Road to the ring or not depending on your summer plan activities but for a lot of us things are starting to pop off!
Section Goals:
-4th Freestyle finish 2 remaining 65%+ scores for Silver Freestyle Medal
-Debut at I-1 with 60%+ scores to qualify for Regionals
-Bring the big tour work back into training post freestyles
-Not hate work? or Make some changes that I hate it less. Corporate is getting annoying and we're losing our small team feel.
Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Moderator: blob
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Boy does that work goal resonate down to my soul. Best of luck finding the joy instead of the grind.
It's not hot yet but by the end of this challenge, it definitely will be. So in a fit of frenetic energy powered by last month's show success, I signed Queso up the National Dressage Pony Cup in Ohio in July. Now I'm of course panicking about not being ready, but that's just part of me being me.
Goals:
Queso:
- 63+ at 2nd level in the May show we've signed up for. Hopefully qualify for regionals
- Live in the trot: school mediums and trot improvement exercises
- Power up the canter: transitions between collected/working/medium
Dijon:
- Get off the property as a show or non-compete
- Introduce canter on straight lines
Me:
- Continue working out: 5x/week walk/row/bike even if it's hot outside
It's not hot yet but by the end of this challenge, it definitely will be. So in a fit of frenetic energy powered by last month's show success, I signed Queso up the National Dressage Pony Cup in Ohio in July. Now I'm of course panicking about not being ready, but that's just part of me being me.
Goals:
Queso:
- 63+ at 2nd level in the May show we've signed up for. Hopefully qualify for regionals
- Live in the trot: school mediums and trot improvement exercises
- Power up the canter: transitions between collected/working/medium
Dijon:
- Get off the property as a show or non-compete
- Introduce canter on straight lines
Me:
- Continue working out: 5x/week walk/row/bike even if it's hot outside
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
My goals are the broken record type - improve the canter with both boys. Focus on engagement, balance, big forward bouncing strides for both and more sit for Junior. We have a clinic with Dolly Hannon at the end of the month. Junior is entered in the June recognized show. I'm going to use Troy's overly powerful canter to help me move better in sync with his canter in order to take it to Junior with the hope of getting his stride more like Troy's - or as close as is physically feasible (if that makes sense). I'm sure that I'm holding Junior back in terms of me being too stiff in the lower back.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Ponichiwa, I think I also need to "live in the trot". Our scores are fine for canter, trot is a giant pain.
I want to do some shows this year, but so far this year has been super stop-start for us. So our next two months can maybe be focussed on at least feeling more show-ready.
Goals:
1) Lateral work at trot.
He's very very difficult to ride in lateral positions on the wall, since he's been young (granted, I was a useless rider then). If I work without a wall, the lateral work goes pretty smoothly, and I can switch between positions pretty easily and without losing too much impulsion. On the wall is just the worst. He fights every step of the way to stick some part of his body to the wall. Switching from SI to renvers is a huge ugly thing nearly every ride. It's very demoralising.
2) Finding some kind of balance between canter straightness and flying changes.
Over the last few months we've really worked on balance and straightness in the canter, and closing in the wayward left hind a bit more. Huge progress, and can now ride SF and SI to the left in canter, and switch between angles to the left, which was impossible last year. BUT now when I ask for changes he'll often just try and reposition his body more, instead of popping a change. So we just need to find a middle ground here somewhere.
I want to do some shows this year, but so far this year has been super stop-start for us. So our next two months can maybe be focussed on at least feeling more show-ready.
Goals:
1) Lateral work at trot.
He's very very difficult to ride in lateral positions on the wall, since he's been young (granted, I was a useless rider then). If I work without a wall, the lateral work goes pretty smoothly, and I can switch between positions pretty easily and without losing too much impulsion. On the wall is just the worst. He fights every step of the way to stick some part of his body to the wall. Switching from SI to renvers is a huge ugly thing nearly every ride. It's very demoralising.
2) Finding some kind of balance between canter straightness and flying changes.
Over the last few months we've really worked on balance and straightness in the canter, and closing in the wayward left hind a bit more. Huge progress, and can now ride SF and SI to the left in canter, and switch between angles to the left, which was impossible last year. BUT now when I ask for changes he'll often just try and reposition his body more, instead of popping a change. So we just need to find a middle ground here somewhere.
The aim of argument or of discussion should not be victory, but progress. ~ Joseph Joubert
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
End of this go around I hope to have Joplin back if not better where we were last September. Aiming for 4 th and PSG on n the fall. Still use the equi band some.
Sort Chex out
Play with Lani
Keep Gaila going lightly
Me lose the freaking weight!
Happy riding all!!
Sort Chex out
Play with Lani
Keep Gaila going lightly
Me lose the freaking weight!
Happy riding all!!
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
repeating most of my goals from last month, esp with RP, since must of March/April was lost to health things
Me:
Continue to eat at home/cook more than eat out/order in
Walk 2-3 times a week
Find time to ride with new work schedule
Get trailer sorted
Get bedroom sorted
MM:
Continue getting her back in shape
Enjoy her
RP:
Continue to play with double bridle (get new noseband for it??)
Continue working on changes--start moving away from the high behind
Attend clinc and/or show
Continue working on ease in lateral work
Me:
Continue to eat at home/cook more than eat out/order in
Walk 2-3 times a week
Find time to ride with new work schedule
Get trailer sorted
Get bedroom sorted
MM:
Continue getting her back in shape
Enjoy her
RP:
Continue to play with double bridle (get new noseband for it??)
Continue working on changes--start moving away from the high behind
Attend clinc and/or show
Continue working on ease in lateral work
-
heddylamar
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 1503
- Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2015 3:04 pm
- Location: Maryland
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Maia just got to work — somehow even better than she was with regular riding in December — and is about to have a two week reprieve 
When I get back:
– Trailering 101
– Get back into regular lessons
– Increase my workout intensity in prep for a high elevation backpacking trip in July/August
– Build a deer fortress to protect 30 baby trees as they mature
And if I'm feeling up to the challenge:
– Tying 101
Out of multiple babies my mom and I have started together, Maia's our only tying failure. She panics when confined. That likely explains her stall, indoor arena, wash stall, and trailer loading antics. She will follow me into anything, but the tension ramps up rapidly in close confinement. She's gotten better about my trailer (Hawk 2H with windows and doors on every wall), but if I'm going to take her anywhere, I need her to just walk in and stand calmly.
My BO is in the midst of adding windows to the long side of our indoor arena, which will be absolutely wonderful in the winter. Much less claustrophobic.
Thank you all for the kind words about my dad <3
When I get back:
– Trailering 101
– Get back into regular lessons
– Increase my workout intensity in prep for a high elevation backpacking trip in July/August
– Build a deer fortress to protect 30 baby trees as they mature
And if I'm feeling up to the challenge:
– Tying 101
Out of multiple babies my mom and I have started together, Maia's our only tying failure. She panics when confined. That likely explains her stall, indoor arena, wash stall, and trailer loading antics. She will follow me into anything, but the tension ramps up rapidly in close confinement. She's gotten better about my trailer (Hawk 2H with windows and doors on every wall), but if I'm going to take her anywhere, I need her to just walk in and stand calmly.
My BO is in the midst of adding windows to the long side of our indoor arena, which will be absolutely wonderful in the winter. Much less claustrophobic.
