DefinitelyDressage.com

Moutaineer

That looks idyllic, Flight. I'm glad you all finally made it there in one piece! I have some serious grass envy going on looking at that... Chisamba, I hope you have a good visit with your mother. When my father was failing, I would in some ways dread going to see him because I didn't know what to e...

Moutaineer

We have a working student like that at the moment who thinks she is God's Gift to horsemanship and we are all a bunch of dumb middle-aged women. She's already lectured me about what I should be doing with Potters about his hives (Did I know horses could be allergic to certain food stuffs and environ...

Moutaineer

Super good SF! That sounds so encouraging. I had a really good lesson this morning, too. Potters really needs that extra level of "knowing you are up there." Now I'm convinced, I'm learning to ride with a lot more contact and connection than I'm used to, not just in the hand, but in the se...

Moutaineer

Yup. Good AWD/4WD is just essential in the mountains! Another heavy, wet snow day here today. Its been unrelenting this week. Not much riding has happened. Oh well. Its not a bad thing for them to have a bit of down time. Me on the other hand... I need to stop celebrating the survival of yet another...

Moutaineer

Yeah, we can ban polo wraps but still think using a running W as a training device is A-OK? I love dressage. I still believe that the vast majority of participants do remember and respect why they got into it in the first place--the love of the horse. The governing bodies just suck. The FEI makes Fi...

Moutaineer

So apparently, I decided to have a full-blown asthma attack in the barn this morning instead of my scheduled ride. More than a bit scary to be honest and I'm still feeling rather wonky. However, as I was sitting recovering, Potters was looking fabulous for Justin. I was very happy with his attitude ...

Moutaineer

Aleuronx, Yes, I do worry about that. I'm not sure which is worse, liquid mud or lumpy frozen mud.

Its very unusual for us to get this muddy and this early. A couple of heavy snowstorms followed by an early warm spell.

Next stop, scratches, I guess.

Moutaineer

Potters had his brains back in his head today and I had a very nice ride. We've been playing around with collecting the trot to the point of passage and then letting him out to a more medium feel. I suspect his right hock is bothering him. Any resistances seem to come to the fore when you start to r...

Moutaineer

I'm sorry, exvet. Right decisions are not always easy ones. Well, Potters was a complete and utter pratt today. I dont think I've ever seen him be so stupid. Fortunately, Justin had hopped on him for a quick warm up before I was to get on, so he got the wild ride. I think I know what was going on, t...

Moutaineer

How's the Vertigo, Chisamba? I had just a lovely ride on Potters yesterday. Understanding my connection issues is really paying off in things like the shoulder in and other lateral work. It's been so worth spending the time on the basics to backfill my problem areas. And he's much happier now I've a...

Moutaineer

I'm so pleased to hear Junior is doing well Exvet! I'm not a huge fan of exercise for the sake of it, but it does help with the riding so I do it I'm doing a 30 minute standing pilated routine most mornings which I'm finding really helps hugely with my balance and flexibility in the saddle. ("T...

Moutaineer

I've only had my new car for 2 weeks so I'm still babyng it... however there is a double bridle hanging off the valet hook behind the front seat, which is I'm sure where I'm meant to put my purse.... Apart from that, in winter I always have a warm (human) blanket, gloves and a hat, a water bottle, c...

Moutaineer

The Burgundy jacket arrived today. Its actually really nice. Especially for the money (Smatpak Piper softshell. I got it on sale so it cost me $84.00. Can't beat that!) Quite a subdued color so I think it will look good on the redhead. Whilst it is very well cut with quite a forgiving fit, It would ...

Moutaineer

Poor guy, exvet. Jimgles continue for him and for you. What an ordeal for both of you.

Moutaineer

Turn on the forehand into the trot. Really opens them up.

Moutaineer

Nice ride today focussing on shoulder in to haunches in on a circle (with the added forward impetus of snow crashing off the roof.) I'm finally getting how to change my weighting in my seat and legs correctly rather than using my hands as much. I've just ordered a new show coat. I wonder if it will ...

