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I had a really nice ride on Annabelle this afternoon. We finally got some rain so the outdoor isn't a dust pit. We set up a 20x40 redneck dressage arena (poles on the ground and the corners propped up on cavaletti blocks and I've put out cones for 20m circles, which is helping with accuracy and ridi...

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Well I just went on a shopping spree. ;) Susan kindly lent me a couple of her Bauchers from her collection. There were some promising moments in the single-jointed NS, but she was tending towards getting very braced against the right rein. Yesterday I put the Myler on her and she stood there and gap...

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Awesome exvet! Often it's hard to appreciate how much progress is happening when we see them every day.

Mountaineer, hope you are back in the saddle soon. Great that your trainer is able to put ride on Potters while you heal.

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Thanks Sue, I also agree that it's a tension thing in large part. Someone told me a few years ago that training a WB is like riding a cross between a dinosaur and a giraffe, and you just have to be willing to go out and do the same thing every day. You might not think anything is happening, but it is.

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Yes, that is what the zigzags were the beginning of - Go right off the rail and then move the shoulders left to return to the rail.

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Yes I do this but more on a 10 m circle I do this bit US and in hand https://fb.watch/5zSqWXKrGi/ I also switch flexion and bend so that you are doing a rotation in renvere. Also switch to shoulders going around hips rotation both in counter and true bend. True bend = toh I start every ride with th...

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I think even when an aid is subtle, it is still a demand, if there is intent to back it up. So it can be a mild seat or leg aid, but if the horse blows it off, you can either choose to take no for an answer, or be prepared to elevate the demand. What I look for with her at this stage is to push just...

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My two cents from amateur hour - I would shorten the reins about 1". The reins MIGHT be at the point were they are too long for this stage in her development. It might just be a touch past the "point of best influence" (my term) where the bit sits at the corner of her mouth and you h...

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You might check with Rose Lodge Equine on Etsy. They do custom work with yacht rope. They made my long lines with 3/8" rope and slobber snaps instead of straps. The length I have (26') is a little heavy, and I am thinking of ordering some shorter ones for doing more close-in work. I really pref...

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Updated videos from our lesson today. Cantering was off the table due to having a sarcoid removed from her chest and hence no martingale. She is doing so well with lunging now that I was actually able to carry on a conversation while warming her up W/T/C both ways before our ride. We were getting cl...

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Interesting Blob! I remembered today that I have a different noseband for Tesla-a Montar that is ergonomic and has a strap that goes under the bit. I think I am going to give that a try before shelling out money for a new bit for her. I've found a single jointed Korsteel Baucher on eBay for $30, so ...

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PaulaO wrote:@piedmontfields, you guys are fancy. I’d love an air conditioned lounge. And tack rooms without cement block walls. Very nice facility.

LOL, I'm excited because my barn has hot water and a flush toilet.

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Thanks this is very helpful! I suspect that a Baucher might be a good choice. I've been working on keeping A more compact and it can take quite a bit of core strength on my part at times to keep her from pulling me out of alignment. Of course I'm aiming for more lightness over time, but it seems lik...

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Khall, any more updates on the Tactio? I was also hoping to hear from people who are using a Baucher - which one, why, what did it change vs. what you were using before? I'm leaning towards ordering Tesla a Tactio eggbutt from horsebitshop.uk, and now toying with trying a Baucher for Annabelle. The ...

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StraightForward fingers cross Tesla is okay. Kora did that once backing out calmly at the walk, just slid down the ramp on both knees on some slippery $&!#. She was surprised by it but no worse for wear in mind or body so hopefully Tesla will be as well. I do try to pick out poos before I unloa...

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Sue, the cheatgrass at Kuna butte was that green last week, so it is probably brown by now. :mrgreen: Annabelle was a little silly for our trip to the arena she's we occasionally haul to, but nothing terrible. I switched her and Tesla to California Trace Plus about a month ago and suspect that it ha...