Thank you all for the kind words about my dad <3
-
Moutaineer
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 2797
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 2:45 pm
- Location: Utah
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Not my road to the ring this time around, but Justin and Potters, so I'm handing over most of my rides fot the next few weeks. I'll still get on couple of times a week, and I'm going to the gym 3 times a week and walking my 2.5 miles circuit every day--which doesn't sound a lot, but is quite taxing for my still-puny leg muscles.
Then I'm off to lovely Sicily for 2 weeks
Then I'm off to lovely Sicily for 2 weeks
-
texsuze
- 500 post plus club
- Posts: 712
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 4:50 pm
- Location: Texas, The Lone Star State!
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Heddy, Maia reminds me of a barn buddy's horse couldn't be tied under any circumstances. At the barn, his personalized nylon halters read "Do Not Tie" on both sides.
-
Moutaineer
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 2797
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 2:45 pm
- Location: Utah
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Well gosh I had such a great ride today...
Yesterday was wet and cold and we had a barn full of naughty horses, including Potters. We toughed it out, however, and between spooks we got some decent if rather over the top work in at the trot, but I decided discretion was the better part of valor and didn't canter at all. I was soaked through and rubber-legged by the time I got off.
Today was one of those beautiful-looking blue sky days with a wicked cold north wind rattling the indoor, so I was not entirely convinced that things would be any better. But my little orange boy did not put a hoof wrong. We worked on some flying changes, which have been a bit of a mental block of mine indoors, and had some fun with the piaffe and passage.
The piaffe has always been a bit of a party trick for him, so the work is in getting him not to just drop his back and sewing machine it with his head in the air, and we are now able to get some very nice soft and round steps with his shoulders up and his but underneath him, which make us both very happy!
Passage is still a work in progress, but working on it really improves the loft and suspension in his trot.
Interestingly, my body really likes riding, as long as I really focus on my position. The back brace helps quite a bit usually, but apparently the breeches and shirt i had on today were slippery, and the darned thing slid up until it was more like a bustier...
Yesterday was wet and cold and we had a barn full of naughty horses, including Potters. We toughed it out, however, and between spooks we got some decent if rather over the top work in at the trot, but I decided discretion was the better part of valor and didn't canter at all. I was soaked through and rubber-legged by the time I got off.
Today was one of those beautiful-looking blue sky days with a wicked cold north wind rattling the indoor, so I was not entirely convinced that things would be any better. But my little orange boy did not put a hoof wrong. We worked on some flying changes, which have been a bit of a mental block of mine indoors, and had some fun with the piaffe and passage.
The piaffe has always been a bit of a party trick for him, so the work is in getting him not to just drop his back and sewing machine it with his head in the air, and we are now able to get some very nice soft and round steps with his shoulders up and his but underneath him, which make us both very happy!
Passage is still a work in progress, but working on it really improves the loft and suspension in his trot.
Interestingly, my body really likes riding, as long as I really focus on my position. The back brace helps quite a bit usually, but apparently the breeches and shirt i had on today were slippery, and the darned thing slid up until it was more like a bustier...
-
Chisamba
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 4616
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:33 pm
- Location: New Jersey
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Tying is one of those things i just believe has to be possible. especially a horse who does not tie. i take a lot of time working out how to do so. why? all kinds of complicated reasons. I had a friend loose most of her herd in a flood. i never asked her, because how can one ask after such a tragedy, why she did not set up a zip line and tie all her horses on the highest part of the farm. when we were in Zambia we had a horrible fire that really just about destroyed the farm, and we set up a line, and tied all the horses, and brought all the cows in to an area, and then just had the windmill run at full speed spraying water over the area we designated as safest. dad hitched the plow an just made circles around and around the animals spiraling out to destroy all vegetation around where they were. we were able to save them all. remember there were no fire trucks fire fighters and despite having foals, stallions and mares we were able to put everyone in a safe place.
also, my dad transported horses for a living. if there was a crisis on the highway and cars just keep zooming past at high speeds, being able to tie the horses in a safe place is essential.
so for my tying is a non negotiable must do must have must solve problem for every single horse.
also, my dad transported horses for a living. if there was a crisis on the highway and cars just keep zooming past at high speeds, being able to tie the horses in a safe place is essential.
so for my tying is a non negotiable must do must have must solve problem for every single horse.
-
Chisamba
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 4616
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:33 pm
- Location: New Jersey
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
my goals for May.
me. be able to ride with no pain in my knee. the acute recovery was easy. long term, less so
Pauletta, some how some where get her to a show.
Kimba. find out for once and all why she really finds flying changes so stressful ( pain? stress? or just emotional)
that's it for goals. every thing in life is currently so complicated, clients no longer being able to afford training. clients thinking i am not progressing their horse well enough and heading to greener pastures. prices of everything just soaring higher and higher. i sometimes feel its past time to retire from the training and lesson program, let my lesson ponies age out gracefully and retire. my lame horse is hinting from time to time that life is complicated, even though all she does i walk about on soft ground and eat. i f*1king hate that decision time. i think i may be depressed. ( sad without any cause)
i should probably just erase this rather than post it.
me. be able to ride with no pain in my knee. the acute recovery was easy. long term, less so
Pauletta, some how some where get her to a show.
Kimba. find out for once and all why she really finds flying changes so stressful ( pain? stress? or just emotional)
that's it for goals. every thing in life is currently so complicated, clients no longer being able to afford training. clients thinking i am not progressing their horse well enough and heading to greener pastures. prices of everything just soaring higher and higher. i sometimes feel its past time to retire from the training and lesson program, let my lesson ponies age out gracefully and retire. my lame horse is hinting from time to time that life is complicated, even though all she does i walk about on soft ground and eat. i f*1king hate that decision time. i think i may be depressed. ( sad without any cause)
i should probably just erase this rather than post it.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Chisamba, don't erase it. This kind of insidious depression touches all of us, and I'm really sorry you're going through it. I send you many many virtual hugs and I hope that some other little facet of your life will bring you joy and light.
The aim of argument or of discussion should not be victory, but progress. ~ Joseph Joubert
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Chisamba - I agree do not erase your post. Many of us here do have life struggles too between our equine and human health issues.
This past week, my aged pony spiked a temperature 103 stopped eating and was very depressed. I immediately called my vet who started him on IV antibiotics and Banamine. She is out daily to administer IV and monitor him. She is currently treating multiple horses in our area for tick fever - one spiked temp of 106. My pony has PPID and IR so I've been cold hosing him and trying to get him to stand in icy water tub. I'm glad he is at home so I can check him multiple times to apply these treatments along with oral medications. My obvious fear is laminitus.
Me - torn knee meniscus (MRI confirmed) so I'm hobbling around with knee brace. Someday I'll make that appt. to see an orthopedic doc - but for now my pony is my priority.
This past week, my aged pony spiked a temperature 103 stopped eating and was very depressed. I immediately called my vet who started him on IV antibiotics and Banamine. She is out daily to administer IV and monitor him. She is currently treating multiple horses in our area for tick fever - one spiked temp of 106. My pony has PPID and IR so I've been cold hosing him and trying to get him to stand in icy water tub. I'm glad he is at home so I can check him multiple times to apply these treatments along with oral medications. My obvious fear is laminitus.
Me - torn knee meniscus (MRI confirmed) so I'm hobbling around with knee brace. Someday I'll make that appt. to see an orthopedic doc - but for now my pony is my priority.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Chisamba big hugs. You absolutely have reasons to feel overwhelmed and down. I hope your knee recovery gets easier and your barn life has clarity for what path you should consider.