Moutaineer

Saiph's path sounds like the one that we have taken/are taking with Potters. They need to develop the physical and mental confidence in their own ability to do stuff before they are asked to do it, or they get worried and balky about the whole thing. There is no learning by doing, or work by the sea...

Moutaineer

The barn got dumped on over the weekend. 21" of snow on the ground, and high winds. And yes, SF, all that has got to slide off the arena roof... and it's going to be zero tomorrow, heavy rain or snow again on Wednesday and be 45 degrees by the end of the week. Blech. Apart from the slop and the...

Moutaineer

More jingles for you Khall! Snowy and very cold here today. I had a good ride yesterday before all this started. Potters was a bit up because of the cold but held it all together very well and we had a productive session. I'm really happy with how the connection is developing for me. We will see wha...

Moutaineer

Lol. There is a garbage can just outside the entry door to our indoor arena, conveniently placed for the trash ponies to forage through as you are trying to pick out their feet. I've tried moving it, but it always seems to migrate back.

Moutaineer

And they don't look wierd. I got the black on black and they just don't stand out at all.

I got mine from Redpost Equestrian in the UK. They had a decent price and aren't sketchy.

Moutaineer

Heavy enough to be where you want them to be without being excessively so. So, not light, but not overly weighty. If that makes any after dinner and 2 glasses of wine on a Friday night sense...

Moutaineer

So, for funsies in my lesson today we played with a bit of piaffe and passage under saddle. It's the first time I've ever ridden either one properly, on a horse that is truly coming over his back. It was tons of fun and the boy was very proud of himself. We were just planning on playing with half st...

Moutaineer

Ooooh... so cute, Ponichiwa! And, yeah, Heddy. Wrap that wrist in vetwrap or something! Glad no break though. Enjoy your trip. Today I found my right butt cheek at the canter. The left one, however... Who knows? Maybe by the end of the week, I'll find them both in the course of a single ride. You ne...

Moutaineer

Breathe, breathe better. Ride, ride better. Combine the two. And in the mean time, work to solidify the truly glorious feeling of "between the seat and the hand" that has appeared over my last couple of rides, as if with choirs of angels singing, like a true Christmas miracle! (To do this ...

Moutaineer

Its been another hit and miss couple if months for me healthwise. Covid really kicked my butt and compounded my respiratory issues, but I now feel like I've got some solid medical and therapeutic help moving forward who actually understand the struggle. Its damned hard to do this sport if you can't ...

Moutaineer

What a horrendous situation, Tanga. I can't offer any advice but get thee to a specialist in family law, but I can offer my sincere best wishes that you can get her to safety.

Moutaineer

Lol...

Moutaineer

Well, that's a poor excuse

Congratulations and best wishes to the whole family!

Moutaineer

Excellent ride today which was just what I needed. He was relaxed and cooperative and "with me" with minimal angst on either of our parts. The speech pathologist has given me some breathing exercises to do on horseback. It's been interesting and caused a certain amount of ear swiveling and...

Moutaineer

I'm so sorry, Flight, for your injury and your family's loss. Wishing you speedy and uncomplicated healing. And thats a lovely picture!

Wishing all of you, wherever you are, a peaceful, safe and wonderful Christmas.

Moutaineer

SF, thanks for the review! The Acavallos seem to have different sized nubbins in different pictures on the web, which is rather confusing! The STS ones look a bit too complicated to me and not dressage legal means switching things out for showing, so no... I do like the turned eye. I find it much ki...

Moutaineer

A question about stirrups. Who uses safety stirrups? If so, what? I'm most interested in the Rid'up ones. I like a stirrup turned at a 90 degree angle to the eye and I thing the technology where the whole foot breaks away from the leather makes more sense than the ones that open down the side and by...

Moutaineer

Spirulina is one thing I haven't tried! Thank you for that thought. Can't hurt, might help! Off to order some now.

