Summer of Seclusion: July and August Goals and Progress

[StraightForward]

Here we are continuing to socially distance and focus on our training.

July is looking pretty exciting by my standards. My instructor will be here two days at a time the next two weeks, so I'm hoping to get four lessons, which is totally unheard of for me. Annabelle won't know what hit her.

Last night I started back at the very beginning of the Ritter's What, Why How course, so I'm going to try to start working through their exercises 2-3 days a week. Today I'm starting with counting strides on the 20 meter circle, and probably riding squares, and some half squares/half circles.

There's also a schooling show happening July 25th, so I'm thinking I'll sign up for a couple training level classes just to get us back out in the world.

I'm hoping that I'm at a point where I can truly leave my old job and thus have the time and headspace to actually get Tesla going (also the weather should be settled now; we've had weekly storms that aren't exactly conducive to the situation). She is ready, now we're just waiting on me.

My fitness: at this point it's just DO something structured more than 1x per week. We have had to go backwards on Covid reopening in my county, so it will probably be many months at best until I see the inside of my gym again.

[blob]

my goals!

MM:
Work on raising the standard. I need to not settle with the 'ok enough' version of things and ride for the show quality version all the time
Shorter reins, shorter reins, shorter reins
Clean up the left to right change
Continue working on extended trot in hills and with poles
At least one more field trip to continue trailer practice


RP:
Sort out what's going on with him. Currently on ucler treatment, next will be chiro, then xrays of neck/back if nothing changes
When/if we sort things out get him off property too for exposure and experience
Work on transitions: w-t-w and t-c-t
Work on straight centerlines
Continue canter lengthening back and forth work--coming back to working canter without breaking


Me:
Find time for at least 1 day a week of non-riding exercise at home
Work on my riding confidence

[exvet]

Well I've decided to bag any upcoming shows. I just don't think they're worth it at this time while they work out all the added details and challenges. My instructor is still sick with Covid so I'm just hoping she recovers and is able to go back to teaching ASAP.

My SO is in MN for the summer; so, I have all the work to do around the place between that, my job and my mother's ongoing medical issues and needs I just hope to maintain consistent riding and adhere to my work out schedule of 5 times a week. So far I've managed to keep it up but in the two weeks I've had to manage the place on my own I will admit to being dog-tired.

So for Junior I just want to continue to work on improving his quality of gaits, perfect the transitions and get the flying changes more consistent. I've also been working more consistently on piaffe in hand. It's coming. My goal with our 'hot season' is to have him understanding what I want really well so that this fall we can start to play with it under saddle.

Ace - My plans are to ride him at least 4 times a week just so I can keep him in shape. He's such a pleasure to ride.

Oh and I'm going to look at a horse next weekend if it hasn't sold before then......more to come

[Moutaineer]

The next two months... well, no shows, for sure, so we'll keep enjoying working and training at home.

We had a really good lesson today--Part 1, once you get the ears level, you get the shoulders level, you get a straight horse who can get his hind legs under him and get his shoulders up and his front legs moving more freely and a lot more suspension in the trot, especially on a very "up" horse, which is what I had today. We have to watch the duration of this work at the moment or else he just gets totally above himself and a bit unmanageable, but we'll work through that, I'm sure. It's quite a mental and physical workout for me to ride this without dumbing it down and interfering with the quality of the movement.

Part 2, canter pirouettes... We feel that Laddie struggles with the left to right FC because he lacks the confidence that he can jump through and take the weight on his right hind. The CP is teaching him that indeed he can, so we'll play with that for a couple of weeks and see how much difference it makes in building those neural pathways and developing his confidence.

He gives me the impression that he is finding the work fun and stimulating. He looks and feels fabulous and comes out happy and cheerful every ride. What more could I ask for!

[Aleuronx]

Ditto Mountaineer, no shows for us and just buckling down to 5 year old training work.

I had a moment of thinking about whether trying to do the one or two shows that are left still going in New England but it would require cross-state travel and I'm just not there. Honestly I have no interest in bopping around a training or first level test just to go out and do it. We have longer term goals and with the situation as it is now it doesn't seem risk worthy.

And so we trot, and leg yield and trot some more. The left is getting almost consistent, the right lags her hindquarters and she hasn't quite figured out how to be parallel and stepping that direction. We had a glimmer of 'good trot' today after getting both directions down. Mind you she was TRUCKING along, like front legs coming out of her eyeballs but the connection was good so I went with it. Big pats.

Continue half-steps/piaffe work, maybe get to the point of some rhythm steps Success! We did start to get rhythm steps and then left it when we returned to undersaddle work.
Lunge (bleck) Success, also bleck. Goodbye lunging!!
Solidify good trailer loading, maybe short drive around the block and back? Huge success!! She now self-loads at home and away and we've been on several trips.
Hand-walk trails Success! We walked a lot and now are confident for field rides and hacks on the trail. So glad I did this.

Goals:
Connection in the trot
Introduce shoulder-in
Field hacks/rides, have fun while the sun shines
Get out to at least 2 lessons with trainer

[demi]

Another good thread title, SF!

I won’t be going for lessons in the foreseeable future. Texas is one of the worst states in the country for Covid so DH and I are staying at home. It’s getting hot here anyway, so I won’t miss trailering out to lessons.

My goals for this time are to

1.) keep videoing my rides several times a week

2.) start going through the USDF tests in order.

