"And then, one fairy night, May became June" May/June progress thread

[Lipsmackerpony88]

I didn't see one started yet so figured I would kick it off.

My goals with Lynx: keep working on our canter transitions, work on a bigger and loftier trot and continue working on straightness. We are hopefully going to school off property in a few weeks.

Goals for myself: continue getting stronger and more fit. Might see my doctor to check on the bone bruise on my calf. Just making sure nothing more complicated is brewing. I'm also on a mission to a better riding position!

Today I did two really light and easy RideIQ lessons. Wow. We both were a bit tired afterwards. It's obvious we need to wean ourselves off of so many walk breaks because this pushed me today. Lynx was great and very focused. Vet recheck tomorrow,fingers crossed everything looks good.

[Moutaineer]

I like your title!

These are my 2 favorite months of the year. Green and pretty, and not yet jaded by summer and the thought of doing anything productive in that heat.

I'm planning to go ride 3.3 at a schooling show just down the road from the barn in a couple of weeks just to get our heads back in the game. I'd better get my act together and get my entries in. Then the same venue has a recognized show (2 shows, 1 weekend) the second weekend in June that trainer does think I should go and ride 3.3 at for championship qualifiers, and I'm riding with Mette the following weekend.

The weekend after that, there's a show about an hour and a half away that I've been telling myself I ought to go to, but I think events 3 weeks in a row is a bit much so I'll probably not do that one. I feel a bit bad not supporting a local effort, but it's actually a bit more than 2 hours from home, and there's nowhere to stay, for humans, within a half hour, so it's just really awkwardly placed.

(If we were young and dedicated we could be doing something every weekend in June as the barn is going on a field trip up to SF's neck of the woods to show the first weekend, but thats 6 or 7 hours each way on a trailer for Potters for no real reason, so, no.)

Other than that, just ride as much as I can and start whittling away further at the 4th level stuff so I can show it in July.

I've got four more pounds to lose, and I'll carry on with the exercise and yoga program, because they are helping so much. (My abs were very unconvinced about this in the middle of last night after a particularly testing session at the gym!)

[exvet]

I'm just going to focus on three things:

Keep chipping away at Junior's and my holes in our connection. Recognized show in June.

Continue to work on Troy's acceptance of the saddle, weight in the saddle and steering/acceptance of the bridle.

Keep Ace as comfortable as possible and simply enjoy is devotion to my SO.

Me? Maybe a fourth goal - Just trying to survive. It was another really tough week. My heart aches for some of my clients and patients. So hard to see them get old and so hard to explain that at times some things just can't be fixed.

[StraightForward]

Thanks for the new thread!

#1 = Get my arse back into the gym!

Demand more of T. I think this looks like slowing and getting the articulation in the hind legs. I watched a bit of video from yesterday, and with her play at half steps, she is not sitting enough, and I need to work on that. I think it is within all of the transitions, as she lowers her croup more moving forward out of the very collected trot (what we got yesterday was not quite half steps). She seems to be putting muscle on front to back, so hopefully this period we can build up that booty.

Towards the end of May, we have the clinic with Rodrigo Matos, and then a weekend show, with the first day schooling, and the second day recognized. Then the next weekend is a two-show weekend. I'm thinking I'll focused on First-2 and 2-1, which are somewhere back in the archives of my brain. After that, we'll be on to 2-3. I think there's another show around June 20th. After that, another clinic with Carrie Harnden, so we'll be striving to be better than when she saw us in April.

Also, jump 1-2 times per week, and keep using the cavaletti on the circle. Not sure what is out there for jumping shows this summer, but it would be nice to get around a 2'6" course with more confidence. Bonus if we can get out on the trail. Last summer the state park near the barn was doing a lot of construction, but hopefully it's calmed down and more amenable to horses now. Need to go check that out.

[mari]

If I can just actually go ride more than once a week, that would be great... Lost my mojo a bit, hoping to get it back. Somehow.

[blob]

goals for this time:

Me:
Find time to ride
Eat healthy

MM:
Keep breathing in a good place as things heat up
Do some real dressage rides among the frolicking
Enjoy her

RP:
Another recognized show at 2-3
Clinic memorial day weekend
Keep chipping away at the lateral work
Get more elasticity in forward and back in trot and canter

[Moutaineer]

Ah, we are back! I was getting worried...

In brief, Potters has been an exciting ride for the past few days. I got on him this morning, felt the tension, and got off him and lunged him. He busted out some pretty significant spring fling moves. He was a lot less reactive after getting that out of his system and we had some decent work.

It might be my fault entirely. I switched up his Smartpak last week. I'll be switching it right back to what he was on before... I think there is something in Smartgut that is making him see dead people.

I've signed up for 3.3 at a schooling show in 10 days. It would be less embarrassing if I could get him to actually go around the arena without spooking at every single letter. (and the garden tool left on the stone wall, and the piece of arena fence that was out of place, and the mounting block that we have just stood next to, etc., etc.,)

Horses! You think things are progressing smoothly and they throw a spanner in the works every time.

I don't know how anybody ever gets to Grand Prix before either they or the horse dies of old age.

[StraightForward]

I don't know how anybody ever gets to Grand Prix before either they or the horse dies of old age.

LOL, that is kind of how I feel right now. Like, we've come so far in the last year and yet we have so much more work to do at second level.

[Aleuronx]

Goodness same! How anyone gets to Grand Prix was and is a bit of a mystery to me. After my lesson this past weekend I have a sparkle of a hint of a light in this tunnel to that place, the Grand Prix.

