March & April Goals and Progress

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Tuddy
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March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Tuddy » Fri Mar 01, 2019 2:51 pm

Good Bye February and Good Riddance to its weather! Here, in Saskatchewan, it was the coldest February in 83 years. (I heard that on the radio this morning.) Still supposed to be -40 tonight, but somehow it seems more bearable March 1st than when it was -40 on February 1st....

What have all got planned for this month friends?

1. Get my horses feet trimmed. They are a month overdue because of the weather, there was no way I was asking my trimmer to hold onto cold attracting steel nippers and rasps in these temperatures, sheltered barn or not.

2. Continue with as many lessons as I can fit in before April 1st. Work gets really busy for me April and May, so horse time of any kind will be limited.

3. Start getting my horses ready to get back to work. Ground work and refreshers in how to be decent civilians instead of spending the winter being range ponies. After all my overtime days are done, I go from lesson horses to my own. First up will be Yonka as I know he is a good traveler and can handle new places quite easily.

And Go!

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Ponichiwa » Fri Mar 01, 2019 7:39 pm

Brr! Stay warm up there.

I've got some simple goals for myself and my two horses:

Kiwi:
- Incorporate our newly-compliant half-steps into a more regular schooling session (at least 1x/week), and use them as a tool to improve medium/extended trot
- Improve flying change relaxation such that I can start stringing tempis (4s) together by the end of this 8 weeks.
- School 1/4 to 1/2 canter pirouettes (via squares, etc.) at least 1x/week
- Keep the grazing muzzle on even though she HATES IT

Queso:
- Ride 4x/week, and (weather/footing depending) try to get out of the arena at least 1x/week
- Trot/halt transitions
- Work off of the wall in walk, trot, and canter

Me:
- Ride 4x/week
- Exercise before work 4x/week
- Track calories

There's a "ride a test" clinic at our barn in 2 weeks; I'd like to get Kiwi out at 4-1 and Queso at Training 1 by then.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby blob » Fri Mar 01, 2019 8:32 pm

I'm both looking forward to March/April and anxious about it!

Goals:

MM:
-Get us back into riding after 3 weeks off for vaccine rxn + infection
-Get confirmed enough with a flying change to feel ready to show at third level in late april or may
-Work on getting a higher frame without losing suppleness through the back (I often get one or the other)
-Figure out a good cross-training schedule--lunging, poles, jumping, riding out in pasture, etc
-Keep working on forward/in front of the leg/responsive when i ask

RP:
-Get off-property to ride as a non-compete at a show ground to see how he handles the environment
-Improve lateral suppleness
-Transitions! Leg-yields!
-Start playing some with transitions within gaits--just baby forward and back
-Introduce pole work without stress

Me:
-try to make it out the barn with regularity (4x?) despite having a crazy project at work right now even if that means getting up and doing mornings
-Work on show nerves and feeling comfortable in actually RIDING in public (not just trying to look pretty and holding my breath)

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Ryeissa » Sat Mar 02, 2019 12:05 am

I did really well in Feb considering at least 2x a week I couldn't drive out due to snow/ice/below zero temps (sometimes the same day)
More winter storms and cold- I never had to use a neck cover and "heavier medium" weight in MARCH!

Riding wise- going very well. I have been reminding myself to stretch up tall in the counter canter work and let the horse do the work.
Playing with different "power lines" Front and back of the body) and how that feels in the different types of WTC (medium, collected, etc) and in the sitting trot work.

https://dressagetoday.com/instruction/h ... ding-26207

I took out my frustration in the form of shopping (which as a budding minimalist I am trying to really change- not trying to buy much in 2019). However, the new saddle pads will be great for clinics and schooling. Brown and ivory. I am getting away from white (and i have a lot of white already). Important things! :lol:

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby blob » Sat Mar 02, 2019 1:38 pm

Signed up for my first show this year last night. Second level for MM and RP as a non-compete. Already feel nauseous thinking about it.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby StraightForward » Sat Mar 02, 2019 4:52 pm

Tesla -
Be civilized with her feet
Lunging W/T/C in tack
Take at least one field trip

Annabelle -
Keep fingers crossed that she is cleared to go back to work by the end of this challenge. Currently I'm just trying to get the farrier to call me back so I can coordinate him with the vet to pull the shoe and re-shoot radiographs to find out where we are now, 4.5 months post-injury.

Me - I was on work travel this week with a co-worker who is training for a half IronMan. Her dedication to getting in 1-2 workouts every day was humbling/inspiring.
Work up to running 5 miles/run 10 miles a week
Strength/core 2x a week
Don't eat like a trash panda
Keep calm and canter on.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Sue B » Sat Mar 02, 2019 6:29 pm

Thinking about sending Tio off to hunter/jumper training for a month or two to give him a solid foundation for jumping. Crazy? Any rec's sf in your area? Tio is the coming 8yr old that accidentally launched me last September. He is fairly well schooled on the flat (we could do a passable TL test right now) and I have jumped him in grids and over low single fences--everything 18" or less. I was using jumping as a reward for working well on his dressage, but I am not a particularly competent jumper myself. Goal is to do low level event derbies and h/j shows just for fun because he will never be a high level dressage horse. He is h/j bred by the way.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby StraightForward » Sat Mar 02, 2019 7:24 pm

Sue - you might look into Wasatch. Christi Payne is there, and I was considering having her start Tesla, but she had a baby just last week, so I don't know how long it will be until she's wanting to ride babies. She rode at my old barn and trained their Arabians, so I've watched her bring along several youngsters and she's very quiet and tactful.
Keep calm and canter on.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Chisamba » Sat Mar 02, 2019 10:06 pm

My horse is tired of my insulting her with descriptions of "moderate talent, downhill build, and non dressage breed, and has decided to demonstrate a bit of flair in her gaits. i have alternated with fix it forward, do the opposite and transitions in the gait and she has become more rideable. so the goals:

develop extended gaits
practice test riding
get better cleaner more push button single flying changes.
a bit more comfort and relaxation in the half pass