3.) get TL 3 on youtube so my trainer can judge it.

[Rosie B]

Goals for us next two months include:

- solidifying single changes so I can get them anywhere, anytime. Off to a good start on this today with changes that I think were clean from cc to true canter back to cc a few times going large.
- building strength in the collection in canter so that we can do a recognizable working pirouette each way. Going R he’s almost there, left will take longer to build his strength.
- half passes - solidify them in canter and improve the HPs L overall.

Happy to be back on the goals thread!

Some pics from today below.

[Ponichiwa]

RosieB-- you and Bliss look great! I can't believe how grown-up he looks.

The next two months are going to be a test of my fortitude. Texas summers are no joke. I'm already dreaming of fall. Time to get used to sweating as soon as you step outside, and multiple changes of clothes per day.

Queso goals:
- Introduce half-steps
- Work on lengthenings in trot and canter 2x/week
- Canter work: separate the bend from the lead and establish straightness. Counter canter, leg yield/halfpass zig-zags, and canter in shoulder-fore and renvers

Personal goals:
- Stay on the fitness train. 2-3 mi/day 5x/week with the dogs
- Continue monitoring caloric intake
- Survive the layoffs and org transition in my company (ugh)

[demi]

RosieB, you and Bliss look fabulous!! He has really progressed.

[Rosie B]

Thanks Demi and ponichiwa! I’m pretty thrilled with how he’s going. I also got some video yesterday. Lots of room for improvement!

https://youtu.be/PgZuA1k3ReM

[Ryeissa]

great job Rosie! He's getting really dark, isn't he? very handsome as always!

[Flight]

Had our face to face clinic which was great! Nice to catch up with the others and see how everyone has been going. It's been 12 months since our last face to face clinic.
We worked on pirouette stuff. Both my horses find these hard, and I'm still new with them so it will take a while to get them right.So that can be my goals to work on these 2 months.
I had 2 lessons on one day with Ding, and while they were spread out and we didn't work too hard in the first lesson, he was just not up for a 2nd that day. Which was really frustrating because I wanted to cover as much as I could as these clinics are rare but that's how it is with horses! Still, we got enough homework to go on with for a while.

Rosie, you and Bliss are looking great!
It's middle of winter here and freezing! Ding is so fluffy, every year I think I should clip him but never get around to it.
Couple of pics from the clinic:

ding1.jpg (92.58 KiB) Viewed 29550 times

ding2.jpg (95.43 KiB) Viewed 29550 times

[StraightForward]

Flight and Rosie, your boys both look great!

I just came in from a lesson in 90F, so it's funny seeing Flight in a jacket and Ding a little hairy!

On the upside today, we had an excellent lesson and introduced HI in the trot (I've been schooling it myself in the walk) which went quite well. Instructor said it was the best she has seen Annabelle go, even counting pre-injury. We have another lesson tomorrow and she said would would start introducing some CC.

On the downside, Tesla is dead lame. Yesterday I noticed she was lame in the pasture, but judging by how enthusiastically she galloped away from me when I went to get her, I figured she must not hurt that much. I pulled a big rock out of one foot and chalked it up to that. Today she was clearly lame just taking steps across her stall. I couldn't find any marks on her, but she cow-kicked me when I touched above her right stifle. Sure enough, there is swelling there, so I'm guessing she was pestering someone in turnout and got herself kicked, but having a fly sheet on prevented it from leaving a mark. So we'll probably be off to the vet tomorrow after my lesson, and fingers crossed she just has some bruising and will be fine in a week. Bah. I'm so tired of vet bills.

[Dresseur]

Everyone looks great! Straightforward, here's to hoping Tesla is sound again soon without dipping too deep into the pockets.

My goals at this point are fairly concrete.

Get my bronze freestyle bar before the shows shut down again - I've entered 3 shows, I need 2 2nd level MFS scores and 1 3rd level MFS score. So, I'm hoping I can get it done. We've repurposed Andrea and Maya's tango MFS and I'm desperately trying to learn it in a pinch - I'm not musically inclined, so I can't hear the phrasing in the music or pick up on certain musical cues without a great deal of effort. Sigh.

The plan is then to have a PSG debut by the end of the season if shows are still a thing. Maybe I-1 depending on how reliably I can count changes. Miro is a bit of a changes freak of nature now that he's figured it out. He accidentally did 7 one's yesterday.

We're going to start introducing half steps - this is where the ones came from - he was trying to figure out what we were asking - I was riding and Andrea was tapping from the ground, so he does terre a terre and all sorts of evasions, and I kept pushing him a bit forward and he suddenly just started doing ones. He did finally settle into a nice rhythm with the half steps and when we let him back out into passage it was just simply amazing.

My goal - learn to count changes on my horse. Having to manage the canter and changes on one that is not confirmed is very different than me being able to count on Gala, who just settles into a rhythm and is basically autopilot when you have the right canter for the right count. I didn't realize how dependent I was on that. So when I'm trying to do 4's, I get a mix of 4's, 5's and 3's and when I try to do 3's I get a mix of 4's, 3's and 2's. Very frustrating for me, but that's the experience part of all of this. I've only ridden Maya, Gala and Edy's tempis and they were all very confirmed in the counts they knew. In any case, that's the plan, we'll see how much of it sticks.

[Sue B]

SF, so sorry about Tesla, jingles she recovers quickly!

RosieB, beautiful pics and vid. You guys look wonderful!

