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DJR

I saw the place and it's a really nice property with a well-thought-out design. It would easily be amenable to a private operation. The arena has nice footing and good lighting. The cover's warranty, though, is expired I'm told so that's a thought. The barn is quite nice. The pastures & paddocks...

DJR

I haven't ridden my horses in a week because of the crappy weather (tons of rain here, and cold, too). In the meantime, though, I went to see my 3-yr-old who has had one month of work to date. He is by Sir Wanabi (Hanoverian) out of my purebred Shire mare. He has been carrying weight in the saddle f...

DJR

As a parent, I'd resent and worry over every single minute of that extra commute time and even chore time. I know we're talking about horses but the time factor is hugely significant when it's taking away from your loved ones. I thought about that today when I was driving home after being away over...

DJR

I can't put a cover over my outdoor because the outdoor is next to & under a power line easement. There is no way to cover it. And even if I could, the financing to cover it in a climate that requires snow load issues, etc., is prohibitive (at least for the foreseeable future). I've ridden in ar...

DJR

So, with respect to a time map, here's what I came up with: Current situation: Board x 5 mo (worst case) with riding 4 times a week (on average, less in the coldest months). -40 min commute total (there & back) -get home typically at 6 or 6:30, occasionally earlier, about once a week it's later ...

DJR

I'm in a similar situation at home without an indoor - no plans to build at this point either. This property does sound lovely as you described. However, I recall that you ride large horses and currently school in a large ring. I would consider the down-sizing to the 60x120' ring. I ride in a small...

DJR

I'm in a similar situation at home without an indoor - no plans to build at this point either. This property does sound lovely as you described. However, I recall that you ride large horses and currently school in a large ring. I would consider the down-sizing to the 60x120' ring. I ride in a small...

DJR

I think you might want to buy someone's time if you make this leap. Your commute will lengthen and your chore time will lengthen, so you will have less time available every day. Is the farm in a location that you have a decent shot at hiring someone to do chores so that there is less to do when you...

DJR

I'm getting progressively more and more sick & tired of having to board my horses out over 4-5 months every year in order to ride year-round. Now that Jet is schooling Third/Fourth Level and needs to be in regular work, having to put them off-site to continue riding makes it VERY difficult to at...

DJR

This is a hard time of year for me because of three things: (a) work is very busy through October & November typically, and this year is no different so far; (b) the weather deteriorates both in terms of colder temperatures but also it gets rainy/wet & dreary, and I don't have an indoor yet ...

DJR

This upper level stuff is hard as hell. I have so much respect for anyone who is learning it, and those of you who have mastered it. I second that! I just commented to my instructor yesterday that *I* am finally transitioning from lower-level rider to mid-level rider in that I'm learning to train m...

DJR

This weekend was my monthly tune-up with my super-duper instructor, and it was very, very helpful. Particularly so on the heels of the Carl Hester symposium the weekend before. She teaches all the same basics as CH mentioned, but for me it was very, very helpful to watch more advanced (and properly ...

DJR

Gwen - well ridden! My heart was in my mouth reading your description. That's what my Fjord-x pony mare did in the spring and I ended up ditching (at the gallop) because I was so worried about her getting tangled up in the oncoming fence or hedge or gate (we were in my super-large outdoor arena at t...

DJR

I hear ya all on the "juggling" ideas- for me my job is not out of control hours-wise, but I have health issues to deal with that I have to manage (makes riding hard sometimes) + my other commitments. This is very timely because I'm struggling with this now, too. October is always a super...

DJR

I went to see how my 3-yr-old is doing at the trainer's place. I moved him there at the beginning of the month, and today was the day to back him for the first time. Finn had other plans, though, and got quite nervous feeling the weight in one stirrup when he took a couple of steps forward. He had a...

DJR

I've owned Jet since Apr 2009. He came to me as a newly backed rising-4-yr-old and could barely canter much less travel straight. Since then, I've moved up to Third Level and have taken him from a horse who couldn't canter well to a horse who is nailing more flying changes than not now! That's our b...

DJR

Maybe try to reach her through her FB page?