Titan, relaxation relaxation relaxation he is beginning to be consisitent in his connection and more supple, but his go to emotion is tension, so i would like him to just be able to relax

and finally i am kind of tried of Deneb sitting in a field doing nothing, so i am going to take my one last final run at regularly riding her.

me, continue to use the gym, eat healthy and slowly lower my weight just a bit more. but healthy balanced and fit is the ultimate goal

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby exvet » Sun Mar 03, 2019 5:14 am

Goals? Hmph, well ride as much as I can. We had real snow here which lasted a few days; so, I'm done with cold weather and the like. If I have to put up with the Gawdawful heat then I don't want the winter <period>. After talking with my riding instructor/coach, we've decided that first level is where we will focus for our April show. I'm scheduled to work every weekend in March so I'm not sure how much schooling we'll get in but I spend so many miles on the trail each week that I think we'll be alright - lots of opportunity to work transitions within the gaits, etc. I'm still trying to get my mother settled after my father's passing that until I'm comfortable with where we are with that, I'll simply continue to just plain ride and see if we can pass off our 'dressage' when the opportunity arises. Happy coming spring y'all!

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Chisamba » Sun Mar 03, 2019 5:00 pm

Well, Kimba is still offering work I am well pleased with which makes me happy.

Deneb came out of retirement like a fire breathing dragon, alternating between reminding me why I retired her, and seeming to be truly happy about being handled.

Titan is a chestnut. Just saying.

We are being warned about a storm and arctic temperatures so I worked horses on Sunday, which is super rare, but the son is shining and the sky is blue and it's a nice but cold day

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby heddylamar » Sun Mar 03, 2019 6:09 pm

Riding in March should be my top goal! Our arena's so wet (as are the fields) that I've not ridden in 2 weeks now, and going out of town next week. Instead, we've been working on loading, and I took Maia on a hand-walk journey down the road. Takeaways from the asphalt: she's a nut; I need to plan to handwalk down the road when we hit the trails; personal space is still optional (I thought I'd solved that one ...... grrr).

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Chisamba » Mon Mar 04, 2019 12:38 pm

blob wrote:Signed up for my first show this year last night. Second level for MM and RP as a non-compete. Already feel nauseous thinking about it.

One of the reasons I hang around here is that I learn things, so my whole life I never practiced the full test, always added circles after the free walk to avoid jigging and anticipation. Then some one said, ride a test every day, if you want to be able to show well ride a test on every horse every day.

And I thought, well that won't work.

But it does. Make riding a test part of your daily training, if your horse anticipates, like mine, teach her it's okay to know what us coming next, just wait for the aid.

It improved my skills, my nerves and my horses tendency to anticipate.

Just sharing something new I learned
Last edited by Chisamba on Mon Mar 04, 2019 3:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby musical comedy » Mon Mar 04, 2019 3:14 pm

Chisamba wrote: Make riding a test part of your daily training
I think it's really important for most people, as is riding in an accurately marked court. I think it's common for many of us to do 'do overs' when schooling. Of course, there are no do overs in test riding.

I think that is the reason some people go to a lot of shows, even though they continue to get less than great scores. Again, for most people, one needs to show a lot to really have it become 2nd nature to them.

Would you believe that I only showed my gelding something like 24 times and I've owned him for 17 years. As a result, everytime I went in the ring, I was a nervous wreck and my scores reflected that.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Hot4Spots » Mon Mar 04, 2019 6:42 pm

Ladies (mostly), I hope I'm not boring you with my tales of woe. I've been feeling so much better that I got into the barn closer to home, so Saturday, a friend went with me to pick him up. He was his normal, a little hyped, self, when I got him out of his paddock, and put him in the cross-ties, put on shipping boots, here's a carrot, etc. He did the "hackney" walk with the shipping boots, then suddenly his head shot up, he froze, and the went berserk. Spin, rear, levade, slide on the wet grass, snatch a couple of bites of grass, rear/levade again. He was manic. He did NOT act like this when I moved him from his old barn to the present one. My old trainer walked out with a container of horse cookies she was going to give me as a "going away" present, and by feeding them to him, one after the other, we got him to keep his front end on the ground and moving forward. The moment he got to the trailer, he walked right in. Trailering has NEVER been an issue with him. I was, well, frankly distraught at the thought that he might have done something to his already injured leg.

He rode perfectly, and when we got to the new barn, he wouldn't unload. Not used to a ramp. My old trailer was a step-in slant, so we used to turn around to get out. He kept turning his head and I had to pull him back straight. I finally leaned into his chest with my shoulder like a football player pushing one of those sleds, and managed to get his hind end onto the ramp, then he cautiously back out. The new stall is huge, his paddock had been freshly graveled on the lower half (the half close to the stall is roofed), and he made quick friends with his neighbor, and while he was only snatching at the hay I gave him and walking around a lot, he seemed, well, not nuts! I stayed with him for a couple of hours, gave him his supplements and figured riding him was NOT a good idea that day.

When I went out yesterday, even though I gave him almost 2 ccs of ACE, he was so hyped I could not risk riding (and wild turkeys perching on the fence around the covered arena DID NOT HELP!! :lol: ). I hand walked him for 40 minutes, so I certainly got MY exercise. After about 30 minutes, it was finally on a loose lead, but OMG, I was exhausted. His leg appears to be okay. I expected he'd be a bit agitated, but this is a whole 'nother level. I can only hope the adjustment period isn't too long. He did not take long to adjust at my old trainer's barn, and while he'd been there before, that was for weekly lesson visits, not boarding. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take, although there really is no alternative, but to suck it up and keep going..
Last edited by Hot4Spots on Mon Mar 04, 2019 10:26 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby blob » Mon Mar 04, 2019 7:35 pm

Chisamba wrote:One of the reasons I hang around here is that I learn things, so my whole life I never practiced the full test, always added circles after the free walk to avoid jigging and anticipation. Then some one said, ride a test every day, if you want to be able to show well ride a test on every horse every day.