Flight, beautiful pics of you and Ding--love the fuzzies and winter jacket.

Well my horses and I survived the 4th and the heat in good spirits, though I must say I am having a rough time with this sudden climb in temperature. What a crazy summer!

Tio lost a shoe Friday night, but it was clearly a clinch failure as the foot was completely undamaged. Shoer will be out tomorrow I hope. I rode Tio anyways, including a nice 3 mile walk along soft farm roads which he thoroughly enjoyed (except where there was gravel and he had to tippy toe ) Prior to losing the shoe, and even on Saturday, he was quite nice to ride, although no cantering until shoe is replaced. I can now get from trot to square halt in less than 3 strides with seat no hand. A couple of times, I even got a direct halt to trot with no walk steps!

Rudy has been super nice again ever since his mini meltdown, even on Saturday when the neighbor kids were playing with "snappers", periodically firing them off. I used that extra energy to work passage and half steps, tossing in a medium here and there. Both of us are really hoping for the new saddle to show up sooner rather than later, however. I notice I get lazy now and then in the c-w transition and collapse a bit in the middle during the transition which causes him to drop onto the forehand. So long as I stay tall, head up and eyes focused forward, transitions are really nice, so good motivation.

Goals:
Tio: Canter
Cavelletti and jumps

Rudy: Half steps
Perfect TOH in walk
Transitions, transitions, transitions

Me: Continue walking 3mi every morning plus add in more walking whenever I can get time
Still trying to lose 10lbs
Planks and push-ups every day
Look up (!), stay strong in core during transitions
Video

[StraightForward]

Whew, just a bad stone bruise for Tesla. Hopefully it won't develop into an abscess. Now I get to don a mask and go buy diapers and duct tape tonight.

I did my warmup for my lesson this morning, but my instructor hadn't shown up, so I hopped off to check for a text and decided I didn't like how Annabelle's ankle was looking, so I canceled the lesson and took her to the vet too. Thankfully the leg is fine, and I was just being paranoid. But the vet did a full set of flexions and some hoof testing on her, and only charged me one lameness exam for both horses. Bummed that I missed out on a lesson after setting up the SoloShot and everything, but relieved to have vet's concurrence that she's in good shape (and he is the ortho surgeon who did Tesla's OCD surgery, so I trust his opinion).

[demi]

On Sunday I finally videoed a complete test. I posted it to youtube and sent the link to my trainer. I texted her that she might “judge, comment, or whatever” as a way of doing virtual lessons. Then I nervously awaited her response.

The response couldn’t have been better. I had really mixed feelings about wanting scores and NOT wanting scores which has to do with my test riding mental block! She didn’t give scores but gave comments, suggestions, and instructions for each movement. In some ways it worked better than lessons because I am a very visual learner and now I have a written commentary that I can read as I watch the video of my test. Also, in a regular lesson I am a bit tense and most of the good suggestions don’t sink very far in, but with the suggested exercises in writing I can work on them and re-video for further lessons. With the virtual lesson, I watch a movement, pause the vid, read, think about it, and then continue.

My trainer’s final comment was “very nice!!!”. Coming from her in particular, was a real boost to my confidence about test riding. It was only Training Level Test 3, but for me, it feels like “ hey, maybe I CAN do this stuff”.

[Sue B]

Demi, if you don't want to share "publicly", will you pm me a link? I'd love to see your test.

SF, glad your ponies have nothing major! Jingles they stay sound for an entire summer!!!!!

[blob]

My trainer’s final comment was “very nice!!!”. Coming from her in particular, was a real boost to my confidence about test riding. It was only Training Level Test 3, but for me, it feels like “ hey, maybe I CAN do this stuff”.

Great news, Demi! sounds like a really good system for you that you can continue to utilize! Also, it's never "ONLY training lever". We ride the level we ride because that's what's challenging for horse/rider combo at that time. Riding RP through a training level test right now is just as challening for me as it is to ride MM through a 2nd or 3rd level test. Training level isn't easy. It's just an early stage of progress. Once training level feels easy, then it's time to move to first and then that won't be so easy!

SF, so glad nothing serious with Tesla, hopefully you're back in the saddle with her soon.

Rosie--you and bliss look great. You're really well matched and elegant together.

Flight--love the pics of you and Ding. Do you do any particular exercise to help with the pirouettes?

great to see everyone's continued progress and updates!

I JUST received a new saddle on trial, so we'l see how it goes. It's a saddle with a very flexible tree that adjusts to the horse you put it on. It could be a good option for RP if he likes it since he is so sensitive and still changing shape.

[Chisamba]

goals for me. Ride a test . every horse every day. I have decided the way to overcome test stress is riding tests until it's nothing. my horses tend to anticipate, which probably means I do something, but instead of avoiding anticipation I decided to take some long ago advice given, and teach them to anticipate the right way.

I have managed to survive my new schedule of six horses a day riding despite the ninety degree weather. I do add heat and humidity and if it's over 130 I am careful with length and intensity of the ride.

Kimba. just continue to love riding her. progress at her learning curve, not mine. long ago like Udbb days I admitted it ride every horse as if I am going to PSG. but honestly, I've only trained 2 horses to compete at that level, and 2 others that had all the components but had loss if soundness or loss of life before we got there. so in my heart of hearts I wanted my grey mare, who was obese laminitic and a pacer, to take me PSG. but her genetics as a pacing standardbred make true collection at canter difficult. so i am giving her more time. so all of you with your lovely changes and collected canters have me drooling.

