed look in their eyes speaks volumes.

And even inside the horse world, some things are simply too hard to really explain. Even the best trainer may not be able to articulate exactly how to do a proper half halt, mostly because so much depends upon the horse's reactions to the rider's aids. Sure, the textbook tells you what to do, but how do you know the exact moment to release? How do you feel that the half halt has actually engaged the horse's hind end? What if Horse A needs only your seat, while Horse B really needs a potent rein aid?

The fact is, I keep hearing Lockie Richards's voice in my ear as I ride or try to help someone else ride. "Feel it?? Feel it??" Like snow, you never quite appreciate riding until you actually feel it.
It may be a blanket, but it's icy cold. It may be a half halt, but it can make a tremendous difference.

You really do have to see it and feel it to understand.

Winter Bummer

A Bit of Luck--Good and Bad

Where to start? Yes, we are still in the midst of a snowstorm here, but I think it's easing off. We may have 8-10 inches, which is pretty good considering that places to the south of us had over two feet of snow.

It did, however, blow into my barn in several places including Toby's and Tucker's stalls. Not a lot of snow, but enough to coat the shavings. The Boys seem to be hanging out under the run in sheds and in the stalls for the most part, so that's good for them.

So, the amount of snow seems to be the good luck.

The Bad? I managed to wreck my car's rear tail gate last night in my efforts to set up for the storm. I needed to take some hay over to the barn, so I put four bales in back of the car. The hatchback door/tailgate was up. It was dark, I could not see well behind because of the hay, and I THOUGHT I was much farther over to the left than I actually was. I started to back up and heard a dreadful "Crunch" as the edge of the door hit the evergreen tree trunk.

Hopes were dashed after I unloaded the hay to find out that the gate was so bent it will no longer shut. I had to tie it closed from inside the car. Double, triple BUMMER!!! I have no idea what it's going to cost to fix it, but it's not going to be cheap, that's for sure. Fortunately, I do have collision insurance on my cars, so the bulk of the repair will be paid for.

My friend has recommended a good body shop close by run by a former classmate of mine, but I certainly can't take the car there today. I guess that leaves Monday.

It's sad, as I love my little car--Toyota Matrix, with OK brakes and accelerator. I am fortunate to also have the truck to drive, so when the little guy is laid up in the car hospital, I'll be able to get around just fine.

It was one of those stupid moments we all regret.

I guess I'll just have to blame it on the weather. *sigh*

It Was A Shoe In

Anticipating the Storm

Scott called early this morning to let me know he was coming to shoe the Boys. That meant Mic was coming too, so I was going to be very active playing fetch for the bulk of the visit.

I still have to download the pictures of Mic at my door. Scott took one of him before I came out, I and I got a shot of him through the porch door window waiting for me. Scott insists I am the only person he behaves this way about. While he is sociable at other farms, he is not as totally taken as he seems to be with me. I guess it's the good toys! ---One of which is now stuck way up in a tree. It was a throw toy with a rope attached and when I tossed it, the rope caught on a twig very high up in one of the maple trees. Since the air was incredibly calm today, there was no breeze to knock it down, so I guess I will have to wait until the storm blows in for it to fall out on its own.

While Mic and I were playing Scott and I chatted. One of the very interesting things Scott is involved in is a horse based business venture called Equine Baseline. This is a new concept of analyzing a horse's conformation, gait, and shoeing/trim information to be stored in a permanent data base. Scott has enlisted other professionals to help assess horses in the program. The idea is to record a horse's natural way of going, etc., his progress in training, and other information about him to be set up as a baseline and record of his athletic career. (Trust me, visiting the website will do a much better job of explaining all of this.)

Chance and I were able to help out today by serving as models for some video Scott wants to test on his website/database. He put white spots on Chance's knees, ankles and hocks and then tested three different video cameras as I led Chance in straight line towards and then away from the camera. The purpose of the videos is for gait analysis. For years, Scott has kept records of his clients' horses by photgraphing their feet through the years of his trimming and shoeing. This photgraphic record allows him to really notice changes in a horse's hoofs over time, and helps him assess any soundness issues that might arise or make decisions about shoeing /trimming changes.

Equine Baseline takes that basic data collection much further. Eventually, I think the database will also contain any health concerns, vet records, etc. that might impact a horse's overall fitness or abilities down the line.

By the time all the filming was done it was early afternoon. C had already called me to postpone our possible trail ride since she had a ton of extra things to do before the anticipated storm. So I decided to follow through on my own physical therapy appointment instead. I ended up getting a chiropractic adjustment as well, so I opted for stopping for a haircut on the way home and a "quick" trip to the supermarket for some lunch meat so I could make a sub sandwich.

I don't know what it's like where you live, but around here, the threat of a snowstorm brings out the basic nesting instinct big time. The supermarket parking lot and the store were both packed. I ended up in the back parking lot--quite lucky to find a place to put my car. I didn't go too crazy in the store, but there were a few sale items I just couldn't pass up. And, I bought some more onions to make another pot of onion soup since the last batch was SO GOOD!!

Before I finish for the night, I have to once again clean the stalls because the Boys were stuck inside while Scott was shoeing. And, I also need to carry several bales of hay to the barn itself so I don't have to struggle with carrying any through the snow over the next day or so before I get myself shoveled/plowed out. I also need to dress the Boys in their waterproof winter blankets again so they are protected against the storm since I'm pretty sure they will be out in it at least part of the time.

