4/7/2013 Harley

  http://youtu.be/nYVn0IBt1UY 

 I warmed him up quickly to see if the camera was in the right spot.  The entire ride is on video above. 

Things I know.. 

Shoulders back!  Sit Up! 

Heels down!  How ugly are they?  Ew... That's definitely something that needs improving.  I need to start stretching them down on stairs and things, get those muscles back in shape.

His canters were nice.  See where I shortened the reins?  Nicer movements!

I also need to wear spurs in this saddle, now that he's adjusted to it.  Before today, I was hesitant, since he was still bucking and throwing mini-fits.  Now, after four days straight riding both horses, my legs are calling me all kinds of nasty names.  

The good things?  His trot is pretty - even when he's not collected, his legs are a-movin'. 

Enjoy the video.. Feel free to critique.  We can take it.  However, if you're one of those nasty bloggers that steals video for others' pleasure?  You suck!  If picking on a young horse in a saddle he's barely been exposed to makes you smile, I hope the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits. :)

4/7/2013 Romeo

We are preparing for a road trip.  I'm not saying more than that, until after it happens.  Why?  Because Karma's a b#tch, and I think she has my phone #.  :)

Mo and I headed back to the arena.  I rode him up first, lots and lots of trot.   First five walk, ten minutes trot, 3-4 canter, back to ten trot, five walk and done.

In his early trot, I worked on dog & frog stretches, hoping to lengthen my legs some.  It worked, a bit.  I trotted him over two ground poles spaced about 2.5' apart or so ... never did measure that.. hmm

We took off at the canter, focusing only on figure 8s with simple changes.  Heading from the right lead to the left lead, I glanced at the ground poles, and thought, "Quit looking.. He's going to the right of them."  I looked off hard to the right of the poles.

I really did stare to the right of the poles.  Until about two strides out, when it became incredibly apparently Romeo was going OVER those poles.  Oi vey.  Rather than run into the jump standard, I looked at the line off past the poles.  He bounded over them in one big leap.  O. M. G.!  That horse!  I laughed, because when I glanced down to see what canter, yup, he changed.  Flying change, over a spread of ground poles.  Monster...

Couldn't get him to jump at the canter when I wanted him to.. Now, apparently he's going to do it all on his own. 

He came back to trot after that pretty easily, much to my surprise.  We walked it out a few minutes, then went back to trot work.  Only.  Quiet.  Trot Work.

Monster!

4/6/13 More Steady

Harley, dressage.  His warm up bothered him towards the end.  I snapped the whip with the string visible rather than off behind, and he tore off at gallop-left like I had shot him.  I got him calmed down, but as soon as the string wiggled, he took off yet again.  Once he realized the string wasn't a snake to eat him, I hopped on.

I wore my tall boots, spurs, and had the Myler combo bit on the lowest ring.  Biggest influence.  I shortened my reins over the first 10 minutes of the ride, gently increasing the request.  Rather than plain circles, we rode 3-loop serpentines, diagonals, and only a few circles.  I didn't stay in the same direction much at all.  Lots of transitions.  In the X-line on the serpentines, I'd break to walk for 2-5 steps, then up to trot, often changing direction at the same time.  On the diagonal, much of the same.

When I asked for the first canter-right, I was delighted.  It worked.  He was together, smooshed, and had an uphill canter.  MUCH better than the strung out mess it has been.  After canter, his trot was forward and energetic.  Very nice.

Canter-left at first ask, was lazy.  He hung on the forehand, and stumbled pretty big.  Nice & dramatic.  He quickly picked himself up, but wasn't round.  Head up, nose out and bent to the outside.  Yuck.  I held my inside hand out from his neck, and guided his body with my legs.  Things improved, and when I had 4 nice canter strides, back to trot. 

There were very few stretchy-trot circles today.  When he had a walk break, I let him stretch out & down, but I didn't stay there long.  Towards the end, he got incredibly lazy at canter.  I popped him with both spurs and a harsh yell all at once.  He quickly lifted his whole body, and after a few wild strides, he settled into a canter-left almost identical to the canter-right.  Fantastic.

Romeo got much of the same, focusing on serpentines, leg yields, and lots of direction and transition in walk and trot.  In the canter, all figure8s with simple changes in the middle.  He felt very relaxed, and all but the changes were done on a fairly loose rein.  All the serpentines were done by looking in direction, and not with reins or leg aids.  Delightful.  The transitions were almost exclusively on "air brakes".  This is something to teach every trail horse, at least I think... Msg me or comment here if you're new, or missed the first few air brake lessons. 

 

4/5/13 Counter Canter

Mo and I took it light.  I gave him a very thorough scrubbing with the curry and grooming block to get shedding hair off.  It was successful, but he's nowhere near done.  I ended us with a 15 minute walk down the road & back.  Bareback, halter with the lead rope tied back to itself (lazy neck reins).  At the back edge of CRNG's yard, a deer rustled up out of the trees and into his yard.  Mo came to a complete, startled stop.  Good boy, Mo!  Especially when Momma's got nothin' to hold onto but yer mane.  Good Boy! 

Harley and I were out in the arena, riding dressage, looking for any inkling of 'tude from the day before.  None apparent.  His warm up was easy, and the ride was a giggle.  He fought the bit more than I would've liked, and didn't have all the energy I was hoping for.  I did a few simple canter lead changes down the diagonals, and it seemed to wake him up.  Since Mo had counter-canter Thursday, I wondered if Harley could do the same.

