DefinitelyDressage.com

DJR

I had such a busy work week that I did precious little riding. I managed to ride this evening, though. First I rode Sawyer, the large pony QH gelding that I'm tuning up for my daughter. His feet were trimmed today and I found him ouchy on the gravel driveway but fine on the grass and in the sand rin...

DJR

I remember in the 2nd clinic I attended, it was very chilly that morning with frost in the air. Everyone was wearing winter jackets, including Walter. At noon hour, someone brought him another hot chocolate and asked about his welfare as he was in his 80s then. He said, "no, no, I'm not cold at...

DJR

Kammie is doing great with no untoward after-effects. Thank goodness! I have more photos but I'm too tired to upload them tonight (12-hr work day ... unexpected ... again). I'm thinking of naming her "Lady Galadriel", with Gala as her barn name. My dressage horses all have Lord of the Ring...

DJR

I didn't know him, meet him or ride with him. So I'll take your word for it. But, Linda Parelli claiming he lives on through her is enough to make me vomit. His association with the Parellis happened later in his life. I choose to ignore that aspect (and hope that some of his genuine wisdom rubbed ...

DJR

acheyarcher wrote:does she have a name yet?

her star looks a bit like a shamrock

3day 3 months 3 years. I like what I see, seems to have a natural uphill

No name yet, but we're zeroing in on a couple of ideas!

DJR

Is this your first filly to breed and raise? She is adorable and gosh you are flushing the mare by yourself? Yes not an easy undertaking especially when momma is distracted by the little one. Thank you! This is my second foal since I've been an adult, my third since childhood. But, yes, she's my fi...

DJR

Day 3, the last of the photos ...

Mother & daughter:

: 2018Jun11 FillyDay3_10.jpg (100.04 KiB) Viewed 19763 times

Feetsies:

: 2018Jun11 FillyDay3_11.jpg (122.51 KiB) Viewed 19763 times

The wonderment of all things new:

: 2018Jun11 FillyDay3_12.jpg (96.34 KiB) Viewed 19763 times

DJR

Day 3, continued ...

More interactions with my daughter:

: 2018Jun11 FillyDay3_7.jpg (103.59 KiB) Viewed 19763 times

: 2018Jun11 FillyDay3_8.jpg (122.05 KiB) Viewed 19763 times

Those fuzzy-wuzzy ears!

: 2018Jun11 FillyDay3_9.jpg (63.03 KiB) Viewed 19763 times

DJR

Day 3, continued ...

Frolicking:

: 2018Jun11 FillyDay3_4.jpg (91.13 KiB) Viewed 19763 times

Cantering:

: 2018Jun11 FillyDay3_5.jpg (79.92 KiB) Viewed 19763 times

Checking out my daughter:

: 2018Jun11 FillyDay3_6.jpg (121.56 KiB) Viewed 19763 times

DJR

The next 3-4 posts will be photos showing the filly at age 3-days. She's unfolding beautifully, and has a lovely personality that is blossoming more each day. I apologize that the photo quality is rather awful. I unexpectedly worked a 12-hr day and didn't get home until 8 p.m. so I was running out o...

DJR

Well DONE Kammie! So glad all are well, retained placentas are quite common in draft mares and can be very problematic. Fingers crossed no further troubles from that. Kammie looks amazing, beautiful condition, tip of the hat to you :) Thanks, Quelah! That means a lot coming from you. Let me tell yo...

DJR

Today I took Sawyer, my daughter's large pony QH gelding, to his first ever show. It was a semi-local dressage schooling show about an hour away. I started riding Sawyer about 3 wks ago so this was a test to see (a) how things are going so far, and (b) how he behaves in a show environment. It couldn...

DJR

Day 2 and all is well! Kammie is being treated after she retained her placenta, but so far so good. We caught it in time and got it all out. She is none the worse for wear, but will be on meds for awhile. Today they were let out to the pasture. It's a gorgeous, sunny day, and the grass & flowers...

DJR

Unfortunately, Kammie had a retained placenta which I didn't discover until I got home from work. The on-call vet and I managed to treat her and get the placenta out intact, though, and Kammie is behaving totally normally. Fingers crossed that nothing untoward comes of this. She's on meds for the ne...

DJR

Kyra's Mom wrote:Is she by the same stallion as Finn? Lovely 'little' girl.

Susan

Yes, she is a full sister to Finn. I LOVE this cross!

DJR

Once I got Kammie & baby in the stall and settled, I got to bond with the "wee" one (although, she's anything but wee!). I was head-over-heels in love with her full brother, Finn, when he was born four years ago and wondered if I'd be as in love with this foal. I need not have wondered...