Josette from my knee experience they don’t like to do surgery on torn meniscus anymore. In 2010 I had torn L knee they scoped it. Took out a good bit that took awhile to recover from. In 2020 I had horse mud encounter hyper extended it then had 2 slip and falls one right after knee injection. Laying on the garage floor trying to decide if I could get up or not. That’s when they told me they don’t scope for torn miniscus which was fine by me. I’ve used red light therapy to help with pain. It does work! And continued movement and targeted strengthening exercises in Pilates. They aren’t perfect especially when I twisted the L again stepping off a flatbed trailer. But I’m hoping to stave off knee replacement as long as I can. A friend does stem cell for her knee. Good luck with managing your knee and jingles for your pony. Ppid is tough.
Blessed rain here in drought Georgia though not sure if the wildfires are getting much.
Gearing up for Cedar clinic this weekend.
Happy riding all!
Josette from my knee experience they don’t like to do surgery on torn meniscus anymore. In 2010 I had torn L knee they scoped it. Took out a good bit that took awhile to recover from. In 2020 I had horse mud encounter hyper extended it then had 2 slip and falls one right after knee injection. Laying on the garage floor trying to decide if I could get up or not. That’s when they told me they don’t scope for torn miniscus which was fine by me. I’ve used red light therapy to help with pain. It does work! And continued movement and targeted strengthening exercises in Pilates. They aren’t perfect especially when I twisted the L again stepping off a flatbed trailer. But I’m hoping to stave off knee replacement as long as I can. A friend does stem cell for her knee. Good luck with managing your knee and jingles for your pony. Ppid is tough.
Blessed rain here in drought Georgia though not sure if the wildfires are getting much.
Gearing up for Cedar clinic this weekend.
Happy riding all!
-
texsuze
- 500 post plus club
- Posts: 712
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 4:50 pm
- Location: Texas, The Lone Star State!
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Chiming in here with virtual support and hugs for you, Chisamba, and anyone considering sending their riding companion to the Rainbow Bridge. You do have cause for sadness and contemplation; I believe your posting validates some issues others are also trying to navigate these days. Feels like desperate times right now. Right there with 'ya.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
You listed many things, Chisamba, that are real reasons to be sad. But it's also relatable and understandable to be sad without any acute or specific cause. I feel that right now there is just so much. Some days I have to remind myself that it's enough to just get up and go about the basic needs of the day and not do anything extra.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Chisamba I believe it's called compassion fatigue. I too am struggling with it and trying hard to get up and face work each day I'm scheduled. Scaling back may help but I can't cut back on work and horses are my only link to sanity which I suspect keeps you grounded as well. For now I just do my best to focus on the cathartic and therapeutic benefits to the farm work and relationship with horses. I'm okay with Junior and I never getting to my goal of a gold medal but that doesn't mean I'm not going to give it my all. It just means I'm letting go of the pressure and focusing more on the journey, getting more satisfaction out of the improvements and our bond. It's not always easy to do but my riding is improving as I focus more on letting go of my own tensions (work related mostly but also the pressure we often put on ourselves to reach set goals with riding).
On the topic of compassion fatigue, I wonder how many individuals arrive at their physician's office and lay out all their pet and personal problems before they ever get to the reason of their medical visit. I honestly believe that vet school should be lengthened from 4-5 years post graduate studies with a year devoted to psychology, therapy, and counseling courses in addition to the four years of medical and surgical courses. The burdens I go home with because of clients unloading all their angsts, woes, issues on top of doing what is best for their animals is overwhelming. I can't cut back to part-time though because I was just informed that my mother's medical needs have increased so her monthly care costs will rise by $500/month and that is added to the $200/month increase I just incurred to her monthly insurance. I will be working full-time well into my 70s at this rate. Add to that the fact that we just lost another large animal vet to retirement; so, I've been getting pressured with horse calls (friends, acquaintances) and livestock calls - one of my small animal clients desperately is begging me to castrate his pigs because last year 2 pigs cost him $400 at a neighboring mixed animal clinic - total highway robbery but no one will do it or teach it. So the guilt too is almost too much (I know how but my malpractice insurance doesn't cover such things and to put myself or the practice at risk isn't worth it). While I was in Denver last weekend, I got a late night call from a neighbor who's horse was colicking and she couldn't get a vet out for 4 hours. I spent close to an hour talking her through what to do, calling a practice in the Valley to get their emergency staff in and calling two different friends to help get her horse loaded and on the way which included drug dosages, how to give each, how to leave the horse in the trailer for the ride, yada, yada, yads.....................never ending.
On a much brighter note - I rode Troy down to the equestrian facility and we cantered both directions (correct leads) repeatedly in the large roping arena. He's going through another growth spurt with sticky stifles again so I had an extra grab strap just in case we had a 'bouncier' than usual ride but thankfully I didn't need it. He was a very good boy. AND.....I hesitate to type it and jinx myself but I think I found Junior's second (FEI) trot and have real forward and back at the canter, I mean REAL forward. Troy's canter is so powerful and comes completely from behind so getting my lower back soft and flexible enough has been a challenge but thankfully there BUT the best part is I've carried that over to Junior and by riding him the say way I ride Troy has helped 'open' him up too. Who'd a thunk it right? Sucks getting old but Vit E, turmeric and ibuprofen is helping to keep this old lady's lower back swinging again and that has been one of the best treatments/distractions for my compassion fatigue.
On the topic of compassion fatigue, I wonder how many individuals arrive at their physician's office and lay out all their pet and personal problems before they ever get to the reason of their medical visit. I honestly believe that vet school should be lengthened from 4-5 years post graduate studies with a year devoted to psychology, therapy, and counseling courses in addition to the four years of medical and surgical courses. The burdens I go home with because of clients unloading all their angsts, woes, issues on top of doing what is best for their animals is overwhelming. I can't cut back to part-time though because I was just informed that my mother's medical needs have increased so her monthly care costs will rise by $500/month and that is added to the $200/month increase I just incurred to her monthly insurance. I will be working full-time well into my 70s at this rate. Add to that the fact that we just lost another large animal vet to retirement; so, I've been getting pressured with horse calls (friends, acquaintances) and livestock calls - one of my small animal clients desperately is begging me to castrate his pigs because last year 2 pigs cost him $400 at a neighboring mixed animal clinic - total highway robbery but no one will do it or teach it. So the guilt too is almost too much (I know how but my malpractice insurance doesn't cover such things and to put myself or the practice at risk isn't worth it). While I was in Denver last weekend, I got a late night call from a neighbor who's horse was colicking and she couldn't get a vet out for 4 hours. I spent close to an hour talking her through what to do, calling a practice in the Valley to get their emergency staff in and calling two different friends to help get her horse loaded and on the way which included drug dosages, how to give each, how to leave the horse in the trailer for the ride, yada, yada, yads.....................never ending.
On a much brighter note - I rode Troy down to the equestrian facility and we cantered both directions (correct leads) repeatedly in the large roping arena. He's going through another growth spurt with sticky stifles again so I had an extra grab strap just in case we had a 'bouncier' than usual ride but thankfully I didn't need it. He was a very good boy. AND.....I hesitate to type it and jinx myself but I think I found Junior's second (FEI) trot and have real forward and back at the canter, I mean REAL forward. Troy's canter is so powerful and comes completely from behind so getting my lower back soft and flexible enough has been a challenge but thankfully there BUT the best part is I've carried that over to Junior and by riding him the say way I ride Troy has helped 'open' him up too. Who'd a thunk it right? Sucks getting old but Vit E, turmeric and ibuprofen is helping to keep this old lady's lower back swinging again and that has been one of the best treatments/distractions for my compassion fatigue.