And I thought, well that won't work.

But it does. Make riding a test part of your daily training, if your horse anticipates, like mine, teach her it's okay to know what us coming next, just wait for the aid.

It improved my skills, my nerves and my horses tendency to anticipate.

Just sharing something new I learned


Yes, this is definitely a useful tip. Conrad Schumacher said the same thing in the clinic i audited recently and I thought 'huh...yes, maybe I should'...because like Musical Comedy said---test riding is different, you just have to keep going.

It's rare in normal training that I ride half a long side of SI and then move on to something else even if it was not very good! Getting used to moving from one motion to another is important. Having to make something happen at a certain letter even if you're not quite ready, is also important.

Luckily MM does not anticipate. She can get bored if she does the same thing too often. But I think i can ride the test we're riding just a few times and ride lots of other tests to help me deal with some test riding issues.

The main reason i forced myself to sign up for this show is that I need practice going to shows, riding in front of other people, not being a nervous wreck. So, regardless of how the tests go or how the scores are, it's something that I am trying to get better at.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby mari » Wed Mar 06, 2019 10:11 am

Odie's first jumping show of the year. My instructor piloting. He jumped lovely clear rounds, and got placed in the competition class. The turns in the jump-off were fabulous, but he is so not built for speed :lol:

Image

Image

Image

Image
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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby piedmontfields » Wed Mar 06, 2019 5:10 pm

Beautiful photos!

For my work with Emi, my main goals are:
-Keep up/improve clarity of aids (and keep that nice reactivity)
-Commit to improving the left canter. We have made tremendous strides on the right canter (which used to be much worse than the left).
-Keep incorporating 10 m and smaller circles into working patterns. It really helps us be honest about power and straightness.
-Keep powering up the lateral work.

For my part, I'm aiming to keep going to barre classes 2 x a week and to do a spin cycle session at home at least 2 x a week (if I haven't done other significant cardio).

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby DJR » Wed Mar 06, 2019 5:52 pm

Odie is gorgeous - I've always loved him. He looks great in those photos!

My goals for March-April ...

In general
  • ride 4x weekly once the weather allows it - I moved two horses to a facility that is literally a 5-min drive from my place. It has a lovely indoor arena and indoor board but lots of turnout time (12-15 hrs/day or more in the summer). It's close enough that I can drive over in the carriage with one horse then ride another some days. I normally never board out over the spring-fall months, but given how close this place is and the board is extraordinarily inexpensive, I will keep two there year-round so that I have my foot in the door there for wintertime board.
  • get my fitness improved (ugh, not doing well with that)
  • starting in April, monthly coaching with my FEI instructor
  • do a bit more jumping, but the main focus will be dressage
  • attend CDEs for the first time (Carriage Driving Events) ... so excited about this, the first will be in May!

Jet (14 yr old Friesian/Perch)
I had some concerns about a broken tooth (lower right premolar), but a specialist equine veterinary dentist did a thorough exam a couple of weeks ago and found a few congenital problems (malformed roots, crown fractures from weak dentine) but nothing that needed extraction at this point. He'll be checked every 6 months from now on, but that was reassuring.
  • I started jumping him a bit in February and it was SO GOOD for his canter & changes, so I plan to continue that once or twice a month (low level)
  • fitness - I need to ride him more often, but hopefully that'll be easier with the new barn
  • do more carriage driving including some CDE competitions
  • show at Third a couple more times - I already got my Silver Medal (Dressage Canada) after the 2018 show season but he needs a bit more exposure at Third I think. I do hope to debut him at Fourth later in the summer if all goes well. I'm cautiously optimistic that PSG is within our grasp ... in due course ... maybe ... !

Finn (5 yr old Hano/Shire)
I kept him boarded at an indoor facility through the winter and introduced him to trot poles & X-rails. This allowed me to "allow" the canter when he offered it. He is big & gangly so I'm going slowly with him, but we did manage a few "planned" canters and he did really well. He's home now because the new, closer facility only had space for two horses (Jet and my daughter's pony, Sawyer). But once the grass is in, Jet cannot be on grass (the new facility has no dry paddocks) so I'll swap Jet & Finn at that time. In the meantime ...
  • work more on his driving with the view to competing at some CDEs
  • expand his horizons with hacking (just started with a road hack before leaving the last facility at the end of Feb), shipping off site when possible, and probably some local schooling shows just for exposure

Sawyer (my daughter's large pony QH gelding)
  • she's excited to ride more now that Sawyer is boarded much closer to our place
  • we recently found a new dressage coach so I hope to get her to his facility 1-2 times a month as he really helped her with the one lesson she had with him already
  • advance to Training Level and show at that level - yay for her as she was very intimidated by canter after her Welsh pony dumped her a few too many times, but now she loves cantering and is improving daily at it

The Rest
  • Panache - he's been for sale (word of mouth, not advertised), and I had a couple of more serious bites but nothing that has panned out. When I rode him for the last prospective buyer, I really was impressed by him so I want to do whatever I can to get more rides on him. Time is a factor, but I'm going to see if I can manage it and get him tuned up. He has a lot of potential I think.
  • Eowyn - she is Finn's full sister and is now about 10 months old and TALL! I want to expose her to more things this spring/summer including going for walks with us in the back-20, and maybe ponying off Jet
  • Lexi - she is due to foal in mid/late-May. She is Hano/Trak/TB herself, registered CSHA, and was bred to a Hano stallion (Sir Wanabi again, he is the sire of Finn & Eowyn, but out of my Shire mare). She is not rideable due to chronic RF low-level lameness, but is a lovely mare so I have high hopes for this foal ... which will be my FIRST and ONLY full warmblood!!
  • Kammie she is the Shire mare who had Finn & Eowyn. I *love* this cross and have considered rebreeding her for a 2020 Hano/Shire sporthorse foal. But I also am pretty much at my limit for horses so may also offer her to a local Shire farm as a broodmare because she is very well bred herself. I used to ride her and show her in dressage up to Training Level, and have ground driven her, but mostly she is a (gorgeous) pasture pet
formerly known as "Deanna" on UDBB -- and prior to that, as "DJD".

