Powering through to the end: November December Goals and Progress

[mari]

Chisamba I'm so sorry about your dog, what a heartbreaking thing to happen

[mari]

I've had my last ride of the year on Monday, taking a 3-week break. My potato with legs (aka Odin) is going on a bit of a diet, hopefully by February he will be looking more - ahem - athletic...

We ended off the year with some cool jumping lessons, and lots of flying change schooling. We're at the very awkward phase of having to work on the changes as coming from a clear leg aid, and not a prayer. This year I've been separating the sessions into definite counter-canter sessions and definite FC sessions. Combining the work has not gone well. I've done two shows with pretty good scores for the FCs, but that was because I did not dare even think of trying them in the warmup or the days before the show

So our focus next year will be bigger FC aids, and mixing it up with CC and general counter-bending schooling in the same ride. Firmly and consistently halting and starting again if he flings himself around. And trying to sit down in the saddle when I switch legs. Although due to my neck and back fragility this is a nearly impossible reflex for me to supress.

[Chisamba]

You tell me.

Deneb and Honey, very reactive and spooky. Both are ( or were) never relaxed. Even when standing on a long rein, they are looking aware, paying attention. I used to teach five hours or lessons with Deneb in hand ( like a dog on a leash) she never ever relaxed.

Saiph, very reactive when ridden. Completely relaxed and zero , like zero anxiety standing under saddle. She doesn't look, she doesn't have any tension, she doesn't react to noises. She just stands relaxed.

I'm not convinced horses spook to avoid work. I've thought maybe it's vision. Maybe when she is in a certain frame she sees things differently., her eyes check our normal.

I've wondered if it's neck pain. X rays and pressure testing and pain reaction evaluation to not reveal anything out of the ordinary.

So if I ride her very aggressively, or if someone on the ground has a lunge whip, after 5 to ten minutes of bullying her forward through her reluctance she becomes glorious. Elastic, big moving. Uphill. She feels fantastic. Next ride, it's like starting all over again.

But. I hate having to use a whip spurs and bully her for every single ride every single time. And then, I get her going and we get to the show and she knows no bullying is going to happen in that environment .

Does running her forward in a stretch help. It gets her warmed up and forward but it does not get her through the balking when ridden into collection.

I have to get her so responsive to the forward at home that she forgets how to quit.

Otoh if I have someone riding in front of me, she will ride forward in collection, with very little reluctance.

So ask me questions, give me thoughts, you tell me. If there is a solution, I'd be interested.

As far as physical issues the one she does have for certain is recovered laminitis, and IR.

As far as temperament she is not in any way stoic. If she has one little fungus spot she let's me know. A fly bite on her neck is reason for dramatics . A tiny fleck of pollen landing on her face is dramatic. In other words if she is feeling sore she tells me in no uncertain terms.

I am not a great believer in alternate therapies or taping, supplements et al. I know a few of you use them constantly, but I have had her treated chiropractic. Acupuncture. I've done stretches flexes and massage. Veterinary evaluation et al.

This is attempting to evaluate 4 years of perplexing,and training, and clinics, and showing into 2 paragraphs. And to be fair, highlighting only the negatives. She is a very sweet and lovely horse. Not mareish and my major evaluation is she hates being alone. She is a different horse with a human or horse in the ring with her.

[exvet]

Chisamba I'm very sorry to read about your poor dog. I had a similar experience as a child and have never forgotten it. I hope you continue to find a way to grieve that helps you heal and helps your son. You are a wonderful Mom!

[blob]

I'm so sorry, Chisamba, my heart breaks for you and your son. I hope you both can forgive yourself.

Re: Siaph: does lunging help? If you lunge first and then ride, does that help? I'm sure you have tried all kinds of bits already, but given she is sensitive and is reluctant to go into contact, I wonder if it might still be worth exploring bit options. I wish there was an easier/cheaper way to try a large number of bits out. But maybe you can also borrow around to test things out. Or have you tried her bitless (not that this is necessarily a long term option, just curious if it would help isolate the issue to a bit issue v. something else).

I'm also feeling frustrated/a bit lost with RP. I feel like our progress with his canter issues are so forward and back and inconsistent. I will think we're making progress after 2 ok rides in a row and then i'll have one where he is really struggling. I have started lunging more because at least i am removing myself from the equation. he sometimes has some really AWFUL moments on lunge, but he does always seem to work through it himself. when i'm riding him, i can't always work through it/don't always feel like the right call is to insist on working through it. so maybe if i continue to lunge 1-2x a week, he can continue to work through it some. I don't know, a part of me still feels like i haven't necessarily diagnosed the right thing and another part of me feels like it's more of a strength building/correct riding and training issue more than a purely physical (needs diagnostics and treatment) issue.