-
StraightForward
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 3450
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 3:04 pm
- Location: Idaho
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Exvet and Chisamba, you're both forces of nature and I don't know how you do all you do. It seems the price of being highly motivated and competent is carrying a heavy load from all directions.
I'm only 48 and feeling the fatigue and wondering whether I'll keep going with the focused training. I'm sure I will with Tesla, assuming she comes back to full work with no problems. But my plan was always to get myself a GP prospect for my 50th birthday (financial reality is it would probably be a couple more years), but now I'm just not sure I want to. For one thing, getting a horse that has DSLD or some other heartbreaking problem scares me to death. For another, yeah, the cost of everything just keeps rising, and I don't understand how people are managing it. If I cut back on lessons and didn't show it would help for sure. And work is much more stressful and disheartening lately, and my dad isn't doing so great, both of which aren't helping. So anyway, that is my whinge for the week. At least we seem to be in good shape vet-wise here. Boarding is not too bad, but zoning is cracking down, so some of our smaller barns are shutting down due to technicalities, which sucks.
No goals this period for me. I'll be bringing T home July 5th. In the meantime, I have lots of personal and a bit of work travel on the calendar, and I'm trying to get my yard and garden fixed up in my spare time.
I'm only 48 and feeling the fatigue and wondering whether I'll keep going with the focused training. I'm sure I will with Tesla, assuming she comes back to full work with no problems. But my plan was always to get myself a GP prospect for my 50th birthday (financial reality is it would probably be a couple more years), but now I'm just not sure I want to. For one thing, getting a horse that has DSLD or some other heartbreaking problem scares me to death. For another, yeah, the cost of everything just keeps rising, and I don't understand how people are managing it. If I cut back on lessons and didn't show it would help for sure. And work is much more stressful and disheartening lately, and my dad isn't doing so great, both of which aren't helping. So anyway, that is my whinge for the week. At least we seem to be in good shape vet-wise here. Boarding is not too bad, but zoning is cracking down, so some of our smaller barns are shutting down due to technicalities, which sucks.
No goals this period for me. I'll be bringing T home July 5th. In the meantime, I have lots of personal and a bit of work travel on the calendar, and I'm trying to get my yard and garden fixed up in my spare time.
Keep calm and canter on.
-
Moutaineer
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 2797
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 2:45 pm
- Location: Utah
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Life is a roller-coaster for many of us at the moment. I've cut back my work hours a bit, and would really love to just retire--I was 65 a few weeks ago, so not an unreasonable desire--but I have this very expensive hobby...
2 more years, though, and I'm done with work. I'll find a way to pay for the horses somehow.
Chisamba, the long recovery part where you are over the acute stuff is just a total drag. I'm grinding away at it, too. Feels like everything should be so much better by now, but one is stuck on a plateau. I'm just tired of still having to ask for help with things I've always been able to do without a second thought.
Potters was a total rat bag today. I dealt with it, though, and while I'm stiff and exhausted, I don't hurt. Vet next week. I think his tootsies need lubing up. I also picked an engorged ticket off his sheath which I think was bothering him a lot.
Funny story... we have an elderly (80ish) gentleman boarding with us temporarily. A very fine jumper rider and trainer in his day and still pretty darned proficient. He's borrowed an equally elderly but proficient horse to fulfill his ambition on doing a Century Ride at the show in a couple of weeks. Nice old gelding, chestnut with a broad white blaze.
This morning he gets the horse from it's paddock, walks it to the other, remote, end of the farm, ties it to his trailer, grooms it and tacks it up. He's just walking into the outdoor arena when our assistant trainer spots him.
The horse he is about to get on is a very tall, very green broke, needy, fidgety new import of a 4 year old chestnut mare with a broad white blaze.
2 more years, though, and I'm done with work. I'll find a way to pay for the horses somehow.
Chisamba, the long recovery part where you are over the acute stuff is just a total drag. I'm grinding away at it, too. Feels like everything should be so much better by now, but one is stuck on a plateau. I'm just tired of still having to ask for help with things I've always been able to do without a second thought.
Potters was a total rat bag today. I dealt with it, though, and while I'm stiff and exhausted, I don't hurt. Vet next week. I think his tootsies need lubing up. I also picked an engorged ticket off his sheath which I think was bothering him a lot.
Funny story... we have an elderly (80ish) gentleman boarding with us temporarily. A very fine jumper rider and trainer in his day and still pretty darned proficient. He's borrowed an equally elderly but proficient horse to fulfill his ambition on doing a Century Ride at the show in a couple of weeks. Nice old gelding, chestnut with a broad white blaze.
This morning he gets the horse from it's paddock, walks it to the other, remote, end of the farm, ties it to his trailer, grooms it and tacks it up. He's just walking into the outdoor arena when our assistant trainer spots him.
The horse he is about to get on is a very tall, very green broke, needy, fidgety new import of a 4 year old chestnut mare with a broad white blaze.
-
texsuze
- 500 post plus club
- Posts: 712
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 4:50 pm
- Location: Texas, The Lone Star State!
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Well, looks like the numbers won't exactly work for the Century Ride so maybe he just said 'Damn the torpedoes!' and wanted to give the mare whirl! 
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
More lessons today and instead of hauling out, my instructor came here. I rode Junior first and Kristy agrees that his canter quality and trot quality has improved even more. She observed that he's rounder and not getting as tense so is moving better. We worked on half steps and canter pirouettes. Little itsy bitsy steps forward but at least we're not back sliding and his changes were all clean today. We're both convinced that if I can get him to understand and willing to slow his front end down, move his hind end faster all those monkeys, gorillas, baboons on our back will be gone forever. I was very pleased with Junior overall.
After yesterday's accomplishments with Troy I rode him down to the equestrian center all by his big boy self (yesterday we had Ace as moral support). Despite some strong winds he did really well. Then I rode him in the covered arena for my lesson. He was a champ. We W-T-C both directions, did some baby leg yields, turns on the forehand, and rein back. He only got a little crow hoppy on one canter circle but not bad or committed. He is showing some tendency to root at the trot but with some relatively minor corrections (thankfully he's not hot to the soft tap of a dressage whip) he really starting becoming more balanced while maintaining a good stretch over his back.
Riding is definitely my therapy and on another aspect of 'mind release', we had our first meeting last night regarding the recognized show that we hope to host in August. We plan to dissolve our association with the local GMO, no longer being a chapter of the same. We already have an LLC, and filings for 501 7C since that's quicker than a 501 3C. We will reform as a private dressage club, charging a lower fee on memberships since we won't be a part of USDF. We're finding we will be able to offer some cost savings to members as a result and offer lower show fees to boot (no haul in fee, very low schooling horse fees, lower stabling costs, allow people to bring their own shavings - yada, yada) and STILL be a recognized qualifying show (USDF/USEF licensed). If more 'clubs' catch on we may see a resurgence in showing classical dressage, at least that is our hope/goal. I plan to ride Junior in our first recognized dressage show in the area, the June show will determine if it will be fourth level or PSG (his 3 tempis were clean today). While we know that sponsorship is going to be the key to getting this idea off the ground (and we have some generous desperate ladies who want to see some changes in the local and state dressage scene), I think we have a business model/budget that just may be able to sustain this if we get a good turnout for the recognized show and continue to be over subscribed for our schooling show series which we also plan to continue. It's stuff like this that keeps me going and able to compartmentalize the tough stuff. Hope everyone is enjoying the spring. I'm afraid our weather has decided to skip spring all together as it's been in the 80s and soon the 90s per all forecasts.