These are the moments when having the Boys in the back yard is a real blessing. I have plenty of hay and grain for them, so there's no problem there. Water is not an issue as long as the electricity is on, but I do have an emergency supply should I need it. I can also easily melt snow if need be because I have both a gas stove and a gas fireplace in the house, neither of which need electricity.

So, at the moment, all is well in Follywoods. With a winter storm on the way, we are all snug and content with a plan for handling the snow.

Here's hoping it won't be too deep.

Snow's on the Way

Or So They Say

We are under a storm watch, which means a big low pressure center is moving in from the West with lots of moisture and wind. It may pass south of us, or over top of us....whatever. I expect we will be getting some snow, but how much depends on the track of the storm.

I took advantage of the good footing today to lunge everyone. Of course, the whole exercise turned in to a free for all when Chance managed to get into the arena as I was working Toby. That encouraged Tucker to frolic his way in as well, so within a matter of seconds, I had three horses cavorting wildly around, with Toby on the line and Chance and Tucker loose.

To say anyone actually got an honest lungeing session is not exactly true. I did manage to settle Toby down for some trot work in between the wild gallop and bucking. Fortunately, he is so well traine on the lines that he never once put any more than light tension on the lunge line so I was just able to stand there while he frolicked.

I captured Tucker next and he was, to say the least, FORWARD. The trouble was that he kept running his trot into a canter. I had to reel him in several times, settle him back down and then send him out. We had some decent circles, but the canter was Tucker Bucker for sure. One thing about a Thoroughbred is that once they get wound up, exercise--such as lungeing--does nothing to settle them back down. They just do not get tired or relaxed once they have gotten into fun mode.

I defended my Thoroughbreds on Caroline's blog this morning, and what I said was quite true. Under normal circumstances, loosening them up at the canter is a good warmup and gives them much better, relaxed and forward walks and trots afterwards. But, I should have added that when the excitement builds or is built up already, more work does not necessarily settle them down.

Now Chance, on the other hand, is a horse of a different temperament. He goofed around a little, then settled into his "Chance speed," and that was that. What is rather amusing is the little, overly relaxed, slow canter he can manage, particularly on the left lead. His right lead is a little less balanced, so he doesn't quite get as slow, but it is still cute. He would make the perfect pleasure horse, I suppose--presuming the show classes are still the same as they were years ago. I'd just have to push for a little more energy and he'd be ideal.

At any rate, everyone got a little controlled exercise to add to their own exuberant play. I do find just watching them race around on their own, playing, bucking, and chasing each other, is more entertaining than most TV shows I've seen.

Some creative genius supposedly has invented the "puppy channel" with 24 hours of TV showing puppies playing. Perhaps the next genius with money to burn might develop the "Frolicking Horse Channel?"

An idea whose time has come?

Midweek Meltaway

Morning Snow

We had real snow again last night. Only enough to coat the trees and the ground, so it wasn't bad at all. As the day went on, the sun came out and very gradually, the snow melted.

In the early afternoon, I went out to take the waterproof sheets off the Boys, leaving them in their lightweight blankets. At that point, the ground was still frozen and lumpy. I figured, once again, there wasn't much point in riding with that kind of erratic footing.

But once again, nature played me the fool and by the time I went out for evening feed, the arena seemed to be pretty well thawed. Yet again, I had already fed the Boys by that point and simply ended up poo picking the arena. The sun was on the verge of going down, so it's going to freeze back up pretty quickly.

I won't play fox and the grapes here. Another missed opportunity, but frankly, it still felt pretty cold to me. I am getting worse and worse about being outside in the cold, that's for sure. If I am going to ride with C., I'm going to have to figure out how to stay warm. Guess I need to dig out the long underwear! Funny how, with the barn in the back yard, I don't need the layers of clothes I used to wear when I had to drive to the boarding stable. Now, if I get cold, I just go back into the house to warm up again. I am spoiled!

I suspect my farrier will be coming tomorrow, although he hasn't called yet. Either way, it's OK. Tucker's shoe is still on and none of the Boys has grown a lot of foot. The hoof growth always slows down in the winter. If Scott is coming however, I will have to be prepared for a full visit of playing fetch with Mic. I will have to make for the lost time from the last shoeing when I was in the hospital. If Mic does come to the back door before I get out there, I will be sure to take a picture of him from inside. Should be cute if I can get one.

Anticipating tomorrow, then...again...as I missed today's meltdown by an hour or so.

Not Today

No Sun, No Fun

It never did thaw today. Perhaps it's just as well as I had physical therapy and a chiropractic adjustment, so no fear of messing up either by riding.

I did, however, in the morning, go over to my friend's barn on the next road over--virtually across the woods from me--to meet another rider. C. is an endurance rider with an adorable Arabian who looks very much like Chance. Her horse is a red chestnut with a wide blaze and four white socks. Chance has a similar blaze but only two shorter white socks in the rear. C. has been looking for someone to ride with, so the two of us ought to make a good team. We're hoping so set something up for Friday, if the weather cooperates. We don't need thawed ground, but there is some snow in the forecast, so we'll have to see what that does to the footing.