Caliburn. survive his first show.

Saiph. give her so much confidence in the aids that she is more rideable through distractions and scary stuff.

me. ride better with my legs less back.

keep losing weight and getting fitter.

health joy and happiness to all y'all

[demi]

Thanks for asking SueB, I PM’d you the link.

And thanks Blob for the encouraging words! Attitude is so important. I am happy with Rocky’s efforts and I am going to add to my goals this time to post a video.

Chisamba, I am encouraged by your attitude, especially about Kimba. It helps me to remember that most of us are working with horses that aren’t going to move quickly up the levels. Not that I don’t enjoy seeing the progress of the horses on this board that are moving up the levels quickly, but I definitely also enjoy the more slowly progressing horses. As I typed that last sentence the phrase “variety is the spice of life” came to mind.

It is getting to be true hot Texas summer here so I am riding very early in the mornings and not working Rocky very hard. I am concentrating on the contact and can do so at a walk.

[Ryeissa]

great job Demi! I'd love to see the video too. It's great to have success after "putting yourself out there"

[demi]

great job Demi! I'd love to see the video too. It's great to have success after "putting yourself out there"

I sent you the link. Thanks for the encouraging words, Rye. But I not really “putting myself out there” since I’m too chicken to post it on a public forum

[Flight]

I'd love to see it too Demi. Just a hint with vids on public forums, if it's through youtube, I put the link up for a while and then go and change it to 'private' after a short while. Gives people a chance to see it, but then stops it going too far.

I'm trying to do an online video for a working equitation dressage comp. It's a bit harder than in real life comps, because when I make a mistake I feel I have to re-ride the test but in real life you just have to go 'oh well' and carry on. It's doing my head in!

Blob, for our piris nothing really special in ways of exercises. She was mostly helping me with positioning. Shoulder fore on the circle, then thinking half pass in to make it smaller then turning it into a pirouette. Ding tends to cross his left hind too far under his body, so she was helping me position him to get that a bit straighter.

[demi]

I sent you the link, Flight. Thanks for the idea about changing Youtube posts to private. I will definitely do that when I post publicly.

I do love the vids and pics everyone posts on this thread and really plan to contribute vids in the future. I’m pretty sure i wont have any new vids till the next thread because July and August are hot here in Texas and riding is limited.

[Aleuronx]

A little update for our latest check in lesson that we had on Friday. It was hot and nasty but we did tons of good work. We even got to canter some, just a little bit around that got a 'looks good' from trainer. Insert me beaming from ear to ear at being able to canter after two weeks of trot only prison!!

New homework is: in the walk turn on the haunches more off left rein than right. Kora paddles with her left front so that leg is always pulling her to the left. This works to get her straight up on top of her left shoulder and eliminate some of the left drift. Rinse and repeat until the turns are easy and her hind legs slow down some.

Once that is good then up into trot going right, leg yield from quarter line to rail focusing on good quality no more just get over there. Immediately turn right when hit the rail, unless she has a good feel in both reins then slowly add in straight going strides then turn. Mostly just turn immediately. Same for the left leg yield, still going right leg yield from the rail to the centerline since this is easier for her then again turn right.

Right now the focus is to balance both ends of her in the trot. She's overpowering behind and bopping into the contact from it. So all this work is to 1. straighten and lift the shoulders 2. slow down the hind end ever so slightly with the goal that once both front and back are more equal the contact is consistent. We had glimmers of this in the lesson and it just felt lovely. Canter isn't an issue in terms of contact due to the fact that she's more balanced in that gait.

We had a discussion about how most horses as they progress through training will be like this. A PSG canter work and a 3rd level trot etc. We're focusing our efforts on the trot right now but we do have canter permissions back so yay.

[Ryeissa]

great job Demi! I'd love to see the video too. It's great to have success after "putting yourself out there"

I sent you the link. Thanks for the encouraging words, Rye. But I not really “putting myself out there” since I’m too chicken to post it on a public forum

I don't post anymore as this isn't a private site. It's not comfortable for me when we have say 13 guests on here at any one time, who are they?
Thanks for sharing!

Had a bit of a slump due to weather and heat but seem to be back on track! I've really been appreciating how much a noseband/bridle can impact the horse. I have had to pay a lot more attention to it- not sure if it's taking a fresh look at old things, or if I am simply asking more for collection so things that were fine at the lower levels aren't working as much. At any rate, we seem to be finding what my horse likes for the noseband and what specific materials/paddings. I have to listen to the horse, even though we can't use the pretty new tack (sobs)....horses! Its all good, just part of the deal.

[khall]

Rosie Bliss looks good! Glad he is back at home and you are going strong. Fabulous you've got the changes established!
Flight Ding looks nice and shiny in these pics! Did you see the video from the Valenca's on pirouettes? They had some great exercises to help establish them. I know you've ridden with Sophia and Gonzales I believe? That will be some of my homework here, at least at the walk which is where they start it. Here in Georgia it is HOT and HUMID so difficult to work very hard.
Demi that's great you got your solo shot back up and running. Glad your instructor is willing to take a look at videos and give you feed back.

As for me I am working/riding all 3 in various degrees. Though Gaila pulled a shoe this week so waiting on the farrier. My chiro/acupuncture holistic vet feels like Gaila might need her SI injected. Gaila was going very well about 5-6 weeks ago and the wheels fell off. I'm thinking she did something in the pasture to herself and chiro/acupuncture is just not enough. So will have to set that up but I cringe thinking of hauling in this heat.

Rip is going well, working on increasing demands of piaffe US and he is handling the pressure.

Joplin gets the happy dance! I've been a bit behind with her because of dealing with my aging parents and my dad's death in February, but we are back on track and getting some good US work under our belt. A friend is coming over twice a week to give me a hand just to have eyes on the ground and I've been getting on by myself too. Our trot work is progressing nicely and playing with lateral work at the walk. I love the feel I get from riding her, she has the motor and natural balance that is just a pleasure to ride. So refreshing after riding WBs as long as I have.

I am trying to have a clinic next month with Cedar but just am not sure. The virus numbers here in GA just keep going up and it is very concerning. People are resisting wearing masks and it is just horrid how so many are oblivious to the pandemic. Our local hospitals are filling up and our medical staff is pleading with residents to wear their masks and social distance. My sister has had direct exposure and we are praying she is ok. Her husband if he caught the virus would probably not survive it. He has multiple health issues already.

Stay cool, stay safe and happy riding.

[exvet]

Well the heat has had us out of commission since last weekend, at least for riding. Just too dangerous even for me and in the wee hours of the morning. Instead I have been working Junior in hand, and he's starting to understand that half-steps are supposed to be quick steps.... LOL. In the beginning I just wanted a polite response to the whip and obedient in that he picked up each leg and held it up underneath himself until it was okay for him to place it down.....well he's got that figured out pretty well. He will also pick up each hind foot in the appropriate sequence pattern understanding that forward or a sense of forward is the intention; in other words, he is not stepping out behind. Now, he's just sort of grasping that when I signal or cue him the steps are supposed to be quick and in succession and maybe not quite so high - he's got pretty snappy hocks......he is a welsh cob after all. While we work on 'that' concept I've also started to get him to compress and step up pulling his body together, lifting his wither and reaching up and out to the hand and thus just start to sit, a little. All baby steps and piece by piece. He seems to enjoy the work in hand.

[piedmontfields]

Thanks to everyone for the updates! Lots of lovely and inspiring photos

I am riding regularly and am also taking part in an online JJ Tate learning program. So far, I am being reminded of what I know and should practice---so it is a great incentive to more accountability and a reminder to be clear at all times--including when I hit a wall.

My dear 18 yr old mare is doing very well and appreciates when I apply what JJ teaches! I feel like we are reviewing some very basic holes, but that is the way it is . I'm also trying out lessons on an eventing horse who has very different training and feel--just to challenge myself and help me integrate learning. It is also a reminder that my mare is hyper sensitive and responsive (even though she is much less powerful than this event horse).

I continue to work from home (remotely) and imagine that I will do so so for quite some time. As I am also in the south, we are seeing plenty of C-19 infections in our area. The US is simply not doing a country-wide management of the pandemic, so our outbreaks and surges are likely to continue.

[mari]

You guys all look great!

Covid is doing a number on South Africa. We're allowed to ride, as it's a non-contact sport, and some venues are doing little training days. I won't be going anywhere though, rather stay a bit safer by not going to a show venue. I've started lessons again in June after 11 weeks of not seeing my horse. Went pretty well, was so glad to be back in the saddle.

Aaaaaaaand now we have mystery lameness, my favourite kind of lameness...

[Dresseur]

Well, I'm back to my crookedness in the changes habit, which is making me doing any sort of tempi's on Miro impossible lol. I get multiple changes, but I have no control. So, I'm back do doing changes on a figure 8 and on the quarterline so that I can check my straightness. I've been down this road with Gala, so I'll figure it out again eventually.

I'm also entered into 3 shows so that I can (hopefully) wrap up my 2 2nd level MFS and 1 3rd level MFS score to get my bronze bar. Then we'll wait until I get my shit together to do an FEI debut with M, and hopefully, depending on what new normal we are left with (because we're not solving COVID anytime soon) aim for small tour at DaD in 2021.

In other wtf news that really puts things in perspective, we lost a horse suddenly yesterday. If anyone remembers Cato, the chestnut horse I was starting, he suffered a cardiac aneurysm and was dead before he hit the ground. We're shocked and devastated, and so thankful that no one was riding him at the time. He was young and healthy and super fit and was just going so well, and I was proud to have been a part of that. Still am, but just... wow. I've never seen a horse go down like that so suddenly, and I've seen a lot of crazy scary horse accidents that have lead to euth. Just so thankful it was so fast and there was zero suffering.

[Aleuronx]

I don't post anymore as this isn't a private site. It's not comfortable for me when we have say 13 guests on here at any one time, who are they?
Thanks for sharing!

I don't login unless I'm ready to write a post and definitely not on my work laptop. So one of those 'guests' is just me.

Mari hope the lameness either resolves or makes itself more recognizable. Mystery stuff is the worst.

Dresseur that's so sad to hear. It must've been so shocking. Lots of stories of event horses dropping like that I can't imagine experiencing it in person. Hugs to all involved.

[heddylamar]

I don't post anymore as this isn't a private site. It's not comfortable for me when we have say 13 guests on here at any one time, who are they?

I get logged out all the time on 2 of my devices. So now, I rarely bother logging in unless I'm going to reply to a comment.

That's awful, Dresseur! I'm so sorry you had to go through that. It must have been shocking.

[Josette]

Dresseur - very sad and very scary if someone had been riding. My friend lost her horse last year in a similar incident playing with his buddy in turnout. Witnesses saw him rear and go over as if hitting a switch. Very fast event.

[Sue B]

So sorry Dresseur, that's how my horse Lad died. Always a genuine shock to horse and owner when it happens. Took me many months to "get over"...he literally died with his head in my lap one snowy day December 26, with my young son watching.

Mari, jingles mystery lameness is a little foot abscess that heals over night.

On a brighter note...I rode Friday through Sunday in spite of the heat and all went well (except getting a mild sunburn yesterday cuz I forgot the sun block, lol) Rudy looves the heat so we has happy to work hard for me all through the summer. Of course he was rewarded with an hour long ride through the country side which he always enjoys. Tio, surprisingly, also put some great effort out there, and while he also got to ride out for a bit, his big reward is jumping...so I set a crossrail and popped over it a few times.

[Ryeissa]

Wow! Super sad!

[Chisamba]

Well, today I did not quite get my sixth horse ridden, but i am super super happy with how all five went. Kimba does rush through her single flying change left lead to right but is much more willing to try right lead to left, she is aslo much more supple in her half pass, and much more flexible in her downward transition from medium back to collected trot, however, that said, her medium will never score like the nice moving warmbloods. Well i do suppose none of her gaits will ever score like the nice moving warmbloods, but I am just so proud of how much she tries and how much i enjoy riding her

Caliburn we are simply working on smoothness in everything, he is going to his first show this weekend, I am not riding him, my working student is, because I have a few too many clients going and i choose not to show when i am taking clients, It is hard to give my own rides the time they need when I am trying to help my friends get ready for their classes.

I had a nice ride on Saiph , it turns out she really does better on hormones, and we are getting to know each other better.

the new (to the barn) horse at the was here on trial and it looks like he is going to stay. He belongs to a long time friend and client whose much beloved riding horse, Teddy, is suffering from DSLD, which is so sad. So she retired Ted, and we looked for a riding horse for her.

So when Elvis came to the barn i kept him in quarantine but i only had three weeks so i had to ride him, i used a wintec, because they are easy to disinfect, and he stayed in the two stall, which is isolated from the rest of the barn. So I had to ride him in a saddle with too short stirrups for a while. I rode him last each day so I could disinfect everything before returning to the barn, this is all by way of explanation for my short stirrups and no chaps.

[StraightForward]

Dresseur, I'm sorry to hear about Cato. What a sudden shock.

Chisamba, Elvis is adorable. Glad it looks like he will work out and stay at your farm.

I had lessons yesterday and today. Annabelle is just leaps and bounds better than she was a month ago. We introduced shallow CC loops today, and they really helped her come together in the canter. We are also working on shoulder in, and getting much more consistent T/C transitions, staying round and on the bit about 75% of the time.

My instructor is back next week, and I'm debating taking consecutive lessons again. We'll only get 2-3 rides in before she comes back, and we end up dialing the work back a little both days to preserve her energy. On the other side, who knows if she'll continue to fly in so frequently, so I want to maximize the opportunity I have right now.

A couple screen grabs from today:

[demi]

Annabelle looks great! I especially Iike that first picture. Both horse and rider look so balanced!

Love the leopard app, Chisamba.

So sorry about Cato, Dresseur. I saw that happen to my friends horse a couple of years ago and it was a shock.

Too hot to even ride here the last several days.

[mari]

Chisamba I looooooooooooooooooooooove a spotty bum

Odin's mystery lameness is still not properly identified, but it is now less mysterious. Nothing wrong with the hoof, no swelling, no heat anywhere. The vet did a nerve block in the left front fetlock today, and he was hugely improved. I don't have $$$ for expensive and extensive diagnostics, still on a reduced salary and being very conservative financially. The vet decided to inject cortisone into the fetlock joint, and he's off for the next 5-6 weeks, at which point we'll reevaluate. So I'm really hoping that he just had an idiot moment and "twisted his ankle".

We take x-rays of his front legs every year, but due to Covid the last set was beginning of last year, and they were lovely and clean. So the vet doesn't think that there is anything too nefarious.

[Flight]

Sorry to hear about Cato, Dresseur. That would be an awful shock.
I've got some crookedness in my changes too, Ding can do 2x fairly reliably now but there's a weird crookedness that I know I'm causing, I just have to figure out how.

Elvis is very cute, Chisamba!
I've decided to ride through tests a lot more too. Since doing that online test/comp and getting good feedback, I've realised just how riding a test shows up holes in your training and that it does take good practice to get it all right.
I had a go at Inter 1 with Ding, yeah it wasn't fantastic, but it was useful showing up what we need to train more with.

Annabelle looks great! Your pics look lovely. It also looks so summery and bright. Our winter is quite mild but everyone is shaggy and and wearing a few layers.

Mari, boo for mystery lamenesses. Hope Odin comes good quickly for you.

I'm also really working on sitting trot with Norsey. He's really bouncy and I know that when they are working properly they shouldn't be bouncy, but it doesn't seem to matter where I put his neck, or add more impulsion etc.. I just bounce like crazy. What I have found is slowing it right down (too slow for competing) and lateral movements take a lot of the bounce away, so I've just been sliding between shoulder in and straight to find that comfortable spot, and just making myself do it.