Exercise was deconstructed canter zig zag by riding the left half pass from corner to before x, straightening then flying change to shoulder in right down the centerline then opposite riding the right half pass after a straight centerline to the corner and flying change. Comment was if we can handle all the parts with control then riding the zig zag is easy whether PSG or Grand Prix. Same was brought up when talking about canter pirouettes, less about the turn more about the quality of the collected canter.

Ahem, that’s a first for trainer to be mentioning in discussion. Was I brave enough to ask about it? Hell no! I need to get over that first centerline in the tailcoat before I start freaking out about potentially more. That said we have touched on half steps and having trained with her for a long time it’s how she works, she wouldn’t mention it unless it was mulling about in her head for the future.

Now to knock on wood that the both of us hold up! Tons of rain this week and fingers crossed that schooling show on Sunday lucks out with sun…

[exvet]

Well Aleuronx it sounds like you're making significant progress!

Got my lesson with Molly on Monday and we worked on the FC set up by moving shoulders at walk, trot and then forward into the canter. Molly really tuned into my right arm issue and came up with the right 'work around' so that I can actually move Juniors shoulders to one side or the other. Now I just have to make it very second nature for us both. I also tried another saddle, the envy. I was told it works on most of the short backed Iberians.......well that's not the same as a Welsh Cob. I told the fitter (someone I've not used before) that the saddle did not work. He came to pick it up during my lesson and finally looked at Junior. He scratched his head and said, "you're not kidding. I'll need some time to see if there's a solution." So while we all agree the Albion K2 isn't the final solution, it will have to do for now.

Troy continues to demonstrate his true clown-like nature. Just more baby steps with him but he's definitely showing me glimmers of hope of things to come.

[blob]

continuing to plug along over here.

MM had a diet change--she was getting a bit chunky on her balancer, so we switched her to some hay pellets + vermont blend. I'd rather do that than limit her forage, so she still has free choice hay and whatever her pasture will grow (not a ton). She dropped her extra pudge within 2 weeks of the diet change. Now just need to make sure she doesn't overcorrect and get too lean or lose energy for work. Fingers crossed breathing has been pretty good so far and so getting some nice rides in.

After putting them aside for a bit, I played with the changes a bit today. It was both one of my worst change schools and best change schools. Worst because despite several tries, we only got one kind of correct change but it was croup high and included some weird hind leg kick hopping. Best because this is probably the only time he's figured out what i'm asking for and hasn't gotten hot, overly anticipatory, and tight in the back. Instead, he waited until i asked and went back to counter canter happily and calmly inbetween and the canter quality stayed high because he didn't get tight. Obviously now I need to match up that calm with actually getting clean changes. But I think we can/will get there.

[khall]

Glad the board is back! I was missing reading it daily.

Supposed to have a schooling show showing 3 rd 3 Saturday. We will see. Rain moving in this week and much cooler considering May in Georgia! I’m going to try. Have run through the test a couple of times. It’s feeling much easier except for L to R change. Canter is much better though. Briefly thought about giving 4 th 1 a go but decided the sequence changes might be a bit difficult yet

On the medical front I’m about to pull my hair out with insulin levels on Rip and Joplin. I’ve got to get that dry lot set up asap. Diet wise not much else I can do. I’ve limited them as it is to 5/6 hours tops of turnout. Sigh

Low nsc “food” low nsc hay. My vet says to soak it too so I guess I will soak it. Just at a loss. Joplin’s was over 50 and Rip’s was 76 and that was on part time medication. With Rip not responding well to prascend or drug to lower insulin I may not be able to stop him from foundering.

Other news DS graduated with his masters in engineering!! We got to spend Friday afternoon and all day Saturday with him celebrating his accomplishments. He’s got a job lined up starts in august. Excellent job. DH and I are so proud of him.

Rainy cool May. June clinic with Cedar.

Happy spring all!!

[Srhorselady]

Khalil, have you tried Insulinwise? My previous Vet suggested it for my elderly pony who was mildly (under control) Cushing but high insulin. It wasn’t a fast answer, but over three years her insulin numbers dropped every year.(They never quite made it to normal…but my vets comment was they weren’t bad for a pony). I also maintained her low carb diet. Insulin numbers did go up again when I had to start giving her alfalfa. Her teeth are expiring and she quit eating grass hay. So she’s now on the anything she’ll eat diet and I’ve increased her Thyro L. She’s 27.

[StraightForward]

We had a nice jump session on our own Saturday. Without 100 instructions rattling around in my brain, I rode a little more naturally to the fences and T literally took things in stride. I didn't measure, but I think they were all set around 2'6" and she was pretty much just loping over them quietly. Maybe next weekend we'll get back up to the 2'9"s. I did swing by the schooling H/J show last weekend and it looked like fun, and it was nice to know that no one had braided. Thinking of doing hunter braids including tail was giving me anxiety, lol.

The last two days were really windy, so she had days off. Tonight she started out a little heavy and slow, but eventually got with the program and we got some good work in. Per the expecting more Convo, I pushed the envelope a bit in the canter with some CC asking for medium on the long sides, then going back to true canter and really asking her to keep her poll up and into the connection. She almost started doing that famous Tesla Stomp, I think realizing she could move her shoulders out freely while staying on the bit. After that we had some lively sitting trot practice, and I toyed with some parts of 2-1 that I could remember. At the end of the ride and I let her bomb around in a big stretchy trot, and played with some half steps and something bordering on passage trot. They had the arena re-leveled last week, and got a small groomer to pull with their ATV. The footing was getting a little deep, but now it's firm and shallower, so I think that will be a good thing.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Glad to be back on the site and read what everyone has going on.