Like Chance, C's horse is barefoot, so that will keep us on the same page. And, she noted she really doesn't want to do much besides walk which is pretty much what I do when I trail ride.

C. is also a certified riding instructor specializing in Natural Horsemanship. We have similar attitudes about a lot of things from what I can tell after our first meeting. She is interested in dressage and would like to learn more, and I would like to learn a bit more about NH myself, so we should have a lot to talk about.

With two of us going out together I will be far more willing to try out some of the longer trails I've heard about in the area. Most of the time, I stick to the tracks through the woods behind my house because they are pretty accessible and getting home from there is not a big deal should something happen. But when I have company, I'm far more adventurous. I should think Chance will really enjoy going out with someone else and be willing to explore some new places as well.

We talked as well a bit about saddles and C. is not exactly pleased with her current saddle, so I am going to let her ride in my Ansur Carlton or Excel to see how she likes them. Ansur has just come out with two brand new endurance models. While I have not yet seen one "in person," I am sure they are super comfy saddles. If C. gets to ride in the Carlton, she may get a good feel for what treeless is all about. Then, I can, perhaps borrow one of the endurance models from the company to let her try that. Even if she doesn't decide to get one, having a real endurance rider's opinion about the saddles is a great thing. C. has ridden 100 mile rides--won one down in Maryland--so she really knows her stuff.

I am looking forward to establishing a partnership with C. so we can do some horsey stuff together. It will be nice to have someone to ride with.

Well, That Was A Surprise

Cold Day But!

I went to the feed store to get feed, unloaded it and that was about it for horse activities. I was below freezing all day, so I figured, better warm than sorry.

Imagine my suprise when I went out to feed about an hour later (4 PM) to find that the arena footing wasn't bad at all. I managed to poo pick it, but I'd already fed the Boys so there was no thought at all of working someone.

Ah, well, another missed opportunity, but that's OK. I guess the sun is getting strong enough now to thaw my sand footing as long as the sand is relatively dry. If it's like this tomorrow, I will do something horsey before I go to the chiropractor/physical therapy in the afternoon.

If you wanted to read the snake bite story, you will find the post below.

In the meantime, wishing you the warmth of the midwinter sun. One can never underestimate its power to thaw and cheer!

Story For Another Day

Snake in the Class

I won't keep you in suspense. While my eggplant parm bakes and my onion soup simmers, I will take you back in time perhaps 30 years ago or so when I was still relatively young in my teaching career.

As I recall, it was a class of all boys--auto body students, if I am not mistaken. I had them in the afternoon, perhaps an hour before school let out, so they weren't exactly in the best frame of mind for English class. But, I taught them, and, I suppose, they learned.

One of the boys--I'll call him Joe--came into class one afternoon carrying a pillow case. "I have my pet snake with me today," he said. "I had to keep him in this pillow case in my other classes. Do you think I could let him stretch out on my desk for a while?"

The other guys kind of tittered and covered their mouths, waiting for me to scream or something. But I had a trick up my sleeve--I am not afraid of snakes. In fact, I kind of like them. "What kind of snake is it?" I asked.

Joe's eyes widened as the room grew silent. "It's a rainbow boa."

Knowing full well that boas are generally pretty quiet if they've been handled a lot, I said, "OK, but keep an eye on him, and I don't want anybody fooling around about this. If you and the snake disrupt the class, you'll have to put him back in the pillowcase."

Joe grinned, reached into his pillowcase and pulled out a glossy, soft brown snake, perhaps a bit under three feet long. He stretched it out on his desk while all the other students "oohed, and aahed. " I complimented him on what a beautiful snake it was and settled everyone down for the class lesson.

The student sitting next to Joe--how about calling him Bill--was totally distracted by the reptile. He took his pencil and with the eraser, gave the snake a little poke.

"Stop that, Bill," I warned. "Leave the snake alone."

Well, Bill, being a teenage boy, simply could not leave well enough alone. As soon as I moved away, he started poking the snake again. It all happened in a split second. The snake reared up, struck, and bit Bill solidly in the meat of his hand, right below his thumb!

"It bit me! It bit me!" Bill screeched.

I hurried over to see two distinct fang makes in Bill's hand. I'm pretty calm in emergencies, so I just said, very quietly, "Well I told you to leave him alone. Now look what's happened. I guess we'll have to send you to the nurse."

Joe hastily stuffed the poor snake back in the pillowcase while Bill looked on in growing panic. "It's not poisonous, is it? Am I going to die?"

Now, I know my snakes well enough to know that a boa is definitely not poisonous, but I wasn't going to let on. After all, Bill had gotten what he deserved and I figured he really needed to learn a lesson. "Gee, I don't know," I said, but I'm pretty sure the nurse will know. Here I'll send someone down with you just in case and she'll take care of you."

Bill and his escort vanished from the room, with Bill taking the lead. At this point, I'm not quite sure what happened in the classroom, but Joe was keeping his mouth shut, that's for sure. It was pretty clear his snake had never bitten anyone before and even he wasn't quite confident in the consequences.

Class went on for another fifteen minutes or so, and then, still a bit pale and nervous, Joe came back to the room with some bandaids on his hand.

"Well," I asked, "What did the nurse say?"

Joe grimaced, "She told me she didn't know if the snake was poisonous either, but she said she figured we'd know for sure in a half hour or so."