Moutaineer

Flei looks cooperative and willing, Chisamba. Lovely pictures Straightforward. Tesla has turned into quite a chunk, hasn't she! Queso just looks so damned cute! Potters and his next-door stall neighbor are both covered in hives today. No rhyme or reason that we can discern that just the two of them ...

Moutaineer

Totally agree on the temperament. I'd rather have an agreeable, cooperative horse than a really fancy one. My trainer has Covid, poor woman. Assistant trainer set up a trot pole pattern for us to play with.today. We haven't done that before. Potters got pretty into it. Not a spook to be contemplated...

Moutaineer

I'm so sorry about your dog, Chisamba. That must have been devastating. I think bend is probably something we all work on, once we get to the level of sophistication in our riding that we understand the concept. Bending honestly through the body going to the right is one of (the last of) Potters' ex...

Moutaineer

Chantal, sorry things didn't go entirely according to plan for you, but it's all experience. Lovely pictures, however. I must admit I tend to just noodle about without showing goals, so they are a good focus for me, even if I also suck at showing. I keep thinking that if I do it more, maybe I'll get...

Moutaineer

Following along here. I'm having some breathing issues and voice problems which are a bit of a drag. I'm on some meds for an infection which are kicking my butt a bit, and started work with a speech pathologist last week. So my emphasis for a while when I ride is going to be to work on my breathing ...

Moutaineer

I sneaked out and watched Mike Osinski teach a clinic this afternoon. I'm always happy to go to one of these things and pick up the odd useful nugget or have my own understanding solidified--and see if this is a person I would like to work with given the opportunity. I liked him a lot. I'd be happy ...

Moutaineer

I've had a bit of a difficult week health-wise, and I've also had a couple of major work deadlines but I did make it to the barn today and had a nice, if a little briefer than I would have liked, ride before I ran out of air. Potters was very kind to me... I do have to say that my diligent out of th...

Moutaineer

Blob, I know its hard, but if you live and ride for long enough, you are bound to have those years. It is discouraging, but at some point in the future you can look back and realize that there was something positive to be learned. I'm not calling this year anything yet... there's another few weeks t...

Moutaineer

SF, I can't ever seem to find whole ducks around here. I can get frozen duck breasts, which are OK. I haven't done them for a while. I should put them back on the list!

Dinner was good. Leftovers will be good today, too!

Moutaineer

There's just the two of us this year. I'm doing stuffed turkey tenderloins wrapped in bacon with roast potatoes, sprouts and carrots, and gravy, and cranberry sauce (for which I now realize I forgot the orange. I will have to brave the store tomorrow.) Its all the turkey flavors without the giant bi...

Moutaineer

Nice, Aleuronx! I do like your pole exercises, Chisamba. I'll bet your students love them! Nice ride today. Blue skies and sunshine if a little chilly. One more day of this and then winter starts to rev up. I seem to be adjusting to the new saddle fit and I don't hurt tonight. Potters thought yester...

Moutaineer

I hope Annabel is feeling much better, SF! (For some reason, though I've never met her, I feel rather fond of Annabel!) Yeah on the behind-the-leg horse being entirely detrimental to the seat and position--and it's such a vicious circle, especially if one has a less than perfect seat to start with. ...

Moutaineer

You can certainly build the back and shoulder muscles and minimize the look, but wither conformation is wither conformation (unless you are Potters. who would have quite the sharkfin if he still had the top of his withers intact but now has a slope and a crater, like a cross section through a volcan...

Moutaineer

Congratulations, Mari!

Looking as splendid as ever on that spotty boy!

Moutaineer

SF, I would say that she is looking much better. If I were going to offer my inexpert opinion, I would say that she's still has some overall body tension which is stopping her from really letting go over her back and hind end and being more elastic and squishy. She obviously has the athletic ability...

Moutaineer

LSP, sounds like a good plan for Lynx. It really is a puzzle untangling what is affecting what at any one time sometimes. But I do believe that the best thing you can do with a functionally sound horse is appropriate steady work with an eye towards it being physical therapy. On the subject of which....

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