Rode Friday day while a friend was at the barn. She wanted to see Elle go, hasn't seen her since Canonchet. I was apprehensive because it was 11:30am, but not as hot as it has been (although just as muggy). Put our regular tack on and went outside. After a brief wake-up with the stick, Elle was GREAT. I had the best canter on her. She was so balanced, so light, so bouncy. Felt like she was really powering from behind - I was so psyched! And, probably because she was so balanced, she was super easy to keep going through the corners. At the end of our last canter, she offered to be SUPER round, and stay bouncy - the essence of a real frame, and I didn't even ask for it! I guess that's when you know it's real :) Rode for about 30 minutes.
Now, Elle's had 2 days off, so back to work tonight. We DID practice trailer loading last night, and she was AWESOME. So whatever was up before doesn't seem to be an issue.
Will update tomorrow on how the ride tonight goes!
8.24.2009
8.21.2009
Something wrong...
Rode last night, something wasn't right. I can't put a finger on it. I changed both the bit and the saddle pad, which changed saddle fit dramatically, and her leg was a little swollen before I even got on. Perhaps the combination of the three things was off. Backwards was the best idea she could come up with, but I will say that with some resolve I got her going forwards, every time.
I knew something was wrong. So, I decided that as soon as she listened to all of my cues in a nice manner, we would quit. So, that's what we did. I DID give her a pop at the canter once - she rang her tail but surged forward. Good girl.
Got off, hosed her off, feeling her all over to see what I could see. Used Sore-No-More shampoo on her back, legs (except the icky one), neck, and butt, and let that sit and make her feel a little better. Scrubbed the icky leg with Betadine, rinsed the rest of her, and cold hosed the leg. So, our ride was short, but our TLC time was long.
No show @ OSHC this weekend, although I don't know when that was going to be posted somewhere.
I knew something was wrong. So, I decided that as soon as she listened to all of my cues in a nice manner, we would quit. So, that's what we did. I DID give her a pop at the canter once - she rang her tail but surged forward. Good girl.
Got off, hosed her off, feeling her all over to see what I could see. Used Sore-No-More shampoo on her back, legs (except the icky one), neck, and butt, and let that sit and make her feel a little better. Scrubbed the icky leg with Betadine, rinsed the rest of her, and cold hosed the leg. So, our ride was short, but our TLC time was long.
No show @ OSHC this weekend, although I don't know when that was going to be posted somewhere.
8.18.2009
Getting there
Rode Elle last night, I got out there around 6:30pm and we both had the sweat running off of us. It wasn't so bad that I couldn't change into breeches, though, so I tacked up and headed into the indoor. The footing is a little softer inside, plus there were lessons going on in the outdoor and it's really dusty out there.
Elle hasn't been worked consistently at ALL in the last week and a half, because of the leg (which looked good, if a tiny bit swollen), so I wasn't really sure what to expect. What I got at the beginning were spooks by one of the doors! Crazy Elle. We worked through that, it took about 8-10 passes before she was completely fine down there (only spooking in one direction). She's cool, though, because she doesn't get hot just because she's spooky in a place.
Lots of trots, lots of canters, not as many transitions or circles as normal. She took what Jackey thought were a few weird steps (we were kind of looking for the worst!), so we did some small circles and then some canter-trot-canter transitions, and she was completely sound, so whatever. After she worked for about 1/2 hour, I called it a day and hosed her off really well. Going up tonight to ride and hose and scrub, and then tomorrow I have my first lesson in a LOOOONGGG time! Nuts!
Elle hasn't been worked consistently at ALL in the last week and a half, because of the leg (which looked good, if a tiny bit swollen), so I wasn't really sure what to expect. What I got at the beginning were spooks by one of the doors! Crazy Elle. We worked through that, it took about 8-10 passes before she was completely fine down there (only spooking in one direction). She's cool, though, because she doesn't get hot just because she's spooky in a place.
