In like a lion, out like a lamb - March and April Goals and Progress

[exvet]

Perfect coat blob. Love strawberry roans especially those with the Welsh stamp RP looks pretty well balanced and attentive in his pics.

[Moutaineer]

Nice pictures Blob! I love the pink on him!

Potters has a sprung front shoe. Anxiously waiting to hear if my farrier can get out there quickly. An occasion on when I'm glad the ground is a bit squishy as I hate for those front feet to be stressed in any way.

Heddy, the move is gut-wrenchingly quick when it happens, isn't it?

[khall]

Love the pink blob!! Nice pictures too! Hopefully RP will settle more with his shoes. I’ve not had bad reactions when putting shoes on actually saw really good results when putting back shoes on Rip. Joplin has been in all 4 since she was started. Never tried any backwith Gaila she only wears front. We are definitely having lots of rain here in Georgia. We are wet

I did get two rides in this weekend after the week of not much sleep foal watching. While Joplin was worked that week was just lunging or in hand. Sunday though had a stupendous ride though short because I was racing the rain. Worked on lateral jaw flexions. Started at the halt then went to all 3 gaits. Wow were they helpful!! Like exvet something to ponder. Was watching a de oliveira video which had reminded me about them. He has some interesting exercises that I want to play with.

Anyway. More baby spam!

Taking after her mama going to be a chow hound!
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/YbcJ22B8tCmxciug/?

I think she could easily become a pet:). Super curious

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/NfjTAAncZC5Ctbx2/?

[mari]

Blob your pink coat is so pretty!

[Moutaineer]

Farrier came today, replaced the shoe but without the snow pad, and for good measure pulled and replaced the other one without it's snow pad too. This is a winner because it has been so muddy they have been horrible for his feet.

I worry about abscesses and bruises when they've been clanking around with a shoe half on and half off, bur with any luck we should be back to work on Thursday.

[texsuze]

Chiming in here, also really like Blob's pale pink--looks very tasteful! In a style way, not a food way;)

Congrats on 'Lani Baby and the healthy birth. She looks to be a real pistol, beyond the usual foal pistol! Might have to start a new set of posts under her own title.....

Heddy, sorry to see you leave Texas. You're heading the opposite direction from most folks-- I remember when you arrived. Hope your move will go smoothly and that weather will cooperate the entire way up there. We were in Towson for 4 years and still have friends in MD.

[StraightForward]

I also am a fan of the pink Blob, and you and RP look good too.

Tuesday I schooled in the outdoor and got video of some good examples of Tesla getting weird with her hind legs in canter. It seemed that part of the problem was that her hind legs would be folding and stepping up and through, but the front end was still down, so the hind legs would get kind of stuck. Of course it didn't help that I kind of curled up and abandoned her in a probably misdirected attempt to stay out of her way so she could sort things out. On the upside we had some lovely trot work including half passes.

With the video findings in mind out this morning and had the big indoor to myself. T started out a little above the bit and wanting to brace and scramble in the canter, but I stuck with things and insisted on more connection with the left rein and thought of pushing her shoulders up and out. It seemed like a lightbulb went off and we had some pretty nice canter work (no hint of laterality confirmed by the big wall of mirrors). Now she's forgotten how to do C/T transitions, but whatever. I am going to make a serious effort to haul her out once a week for a while and see if we can get past this canter challenge.

[Moutaineer]

What do you think is causing it, SF? Frustrating to be sure.

I finally got around to riding in my new stiff boots today. Interesting. Somehow I've never had "real" dressage boots before. It actually does make quite a difference. I felt I could forget about my legs and focus on the rest of my body. My seat was more plugged in. They aren't exactly comfortable yet but not killers. Getting off was a bit painful. I have a couple of weeks to get them settled before my clinic.

[heddylamar]

Have you tried cantering on uneven ground, or over ground poles, StraightForward? Maia can be very creative with her legs too, but if we're on uneven ground she's really dialed in.