I'm still adding in a tiny bit of jumping with Ding, and I have to say I'm slightly tempted to take up a bit more although Ding is happy popping over a couple of jumps, a whole course is a very different matter.

Screen Shot 2020-07-15 at 2.59.41 pm.png (115.03 KiB) Viewed 28850 times

[Chisamba]

flight I found jumping Kea really helped her piaffe and collected canter. but it was coming in to higher jumps with no rush so she learned to load her hindquarters. besides she liked it. she was infamous for escaping her stall and jumping over a parked car to escape recapture.

Elvis is a percheron app x so quite big. over 16hh butbi haven't measured.

caliburn was as hot as a firecracker and as tall as a giraffe on his first day at the show grounds. there was a rather anxious horse in the warmup and he fed on the energy in a negative way.

we shall see how this all goes.

[Kyra's Mom]

Lots going on but eager to keep up with everyone.

Condolences Dresseur. Damned horses.

I am just plugging along with no real goals in mind other than I continue to work on my fitness and damned but it is one slow go. Last week
Straightforward was nice enough to swing by my barn and pick up Kyra and we went to a local indoor. Now mind you due to all my infirmities, Kyra hadn't been off the farm where she is boarded in ANY trailer for I think 6 years...it has been so long, I can't remember for sure. Anyway. she walked right on SF's trailer. We didn't have any squealing or carrying on between the two mares and she worked really well once she got used to the bank of mirrors on one long side. It was lovely weather so we did some indoors and some outdoors. By the time I got home I was pooped. That was probably more saddle time than I have had in about 8 years not to mention all the loading and unloading of gear. I was so sore the next day, I halfway thought that maybe I was getting the big C-19. It took me 2 days to recover. Talk about pathetic .

That said, Kyra has been an absolute joy to ride and work. She has had good energy even with the onset of hotter weather and she just tries her little heart out. I have been adding difficulty and asking her a lot more questions and although there is lots of room for improvement, I am a bit surprised at the quality of "try" she is giving me. That alone makes me happy that she wants to work with me . Last night I though I would ask for a bit of trot half-pass...no problem. Pretty even and flowing both ways. We have been working HP in the walk but not much trot as I still have to limit how much sitting I do. We are working on CC and playing with a bit of LY in canter to get her "stood up".

I will continue with this program. I work in some works on the track...that is our trail riding and can certainly get interesting but she has been less anxious and calmer about it than she was in the spring.

I am just thankful she is sound. I got out on Wednesday to discover she had torn off, chipped out about 1 1/2 inches wide and 1 inch up of her toe on her right front. Now, her feet are like rocks and I was very surprised at the damage. I don't know what she did. I did a quick round pen session to assess her soundness and when that foot was on the outside, she did take a funky, short step 2 or 3 times but last night she looked fine in her pen and I booted her and rode and she felt great. Unfortunately, she is dieting right now which does not make her happy. The barn was feeding older hay all winter and then switched to 1st cutting this year off a newly planted field and I think it was like going from 87 octane to jet fuel? She didn't gain weight initially then boom...cresty hard neck and a bubbly butt. So, she has less groceries currently and I put her back on Remission. They get the hay they get and there isn't much option for soaking or slow feed, etc at this barn so I will see how it goes. I certainly don't want laminitis.

Her spanish walk work is coming. She is finally getting elevation with her knee. Not yet to Jambette but considerably closer than she was. Also work in a little polka to give her the idea of taking the big step and not just spanking the ground with her hoof. Also throwing in some half steps...all in-hand work thus far. These sessions are quite short but she is definitely giving it all the old college try.

Happy riding all and look forward to continued updates.
Susan

[StraightForward]

Glad you recovered from our outing, Susan!

I just saw tonight that Spur Wing stables has put in a big outdoor with fancy footing and is going to allow haul-ins. I need to find out more about that and try to get over there one of these days.

After having three lessons this month, and huge improvements from the work and tack changes, I have some more specific goals for the rest of the summer:

More consistent connection in all the work, including transitions.
Consistent SI and HI at the trot.
Work up to a 20m CC loop. Annabelle finds the shallow CC loops challenging, so if we can make it to a 1/2 circle of CC, I'll be happy.
More adjustable trot.
Trot voltes every ride.
Start working W/C transitions.

[Tanga]

Chisamba. Spots! Elvis! Love it.

I have been working towards getting the ones straightened out for GP for Quilla with Chelsey's help. We still have not figured it out, but I think it's a combination of me moving my body too much and nobody telling me (because I think me staying looser and following more allows them to do it more easily) and me not seeing I'm bending too much to the left. Since I trained her to work on slower and more with the front legs in piaffe on the ground (which literally took 10 minutes for her to master) the p/p has improved a lot, and instead of doing the quick on the spot piaffe, she keeps the same rhythm in both. I figure I have everything else in the GP pretty nice, even if I still miss the ones I should do pretty well. Even the last show in Feb. at I-2 when the passage was uneven and piaffe really quick and flat, I got 7's on every transition, and I think a 61% at I-2, with bad ones.