I have a feeling that was the last time Bill ever poked a snake.

I reminded the school nurse of this story years later, and she denied she'd ever do something like that to a kid, but I didn't believe her. Sometimes you just forget those moments of genius when you work in a school.

I never have.

Saturday Humor

A Laugh Might Warm You Up

Since it's too cold to do much with the horses again, I decided to post a story inspired by Callie at The Midwest Horse Blog. She had written about wrong number phone calls and how funny they can sometimes be. That reminded me of many years ago when I was boarding my Russell R. at a small barn with my friend's horse, Dexter Medley.

This was years before cell phones, so to be safe, we decided we needed a phone installed in the tack room. My friend, N., agreed to take on having the bill sent to her house so we called the phone company. This should have been simple, but the phone company insisted that the phone had to be listed in the name of someone who lived on the premises. Since we didn't the only solution was to list it in the name of one of the horses. We chose Dexter and the bill was regularly sent o N's house in his name. When the new phone books came out, sure enough, there was a listing for Medley, Dexter.

That's when the calls started. Vendors would try to sell Mr. Medley wall to wall carpeting and newspaper subscriptions. Sometimes I'd tell them he couldn't come to the phone because he was out to pasture. Once, a salesman insisted he needed to speak to Mr. Medley personally. When I asked why, he told me Mr. Medley had called him and left a message for him to call back. Now I had seen Dexter play with a telephone in the sales barn before he was bought, but our phone was in a locked tack room and he didn't have the combination to the lock--good thing as if he'd opened the door and let Russell in there, it would have been a disaster. I let the salesman dangle for a bit before telling him Dexter was a horse. There was dead silence on the end of the line and then a quick "click" as he hung up. I hope his face was suitably red.

This went on for a while until my friend moved Dexter from the barn and they moved out of state. The phone still worked, but something got messed up with the billing and suddenly, neither one of us was getting charged for the service. I finally called up the phone company. A very relieved customer service rep said, "Oh, thank goodness you called. The bills kept coming back to us and we didn't know whom to contact."

"Well, my friends have moved, but I want to keep the phone," I replied, "So can you simply send the bill to me instead?"

"Well, that won't quite work. We will have to change the listing over to your name since Mr. Medley is no longer there. "

"Does it still need to be in the name of someone who lives here, " I asked. "I don't."

"Oh, yes. Whose name will you be assigning it to?"

"Uhm, well, I guess it will have to be Russell R."

"So that's a Mr. R. Russell, then?"

"Uhm, I suppose so. That would work." I then gave her my address for the billing.

She seemed quite pleased with all of this. "Now there are just a few formalitities. We need authorization from Mr. Medley to do this. I have some papers for him to sign. Do I send them to you?"

I may have coughed, "Well, that's not exactly going to work, you see, Mr. Medley is a horse and he can't write very well."

This time I definitely heard her gag. There was some talking going on in the background. Then she came back on. "I see. Well we need Mr. Russell's signature, then. I take it he's human."

"No, he's a horse too."

Dead silence....and more background talking. And then, "I can do this. You're not going to get me. I know what this is. You're one of the supervisors calling with a problem to see if I can do my job. That's what this is. I'll figure it out. Just hold on."

"No," I assured her patiently, trying hard not to laugh. "I'm serious. This is a real call." I then went on to try to explain how the phone company had insisted the phone be in a resident's name and since the only ones who lived here were horses, that we'd had no other option. As I went on, she must have been relaying the story to her co-workers because I could hear the giggles in the background.

It took some doing, but eventually, Russell had his own phone. I'm not sure how many times he was invited to subscribe to the New York Times, but I was always quite pleased to tell people to look him up in the phone book if they wanted to get in touch with me while I was out riding.

This is one of my fond memories, a tale to cherish--along with the story of how there is a record of a snake bite from my English class somewhere in the school nurse's office.

But that's a story for another day.

Wishing you sunshine.

Applying My Own Advice

And More Thoughts on Yesterday

Actually, the sun came out yesterday and in between bouts of really gusty wind, it was kind of nice out. So I managed to saddle up Tucker and give him a schooling session in the arena.

I am pretty sure something is bothering him in the hind end because he is crabby about canter, and is reluctant to keep going if I try to make a small circle--10-15 meters. What I get then is an up and down canter that feels as if it is going into a "stall" and then he finally does break gait. So, for now, I am not pushing it. The trot is fine and really feels nice. Since canter is a lateral gait, it does put more stress on one hind leg at a time, and that's when whatever it is shows up. I will continue to get him more fit in case it is his stifle and, weather permitting, have him built up enough so that a vet evaluation in another month or so will be worth the time and effort--and money.

Meanwhile, I applied nearly all the methods I mentioned yesterday, except I was not carrying my dressage whip as I had no intention of working hard enough to provoke anything as neither one of us is fit enough to do much. Also, Tucker very well understands the leg aids, and, when all is going well, responds when asked.

All in all, he was quite good that way. Canter was prompt but a little sticky once we got the gait and he did break on the right lead. But he was reasonable about striking off again, so I made no issue of it. I did numerous changes of direction and then ran through the lateral exercises.