After yesterday's accomplishments with Troy I rode him down to the equestrian center all by his big boy self (yesterday we had Ace as moral support). Despite some strong winds he did really well. Then I rode him in the covered arena for my lesson. He was a champ. We W-T-C both directions, did some baby leg yields, turns on the forehand, and rein back. He only got a little crow hoppy on one canter circle but not bad or committed. He is showing some tendency to root at the trot but with some relatively minor corrections (thankfully he's not hot to the soft tap of a dressage whip) he really starting becoming more balanced while maintaining a good stretch over his back.
Riding is definitely my therapy and on another aspect of 'mind release', we had our first meeting last night regarding the recognized show that we hope to host in August. We plan to dissolve our association with the local GMO, no longer being a chapter of the same. We already have an LLC, and filings for 501 7C since that's quicker than a 501 3C. We will reform as a private dressage club, charging a lower fee on memberships since we won't be a part of USDF. We're finding we will be able to offer some cost savings to members as a result and offer lower show fees to boot (no haul in fee, very low schooling horse fees, lower stabling costs, allow people to bring their own shavings - yada, yada) and STILL be a recognized qualifying show (USDF/USEF licensed). If more 'clubs' catch on we may see a resurgence in showing classical dressage, at least that is our hope/goal. I plan to ride Junior in our first recognized dressage show in the area, the June show will determine if it will be fourth level or PSG (his 3 tempis were clean today). While we know that sponsorship is going to be the key to getting this idea off the ground (and we have some generous desperate ladies who want to see some changes in the local and state dressage scene), I think we have a business model/budget that just may be able to sustain this if we get a good turnout for the recognized show and continue to be over subscribed for our schooling show series which we also plan to continue. It's stuff like this that keeps me going and able to compartmentalize the tough stuff. Hope everyone is enjoying the spring. I'm afraid our weather has decided to skip spring all together as it's been in the 80s and soon the 90s per all forecasts.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
90s in my forecast as well, which I am handling well and not at all crying on the inside about. While we only got up to the mid-80s today, it is sweltering season with humidity so high the air has a texture. Summer is coming, and I'm not ready (emotionally).
Best wishes to all healing, physically or otherwise. Looking forward to when life gets easier... it does, right? Right?
Week 2 and the boys are doing great. Living in the trot means my abs are burning, but we are seeing results. Also, shockingly, massive improvement in my halfpasses.
My real life work is engineering and statistics, which means I've got quantitative proof that I need to improve my turns on the haunches/walk pirouettes. Hit me with your favorite exercises for a horse that can over-collect/stick a foot in ToH!
Best wishes to all healing, physically or otherwise. Looking forward to when life gets easier... it does, right? Right?
Week 2 and the boys are doing great. Living in the trot means my abs are burning, but we are seeing results. Also, shockingly, massive improvement in my halfpasses.
My real life work is engineering and statistics, which means I've got quantitative proof that I need to improve my turns on the haunches/walk pirouettes. Hit me with your favorite exercises for a horse that can over-collect/stick a foot in ToH!
-
Moutaineer
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 2797
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 2:45 pm
- Location: Utah
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
texsuze wrote:Well, looks like the numbers won't exactly work for the Century Ride so maybe he just said 'Damn the torpedoes!' and wanted to give the mare whirl!
Oh, the horse he is supposed to be riding is 28...
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Ponichiwa wrote:
My real life work is engineering and statistics, which means I've got quantitative proof that I need to improve my turns on the haunches/walk pirouettes. Hit me with your favorite exercises for a horse that can over-collect/stick a foot in ToH!
Well I love the 4 corner square with quarter turns and trotting in between the corners then go to the rocker - rein back to itsy bitsy walk forward, rinse and repeat and then move on to half-steps which as soon as you get two or three you trot out...............at least that seems to do a bit better in the translation for Junior to quicken his hind end..............seems weird though because his walk pirouettes are actually quite good and always have been.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day! Whether your a mother to 2 or 4-legged children, you deserve to be celebrated for all that you do!
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
I've started riding some, which is good and hard, ha. RP has come back nicely in the contact, feeling straight and reasonably supple. So all of that has been nice. the thing we need to build back is that before the break he was much much more on his hind end, right now he feels like he is moving confidently in a training/first level frame, but not carrying behind the way he was. That is a strength thing and not something that comes super easily to him, so I'm not shocked that we're here. But we will build!
MM has had some not great days breathing wise--mold and allergens have been HIGH. we are maintaining ok, but not good enough to ride.
MM has had some not great days breathing wise--mold and allergens have been HIGH. we are maintaining ok, but not good enough to ride.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
It was a tale of two very different show days this past weekend. The long and short of it was banging out the two scores to finish out the Silver Freestyle Bar award. Well done Kora! A thankful win considering our decision to fight through some dodgy, cold New England weather this spring.
The longer of it was Saturday, ugh, dawned 48 F and rain. I figured I'd paid the money already and loaded up whereas many others scratched from my quick view on Horse Show Office. We train in the rain for this exact purpose! Drive there in some gnarly downpours but luckily once at show just a dreary, cold overcast. Managed to dodge the rain by politely begging the secretary to ride after the GP finished as all other Freestyle's had wimped out. During my warm-up there was a Canada goose milling about by the warm-up who then had to be gently herded out of said warm-up by one of the volunteers. Then once it exited, took flight to meet it's partner and then in goose style the pair, honking and flapping flew back over directly above our heads. I halted Kora because I choose life and everyone watching collectively held their breath with the goose shenanigans while the GP rider finished their salute. No horse, human or goose were harmed, a minor miracle. Over to the ring to do sound check and adjust volume then off to start test. Well the sound guy didn't reset after check so I hustled into the ring, then start music looped and I was completely out of space for all of canter work. It was a mess but once into the walk/trot it was good. I finished, sound guy apologized his goof and I walked back to the trailer thinking I will have to enter another freestyle as no way I was squeaking the score with that mess. Next time, restart I told myself just as they announced the score of 65.3%, phew just enough!
Sunday could not have been more different as the perfect sun with a slight breeze topping out at 70 F kinda day. A welcome respite considering the day before and our previous ride in CT. I played in the warm-up with some trot half-pass zig-zag off each rein as the judges scores/comments have been light on the difficulty. That seemed to work so I decided to wing it in the test itself to add in zig-zags instead of steeper singular direction half-pass. Sound guy was on point, Kora was cooking with good amount of steam and we were bang on the music which just built and felt great. Super pleased about a 7.5 in the half piro as bodes well for making the full piros in a month's time. Finishing off our Silver bar with a score of 71.8% and big pats for the girlie.
