It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

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Aleuronx
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It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Aleuronx » Sat Nov 02, 2019 12:37 pm

You guys, it’s November 2nd! Time to re-evaluate for the next 2 months and see where we’ve succeeded and where we can improve.

Looking back at my goals for the last section and I feel not too bad, some big wins and some misses.
More field hacking and hillwork This I wish we had done more of, so I’m calling that a miss.
Schooling show/s Check on this one, rode our best Intro B yet! (Haha)
Successful Regionals trip Big check on this one. So proud of how she handle the whole experience.
Improve the balance in the canter, allow the shoulders to come up This makes me laugh! Mixed bag on this one, it was getting better and then she grew. Right now her canter is the causality.
Work to build on transitions between gaits and within a little bit Check on this one as well. Our transitions are improving, leads are much more solid and we’ve done a small amount of gait adjustability before she grew and is now 100% falling on her face.

I had a bunch of vacation time for work that is use it or lose it before the end of the year so I’m taking every Friday off in November to give myself long weekends. Hopefully even with the impending time change, hello darkness my old friend, I’ll be able to use those days to get outside and in the fields.

Goals:
Field Hacking and hillwork before the snow flies
Introduce baby leg yield/shoulder-in
Progress to an immobile halt
Continue to encourage stretchy forward/down/out trotwork
Survive butt high baby syndrome!!

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Chisamba » Sat Nov 02, 2019 1:35 pm

I will be exceptionally happy if the weather and life do not interfere with my riding and I am able to continue to progress all winter. That is my goal. get my own horses ridden while still maintaining the training on the ones i am paid to ride. it takes so much longer to warm up, cool down, blanket, never mind break ice, feed at every other thing, i get homesick for Zambia every winter, and i have been in the USA a lot longer than i was in Zambia by this time

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby StraightForward » Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:45 pm

Simple goals this time:

Embrace Bei g out in the dark and cold every night.

Finish Annabelle's rehab so we can re-enter the land of the living.

Get Tesla self loading and take her off property. Start some in hand work with her and continue the long lining.

Get back to my twice a week gym routine now that I'm over the cold that took me out for the whole month of October.
Keep calm and canter on.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby demi » Sat Nov 02, 2019 8:30 pm

November and December are frequently weather friendly months in central Texas so I hope get some good fitness building work in this time.

I have been steadily riding 4-6 time a week, although July through September heat limited me to walking much of the time. I used the walking to my advantage by concentrating on figures, lateral work and improving my control over my seatbones and other parts.

As far a progress, the canter is getting better. Three months of walk work somehow improved the canter (Rocky has a decent natural trot for a non warmblood but her canter is only average). Trainer said canter is coming very well. A couple of weeks ago we were doing several consecutive 20M canter figure 8’s with changes through just a few steps of trot. Trainer said last year that would have killed me! I think a big part of the improvement is that Rocky is more balanced and I don’t have to work nearly as hard now as I did last year.

My lessons seem to still be about straightening her and getting me to NOT over use the inside rein! Trainer said she wants me to be able to know exactly where the horses legs are at any time. The better to be able to keep her straight, and consequently the better to keep her balanced on the outside rein.

So mostly I have the same old goals. In addition, I plan to start working at home on counter canter and canter lengthenings. I also plan to get a mirror on the short side placed on a quarter line. I think I can put one up myself for $50. The barn door is in the right place to easily tack on a 3ft by 4 ft acrylic. I think this will make me feel more confident in the lateral work.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby exvet » Sat Nov 02, 2019 10:03 pm

First, I just want to say that I LOVE my PONY! After today's show, I will be focusing on developing Junior's strength and stamina even more. He was a pooped little camper after our second test. We also will be using the lateral work at second level to help develop more scope at the walk, something we got dinged for today. The connection and carriage is developing nicely but always needs ongoing work. His canter and counter canter just continues to get better and better; so, we're going to really see if we can work on improving the quality of all three gaits. We're getting brighter arena lights installed soon so I'm hoping to possibly be able to add an evening of riding (after work) to help us in our quest to improve strength and stamina.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Moutaineer » Sun Nov 03, 2019 3:39 am

November and December can be anything from balmy to brutal here--praying for balmy!

Mette is coming back in 3 weeks. I'm definitely praying for decent weather that weekend as I have to trailer back and forth as the facility has no spare stalls.

So up until then, I'll just keeping on working away at straightness and activating the right hind and riding better. I feel like we've made progress since we last saw her, so I'm excited to see what she thinks and what she wants us to focus on next.

Once that is over, we will just have to hunker down and survive the rest of the winter. We have a full barn of sensible-seeming adults, so we'll just turn up the heaters in the indoor and ride on, I guess.

I think I just scored really good World Cup tickets, so that will be something to look forward to through the dark days ahead. anyone else going? Can we do a meet-up?

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Tanga » Sun Nov 03, 2019 7:26 pm

I was done showing for the year after the championships where I was hugely successful. Right now it's still warm and sunny during the day and dry as a bone with no sign of rain, but winter are my go back and fix it and condition months. I may start showing in March or April at I-2 and GP.

I am going back to basics and conditioning. In my new view of riding that when they horse can't or doesn't want to do it, it's all about lack of conditioning, I'm working on getting them stronger. Always we do lots of hill and trail work. In the arena it is about finding a way to get the hind legs under and separate and loose through the back with various exercises, basically a lot of circles and a shoulder fore in all gaits. And I'm trying to remember not to do the same thing every time, but really mix it up so that they don't get excited or stressed when I do something different.

With the older one I'm going back to doing the one tempis and finding a way to keep her up and through the back without getting tight or anxious without throwing herself from side to side. Her piaffe and passage is so easy and good, I'm super happy with that and just slowly getting stronger. With the younger one who is a super big and strong mover, I'm trying to get her to get her hind legs under more in everything, esp. the extended trot. She feels like she is, but looking at videos it's not where I want it to be. The movements are always easy for her as she can do tempi changes, pirouettes, etc. without any issues, and is coming along fine with the piaffe/passage.