The vet came out last Friday and was pretty happy with how Lynx was looking overall so just keep strengthening. I have the saddle fitter out in June. Trying to stay on top of everything.

Monday I had the first ride I have ever had where Lynx actively seemed to notice the gate. He wasn't trying to go out but just wanted to pop his shoulder out whenever we were on that side. I had some really good shoulder in and then I had my worst ever shoulder in because of the gate and it's magnetic appeal to his outside shoulder! Otherwise he was a very good boy. Trying to build more cardio fitness now for both of us. Not exciting work but important.

We've had insane rain the last 2 days. So I will probably just make today a lunge day. I'm farmsitting for my trainer this weekend too, so I'm a bit busy. But glad it looks to be drying up for the weekend.

[heddylamar]

Maia has been having a bit of a break. I went backpacking, came home, and seem to have caught a stomach thing that was just not going away. And then two of our three guinea pigs got sick, one is recovering, the second is being hand fed every few hours, and has a followup with the vet this evening. Poor little old dude.

And my dad spent the last weekend+ back in the hospital with a bladder infection and MRSA bedsores. Again. He's a terror to treat — ripping out IVs and throwing his stoma bag, throwing his food tray, and absolutely refusing to cooperate — so I don't know what else we or the medical staff can do. They really do the best they can with a very uncooperative resident.

In the meantime, Maia's gotten her teeth done. She was completely out of sorts and was a real brat — the dentist did his best. Her experience in Texas was not the greatest, and that clearly carried over

[Moutaineer]

Oof, Heddy. A lot to deal with.

Backpacking plus stomach thing makes me wonder if they've tested you for Giardia?

[heddylamar]

To be fair, my stomach was wonky before we left. I probably should have gone to the doctor before going backpacking, but I didn't. And then it was hot and dry, as were the water sources, so I definitely got a bit dehydrated on top of everything /sigh

[Moutaineer]

Feel better soon!

LSP, which is worse, gravitating towards the gate or using it as an excuse to spook violently? Lol...

But Potters had his brains back today. We had a super ride out in the sunshine and all is right with the world

[exvet]

Heddy I feel for you. My father got very belligerent in his latter years dealing with dementia. I'm glad my mother is more complacent. She cooperates but is disinterested in life in general. I'm hoping since this weekend is her birthday and mother's day, a day out to lunch may give her some pleasure.

Well I brought all the 'stuff' I need to knock Junior down, block his eyelids and flush whatever the hell is in his eye out. There is something still stuck inside his eye lid and I've had enough. I'm going to have to do it by myself so I'm hoping 'our bond' helps keep him under wraps when the drugs wear off. We shall see.

[khall]

Srhorselady yes Joplin is on insulin wise. Has been for years. We also tried thyro l and saw no difference she’s now on ertugaflugen (sp??? Pronunciation??) she’s been on it before and it did drop her insulin. Rip was on insulin wise but when I put him on prascend I took him off. Wasn’t helping. I’m not sure we will be able to control his insulin. I do think we can Joplin with the help of the dry lot ( costing over $6,000 to put in sigh) and drugs. She responded to the E drug. Just a major headache all the way around.

Was a sad day here on the farm. My longtime border elected to put her 16 yr old TB/perch Juliet mare down. Much like Exvet’s Ace she’s been colicing regularly. Not horrible but every month since February ( actually Juliet has been an colicer since her owner bought her including 2 trips to UGA, scope nor any other diagnostics had answers) and today was less than 24 hours between colics. The owner was just done. Mentally emotionally and financially done. I can’t blame her. Close to that myself with Rip. So I called the vet out and she was euthanized this morning and buried on our farm. I cared for this mare for over 10 years. Very kind mare just not very suited as a riding horse especially for her tiny owner. She had a laundry list of other issues too.


Doubtful I will make it to the show. The weather just looks miserable. Ah well.

Joplin is still so much fun to play with.

Heddy i know how difficult it is to deal with aging parents with diminished capacity. My dad was the more difficult of my parents as well. He one time threatened to pee on my sister because she had told him not to get out of the bed at the hospital. Granted they were also dosing him with Benadryl that made him nuts. He would also have to be restrained in the bed if no one was with him. Just sucks.


Exvet I missed what’s going on with Junior’s eye. Hope he’s ok

Lsp yay for good vet visit.

SF the jumping does look like fun. What great cross training too.

Al fun your instructor is looking to the future for Kora and speaking of GP!!


Cedar is looking to take the buckskin Lusitano stallion out GP this year. She’s done all the work on him since he was young. Has one of his daughters in to be started too. She’s coming along nicely.

Flight kept meaning to ask was it false dandelion that caused Norsey’s string halt? My vet had that issue here on her farm a couple of years ago. Weird stuff.

Getting hot and muggy here. Hope all are having some nice spring or in some cases fall weather report back so us southerners can live vicariously through you!

Happy riding all

[Moutaineer]

A lot going on for everyone st the moment. Sometimes the horses can be such a stress reliever, but sometimes they can just make it all worse.

One of my barn mates bought her husband out to the barn today. Last year, the four of us had opera season tickets and did stuff together. Then he had a fall and broke his hip. He's on a walker and lined up for further back surgery, and he's really aged in the past few months.