DJR

I had a feeling early this morning so I got up and went to check my Shire mare, Kammie. I found her at the back of a lovely, grassy pasture with a wet, newborn filly foal at her side. 2018Jun08 KammiesFillyFoal5.jpg I got to watch her suckling for the first time. 2018Jun08 KammiesFillyFoal6.jpg Then...

DJR

I'm glad someone started this thread. I knew of Walter for years, of course, then was able to ride with him several years ago when I was fairly new on Jet. I also brought my full Percheron that first clinic, wondering if we would be frowned upon because he was a full draft doing dressage. And, I was...

DJR

I vary my riding times, but on average they are around 30 min. In my lessons, they go a full 45-min but lots of walk/long-rein breaks in there (which I also do). My horses range from W-T/Training Level to Third/Fourth Level and seem to do well with this. Occasionally, my big guy (Third/Fourth level)...

DJR

I managed to sneak in one ride this evening before the skies opened up and the thunderstorms started. I tried Sawyer in my old Collegiate dressage saddle which has a wider tree than my AP saddle. I haven't used it in ages since I got my Amerigo (which I truly LOVE, and fits me so well not to mention...

DJR

Crazy rain storms here so nothing to report riding-wise. DJR, perhaps the saddle is pinching Sawyer's shoulders ever so slightly? Now that Tio has a saddle that accommodates his ginormous shoulders, he no longer balks. at. all., whereas before he would duck and balk when worried or confused (not to...

DJR

I've fallen behind on this thread so apologies to everyone as I'm not sure where everyone's at these days training-wise. I've been so bloody busy, it's been crazy. Nevertheless, I've managed to ride the horses around 3x a week. It at least keeps them at their current level of fitness. Jet (13 yr old...

DJR

I *think* I've found an effective exercise rider to help out around here. In exchange for light muck duties (cleaning horse shelters, which are done every day or two so never a big job), she will start riding my daughter's QH large pony, Sawyer. My daughter hasn't ridden since early April when she h...

DJR

H4S - I'm so sorry to hear about your horse and your own situation. Big hugs. Mountaineer, yuck I hate rain, and add to that long drives and new, strange arenas to ride in. It sounds like it went amazingly well despite the weather woes! Today my daughter and I took a clinic of a bit different sort ....

DJR

Wow, that you are still truckin' on after all of that is admirable. What short-sighted knuckleheads your fill-in manager/new boss are. Their behavior speaks loads about them, nothing about you. I'm so sorry to hear about Scarlett & Lexicon. It's so hard to lose them, especially so close together...

DJR

I took both Panache & Jet to a Tom Dvorak clinic today. I really enjoy riding with Tom, he's very down to Earth and has an excellent eye to help improve the horses in front of him. I very pleased with how Panache coped psychologically. He's definitely getting back to his more usual self now. He ...

DJR

My personal goals: -ride at least 4 times a week -go for morning walks more days of the week than not -cut back a bit on carbs With Jet: -show at Third Level in June -in order to do that, keep him in work and improve his fitness -insist on connection from inside leg to outside rein With Pan: -show a...

DJR

I have achieved some of my Mar-Apr goals but not all. I did get Jet & Pan restarted- CHECK! However, then Jet developed cellulitis and couldn't be ridden for 2 wks so his fitness remains less than what I was hoping for at this time of year. Pan restarted uppity & tense, but thankfully is fin...

DJR

Here is Panache from a couple of days ago. He will be 7 in August. Despite his reactive start to the year, he has really settled into his work nicely now. I realize that he has a fair bit more conditioning to put on, but I'm quite happy with how he's looking after 5 weeks of work (averaging 3 rides/...

DJR

Ya, I don't know either. I didn't start sitting on Panache until he turned 6 (late last summer). Even now, with him coming back into work after the winter off, I rise 80% of the time and only sit in short bursts to allow his back to adjust. I am seeing dividends from this approach, though, as he is ...

DJR

Musical comedy - I didn't bring that up to stir the pot. I brought it up because it's a tenet I've heard for a very long time and ascribe to it. Perhaps I'm wrong to do that. And I also didn't bring it up to shove it down anyone's throat. I was contributing to the conversation about my own experienc...

DJR

I think that sitting has a role in encouraging a more expressive trot. However, I do strongly follow the tenets of BNTs like Walter Zettl, Carl Hester, etc., who say "do not sit the trot on a young horse. At the CH symposium last year, he said that he does not sit on a youngster before the age ...

DJR

DJR glad to hear that Panache returned to his normal self. Did you have him boarded out as well? Do you think it has anything to do with the change in environment or just that he's gotten over his sillies and wants to play nice now? I know that P was really unhappy at the first barn I had her at an...