Mountaineer, I am going to the World Cup with my friend from Germany who was living in Florida, but just moved back there. We were both ticket holders. This time I moved from the side at B to just to the side of A about three rows back to get a more front view. We'll see how that goes. I'd love to do a meet up. Three or four times ago a bunch of us from COTH met up there, which is where I met my German friend and we clicked.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby mari » Mon Nov 04, 2019 9:30 am

We had a show yesterday (2nd level). Was not amazing. My riding time was at midday, and it was blazing hot. Did a very insufficient warm-up because I was pretty sure I was close to a heatstroke incident. Odin, in comparison, was strong as an ox, and just as plank-like. Not a good combination.

In total, we had 4 counter canter serpentines to ride in the two tests. In the warm-up, he glided through them like a unicorn, no hint of a change. We get in the arena, he popped perfectly clean changes wherever his little heart desired. By that time I really didn't care, I was hanging on for dear life and hoping he would either remember the pattern or understand my caller, because I certainly couldn't hear her over the ringing in my ears and my gasps for breath.

Fortunately this was my last show attempt for the year. We'll be playing around with schooling changes and half-pass and lengthenings for the next 7 weeks or so, before a nice 3 week break at the end of December.
The aim of argument or of discussion should not be victory, but progress. ~ Joseph Joubert

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Borrowed Freedom » Mon Nov 04, 2019 2:54 pm

Okay so my trainer has completely embraced no stirrup November and told me in my last lesson we're going to build my no stirrups fitness up until I can go an hour without stirrups and not get tired. I have to be honest the last time I've ridden for that long without stirrups was 2005 so my legs are going to die just a little bit. Meanwhile, none horse related I also have for my ballroom and latin dancing exams in December so my core is seriously going to work now in December.

Here's some pictures from our last lesson, Delilah is showing off her new pink saddle pad

Image

Image

Image

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Chancellor » Mon Nov 04, 2019 4:49 pm

demi wrote:November and December are frequently weather friendly months in central Texas so I hope get some good fitness building work in this time.

I have been steadily riding 4-6 time a week, although July through September heat limited me to walking much of the time. I used the walking to my advantage by concentrating on figures, lateral work and improving my control over my seatbones and other parts.

As far a progress, the canter is getting better. Three months of walk work somehow improved the canter (Rocky has a decent natural trot for a non warmblood but her canter is only average). Trainer said canter is coming very well. A couple of weeks ago we were doing several consecutive 20M canter figure 8’s with changes through just a few steps of trot. Trainer said last year that would have killed me! I think a big part of the improvement is that Rocky is more balanced and I don’t have to work nearly as hard now as I did last year.

My lessons seem to still be about straightening her and getting me to NOT over use the inside rein! Trainer said she wants me to be able to know exactly where the horses legs are at any time. The better to be able to keep her straight, and consequently the better to keep her balanced on the outside rein.

So mostly I have the same old goals. In addition, I plan to start working at home on counter canter and canter lengthenings. I also plan to get a mirror on the short side placed on a quarter line. I think I can put one up myself for $50. The barn door is in the right place to easily tack on a 3ft by 4 ft acrylic. I think this will make me feel more confident in the lateral work.


So depending on how much you trust your horse, there is an exercise I used with some students who over used their inside rein. Cross your reins! So, when you over use the inside rein, you are using your outside rein. It is really hard to do....but it does help a bit in retraining your mind. If however, you think your horse may spook and you need utter control, I don't recommend it.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby khall » Mon Nov 04, 2019 5:27 pm

Glad to start a new two months goal challenge! Did not get nearly as much done last challenge as I had hoped between my trip to Portugal and the unrelenting heat into October and finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with our build project (building an apartment/shop for my parents to move to our farm, both diagnosed with dementia and they need closer supervision these days) hopefully will be done this week. Please jingle for no rain, we need to get this done!

I have a Cedar clinic in less than 2 weeks. Not that prepared for it but looking forward to it. Last clinic of the year for me either attending or hosting more than likely. Have Rip scoped again next week, I hope it is better than the last one was. His breathing is better but not as good as it was in July/August. He looks great when I lunge him ,very engaged. Yesterday had a fun ride with just hitting few things, CC, RB to canter, medium trot (honest to goodness medium with the swung that is elusive with Rip!) RB on serpentine line, half steps, WIH and SW under saddle. Had the best SW effort US yet. Trying to move SW from in hand to US.

Still playing with Joplin and Gaila some. About ready to just hop up on Joplin bareback and just hack, she is that good!

Thank goodness for cooler weather finally, still have to clip Rip for the winter riding (hate that job)

Please jingle that the construction gets done so I can get my life back!! I've yet to commit murder but it has been close. Cabinets were almost a month late getting in is just one of the headaches of the build.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby blob » Mon Nov 04, 2019 5:59 pm

My goals for Nov/Dec:

Both horses:
Practice trailer loading. MM needs to practice after her injury and RP just doesn't have much trailer experience in general. This will take some coordination since I don't have my own trailer.

MM:
Keep working on changes
Develop a more uphill medium/extended canter
Work on more highly collected canter work
Cross train with jumps/poles when available and on trails (if we can overcome loading)

RP:
Get more strength + balance in the canter (when he uses his body better he gets a bit too quick, when he slows he tends to get flat)
More fluid changes of bend
Practice standing still
Get him more reliably infront of my leg (he's one that can easily be running but behind the leg, so I will need to make sure I get a more effective hh)

Me:
try not to let the holidays entirely derail my plan to eat better + smarter

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby demi » Mon Nov 04, 2019 7:00 pm

Chancellor wrote:
demi wrote:November and December are frequently weather friendly months in central Texas so I hope get some good fitness building work in this time.

I have been steadily riding 4-6 time a week, although July through September heat limited me to walking much of the time. I used the walking to my advantage by concentrating on figures, lateral work and improving my control over my seatbones and other parts.

As far a progress, the canter is getting better. Three months of walk work somehow improved the canter (Rocky has a decent natural trot for a non warmblood but her canter is only average). Trainer said canter is coming very well. A couple of weeks ago we were doing several consecutive 20M canter figure 8’s with changes through just a few steps of trot. Trainer said last year that would have killed me! I think a big part of the improvement is that Rocky is more balanced and I don’t have to work nearly as hard now as I did last year.

My lessons seem to still be about straightening her and getting me to NOT over use the inside rein! Trainer said she wants me to be able to know exactly where the horses legs are at any time. The better to be able to keep her straight, and consequently the better to keep her balanced on the outside rein.

So mostly I have the same old goals. In addition, I plan to start working at home on counter canter and canter lengthenings. I also plan to get a mirror on the short side placed on a quarter line. I think I can put one up myself for $50. The barn door is in the right place to easily tack on a 3ft by 4 ft acrylic. I think this will make me feel more confident in the lateral work.


So depending on how much you trust your horse, there is an exercise I used with some students who over used their inside rein. Cross your reins! So, when you over use the inside rein, you are using your outside rein. It is really hard to do....but it does help a bit in retraining your mind. If however, you think your horse may spook and you need utter control, I don't recommend it.


Interesting...my horse would probably be okay with it but I would want to be sure to spit my gum out before I tried it :lol:

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby piedmontfields » Mon Nov 04, 2019 7:58 pm

The last few months went surprisingly well considering how much travel out of town I had. Working students were helpful in keeping Emi busy!

With the change in weather, my main goal is to keep going. My body kind of falls apart in damp cold, so it is a challenge. Even today, I'm glad I have a kind, forgiving horse because I cannot really close my hands on the reins right now :-0

Specifically, though, I'd like to keep up our improved balance in transitions and our improved sensitivity to the aids. I also need to work more systematically on our half passes, especially in canter. Somehow that always falls off the list---probably because they need work!

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby StraightForward » Mon Nov 04, 2019 10:52 pm

I knocked out a non-riding goal this weekend and attended a Masterson Method workshop. I recommend it to any horse owner, and can't wait to carve out some time to use it on my own horses. It was pretty interesting because we rotated through a variety of horses at a farm that boarded mostly kids' gaming horses. Some were kind of shut down, some were really mellow and keyed in to what we were doing. Others were guarded, and it was amazing to see them let go a little, starting with just working with them by literally putting a hand 6" above the body part we were addressing. I'd toyed with the bladder meridian method and a few other things with Rosette, and she was a textbook patient, so when Annabelle and Tesla didn't automatically give the same reactions, I kind of shelved it. Now I can see how to work in more on a horse that's not initially interested in playing the game. I hope to go to one of the 5-day workshops in the next year or two.
Keep calm and canter on.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby PhoenixRising » Mon Nov 04, 2019 10:58 pm

I'm happy to be back! I rode for the first time in 7-8 weeks yesterday morning.
Phoenix has essentially been in full training that entire time and has made some great steps of progress with the trainer. She did one day in the clinic with Alyssa this weekend with my trainer riding, and I was so happy to see her progress. She's more more consistent in the contact, her canter has made great improvements and is more balanced and less "frantic running around", her transitions are way better, and she's working on some more big horse stuff.
For myself, I'm going to focus a lot in November on getting my own fitness back as well as being brought up to speed on the new things she's learned. Trainer will still be riding her 5 days a week, and I'll ride lightly in lessons 2x per week and possibly some rides on the weekends. We'll reevaluate when we get to December. We want me to get some strength and stamina back without Phoenix losing progress so we felt this was best.
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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Rosie B » Tue Nov 05, 2019 12:55 pm

I have some exciting news. For the first time ever, Bliss is going to spend the winter at a barn with an indoor! It's rather far from me (an hour drive one way) so I will only be able to get out there once a week, twice at most. To compensate for this, my trainer will be riding him 3 days a week. I am super excited because he's at a great place in his training right now and this should help us get through the winter better than ever, so that we are hopefully ready to show 3rd level in the spring (assuming we get the changes over the winter).

So my plan for the next two months is just keep all the good stuff going until he moves to the new barn (Dec. 1st) and then relax and enjoy the winter while my horse is kept in shape and I get a break from horrible winter barn work. :mrgreen:

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Sue B » Tue Nov 05, 2019 5:42 pm

Oh wow Rosie, that IS good news!!

Great pictures, BF, do you do rising trot no-stirrups too??

My weekend with the horses was positive and "negative." Saturday, Rudy was his usual fun self; we rode out for a bit and worked in the arena, nothing really to report there. Tio was a complete snot, but lunging followed by work-in-hand effectively sorted him and I wound up having a good ride on him as well. Sunday, there was a stiff, cool breeze (20mph gusts) that seemed to be blowing up both boys' skirts. :x Fortunately, I was suspicious of the way they acted when I was grooming them.
I jumped on Rudy first, who proceeded to try to force me into letting him out of the arena. When I said "no", we must walk around the arena first, he gave a huge spook, followed by buck/snort, followed by wild-eyed gawping. Now my little Rudy is normally a very well-behaved boy, but he can, on occasion, be a bit of a firecracker. My response was to immediately put him to work in a "pony trot" and a little deep with a good swift thump if he tried to suck back behind my leg. To his credit, he did, indeed, go right to work and within a few minutes was blowing softly and completely focused on me. While he did have a little "yeehah" the first t-c transition, overall the work was quite good and elastic within each gait. I'm gonna keep that tool in my box for next time he acts up at a clinic. As a reward, we headed down the road where he once again threw a massive fit over crossing the railroad tracks on the way home and I wound up having to dismount and walk beside him home. I could've taken a different route or stayed out longer (both options would've made him happy) but I wanted to get Tio ridden before dark.
So I get back, put Tio on the lunge and watch him take off bucking too! On to in-hand work where he tried shoving his shoulder and then his hind quarters at me, but he quickly changed his mind and I headed out to the hay field to work him there. That's when I realized the idiot farmer who farms that field decided to set the barrow ditch on fire and that massive flames were roaring towards our road, pasture, neighbor's house and our huge pine tree windbreak! :shock: SO much for riding Tio! I tied him up, ran home, got dh and ds to come look and I wanted to call 911. They were convinced that the fire would not cross the road, but I decided that was stupid, and so I grabbed ds and we crossed the field to where the moron was gabbing on his cell phone. I politely suggest he drive to our road and put the fire out before it hit the trees and burned down the neighbor's house. He looked at me, looked at the fire and decided he could not afford the liability after all and went over to douse the fire. Checked next morning to see if I had indeed seen flames crossing the road--sure as shootin' there were burned grasses/weeds just a few feet from the trees! Seriously--I'm still angry. Lol

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby piedmontfields » Tue Nov 05, 2019 6:42 pm

OMG, Sue!!! That is terrifying. Truly one of those "listen to your horses--they do know when crazy is out there" moments. So glad the fire was put out before it got even further.

Rosie, that is a real treat you are about to experience (good help and a good break from the winter chores!). Best wishes for a good winter of learning and ease.

SF, that was good to hear about your Masterson experience. I use a few of the exercises routinely (more often in winter) and I do find them valuable. It would be really interesting to practice and observe a bunch of different horses in a day.

BorrowedFreedom, nice photos!

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby heddylamar » Tue Nov 05, 2019 7:07 pm

Sue B wrote:Seriously--I'm still angry. Lol

I would be too! That was incredibly irresponsible!!!

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Aleuronx » Wed Nov 06, 2019 4:09 pm

PhoenixRising, congrats on getting back to it!
Rosie B, that sounds like a great plan. Super timing to get the changes on and not have to worry about cold and snow.
Sue B my eyes are this big just thinking about it. Fire freaks me out to no end!!

Dental visit went well yesterday, some sharp points in the back molars but nothing major. Have I mentioned how expensive young ones are? Looked at the calendar and this month is going to blow. Dental visit (every 6 months for youngins) and saddle fit check in November, ugh. Might have to skip doing a lesson, although with how unbalanced her butt high canter is right now I'm not sure the benefit of it anyway.

On the good news front Kora started her 'sleepovers' aka swapping from stall board to field board. She and the other mare are getting along quite well and have transitioned well to 24 hr buddies. She grew up at her breeders in a field/shed scenario and just seems more happy that way. I'm dealing with my own control freak self about it with placating my brain that I won't get upset about stalls not cleaned to my standard by weekend teens.

And reminding myself that the small price break with help, especially this month!

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby heddylamar » Wed Nov 06, 2019 10:27 pm

I've got a handful of goals this time for Maia:

More consistently on the bit. She's there 60% of the time. Then the wind blows, and leaves fly across the arena, so that needs to be inspected ... an old instructor called it "tuning a radio," which applies perfectly to Maia. She knows what I'm asking, but keeping her attention on me is a full time job.

Back-to-front connection at the canter. Maia gets this immediately in a canter lengthening, which you can see when she's cantering in the field, but not when I ask her to collect. She actually did it for most of a 15 meter circle on each lead today, so I'm making progress. Woohoo!!

Teach her to move off the whip. Right now a tap gets a hunch and buck reaction. Not useful.

Trailering 101. The moving off a whip will likely be in hand and an off-shoot of the single handler butt rope technique I've been working on without the trailer ... in prep for actually loading in the trailer, since every single other technique I've tried (a few other people have worked with her too) has been a dismal failure for anything beyond 3+ feet in the trailer. It's been a year since our last lesson because of Ms. Stubborn and her trailer accident.

And for me, fix my hip and pick up running again ( :D :D :D ) if it does turn out to be a torn labrum. If not, increase my time/intensity on the rowing machine and do more weight work.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby demi » Thu Nov 07, 2019 4:08 pm

I wanted to hook up my horse trailer this morning for my lesson tomorrow because I have a low tire on the trailer. I park it in a tight spot and can’t get to it even to check the pressure unless I hook it up and pull it out. BUT it’s pouring rain right now....I am still determined to keep my weekly lessons through the winter (except for really serious weather, like ice). I’m lucky I am retired and can run out and take care of this when there’s a break in the rainstorm. It looks like the storm will be over by lesson time tomorrow. The only issue will be that the temp will drop 25 degrees and the wind gusts will be as high a 30mph. I feel like we are prepared to handle that.

Gonna watch the USEF dressage finals this afternoon. Anyone else plan on watching?

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Aleuronx » Thu Nov 07, 2019 4:19 pm

demi wrote:Gonna watch the USEF dressage finals this afternoon. Anyone else plan on watching?

I've been creeping on scores all morning! Looks like I shouldn't plan on going unless solidly scoring in the 70's :shock:

Will attempt to sneak a watch of some friends rides later today while at work.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Moutaineer » Mon Nov 11, 2019 6:18 am

Demi, I must get my horse trailer off the mountain this week, before the snow flies. I always try to leave it at home for as long as I dare, because we are kind of marooned up here without it--of course we are marooned whichever way you look at it once the road becomes too treacherous to trailer down. So far, apart from the freaky cold snap 10 days ago, it has been a lovely Fall, but it's coming... probably next week when I have to trailer to a clinic.

I haven't managed to watch any of the dressage finals this year--timing has just not worked out. I will try to go back and watch some archived stuff during the week if I get a chance.

I've had some really nice rides recently. I will get a lesson on Thursday and it will be interesting to see what she thinks of our progress. I'm pretty happy about how he's going, especially with the correctness of the lateral work and the straightness of the canter--something tells me that these might be connected :)

We have been working on one odd little hole in our education, however--serpentines at the posting trot. We lose connection changing the bend and the posting diagonal from left to right. I think it goes back to that weaker right hind going from non-weight-bearing to weight-bearing. Or is it me? Is my timing a little off in that direction? At a sitting trot, it's A-OK. Something else to work on...

I clipped him yesterday--that was a lot of fur and much of it seemed to end up in my underwear! So nice not to have a steaming wet horse at the end of my ride today. And it must be better for him to not feel like he's running around in a heavy overcoat.

He gets his teeth floated Tuesday, so he should feel pretty fabulous after all that and new shoes too. My bank balance is feeling a little shaken, however!

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Aleuronx » Tue Nov 12, 2019 9:01 pm

My pleas have been answered and it seems like her canter turned a corner this weekend in the positive direction. Her front end has popped up enough to balance the downhill/butt high/running/unbalanced/everything and the kitchen sink garbage young horse moment.

Fingers crossed we are on the upswing and it stays that way through the winter of small indoor. Saddle fit check is Saturday so that will be another checked box of improvement.

She felt phenomenal on Sunday and we were able to play with some lateral work ideas. A little leg-yield, some shoulder-in steps out of a circle and some lengthenings in both trot and canter. So. Freakin. Cool. All very playful and in a easy 'can you do this/' way for now.

We are in frigid temps at the moment but will get back to it later this week. With any luck the small amount of snow will have melted from the outdoor and we can get back out there another weekend but I won't hold my breath.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Chisamba » Tue Nov 12, 2019 10:25 pm

Like most of the states, we are having a frigid stampede of cold from the Arctic. So i was quite proud of being able to get all my riding done today, as well as the finally little things to try and ensure an easy transition into the ice age. Heavier blankets on the clipped horses, lots of hay stacked, lots of hay given, hoses all drained and hung, i even remembered to buy animal safe ice melt.

So, hope you all stay warm and safe .

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby blob » Wed Nov 13, 2019 3:06 pm

I've been struggling to get in as many rides as usual so far. Work has been busy and I haven't quite adjusted to less daylight in the evening and the cold days. So, I've been making lots of excuses not to ride even when work doesn't have me traveling or tied up late. And on top of that I've somehow hurt my hand and arm. I don't know what I did or what the cause is, but woke up with them in a lot of pain. I'm hoping it disappears as quickly as it mysteriously appeared, but that might cost me a few more riding days. Sigh.

Worked on an exercise with MM yesterday--TOH straight into canter (same lead as the TOH), canter down the longside, come to a walk, TOH and repeat. We did this well on the left. But going from TOH right to right lead canter was very hard. we'd come out of that TOH and just felt so grounded like there was no way we could have depart into canter. i'm not sure if the issue is me, if it's in the TOH itself or just in the depart. But i'm hoping to get some video this week to find out.

RP has been a bit of a challenge lately. he's been dropping his back, getting behind the leg, and flipping his head around (both under saddle and on the lunge). Once he gets moving and over it, i've had some really, really nice moments where he's felt very plugged into my seat. So hopefully this is just a tricky spot towards a good result.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby StraightForward » Wed Nov 13, 2019 3:47 pm

Over in rehab land - Annabelle seemed to be having some pain in her back, as evidenced by not wanting to trot under saddle suddenly last week. I think it was an unfortunate combo of being taken off of methocarbamol, increasing work and also not seeing the bodyworker with the Magnawave machine, all at the same time. So for the last week, I've been lunging her up and down the arena, and her leg has held up to doing some cantering, which seems to have done a world of good for her brain. A new Rx is coming today, as is the bodywork/Magnawave treatment. Hopefully that will put her back together. Otherwise, we'll be looking at an SI injection in the near future.

Monday I took her in to have her teeth floated, and had the vet (same surgeon who performed Tesla's OCD surgery) ultrasound the DDFT. He gave me some more info and recommendations for a rehab schedule, and said 20 minutes of trotting for the next 45 days at least, with about 90 days to return to more or less normal work. There is still a spot about 1 cm that is filling in, but the cells are fairly well organized, and he seemed pretty optimistic about the healing process. We'll go back in a couple months for another ultrasound. Positive overall, and having a second set of eyes on the healing process was worth it for my comfort level.

I brought Tesla in too, to get a wart removed from her ear, and he was really happy with how she was moving. She is coming along nicely with her long-lining, though she still has opinions about cantering among other things. Current challenge is carving out alone-time in the indoor for Annabelle, which is typically late at night, and then also finding time to work Tesla. We'll probably start more in-hand work soon since we can do that while sharing the small indoor with another rider. Pretty sure she is 16.3 by now. I snapped this when I got them home from the vet (sorry for the terrible lighting). Somehow they wear the same girth and blanket sizes. :lol:
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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Flight » Thu Nov 14, 2019 7:33 pm

The weather for us has been hot and windy and half the state is burning but I'm pushing on with riding. Went to a clinic on the weekend with one of Australia's leading riders. I was feeling pretty nervous, with my average-ness but it was well worth it. The property was beautiful, although Ding didn't know how to use an automatic waterer and I told him not to get used to the hot wash! The indoor was lovely, especially with the windy weather.
The instruction was great, so positive and encouraging and it didn't matter I wasn't on an expensive warmblood. Mostly worked on controlling the shoulders for straightness, the setting up for a lot of the movements and ways to keep improving the quality of the gaits. I got help with pirouettes, which I really needed and how to work on zig zags.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby heddylamar » Fri Nov 15, 2019 4:37 am

I tried something new today with Maia.

After our long rein, stretchy walk, we moved into a long rein stretchy trot. It took about 6 laps of the arena for her to get the idea, and lift her back. Then I repeated it at the canter (courting disaster!)

No more not wanting to bend! Me and my f'd up hip are likely the problem, so we need some work arounds until that's repaired.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Moutaineer » Mon Nov 18, 2019 5:50 am

Goodness, I do like Ding! You look great here Flight. I'm watching the fires with sadness, such an ordeal for so many people and animals.

Heddy, the hip thing is such a wretched handicap. Even if they don't actually hurt while you are riding, you know you are going to suffer later. I have an effed up SI, from falling rather hard on top of a jump 30 years ago, which manifests itself as Sciatic pain and piriformis and subsequently IT band issues. My trainer had me working on widening my seat at the canter this week. Very effective and needs to be done if I am going to improve as a rider, but the consequence was I was up at 3am massaging Voltaren into my butt.

Which is probably more information that anyone wanted :)

Just counting down to clinic time here. Laddie bubble wrapped and being ridden with kid gloves--lots of stretching over the back and lateral work. My good breeches seem to have shrunk in the wash again (hah) and I dropped a table on my foot last week so wearing my stiff dressage boots is an ordeal. Prayers and offerings are being made to the weather gods to maintain the current pleasant and dry weather for another week...

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby StraightForward » Mon Nov 18, 2019 2:39 pm

heddylamar wrote:I tried something new today with Maia.

After our long rein, stretchy walk, we moved into a long rein stretchy trot. It took about 6 laps of the arena for her to get the idea, and lift her back. Then I repeated it at the canter (courting disaster!)

No more not wanting to bend! Me and my f'd up hip are likely the problem, so we need some work arounds until that's repaired.


I started doing some similar work with Kyra after auditing a couple clinics at the end of the summer. Another thing Carrie Harnden employed was doing big LY across the arena with the shoulder leading in all gaits to warm up. That along with stretchy trot (combing the reins if I needed to to keep her F/D/O) really got her looser and more flowy when we went to work.

I was having a meltdown on Friday since Annabelle still wouldn't trot under saddle Friday after bodywork (including quite a few adjustments) and 2 days back on methocarbamol. It was sort of a last straw where I was feeling like throwing in the towel. But yesterday I decided to try doing her first half of work on the lunge, and then riding with a whip, and using less leg. The more leg I put on, the more upset she was getting. She still protested and hopped a bit, but eventually settled into a nice trot both directions. I practiced some Masterson work on her afterwards, and as I suspected, she seemed to be most sore right in her lower midribs, but totally fine in her back, and just a touch reactive about her SI. She is getting a massage again on Tuesday, so hopefully we can get her sorted out, but I'm relieved that it's no the SI or apparently a saddle fit problem.

Myself is finally getting back to the gym after missing about six weeks. My legs were soooo freaking sore after the first session. Hoping they bounce back in a week or two so I don't have to walk down stairs sideways. :lol:
Keep calm and canter on.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Kelo » Wed Nov 20, 2019 2:06 pm

So a handful of months ago, I got a new instructor. My previous instructor is amazing, but I was hitting some roadblocks in my learning with how info was being presented. Anyway, I found this new person, who has some different tools in her toolbox that are really clicking with me and the Cowpony.

I'm making it work to have a lesson every week, which is almost unheard of for me, but it's amazing how well things are going. I am getting some exercises that are really helping me understand some of my base issues (ie contact), as well as the grunt detail work, and exercises to help him with his (our?) sticky spots.

So, as an example, his piaffe has been lacking in contact consistency especially on the way in and way out, and then the rhythm has been way too fast and shuffly. We've been working on the contact for months now, and in my most recent lesson, we did an exercise of half TOH to reinback to piaffe, to really get him to SIT in the piaffe. We did the exercise a few times, and then all of a sudden he did a Thing :shock: I could feel that it was good, so I stopped and praised him, and then was like, please tell me what just happened. :?: :lol: And apparently he'd stayed through, truly sat (in the last couple steps) and was in the correct rhythm -- not the speedy shuffling we've been trying to fix. It felt.....hmm....I've been thinking about it, and I did feel the shoulders lift and the back end drop, but the piaffe itself felt like....like I needed to do more. It was so quiet and still. She said, yes, that's what it's supposed to feel like, and so I learned something. I was delighted.

Anyway, long story short, (1) this is really super hard (2) I have no idea what I'm doing and (3) I have the kindest, biggest-hearted horse in the universe. It stuns me every day what he's willing to do (and repeatedly redo, when I mess up) for me.

At the end of the lesson, my instructor said I was on the right track. She said most people at this level are getting 5 lessons per week :shock: I almost choked -- I'm already making sacrifices to get 1 lesson per week, how do people afford this, and where can I find a Sugar Daddy :lol: :lol: :lol:

But, anyway, here's a frame of our clean piaffe :-) (I'm glancing over toward our shadow to see what's going on - redneck dressage mirror :roll:)
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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Rosie B » Wed Nov 20, 2019 2:31 pm

Kelo - that is AWESOME!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Thank-you for sharing. :)

Signed, Rosie B, a fellow redneck dressage rider with infrequent lessons who uses shadows to see how things are going.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby piedmontfields » Wed Nov 20, 2019 4:35 pm

Kelo, what a great update! I think for those of us who are used to figuring a lot of stuff out on our own ( like in life, not just in dressage), it can be shocking how helpful good help is! lol

BTW, I have used this exercise (half TOH to reinback to canter, to really get horse to SIT in the canter) for improving transitions. Who knew that it would help piaffe, too?! Makes sense and the proof is in the shadows :-D

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Flight » Thu Nov 21, 2019 9:14 am

Did the voltaren bum massage help Moutaineer?? :D

Kelo, redneck mirror :lol: :lol: I'll admit to doing that a lot before I worked a heap of overtime and got my non-redneck ones :lol:
It's funny how the horses get easier to ride as you go up the levels, but it gets really hard to know what to do. I don't have regular help and it is a struggle. Great that you are getting regular lessons with some helpful stuff :)

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby exvet » Thu Nov 21, 2019 1:39 pm

Yes let me jump on the band wagon and say Congratulations kelo! I know the challenges of working with someone who has helped a ton but despite their talents and skill may not have that 'right code' to get you out of a slump even if it's just one movement. I have had to seek 'specialists' out for just that reason.

I was reminded in my lesson yesterday AGAIN just how important 'true connection' is especially making sure that your horse is finishing all. the. way. through. to. the. bridle. EVENLY. on. BOTH. Sides. We worked on quality of gaits yesterday really focusing on Junior's collected canter which is coming along nicely however there was/is a huge difference between right and left sides. His canter on the right rein is so much more cadenced, up and expressive than on his left. We are also still working out his coordination trying to give upward transitions without using the base of his neck which really confuses and challenges him. It wasn't until I really focused 110% on keeping him through the right rein, fully connected when going left that our canter quality changed for the better significantly. It was so easy riding it the way it was because it was pure, relatively balanced and seemingly straight but my instructor pointed out how much of a difference there was between the two directions. If he was 'that' way going both directions I might not have been the wiser; but, when she started to question why there was such a difference, the light bulb went off in my head and I simply shifted my focus - voila, we had what my instructor called a fourth level collected canter in both directions. It's amazing how being straight and connected evening through the bridle makes the gaits better isn't it? LOL.....as a matter of 'duh' of course it's easier now, his upward transitions also started to use less base of neck and more sitting in the hind quarters coming over his back after we discovered the missing piece to being through to the bridle evenly.

We also worked on the lateral movements including half pass - he's such a cooperative little beast that 'sideways' is not going to be an issue but he's so short coupled that making it obvious that we have a clear, distinct and correct bend might be ;)

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Moutaineer » Thu Nov 21, 2019 6:15 pm

You know, it did, Flight--I'm now trying to remember to do it before I go to bed, rather than at 3am :)

Go Kelo!

Straightness and thoroughness are indeed the magic bullet, I'm finding, exvet. Both the horse and I achieving this end at the same time is the trick.

My thought for the day is that we are trying to have our horses pat their heads and rub their tummies at the same time, while we are trying to do the same. No wonder things get backwards sometimes.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby StraightForward » Fri Nov 22, 2019 2:38 am

Kelo wrote:She said most people at this level are getting 5 lessons per week :shock:


And probably not doing other, disparate disciplines on top of it. What you've accomplished is impressive for so many reasons. Looking forward to following your GP cowpony adventures!
Keep calm and canter on.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby khall » Fri Nov 22, 2019 5:03 am

Flight, lovely photo of you and Ding!
That's exciting Kelo that you found a good fit to help you move forward. I could not imagine taking 5 lessons a week every week!

Well we had a very successful clinic with Cedar this past weekend! Everyone had great lessons, showed progression and loved the help Cedar gave to one and all.

Some things that I took away from the clinic:
double bridle is very helpful in working Rip in hand
came a step closer to getting canter in hand (Rip and I are both having to figure this out) this work is extremely helpful in collecting Rip in the canter without me on board, Rip showed a left canter that was spectacular!
Rip is showing so much more ability all the way around from lifting out of the base of the neck, medium trot, piaffe work, RB on bending lines, much more flexible and stronger in his hind legs with the work
Rip takes to the garrocha pole with no issues, though riding him one handed is not that easy
Gaila is so much easier to work in hand than Rip is! and in general is just easier
Joplin is quick in her learning and is going to be such a fun horse to ride:)

But jingles for Joplin who came up slightly off LF, my vet looked at her yesterday and she flexed off going right so is sending us to my other vet for diagnostics etc.

Some garrocha fun:
https://www.facebook.com/keri.hall.35/v ... 988298727/

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby blob » Fri Nov 22, 2019 3:46 pm

Loving everyone's update and photos! Such a good looking crew of horses on this board!

I had my instructor get on MM last weekend. Not for any particular reason, but because I find it helpful to see how she goes from time to time and I think it is helpful for him to feel what I'm feeling. It was a good session. He had many of the change problems I also have (though not as one-sided as I am). This was both reassuring--I'm not a mess of a rider!--and disappointing--oh, it's not just a me problem making it harder to fix. It's very clear to me now, though that what I need is to be able to slow down/control the shoulder without losing the hind end engine behind. Instructor thinks starting on work towards canter piris might be helpful in that, so we'll see what his game plan is in a couple of weeks.

RP is still going through a bit of a tricky phase. The good news is that when I get him through the issue he feels better than he ever has--very between my aids, hind leg in the hands feeling, super responsive and plugged into my seat, and like he has a big powerful big boy engine behind. The bad news is that getting to that point right now involves a lot of big tantrums that include very dramatic head flinging. The other good part is that it's very clear to me the source of the problem--he does not want to move through with his right hind and when I try to engage it, he just gets more and more behind the leg. We get it eventually, but it's not easy or quiet. His injury was on the right side (shoulder) and I'm wondering if he got used to compensating and got weak on that side. I will spend some time working through it on the lunge this weekend/next week to see how that goes.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby chantal » Sat Nov 23, 2019 12:03 am

Wow, everyone is working so hard. Flight, I love that picture! Rosie B., that's really exciting. Wishing you the best! Nice work Kelo. Aleuronx, you will get through this. Hacking is so good for the young ones. So many people ride out at our barn so I can hack 3x a week or so with my guy. Great conditioning and training, and we play with baby height fences once a week. It's so much fun!

Exvet, I completely agree with the connection comments. I have a tendency to drop him after the canter or something hard for us and I really need to keep the connection. That's what we are working on, and wow is it rewarding.

My goals are to keep working on the canter. We can finally canter both directions with no rap music or flash dancing, meaning, no shenanigans. We realized I was completely shutting him down in the right lead canter depart after I finally got him to start cantering. That was the final realization and now we are back on track with it. And his big boy trot is coming along. We did a hunter pace 2 weeks ago and have a dressage clinic tomorrow and i'm really looking forward to it.

And he's been clipped twice now and is a gentleman about it. I'm so pleased with his mind and manners.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Hot4Spots » Mon Nov 25, 2019 7:48 pm

Progress of a sort. Couple of weeks ago, I emailed my vet at her personal email just telling her that Mark was up to 9-10 minutes of trot (in 3-4 minute sets), and seem to be holding up. I asked if she thought trotting around the short ends of the arena and making an occasional width of the arena circle or serpentine (arena is wider than a standard dressage court, having originally been a hunter/jumper barn). No response. Reforwarded, still no response. So. I thought, what the heck - trotting around the short end can't be THAT much worse than all those transitions after a mere 15 seconds of trot (down the long side), so we trotted all the way around the arena. That was 10 days to two weeks ago, and so far, so good. I check his legs before and after every ride, and there has been no heat or swelling. I know he's never going to be 100%, but if he shows any issues, I'll go back to just walk. It's helped his behavior a lot, and has enabled me to balance him better and keep him steadier in the bridle. Fingers crossed.

On another issue, I got tired of French braiding his long mane (yeah, he's half Arab, but he's an Appy, for Pete's sake). I called my official mane puller who does a great job (and he hates mane pulling, so it's a two person job - her pulling and razoring, me holding him). Well, she's had shoulder surgery and is out of the mane pulling business. So I took the scissors to his mane. Yeah. Heresy, I know. I would be kicked out of Pony Club. But there was no way he was going to tolerate me pulling it, even if it were one hair at a time. It's a little ragged and I'm going to work at evening it out. Any suggestions?
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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby heddylamar » Mon Nov 25, 2019 8:52 pm

Hot4Spots wrote:So I took the scissors to his mane. Yeah. Heresy, I know. I would be kicked out of Pony Club. But there was no way he was going to tolerating me pulling it, even if it were one hair at a time. It's a little ragged and I'm going to work at evening it out. Any suggestions?


I use thinning shears from a beauty store. Neither of my mares tolerate mane pulling. I cannot blame them, can you imagine how much that hurts?

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby heddylamar » Mon Nov 25, 2019 8:55 pm

StraightForward wrote:I started doing some similar work with Kyra after auditing a couple clinics at the end of the summer. Another thing Carrie Harnden employed was doing big LY across the arena with the shoulder leading in all gaits to warm up. That along with stretchy trot (combing the reins if I needed to to keep her F/D/O) really got her looser and more flowy when we went to work.


I didn't want to speak too soon, but the stretchy walk/trot/canter is still working! We've gotten past the odd plateau/hump we were stuck at and are finally moving forward again.

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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Kyra's Mom » Tue Nov 26, 2019 3:34 am

Not much to report here except I have ridden my horse now for 2 whole months and nothing else (on me) has fallen apart :mrgreen: . That is a definite plus.

My riding has been hit and miss. My Mom will be 90 next month and still living in her own home but needing lots of help. Add to that a good friend had foot surgery and I dog sat while she was in the hospital and since have been working her German Shepherd dog that was her service dog. She is a very high drive dog and I have been trying to keep her exercised so she doesn't undo her owner's surgery. I also work her obedience and take her to various dog classes which has been fun. She is very well trained and she makes me look like I know what I am doing :D . I am dog-less right now. My 2 cats just don't cut it. Great company and companionship but I really like dogs better as they can actually do stuff :lol: . Oh well, until I retired, my life was not conducive to dog ownership and actually since I retired, I have been busier and home no more than I was when I was working so having a dog will have to wait. I can just continue to take care of my god-dogs (Aspen, the GSD and my Mom's old cocker spaniel).

We have had very nice weather for November. Temps in the 50's and 60's and dry as a bone so I have taken every opportunity to ride her out on the track or on the canal bank vs. doing a lot of arena work. I think our 'nice' weather is is rapidly crashing into winter this week. Supposed to be single digits at night by the weekend. I plan on at least doing ground work and in-hand work in the indoor so she gets some work. Our indoor isn't the best. Dusty but frozen if it is wet because it isn't insulated and deeper than I like so I minimize the mounted work in there.

What work I have been doing has been very nice (compared to what I used to get). The lateral work is coming and I have gotten more swing and freedom in her shoulders, especially in half pass. I have upped the trot and canter work but I am still woefully out of shape and I haven't been to the gym in a month. With the cold temps, I guess that will be my cue to go there and get my core stronger. I am able to do a bit of sitting trot. I wasn't sure with the tailbone issues and history if that would ever happen again but thanks to my Acavallo seat saver with the coccyx cut out (2 thumbs up), I can thus far do short bouts of ST. I prefer sitting trot for lateral work. I know lateral work can be done posting but that is kind of like patting your head and rubbing your belly at the same time when the basic exercise is hard enough.

We just hope to survive the winter (at my age and with all my arthritic limbs, I have become a certified weather weenie) then next spring, I plan to put her (and me) in a conditioning program and get her legged up to tackle more work at trot and canter. One goal...get fit enough to get back into lessons. I know that will be a challenge. Last time I took 2-3 year break from lessons, it took months to be able to make it through a lesson without having to ASK for extra breaks. But, I did it once and can do it again ;) .

Susan
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Aleuronx
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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Aleuronx » Tue Nov 26, 2019 1:27 pm

I have to say I really enjoy following along with everyone's progress, big or small. Great job to everyone trucking along!!

We've managed to stay in the outdoor so far on the weekends, minus one day that it was fairly crunchy and just did an easy walk/trot ride. Kora's front end has come up enough (thank goodness!) that we are regaining balance in the canter work and she's able to more easily fit those hind legs underneath. It was touch and go for a while where I just felt like cantering was a motorcycle skidding out of control! While we still have the space of the outdoor I've played with some legit forward and back and that's been fun.

Our halt work has been a HUGE improvement. I'm getting more than 1 second immobility and doing at least 3 centerline trot/halt/salute/trot off per ride. Kora's starting to understand the halt to be forward but stationary and on 4 corners so to speak. That will be more boring winter work for us but I'd like to be nailing those next year.

The biggest news is the footing in the indoor arena is being completely redone. This was sorely needed so I'm not upset about missing a week or so of riding while it gets finished. It's pitch dark when I get out of work and the weather looks sketchy for outdoor rides this weekend but we'll see. I'm just glad to have rideable footing for the winter!!
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Flight
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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Flight » Wed Nov 27, 2019 2:09 am

Cool stuff with the garrocha, Khall. I would impale both of us trying to manage a pole that long. Bad enough with the shorter one for working eq, I've hit myself in the head with it many times so far...

Kyra's mum, great to hear you are still 'sound' for the last 2 months :)

We had our christmas practice day at the working equitation club. Ding didn't mind the tinsel but he hated me wearing reindeer ears! Wouldn't let me go near him when they were on my head. Even after I kept taking them off and showing them to him. As soon as I put them on my head... he was all 'get away from me!".
No more comps for me now until summer's over. It gets way too hot and we've been having terrible winds (the weather, not me!) so I'll just do schooling at home in the mornings.
Norsey's got a dr appointment today for this in his hoof.. fingers crossed it's nothing too serious.

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Hot4Spots
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Re: It’s the Holiday Season! November/December Goals and Progress

Postby Hot4Spots » Thu Nov 28, 2019 11:23 pm

Mark was doing so well and last night, he stumbled/tripped -I'm not sure which - and came up three-legged lame, of course, on his already damaged leg. :( Hour+ wait for the on-call vet. By the time she got there, he was putting some weight on it. Very tender in area of suspensory where there is a calcium deposit. No sign of crepitus which might indicate a fracture. Big multi-layer support wrap, bute. He was walking fairly well after that. Confined to stall. Barn owners were great. Rebedded his big stall and moved his water trough inside (It's an 18x16 foaiing stall), put up a stall guard, etc. I will be calling my regular vet's office tomorrow to see if she can see him Monday and do an ultrasound. Worst case scenario, he's a stall/paddock pet for the rest of his life. On-call vet said the really noticeable tenderness at the point of the calcium deposit might mean he whacked it and might get over it soon.....but of course, he could also have torn it more, or...Who knows? Best case scenario, we're back to walk only under saddle, with hopes of more eventually. I am so fricken depressed. Naturally, he's insured for everything EXCEPT further damage to that leg. And of course, i am angsting because I almost didn't ride last night, so.....coulda/shoulda/woulda..... :cry: :| :cry:


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