There is no reason to drill him on any of these as he does them quite willingly. We did two sides of trot shoulder-in on each rein, two sides of travers, and then one leg yield in each direction at the trot, ending a shallow half pass in each direction. Tucker is just learning half pass so I do not expect him to really bend and sweep sideways yet, so I was very happy with his willing effort and some nice steps from the rail to the center line. Then we picked up the canter and we did a half pass on each rein as well. He is much better half passing to the right than the left, making me suspect his left hind might be the sore one. But he really tried, so that was just fine.

Then we did a good number of canter/trot/canter transitions on a large circle on both reins. This was the best exercise for "forward" as he got very sharp to my leg and was making some very nice departs. He also added a lot more energy to his strides, again a big plus.

Finally, we walked, halted did about four strides of reinback, trotted forward, halted and repeated the reinback with a good move off afterwards. This was exceptionally good because he was not at all resistant to the reinback and kept his head down and on the bit without one single question. It's been a problem in the past, but not yesterday.

I realized after my previous post that I'd said "what horses do wrong," and how that phrase might be scoffed at by so many riders who claim it is always the rider's fault. Sorry folks, but when a horse ignores a well executed aid or bucks when you put a leg on, that is the horse. Granted, it then becomes the rider's/trainer's job to figure out how to correct that and ride that horse better, but it was the horse that started the problem. In Tucker's case, I've had him ever since he was a yearling and there is nothing in his training history to undo, except perhaps for the ulcers. They well could have taught him how to balk, buck, and kick out to leg aids. It is quite possible that if I had been more aggressive back then and simply insisted that he work through his issues and go, no matter what, that he would not be so sensitive and frustrating now. But physical issues like that are not the rider's fault and, to my mind, making him work through pain is not necessarily how I prefer to train.

Some people do, however. And some horses are just fine with that. Somehow they cope with soreness, etc. with a stoic acceptance and just go about their jobs because they are told to to them by a dominant master. I have chosen another approach. It has "come back to bite me" more than once, I suppose, as I do tend to indulge my Boys' whims. (Remember Tucker and the water trough.) But I'd rather be a good listener. If, however, I find that Tucker does have spavins that need to fuse, and that hard work is the best solution, he will have to work despite his discomfort. When I was helping him recover from his stifle issue we trotted and trotted--including up and down hills--to build up his muscles even though it was hard work for both of us.

In the meantime, though, I prefer listening to my horse and letting his attitude guide my training. If the first canter depart is a little "rocky" and the next one is better, then I know he can manage, so we canter. If we try to do a smallish circle and he struggles, if a more moderate size works and I can't make the circle smaller without more struggle, then we simply don't have to ride small circles. There is nothing at stake now as I am not competing, so it's just fine.

Note here: When Chris, my previous trainer, was showing Tucker for me (before ulcer meds when he was dreadful in the warmups) he excused himself from a test when Tucker started to shut down in a canter circle. What's the big deal? Chris is a strong, determined, talented, excellent rider who will work a horse through most anything. For him to stop and leave the arena, telling me afterwards that "something is wrong with Tucker," said volumes. In that case, we had, as I recall, been battling an on/off front end lameness that eventually turned out to be a very well hidden hoof abscess that took months to resolve. Regardless, here was a rider perfectly capable of making nearly any horse perform who ended up listening to my horse's complaint.

Should I be any less sensitive?

Far too cold to ride today. The forecast was, I fear, accurate as winter is back in her most chilling glory. Hope your day is, at the very least, bright with sunshine. We can all use some.

S'no Illusion

There Is Snow and What Horses Can Do Wrong

I woke up this morning to real snow--not an illusion. It's just a dusting, but the day promises to stay cold so it's not too likely I will ride very much.

So, I began to think about Jen's question in regard to getting Tucker forward and decided to offer my perspective. First, be warned--Tucker intimidates me sometimes. He is nearly 17h with a short back, a strong determination, an explosive attitude and one darn athletic buck. I worry, at this point in my life, of challenging him too much when he gets stubborn. In that sense, he is not a good horse for me to ride. Were I younger, and as fit and determined as I used to be, we'd probably be fine, but now I have to ride him with finesse and indulgence rather than demands.

All that being said, I also know that he is very sensitive and reacts very acutely to his own physical discomfort. So, whenever I have training issues, my first thought is that something is bothering him. Eliminating the pain from his ulcers was a key to fixing the bulk of my training problems. As you may recall, he was dreadful at horse shows and would often simply stop, or threaten to buck if I so much as put my leg on. He has also had some issues with his stifle and hocks--I suspect his hocks are bothering him a bit now. Usually, Adequan will ease the hock issues, but he may be developing some spavin and since I am not competing now, I would rather that fuse if possible, so I am not treating it. If I can manage, I my have his hocks xrayed to see what's going on in the spring. The key here is that when he does not want to work, I have to consider a physical issue as the primary cause.

The biggest issue is keeping him, and any horse, ahead of the leg. Once that is accomplished, as I've said, almost all the upper level exercises become relatively easy. This includes piaffe and passage. While I have never quite successfully fully trained a horse to do both, I have ridden the movements and in all cases, "Forward" is the key. The horse must want to keep moving, even when the rider restrains the forward movement. This is even true in the reinback and the halt, strange as it sounds.