[StraightForward]

Does running her forward in a stretch help. It gets her warmed up and forward but it does not get her through the balking when ridden into collection.

I have to get her so responsive to the forward at home that she forgets how to quit.

Otoh if I have someone riding in front of me, she will ride forward in collection, with very little reluctance.

So ask me questions, give me thoughts, you tell me. If there is a solution, I'd be interested.

Since T has done so much better in a rubber bit, I got her a hackamore for jumping. Yesterday I threw it on her for an easy ride as she'd been off for a few days with a puffy leg. She has been balky before in the hackamore, but last night I was easily stretching FDO into the "contact" to the point I'm thinking I might ride her in it exclusively for a month or so, just to get that roundness and forward into the bridle more installed. I started with the Stubben hack but it was too much leverage, so I bought flower hack cheek pieces off Etsy and that seems to be the correct, mild amount of leverage for her. So just a thought if you haven't tried her bitless, maybe a trial is worthwhile?

[Tanga]

Chisamba. So sorry about the dog. Hugs. It has been a rough fall/winter.

Saiph sounds like Quinn in a way. When I rode with Lilo (Fore) in that AA clinic, she had me hold on hard and kick her forward no matter what. It almost broke her and got me killed. I am strong, but I seem to ride with a lot lighter contact than most people. It's been many years of trying to figure out Quinn, from her tension and spooking that got me hurt to whatever she did to her back/wherever, which seemed to zap her when she was doing certain things. She can be very heavy and bulldoze into the ground. She doesn't want/can't loosen/relax in front and come from behind. She is VERY reactive. And she also has some kind of vision thing where the vet said her eyes don't look normal, but you can't really tell what they can see and not. (My first horse I rode blind FEI.)

I'll just tell you what I have done so maybe something helps? I think the main thing in the last year has been finding the right massage/stretches to "unlock" whatever was going on in her neck/chest/back. The scapula and hyoid release seem to have been the key. She would just walk loose and sort of bob her head up in stead of down like most horses. Every time on her or walking her, I've been trying to rewire her to stretch it down and relax--I've really seen some difference there with the bob going down and licking and blinking. When she's stiff when warming up, rather than trying to loosen her from the front, I'm getting bend through pushing my body out and around, as in the last post--for some reason, that really can make all of the difference in sort of letting her body clicking into relaxing. I also think what has really helped is teaching her piaffe/passage on the ground and in saddle. She associates the whip tap with really coming up in the back and under behind, which has really helped in riding. When I tap her to ask for more, she associates it with really collecting and energetic, but not taking off. With both of them I have really added a lot more verbal signals, esp. a reward sound, so that when things get tense in riding or in a show, I can make the sound and they immediately think of treats and relax. This has esp. helped Quills showing when she starts thinking about having a fit in the p/p. It helps Quinn when that tension in the ring starts getting her jerky. I use the verbal signal (either a whistle or a quiet pshh, pssh sound no one can hear when showing) all of the time on the ground and riding and they get treats, so no matter what I am doing, they both immediately soften their eyes, put ears forward, and get happy.

I'm with you on trying everything and you may never fix it. For Sora I was never going to be able to get her clean in her tempis no matter what I did. Quilla can do them and the p/p, but it's almost like she's so much more relaxed and supple than Quinn, when we get to a show it's gotten worse and worse with her not doing them correctly one way or another. It's ridiculous I started her to young at GP and had holes and got 60-64% all of the time, and last year when she was so much better and stronger, I managed 1 in 10 rides over %60, and got some of the lowest scores I've ever gotten in my life with an OK ride. I don't know if I'm going to try her again or not.

[texsuze]

Hugs to you, Chisamba, on the passing of your wonderful dog under extraordinary circumstances. It is so tough to juggle all the other life stuff while finding emotional space to grieve in a way that you need to. I hope your son can reconcile that the circumstances were unavoidable. What a heartbreak, so sorry.

