Harley and Romeo received a healthy trim Thursday. Both had very long hooves, though Harley had been chipping up and self-trimming, though very unevenly. With their new feet, I wasn’t sure how Harley would feel. Would he move out freely, be awkward as he adjusted to the trim, or be on tip-toes and thin soles?
So I tossed him out on the longe line, and found while a little awkward, he was forward, and light. Nice… No sensitivity in the grass, or on the sand. Nice…
I had stuck the bareback pad on him, so after some free longe all three gaits, I hopped on from the mounting block. Note.. From The Mounting Block. Not hopping from the ground, but I was able to walk him over to the steps, push his hindquarters to the block, and easily slide onto his back. He stood statue-still, and didn’t move on until I squeezed him with my legs. Nice!
We wandered the arena, with some halts and flexes, all with pretty decent results. I walked him quite a while, and found he moved pretty freely. In fact, I was using my standard amount of leg pressure, and he tried to pick up trot a few times. Well, alrighty then. If I’m adding leg, and Harley wants to trot, then let’s trot.
At first, he wasn’t real sure he wanted to trot, but realizing that it was okay to move forward, and I wasn’t going anywhere, he continued on. It wasn’t show-pretty, but I was out trotting mostly sitting, on a loose rein, and he was pretty steady moving forward. It wasn’t the biggest trot he has, but it was steady and consistent. Easy to ride..
A total of about 25 minutes including the longe. When I got back to the wash rack, R said to me, “Holy cow! I saw you bouncing around back there, but I had no idea you didn’t have a saddle on him! Good Boy, Harley!”
Showing posts with label Bareback. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bareback. Show all posts
Monday, May 2, 2011
Monday, October 4, 2010
10/2/10 Ransom and Concentrating
I gathered Ransom up, his twisted wire bit, and my helmet. The weather, well, more of the same awesome goodness. I took advantage. Yes, two days in a row, which in the heat I'd been on every other day, but gosh dernit. I wanted to enjoy the sunshine! :)
So bareback we went, and I hopped on with no warmup. Immediately, he bounded forward in this incredible free walk. Happy head, happy floppy ears, and we were going somewhere on a mission! I could almost hear Ransom whistling.
I concentrated a bit. What was my body doing? What were my legs doing (nothing, flapping around).. What were my hands doing (actively following his head, but relaxed).. What were my shoulders and back doing (not much, again, swinging along with him).
So the key to the free walk, is relax. I asked him to collect up a little, and the walk shortened. I felt his back collect, and hollow, collect, and hollow. I added leg, and started paying closer attention. It took a combination of a lot of seat, a lot of leg, and a little hand to get a good forward collected walk.
To ensure I still had the balance, and because Ransom was tired of just walking, I added in some good sitting trot, and a little canter. Sitting up tall, the canter was amazing. Sitting trot? Short. Understandable, since I was occasionally losing my balance in his big trot, and he would shorten his stride, and come to me, almost "catching me."
A sweet twenty five minutes of blissful uselessness. I mentally got a few things on record, but that was as motivated as I got. *grin* Weather weather weather.. thank you for making riding relaxing.
So bareback we went, and I hopped on with no warmup. Immediately, he bounded forward in this incredible free walk. Happy head, happy floppy ears, and we were going somewhere on a mission! I could almost hear Ransom whistling.
I concentrated a bit. What was my body doing? What were my legs doing (nothing, flapping around).. What were my hands doing (actively following his head, but relaxed).. What were my shoulders and back doing (not much, again, swinging along with him).
So the key to the free walk, is relax. I asked him to collect up a little, and the walk shortened. I felt his back collect, and hollow, collect, and hollow. I added leg, and started paying closer attention. It took a combination of a lot of seat, a lot of leg, and a little hand to get a good forward collected walk.
To ensure I still had the balance, and because Ransom was tired of just walking, I added in some good sitting trot, and a little canter. Sitting up tall, the canter was amazing. Sitting trot? Short. Understandable, since I was occasionally losing my balance in his big trot, and he would shorten his stride, and come to me, almost "catching me."
A sweet twenty five minutes of blissful uselessness. I mentally got a few things on record, but that was as motivated as I got. *grin* Weather weather weather.. thank you for making riding relaxing.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
6/28/10 Goofing Off
I gathered up Ransom, in a bareback pad, and his twisted wire bit.. Half chaps, helmet for me.
No warmup, no side reins, just hopped aboard and got down to it. Most of the work was collected, yes. I barely cantered, just a circle or two each way. 98% of the focus was on his walk. Forward, pushing, stretching under. Some trot, but since I can't sit a really nice forward trot on him yet, I didn't want to reinforce short strides.