Thus, one of the most important exercises you can do is repeated transitions. Usually, even the laziest, or most unresponsive horse will wake up and "go" when asked over and over to change his gait. Walk to trot, trot to walk, trot to canter, canter to trot, and eventually, walk to canter, over and over in less than half the arena, less, when you begin to develop some skill.

Frequent changes of direction and movement from one exercise to another also sharpen a horse to the aids. Riding in an endless circle or riding around and around on the track, doing nothing special just makes a horse "turn off" to your aids.

Adding some challenges to the ride helps as well. I love reading about Muriel's gymkhana exercises as dressage riders tend to forget how to have some fun like that, and there is much to be learned from such games. Add some trotting poles. How about a little jump, or something as simple as half passing up to a rail set on a jump standard or barrels for the rider to push off? Half pass along a pole, do a turn on the haunches or pirouette inside a square of rails. Weave in and out of a line of cones or some other obstacle. (One of our bloggers used a line of trees on the lawn--great idea.)

And what about just forgetting the rein contact sometimes and just going for it in a nice loose trot or canter around the arena? One master dressage trainer I used to ride with advocated galloping every dressage horse for at least four minutes a ride. Another master trainer had me do exactly that when my PJ started to shut down in a lesson.

But what about the horse that doesn't go off the leg? Here's where I run into trouble with Tucker, although when I am more fit than I am now, I will reestablish the rules. Here the key is the dressage whip. But the key is to use it well. As a rider, you have to decide just how much leg pressure you want to use to get the horse to respond. When I rode hunters, I wanted my horse very light to my leg. I like my dressage horses just a little less responsive, so that I can rest my leg on them and not have them react to that contact. Once I have decided just how much leg I want to used to get an answer, I apply that. If I don't get the response on the first "ask" I must use a tap of the whip immediately.

This gets a bit tricky if you have a bucker like Tucker. (Don't you love how that rhymes?) He will usually kick out. But, if I steel myself and my nerve, a quick rein correction and a repeat of the tap will pretty much convince him I mean business. The idea here is that the leg aid is not repeated, but backed up at once by an artificial aid that demands a response. You can also use a sharp kick, or a spur--something that demands instead of "asks." Once the horse goes, you transition back to the previous exercise and apply the leg aid again, expecting the response you wanted in the first place. It might take a few times, but most horses get the message quickly and start to work correctly off the leg.

Another method for helping establish forward is the lateral exercises. We've already discussed shoulder-in. Both that and travers displace one end of the horse from the other and make it very difficult for him to hold his body against the rider. By moving either the hind end or the front end to the side, you are now dealing with only "half a horse" and have a much better chance of getting his legs to move as you want them to. He cannot easily lock his back against you.

Using a bit of a leg yield out on a downward transition tends to keep the horse's feet moving so he is less likely to lose the forward feel. So, I might work on a circle doing walk-trot-walk transitions, each time doing a leg yield out on the downward so Tucker cannot shut down. I've used this a bit in the show arena in the corners as well to get him to step under better with his hind end, and it's a useful exercise to ride into the corner like that to engage the hind end before beginning a lengthened trot across the diagonal.

My goal, once the weather allows, is to really establish a sense of "forward" with Tucker, so I'm sure as time goes on I will come up with more ideas. For me, that is one of the fun things about riding. I have been blessed with having ridden with dozens of excellent international trainers over the years from New Zealand (Lockie, my favorite), Holland, Germany, France, Hungary, Russia, Great Britain, Argentina, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, and, of course the USA. I have had amazing opportunities in my riding career. I have, I am sure, forgotten more than I remember, but every time I get into the saddle and discover a new training issue to deal with, something one of those trainers told me seems to worm its way back into my brain and I figure out a solution. Sometimes too, sheer instinct comes into play and I just "do it."

Writing the blog really helps me think my methods through, as do your questions. So, thanks to all for your comments. Even after some forty plus years of riding, I still have a long way to go. I appreciate the help.

Whimp Out

A Chilly Day

I didn't do anything with the Boys today. By the time I had gone to the feed store and unloaded six bales of shavings and three bags of grain, I was kind of tired. Then I cleaned the stalls. Afterwards, I went out to poo pick the arena so it doesn't get ahead of me as it did while I was laid up.

Frankly, my knees are really bad right now. Getting on a horse was not too appealing, and it was close enough to evening feed that I just decided to let the Boys have another day off.

I was kind of chilly--not exactly cold, but not exactly too nice either. I'm not sure if that affects my knees or if I really, really need to go to the doctor. The problem there is that my insurance will no longer pay for the kind of treatment I get and, at the moment, I don't have enough money to pay for it without running up another credit card. I'll dose up on my glucosamine, try to take is easy--and yes, I wear braces on my knees--and just see how it goes. Could be that building up my leg muscles will help--or not.

Muriel asked me to explain the shoulder in. Please note that I am not a technical rider. I understand a lot of theory, but I ride mostly by feel, so my explanations come from how a movement feels to me rather than from an intellectual approach.

So, here goes. The shoulder in is a suppling exercise which, when done well, helps the horse correctly engage his hind end, and to my mind develops straightness, implusion, and the effect of the outside rein.

Riding a shoulder-in can be a little tricky, especially if the rider loses control of the outside rein and the horse begins to escape laterally by stepping too far over with the inside hind leg, creating a kind of leg yield on the line instead of a shoulder-in.