And, yeah, this move is happening quick! We went from "maybe" to "we're doing it" in a few weeks. I'm looking at another possible barn on Monday, send positive thoughts?

[StraightForward]

What do you think is causing it, SF? Frustrating to be sure.

I don't really know what the real core issue is, but she has always tended towards going wide behind in the canter. She braces and throws her hind legs out as soon as she feels a little unbalanced. I think the shoes are helping provide a little more support and traction in the back, but it will take time for her to figure it out and adjust. Her left hind is definitely weaker and she carries that hip lower, while the right has a lot more motion, so there is a restriction somewhere. She has improved a ton over the winter, so I'm not complaining, but I am a little envious when someone says "Oh, I did X with my horse and suddenly all our problems disappeared overnight." I'm hoping with the shoes I'll also be able to build up a little more heel; getting a more positive plantar angle especially seems like it could be helpful. Peeling the onion so to speak. Monday the Aviar saddle rep is supposed to be out, so we'll see what she has. T has been happy in the Black Country most recently with a Saddle right half pad, but it seems worthwhile to look at other options. I will be really interested to hear what Leslie says when she sees us, as I've now followed almost all of her advice, and things are greatly improved, but not solved completely.

Congrats on the stiff boots - what kind did you get? Hopefully they will break in quickly for you!

[StraightForward]

Have you tried cantering on uneven ground, or over ground poles, StraightForward? Maia can be very creative with her legs too, but if we're on uneven ground she's really dialed in.

She has more trouble in the sloped outdoor arena at the home barn, than with the very level arena I haul to. Our home indoor is pretty uneven as well, and it does not do her any favors. Her canter is generally fine if she's working in a more open frame, it's when we build up to a more collected frame (I'm not pulling her together, just the progression like cantering after doing trot SI and HI exercises), she will tend towards getting above the bit, tight in the back, and doing an interpretive dance with her hind legs. She can actually be pretty handy through jump grids.

[blob]

SF-- does she do it on her own when she's on a lunge or out in pasture or is it something specific to when she's ridden? I'm asking because I usually approach issues like this differently depending on whether the horse is struggle to coordinate their legs in the way i'm asking them to move (only showing up when ridden) v. the horse is having somethign going on any time they canter.

Is it better or worse when she's ridden in a long frame? What about if she's ridden super forward?

As someone ALSO dealing with canter issues, I fully feel the pain and the frustration.


Thanks for all the pink coat compliments! It was the first time using it and I was quite happy with how it looks with RP. I'm not usually a pink person, but it's just such a good color on him.

another rainy weekend for us!

[StraightForward]

SF-- does she do it on her own when she's on a lunge or out in pasture or is it something specific to when she's ridden? I'm asking because I usually approach issues like this differently depending on whether the horse is struggle to coordinate their legs in the way i'm asking them to move (only showing up when ridden) v. the horse is having somethign going on any time they canter.

Is it better or worse when she's ridden in a long frame? What about if she's ridden super forward?

As someone ALSO dealing with canter issues, I fully feel the pain and the frustration.

Well, on the lunge to the right, her tendency is to fall in heavily and toss her haunches out. It is only recently that I can get her staying out on the circle and somewhat bending to the inside in the canter, but she loses it if she gets tight in the back and starts rushing. Same thing to the left but not as bad. She does not really swap leads when she canters at liberty, but I do think she goes wide behind and puts her haunches left, especially to stop. I'd say when she's ridden more forward, she can get over tempo and go lateral as well, so there is a component of keeping her in the right tempo so she has time to ground her hind feet and push off appropriately. Most of the switching behind will show up in collected work, and we both have to focus pretty hard to keep things together in counter canter. I actually don't feel frustrated because it's come a long way already, but I know it can be better, and I need to keep nitpicking to get what we need for 2nd and 3rd.