I've been working Quinn on being more relaxed and up in everything and not dropping every time I say she's good. I know all of this, but a quick video by Mette Rosencrantz reminded me to stop doing full extentions only, but do a LOT of warm where it forward 5, back 5, forward 8, back 8, and so on. That has really clicked with her and relaxed her, and she does that really powerful forward trot and then knows to come back into a passage shape nicely. (She does in hand and in the saddle p/p, too. When I trail ride them, I can ride one and click for the piaffe, and the other one does it in the halter. SO cute!) I'm excited to push the PSG and I-1 scores into the high 60's with relaxation.

Things seemed safer here, so I entered two shows on consecutive weekends in August. It's safe because it's one day and I can drive in and out. Not like I can afford multiple day shows, but I wouldn't do that right now. But the numbers have been going up badly and the second one was cancelled. We'll see if the first one is. They did a show in June, so I'm thinking it will be OK unless the local numbers get really bad.

They moved the CA dressage champs because it's in LA county, and they are so stupid there about being safe the numbers are out of control. It's in Del Mar now, but if things get worse, I hope they cancel it. No horse show is worth getting sick or dying or endangering others. (No. Not going. I can't afford to go south, and would not go this year no matter what.)

[Sue B]

I think I rode a total of 4 days last week, maybe 5? Anyway, I'm not letting the heat deter me at least.

Rudy: He was AMAZING Saturday, just so. musch. fun. to ride. One of those sessions where you really feel like you and horse are one. Played with everything but flying changes. I've decided to wait for my new saddle because his canter felt so much better in that saddle than in his current one, and it should only be another month or so before it arrives. Part of Rudy's "new" routine is perfecting 8m circles in all three gaits, and being able to exit in travers, si, or straight equally well. Walk is nailed, trot is 90% and canter is about 80%. The hardest thing for me is keeping him lifting up from the base of his neck in canter on the circle, which requires a lot of "sit" and "throughness" on his part, elasticity and forward hands on my part. When we get it right, not only is the canter lovely but so are his hp's, and (bonus) w-c-w are stellar. SO pretty much, right now, I'm focused on the small details like transitions and bend with Rudy. Also, keeping with my goal of soft, forward elbows, no fiddly hands.

Tio: He too has been quite a bit better to work recently, and now even responds to taps from the whip by going forward! Doesn't sound like much, but for him, this is a huge step in a positive direction. Friday and Sunday evenings he actually raised his back and brought his hind legs up under himself in a clear First Level trot. He seemed amazed to discover that when he trots that way, he can do h-t-h transitions without slamming into the bit! Seriously, though, he gave me some 8 transitions, up and down so I was quite pleased with him. While I ask for canter every time I ride now, he doesn't always step into it, and so, for now, I only allow the canter when he is willing to step right into it from that nice First Level working trot. Only then can he give me forward, balanced canter strides. (That and cantering off after the jump for a few strides.) I'm also doing a lot more sitting trot with him, focusing on keeping core strong, elbows practically glued to my sides. While my abdominal muscles are a bit sore by the end, this has been highly effective for lifting him off his forehand, and has kept my hands down in front of the withers where they belong.

[Hot4Spots]

Actual progress, sorta. Markey-Mark had a checkup last Thursday. He trots sound in a straight line and to the left, but is still "off" (as he will always be) to the right. Vet said he had improved since she last saw him in early April. I am allowed to continue with large circles and serpentines, and.....we can canter, a little. So Sunday, after about 30 minutes of walk/ trot, I told watchers to have 911 on speed dial , and we cantered down the long side of the arena, walked or trotted the short end, and cantered down the other side. Repeated in the other direction. He was foot perfect and didn't offer to be naughty at all. Maturiity at age 16?

ETA: I started the job which I originally got in March on July 1; and after our canter, I rode him up to the semi-fenced (3 sides) pasture and walked him around an area about the size of a dressage court next to the driveway. He stayed calm. Next time, we'll try to go all the way around - about an acre +/-.

[Moutaineer]

Aww, Chisamba... a spotty guy! My sentimental favorites

Laddie had a couple of days of being cranky and difficult about the heat (to the extent that he's ever difficult--it's more mild insubordination than anything--if horses could be passive--aggressive...) However, I've backed off the ask a bit and we've had two much nicer rides. He's 18,we aren't going to the Olympics (or anywhere at all) so if it takes us a bit longer to get where we are going, all well and good. New shoes for him tomorrow and a lesson on Thursday, when it's supposed to be cooler, so I'm happy.

Walker is getting fitter and stronger. I actually cantered him last weekend. A bit like riding a pogo stick after Laddie, and he forgets which foot is meant to go where after half a 20 meter circle, but he thought it was fun. I put him in a Micklem with bit clips on, and an eggbutt snaffle, and it seems to be really helping as his lessor gets to grips with the concepts of contact and connection, finally, and quiets her hands. There was just too much noise in his mouth with a regular bridle and a loose ring, and he's not one to tolerate having the bit chattered around without objecting--any more than he should do.

She's taking lessons at another barn on another horse, and apparently all she's been hearing is "keep your hands still!" without any explanation of how to go about it, so she's got tenser and tenser through her shoulders and upper arms, trying to comply, and just hadn't got the concepts of stillness coming through your seat and your core, and elastic elbows. Praise be, it's sinking in at last...

[Dresseur]

Flight as I'm having to back through and address crookedness that I'm causing in the changes with Miro, Andrea has be doing a figure 8 so that I can see straightness in the mirrors, as well as in quarterline into the mirrors. I had some great straight changes that felt fantastic - so now I have to take that onto quarterline and start counting.