All this means that the outside rein is the most important aid. The rider brings the horse's shoulder to the inside with the outside rein until the outside front leg is in line with the inside hind leg. The hind legs remain straight on the track as the horse continues to go forward, bent slightly around the rider's leg at the girth. The rider's inside leg needs to drive the horse forward thinking, "I am pushing him into the outside rein." The rider's outside leg goes slightly behind the girth to keep the horse's hind end from going to the outside, holding it straight on the track.

While the rider's inside hand does help the horse bend to the inside, you need to think always of "forward" with that hand so you do not overbend the horse or encourage him to fall on the inside shoulder. While the shoulder is in off the track, it must always feel as if it is stepping forward.

The inside hind leg should now be engaged, stepping into the track of the outside shoulder and, as a result, stepping into the feel of the outside rein.

Now, I know Muriel is riding western and does not want to demand the same kind of rein contact we are looking for in dressage. I would guess the key would be to lead the horse's head and shoulder in with the reins and be very careful and aware of the leg aids. Inside leg at the girth to develop a bend and keep the forward, and outside leg slightly behind the girth to keep the horse's hindquarters on the track still moving straight. The front end/shoulder is moved over enough so the outside front leg and inside hind leg are on the same track. This should help the horse become more supple by creating flexibility in her body.

Anyone who wants to jump in here and comment, please feel free. I am sure doing some research would come up with some more technical explanations, but this is how I understand the shoulder-in when I ride it.

Actually, a lot of the upper level exercises are really not as hard as people think if the horse has been correctly taught to go on the aids. The key is always ride forward and then, when you apply a leg, rein, or seat aid, the horse will just go where you want him to with whatever part of his body you have asked to move.

Get the horse's feet moving and usually you can place them where you want them to be. The trouble starts when they don't move. Uhm...you hear that, Tucker?

Red Sky at Morning, Sailor's Take Warning

Red Sky at Night, Sailor's Delight

And a rainbow to boot. The bow was much brighter when I went out to feed the Boys last night. I dashed into the house to get the camera and by the time I was back outside, this is the faded version that greeted me. You have to look closely in the center of the picture to see it, but for the while it lasted, the rainbow was beautiful.

And so was the sunset. I treked over to the sandpit/lake across the road to get these shots. The lake is huge as you can see, and the sky matched perfectly.

The old adage was right. Today was a beautiful day. Still wet, however, with puddles all over the place, including the arena. Of course, there was the added attraction of mud everywhere, so Tucker had his own private turnout in the arena. I kept everyone out of the pasture as well, mostly again because of the mud.

But the day was sunny with enough breeze to dry things out quite a bit. It looks as if I can put all three Boys in the pasture/arena tomorrow.

I did not ride again today because I had a chiropractic adjustment. I was also approved for some physical therapy, so I'll be starting that either this week or next. Strangely, they only gave me six visits over the next 5 weeks or so, making it about 1 1/2 visits a week? Weird. But I just realized, my part time teaching job will star either the end of February or beginning of March, so if I do these six sessions and then take a break, it will be fine. It is very hard to do PT when I am teaching all day. I just don't have that two hour time slot to surrender. I'll talk to my therapists to see what they say.

I've left Tuck in for the night again. His shoe is still on. Scott called and will be coming to shoe sometime next week, so that will be good. I'm looking forward to seeing Mic, his dog, my play partner.

I didn't notice the sunset tonight. Funny how sometimes I just don't look.

Rainy Days and Mondays

I Lunged Three Yesterday

When I went out to feed Sunday evening, I decided that since the footing was good and it was going to rain that I might as well take advantage of the situation.

I put the halter on Tucker first and took him out for a lunge session. Now, a word of explanation here: this lungeing is not exactly training as the horses are not in side reins. It is primarily for some controlled exercise. They still need to be obedient, but they can carry themselves in whatever posture they choose. Interestingly enough, both Toby and Tucker tend to drop their heads almost to the ground for the most part--a bit higher at canter--but they definitely prefer to stretch through the neck and topline. Chance varies, but he is certainly not head high and does relax nicely.

I set up a low jump of only a bit over a foot high just to give us some variety. After some nice work in both directions in all three gaits, I sent Tuck over the jump and he was soft and relaxed, even a little lazy, just the way I would like my hunter to approach a fence. Enough impulsion to make a nice jump, but totally calm and ratable on the approach. I praised him mightily.

All the while, both Toby and Chance were watching from the sidelines, right up at the arena fence. When I took Tuck out, Chance came over to me immediately, making it clear he wanted to do something too. So put the halter on him and in we went for a virtually identical session. Again, I had sideline observers, but I will say Tucker's interest was keener than Toby's. He was watching intently. I'm not sure if he was a little jealous, or just making sure Chance actually earned the praise I gave him.

Toby evaded me when I went to get him, letting me know he really didn't want to do anything, but a treat lured him in and I haltered him for his little session. When I led him into the arena, I told the other two Boys to watch to see how it's supposed to be done, making sure I was clear to explain that Toby is a master on the lines and they would well take some notes.