DJR

Just a quick check-in to say that the Stephen Clarke clinic was SO wonderful. I rode with him 5 yrs ago when Jet was still at Training Level. Now he's Third Level, and SC had so many kind things to say about him, and he really liked him and the work we've been doing. "All correct", as he s...

DJR

PaulaO wrote:I like the Joseph Sterling bridle but it has a crank nose band. Can I not "crank" it?

I never crank mine. They are fitted loosely. Love them!

DJR

Red's mom - yes, I'm the one with the drafts & draft-x's. Although, I've branched out and now ride a WB-x, too (Panache, Argentinian WB x Dutch WB/Appendix, no draft!). Jet is Friesian/Percheron, my 3 yr old is Hano/Shire, and I used to ride a full Percheron (Dante) who finished as Reserve Champ...

DJR

Red's mom - I agree with you. My 4 yr old needed lots of breaks during work, and I think that's just a good approach in general for most if not all youngsters. Their brains need a chance to catch up, and their developing bodies do, too. Riding him for 30 min in contact with only one short break is, ...

DJR

How does one use trot poles to train passage?

DJR

Dresseur, that's awesome! I can just picture (and almost feel) it by your description. I found it interesting & helpful to read what you wrote because I'm at a more basic level regarding all of this. I'm schooling 3rd/4th level and have only recently realized how much I was doing in the saddle t...

DJR

Well done, Rye!! Any photos? That's awesome.

DJR

Since you are going to clip him anyway, I vote for clipping him now. Was it Jet that you said does much better in cool weather than in the heat? If so, he will probably be much more comfortable working in the clinic without a winter coat. Yes, that's him. He has way more "get up and go" i...

DJR

I'm riding in the Stephen Clarke clinic next weekend, which is in western Quebec, Canada. I am on the horns of a dilemma. Do I clip Jet in anticipation of the clinic? FOR CLIPPING: -he'll sweat less -he'll be more comfortable when under saddle -he'll look sleeker/less shaggy (but then he'll be that ...

DJR

Yay, I was selected for the Stephen Clarke clinic the weekend after next. So excited! I'm going with Jet.

DJR

Flight - LOVE the picture!! piedmontfields - I hear you about a horse seeming easy to ride but having many specific buttons. My friend's horse is like that, and I think Panache *may* get a bit like that as he gets more fit. The explosiveness he showed at the show last Sunday made me go "hmmm&qu...

DJR

Yay!!! How exciting. I'm looking forward to your third level reports (and more pics) next season! What do you mean by he "launched you right out of the tack"?! I hope you just momentarily lost contact with the saddle and DIDNT make contact with the ground! Yes, I went straight up, air bet...

DJR

goneriding wrote:Congratulations!

And did I read that right... it's just a few degrees above zero on October 1?? Brrrr.

Yes, you did! When we got up at 5 a.m., it was 0 degrees (C). When I got on Jet, it was 4^C. So, pretty "crisp" out!!

DJR

I bit the bullet and entered Jet in his first Third Level tests. After THREE years of working on his flying changes, I felt they were decent enough to give it a go. It went really well!! I haven't shown Jet at all since the 2016 season so he had some tension to overcome. But in our favor was the chi...

DJR

Moutaineer wrote:We trotted. 4 long sides. I don't know who was happier, me or Laddie.

Yayyyyy!!!!!

DJR

I'm so sorry for your loss. I was just today thinking about the inevitable day (hopefully not for many, many years still) when I will lose one of mine, especially Jet who I've had almost 10 yrs now. It made me catch my breath just thinking about it, the enormity of the emotion I hold for each of the...

DJR

DJR, what's the worst that could happen in your 3rd L debut--tempi changes across the diagonal?! Have fun and report back. No, it's not that. It's just that I realize that Jet isn't *quite* ready in some ways. I just want to get my own brain over the "OMG, Third Level!" hump. And I want t...

DJR

Huge congrats, CB! Well done! Tuddy - I sure wish we had cooler weather here - it's SO hot, and no rain for 3 wks so my sand ring is incredibly dusty (not normally an issue!). Blah. demi - good job on riding 5 days last week. I am aiming for that but often only get 4 days in. Last night I was hoping...

