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exvet

Exvet, I'd love to hear more about what you do in hand with Brandon. That's an area I struggle with myself but especially with Lynx. I definitely feel it could be a benefit for us as well. Well, I had already been working with bit acceptance and teaching Brandon to halt-walk-halt to teach him to ha...

exvet

Congratulations Straightforward. It's always nice to get the first one under the belt and live to tell the tale ;) I also love the pictures further up the thread. Tesla looks to be quite the powerhouse. We had a significant monsoon storm last night which thankfully brought our temps down to below 10...

exvet

Exvet sounds similar to an exercise we call bending without turning and use for suppling and getting into equal contact. I have finished my show season on my horses so focusing on basics. Basic suppleness in all three gaits. I am working on getting the bend by placing the hind quarters. So lots of ...

exvet

I just got done with another lesson with Molly. I took Junior again and we worked more on his suppleness. She had me work at all three gaits asking for bend at varying degrees. The whole lesson went like this: you go a specific direction at walk, trot and canter. In each gait you ask first for bend ...

exvet

Me - Continue working out as much as possible though I will be working more. Junior - just got back from my lesson and we've made progress. His canter departs are more powerful and on spot. So, with that: - continue to work on keeping Junior straight with the foot falls, loading all 4 legs equally (...

exvet

My goals are much of the same of what they've been, just building more on to what we've been doing: Junior Continue to work the canter so that it's supple and the same canter on both leads Hopefully we'll be ready for consistently clean flying changes towards the end of this challenge but we'll see...

exvet

All three of my geldings will urinate immediately after dismounting. Sometimes with Ace it's a challenge so you don't get splashed because he doesn't always wait until you're fully dismounted. Junior will often urinate just before I bring him in to be saddled if he sees it's his tack being pulled ou...

exvet

Well, we're diligently working over fences, in hand, conditioning sets on the trail and the many exercises that I was given to complete while Molly was in Lamplight riding her six-year-old test. I watched her go both times live (so cool that it was livestreaming, and the time difference worked for m...

exvet

Congratulations, Chantal. Sometimes you just have to insist that they step up to the plate <period>

exvet

Well done SF! Here's my slightly delayed show report because honestly hit the horse show hangover HARD when I got back due to it being 92 and humid everyday there and then a long extended 5 hour drive home due to traffic. Overall the show was a mixed bag for many reasons but our main objectives wer...

exvet

Susan, I can say that I absolutely love my Prestige. I really never thought I would ever buy one but it's been the best gamble on Junior. Now having said that I also love my old Passier. It at least for now fits Brandon like a glove. I also love my barrel (western) saddle. It's a Tesky custom. The k...

exvet

I do think work at walk helps the muscle memory for canter . Doing the more complicated lateral moves in a relaxed walk can only help. It's a very unusual conundrum. I have to admit this is the first time I've encountered this in terms of one side and at one gait. He doesn't do it to either side at...

exvet

Have you tried leading him with that inside rein to the inside a bit? What I mean by that is use the inside rein to encourage that inside fore to reach more forward and in. Yes Or counter bending before and during the canter? Yes Another exercise that Cedar likes is to ride counter SI and push the ...

exvet

Tanga are you saying do tof in renvere? Yes definitely one of the best movements for getting them off the inside shoulder but may be a bit advanced for as young of a horse as Brandon is. I do these turns with Joplin a good bit going from renvere turn to walk pirouette Agreed that this might make hi...

exvet

OK, so if I have this right, you need to get him to step the right legs to step to the inside more, and are putting more weight to the right to get this? Do you feel that's working? I need the right legs when going to the right to step more away from his body. How about doing the exact opposite? So...

exvet

He does this on the lunge line - bit or no bit. He is two completely different horses going to the left vs. the right. I'll try a different saddle on him and see if it makes a difference.

exvet

I have been and will continue to do the leg yields in both directions. Unfortunately, to the left doesn't help with getting him to abduct his right fore. I need to teach him to move his right fore forward in a straighter fashion than crossing it over in front of the left fore (he does the same with ...