And indeed, Toby was the master. Although he did give a silly little buck during the first few strides of canter, he was wonderful. He moves beautifully foward, stays out with just a little tension on the line in my hand, and responds almost at once to all the commands. He was a little slow transitioning down from canter to trot, perhaps, but his lovely forward gaits are just fun to watch, so I didn't care. And the jump? Not quite as quiet about it as Tucker, but far better as far as both the energy on the approach and the overall effort in the air. He is an athletic jumper and had we pursued a jumping career, he would have been really good at it once he got over being spooky at new fences. But, he does use his back a lot and when I did jump him at over three feet, he tended to pop me out of the saddle. That's often the sign of athleticism, but it doesn't make for the best hunter/equitation horse. If you want to look nice going over a fence, it's a lot easier if you can pose yourself up there instead of having to work to stay on. *G*

But, I didn't jump Toby that much, so it is possible that with practice he would have leveled off a little. I know PJ did after he learned just how much effort it actually took to get over a fence and he stopped overjumping. But, that career is behind us now, so I can only speculate.

As the blog title indicates, it is a rainy Monday. Even if it does stop by afternoon as predicted, it will be too wet to do much. I've left Tucker in his stall for now and, if the rain stops, I'll turn him out in the arena for a bit of exercise.

Meanwhile, I will just sit here watching the rain and thinking of drier days.

Shall I Work A Horse?

Drippy Sunday

It's cloudy with mist, not exactly rain, but enough to keep my windshield wipers on the car going on intermittent--intermittently. I could do something with the Boys, but I'm just not too inspired.

Part of it is body awareness. I have discovered just about all the muscles and part of my body that I use when I ride. And some of them are sore. Of course, my stomach muscles have protested the exercise. No bad, but enough to notice. And my seatbones are somewhat sore. The treeless saddle is heaven to ride in, by the way, but even with all the flexion, riding still requires us to sit on parts of our seatbones we don't sit on normally. (Bicycle rider have issues too, so I am not suggesting that horseback riding is the only way to get sore. *lol*)

But, I have also discovered that my inner thighs are feeling it too. Interesting as that is a place I have never noticed before, except perhaps back in my hunter/jumper days if I was a little out of shape and did a vigorous jumping session. And, unfortunately for me, my knees are really feeling the added activity. I was acutally in pain when I was working Chance yesterday. While I am used to some discomfort, this was extra. I may need another treatment from my knee doctor, but I'll wait and see.

The barn work has made my arms/shoulders a little sore too, but since I really have not done a lot of dressage riding, I haven't noticed the riding affecting me there--yet. Riding Chance and working him down on the bit will probably push me over the edge, though. *G*

I keep remembering years ago reading that sports experts had tested all kinds of athletes and found that jockeys were the most "all around" fit, meaning that all their muscles were developed equally rather than just one or two parts of their bodies being fit. I think this also included their stamina, etc. Now I think I am beginning to understand. Riding really does test your body, both gross motor skills and fine motor skills--strength and finesse.

Think I might sit today out, but we'll see. We are supposed to get some heavy rain tonight, so I may regret not taking advantage of today's mist.

Guess I'll have to think about it.

Fine Footing

Chance in Need of Remedial Work

The footing was good despite the fact that it hardly got above freezing today. The paddocks and pasture did not turn to mud, so I left all three Boys to roam about as they wanted.

When I went out later to clean the stalls, they were out in the pasture just kind of hanging out. There is some loose hay there and they were nibbling at will. I always like seeing the Boys with something to eat, especially in the winter. If I could put out one of those big round bales, I might do it, but I am not sure of the logistics. With the mud I'm not sure a truck could get in there and a bale like that would be too big to move with my tractor--I think. I'm also not sure of the cost, but it's something to think about.

Toby was being very social but when he saw the halter and lead rope, he walked off, making it clear that while he did like my company, he had no interest in being ridden or worked. I tend to indulge him as he is essentially retired. I do like to keep him marginally fit, however as he is sound and healthy and is better off having a little exercise. If I do need him for something more strenuous, I spend 2-3 weeks preparing him with regular work. So far, it's been fine, but I don't think erratic legging up is the best thing for a horse. However since he has a long and extensive background of being super fit as an upper level dressage horse, I figure his physical body is in pretty good shape overall for an older horse.

That left me to choose Chance as my mount for the day. I brought him in, gave the other two Boys some alfalfa cubes to keep them happy and occupied and saddled Chance up.

We worked in the arena for perhaps 15 minutes or so. It is pretty clear that he is not really trained yet to go down and round. Although he will work down on to the bit with a lot of effort on my part, he doesn't yet do it naturally, nor does he stay there without a constant reminder. So we will have to do some remedial schooling over the next few weeks, weather permitting.

It's Ok, though, because I know it's not going to take a lot of time and effort to get him consistent. He has nice gaits and I was quite pleased that his right lead canter has relaxed a lot. He used to feel is if he was losing his balance and needed to be quick, but now he no longer rushes. The left lead is sitll more relaxed, but it's getting close to being a match.

Once we'd had a nice school, I took him out for a short ride in the woods. He was lovely, as he usually is. We did have to be careful, though as a lot of the top surface of soil under the leaves was still thawed over top of harder, frozen ground underneath making some slippery spots. We slid a little going down one little hill, so big deal, but it was a wake up call for us both. We moved a lot more carefully after that.

So, all in all, another nice day here at Follywoods. One horse a day is enough for now and may be enough for most days. It's nice and relaxing for us all.