Lots of trots, lots of canters, not as many transitions or circles as normal. She took what Jackey thought were a few weird steps (we were kind of looking for the worst!), so we did some small circles and then some canter-trot-canter transitions, and she was completely sound, so whatever. After she worked for about 1/2 hour, I called it a day and hosed her off really well. Going up tonight to ride and hose and scrub, and then tomorrow I have my first lesson in a LOOOONGGG time! Nuts!
8.13.2009
Back On Track
So, leg update: Monday the leg was SWOLLEN. Blown up, heat, mushy. I almost panicked! Cold hosed 2x, ended the night with a liniment brace that I didn't wrap. Tuesday, the leg was almost 100%. She was sound, but it was still puffy in the fetlock area - edema follows gravity. More cold hosing.
Wednesday it got cold hosed a couple of times and I decided to ride at night. I didn't want to stress the leg and the outdoor was kind of hard, so we worked for about 45 minutes on 2 different things - 1, being very responsive to the leg and to the reins, meaning go & whoa. The leg got AWESOME. The reins still need work - she stops fine but I want to have that unquestionable HALT when I so much as make a W sound. She was also super easy to do circles with, not that I did a ton because I wanted to save that leg if it was still ouchy.
The other thing we worked on was trotting on a loose contact, and going into and maintaining a nice canter with loose contact. This isn't something we've worked on a lot because I've been trying to avoid bucking fits - I think that that's reasonable! However, it got really good, probably partially because we did all of the sensitivity work prior to me letting her be on the loose rein.
All in all, it was a really really good ride, especially with having 3 days off.
Did more cold hosing & Vetrolin, and she unfortunately got today off because I had a ton of stuff going on. She'll be ridden early tomorrow morning, though, and then every day in the foreseeable future. On the 23 of this month I'm going to take her into a hunter pleasure class at OSHC! Wish us luck...
Wednesday it got cold hosed a couple of times and I decided to ride at night. I didn't want to stress the leg and the outdoor was kind of hard, so we worked for about 45 minutes on 2 different things - 1, being very responsive to the leg and to the reins, meaning go & whoa. The leg got AWESOME. The reins still need work - she stops fine but I want to have that unquestionable HALT when I so much as make a W sound. She was also super easy to do circles with, not that I did a ton because I wanted to save that leg if it was still ouchy.
The other thing we worked on was trotting on a loose contact, and going into and maintaining a nice canter with loose contact. This isn't something we've worked on a lot because I've been trying to avoid bucking fits - I think that that's reasonable! However, it got really good, probably partially because we did all of the sensitivity work prior to me letting her be on the loose rein.
All in all, it was a really really good ride, especially with having 3 days off.
Did more cold hosing & Vetrolin, and she unfortunately got today off because I had a ton of stuff going on. She'll be ridden early tomorrow morning, though, and then every day in the foreseeable future. On the 23 of this month I'm going to take her into a hunter pleasure class at OSHC! Wish us luck...
8.09.2009
Bummin'
Got up to the barn tonight after a long day (fighting with Matt and then spending time with my family raises my stress level to about an 8), and I was looking forward to a nice, long ride on the flat.
Went to pick out her feet and her RH leg was swollen. Not at the back, or on the inside, or in the joint, but on the outside. This, in fibrous tissue language, relates to: the suspensory, the check ligament, and the digital deep flexor tendon. In bone talk, the splint bone.
She was also off. Not head bobbing, not even SUPER off, just...not right. The leg, though, is not mushy or hot, it's pretty firm, but there is a definite bulge on the side of her leg.
So, cold hosed for 20 minutes, and then ended up wrapping all 4 legs, the "bad" one with Kool Out Clay. I didn't want to leave it alone, but I didn't feel comfortable sweating it with Furazone, either, until I did more research on that.
I'll be out in the morning to see what I've got. My theory is that she hit it on something, although I'm not sure how. I've learned from these years with horses though, that sometimes (most of the time) it's better NOT to ask how.
Went to pick out her feet and her RH leg was swollen. Not at the back, or on the inside, or in the joint, but on the outside. This, in fibrous tissue language, relates to: the suspensory, the check ligament, and the digital deep flexor tendon. In bone talk, the splint bone.