DJR

Thanks, everyone. We still miss him so much. I used to cuddle with him and fondle his big, soft ears. I was playing with my border collie's ears the other day and it made me miss Ben because ... well ... Ben ears were so much bigger, floppy & softer.

DJR

Chisamba - very nice. That last photo looks so balanced, I can totally "feel" from the photo how the horse is moving under you and you are in synch. Great news on Miro's weight loss. Oh if only I could follow suit myself! I have the opportunity to ride in a Stephen Clarke clinic. I'd take ...

DJR

Piedmontfields - what a bummer! I hope the surgery is quick & easy and that you recover quickly, too. I'm STILL healing from my left 4th finger fracture (happened July 13th). It's SO stiff that I cannot grip anything (including reins) so I ride with the rein around my third finger. I think wrist...

DJR

Remember my "won't change behind for love nor money" gelding, Jet? Today we did counter-canter around the short end, then long diagonal and put in a CLEAN flying change early on the diagonal. He was so through & responsive that near the end of the diagonal I asked for another change. B...

DJR

Sue B wrote:That is FANTASTIC! Congratulations DJR. How great is it too that you could share that special day with your daughter!!!

That was the best part. Actually, no, the trail ride she and I went on once we got home (on Jet and her pony, Sawyer) was the best part. She's such a wonderful daughter!

DJR

Congratulations Deanna! You must be on cloud 9! He looks fabulous. Did you get any video? :) Yes, my daughter took video of both tests. I haven't even looked at them yet. If I get them uploaded, I'll share them here. I'm terribly self-conscious about video and was riding with my broken finger still...

DJR

Today was the CADORA (Cdn Dressage Owner & Rider Assoc.) Silver Championships and I rode my 6-yr-old in the Ammy Adult First-Level division, which was tests 2 & 3. Panache was pretty unhappy about warming up in a crowded warm-up ring. He gets spooked by horses that come too close so I had to...

DJR

I recently switched to a moderate LCHF (low carb, high fat) diet so I eat eggs for most breakfasts now. I usually fry the eggs plain, but I've also done onion-ring and red pepper-ring eggs which I quite love. I cut a large onion to have a bunch of rings and keep it in the fridge. Same with red peppe...

DJR

It'll be a week tomorrow and the hole is still huge that Ben left behind. Thank you for the lovely condolences. I miss him especially at bedtime and in the morning when he and I would have a little snuggle. And at feeding time. And ... all the time.

DJR

I agree, Dresseur, how infuriating! And what a pain that you now have to move barns. Ugh, people. I was thinking that I've been doing a better job of riding Jet regularly, then I looked at the calendar (where I log my rides) and I haven't ridden him since Monday. Now it's Friday. How do 4 days go by...

DJR

I second the dry lot for helping improving weight in air-fern horses. My Friesian/Perch, Jet, is always kept in a dry lot, and so are my daughter's ponies. It just works better. I'll occasionally given them an hour or two in the alley between pastures to graze on the short grass there, but it's a tr...

DJR

Rest in peace and run free, beautiful Ben.

: 2016Jun17 BenSleeping.jpg (74.25 KiB) Viewed 20489 times

(done)

DJR

But what we'll remember most are the tender moments with Ben. Ben snuggled up with the cat, Bazinga: 2010Dec20BazBen1.jpg Ben putting his trust in me as we did some target & therapy-ball work when he was around 3 yrs old. He loved doing this! 2012Mar23 BenTherapyBall.jpg And, once again, Ben wit...

DJR

Most people equate Danes with adjectives like "noble" or "regal". Ben didn't always pull that off ... He'd find this comfortable: 2017Feb14 BenSleepingPosition.jpg This was classic Ben: 2011Dec04 ClassicBen.jpg And so was this ... sitting on a hillock of grass like it was a chair...

DJR

He played hard, but he also slept hard!

Sacked out as a pup:

: 2010Mar07 BenSleeping.jpg (71.43 KiB) Viewed 20489 times

Taking up the entire 3-seater couch!

: 2010Nov06 BenStretchedOut.jpg (57.06 KiB) Viewed 20489 times

Any position would do ... he'd fall asleep no matter what!

: 2013Jan06 BenSleeping.jpg (76.22 KiB) Viewed 20489 times

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