Being silly, I also did some turns on forehand, turns on haunches, and some side passing. My goodness can Ransom side pass! Funniest thing! No clue how he learned that, no clue why that was ever useful in his life, but he's good at it! Also rode some leg yields at the walk, up centerline, and yield towards the rail. I tried shoulder in, but only got a step or two - makes me thinks I'm not asking right for it.
We goofed off for about 45 minutes. He got crabby towards the end refusing to halt pretty, so I kept him at a collected walk. Loosen the reins every time he'd relax, then ask for halt again. If he tossed his noggin, back to short reins, release a little bit by little bit, down to a halt. I got a handful of these pretty, and called it "good".
I'm all for focus and intensity.. but I'm also all for flat-out goofing off, too!
No warmup, no side reins, just hopped aboard and got down to it. Most of the work was collected, yes. I barely cantered, just a circle or two each way. 98% of the focus was on his walk. Forward, pushing, stretching under. Some trot, but since I can't sit a really nice forward trot on him yet, I didn't want to reinforce short strides.
Being silly, I also did some turns on forehand, turns on haunches, and some side passing. My goodness can Ransom side pass! Funniest thing! No clue how he learned that, no clue why that was ever useful in his life, but he's good at it! Also rode some leg yields at the walk, up centerline, and yield towards the rail. I tried shoulder in, but only got a step or two - makes me thinks I'm not asking right for it.
We goofed off for about 45 minutes. He got crabby towards the end refusing to halt pretty, so I kept him at a collected walk. Loosen the reins every time he'd relax, then ask for halt again. If he tossed his noggin, back to short reins, release a little bit by little bit, down to a halt. I got a handful of these pretty, and called it "good".
I'm all for focus and intensity.. but I'm also all for flat-out goofing off, too!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
5/30/10 Ransom Again
I've got a lesson in the morning with Jen. I suspect it'll be hunt seat, some on the lunge line for "Airplane arms" refresher course with his new legs.
R was available to, um, monitor? Okay, let me be honest.. I wanted to show off! I've been doing so much good, forward trot, and sweet canter bareback, and goshdagit I wanted somebody to see!
It took us a total of 5 minutes to get him "dressed", me helmet wearing, and in the arena. I hopped on, and he quickly warmed into a nice walk. A comforting walk. One that said, "Mom, thanks for waiting a little while later in the day for the workout."
I rode him up at a walk, and trot, but feeling his trot a little stickie, I pushed early in the warmup for a canter. This may be wrong, but, in my mind, when horses "go" in the wild, it seems more canter than trot. So, given his age, I was hoping canter would warm up those muscles a little easier. Not sure. But it worked.
His trot picked up nice & forward then, "going somewhere." R watched intently, and described his back legs as "more up & forward, and less stiff, less dragging his hooves." Sweet! I pushed for lots of good sitting trot work (because posting trot, in the puffy bareback pad, with no stirrups, and worse, nothing for my seat to "grab to" just didn't seem real bright), and a good load of canter work again.
That canter, bareback, is to DIE for. I love it. He barely moves his back, so my seat is almost stationary. I can focus on my heels, my lower legs, and my shoulders. It's really nice. I caught myself lifting my inside leg at the trot-to-canter-left transition, and have been working on it. Explains why my left stirrup keeps popping loose in the dressage seat. oops!
I stink at keeping up with this lately, I know. Working on doing better at it. But, let's just say, LIFE has gotten in the way of the dear blog. I'm not stopping, I'm not quitting, just easing up some. Maybe I'll get better here real soon. And just 'cause I ain't commenting, don't mean I don't love ya'll any less. :)
R was available to, um, monitor? Okay, let me be honest.. I wanted to show off! I've been doing so much good, forward trot, and sweet canter bareback, and goshdagit I wanted somebody to see!
It took us a total of 5 minutes to get him "dressed", me helmet wearing, and in the arena. I hopped on, and he quickly warmed into a nice walk. A comforting walk. One that said, "Mom, thanks for waiting a little while later in the day for the workout."
I rode him up at a walk, and trot, but feeling his trot a little stickie, I pushed early in the warmup for a canter. This may be wrong, but, in my mind, when horses "go" in the wild, it seems more canter than trot. So, given his age, I was hoping canter would warm up those muscles a little easier. Not sure. But it worked.
His trot picked up nice & forward then, "going somewhere." R watched intently, and described his back legs as "more up & forward, and less stiff, less dragging his hooves." Sweet! I pushed for lots of good sitting trot work (because posting trot, in the puffy bareback pad, with no stirrups, and worse, nothing for my seat to "grab to" just didn't seem real bright), and a good load of canter work again.
That canter, bareback, is to DIE for. I love it. He barely moves his back, so my seat is almost stationary. I can focus on my heels, my lower legs, and my shoulders. It's really nice. I caught myself lifting my inside leg at the trot-to-canter-left transition, and have been working on it. Explains why my left stirrup keeps popping loose in the dressage seat. oops!
I stink at keeping up with this lately, I know. Working on doing better at it. But, let's just say, LIFE has gotten in the way of the dear blog. I'm not stopping, I'm not quitting, just easing up some. Maybe I'll get better here real soon. And just 'cause I ain't commenting, don't mean I don't love ya'll any less. :)
Saturday, May 29, 2010
The long holiday weekend
I sat at my desk Thursday afternoon, and said right out loud, "If I had to work Friday, I'd call in dead." I can't even type about what happened, but it happened Tuesday late morning, and it was pretty crummy. At some point, it'd be a neat learning experience for the "closet chemists" among us, but not worth repeating just yet.
So, riding, back to riding. Things in life always seem better from the back of a horse, don't they? Thursday, let me think...
Thursday, I think I rode. Yeah, Ransom. Dressage again, thinking he would need a few steady days back to work post-mosquitoes before any airplane arm silliness. He's awesome, he needs very little warmup, and after about fifteen minutes of all gaits light contact, he stretches down into collection, and, well, it's heavenly.
Friday Friday Friday.. What the hoo did I do on Friday?! The boys got new feet, which is awesome. Mr D saves the day with nice short feets and happy shoes. Love it! He's great, keeps track of the schedule, calls me a week ahead of time, and tends to my boys without demanding my presence. Love that! I also did laundry, housework, ran errands, decided my rump needed more horse time. But what to do? Oh yes ... Bareback, about 35 minutes before the mosquitoes from hell arrived in the arena. Walk, trot, canter. Yeah, that trot, with his new legs, wow! A little hard to sit bareback without serious collection. Now, his canter? Honey, all day long! No problem. Gosh it's smooth.
Saturday. Romeo Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo, with your newly trimmed toes, and your happy little self? Ransom? Yeah, you're covered in sweat from the heat, don't think I'm riding you today.
So Romeo, let's go play bareback in a halter, hmm? We're just gonna walk, nah, let's trot a little too. Oh yeah, sassy pants? You think you're gonna be silly at the trot, tossin' that happy little noggin? Oh yeah?! AH! Well, that's why God put mane on a horse. Wadda mane, cluck, kiss kiss, squeeze. WHEE! Oh yeah! That's smooth, toO! Now, it ain't Ransom smooth, but sweetie, it'll do me just great! Love that bareback Mo canter, too!
My boys spoil me. No long warmup lunges, no silly side reins in circles, and no "bracing for terror" gallop in the warmup. Love them for that! Especially when it's so frigging hot out, so early in the year, that we're all dying after the ride ends.
So, riding, back to riding. Things in life always seem better from the back of a horse, don't they? Thursday, let me think...
Thursday, I think I rode. Yeah, Ransom. Dressage again, thinking he would need a few steady days back to work post-mosquitoes before any airplane arm silliness. He's awesome, he needs very little warmup, and after about fifteen minutes of all gaits light contact, he stretches down into collection, and, well, it's heavenly.
Friday Friday Friday.. What the hoo did I do on Friday?! The boys got new feet, which is awesome. Mr D saves the day with nice short feets and happy shoes. Love it! He's great, keeps track of the schedule, calls me a week ahead of time, and tends to my boys without demanding my presence. Love that! I also did laundry, housework, ran errands, decided my rump needed more horse time. But what to do? Oh yes ... Bareback, about 35 minutes before the mosquitoes from hell arrived in the arena. Walk, trot, canter. Yeah, that trot, with his new legs, wow! A little hard to sit bareback without serious collection. Now, his canter? Honey, all day long! No problem. Gosh it's smooth.
Saturday. Romeo Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo, with your newly trimmed toes, and your happy little self? Ransom? Yeah, you're covered in sweat from the heat, don't think I'm riding you today.
So Romeo, let's go play bareback in a halter, hmm? We're just gonna walk, nah, let's trot a little too. Oh yeah, sassy pants? You think you're gonna be silly at the trot, tossin' that happy little noggin? Oh yeah?! AH! Well, that's why God put mane on a horse. Wadda mane, cluck, kiss kiss, squeeze. WHEE! Oh yeah! That's smooth, toO! Now, it ain't Ransom smooth, but sweetie, it'll do me just great! Love that bareback Mo canter, too!
My boys spoil me. No long warmup lunges, no silly side reins in circles, and no "bracing for terror" gallop in the warmup. Love them for that! Especially when it's so frigging hot out, so early in the year, that we're all dying after the ride ends.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
04/27/10 eeP! That's FUN!
Follow along with my thought process for Tuesday evening...
Geez, Ransom is up to, hmm, Thursday,Friday,Saturday,Sunday,Monday, my gosh... today's day 6! Talk about no gas in the tank if I keep up this level of high energy work?! Okay, let's lunge. Wait, I'm committing to QUIT lunging so much and just ride. Okay, let's grab the western saddle, go goof off. No, that's almost too easy and hard to make long enough to even stretch his legs. Let's grab the bareback pad, that'll do. I'll go to the arena, twisted bit, and have my lunge line just in case he's a doof.
Okay, here we are, at the arena. Aw, heck! This IS day 6! We don't need no stinkin' lunge line, do we baby boy?! Got the bridle on, pad's as tight as I can fix it, wiggle up, Ah, I'm on. And of we are at a walk.
That feels great! I'd swear I was in my dressage saddle if somebody else asked. This is really comfy. Ransom, you're doing great! All sweet long & low. Shorten my reins, ahhh, collected walk is really smooth up here.
Well, better now or never. squeeze, up! cool, a, ew, yuck, this ain't comfy at aLL! yucko trot, Rans. No, ain't your fault. You're collected, but those withers are still up - there. Yuck. Hmm, I'm in a good spot in the arena. Look where you want to go, oh geez, I hope he doesn't...
Squeeze... Yeah, my bad, I know I leaned forward really ugly like. Sorry, dude. Bad idea, maybe you're right. No, we'll never do it if I don't try, squeeze, wadda mane, squeeze.
Oh my holy geepers awesome! EEP! It's a canter! bareback! Holy me! I didn't see those loose reins until right now. Goodness, gather up, ooooooooooooh... my goodness, why do I ever use a saddle?! This bareback collected canter is DA BOMB! exhale, knees.. back to a trot, good buddy.
Ransom and I rode together walk, trot, canter (two sets each direction) bareback for about a half hour.
Alright, dear, I have to know, can I? Squeeze, up to canter, good, one circle, two circle, let's just see... Awwwww freaking YAY! Airplane arms for 7-8-9-10-11-12, yup, that's about a circle, let's gather up & walk it out.
I am reminded on days like Tuesday how blessed I am to have found Ransom. Airplane arms, bareback, at the canter, we made almost an entire circle. And not the whole arena, but about a 35-40m circle - at one end of the arena. He followed my seat & legs the entire ride. We were connected... it was incredible.
Needless to say, Ransom had Wednesday off. I think we both earned it.
Geez, Ransom is up to, hmm, Thursday,Friday,Saturday,Sunday,Monday, my gosh... today's day 6! Talk about no gas in the tank if I keep up this level of high energy work?! Okay, let's lunge. Wait, I'm committing to QUIT lunging so much and just ride. Okay, let's grab the western saddle, go goof off. No, that's almost too easy and hard to make long enough to even stretch his legs. Let's grab the bareback pad, that'll do. I'll go to the arena, twisted bit, and have my lunge line just in case he's a doof.
Okay, here we are, at the arena. Aw, heck! This IS day 6! We don't need no stinkin' lunge line, do we baby boy?! Got the bridle on, pad's as tight as I can fix it, wiggle up, Ah, I'm on. And of we are at a walk.
That feels great! I'd swear I was in my dressage saddle if somebody else asked. This is really comfy. Ransom, you're doing great! All sweet long & low. Shorten my reins, ahhh, collected walk is really smooth up here.
Well, better now or never. squeeze, up! cool, a, ew, yuck, this ain't comfy at aLL! yucko trot, Rans. No, ain't your fault. You're collected, but those withers are still up - there. Yuck. Hmm, I'm in a good spot in the arena. Look where you want to go, oh geez, I hope he doesn't...
Squeeze... Yeah, my bad, I know I leaned forward really ugly like. Sorry, dude. Bad idea, maybe you're right. No, we'll never do it if I don't try, squeeze, wadda mane, squeeze.
Oh my holy geepers awesome! EEP! It's a canter! bareback! Holy me! I didn't see those loose reins until right now. Goodness, gather up, ooooooooooooh... my goodness, why do I ever use a saddle?! This bareback collected canter is DA BOMB! exhale, knees.. back to a trot, good buddy.
Ransom and I rode together walk, trot, canter (two sets each direction) bareback for about a half hour.
Alright, dear, I have to know, can I? Squeeze, up to canter, good, one circle, two circle, let's just see... Awwwww freaking YAY! Airplane arms for 7-8-9-10-11-12, yup, that's about a circle, let's gather up & walk it out.
I am reminded on days like Tuesday how blessed I am to have found Ransom. Airplane arms, bareback, at the canter, we made almost an entire circle. And not the whole arena, but about a 35-40m circle - at one end of the arena. He followed my seat & legs the entire ride. We were connected... it was incredible.
Needless to say, Ransom had Wednesday off. I think we both earned it.
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