She was also off. Not head bobbing, not even SUPER off, just...not right. The leg, though, is not mushy or hot, it's pretty firm, but there is a definite bulge on the side of her leg.
So, cold hosed for 20 minutes, and then ended up wrapping all 4 legs, the "bad" one with Kool Out Clay. I didn't want to leave it alone, but I didn't feel comfortable sweating it with Furazone, either, until I did more research on that.
I'll be out in the morning to see what I've got. My theory is that she hit it on something, although I'm not sure how. I've learned from these years with horses though, that sometimes (most of the time) it's better NOT to ask how.
Rode Elle yesterday in the middle of the day, and the sun & heat again made her a little sluggish and unresponsive. I need to work on that - our shows, events, and trail rides are all going to be in the middle of the day, hopefully with the sun out. She needs to listen.
She wasn't bad, just not very forthcoming with energy. Once I cantered her, the trot got better, and we worked for a little bit on, "more, NOW." It got a little bit better. I felt deep in my seat and heel, but I did feel like I was rocking up her neck a little bit.
We went for a NICE canter, me in my half seat, all the way around the ring, and we maintained it through the corners. It was good, I was happy.
She felt nice after a bit, and the fences from the previous few days had all been lowered to "us" heights. So, we went to the first one, and she was GREAT. I closed my calf a little bit, not my spur, and stayed the same. She pointed her ears to the fence, and made a great effort over it. I was really impressed by her!
We ended up working on 4 different fences, all out of the trot, and she was good to all of them. I even was good! Not spectacular, but I'm so used to jumping Harley, and it's been so long since even that. I keep expecting big jumps over little stuff, or to be jumping big stuff! It'll get there, and she was a star - never even looked at a fence that I was pointing her at.
I think that the place that we need to go, now that I know she's okay with the fences, is to gymnastics. I think they do great things, especially for young horses, and they might keep her momentum going through the whole combination. I need to invest in a tape measure!
She wasn't bad, just not very forthcoming with energy. Once I cantered her, the trot got better, and we worked for a little bit on, "more, NOW." It got a little bit better. I felt deep in my seat and heel, but I did feel like I was rocking up her neck a little bit.
We went for a NICE canter, me in my half seat, all the way around the ring, and we maintained it through the corners. It was good, I was happy.
She felt nice after a bit, and the fences from the previous few days had all been lowered to "us" heights. So, we went to the first one, and she was GREAT. I closed my calf a little bit, not my spur, and stayed the same. She pointed her ears to the fence, and made a great effort over it. I was really impressed by her!
We ended up working on 4 different fences, all out of the trot, and she was good to all of them. I even was good! Not spectacular, but I'm so used to jumping Harley, and it's been so long since even that. I keep expecting big jumps over little stuff, or to be jumping big stuff! It'll get there, and she was a star - never even looked at a fence that I was pointing her at.
I think that the place that we need to go, now that I know she's okay with the fences, is to gymnastics. I think they do great things, especially for young horses, and they might keep her momentum going through the whole combination. I need to invest in a tape measure!
8.06.2009
Last month's goals and setting some new ones
July's report:
August's hopes:
- Elle got ridden 13/31 days this month. Those number suck. Why do I have such a motivation issue?
- Didn't get the trail riding done, but looking back it was either pouring or the nighttime when I went to ride, every time.
- We CAN canter all the way around the ring, both directions, 2x!
August's hopes:
- Ride 20/31 of the days this month.
- Trail ride 1x on the other side of the road by the end of August.
- Taking her to a busy show (probably H/J) by the end of August to let her hang out and go in the warmup or something (just to see how she is with lots of other horses around)
- Trailer out to trails (Carolina? Apple Knoll?) by August 16
- Start jumping Xrails and small fences again (have 2 sessions by August 16 and another 2 by the end of the month)
- Take a dressage lesson by the end of August
- School XC by the end of September
- REAL dressage show by the end of September
8.05.2009
Soooo.