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Sounds like he is learning to trust you! A few times I've taken Annabelle in the arena on the lead to roll, and she rolls and then... just lays there. Once she just rolled up on her belly and stayed there for like 10 minutes chillin' and looking around. I don't see Tesla laying down as much, so when...

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I wonder if something like this would work if you can put them on during the worse storms? https://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotStore/sep/12543?gclid=CjwKCAjw1uiEBhBzEiwAO9B_HdXh-pDcIV4IgQcvrUkUoTCgVnlWtbBRRICieK4PXd0QQ5OO4sf_SxoCergQAvD_BwE During 4th of July fireworks, I would pop my noise cancelin...

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I wonder if you could get him into a Kent & Masters or Thorowgood? The K&M has exchangeable gullets and wool flocking so it can be adjusted. They are like $1600 new, and you could probably snag a nice used one for <$1K and resell when needed. Annabelle was in a MW tree as a 4 year old, grew ...

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A little pole and grid day today. Tried setting up a trot corner with four poles, and I think we only made it around to the left properly once. Right was easier since she falls over her right shoulder. Next time I think I will try setting the poles on a more gentle curve and see if we can do a littl...

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That looks fine and like nothing to worry about, IMO. The impression I get is that he will need to develop more strength in the thoracic sling to keep his front end up, and the hind leg will be able to step under more.

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My big horse never tracks up, sometimes their shape makes it hard for them to do so. I've listened to some good discussions on tracking up and sometimes I think it's not the be all and end all. I personally wouldn't worry, give him 12 months of work and see what happens then. Starting lateral work ...

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Annabelle is chugging along. We tried cantering some cavaletti last night to rather awkward results. I think she is confused on what is a jump and what is a cavaletti right now. The first time i introduced MM to raised trot poles, she took all 4 in one giant leap :shock: LOL, that's always fun. Las...

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Yay, mari, glad you are back to full tack! Khall, I'll be really interested in what you think of the tactio. It looks like they can be ordered from the UK for "only" about $200, which would probably make it possible to recoup most of the cost reselling if it's not an improvement on the cur...

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Rosette was super sensitive to clippers. I had some smaller cordless clippers and ended up taking the blades off to make them even quieter, then I would just leave them running in my pocket while I worked with her, then eventually I could touch the body of the running clippers to her body (by eventu...

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Exvet, I'm wondering if you've ever done any Feldenkrais work? The idea is to get maximum effect with minimum muscular effort, and I have to say, while doing my kettlebell workout yesterday, which I'm just getting the fitness back for, I found that I was having a much easier time with the squats, wh...

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Obie got a pretty bad case of rain rot at the end of this winter. It was kind of shocking because it's so unusual to see it in our dry climate. We finally figured out that the feeder mounted on his pen was sliding over to the edge of the pen cover and he was probably getting drizzles on his head a l...

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Is he on soy at all? I had a horse with sort of watery farts that cleared up when I took her off soy (and did a month of more intensive probiotics and Daily Gold). Sorry if I've mentioned this to you before! Tesla has been on a good probiotic for a long time, and it seemed to help some intermittent ...

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We watched the second installment of Ken Burns' Hemingway documentary last night. I love me a good documentary.

The country music documentary is super, and I think you can still stream it for free from PBS. Really interesting even if you not, or think you're not a country music fan.

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I answered 5 days a week, but of course it's situational. For a while I was trying to work Annabelle two on, one off while she got more fit. Now I'm more likely to school dressage 3-4 days, jump one day, and just do a light lunging session another day, so she might only get one day a week totally of...

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khall, interesting that the vaccine didn't work (and frustrating). :( I hadn't thought about it not having a gray, but Tesla has a persistent sarcoid in her right ear. We were joking the other day that she would need to get a hole in her ear and she could get a grommet and be punk rock. Hope Joplin'...

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Hey, that is a goal!