Nope.  Not one bit.  Harley broke to trot before the end of every diagonal, and changed leads to the "correct" on every circle.  I laughed.  It was about all I could do.  I'm sure down the road, once he gains better balance and more topline muscle, he'll be better developed (mentally and physically), and the counter-canter won't seem such an impossible chore.  Still, with all the work I've done to get the "correct" lead every time I ask, it's nice he has learned the lesson and is willing to stick with it.

Saturday, however, work needs doing.  He's hanging on the bit, heavy in my hands, and generally lazy.  I need to find some steady impulse trot rhythm again.

4/4/2013

Harley up first, jump saddle.  Naughty boy!  His warm up was very lazy, so I hopped on pretty quickly.  He chose to head left first, with some really nice trot & canter work.  Then the naughty began.  I turned him right, his trot was short, and when I asked for a canter, he bucked up in back.  "NO!" I hollered, pulling his head around.  I sent him back out at the trot, still short & choppy.  I asked for another canter.  More bucking.  "NO!  That will NOT be tolerated!"  I slapped his neck more for the noise than pain.  I sent him back out at the trot, and couldn't get any kind of forward, just head tossing and a fussy "I'll go anywhere I want to" kind of attitude.  I hopped off, backed him up hard, scolded him again.  I sent him back out on the longe line, immediately to canter-right.  He threw another baby fit, then tore off at a big extended canter.  "I told you.  You can, you just don't want to."  When it became apparent he was giving up, I got back on.  Immediately back to right circle, at a trot.  NOW I was getting a nice forward trot.  I asked for a canter, being sure to have heels down.  I sat only to ask, and as soon as he cantered up, I lifted off his back just a bit.  We cantered a few circles, and I let him trot.  Lather, rinse, repeat.  Lots of trot-canter-trot, more right than left.  I had intended to only briefly canter, and work more on lengthening/shortening trot stride in our continued adjustment to the new saddle.  Harley had other plans, apparently.

Romeo was equally ornery, well, for Mo that is.  His walk warm up he was lazy and slow.  I asked for trot, and had to get after him to get more than a trippy/shuffly jog.  I asked for a gentle canter, and got the impression all he wanted to do was run.  We worked on some counter-canter, which he did NOT enjoy.  Both times we got back to the "correct lead direction", he let out a heavy sigh.  hmm.. note to self.. counter-canter Harley in the dressage saddle soon  Again in some easy canter, he wanted to run, and so we did, hand-galloping at least one lap around the arena.  I tried a few rollbacks, and the more we did, the better they got.  Two simple lead changes and we were done.

Felt good to ride both on a work night.  I hope for more of the same all weekend.  Well, minus the whole bucking fits. 

Harley to the Mailbox - April Fool's

I grabbed Harley, saddled him up endurance, and down the road we went.  Brave in the blustery wind, yet another windy day.  grr.

He was awesome heading towards the end of the road and the mailboxes.  He paused twice - once for barking running dogs, and again when he spotted the donkeys.  I was really surprised he was so relaxed going that far.  Things were going so well...

*insert the theme music to JAWS here*

We turned around towards home, and suddenly, he got googly eyed at the donkey pasture.  No live animals were in there that I could see.  He snorted and got incredibly terrified of something. I have no clue what.  I hopped off, and tried to walk him towards the fence.  Nothing doing.  He was having NO part of that fence line or pasture.  I hand walked him by it, until he relaxed, then got back on.  I could feel a bit of tension still, but at least he wasn't snorting.

Neighbor's young horse screamed out, and ran at a full gallop towards the fence line.  Harley paniced again.  I hopped off, and had to hand walk his oogly terrified self the rest of the way home.  That young'in screamed the rest of the way back to the house.  I don't know if something happened after we left, or what.  The goofy youngster made all kinds of noise at us.   I think he was jealous Harley was out for a walk, and that he's so handsome, but I don't translate horse too well.

It started out as a nice walk, and as he made the corner towards the house, he relaxed again.  Total time, 25 minutes.  We're going to make it to that mailbox and back this year, I'm sure of it.

Monkey Mondays - The Introductions

I have been longing for a donkey for MONTHS now.  Why?  Because they're cute, funny, and plenty of blog and real life humor could be had with a donkey.  However, I'm not seeing too many donkeys for sale, nor for inexpensive prices.  Monkey arrived yesterday in the mail, and he's going to be our humor until I run out of adventures for him.  Sometimes, he'll have a story, sometimes, he'll just have a picture or two.  Here goes! 

Romeo and I were walking back home, when I decided I should get the mail.  Usually, a few pieces of flat, fold-able mail, I can stuff them in my waistband and head on home.  Today, was going to be a bit more difficult.

 Royal Mail  - This monkey travels in style.

 His origin.  Monkey is a celebrity where he grew up.  He's the mascot for PG Tips Tea Co, and even has his own website.   Stirlingshire Saddle Fitters have been taking a cousin of my Monkey, Monkee, everywhere with them, and he's been having a lot of fun. 

 This item does not contain dangerous articles.  Uh Oh ... I wonder how true that is .. Or isn't ..

 Hello?  Let me out, please?  I won't get into too much trouble .. I'm skeerd already.

 So, there's Monkey.  Already hanging out by the computer, admiring a picture of me and Harley. 

Tee-shirt!  Monkey Says RELAX.  Smart fellow, don't you think