And Potters took one look at his walker and tried to head for the hills. Poor guy had to make the effort to stand up straight and wave his arms around before Potters was going to accept that he was human...

Once he got over that, we had a pretty nice, if rather hot, ride. It was one where I had to keep an eye on his ears and be ready to diffuse any drama, because he was worked up to looking for something to spook at, but we held it together and did more or less everything we planned to do without much problem.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Mountaineer, good reminder that yes I guess I'll maybe take the slight new love affair to the gate rather than spooking but you know depends on the day with what I'll get ha ha. Sorry to hear about your friends husband. It's hard to see people decline like that... I really hope that the back surgery helps. Lynx wants Potters to know that he would probably be pretty suspicious of a walker too!

Khall, I'm sorry to hear about the mare needing to leave this earth. It's so hard. Sounds like the right call though.

Really looking forward to riding today. I haven't ridden since Monday because of the weather and my schedule was absolutely insane! I did get out to do some groundwork during the week although yesterday that was literally hand walking up and down hills for 15 minutes! Better than nothing?

I'm going to hopefully get some video today and tomorrow. Planning on doing a lesson on RideIQ. Something simple again.If we don't look too horrible maybe I'll share them. But we will see. My trainer is out of town so I'm actually helping farm sit with a few other boarders. She has a small 4 stall barn on a really cute property.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Beautiful weather here for the next few days.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Okay sharing a snippet of video from today. Nothing exciting (if anything slightly embarrassing.) But I'll share for the sake of discussion, I suppose lol. This was what I would consider our "warm up" frame. I was short on time so honestly I walked him around for 15 minutes on a long rein, did a touch of leg yield both directions and then quite literally just did this longer rein trot both directions lol I was super proud that he started focusing on me because when I got on they were feeding on the other side of the arena. So he was very distracted to see what was going on food wise over there!

Also my stirrups are probably two holes too long because I changed into my summer boots out of my clunky thicker Dublin's . Yikes .

But anyways this is how I like to ride him frame-wise to warm up. Curious about thoughts on it (Yes I know I have many flaws in my riding position, working on it!) Basically I haven't found letting him go too long and low to be helpful but also not curling him up or keeping him too high either. I do play with the contact as we go along in a ride but to start out I just like to have him reaching for the bit and keep his neck long over anything else.

https://youtube.com/shorts/IP0HVsbVvs0? ... vMqbmQUj69

[texsuze]

Khall, tough decision about your friend's mare. Been there, done that 3 years ago now and still is gut wrenching to hear when others need to walk that path.

SF, love to hear about your jumping-- living vicariously through your reports. I did find that some aspects of my meager dressage training could be incorporated into my jumping. "K" preferred going over fences to what he considered to be the claustrophobia of dressage

Heddy, hope your littles are making a good recovery.

A pleasant Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

[StraightForward]

LSP, Lynx is really filling out. Yes, it does look like you'll be more supported with your stirrups up a notch or two, but it looks like the two of you are working well together!

We had a fairly mellow stretchy ride with some spiral in/out on Friday. T seems a bit touchy in her back, but I think it's just a result of using herself better and engaging new muscles. Working on getting the chiro out before the Rodrigo Matos clinic. She did do the best right lead canter LY she's ever done, and then at the end almost bucked. It caught me by surprise, but I think she's figuring out how to stay more on her back legs and not get all discombobulated. Saturday morning we had a little jump school with cavaletti set in each corner of the arena, and then a middle oxer with a x-rail on one side, and a small vertical on the other. Worked up to cantering the cavaletti and then a bending line to the oxer both ways without either of us getting flustered or disorganized. After that we headed out of town for a quick weekend trip, and she got her first day in the new expanded pasture. I'll venture to guess she enjoyed it just a bit. Fingers crossed she doesn't start ripping off shoes in turnout. Wednesday night we're hauling over to my dressage trainer friend's place for what is turning into a bit of a jumping clinic, and then we are all going to school on the XC course on Saturday, so we'll see if I get brave enough to jump something bigger than the logs.

[Moutaineer]

Horse Heaven, SF!

LSP, Lynx looks relaxed and comfortable and sound, and you look like a happy team! Yes, you need to pull your stirrups up a hole. You look like you are reaching a bit and it's making you arch your back as you post, which makes my SI joint hurt to think about!

Do all you can to protect your back while you are young. Your older self will truly thank you for it.

I have to adult today and put on clean clothes and makeup and go meet clients. I have to pay for these ponies somehow. So, Justin is riding Potters for me. In 80 degrees and 30mph winds. Should be fun for them.

[exvet]

Lynx has filled out so much and looks to be in very good shape, LSP. Job well done.

My guys also got introduced to grass this weekend. We have a few turn outs with the largest being just over 2 acres. The boys were overjoyed running and kicking when I first sent them out on our smaller pasture which they got a good 45 minutes on. I've been increasing their time and they're up to 3 hours today. As a result of the longer time out, I decided to open the gate to the 2 acres and Troy whinnied and whinnied having a great ole time. Fun to see an overjoyed horse. It's a hoot 'cause Junior is one who always talk to me but in nickers while Troy makes it clear to me when I'm supposed to do this or that by a high pitch whinny. Ace will talk occasionally usually in a low nicker. I have quite the talkative bunch now. Even the neighbors get amused.

Junior and I have been working on more of the same but with more defined goals. His temper tantrums have faded into just occasional grumpy thoughts that aren't acted out on any more. I think the path I'm on now has the best chance of getting Junior truly balanced and stronger on his hind end so that he can sit and push. I don't have another show until mid June, a recognized show riding fourth level test 3 both days. In July I have a schooling show and went ahead and entered PSG. I figured I needed the incentive so there you have it.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

It is too funny because I knew that my stirrups were going to be too long with those boots vs my thicker ones but I was in such a mega rush that I forgot. Then I saw the video and I was like oh my gosh... Not sure how I even rode that way (although it was really so super quick that's probably why. Lol) as far as arching my back it's become a new thing regardless of stirrups. Ugh I'm working on it and I'm not sure when that developed. But I think I just feel it in general in life so something needs to be addressed. So I'm going to try and address my core and back more during my exercises and give my calf (with the bone bruise) a little break.


Today I rode in my jump saddle with MUCH shorter stirrups lol. It was pretty eye-opening trying to do lateral work in the jump saddle versus the dressage. I definitely struggled a little bit more and Lynx acted accordingly. He's so sensitive to any position changes so I always take his word for anything he "says." Today shoulder in and Renver were very easy one direction and much harder in the other. But I think the truth was it was just harder for me today lol!! We did get some proper lateral work at the end.

Another boarder commented how good Lynx looked, so that was really nice! He was cruising around at the trot today, very forward which is always nice! No spooks and only mild attraction to the gate LOL.


SF- beautiful photo!!
Mountaineer- the wind is one of the hardest parts for me living more in the West. I hate it.

Exvet- good plan, I think you and Junior are still on a great path. If anybody could do it with him it certainly is you!!

[Flight]

Khall, yes it's the false dandelion (or flat weed is what we call it too) that caused the stringhalt.

LSP - I'd be happy with that warm up frame, Lynx has filled out he looks good.

My little spotty bum young horse has been developing this weird bump on his coronet and funny shape to his hoof. Our local equine vet centre closed down, so I was waiting to get into one of the equine vet specialists that travel.
I really could have used the local mixed vet practice, because on xray there is nothing subtle about a large bony weird arthritic type growth he has
Nothing to be done, start him on pentosan and work towards joint injections as needed to a probable early retirement.
It's quite disheartening, however his clinical presentation doesn't match the xray, so once I 'get over it' I'll keep chipping away at his training.
He did his first working equitation comp at our local club (just introductory level - walk/trot) and did really well.

Ding is going well still, he feels a bit stiff now.. I think he's rising 17 ! The time goes so fast
Speaking to the vet about Norsey, she said to keep riding him if his stringhalt is mild. So, I've started riding him as he does drop his topline when not in work.

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[Lipsmackerpony88]

Flight, sorry to hear about your young guy. Obviously I'm not vet but sometimes they really can surprise and keep going with maintenance and thoughtful riding. Hoping the best for him!
To share a little bit of inspiration and hope, there is a horse up the barn I board that has had SO much going on with her in her young life (I think she's only eight or nine?.) honestly she should not be
nearly as sound as she is. She toes in on her front legs, I believe she had surgery on her front suspensaries (there's scarring), a big baseball size hock from OCD (I think she might have had surgery on that too but not sure) and honestly other various injuries. But she's been scoring in the '70s at first level and I think debuting at second level this summer. You can definitely see a little bit of stiffness when she's first walking but she warms out of it and she's such a fabulous mover with a great mind....

I also know a horse that had mild string halt That with careful management was a successful hunter jumper into his 20's.

So fingers crossed for all of your horses!

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Today was already really hot and humid here. I really hope summer isn't miserable. Lol.

My dumb phone suddenly decided it can't connect to any Bluetooth devices so I had planned on doing a lesson with my ride IQ app but that didn't happen. Still, Lynx was very good. I was on the jump saddle again today. For some reason we just do not have a shoulder in one direction... I think it's something to do with my seat / legs in that saddle. Either way I'm going to drop that and see what happens when I go back to the dressage saddle on Thursday. He's always been so incredibly solid in the lateral works so I really hope it's just a weird thing I'm doing in one saddle vs another!

Otherwise he was great. We had a really nice marching walk today which is pretty huge for him! I was trying to work on some transitions but he anticipates so much that you have to change it up. I did two sets of transitions and then he started trying to just take over on his own and start trotting off LOL. I would rather him anticipate that way with energy rather than trying to stop I guess.

[Aleuronx]

LSP- I’ve always said Lynx is one of my favs, I’m so happy to see him working well for you and the kiddo. Just enjoy him!

Exvet- You’re chipping away is going to pay off with Junior. I think if you really pull back to 10,000 feet of where you’ve been with him and where you are now it is very clear that the progress is there. It reminds me of Kora age 5 - 7 of just shit/finding the going to contact/along with medical alignments for her. Once we sorted all that shiz, it’s just been grand fun. I do hope it’s the same tipping point for Junior and yourself.

We had a good scouting mission to a schooling show at a new venue, which will be holding a recognized in a few weeks. Nice, quiet home facility with one ring type place. The warmup was sand footing whereas the arena was GGT footing. My first time riding in GGT footing, can’t say I’m a super fan. Kora isn’t a footing snob and barefoot so really ‘feels’ it and the footing was just a bit odd? For lack of a better explanation it felt like there was no bounce, felt very dead. Not unsafe or anything just interesting. Rode through the 4-1 with a fresh off the presses L grad from last year so very happy with my ride and a bit eye roll-y at the score, a 64 and change. Half-pass and changes all felt great and the 3 changes on the diagonal were more in control and better placed.


Feel very well prepped at this point get to the real deal this weekend. We are rounding out the show as penultimate and final rides at 6:30pm both days. Thank goodness Kora is a good egg at being alone in the ring and will actually be quite happy to. Watching the weather and doing a no-rain dance, fingers crossed. Otherwise here’s to knocking out some 4th level scores!

[Moutaineer]

The newly minted L grads can sometimes behave like they are judging the Olympics.

Cold and gloomy and blustery today. I hate this "85 one day, 45 the next" weather. I wasn't feeling at my best, either, but we had a nice, uneventful ride in the indoor. It's always useful to have a ride with mirrors

We have a schooling show Saturday, weather permitting. I'm not too invested in going if they move it indoors.

[Moutaineer]

Sorry about that... I have no idea what I did and the board won't let me delete!

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Alueronx- thank you! I definitely enjoy my little yellow guy. Good luck at the show this weekend, it sounds like you guys are well prepared and should do wonderfully!! It's amazing how far Kora has come the last two years. Inspiring!

Mountaineer - I wish we had mirrors. Since our facility is multi use, I guess they don't want mirrors in the indoor because of the jumpers. It would help me so much.

[StraightForward]

Ah yes, I would also love to have mirrors, but don't see that happening. At least my new SoloShot worked today. Last time it just spun around and videoed the ground. If I'd known it was going to work, I would have set it up in a better spot today. We did gridwork since it was a smaller arena. We worked up to a 2'9" oxer, so I'm feeling pretty chuffed since Ryan is so conservative with the jump heights. Looking forward to getting out on Saturday to XC and maybe some of the crazy show jumps at that facility!
https://youtu.be/hh85cqV4Mak

Also, if anyone needs a dose of cuteness, Tesla's new neighbor just arrived from Texas, the BO's daughter's new ride. I think it is amusing us all having the biggest and tiniest horse on the place next to each other.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

SF- T makes the jumps look like she thinks that is easy work!

Well today Lynx was very odd when grooming him. He was stomping his feet but there were no flies. He also was kind of biting at himself.. like his legs and honestly just anywhere. Very weird. My trainer and I were standing there like, "Okay do you have a belly ache? Are you having some type of allergic reaction or sensitivity? Are you muscle sore from the rain last night?"

We ended up lunging him first and he seemed fine... So then I did a light ride. He seemed fine except he did train itch his shoulder once at the halt. I rode back in my dressage saddle and shoulder in was no issue. In fact my trainer said that somebody stopped her and told her how good Lynx looked.

Ended up giving him a sponge bath (We are having issues with our wash rack right now ) I didn't really want to give him anything medication wise just yet since it wasn't super apparent what was going on. Just that something was mildly bothering him... I'm leaning towards allergies / itchiness. We will see how it is tomorrow. Might throw them on some Zyrtec but going to give it a day or so unless he breaks out in hives or something.

I swear horses always have to give you something to kind of worry about...

[Moutaineer]

Yes, mirrors are a blessing (and sometimes a curse... "who is that fat old lady riding my horse?") And we are truly blessed to have a fairy godmother for a barn owner.

It is cold and wet here. And likely to be so for the next several days, so my schooling show attendance was a little shaky for Saturday anyway, but then I heard on the grapevine that the barn owner had called the judge to warn her that their footing is not up to standard at the moment. (Justin's wife manages the judge's barn... it's a very close community around here!) So, no. I will be scratching. Potters' precious feeties are not going out to do a test on gravel.

We had a productive ride today. Forward and happily in front of my leg, even in the indoor, which, as we all know, makes everything easier.

[Chisamba]

https://youtube.com/shorts/Ckk4zjgCqA4? ... B1clpGU2Hc

[Chisamba]

https://youtube.com/shorts/Ckk4zjgCqA4?si=BSFEAHB1clpGU2Hc

For some reason I am finding it very hard to post, and edit on ddbb lately. Sometimes it takes hours to just open a page. Anyway hopefully this is a snippet of going sideways to supple and activate the inside hind, but with sit, after this we worked on medium to collection to medium keeping the right hind especially active.

Riding with Stephan Cheret.

Goals then... its a bit airy but everything better. Flying changes more straight and uphill, connection more powerful, and overall giving her time to build the correct muscling to approach FEI with more fluency.

Pauletta is suddenly realizing that connection is hard work and is expressing some disconcertion at the idea. I spent a lot of time working on tempo and relaxation because she would shorten her neck and sit behind the contact but I told her she is ready to work now and she wants the pay check without putting in the effort. Id she is this disconcerted now lord knows what she will be like when the real work begins.

Other than that I have some gorgeous babies in training for sale if anyone is looking. 12 to 20 k range

[Chisamba]

I don't know how anybody ever gets to Grand Prix before either they or the horse dies of old age.

LOL, that is kind of how I feel right now. Like, we've come so far in the last year and yet we have so much more work to do at second level.

the funny thing about this statement is that when i got to PSG i thought, i am almost there. then i realized its probably further from PSG to Grand Prix than it is from training level to fourth level. and many many people "get there" without actually having a true piaffe or a clear tempi changes. or even a proper pirouette. and half the people out there judging you bought a made horse and barely scraped the scores on the school master to make judging, and then they act like they are the protectors of the sport. and the people who ride the upper levels, most of them buy, or have their clients buy horses that are already made, have the changes etc. i think they even look down on the riders who start their own horses and score us differently if and when we get there. I remember when Laura Graves showed up at the USET championships on Verdades. She was clearly the best horse there but was not yet accepted as such and did not place first. Steffen Peters was after all riding the million dollar horse with the million dollar sponsor, and it was not until they competed internationally that she was placed above him in the scoring. of course i am jaded and others will say that they matured into the spotlight, but I feel like "named" riders get favorable scores for performing moves no better than the no names who do not get rewarded.

ok rant over, LOL you may all go back to your admirable genuine progression.

[mari]

Chisamba - what a lovely active leg yield! You have inspired me to school these big sweeping ones. I avoid them because they're so hard for us (I know, I know!)

We tried a new bit yesterday. My one instructor suggested that we try something a slightly sharper than his current French link full-cheek, in which he tanks me around happily. I bought a D-ring single barrel one. He is not one for going sideways, and I find that the full-cheek type setups is just much easier for lateral work on him.
This is the bit: https://westernshoppe.com/product/contact-single-barrel-mouth/?srsltid=AfmBOopKY1dmSTIEZq0WgnxAhC1HSAAjkvxC-VK0eL1v-ya73U_Hczxs

It went okay. He was quite wary of it and stayed carrying his own head. Steady head position, nice shape, and I could feel him working it a lot (but then he's always had a crazy busy mouth, even just standing in the cross-ties). I will see how it goes. I'm pretty sure after a few weeks he'll figure out a way to lean on it, so our thinking at the moment is to just use it for show prep and the actual show, and then go back to the french link for schooling.

[mari]

I don't know how anybody ever gets to Grand Prix before either they or the horse dies of old age.

LOL, that is kind of how I feel right now. Like, we've come so far in the last year and yet we have so much more work to do at second level.

the funny thing about this statement is that when i got to PSG i thought, i am almost there. then i realized its probably further from PSG to Grand Prix than it is from training level to fourth level. and many many people "get there" without actually having a true piaffe or a clear tempi changes. or even a proper pirouette. and half the people out there judging you bought a made horse and barely scraped the scores on the school master to make judging, and then they act like they are the protectors of the sport. and the people who ride the upper levels, most of them buy, or have their clients buy horses that are already made, have the changes etc. i think they even look down on the riders who start their own horses and score us differently if and when we get there. I remember when Laura Graves showed up at the USET championships on Verdades. She was clearly the best horse there but was not yet accepted as such and did not place first. Steffen Peters was after all riding the million dollar horse with the million dollar sponsor, and it was not until they competed internationally that she was placed above him in the scoring. of course i am jaded and others will say that they matured into the spotlight, but I feel like "named" riders get favorable scores for performing moves no better than the no names who do not get rewarded.

ok rant over, LOL you may all go back to your admirable genuine progression.

Your rant ties in nicely with Jeremy Steiner's recent piece that I read on a COTH thread: https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/where-do-we-go-from-here/

[Chisamba]

Exvet, i am sorry you are having a personally challenging time. I hope riding heals you as it does me. We are always looking for a better connection, are we not? its not like you get it and its done, check mark, its a continual progression.

Aleuronix, lovely progress !!

LSP, also lovely progress , Lynx is looking very much stronger and more sound. and that's what dressage is supposed to be, the improvement of horse .

Tesla and her little pal are very cute side by side!

Flight, riding helps string halt, I train a horse with stringhalt, and other than vitamin E and thiamine, riding seems to be the best thing for it. if Alex has too many days off, he seems to have less control of his hind legs, otoh in regular work, it becomes that i almost forget he has it.

heddy i hope your stomach is by now, completely well, and that. i also hope your father is doing a little better. I deal with belligerent clients all night long, but i really think its easier when its not a family member.

Tanga, i am all admiration for you riding in the upper levels on horses you bred and trained. It is a fabulous accomplishment.

as for Mirrors, they are a good thing, its nice to know how deep our shoulder in is, if you are straight, and a horrible reminder that sitting forward or rounding ones shoulders does not in fact cure your horses sudden choice to do something unsettling. However, if your horse tries to jump through the mirror while you are riding it, its freaking terrifying. especially when supposedly safe glass sends a shard twelve inches long into your t shirt.

i find video helpful, but the space of time between doing and seeing reduces the immediacy of its fix, that a mirror gives.but you would think they would have invented better ones by now. the fabric ones get all droopy, and the glass ones are just unsafe. imho

khall, insulin resistance is difficult, both my mares tend to be that way, and Saiph puts on weight if she looks at grass. or at least, seems to. then there are all the arguments about how long to soak hay, how much to soak, do you rinse after soaking, and as for testing hay, two bales from the same field can have such different sugars, its not even worth the effort. i hate slow feeders, i think they create emotional issues. i mean how would you like to have your food sitting right in front of you but you cannot get a mouthful? its like putting whole days food in front of a hungry person on diet and telling them they can only eat what they can pick up with a tooth pick. its flat out cruel.

spoken as a person who spends her life trying to not be fat, and living with type 1 diabetes, where you can be skinny if you just don't take insulin, but it will also kill you eventually. (ketoacidosis is horrible)

so there , a months worth of comments in a night, because i suddenly was able to access the BB , sorry.

Moutaineer, i feel a sort of kinship. no longer as young as i once was, but younger then i will ever be again, trying to get to GP before I die, and also wondering if it is worth the effort. a horse that is capable but complicated, except that some how i am back to starting babies . why cant i be good at progressing sane older horses, i guess i have had a lot more practice from zero to second then i have from second to PSG. and anything above PSG seems to be like climbing Kilimanjaro, when you think you have reached the summit, and then you realized you still have the whole circumnavigation of the crater to actually get to the summit.

[Chisamba]

Chisamba - what a lovely active leg yield! You have inspired me to school these big sweeping ones. I avoid them because they're so hard for us (I know, I know!)

We tried a new bit yesterday. My one instructor suggested that we try something a slightly sharper than his current French link full-cheek, in which he tanks me around happily. I bought a D-ring single barrel one. He is not one for going sideways, and I find that the full-cheek type setups is just much easier for lateral work on him.
This is the bit: https://westernshoppe.com/product/contact-single-barrel-mouth/?srsltid=AfmBOopKY1dmSTIEZq0WgnxAhC1HSAAjkvxC-VK0eL1v-ya73U_Hczxs

It went okay. He was quite wary of it and stayed carrying his own head. Steady head position, nice shape, and I could feel him working it a lot (but then he's always had a crazy busy mouth, even just standing in the cross-ties). I will see how it goes. I'm pretty sure after a few weeks he'll figure out a way to lean on it, so our thinking at the moment is to just use it for show prep and the actual show, and then go back to the french link for schooling.

Mari, I always look for a light horse, i have bad arthritis in my wrists and a great deal of faith in self carriage, but Stephan has more or less proven to me that weight in the hands is the gift of a developing connection, and that lightness comes from the horse after it has gifted you that weight is established equally in both reins. not carrying the horse mind you, but accepting the weight and riding into it until the horse lightens because it is active behind. pauletta is an example of a horse that is naturally very light i the hand, and unfortunately when she choses not no go forward she goes up. horses that honestly give you a bit of weight can be more easily rebalanced. but do not fear those sweeping leg yields,

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Chisamba, I think we all have had a hard time getting on this board some days, I think Chancellor has said that the board has been dealing with lots of attacks and spam (honestly I'm not a technology person so maybe I'm wrong .) I've tried to be very patient because I'm just so grateful that the board is still here and it means that much to me. Also, wow the activity in those leg yields! Amazing. You both look wonderful. Regarding your discussion on contact, I very much agree. That's actually why I've been very happy with how Lynx is going overall (Even though that video was really just our first few minutes of a warm-up trot, Not the quality that I know he can do once warmed up) But he very much reaches to the contact in a nice, steady way. He's not heavy but he's also not too light for his stage of training. He feels like he will go wherever you want to put him frame wise which I feel like is a good start for things to come.

[Tanga]

Yep. Every time I post it sits there for a long time. Something wonky. But it works.

chismaba--I like the leg yield, use the hind leg thing. I don't usually do it at the trot, but I almost always warm up with some kind of turn on the forehand to really get the hind legs separating and under and then to turn on the haunches and back and forth to them warmed up and active behind. I need to do more with the trot.

And interesting on the weight in the hands discussion on the bit. I've always had my horses I think a lot lighter in the bit than other people. And especially now with having so much weaker hands with the bulging discs, I don't even have the ability to hang and pull like I see some people do. I don't even know how you ride like that. I'm strong, but I can't do it. Quinn will gladly hang rigt back if you do that with her, and I have no ability to hold her. She's super cool though, that with leg or voice or a touch of the whip, she never goes forward, but actively comes up and lightens up. Quilla is a bit trickier. It's been interesting my leasor is learning this on both horses and now just starting her just four year old, learning about contact. I think I have learned a ton trying to teach her to understand this and how to use her body to get what is needed and the horses understand. All three give such clear feedback of what they understand and don't--we just need to listen to them and change it up when they don't understand.

[exvet]

It finally happened! Junior took off with me! I've been begging and begging for him to just power it up and take off and I'd get a qualified hand gallop but not an all out dead run like there was no way I was stopping him. I realize that in horsemanship 101 this is not the type of behavior most want to encourage; but, I knew that as long as Junior failed to really open up I would continue you to chase this pony everywhere regarding everything. I was working endlessly on FC set ups and not letting him take over, not letting him actually do a flying change and lots and lots of downward transitions with every upward transition so he was getting frustrated. I was riding him along a community trail that I do usually canter/hand gallop him along heading home and he was pissed I wasn't letting him do that. He does or has been really enjoying it, giving me a little bit more each time. Well I was getting more and more explosive (controlled explosions) canter departs from both the trot and the walk which is what I've been wanting and then I just let him go because his responses were getting better and better and man he took off like a bat out of hell and I had to circle him to get him back under my control ....... now it wasn't scary or threatening in a sense that he was in no way trying to dump or unload me and when I went to circle him I could without an extreme amount of effort but the POWER is in there. I was so jazzed just to get true forward out of this pony and especially forward that I wasn't begging for or nagging him to do. I can't wait to get on him tomorrow and see what we can accomplish.

[Moutaineer]

Ha, Junior! Busted! Now she knows you can do it!

I had such an interesting ride today. In a good way. He tried his little dance number at the start of the canter work just as we got to the point where I was asking and getting him to come really through on the right rein. He's almost scared of giving up the control, I think. But once we got past that with me just gathering him back together, not allowing him to break from the canter and just quietly carrying on, he basically let me in and it was pretty magic really. A couple of nice FCs, some good adjustability in the canter and some lovely trot work. I even got floppy ears for a bit.