DJR

Yayyyy! I have my Pan back. Today he came out of the paddock chilled, tacked up without fuss, lunged without any naughtiness, and walked flat-footed when I got in the saddle. He was a bit distracted by his paddock-mate calling for him and tensed through his back shortly after I got on, then was done...

DJR

DJR I wrote a detailed response but it seems to have disappeared into the ether capacious. Finn looks like he is getting fabulous exposure. Is he the colt you bred yourself by the warm blood stallion out of your shire mare? Yes, that's him! I really thought he'd end up black, but he's decidedly bay...

DJR

Yay - I rode! It was gorgeous out there, sunny & warm (rode in my t-shirt). Jet was first. He was huffing and puffing quite easily so I focused on suppleness, throughness, and inside leg to outside rein at the walk & trot. He has always had a tendency to hollow & fall into downward trans...

DJR

Yay, our weather has FINALLY improved. It's warming up today and the long-range forecast shows nothing but double-digit highs, little precipitation, and above-zero lows. SO GLAD. I intend to ride at least two horses today, perhaps more if time allows. The comment up-thread about considering a workin...

DJR

My obsession is simply to ride! I keep getting thwarted: weather (no indoor), then boarded at an indoor for 5 wks but the dust problem they were having prevented meaningful rides for all but the last week of boarding there, then Jet had cellulitis in his LH groin area, then my work exploded, then my...

DJR

Well, for better or for worse I have put Jet & Panache in a Tom Dvorak clinic in 3 weeks. Neither horse is fit given the weather challenges we’ve had all winter and just this past week, but I’m told that he will work at the level of the horse in front of him. I rode Jet with him last fall and re...

DJR

All ok here! I also posted this in the "Rain, Rain" thread: ****** This morning was actually the worst in terms of slipperiness, but the footing in all of the horse paddocks was fine as it was only a thin crust over ice pellets so they all sunk in a bit and had traction. Most stayed in the...

DJR

This morning was actually the worst in terms of slipperiness, but the footing in all of the horse paddocks was fine as it was only a thin crust over ice pellets so they all sunk in a bit and had traction. Most stayed in their huge shelters (all are 30' x 15' or bigger) in pairs, which has made for h...

DJR

I'd have to rename this thread, "freezing rain, freezing rain, go away". We're in for an ice storm all day today. So far, so good, but we may lose power anytime, especially when the winds pick up later this afternoon.

YUCK!

DJR

It's the middle of the night and I can't sleep. Why? Because of this: https://instantweather.ca/2018/04/15/tTWdQX-major-ice-storm-becoming-more-likely-for-parts-of-southern-ontario-including-the-gta-on-sunday-strong-wind-gusts-could-lead-to-widespread-power-outages/ We already had a hard Saturday wi...

DJR

My 4-yr-old Shire/Hano gelding has been in professional training the last two months. He was fairly reactive, so I chose to put him with a trainer who specializes in harness work (as well as riding), and who exposes the horses to pretty much everything. It's been an excellent match for Finn who is a...

DJR

I moved all my bozos home from the boarding facility on the weekend. Holy moley, what a bunch of idiotz they all can be! I put Pan back in with the mare he loves and that was ok, although he was bent out of shape because the pony mares are two paddocks over and his stallion complex makes it so that ...

DJR

Holy cow. Those are spectacular!!! Wow! I LOVE them!! (Carp. Now I have to fight the urge to go online and buy supplies). Don't fight the urge, go for it!!! Here's an excellent source (in Toronto, Canada). https://ukrainianeggcessories.com/ There are many sources in the States, too. Do it, do it, d...

DJR

DJR, even if you don't wish to take the time to lunge (or arena is too busy for it) I strongly suggest some quick ground work with Panache before you get on. It was last year, I think, that I realized my youngster, Tio, was much more respectful and focused if I did ground work first. Much of the ti...

DJR

khall - I'm 53 now and I hear ya! I just cancelled a jumping clinic I had signed up for because I'm turning into a nervous nelly about a fall after a bad one a year ago (off my daughter's large pony, landing smack dab on my left SI joint). It's irrational because my horse-related injuries have had n...

DJR

DJR - those are stunning! I LOVE the horse one especially. My siblings and I all used to do pysanky for DAYS leading up to easter every year. My mom still has the collection, and there are probably close to 40. My sister (the professional artist) is 10 years my senior so hers were absolutely stunni...

DJR

I use Varathane varnish on a blown egg, it works great. I know many work on already-emptied eggs, but I prefer the weight of the full egg (and it sinks in the dyes, no need to weight it down). So far, out of 53 eggs I've done to date, only one succumbed to a too-vigorous blow-out attempt (when I was...

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