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Sorry for the song plant; couldn't resist. :mrgreen: This is the golden time of year when the spring weather starts to calm down, but it's usually not too beastly hot just yet. A great time for some consistent training. The Ritter's What, Why How course, which I have a lifetime membership in, has ju...

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I think I'm ready to call it on this one. Annabelle - the straightness is definitely improved, but the left hind continues to be a weak point. I took a jumping lesson today and was using some TOF to get her stepping under and told the instructor that her left hind leg is a purely decorative feature....

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Demi - I posted a video of my lesson last Friday on Annabelle in the Cavaletti thread. One thing she had me do is ride SI in the short side, straighten, and then ask for some lengthened strides across the diagonal with a couple trot poles to try to set up for loading the hind legs and keeping the sh...

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Another kind of unquantifiable thing I thought of is whether you ride better or worse in front of your instructor. With my previous instructor, I would feel like I was doing well, and be excited to get a lesson (they tended to be months apart) to show progress and get ideas for the next step. Then t...

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SF dressage extensions has that NS bit in their trial bits. I think I’m going to give it a go I’m just not sure though what size they are in mm. Joplin wears a 5 1/4. Thanks! Looks like they only have the XL in stock, and she probably needs a L. I think it was out of stock when I was looking a mont...

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Gorgeous saddle Aleuronex! Glad it's finally there and hope you're able to move ahead with all the issues addressed. Chisamba, sounds like an excellent clinic. Great that you have video now and homework for your string. I had lessons on both girls on Friday. I was pushed to get Tesla cantering right...

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We did some cavaletti in our lessons on Friday. The jumps were already in these positions, so I put the poles on the ground about 4.5' apart, then we had the three raised poles. This was the first time I'd done more than just two ground poles with Tesla, but she caught on pretty quickly. For Annabel...

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Annabelle I have in a Sprenger Dynamic Loose ring single jointed. When I got her she was being ridden with no contact in a mullen curb, so I first put her in a Myler since the mouthpiece was fairly similar to the mullen, then moved her into a Novocontact single jointed until she figured out contact....

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Tesla had a vaccine reaction the first spring I had her. I didn't know the BO had given shots, took her out of her stall and her neck was bent and she couldn't walk in a straight line. I would have sworn she was severely neurologic if I hadn't known that she was 100% fine the day before. It was pret...

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Today is my 2-weekiversary! We have a couple guests coming on Friday and might actually eat in a restaurant for the first time since last February. Strange to think about after all this time.

Blob, glad your 2nd shot was no big deal!

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heddylamar wrote:I rode for the first time in 47 days today

Woohoo!

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That's a great idea, Chisamba! I think I need to start riding some tests with Annabelle as well, but jumps have been left up in the outdoor much of the time recently. LSP, I hope you're feeling better from the vaccine soon. It took about four days for me to get back to normal energy levels, but it's...

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Well dang it Moutaineer, I hope you heal and are able ride again soon!

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Well she executed the Tesla Stomp at the canter today. That was a different feeling!

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Moutaineer, welcome to being owned by a chestnut. :D Potters is quite a handsome fellow; glad you were able to find a good saddle option for him as well. Khall, with other horses to ride, the decision to set Rip aside makes a lot of sense. I'm sure he will be happy enough bopping around and looking ...

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Next on deck, I think I'll read Evidence-Based Horsemanship or something else in this large pile of horse books I have sitting here. Evidence-Based Horsemanship was pretty good, but probably nothing earth-shattering for this crowd. However, it is a short read and would probably be really good assig...

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Not really at bugs, it seems to happen when she is thinking, or a little impatient, or pretty much any time. She will do it at the walk when she is being lead to turnout, and she has even done it once or twice on the lunge in the canter which is... interesting. I would be afraid to teach her Spanish...

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Good observation! Here are a couple screen grabs from earlier moments. She will curl pretty easily and then do these crazy shoulder reaches, and she definitely gets over her grounded leg too much. So here is one where she was going in what is probably a more ideal frame, then she curled and did the ...

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