Now to put the 2's back in rotation after a chill couple of days. Short coat has been washed and stored, felt oddly melancholy about it. It's tails from now on~
The longer of it was Saturday, ugh, dawned 48 F and rain. I figured I'd paid the money already and loaded up whereas many others scratched from my quick view on Horse Show Office. We train in the rain for this exact purpose! Drive there in some gnarly downpours but luckily once at show just a dreary, cold overcast. Managed to dodge the rain by politely begging the secretary to ride after the GP finished as all other Freestyle's had wimped out. During my warm-up there was a Canada goose milling about by the warm-up who then had to be gently herded out of said warm-up by one of the volunteers. Then once it exited, took flight to meet it's partner and then in goose style the pair, honking and flapping flew back over directly above our heads. I halted Kora because I choose life and everyone watching collectively held their breath with the goose shenanigans while the GP rider finished their salute. No horse, human or goose were harmed, a minor miracle. Over to the ring to do sound check and adjust volume then off to start test. Well the sound guy didn't reset after check so I hustled into the ring, then start music looped and I was completely out of space for all of canter work. It was a mess but once into the walk/trot it was good. I finished, sound guy apologized his goof and I walked back to the trailer thinking I will have to enter another freestyle as no way I was squeaking the score with that mess. Next time, restart I told myself just as they announced the score of 65.3%, phew just enough!
Sunday could not have been more different as the perfect sun with a slight breeze topping out at 70 F kinda day. A welcome respite considering the day before and our previous ride in CT. I played in the warm-up with some trot half-pass zig-zag off each rein as the judges scores/comments have been light on the difficulty. That seemed to work so I decided to wing it in the test itself to add in zig-zags instead of steeper singular direction half-pass. Sound guy was on point, Kora was cooking with good amount of steam and we were bang on the music which just built and felt great. Super pleased about a 7.5 in the half piro as bodes well for making the full piros in a month's time. Finishing off our Silver bar with a score of 71.8% and big pats for the girlie.
Now to put the 2's back in rotation after a chill couple of days. Short coat has been washed and stored, felt oddly melancholy about it. It's tails from now on~
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Congratulations Aleuronx! Those scores are fantastic and it's wonderful how well Kora handles everything. You can keep 'that' weather though we do need some precipitation out here.
-
StraightForward
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 3450
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 3:04 pm
- Location: Idaho
-
Chisamba
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 4616
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:33 pm
- Location: New Jersey
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
I am in the process of entering Pauletta in her first show, I'm going for the guts and entering a rated show first time out. possibly silly. tomorrow i am trailering over to a friends barn to school with her, to see how miss P reacts in a new environment.
we took the youngsters over to the fair grounds where the Sussex benefit show series has a schooling day. it was awesome, got all the babies out, people jumping in rings people schooling, all the show buzz. SirKos thought he had died, or was about to die, and never gave up the anxiety even after everyone had settled, it was mostly the horses running and jumping in the next ring. this was an indication to him that there was huge danger, because why else would horses run and jump??!! . i set up the jumps in the schooling ring and will attempt to have him just stand and watch the horses run and jump.
i have not had a lesson yet, had to cancel one because of conflicts, but will try and get one in before the end of the month.
there is something about the actual riding of horses, be it the focus, the motion, the physical and emotional balance, that makes me feel better. I now have one less horse to ride, and it makes all the other rides less rushed and more satisfying. its funny how things happen and then it turns out the be better.
exvet. i read somewhere that veterinarians suffer a fairly high rate of emotional distress. it absolutely has to be physically and emotionally draining. hopefully riding helps you maintain your internal barometer at a manageable level, and if it does not, take care of yourself.
actually i said that to exvet but i mean it for everyone. Take time to take care of you.
congratulations Aleuronix and Kora.
my favorite piro exercise, both for walk and canter, is to do a hexagon, and finally a square, and then eventually a straight line turn. i want my horse to know that i can start and stop the piro at any time. i do the hexagon because technically a full piro is six strides, so i break the six strides up into on at a time, then i might do two, or three to make the corner tighter, until i can do a half, or a full piro.
thank you all
M
we took the youngsters over to the fair grounds where the Sussex benefit show series has a schooling day. it was awesome, got all the babies out, people jumping in rings people schooling, all the show buzz. SirKos thought he had died, or was about to die, and never gave up the anxiety even after everyone had settled, it was mostly the horses running and jumping in the next ring. this was an indication to him that there was huge danger, because why else would horses run and jump??!! . i set up the jumps in the schooling ring and will attempt to have him just stand and watch the horses run and jump.
i have not had a lesson yet, had to cancel one because of conflicts, but will try and get one in before the end of the month.
there is something about the actual riding of horses, be it the focus, the motion, the physical and emotional balance, that makes me feel better. I now have one less horse to ride, and it makes all the other rides less rushed and more satisfying. its funny how things happen and then it turns out the be better.
exvet. i read somewhere that veterinarians suffer a fairly high rate of emotional distress. it absolutely has to be physically and emotionally draining. hopefully riding helps you maintain your internal barometer at a manageable level, and if it does not, take care of yourself.
actually i said that to exvet but i mean it for everyone. Take time to take care of you.
congratulations Aleuronix and Kora.
my favorite piro exercise, both for walk and canter, is to do a hexagon, and finally a square, and then eventually a straight line turn. i want my horse to know that i can start and stop the piro at any time. i do the hexagon because technically a full piro is six strides, so i break the six strides up into on at a time, then i might do two, or three to make the corner tighter, until i can do a half, or a full piro.
thank you all
M
-
Lipsmackerpony88
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 1682
- Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 3:17 pm
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Well I had a really big long post that went poof.
The long short of it was I hope anyone struggling, life gets lighter. And those kicking butt, thanks for sharing the journey. I truly love reading about it!
Lynx got his back and stifles injected the other day. It was a bummer that he turned up back sore- but it has been 2 years since his last spine injection for the kissing spine. So not bad! And stifles we went a little over a year. He actually didn't flex too badly behind BUT his stifle started catching immediately after flexions which showed there was a need.
I'm contemplating paying either a good rider college student or a new event trainer at the barn to take him on weekly hacks in the field and trails around the barn. I think it would do his body wonders and his mind. Unfortunately, if I'm not having a lesson ,I'm typically out there alone so it's really not possible for me to do. I won't go alone since he's spooky. Too much risk for this momma! But the college student hacks out with her mother all the time. And the trainer takes students out weekly. So I'm talking to see what works.
It's really sandy here and so that is part of my push. I think riding on grass would help him. The paddocks are sandy and soft (same at the old barn.) so honestly I think being on soft ground too much doesn't help his stifles.
Onward and upward! I'm going to watch a Conrad S. Clinic on Saturday and Sunday my daughter is hopefully hauling out with the gypsy for some off property schooling.
The long short of it was I hope anyone struggling, life gets lighter. And those kicking butt, thanks for sharing the journey. I truly love reading about it!
Lynx got his back and stifles injected the other day. It was a bummer that he turned up back sore- but it has been 2 years since his last spine injection for the kissing spine. So not bad! And stifles we went a little over a year. He actually didn't flex too badly behind BUT his stifle started catching immediately after flexions which showed there was a need.
I'm contemplating paying either a good rider college student or a new event trainer at the barn to take him on weekly hacks in the field and trails around the barn. I think it would do his body wonders and his mind. Unfortunately, if I'm not having a lesson ,I'm typically out there alone so it's really not possible for me to do. I won't go alone since he's spooky. Too much risk for this momma! But the college student hacks out with her mother all the time. And the trainer takes students out weekly. So I'm talking to see what works.