exvet

So I am looking for some suggestions in order to keep Brandon's mind engaged and not encourage his creativity as a result of being drilled. Kind of like Junior, Brandon has a different canter on each rein. To the left it's absolutely lovely. Easy to get a prompt transition that is controlled and bal...

exvet

Congratulations Straightforward! Sounds like a very successful outing. Love the picture too.

exvet

Exvet…so glad Junior’s hocks are in good working order. Now, just to figure out the recipe to get the work done without the effusions. Well, the effusions are likely due to a combination of increased stress load and heat. They popped up late June/early July which coincides with the new coach and di...

exvet

Good news. Junior's hock rads are unremarkable. My colleague agrees with my assumption that Junior's effusions are simple a result of increased work/stress and the HEAT. She also feels my 'future' plan is reasonable in building his strength while trying to keep him sound. I had an okay lesson on Bra...

exvet

[quote="Chisamba" Moutaineer, tension is a peculiar thing, we need a certain amount of positive tension to do all the grand stuff. But have to work out how to get that without the negative stress. It's simple but not easy[/quote] This in spades, underscored, bolded, italicized and 100 excl...

exvet

Good luck SF, of course pics or video will be expected (if doable) ;) Hugs to you demi. You've been dealt such a tough blow and given a great gift so bittersweet. I admire your pragmatic approach to it all. I think your trainer is right. Riding Junior this am then hauling Brandon out to another less...

exvet

Chantal, nice pictures. Looks like your big guy has filled out a bit more. The only thing I see is a horse that needs to get stronger and step underneath himself a wee bit/shift the weight back just a little more at this level in the trot shots. Not sure if it's your hands or if maybe you need to ju...

exvet

Gosh so much has happened in 2 weeks. Jingles for all those who need it. It seems that sometimes you can never get a break with horses and I'll be the first to say that they should all come bubble wrapped. Chisamba those pictures are amazing. Congratulations, I'm super impressed. LSP, I'm sorry to h...

exvet

I know you do in hand work. How is he when you ask him to bend when he is in hand? I use the handle of my whip when on a small circle to first introduce the idea of bending in the rib cage/moving the rib cage away from the pressure and stepping under with the inside hind. Brandon at first got upset ...

exvet

Oh no demi! My sincere condolences.

exvet

mari wrote:Chisamba I love your above post so much. I want to engrave it on my brain.

Ditto that!

exvet

LSP - it took me a solid two years to earn my scores at third level the first time around on my Arabian. I had to work for 2.5 years at second level prior to that. I had this insane goal to earn my bronze by the time I was 40, well at 42 I finally did it. I had Monty at third level for 1.5 seasons d...

exvet

Congrats Ponichiwa Good luck at your show next weekend LPS Thank you Straightforward for such an uplifting story. Chisamba - BEEN THERE DONE THAT and I can tell you it's just a blip on the map. Every one of those blips I've encountered I've used to fuel my fire ;) Maybe the judge got up on the wrong...

exvet

Thank you everyone. The toughest part in addition to consoling my daughter was informing Tamara (Tamara in TN). Her life has moved far past her/our horse pursuits; but it was her husband, Calvin, who gave me Resi. Tamara and I had a long-standing foal share arrangement, and I took some who weren't o...

exvet

It's with a very heavy heart that I write this. I was notified this morning that Rezi was found dead in his turn out this morning. He was reported to have been fine last night. No info as to how or why. He's been in Florida the last few years living the pampered life. His son Junior is all that I ha...

exvet

Chisamba, I realize that you may have originally been shooting for higher scores but those are very impressive accomplishments. We both know that Saiph came away with more confidence because you didn't put the screws to her. She entered. She trusted and you gave her a confidence building ride. More ...

exvet

Thanks so much everyone for your good wishes. It’s an emotional support for me. Exvet, hearing about your dad was especially encouraging. It gives me an idea that the rehab could be very long, but it’s worth it. The doctors say that DH should regain all his cognitive ability but will have weakness ...

exvet

Late reading this; but most definitely sending jingles for a seamless rehab and recovery for you DH and you, demi. I've gone through strokes of different types with both of my parents. My father's was a brain bleed that required surgery. His occupational rehab took a year, but he came out the other ...

exvet

I too have been a failed foster a couple of times. The last one I had to put to sleep right before Christmas at the age of almost 14. He was my heart and soul even though I swore I would not adopt him. Good on you. If I may, I'd love to donate to the treatment. I have an account that I could use for...

exvet

There are a few blessed days when I feel like I am really learning how to ride. Today was one of those days. What, might one ask, was working. Uphill half halts without loss of energy. Voila. Why were they working? Despite a full day teaching I wanted to ride, so I was hacking while teaching. My st...

exvet

Aleuronx - good luck at the show! Speaking of heat, we're heading up to the Grand Canyon to escape for a long weekend. The horses are going to get a brief vacation/time off though I told my daughter that if she wanted to ride in the wee hours she could since she's house/pet sitting for me. I had a v...

exvet

Chantal I love the photos and I have to admit when I read your first report, it was reminiscent of more than one clinic I've participated in and on more than one beast ;) It sounds like it was a learning opportunity with decent gains. It is so true for most of us that we revert back to old habits in...

exvet

Because huge numbers of horse facilities do not even have turn out. Many of the older places only have tie stalls. And this includes a huge number of American show horses not only dressage. Have you ever seen a single race track anywhere in the world with turn out pens? Most of these places are not...

exvet

So many of the 'disappointments' I've read about have more to do with opinions of how to exact a discipline and not what is the conventional wisdom of animal welfare. The Five Freedoms are globally recognized as the gold standard in animal welfare, encompassing both the mental and physical well-bein...

exvet

Good luck at the show Chisamba! khall I've been doing mostly one strides to the fence or poles to a taller vertical and also I'll throw together a couple of four stride combinations often ending with some type of spread. Junior seemed overwhelmed when I tried to do bounces on the lunge so I've saved...

exvet

IMO this is no different than the issues with 'futurities' in many of the breed shows. All of these are designed to showcase young horses and push them for a return on their breeding, their athleticism (or whatever) and provide payouts in more than just winnings. This is the machine of horse showing...

exvet

[quote="Chisamba" Exvet, if you ever actually get an equal canter in both directions bottle that skill and sell it for millions. [/quote] LOL, well I think my new instructor is the one who should be getting that credit; but if today is any indication I won't be a millionaire any time soon....

exvet

We've dealt with a couple of anhydrosis cases within our herd over the years. I have had success in treating them to get them through the summers here. I have also had them eventually transition out of it with appropriate nutrition, treatment and acupuncture. And to Blob's point about preparing hors...

exvet

My goals are much of the same of what they've been, just building more on to what we've been doing: Junior Continue to work the canter so that it's supple and the same canter on both leads Hopefully we'll be ready for consistently clean flying changes towards the end of this challenge but we'll see ...

exvet

Brandon: I'll have a better idea of goals after today's lesson and next Saturday's schooling show. For now, I continue to work on his balance, especially at the canter and his acceptance of the bit. Tempo is also a big focus this time around. I feel pretty good about having accomplished my goals wit...

exvet

Nice pictures SF.

Chisamba you already know my vote. Just do it!

That totally stinks Moutaineer.

Glad Kyra is still doing fine.

Hope everyone else on the mend is getting closer to being healthy.

exvet

Susan, hoping that Kyra's improvement has continued. If your vet thinks it was exercise that caused the straining?? that resulted in the hemorrhage, were they specific in terms of what type of exercise would cause that? I ask purely out of curiosity. LSP, Lynx is so pretty and seems to be very in tu...

exvet

Sorry to hear that Blob. Hope you feel better soon. FWIW both my SO and I caught covid after having been vaccinated and boostered. My SO was sick for just 3-4 days. I had it for 5 days and didn't feel better until that 6th day. Once I got past the fever, I was back to normal quickly. I know it affec...

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