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Moutaineer » Wed Mar 06, 2019 7:53 pm

It's freaking snowing again.

At the moment I have no goals except to not commit homicide before the end of the winter.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Hot4Spots » Wed Mar 06, 2019 8:10 pm

My horse is still manaical after his move. He's calm enough in his stall/paddock. But I can barely lead him. I've gotten him to the point where I can walk him, in hand, fairly calmly down ONE side of the arena, then he spins around me, has to be halted, perhaps backed, then I try to lead him forward a few steps, then back to step one. I do ground work with him, but it's like he's only half-paying attention to me. He obeys for the moments, but then reverts back to his agitated behaviors. He did NOT do this when I moved him from his long-time barn down to my trainer's place. He was nervous for a few days, but calm enough to ride the second day there. This time, he's just agitated the moment I move him from his stall/paddock. He even grazes nervously with quick snatches of grass, dropping them before he chews them. He's eating normally/pooping in his "living" arrangements, but otherwise.....Too many changes in a short period of time, perhaps? (three months) I'm just going to keep trying, but I don't intend to try to ride him until he shows more signs of adjustment. Sigh. Anyone have any suggestions as to what I might do to calm him down?

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby blob » Wed Mar 06, 2019 8:33 pm

Hot4Spots wrote:My horse is still manaical after his move. He's calm enough in his stall/paddock. But I can barely lead him. I've gotten him to the point where I can walk him, in hand, fairly calmly down ONE side of the arena, then he spins around me, has to be halted, perhaps backed, then I try to lead him forward a few steps, then back to step one. I do ground work with him, but it's like he's only half-paying attention to me. He obeys for the moments, but then reverts back to his agitated behaviors. He did NOT do this when I moved him from his long-time barn down to my trainer's place. He was nervous for a few days, but calm enough to ride the second day there. This time, he's just agitated the moment I move him from his stall/paddock. He even grazes nervously with quick snatched of grass, dropping them before he chews them. He's eating normally/pooping in his "living" arrangements, but otherwise.....Too many changes in a short period of time, perhaps? (three months) I'm just going to keep trying, but I don't intend to try to ride him until he shows more signs of adjustment. Sigh. Anyone have any suggestions as to what I might do to calm him down?


Are there other routine changes other than location? Is he being handled by more barn staff as opposed to just one person in previous situations? Is the grain/hay different? Is the amount of/kind of turn out vastly different?

If he's taking much longer than normal and in general taking 3 months, there's something more going on.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Hot4Spots » Wed Mar 06, 2019 9:14 pm

blob wrote:Are there other routine changes other than location? Is he being handled by more barn staff as opposed to just one person in previous situations? Is the grain/hay different? Is the amount of/kind of turn out vastly different?

If he's taking much longer than normal and in general taking 3 months, there's something more going on.


No, I mean he was originally moved three months ago, then moved again last Saturday (to a place closer to where I live). He's only been at new location four days, but this is very unlike him. So while it hasn't been long, this level of excitement and agitation is waaaay beyond what is normal for him. I hand walked him for 40 minutes last night, and it was a battle every step of the way. He did not act like this when he was moved last November. He was edgy for a day or two, but not, well, hysterical. It's just so strange that he's pretty normal in his new stall/paddock, and just nuts when taken out of it.

I'm the only one handling him. Same kind of feed. No turnout because of his injury, but the stall is 15 x 18 and the paddock is 15 X 36 or 40 feet.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby piedmontfields » Thu Mar 07, 2019 12:40 am

Hots4spots, any chance there are any interesting (terrifying) creatures visiting this new barn? (wild or domestic)

I'm asking in part because I've come to accept that anytime my very sensitive but usually polite mare flips out, there is a real reason (I just don't know about it).

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Flight » Thu Mar 07, 2019 4:15 am

Hot4Spots, you'd expect him to settle down a bit by now. Maybe at least a week he might need to be ok. Do you have much time when you are there to just let him graze and wait him out?
Mari - great photos! What's that height 95cm - 1m or so? He looks awesome.
I don't really have any goals, just keep pottering on.

I remembered my tests on the weekend which was a relief. We have new tests this year, not big changes but just enough to confuse me with the old ones. Ding did a lovely first test, he really didn't put a hoof wrong. Unfortunately in the second test, it was in the afternoon and hot and I did a really short warmup due to the heat, but that made him feel behind my leg so I chased him too much in the test and caused him to make mistakes. He was hardly even sweating when we finished, so really I should have done our usual warmup (which isn't very much in reality). When will I learn!! Not major mistakes, just costly in the scores.
In the first test the judge said my trans to extended canter was 'explosive' so I toned it down for the second test and then it wasn't enough. I'm a bit happy that she called it explosive because Ding has always been the very opposite.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby mari » Thu Mar 07, 2019 4:50 am

Flight - lovely photos! I think trying for explosive reactions is better than lukewarm ones any day of the week, so I will applaud that comment.
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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Moutaineer » Thu Mar 07, 2019 5:08 am

OK, I've calmed down now. (And ordered a sump pump to drain my stalls with--OMG, it's ugly out there and I just cant keep up bailing it out even now, and the melt off is going to be epic when it really gets going.)

Mari, I always love seeing your beautiful spotted boy. He looks great and what a fun and versatile animal he is! I do so love a nice Appy.

H4S, that's pretty weird, I'd be wondering about what animals are in the neighborhood--anyone got pigs? Are there Mountain Lions?

I do like Ding--he looks fun to ride! We have new tests this year in the USA, too. Same thing--just enough changes to make things confusing!

I buckled up and slithered down my slush-covered mountain this afternoon and went and rode my horse.

(Slush is scary because it's both slick as snot and pulls your vehicle in unpredictable directions. I'm not sure how many more winters I can handle up here.)

The boy was a rock star, bless his heart. About half way through our ride, working on the inevitable t/c/t/c transitions, he suddenly found a new gear--his hind end came underneath him, he gave me his back, and he was just into it for the rest of the ride. And fit enough that he'd barely broken a sweat by the end of it.

I may, or may not, have a clinic with Mette at the end of the month. None of you would believe the level of Dressage Drama in this state. Suffice to say, the original organizer has dropped out and cancelled the March clinic, and wants to change direction and bring in someone different in the future. I want to carry on with what I've been doing because it works for me. Someone else is taking the March spot for a super-private clinic that I may or may not be invited to participate in. (So I really need to get my act together in case I do get to go.) And I seem to have taken over clinic organizing from May onwards--if I can find a suitable venue, which is this weekend's job. My fallback is our barn, but amongst other things, our bathroom plumbing has failed this winter and our landlady is resistant to fixing it...

I'm so glad daylight savings starts this weekend--light at the end of the tunnel, literally.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby khall » Thu Mar 07, 2019 12:45 pm

I'm like exvet I just want to ride! Between the weather, my parents, farm life in general it has been difficult. Hosting Cedar this weekend and storms are predicted for Sunday sigh. While many of you are dealing with freezing temps, snow and general nasty winter weather, here in Georgia we have moved on to spring (with a quick shot of old man winter this week impacting the poor peach trees that have budded out). With spring though comes the storms. Last Sunday was rough, DH and I and our dogs spent some time under the house with tornado warnings going off. One hit just south of us destroying homes barns and pecan trees. Huge trees just pushed over, homes flattened. No deaths like in Alabama, but some injuries. We came out to find hail the size of golf balls with some crazy spiky shapes. 11 tornados were confirmed in central Georgia. I hope this is not a precursor for what is to come.

Trying to find a builder for construction project to move my parents here. Talked with Morton yesterday, they cannot get started until June and the price, yikes! Talking with as many builders as I can right now. So thankful though my sister and I are on the same page completely with what we are dealing with.

So as far as horses go, just doing what I can when I can. They are going well even if they are not as in good of fitness as they normally would be. My biggest yippee moment this week was with Joplin. WIH was able to change flexion change bend from counter SI to HI. That IMO is a big hurdle to get over in the education of the horse to the action of the bridle.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Hot4Spots » Thu Mar 07, 2019 4:00 pm

piedmontfields wrote:Hots4spots, any chance there are any interesting (terrifying) creatures visiting this new barn? (wild or domestic)

I'm asking in part because I've come to accept that anytime my very sensitive but usually polite mare flips out, there is a real reason (I just don't know about it).


There are chickens, in two coops - but his stall/paddock and the arena are essentially equi-distant from the coops and he is calm in stall/paddock, agitated in arena. The day after he arrived, he was willing to graze next to the chickens, but was restless; however, he didn't object to moving closer to them.

There were wild turkeys on one day. He has seen and adjusted to wild turkeys at his old barn, but the ones he saw recently at the new barn WERE in full courting mode. But they weren't around the rest of the week in the evening, so ?

There is a stream that runs along side the back of the property. With all the rain we have had, it is high and noisy. One boarder suggested that it might be that the noise of the stream drowns out other noises and he is bothered by that.

He was still agitated and almost impossible to lead last night. I could get him to stand for a minute or so, then he'd start trying to walk around me, the break into a few strides of trot, then rear or pull away if I tried to check him. He will focus on me, but if I try to lead him, he gets chargy and a 15 m. circle is about the most I can get him to walk calmly. He's very restless in the cross ties (never a problem before), so I single tied him and he was better, but restless.

I'm trying to wait this out, but it's very frustrating and puzzling. He has never behaved like this before.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Sue B » Thu Mar 07, 2019 4:34 pm

H4S, I have nothing helpful to add except maybe use one of those calming pastes 30 min before walking him? His behavior sounds like my Rudy when llamas are anywhere nearby. He doesn't rear, but only because he's pretty sure I'll kill him if he does, lol, but he prances and snorts and contorts himself in all sorts of weird positions. I literally cannot ride at a friend's arena because of the neighbor's llamas! btw, the fact that OUR neighbor also has llamas bears no influence. After 5 years he has finally quit going into a frenzy when their llama comes into view. Go figure. Oh, he doesn't like wild turkeys either. I would guess your horse smells something rather than hears something, but maybe try sound-blocking ear bonnet in case it is sound.

Beautiful pictures everyone. We've been getting rain instead of snow, which makes everything very squishy around here and my ponies very muddy. I feel bad for you Moutaineer--it's gonna be a loooong spring. Meanwhile, I signed up for the Cindy Canace clinic in April and I'm working on shipping Tio to a h/j trainer for 6 weeks or so.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Hot4Spots » Thu Mar 07, 2019 6:00 pm

Yes, Sue, I've been considering using the paste (though most take up to 2 hours, at least the ones I've seen at the stores here). I hate having to ACE him, and I've kept hand walking him hoping he'll "get over it." When I ride, which hasn't happened since the move, he has ear poms and noise cancelling bonnet, but so far, he hasn't calmed enough for me to want to get on him without either paste or ACE, or frankly to get on at all!! I ACE'd him lightly on Sunday, intending to ride, but he blew right threw it, though he was more manageable, slightly, to hand walk. Waiting for dryer, quieter weather with no turkeys!!

It sort of sinks my plan to take him back down to my trainer's place while I go on vacation at the end of April. I don't know these barn owners that well, but the boarders seem a nice group and hopefully between them and the owners, and a friend of mine, they can at least keep an eye on him, even if none can handle or ride him. Assuming he calms down by then, I don't want to move him and start up this behavior all over again. Intellectually I'm still having to adjust to the idea that he's semi-retired and that I shouldn't have a meltdown or angst over the idea that he won't be ridden (at a walk) for slightly less than two weeks. Sigh. Frankly, I am so depressed right now. And I was SO HAPPY at the thought that I would have him closer to home.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Chisamba » Thu Mar 07, 2019 6:16 pm

Hot4spots, he will settle. Two moves in three months just compounded his anxiety. Dont rush.

Kimba and I worked on piaffe again Wednesday. Let me make it clear, we are not actually achieving piaffe, but we are lowering the quarters while keeping active, remaining light but connected into the rein is a challenge. The unambiguous aids .lol.

It's been icy, I know other have it colder, but in single digits F, so has cut into ride time significantly. Looking forward to spring even though I'm sure to curse the mud when it gets here.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Dresseur » Fri Mar 08, 2019 3:45 pm

I love the photos, updates and goals! It seems like it's been a rough year for horses and humans alike. I can't wait for spring.

Miro received his first round of shock wave on Wednesday. When I walked him yesterday, he looked like he was feeling REALLY good. He had his normal 3-4 hoof print over track for the first time since the injury. I'm trying not to get my hopes up though, and I know that there is an analgesic effect right after the treatment that will go away.

I'm also sidelined with a groin injury. I helped to push a car off the snow/ice and when it grabbed and went, my left leg went out and I went down. I can't remember if I mentioned the injury or not, but basically, I'm looking at 6-8 weeks of no riding at least. I'm 4 weeks in and there is still a bit of pain, so I'm trying my best to not get ambitious and try riding too soon.

So, hopefully by the time the shock wave treatments are done, I have good news with Miro and I'm back to riding form. But again, trying to not get my hopes up :(

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby StraightForward » Fri Mar 08, 2019 4:53 pm

Lovely pics, Flight and Mari!

Dresseur, maybe next time you can just intercept that Shockwave and get a treatment for yourself at the same time. :P I hope you're back in the saddle soon, and Miro continues to improve with the treatments.
Keep calm and canter on.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Hot4Spots » Sat Mar 09, 2019 12:21 am

Whomever recommended the herbal calmer from Smart Pak (sorry, can't remember who it was), well, I sort of ran into a wall. He already gets Quiessence, so I didn't want to double up, but I just got this month's SmartPak and certainly don't want to toss it out. I thought I could just not give him the Quiessence, give him the herbal supplement, see if it works, then go back on Quiessenced (saved!) if it does not. However, SmartPak will only sell me the $70 80 day supply. I was willing to pay for a one or two week sample, but no....plus they won't put it into a SmartPak if I wanted to go with it in place of Quiessence. Sigh. I now have to get up at the crack of dawn and drive down to the feed, etc. store (near my older trainer's place, of course!), to get a paste calmer for tomorrow. I'm getting tired of sticking him with needles and the farrier is coming tomorrow and I don't want either him or the farrier to get hurt, so I need to get down there when they open at 7, and be back by 9:30 for the farrier. Ah, the joys of horse ownership. LOL

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby piedmontfields » Sun Mar 10, 2019 10:57 pm

Fingers crossed for those going through rehab/change worries/bad weather and esp. heavy slush (ick!).

It was 70 F and sunny today. It was still soggy from yesterday's strong storms, but we were able to find a portion of the fields that were well drained for a bit of work. We did about an hour of walking hacking and about 10 minutes of work. Emi felt fantastic. The canter quality was right there, and she just felt very loose and responsive. She truly is a warm weather creature. And after 3 showers (2 before work, to get rid of mud, and 1 after to get rid of sweat), she looks quite radiant! :lol: That will probably last until 10 am tomorrow.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby StraightForward » Mon Mar 11, 2019 2:16 am

I clipped Tesla's jaw and front fetlocks today and it was pretty much a non-event. I feel like this is a good sign, because Rosette was the Worst. Ever. to teach to clip, and I felt like that was a warning sign that I missed with her.

Annabelle was able to walk around in the outdoor today without extensive freak-outs, so that was nice.

This was after rushing out to the barn in my PJs because I had a message from the caretaker that Tesla had been laying down for a long time and kept groaning. She was fine; she groans more than any horse I've ever met.
Keep calm and canter on.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Hot4Spots » Mon Mar 11, 2019 4:41 pm

Just to let everyone know I survived the weekend. I gave him the paste calmer on Saturday for the farrier. He's never been a problem in that regard, but he's been so on edge, I just felt I should give him something. After that I hand walked him. He's never had issues, but in general, I prefer not to ride on the day he's been shod. He was very good. And then on Sunday - drumroll please - I rode him with just a minimal dose of Ace (about 1cc). Got the camel hump for about 5 minutes, but then he relaxed and by the time I'd ridden 40 minutes, he was relaxed and confident, merely looked at some deer and a pair of wild turkeys. Tonight is the big test - I will try to ride him without anything - which is where we were about 90% of the time until he was moved. DST seems to have helped.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Dresseur » Mon Mar 11, 2019 5:00 pm

Excellent Hot4Spots! Keep being careful, but I'm glad to hear that things are settling down for you both!

So, while I don't have any goals for myself right now, I'm happy to say that we're able to finally start getting some goals on the table for Charm, my student's horse. He's been a solid citizen all winter, and my student is w/t/c on her own. I've done shoulder ins on him before my injury, and she's off to the races doing leg yields. She just bought a trailer - so goals for him are to get him off property and just have him do an easy w/t/c work and be done and go home. Ideally, she'd LOVE to do a schooling show, but we're not going there until he's rinsed and repeated good behavior off home base a few times.
Charm.png
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Also, Ori, my project horse is really coming along! Interestingly, she's incredibly solid and comfortable to ride, no octopus feeling that seems to accompany young horses when they hit the diagonal. If I didn't have Miro, I'd keep her for myself lol!
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And, speaking of Miro - I decided that I would pamper him and got him pulse treatment and a massage. This is what he thought of the pulsing... ungrateful wench lol (Turn sound ON!)
https://youtu.be/VBc8Thda3wA

He LOVED the massage though. The good thing is that he's not sore across his pelvis any more and she didn't really pick up any major asymmetries or issues.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Sue B » Mon Mar 11, 2019 5:37 pm

Had an AWESOME ride on Rudy Saturday. :D :D :D He was so focused and ready to work...it was just so. much. fun! He did have one pretty good spook followed by one of his cute bucks and it did NOT hurt my poor damaged back. :mrgreen: I did reprimand him (for bucking) but with a big smile on my face. Sunday I took it easier because my back turned out to be a little touchier than I expected and it affected my ability to use my left leg effectively, but no matter. It was such a beautiful day, almost 40F with just a light (10mph) breeze and actual sunshine. Today's the same, and I am dying to play hookie at work and go riding instead.

On Saturday, just as I hopped on Tio it started snowing sideways, creating some orneriness in the kid. Lunging both days went very well, however, and Sunday I did some actual work in the arena. I texted the farrier in hopes of getting shoes put on soon so 1) I can canter him with confidence and 2) maybe send him to the h/j trainer. Fingers crossed he can come out soon.

H4S, glad the paste calmer helped (maybe) and that you are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. Same for you SF. Maybe the beautiful weekend improved Annabelle's mood. Glad to hear of some positives going on in your riding life, dresseur--it has certainly been a rough few months for you.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby blob » Mon Mar 11, 2019 8:00 pm

Glad to hear many of you are having good work and other types of progress!

I had started tapering RP off his ulcer meds last week, but I think it might have been premature because all of a sudden he's back to having a lot of over-reactivity to the leg, esp the right leg, where even the slight pressure makes him lurch forward and then he self regulates himself down to a quieter pace, but we go around like a brand new driver. So, I've put him back on his full dose. But after over 90 days of the treatment, I'm wondering how long it'll take for the poor boy to heal.

In other health-performance news. I'm feeling very much like I need to get to the bottom of something with MM. She's certainly not ever going to be a hot horse. But her lack of responsiveness lately has been different than in the past. IN the past she will blow me off, now she's actually sucking back when I put leg on her. I started her on ulcer meds and did 30 days, figured it couldn't hurt. But no change. I thought perhaps she was sore, not feeling great somewhere (she is very stoic about pain and soreness). But then she got 2.5 weeks off and no real difference except some added stiffness due to time off. Saddle was checked and reflocked in January. So, just ordered some sulfacrate to see if there might be colonic ulcers at play. It's hard when you have a stoic/low-key horse to determine what is a training issue and what is a physical issue.

all that to say, I'm consumed by ulcer thoughts :?

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Imperini » Mon Mar 11, 2019 8:14 pm

blob I had that same issue with P but hers ended up escalating to balking/completely stopping and refusing to go forward when I put my leg on, especially for canter. I got past it by riding with a completely loose rein and no contact for a while and super light aids with escalating aids for no response or the stopping response. A few rides of that completely stopped the balking but I didn't change anything for a couple of weeks. Gradually added back in the contact and she started getting mad again but I didn't back off I just did the escalating aids and then when I did that combined with tons and tons of transitions/directional changes/lateral work I've gotten my horse back. She's been wonderful the last couple of weeks, so much so I'm sometimes afraid to ride because I want to keep the good :lol: I don't know if that helps you at all because I think my hands were a major culprit but I thought I'd give you my recent experiences with a similar issue anyway.

Also StraightForward Pal groans about pretty much EVERYTHING too! It's quite funny but I can see why someone might be alarmed if they didn't know a horse was such a groaner.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby blob » Mon Mar 11, 2019 10:44 pm

Imperini wrote:blob I had that same issue with P but hers ended up escalating to balking/completely stopping and refusing to go forward when I put my leg on, especially for canter. I got past it by riding with a completely loose rein and no contact for a while and super light aids with escalating aids for no response or the stopping response. A few rides of that completely stopped the balking but I didn't change anything for a couple of weeks. Gradually added back in the contact and she started getting mad again but I didn't back off I just did the escalating aids and then when I did that combined with tons and tons of transitions/directional changes/lateral work I've gotten my horse back. She's been wonderful the last couple of weeks, so much so I'm sometimes afraid to ride because I want to keep the good :lol: I don't know if that helps you at all because I think my hands were a major culprit but I thought I'd give you my recent experiences with a similar issue anyway.


this is helpful, for sure. She is unusually behind the leg even on a loose rein right now, i've also been given strict instruction by my instructor to not negotiate contact so much. which honestly might be part of the issue. I've committed to lunging her more in March and April, so that will also be helpful. I lunged her this past week and she just did not look very good--no particular issue, just not as strong and through as she normally does on the lunge. I might just need to get some of that self-carriage back on the ground.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby khall » Tue Mar 12, 2019 1:13 pm

An incredibly successful clinic with Cedar this past weekend. Worked on Spanish Walk, piaffe work, passage work and more collection in the canter with Rip. Lateral work, start of half steps, and GO in the canter with Gaila. AND trotted Joplin under saddle all 3 days with no drama at all. Boy does she have a smooth trot! Even smoother than Gaila. Also Rip and I tried the garrocha pole, I think I have a new obsession! Gosh it is fun!!

https://www.facebook.com/34754646198627 ... =3&theater

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Rip needs more fitness. Have not been able to ride in the fields because of the rain. Will have to try some trot sets in the arena I guess.
Work more on Gaila's canter and GO in the canter (think gallop)
Just keep up work with Joplin who is such a joy to play with.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Hot4Spots » Tue Mar 12, 2019 5:39 pm

Whew! After much angst, tension and frustration, not to mention a little fear, I think I have my horse back mentally. Rode last night w/o any chemical assistance. He has been and always will be, I am sure, a reactive horse, but last night I merely groomed, saddled, mounted, and rode. Though he was a little hesitant at first, there was no humpy back and after about 10 minutes I could ride him on a slightly looped rein. We did do some work on the bit at the walk, a little s/I, renvers, leg yields, and he was calm and obedient. And this was with one other horse being ridden and another being lunged (quietly, fortunately) in the arena. They do have a round pen for lungeing, but the rains have rendered it unuseable for the time being.

Even better, both before and after our ride, instead of the high-headed, staring at everything attitude, constantly shifting his feet, he was standing quietly, and back to more normal behaviors, like sniffing my butt as I picked out his hooves :lol:, offering to mutually groom when I hit a "good spot" while brushing him, and reaching for the bit the moment I lifted the bridle toward his face.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Ponichiwa » Tue Mar 12, 2019 5:51 pm

Dresseur-- you have so many grey horses!

H4S-- hurray!! I bet that's a weight off your shoulders now that he's back to his old self.

As for me and my two, we're trucking along and actually ticking off the activities we need to do to get our goals down. Queso and I have been out on the trails whenever the weather has allowed. Yesterday we cruised on over a downed log, which was a complete non-event.

Kiwi and I did 4 flying changes on a long side the other day, but they got progressively more... um... emphatic. "MAKE UP YOUR MIND," says Kiwi, unsympathetically. But her pirouette work the other day was really supple and respectful. Win some, lose some.

I got a chance to watch some "Ranch Sorting" the other day. Pairs of riders are given one minute to put 10 cows from one side of a pinched-oval-shaped pen to the other, which sounds reasonable. Until you realize there's 11 cows, and they're numbered, and they have to be sorted out in numerical order starting with a randomly drawn number. It's basically the hardest thing I've ever seen. But more impressive is the warm-up. Probably 100 horses standing ~2-3 ft away from each other at any given time, plus 2-5 that are doing any sort of movement. My little dressage-centric head almost exploded.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby musical comedy » Wed Mar 13, 2019 9:55 am

blob wrote:In other health-performance news. I'm feeling very much like I need to get to the bottom of something with MM. She's certainly not ever going to be a hot horse. But her lack of responsiveness lately has been different than in the past. IN the past she will blow me off, now she's actually sucking back when I put leg on her. I started her on ulcer meds and did 30 days, figured it couldn't hurt. But no change. I thought perhaps she was sore, not feeling great somewhere (she is very stoic about pain and soreness). But then she got 2.5 weeks off and no real difference except some added stiffness due to time off. Saddle was checked and reflocked in January. So, just ordered some sulfacrate to see if there might be colonic ulcers at play. It's hard when you have a stoic/low-key horse to determine what is a training issue and what is a physical issue.
Just wanted to comment that I can relate to this. I won't go into detail about my situation with my now-retired gelding, but it was similar. It's a thread in itself that someday I'll write about with photos. The sucking back, reining back, etc. I went through a series of vet diagnostics including a full body scan. The hardest thing is trying to figure out if it's a training issue or pain, especially with a stoic horse. The only suggestion I can offer is that do not try to solve it with more leg/spur/whip. I was just telling a friend yesterday about how my show scores suffered due to this unresponsiveness to the leg. A lesson learned is never accept a non-response to the Go aids. It's a recipe for failure. However, I know all too well how hard it is to solve.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Chisamba » Wed Mar 13, 2019 6:55 pm

The one thing that I found that considered helped baulky horses was physical fitness and I mean really really fit like an endurance horse, and supple jaw and light acceptance of the bit . So forward or half halt, not forward into the half halt.

Supple jaw is about independently establishing the individual rein aids and correct response. Once the horse accepts the contact pleasantly, then go forward to light leg.

If the horse is particularly not forward, I use a voice cue, but I almost teach the horse to bolt to that voice cue from the ground. I will yell cha ( because its pretty unique) and send the horse. I will be a bear, whip the ground bang the wall get a bit crazy. If I say cha, I want the horse to have a preconceived notion that the sky is falling.

Then, and only if I am certain of my cha response, I will get on, have the horse light in contact at walk, apply leg, if forward is not offered with alacrity, I'll touch with the whip, and immediately resort to the cha. And horse better gallop away. As MC said do not accept a non response to go aids.

I also do shorts sports of active work.

I stop before the horse is tired.

I work on fitness on a track or hills not the ring.

If you have any questions pm me so we dont consume the thread, since we already had a kind of thread on the topic.

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby Ryeissa » Wed Mar 13, 2019 9:58 pm

I'm still alive. Waiting for spring. I have some fun clinics and things planned to kick off my "spring". Feel like i Have to mentally climb back up the hill to regain the lost fitness from so much down time, but in reality it might not take too long. He was never completely off work

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Re: March & April Goals and Progress

Postby blob » Thu Mar 14, 2019 2:34 pm

Thanks, Chisamba & MC, lots to think about.

I'm starting to get ready/anxious for our upcoming show. I'm really wishing i had a dressage arena to practice in, for most of the stuff, I'm not too worried about not having the arena to practice in. I know the dressage arena well, and a long side, a diagonal is a diagonal. But that CC serpentine in 2-3 is where I really wish I had some proper dimensions to practice in. It's a tough movement for us (we did 2nd level last year, but never 2-3) and a lot of it is my geometry/bending. Also, now that we've started changes, MM is more prone to breaking in the CC than she was in the past. We'll figure it out, but it might not be our best moment.

I'm also nervous about how RP will do at show grounds. HE's going as a non-compete so there's literally no pressure. I don't even have to get on him if he's too anxious. I can just lunge and hand-walk. I think I'm just eager to see how he handles show grounds. He's the type that could go either way.

It'll also be my first show in a long time where I'll be on my own. No trainer, no barn-mates. Curious to see how it pans out, but there's a part of me that wonders if being alone might actually be better for my nerves.


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