It's really sandy here and so that is part of my push. I think riding on grass would help him. The paddocks are sandy and soft (same at the old barn.) so honestly I think being on soft ground too much doesn't help his stifles.
Onward and upward! I'm going to watch a Conrad S. Clinic on Saturday and Sunday my daughter is hopefully hauling out with the gypsy for some off property schooling.
-
Moutaineer
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 2797
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 2:45 pm
- Location: Utah
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Congrats, Aleuronx and Cora! A great achievement.
Potters has been a good boy this week. Working on the PSG stuff with Justin. We are a week out from showtime. As long as everyone keeps it together, things should go well, I think!
Potters has been a good boy this week. Working on the PSG stuff with Justin. We are a week out from showtime. As long as everyone keeps it together, things should go well, I think!
-
StraightForward
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 3450
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 3:04 pm
- Location: Idaho
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Chisamba, I remember hauling T out to an arena where some girls were barrel racing when she was 4 or so. We ended up just standing in the corner while she watched wide-eyed as they turned the barrels. Oddly, she was pretty unbothered the first time she was in the arena with a horse jumping >3'. Always good to get the greenies out and about to experience life!
LSP, the hacking out sounds like a good idea for Lynx!
Mt - looking forward to hearing about Potters and Justin getting out at PSG!
Today Susamorg and I drove over to southern Oregon for the Horse Brain Science workshop. I stopped by to drop feed off for T, and was really pleased to notice that the thickening around her suspensory seems to be essentially gone. I was told that most days she is pretty good in turnout, but some days gets a little wound up and has to come in. She did not care to see me unless I was administering peppermints or skritchies. I know my place, lol.
LSP, the hacking out sounds like a good idea for Lynx!
Mt - looking forward to hearing about Potters and Justin getting out at PSG!
Today Susamorg and I drove over to southern Oregon for the Horse Brain Science workshop. I stopped by to drop feed off for T, and was really pleased to notice that the thickening around her suspensory seems to be essentially gone. I was told that most days she is pretty good in turnout, but some days gets a little wound up and has to come in. She did not care to see me unless I was administering peppermints or skritchies. I know my place, lol.
Keep calm and canter on.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Aleuronx - awesome results, you must be thrilled!
The aim of argument or of discussion should not be victory, but progress. ~ Joseph Joubert
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Of course after my show entries were confirmed as received and complete, Junior comes up dead lame yesterday. I rode him Thursday and nothing out of the ordinary. He actually did quite well. Rode him Friday morning and he seemed a little 'off' but still when it came to work, he was good and we even had clean tempis; so, when I got home, untacked him and let him back out in the turnout I wasn't expecting to find him dead lame on his left fore. I cannot for the life of me determine 'where' it is but there's no question he's off. No digital pulses so I don't think it's an abscess but that's almost how he acts. He does have a soft area in the sulcus next to his frog but doesn't mind me probing it. No real heat or swelling anywhere and he allows me to flex and palpate everything though when I'm done he holds his left fore in the air like he wants me to fix it. I'd say I wish he could tell me but it's clear he's trying as best as he's able. Already have a date with the farrier for next Friday so despite the fact that I have to haul him two hours one way to get it done, that's the next step in the plan. If we don't find anything then I'll get the sports medicine vet out to see what I'm facing.
On a much happier noted Troy is improving with each ride. He is cantering in the big arena both directions and since Junior is out of commission I took Troy by himself to my instructor's place for a lesson. This was only the third time he's hauled alone, previously it was the drive home from Colorado and last year on a trip to hand walk at a schooling show. He was a rockstar. He is leg yielding well at walk and trot both directions. He is pretty supple and does 3 loop serpentines like he was born doing them. We were a 'little' large on our canter circles but not too bad really. We even did a bit of a trot lengthening across the diagonal and he came back easily. It wasn't all that intentional but I thought I'd just see what he wanted to do. He's proving to have some innate elasticity much like my deceased stallion had. I almost wanted to cry but was too busy grinning ear-to-ear.
On a much happier noted Troy is improving with each ride. He is cantering in the big arena both directions and since Junior is out of commission I took Troy by himself to my instructor's place for a lesson. This was only the third time he's hauled alone, previously it was the drive home from Colorado and last year on a trip to hand walk at a schooling show. He was a rockstar. He is leg yielding well at walk and trot both directions. He is pretty supple and does 3 loop serpentines like he was born doing them. We were a 'little' large on our canter circles but not too bad really. We even did a bit of a trot lengthening across the diagonal and he came back easily. It wasn't all that intentional but I thought I'd just see what he wanted to do. He's proving to have some innate elasticity much like my deceased stallion had. I almost wanted to cry but was too busy grinning ear-to-ear.
-
Moutaineer
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 2797
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 2:45 pm
- Location: Utah
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Oh, no, exvet! Jingles for Junior! At least Troy can put a smile on your face.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Moutaineer wrote:Oh, no, exvet! Jingles for Junior! At least Troy can put a smile on your face.
Thank you! I'm praying it's something I can manage. I've been unable to determine the cause so will try to call a sport medicine vet on Monday.
Here is a segment from my lesson today on Troy.
https://youtu.be/ab1J7NWEIIY
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Sorry Junior is suffering from the horse show entry curse. Jingles for him that it’s not something big scary. I will however shout from the rooftops how much a Troy fan I am. Gosh, watching him there you can see how he’s going to be easily adjustable and bring some elevation with strength and time.
Thanks all for the lovely comments, I’m just rightly chuffed with Kora. Upon applying, aka coughing up money for the certificate so I can just get that damn lapel pin, realized it’s the highest score I’ve ever gotten. Yeah, yeah it’s a freestyle etc, but still pretty cool.
Kora had a chill week but we snuck over for a lesson yesterday to start figuring out the I-1. The proper canter zig-zag blew both our minds a bit, mostly because we’ve been so focused on left to right not right to left as the I-1. So that’s our homework for the moment, staring from picking up right left just before corner, ride on centerline, 4-5 strides half pass right and change. The half-halt to get the straight stride is not super repeatable and if I miss the straightness the left half pass becomes all globbled.
Two other spring shows cancelled up here. With gas prices doing what they are I just hope I can get the rides/shows in that I had planned.
Thanks all for the lovely comments, I’m just rightly chuffed with Kora. Upon applying, aka coughing up money for the certificate so I can just get that damn lapel pin, realized it’s the highest score I’ve ever gotten. Yeah, yeah it’s a freestyle etc, but still pretty cool.
Kora had a chill week but we snuck over for a lesson yesterday to start figuring out the I-1. The proper canter zig-zag blew both our minds a bit, mostly because we’ve been so focused on left to right not right to left as the I-1. So that’s our homework for the moment, staring from picking up right left just before corner, ride on centerline, 4-5 strides half pass right and change. The half-halt to get the straight stride is not super repeatable and if I miss the straightness the left half pass becomes all globbled.
Two other spring shows cancelled up here. With gas prices doing what they are I just hope I can get the rides/shows in that I had planned.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Well Junior has foundered. He's rotated in both front feet. I'm taking him to a specialist tomorrow. I've been busy all day just getting his feet under control with icing, drugs and the like. He's not the easiest patient which may be his undoing. Cancelled my entries for the Dolly Hannon Clinic, the recognized show and now just hoping he can be salvaged. I will know more tomorrow.