And a mental musing.....With some horses, I've sometimes wondered if they'd rather try a different occupation than the one they're currently asked to undertake. Perhaps shifting gears or changing their environment. My heart horse gelding 'tolerated' my limited dressage training with him, despite our working with a wonderful, compassionate BHS trainer. But he schooled xc courses with enthusiasm; he thought he was 'Da Bomb going over a fence. We shared fun during those times. He seemed to listen, respond and focus better in all jumping lessons--both on the way to and on the other side of a jump. Just pondering....

[Ponichiwa]

Chisamba - so sorry about the loss of your wonderful dog. You are torturing yourself, though - take care. It's not your fault and she certainly didn't think so.

Continuing the "is dressage the right fit for your horse" discussion: I used to adhere (too?) strongly to the adage that dressage is for every horse. And maybe the principles are, and the body control you learn as a rider and trainer. But I don't think every horse is for dressage, the discipline, which requires the horse give up a lot of control of its posture (no bracing, bend exactly how we want, flex exactly how we want) and locomotion in a way that most other sports save perhaps reining don't. Some horses just can't give over that much control without a panic.

Other breaking news: this sport is hard. I spent the last several months doing many online shows and a couple schooling shows to discover that the issues I have in showing are the same personality flaws that dog me through my everyday life: trying too hard which generates anxiety, and not finishing the movement I'm in because I'm already preparing/panicking about the one that's coming up next. Psychoanalysis through the crucible of sport.

Queso did get a 9 on a canter pirouette, though, which is the highest score I've gotten all year and on a movement we didn't actually have confirmed at the beginning of the year. And now that I've gotten a taste of success, I'm looking at the 2024 show schedule and ready to sign up for everything. EVERYTHING.

The photographer at our GMO championships snapped this absolutely adorable picture of Queso... but does beg the question: Where in the world was I when this photo was taken? Not holding on to my horse, I can tell you that.

[chantal]

Ponichiwa-that is an adorable pic of Queso, wow!! Please let us know if you figure out where you were when it was taken And congrats on the 9, yay!!! What an accomplishment.

[Chisamba]

So three, ( now four) people if you include me, think Saiph just doesn't really want to do dressage. Which is I what I tried to say in my initial post. She accepted it when she found it fairly easy, but now that it's actually hard, she is really not liking it, and. As I think I said, if I listen to her, it's time to take her off the show circuit. I think that's the thought I started with.

I pushed Rose through FEI because I was so convinced that she would get trained well enough to get it, but when I got pregnant I placed her in a non show schoolmaster home and she was much much happier.

I have grown to believe that temperament, more than physical ability, is the very most valuable dressage asset.

I should never have sold Caliburn. As awkward as his conformation is, he had the brain that loves dressage. But he is happy too, so it's OK.

I can't yet get over Callie the dog. It's thrown me into a spiral of depression so I know it's not the time to really address goals for riding, horses, and 2024. I appreciate all the input. I really do. Thank you so much everyone who has thought about this with me.

Merry Christmas. Hanukkah and or every thing you choose to celebrate.

Be it summer. Or winter. I hope the weather treats you well. If you use the new year to set goals, may your goals stretch you without breaking you. Maybe you be well loved. May you find the silver lining in your tribulations, may you find happiness in the present and hope for the future. Every one of us likely has a difficult stressful health or family trial in progress. Peace and strength and comfort in these, is my wish for you.

Sincerely
Marion

[khall]

Chisamba I’m so sorry for such a huge loss of Callie. For you and your family especially your son.

I agree wholeheartedly about temperament being such a big part of an upper level dressage horse. They’ve got to be able to handle the pressure of the harder work. I see the difference between Joplin and Rip. Joplin has so much try Rip was such a challenge. It definitely got old.

I do want to speak on alternative modalities from a personal perspective. I see the value of them for sure. I’m finding relief for my neck and shoulders in acupuncture and just recently experienced myofacial release of some scar tissue. I had double chest tubes many years ago from pneumothorax riding accident and it was restricting my ribs and breathing. I was unaware of the restriction until the relief I felt that also reached my neck and shoulders. Who knew. And that it is connected to your pelvic floor. Causing restrictions because of the impact on the diaphragm.

Now I am a believer of good work makes for a healthier sounder horse but as most of us here do they also need support because let’s face it they were not made to carry a rider. Adequan etc. I also like turnout for movement and breathing though I’m not a never stall your horse proponent. Anyway after my myofacial work it definitely has me intrigued for my horses.

Ponichiwa congratulations!! Yellow pony rocks:)

I’m
Hoping to get back in the swing of things after Christmas. Just much to do before


Next Cedar clinic is in February so have my homework to do!

Introducing double bridle
Lots and lots of canter trot canter and cc work
Trot poles
Hopefully to start changes this coming year.


Have a wonderful holiday season to all! Be safe and happy riding

[Moutaineer]

Totally agree on the temperament. I'd rather have an agreeable, cooperative horse than a really fancy one.

My trainer has Covid, poor woman.

Assistant trainer set up a trot pole pattern for us to play with.today. We haven't done that before. Potters got pretty into it. Not a spook to be contemplated even in the spooky corner. And he gave me a really solid feeling of connection. It was the best fun ride I've had in quite a while.

Something to think about.

[Chisamba]

Did I post video of my project horse Flei?

I can't remember and I'm sitting here in the middle of the night on my break ( 12 hour shift) trying to remember if any of you had commented on his gaits or look?

This was when he was about 30 days under saddle after a driving career. I had no intention of showing him by the horse who was supposed to go bruised a hoof.

It's a schooling show and yes I'm a bit all over the place on him.

https://youtu.be/PnnVHV1Sijs?si=xzQt9--oKSZ5hWRF

I apologize if this is a repost

[StraightForward]

Love the pic of Queso. That bridles is just so perfect on him!

On the therapy stuff - well I've just had to throw everything at Tesla. I don't always know if it "works" in the mechanical sense, but she enjoys it and gets really relaxed, which can't be a bad thing. Yesterday I went out without much of a plan, but noticed she was pissy about the Posture Prep on her hamstrings, so I ended up using the laser there, put her on SureFoot pads, and spent about and hour with the laser in a bunch of different areas. I could really see where it was having and effect vs. not and she got really relaxed and had a nice snooze. It's got to be a positive for our relationship if I can spend the time making her feel relaxed and contented. The adjustments she's gotten this past month or so are making a visible difference, she is more rounded through her lumbars, and is feeling more and more supple under saddle, so I'm going to try to get her seen every month or two this year and do the maintenance in between. Today she'll get checked/adjusted again right before going to get the saddle fitted.

We got photos back from our barn photo shoot and here they are:

[heddylamar]

That is just awful, Chisamba. I'm so sorry for your loss of such a special doggo.

I'm enjoying all the photos and posts. Maia and I haven't been up to much beyond dealing with an urky horse gut (resurgence of her 3mo ulcers). I went backpacking, and have two+ weeks until I head out again for a 12 day largely off the grid road trip with my mom and an auntie. We're hitting up all the back country spots across the southern part of Texas — camping, hiking, and all that good stuff. Needless to say, as a sole proprietor, I'm swamped catching up with work. At the same time, my absolutely delightful grandma-in-law is fading fast. She had a stroke in early November, rallied, and now she's fading. She's being moved to hospice now.

[Moutaineer]

Flei looks cooperative and willing, Chisamba.

Lovely pictures Straightforward. Tesla has turned into quite a chunk, hasn't she!

Queso just looks so damned cute!

Potters and his next-door stall neighbor are both covered in hives today. No rhyme or reason that we can discern that just the two of them in the barn would be having a problem. I've just been through Potter's allergy testing sheet again to see if anything new might be precipitating it. Neither of them is itchy. Potters is already on antihistamines, but they don't seem to be making a dent in the problem. I gave him a Dex shot today which works, but he can't live on Dex. Bother. I really need to clip him next week, but not sure if I can if he's lumpy.

However, I had a really nice ride today. Good connection, happy, listening horse. These are the rides that make it all worthwhile.

[Chisamba]

Oh no, Potters , hives are nasty. Since the neighbor had it too I wonder about bites? Spray? A similar weed in one section of a hay bale? Which antihistamine do you use? We use zyrtec.

I particularly like the middle picture of you and Tesla, StraightForward.

Re the cheesy photo ( Queso) my sll time favorite photo of me and a horse was taken when I had no idea I was being taken . Its an adorable shot of the pretty boy

[StraightForward]

Weird thing re: hives. When I moved my previous mare, Rosette, to my barn, she broke out in hives all over. I tried some topicals (Equiderma, IIRC) and she got a little better. Left on a work trip and she broke out even worse, so BO put her on spirulina, and that took care of it. Took her off spirulina, and gives within 48 hours. We had no idea what was causing them, but the spirulina clearly worked. Probably 2 TBSP per day.

[Moutaineer]

Spirulina is one thing I haven't tried! Thank you for that thought. Can't hurt, might help! Off to order some now.

[Moutaineer]

A question about stirrups. Who uses safety stirrups? If so, what? I'm most interested in the Rid'up ones. I like a stirrup turned at a 90 degree angle to the eye and I thing the technology where the whole foot breaks away from the leather makes more sense than the ones that open down the side and by their nature have a post to close against that looks like it could inflict some serious collateral damage to the foot in the wrong fall.

[StraightForward]

This year I switched to the Acavallo Arena aluminum stirrups. First I put them on my jumping saddle, but I like them so well I just got a pair for my dressage saddle. The "post" is really more of a nub, so it would be pretty hard for it to really hook onto something in a fall. I suppose nothing is impossible. The aluminum + wider cheesegrater tread is really nice. They give a bit of grip to the bottom of the foot, and the weight is just right so they hang nicely, but aren't excessively heavy. In Annabelle's wreck this summer, I think they did the job because the arm was a bit cocked out of place, so I think it released a foot when the girl was ejected over her shoulder. That would have been the kind of wreck that would result in getting dragged if the foot hadn't come out, and the horse had leapt up and bolted.

I have some SafeStyle irons I would sell you cheap, but they are not legal for dressage. They do have a 90 degree eye, but I honestly haven't missed that with the Acavallos.

I got new billets put on my Vinici (with the wide external billets this as kind of a big deal), and then brought T over to get the saddle really dialed in to fit her since I'd been using it on Annabelle as well for the past year. We got a Winderen shim pad that is really thin, so it doesn't affect saddle fit, and put a little more flocking in front to keep the saddle lifted up. Before going to the fitter, we stopped by the bodyworker who is just around the corner and she got adjusted again so we wouldn't be fitting to a crooked horse. She was really pleased with how her topline is looking, and we'll keep up with the adjustments in January. Saddler and bodyworker have conflicting advice on shimming, but I think I'll stick with conservative shimming for a bit.

Got to ride in the outdoor yesterday, and it was actually sunny after several days of fog/inversion, so it was a treat even if it was cold, windy, and the footing sloppy. T was a little offended at first that I put her back in a bit, but she got over it and we had a nice ride. A bonus of the sloppy footing at the bottom of the arena was that I could very clearly hear the 1-2-3 of her canter left. To the right it was not quite as clear, but getting closer. She was cooperative and we put together some pretty good canter SI. She is also LYing much better both directions than she was last month. I think she felt good at the end because I let her stretch and she really powered around the arena in a big trot merging into some stretchy canter. Hoping we can ride out again today and I can get video. Lessons scheduled for the two days after Christmas, so it will be nice to get some eyes on the ground.

[Moutaineer]

SF, thanks for the review! The Acavallos seem to have different sized nubbins in different pictures on the web, which is rather confusing!

The STS ones look a bit too complicated to me and not dressage legal means switching things out for showing, so no...

I do like the turned eye. I find it much kinder to my hips and knees, but my hips and knees are quite a bit older than yours...

[blob]

Spirulina is one thing I haven't tried! Thank you for that thought. Can't hurt, might help! Off to order some now.

I've talked about it a lot on this board, but MM has terrible allergies and would always get hives in the spring/summer. The Boett sheet is truly the only thing that worked and I tried EVERYTHING. And yes, i was hesitant to try it, because I kept thinking I'd tried other fly sheets, but it works so differently. MM doesn't actually have insect allergies, but the boett, essentially keeps all external allergens off her skin. And even in a GA summer she doesn't overheat in it.

The other thing that does work very well for us is Apoquel, but i probably wouldn't use if the allergies were only hives as those were controlled by the boett. But now that she has respitory as well, using both keeps her in a good place.

[goldhorse]

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Merry Christmas Everyone!

[Flight]

Chisamba, i'm so sorry about your dog. That's just a horrible situation to have happen for everyone involved. I think I remember seeing that vid of Flei, anyway good to see again and yes, very good for so new under saddle.

SF, they are lovely photos! Tesla is a really lovely looking horse.
Cute pic, Goldhorse!

I've fractured my sacrum falling off, and my partner's father passed away today (christmas day for us). So my run of shit luck is still going. At least 8 weeks no riding. This is the first time I've broken something and I have to admit, along with being quite uncomfortable, it's going to knock my confidence.
Hope everyone else is having a good chrissy break and no runs of bad luck!!

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[StraightForward]

Oh no Flight, I hate to hear that you're injured. Jingles for speedy healing! Also very sorry to hear of the loss of family. What a tough time.

Goldhorse, cute pic!

Moutaineer, I bought my newer pair from Big Dee Web, and their photo seems accurate. They also have the wide LeMieux leathers, which I've put on both saddles. I had Gary Mundy leathers before, which were really well made, but the LMs just disappear under my leg, and the inner bit is suede, so it seems like the backs grip each other a bit.

Last night's ride was interesting. I popped on a Ride iQ sitting trot lesson with Lauren Spreiser. She talks a lot about core engagement really from the bra line down to the knee. When I engage like that, I start getting "second trot" from Tesla. Waddya' know - when I engage so does the horse. I need to put this one on repeat. And go to the gym today and do more planks. I'm also working on my right side. It is the dominant, stronger side, but also has a habit of wandering off - both the arm/shoulder and my leg. I was sitting in the dentist chair last week and noticed that my left toe stays upright, and my right toe just flops out sideways if I let it. I'm sitting here and just had to correct it.

[StraightForward]

Oh no Flight, I hate to hear that you're injured. Jingles for speedy healing! Also very sorry to hear of the loss of family. What a tough time.

Goldhorse, cute pic!

Moutaineer, I bought my newer pair from Big Dee Web, and their photo seems accurate. They also have the wide LeMieux leathers, which I've put on both saddles. I had Gary Mundy leathers before, which were really well made, but the LMs just disappear under my leg, and the inner bit is suede, so it seems like the backs grip each other a bit.

Last night's ride was interesting. I popped on a Ride iQ sitting trot lesson with Lauren Spreiser. She talks a lot about core engagement really from the bra line down to the knee. When I engage like that, I start getting "second trot" from Tesla. Waddya' know - when I engage so does the horse. I need to put this one on repeat. And go to the gym today and do more planks. I'm also working on my right side. It is the dominant, stronger side, but also has a habit of wandering off - both the arm/shoulder and my leg. I was sitting in the dentist chair last week and noticed that my left toe stays upright, and my right toe just flops out sideways if I let it. I'm sitting here and just had to correct it.

[Moutaineer]

I'm so sorry, Flight, for your injury and your family's loss. Wishing you speedy and uncomplicated healing. And thats a lovely picture!

Wishing all of you, wherever you are, a peaceful, safe and wonderful Christmas.

[Chisamba]

Flight, my sympathies on your bad luck and loss. Was it the green bean?

Gold horse, merry Christmas to you and your happy horses.

I remember pushing for you to try the Boett. I'm sad for you that her allergies progressed to respiratory too.

[khall]

Jingles flight to heal quickly and I am so sorry for the loss of your family member especially during the holidays.

Blob my vet just started Rip on apoquel for his upper airway issue. Last scope this month was not good. Did not want to try pred again so he’s on the apoquel for the airway. Supposedly it’s got very good anti inflammatory properties.

Quiet Christmas Day. A bit rainy and warm. Way different than last year’s 12 degrees and frozen!!

Hope to get back in the saddle this week.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate and have a wonderful holiday season.

[StraightForward]

Good lessons the last two days. Yesterday we hauled out to a HUGE indoor. Tesla was wound up before I even took her out of her stall, so I knew it would be a fun day. Overall we had a good ride despite plenty of tension, and some sidepassing when her buddy exited the arena, and a couple little tantrums that looked like spinning around on the forehand. We got some trot that my instructor said could score a 9. Can I sit it at the moment? Not really. This morning was much mellower at home, and I think T appreciated her the back and glute taping I did last night. She warmed up well and we worked on lots of HI, then a shallow HP towards the quarter line and cantering out of it into the arena corner to sort of trap the inside hind and get more carrying. Also half-passing in on a circle and the LY out. HI on a square and really keeping the quarters to a 1/4 ToH. She stayed with me the whole ride and even let me rebalance and fix things when her right lead started going a bit wonky. Instructor started dropping hints about showing her at Devonwood this summer, but I don't think we are there yet. Possibility that her trainer will be in SoCal next winter, and she said I should think about bringing her down for a month of bootcamp, so I better start saving my pennies! I'd much rather pay for that than fancy faraway shows at this point.

[Moutaineer]

Excellent ride today which was just what I needed. He was relaxed and cooperative and "with me" with minimal angst on either of our parts.

The speech pathologist has given me some breathing exercises to do on horseback. It's been interesting and caused a certain amount of ear swiveling and questioning, but it does increase his focus on me!

[blob]

Blob my vet just started Rip on apoquel for his upper airway issue. Last scope this month was not good. Did not want to try pred again so he’s on the apoquel for the airway. Supposedly it’s got very good anti inflammatory properties.

The apoquel has been really good for MM, between that and the Boett, we are able to manage her allergies for the most part (knock on wood). This fall, I stopped the apoquel and she ended up having a tough fall breathing wise. I don't know why it took me so long to realize I should just put her back on the apoquel. So, she's back on it now.

and yes, Chisamba--you and the owner of the barn I used to be at were the two that kept pushing for the boett. and I stubbornly kept saying that I'd TRIED fly sheets and they didn't help. Who knew it would be such a difference? I felt silly that I hadn't listened to you earlier. But I'm glad I did finally (better late than never). And even in the sweltering GA summers, she really does not overheat.

Lots of wet days made my time off in Dec not as much of a riding bonanza as i hoped. But I still got some good and consistent rides in. Also, going ahead and doing my close out!

Me
Set better boundaries at work and stick to them to have some semblance of balance I think the real work here will come in the new year
Cook/eat leftovers 2-3 times a week

RP
Continue working on better canter balance
Start some supportive therapies (acupuncture, chiro, etc)
Lunge every 10 days or so to confirm/check progress
Continue work with poles and hills
Get in 2-3 lessons

MM
Get her back in shape
Find a good alternate rider for weeks I cannot ride to keep her fit
Enjoy her

[exvet]

Last summer was the first in a very long time that Morgan, aka stinker pony, required any treatment for his allergies. He's living in a part of Phoenix that actually didn't have any palo verde trees for miles but I suspect our ever declining air quality may be to blame or someone in my friend's neighborhood planted palo verde trees that she hasn't discovered. Her compound is 10 acres surrounded by 10 foot cinderblock fence but the wind/ever blowing dust most definitely penetrates her fortress (she has a private zoo collecting animals deemed unsuitable for display - seriously she's the chief vet at the zoo down the road from her). She tells me that hydroxyzine was sufficient. I told her if the allergy symptoms come back in May we're going a different route.

As for close out, I'm waiting until after my lessons this morning. I will say that yesterday both horses were incredibly jacked up - weather? distractions? etc or all of the above, not sure; but, the added tension actually helped. I was able to insist on obtaining that both boys regain their suppleness and get some decent work. Junior gave me clean flying changes again, mostly because I had real forward that didn't disappear when I asked for him to become supple. Brandon gave me some very lovely walk to canter departs, much for the same reason. He did rear a few times in the beginning but once I made it clear that forward was the ONLY option he went to work realizing that forward with four on the floor was easier.

[StraightForward]

Closeout time!

Here we are at the end of the year, on the precipice of winter in the northern hemisphere! I'll likely just get a couple lessons in November, then be on my own for a few months.
Tesla:
Improve the canter, canter, canter. That really is it. It is coming along. She ended up getting hock injections, and I've had her adjusted a few times this period. Right lead still a bit wonky, but steadily improving. The left is pretty pure at this point unless things are going haywire. Overall I'm really happy with her progress the past two months.
In that spirit, work on some piaffe in hand.
I think I only did this once or twice.
Annabelle:
Also work on the canter, and get the FCs jumper style. Maybe see if I can find a half leaser for the winter.
Get her lighter in the bridle, and more obedient to the leg aid. Generally, easier for someone else to ride. Well, she sold at the beginning of December, so I get a pass on that one.

Self:
Ride with intention and expectations. I'll say I was in the mid-range here. Can always improve.
Gym 3x a week hitting that core strength and working on upper body posture in particular.
Don't let extra poundage sneak on over the holidays.I think I found a few that I lost, but not too bad.

[chantal]

Oh Flight-hope you are healing, and my condolences to your partner. Gosh...

Closing out seems trite after that, but it's what I came to do.

Mikey just had 8 days as we were in CO visiting our daughter and grands (the newest is 10 days old).

Trainer tried changes on him 2 weeks ago and got the LtoR immediately, late behind. Took a while to get the RtoL, but it was clean when she finally did. I can't get them so we will do lessons on a schoolmaster when she returns in 3 months from FL. What we did get that made us want to try was the 6 10m circles in canter up centerline changing direction canter to walk, pick up opposite lead. Calmly and happily. Good Boy!

So, now to work out my lesson situation for the next 3 months and keep progressing in strength, forward and collection. With BEND and all that we discussed along with it.

Happy New Year everyone!!

[Chisamba]

I'm closing out without reviewing my goals.

I had a lovely rider in Kimba's this morning early. My last ride of the year. Now. No goals. A simple hack around the farm ponying Saiph.

Happy new year

[heddylamar]

Maia and I had a collision — on the ground — a few days before Christmas with my non-horsey DH as witness, and despite the all clear from the urgent care doc, my wrist is clearly NQR, so I saw an ortho. Definitely a break in the scaphoid. But because I've broken the scaphoid before, he ordered a CT before casting Hopefully it's a simple break, no surgery required, and he can slap a cast on it Tuesday, because I get on a plane at butt crack of the morning on Thursday for a 12 day back country hiking trip with my mom and the aunties.

And I'm trying to finish up a ton of work before leaving with one and half hands.

All this because my horse was off, and my barn owner left her in while everyone else got to go out after 2 days inside (rain). We've had a serious discussion about safety, and Maia will not be left in alone again. And since all she does inside is spin and pace, she's just going out (－‸ლ)

[texsuze]

HL, what an unfortunate accident! Hope you can overcome your wrist situation once you're out on the trails.

Wishing everyone a safe and sane 2024! Time to start a new thread for the new year....!

[exvet]

Gosh, good tidings and well wishes for all who could use them! Before I forget, I hope all have a safe start to the New Year and HAPPY 2024!

My lessons on Saturday morning were absolutely divine. I was told that in two weeks Junior had made significant improvement. Nothing better than a coach/instructor beaming as much, almost more than you are. She gave me suggestions on how to tweak my position. A simple "you need to be more useful with your left hand" made such a huge difference. I do have hope heading into 2024.

Brandon also did really well. As a result my plan is to enter him in the upcoming recognized show in February - first and second level. We've had improvement overall despite some set backs. Having two full acres of undulating land to hack out on has helped him tremendously - mind and body.

My SO has been riding Ace almost daily so even he is improving in stamina and body condition

Looking forward to the next segment of our dressage and training journey.

[Moutaineer]

Its been another hit and miss couple if months for me healthwise. Covid really kicked my butt and compounded my respiratory issues, but I now feel like I've got some solid medical and therapeutic help moving forward who actually understand the struggle. Its damned hard to do this sport if you can't breathe efficiently, and it does a number on your general fitness and therefore, your confidence.

On the other hand, Potters has had a really good couple of months. When I haven't been able to ride, Justin has been working with him (and we've done a lot of rides where he warms him up and then I hop on,) so he's very fit and looks fabulous, and he's fun to ride when I can.

So, every cloud has a silver lining.

Sorry about your wrist, Heddy. What a giant pain. Its particularly galling when it's caused by someone else not thinking through consequences!

Anyway, wishing you all a happy and productive New Year. Dont eat too much pie tonight

[Aleuronx]

Hears to a Happy New Year all!!

Things have been busy with holidays and some family health stuff. All sorting itself out but time consuming. Kora is ticking along in our winter of lower expectations between weather and cold temps. We did have a lovely ride today to close out the year and remind me that my horse is indeed still in there.

Can check off all these goals set this section, if a slight pass on hitting the treadmill enough…

Section Goals:
Flying Change Hell; work on changes
Trot with shoulders up, neck down - throughness. Start getting this within shoulder-in and laterals.
Half steps introduction
Hack once a week

Keep on tread mill 2-3 times a week for me

[khall]

Pretty much accomplished all the goals I had set out except for more CW transitions. Super clinics both WE and Cedar and Joplin continues to be such a joy.

Did have some joint injections done but not my favorite thing to do. Looking into alternatives and am interested in what others do to help with their hard working horses. I know some use pentosan do you think it’s better than adequan?

Interested in how 2024 shakes out. DS has 3 semesters left in his masters from Ga Tech engineering program. Whoop! Mom is still here at the farm now with 24/7 care. It’s a roller coaster with her often not knowing anyone even me. Can call my name but doesn’t know that I’m her daughter.


One big bright spot new foal due early March:)


Happy new year and happy riding all!

[chantal]

SF-love the photos of you and T BTW. Tesla is looking great!