Elle had yesterday off, because I suck at life.
Today! I put the Pessoa on her, plus some sheepskin/leather open fronts (since I just found out that polo wraps do nothing good), and hit the ring.
She was super soft and forward at the trot, and GREAT at the canter. She was a little distracted once a car showed up - her head would NOT come to the inside - but her turns and stretch were really good.
I decided to jump today! I looked around at all of the jumps set up, and the one that best suited our needs was a blue wave vertical with a pole kind of over it, kind of just on top of it. We did it from both directions a couple of times, from the trot, and she was GREAT! Actually jumped it, never looked, etc etc. I need work, and lots of it. I was rusty and I was ready for her to just clobber over in the trot, and I got left behind. I'm going to try some more tomorrow or the next day.
After the jumps, she wasn't cantering, but I could pop her up into the canter a stride or two after landing and we would canter our circle.
Don't feel like writing much but yay!
Elle had yesterday off, because I suck at life.
Today! I put the Pessoa on her, plus some sheepskin/leather open fronts (since I just found out that polo wraps do nothing good), and hit the ring.
She was super soft and forward at the trot, and GREAT at the canter. She was a little distracted once a car showed up - her head would NOT come to the inside - but her turns and stretch were really good.
I decided to jump today! I looked around at all of the jumps set up, and the one that best suited our needs was a blue wave vertical with a pole kind of over it, kind of just on top of it. We did it from both directions a couple of times, from the trot, and she was GREAT! Actually jumped it, never looked, etc etc. I need work, and lots of it. I was rusty and I was ready for her to just clobber over in the trot, and I got left behind. I'm going to try some more tomorrow or the next day.
After the jumps, she wasn't cantering, but I could pop her up into the canter a stride or two after landing and we would canter our circle.
Don't feel like writing much but yay!
8.03.2009
8.02.2009
On the run
I slacked. I didn't ride yesterday or today. As a quick note, I GOT A TRAILER!! So it's officially time to get my butt in gear and ride, ride, ride. New goals for the month coming in the morning.
8.01.2009
Contrast
Had a not-so-good ride last night.
To make a long story short, she ended up feeling rushy and I grabbed her head back instead of loosening and pushing her forward (what always makes her slow down and balance up). We ended up fighting for our stops with that bit, something I really didn't want to do. I'd honestly rather go back to a bit that she's going to grab at than one that is making her open her mouth and brace, so I'll shop around for a little while but in the mean time I'm going to put either the eggbutt french link or the oval mouth D on her. Actually, what I really want is the french link loose ring, so I just have to stretch the bit guards over that.
I got off feeling like it was a really, really crappy ride, but made myself stop and think about some things:
Oh, and another thing worth noting, when she gets "hot," I can either loosen my reins (sometimes she breaks to trot/walk) or circle her and she comes right back.
To make a long story short, she ended up feeling rushy and I grabbed her head back instead of loosening and pushing her forward (what always makes her slow down and balance up). We ended up fighting for our stops with that bit, something I really didn't want to do. I'd honestly rather go back to a bit that she's going to grab at than one that is making her open her mouth and brace, so I'll shop around for a little while but in the mean time I'm going to put either the eggbutt french link or the oval mouth D on her. Actually, what I really want is the french link loose ring, so I just have to stretch the bit guards over that.
I got off feeling like it was a really, really crappy ride, but made myself stop and think about some things:
- All except 1 of our circles was easy
- We can canter around the indoor, both ways, for "as long as I want" - atleast a couple of times
- Her transitions were perfect - we worked on walk NOW, trot NOW, and canter SOON (I give her a few steps of trot from the walk to bump up)
- She didn't even THREATEN to do anything mean
- Our lead changes are down to 2-3 trot strides, both on a serpentine & a figure-8
- I can ask her to counter canter, and she can do the straight sides and about 1 turn before she gets on her forehand and unbalanced
Oh, and another thing worth noting, when she gets "hot," I can either loosen my reins (sometimes she breaks to trot/walk) or circle her and she comes right back.
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