-
Srhorselady
- 500 post plus club
- Posts: 518
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 9:55 pm
- Location: Arizona
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Exvet Oh NO! High insulin I suspect? Do you have that newish drug (starts with an “e” erg…. Something I think. You have my sympathy. I managed three horses with laminitis issues over the years with varying amounts of success. The Arizona climate does not help and neither does “easy keeper” issues. I HATE it!
-
StraightForward
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 3450
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 3:04 pm
- Location: Idaho
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Oh no, jingling for Junior! I am so sorry to read this 
Keep calm and canter on.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Oh no I'm so sorry to hear about Junior, also jingling like mad!
The aim of argument or of discussion should not be victory, but progress. ~ Joseph Joubert
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
exvet - I'm very sorry to hear about Junior and am sending daily jingles your way. My pony has been high maintenance for strict diet and daily medication for many years. This complex metabolic status is a challenge to manage.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Oh gosh Exvet, what a shock. Jingles to you and Junior catching it quick and limiting the damage as much as possible.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Oh man I hate to hear that Exvet! Major jingles for Junior. Dealing with metabolic types is so difficult. Troy is lovely.
Aleuronx congratulations on your scores and freestyle pin! It’s fun to be a small part of your riding success cheering you on from way down south. Kora rocks!!
Lsp has Lynx had anymore mini cart encounters? That is so scary for many horses. Hope his injections help him and you get some riding in.
Chisamba keep us posted on your showing experience! Paulette sounds like she is maturing for you.
Ponichiwa just last weekend I was working on walk piri with Joplin. Found out the outside seat bone is good to keep the outside hind coming through and then the inside leg to keep them stepping. Was talking to Cedar as to how this translates to CP. have to have that ability to ride them out at any time from the inside leg. That keeps them stepping.
SF sounds like some good learning to be had.
Mountaineer oh fun to be able to watch Potters strut his stuff at psg!
I’m happy to report Joplin stepped into our lessons with Cedar like she hadn’t had time off:). We worked hard to not over face her. I’ve still got a few weeks to continue to build her up to where she was. My holistic vet put the fear in me to not over face her and reinjure that leg so I’m being super careful. But so much fun!
Did have a funky ride on Chex during the clinic poor guy. He’s a sensitive type and his owner the first day fly sprayed him a bit heavy with strong fly spray. He went well WT until he got sweaty they that area right belly in front of the sheath got to burning and he let us know he did not appreciate it! Bucking and kicking at his belly which we’ve never seen him do. Even on the lunge line he was kicking at it. so I gave him a good bath was fine the last 2 rides. Horses! Always something.
We still are having decent weather and finally some rain.
Scuttlebut though is hay will be a challenge this year from out west. Colorado Wyoming etc. I get hay from out there for Joplin and Chex. They don’t eat Bermuda because of colic.
Thinking I might need to lay in a supply. We have plenty of Bermuda from our fields. Having less horses(no Rip or Juliet) eating means we’re set even before we cut this year.
Exvet will be thinking of you and Junior.
Aleuronx congratulations on your scores and freestyle pin! It’s fun to be a small part of your riding success cheering you on from way down south. Kora rocks!!
Lsp has Lynx had anymore mini cart encounters? That is so scary for many horses. Hope his injections help him and you get some riding in.
Chisamba keep us posted on your showing experience! Paulette sounds like she is maturing for you.
Ponichiwa just last weekend I was working on walk piri with Joplin. Found out the outside seat bone is good to keep the outside hind coming through and then the inside leg to keep them stepping. Was talking to Cedar as to how this translates to CP. have to have that ability to ride them out at any time from the inside leg. That keeps them stepping.
SF sounds like some good learning to be had.
Mountaineer oh fun to be able to watch Potters strut his stuff at psg!
I’m happy to report Joplin stepped into our lessons with Cedar like she hadn’t had time off:). We worked hard to not over face her. I’ve still got a few weeks to continue to build her up to where she was. My holistic vet put the fear in me to not over face her and reinjure that leg so I’m being super careful. But so much fun!
Did have a funky ride on Chex during the clinic poor guy. He’s a sensitive type and his owner the first day fly sprayed him a bit heavy with strong fly spray. He went well WT until he got sweaty they that area right belly in front of the sheath got to burning and he let us know he did not appreciate it! Bucking and kicking at his belly which we’ve never seen him do. Even on the lunge line he was kicking at it. so I gave him a good bath was fine the last 2 rides. Horses! Always something.
We still are having decent weather and finally some rain.
Scuttlebut though is hay will be a challenge this year from out west. Colorado Wyoming etc. I get hay from out there for Joplin and Chex. They don’t eat Bermuda because of colic.
Thinking I might need to lay in a supply. We have plenty of Bermuda from our fields. Having less horses(no Rip or Juliet) eating means we’re set even before we cut this year.
Exvet will be thinking of you and Junior.
-
StraightForward
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 3450
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 3:04 pm
- Location: Idaho
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
khall wrote:Scuttlebut though is hay will be a challenge this year from out west. Colorado Wyoming etc. I get hay from out there for Joplin and Chex. They don’t eat Bermuda because of colic.
We drove home today across Oregon and into Idaho. I mentioned feeling encouraged that I saw a few hay for sale signs in the farmland. That tells me it isn't all spoken for. I do need to get my hands on a couple tons of grass since the barn T will be going to feeds mostly alfalfa and has already warned us about the likelihood of a grass hay shortage. Luckily we have space to store hay in our backyard.
The Horse Brain Science workshop was great. We are hoping to go back in the fall for the Level 2 class that will focus on six riders and how the horse and rider react while working together (monitoring heartrate and so on). I'd definitely recommend a workshop with Dr. Peters if you get the chance!
Keep calm and canter on.
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
My thoughts are with you Exvet. I know that you know what to do. May the outcome be as good as it was with my Piggy who's doing great. Knock on wood.
-
Moutaineer
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 2797
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 2:45 pm
- Location: Utah
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
Well, damn, exvet. That wasn't what i was expecting to hear. Pulling for you snd Junior.
Potters was feeling like THE MAN on a brisk, windy (and snowy) morning today after coffin joint injections and 3 days off... He will calm down by tomorrow, but he was obviously just feeling good and showing off. We just need to maintain some pizzazz but with a bit less attitude for the weekend.
Happy to hear Joplin has made such a good recovery, Khall. Now be careful for a bit!
Hoping to hear the same news from SF and Tesla soon.
Potters was feeling like THE MAN on a brisk, windy (and snowy) morning today after coffin joint injections and 3 days off... He will calm down by tomorrow, but he was obviously just feeling good and showing off. We just need to maintain some pizzazz but with a bit less attitude for the weekend.
Happy to hear Joplin has made such a good recovery, Khall. Now be careful for a bit!
Hoping to hear the same news from SF and Tesla soon.
-
Chisamba
- Bringing Life to the DDBB
- Posts: 4616
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:33 pm
- Location: New Jersey
Re: Road to the Ring - May/June Goals
exvet wrote:Well Junior has foundered. He's rotated in both front feet. I'm taking him to a specialist tomorrow. I've been busy all day just getting his feet under control with icing, drugs and the like. He's not the easiest patient which may be his undoing. Cancelled my entries for the Dolly Hannon Clinic, the recognized show and now just hoping he can be salvaged. I will know more tomorrow.
Oh noooo!!
But both Saiph and Kimba came back sound. Many many jingles
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests