Harley

Note readers: I'm way behind again. I'm going to capture per horse what we've done that's worth mentioning. And starting tomorrow, I will update per day per ride. Blogger is giving me fits, only allowing irregular log ons. At a minimum, all rides will get recorded on my computer, and then updated as I can copy/paste. Too much to learn here, and, as I hear it, I'm inspiring some folks to want to ride more. No reason to quit blogging there, huH?

Harley, where we've been

Harley has had, 11/3 or so and 11-7, and it was just like he'd had frequent saddle time. We got a good solid 30 minutes together again, while some was on the lunge line, he's got a real knack for letting me know when he's done on the line. Repeated halts, turn to face me, licking and chewing. "Get on with it already, Lady. I know you're going to ride me, so Just Do It!"

Our rides are a LOT of walking, and a good amount of trot. The first trot ride, I focused on going in decent circles. He's sticking out shoulders, which is expected. What I am enjoying, is his "give" to the bit. He very quickly realized that to get me outta his mouth right now, all he has to do is lower his head. I'm giving him the inside rein loose, but holding a little on the outside rein. "Keeping up the wall", you might say.

His second trot ride on 11-7, I was a little more direct. I started out in circles, serpentines, loop-dee-loo's all around the arena. Realizing he was a little bored, I started guiding with my legs, and only using rein if I had to. Again, he's a fast learner. There were a few "ah hah" moments where I looked where I wanted to go, started to prepare my body, only to find him turning with me. Very nice.

Perhaps Harley's most inspiring moment lately, involved some cows. 75% of one long side of my arena is bordered by brush & trees, and behind that, the neighbor's cow pasture. Harley kept coming down the brush side, slowing, pausing, and looking. I assumed it was the neighbor's, their kids, dogs, deer, or cows. Then all of a sudden, Harley planted all four feet, refused to move on, and stared into the clearing. In a matter of seconds, a few dozen cows came bursting out from behind the brush, and moseyed on down their pasture lane towards the barn. As the last one became clear from the brush, Harley walked on peacefully, twisting his eye up to look at me. You know what I heard him say?

"Idiot Lady! I kept trying to tell you the cows was over there! But NOoOooOOO you didn't want to listen to baby horse me! I didn't need 'dem dere cows spookin' ya... So C'mon, next time I tells ya there's something over dere like dat, LOOK!!"

Silly Baby horse! :)

Show Video!

I was going to link up my show videos.
And then I wasn't.

And, now, I am. And you know why? Because I'm willing to accept the criticism anybody has to toss my way. I've got the scores and the results to go with these rides, from rated judges. These aren't USDF rated shows, they're little schooling events. Thus the lax attire. :)

So, watch, enjoy, critique. But, I will ask this. If you've got it to say, say it here. Comment, Email, or tell one of my frequent comment folks to pass it on anonymously. Please don't link it on your blog, or your friends' blogs, or on any public viewing forums. Speak your peace right here. We've got a beautiful ribboned wall showing how great we've done this year.

Oct 9th Sienna Stables, Training Test #1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXc1VbI_1co

Oct 9th Sienna Stables, Training Test #2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvwvoh5RiUA

Oct 30th HearthStone Stables, Training Test #3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnJyMAOLHEg

11/1/10 Romeo with Ease

Mo has a way with me. It's almost hard to capture in print. I suspect a video might show some facial expressions for us both that may come closer. But I'm going to try...

I walked towards his pasture, halter in-hand, and Mo nickered at me, his head through the pipe fence. "Yeah, buddy. You're up today. Ransom's on holiday. You ready for this?" He slid his head back into the pasture, licking and chewing.

He trotted alongside my quick long steps back to the trailer, his head at my shoulder. He knew enough of my body language meant business. I could almost hear him snickering at Harley as he jogged by. "I get to show you what it looks like today. Watch close, little one. This is how you get the GOOD cookies." Romeo tacked up a complete gentleman, and accepted the western bit a little easier than normal. Showoff in full mode, I see...

I walked him to his pasture, got out to the middle of it, and hopped on. Mo doesn't need lunged out, just walked enough in the saddle to tighten the cinch. We walked quite a while, and as he started lowering his head, and letting out heavy happy sighs, I squeezed him up. It wasn't long before we had a pleasant jog, neck reining various sizes of figure 8s all about the pasture.

I gave him a walk break, and admired the sharp south-east breezes and clouds rolling in. Cold front coming in that night, the wind whistled through the trees and brush. Romeo's ears flickered at it, but we both knew it was nothing to worry about.

With a little kiss, and a hearty kick, Romeo burst into the lope. He wanted to fly, and I obliged. Since we've spent so many hours loping and galloping around his pasture, I didn't spend much effort directing his feet. He knew were to go, and as long as he didn't dart to the barn, I left him alone.

And with the wind blowing my hair all about, the trees and weeds bending in the gusts, Romeo's little mane flapping with each stride, I laughed right out loud. THIS is what I love about this little horse. I haven't ridden him solid in over two weeks, and our last five rides I can remember, were bareback, and we didn't break out of the jog. But yet, even in the gusty weather, deer bustling in the shadows, I had him going as fast as his legs would carry us, totally, absolutely carefree.

And in that moment, whizzing around the arena, I glanced at Harley, and found him watching intently. I looked across the fenceline at Ransom, and he picked up his head from grazing, long enough to watch us briefly, before settling back on the grass.

Little Mo, you're no show horse. You're too slow for dressage, and too fast for western pleasure. You hated to jump, but carried me through a three-show series so I could learn. I'm not into cows, so who knows if that's the talent you hide. You're too little for halter, and still too small for reining. You were shot at by your last owners, so I know mounted shooting isn't in our future, either. But I can put anyone on you, any day, any time of the year no matter the season, and you're always the same. We won't wrangle any blue ribbons from rated judges, and folks can tease your legs aren't quite straight, and your neck shows just how much you cribbed as a kid. Nevertheless, Romeo, canter us on, across the green pastures, through the weeds and mole holes, choosing every hoof fall carefully, protecting yourself, and me. I know if I sold you, I'd have one heckuva dressage mount in the barn, for your worth is high. But sweetheart, I just can't do it. You'll carry my kids around some day, and any of my friends that want to ride. With happy tears, I tell you, you're not going anywhere. Rest easy, Five S Romeo, for you've found your forever home.

10/31/10 Harley Moves On

Rewarding Ransom for his service and efforts at Hearthstone, I walked him gently to his paddock. "Week off, sweetheart. Your shoes are loose, your toes are too long, and you've done well. Rest up, dear. We'll pick it back up on Friday or Saturday."

I retrieved Harley from his pasture with minimal effort. He licked and chewed as I latched the halter. Interesting, maybe he's starting to be happy to see me halter in-hand. I took him to the trailer, and with only a little fuss, got the fly spray on, got him groomed, legs wrapped. He moved off when he saw the saddle, I suspect a little disappointed we weren't only going to lunge lightly.

Saddled, with the bridle, lunge line, elbow pull, helmet, all in-hand, we wandered out to the arena. Harley hesitated a few times, I suspect thinking about some previous arena battles we've had. I made sure my gloves were on tight.

He bounced off on the lunge line from his halter, at a lofty little trot, tail extended. However, that didn't last long, before the burst of energy ran out, and he settled into a nice easy trot, asking for walk at every opportunity. After five minutes out on the free line, I put his bridle on, and added the elbow pull. It's a little too long to get a good result, and I'm either going to need to make another one, or add some knots by the clips, to shorten it a bit. Nevertheless, with it rigged up, he still had to lower his head & neck some at the walk, and plenty at the trot. When Harley found the release and held it a few trot strides each way, I stepped in front of the drive line. "Shhh", I told him, and he stopped quick, facing me. He walked towards me, licking and chewing. The look in his eye was honest, "I'm ready, Lady. Let's do whatever you came out here to do, because for all the stuff we've got here, I suspect you want to ride me. C'mon already, and do it."

Helmet on, I did what I always do before I put a foot in the stirrup with Harley. I prayed for a safe ride, and a quiet mind, for both of us. I asked him to walk on, and he obliged. Within no time, we settled into a rhythm, his legs and my hips. I walked him quite a while, until he started to remember that the bit meant turn, and I started to remember "direct rein only." See, too many rides on Romeo neck reining, I've picked up this habit of laying the indirect rein while tapping the direct rein. For Mo, that works - because I'm also using leg pressure. Harley, however, hasn't made the full connection of leg, to neck, to hand. We figured each other out turning at the walk, and I asked him to halt, seat and voice. With zero rein pressure, Harley came to a gentle stop.

With my bravery on all-out, I asked for walk, clucked to him, and squeezed my legs briefly. tap tap tap, Harley's head popped up and his body pushed into the trot. Bounce Bounce Bounce. He headed into an extended, slightly scared trot, and as I lifted my body into the posting trot, Harley's head came up. I slowed my post, and tried to post the tempo trot I wanted, not what I had. I bumped the inside rein, and he dropped his head with a heavy sigh. "Good job, Harley. That's what I want." I kept a light contact with my outside rein, bumping the inside rein only when he lifted his head. His nose wasn't flexed in, but at least his head was relaxed. Baby steps.

Our total time together came to about 40 minutes when we reached the trailer. I'd met a new goal - we're no longer working in Harley's pasture, but now out in the arena. The arena fence needs mending, again, so had we parted company, it would've been a long tedious retrieval. But Harley seems to understand his job - do what I ask, try hard at what he doesn't know, and the release will come.

11/02/10 Public Service Announcement

Get out the Vote!

Get your tails moving to the polls!

If you've voted, Good For You!

Now, go tell your friends, your family, your co-workers, *grin* go tell your enemies!

Let your voice be heard!

10-30-10 Training #3 D. Meyer, Judge

The weather was chilly! Our warmup lasted about fifteen to twenty minutes, no lunging. He warmed up stiff to start, as a result of the still and cool trailer ride. When he settled into his work, he was moving much better than the last Sunday show. He felt more even, more steady. And while still senior-ish stiff, Ransom had a perky attitude, and happy ears. He almost felt like he was smiling, happy to be out & about, in the ring, and feeling Momma's "show mind" reeling.


Training Level #3, D. Meyer, Judge
56.00%
1. Enter working trot, halt at X, salute, proceed wg orkintrot
6 = nearly square, could be more straight

2. Track left at C, Left at E, circle left 20m at X
6 = needs suppleness to bend

3. Circle right 20M at X, B turn right
5 = some loss of balance, some unevenness

4. – 5. Circle right 20m at A, right canter lead first quarter of circle
4. Transition
7 = obedient, could cover more ground

5. Circle
7 = covered here more ground, but steady tempo

6. E-B Half circle 20m, near centerline working trot, B straight ahead
6 = stiffness but comes against bit

7. A Medium walk
6 = slight braced in trans, some march

8. K-B free walk
7 = needs more swing through back

9. B-M medium walk, M working trot
4 = broke gaits

10. – 11. Circle left 20m at C, left canter lead first quarter of circle
10. Transition
6 = needs power from behind

11. Circle
6 = needs impulsion and power; bobs head

12. E-B Half circle 20m, near centerline working trot, B straight ahead
6 = heavy on shoulders

13. C, circle left 20m, rising trot, allowing the horse to stretch forward and downward, shorten reins before C
4 = no stretch shown, looks uneven, short L hind

14. Half circle at E 10m to X
X straight ahead, G halt salute.
5 = uneven steps. Halt L of CL

Rider comments
Gaits = 5
Impulsion = 5
Submission = 5
Rider = 6

Good team, strides become uneven when change direction in trot and weight shifts down on shoulders. OK in canter. Needs down stretch in walk and trot circles.

Um, Yeah... Okay.. So in Working Walk B-M, as I shortened the reins, Ransom felt the crisp, cool air, and absolutely insisted that trot was the right answer. LOL It made me giggle then, and it makes me giggle now, too. He felt good enough to WANT to work, and that's awesome. As to her other "4" plus comments, he didn't stretch to the ground, but he absolutely relaxed and reached some. There was much to see around the arena, though, as other horses, riders, and humans were wandering around. Ransom only wanted to say "hi!".

Ya know, I read this, and thought, "That's out of the way." Then, I remembered I left out ribbons. Shame Shame on me.. Especially for you folks who aren't on my Facebook.

First Place, out of Four Adult Amateurs!!!

10-29-10 Ransom Final to Show

Gathered up Ransom, all his lunging toys, and my mental awareness, and to the arena we go's.

He lunged very pretty, seemed his normal agreeable self. After a solid 10-15 minutes warmup & loosening up, I hopped aboard.

Ransom delighted me by not pulling out his "pre show crabs", but instead was entirely delightful. I got a nice 45 minute ride in, with solid hard work sets, alternating trot & canter. His free walk was average, stretchie trot not the greatest, but good enough.

I gave his ears a quick clip, shortened and thinned his mane a little, but opted against a bath. It was Thursday, after all, and if he had all day Friday to think about it, certainly he'd lay down AND roll. No point in wasting the soap, water, or my time.

I praised him for his good nature, blessed him with magic "do goodin" cookies, and had a mushy sappy "dang it gonna miss you old boy" moment. It still tears me up knowing we're nearly done...

Bring it, Ransom! We'll have quite the audience Saturday morning! Now, Momma's gonna go away tomorrow, go see another horsie-critter. While I'm gone, you keep moving around the pasture, keep those sweet legs loose, and all those muscles a movin'. Saturday, we're kicking tail, and takin' names! Let's do it!