Today was hoof and leg day at the dissection - the instructor is a farrier, and I got a few ideas to tweak things with the next round of shoes. Now that I've got the first set under my belt, I'm thinking about doing a small wedge on the hinds.

[blob]

Have you thought about using or used something like the equiband system? I know not everyone believes in them, but I know some people who have had some really good results with them helping a horse adjust the way they use the body. I'm wondering if something like that might encourage her to to be less wide behind?

[StraightForward]

I actually make a knockoff Equiband but only used it once or twice for lunging and didn't see much effect.I could try using it for riding. I think the shoes are helping but it takes time to adapt to new movement patterns. My instructor will be here this week, so I'm sure she'll be able to tell me if there is a noticeable change from pre-shoes a few weeks ago.

[blob]

I'll be interested to hear what your instructor thinks about before and after shoes.

My understanding of the equiband system (official or DIY) is that it's not supposed to show difference with a single use--but rather you are supposed ot use it regularly for 4-6 weeks to get the proper improvement and then can scale back to using it occasionally as a reminder. People I know have reported seeing improvement around 2-3 weeks or regular use.

[Moutaineer]

An interesting puzzle, SF.

I rode outside in the sunshine yesterday for the first time this year. It was just so nice! Potters tends to drop behind my leg when faced with all that space, so we had to work on that a bit. I was told my canter work was very "nice." Which was not a compliment... we have to aim for "impressive." I was quite enjoying "nice," myself.

New boots are the Mountain Horse Serenades. Really nice boot for the money. They have 5aken a bit of breaking in at home as they are impressively tall and hard.

My upcoming clinic has moved up a week. Yikes. The hairy beast is still hairy. I am still fluffy. We have 2 weeks. Neither situation is going to resolve in that period, so there we are.

[exvet]

So no lessons this weekend or next weekend. I took my truck for an overall maintenance check, has only 52,000 miles, Dodge 2500 diesel 2016. It's still there for servicing. Other than replacing all the brake rotors and pads the rest is just routine flushing of all fluids and maintenance - $3400 out the door. I was prepared for about $2000 but this just took a huge chunk of the horse budget. I guess on the upside it's a lot less than a new truck.

I've tried the new Fager bit on Brandon twice now and while it's obvious his mouthiness is his go to when tense or frustrated (so now definitely a habit) he does go much better in the sweet iron double jointed snaffle. I've been riding him without the flash too so I don't think it's just a honeymoon phase. I also am very pleased with his progress regarding developing the engagement and strength for second level.

Junior is much more consistent with the flying part of the flying changes. In addition to the transitions of counter canter to trot on the 20 meter circle I've found the counter canter on a 20 meter circle spiraling in and out and then asking for the change also has helped a ton. Today his difficult direction produced a clean, well in the air flying change. It was so eazzzzzzzy! We were both smiling

[Tanga]

SF--I've been thinking about this. I'm going to end up suggesting what I always do--massage. Quinn has had some similarities, and still does when she is tight. The running, pulling down and tight and swapping behind is familiar. It's been about 6 years of trying to figure out how to deal with whatever she did to herself, which might have been muscle damage, nerve damage . . . I have gone back and forth between thinking it's in her back, haunches, and shoulders. I still don't know. I always massage and work her back and focused on the hind end, but the real difference seems to be the scapula massage/separation and working on that bracheocephalus. Masterson-Method techniques seem to be the best to start with. I also really changed the way I warm both of them up. When I start out I do not use reins to steer. The go on a long rein and all of the circles and turning are from my body position, forcing ME to be aware where all my body parts are and weight is. We do walk, trot, and canter this way.

Quinn in particular is MUCH better this way. If I try to hold her with the reins to get her to bend and come under behind, she rushes, pushes down and gets really crooked. If I just do it with my body and ask her to go forward enough, she backs off as she comes up under behind and lifts her front end and bends off my inside leg. Sometimes I have to feel like I am literally throwing my hip to the outside to get my body to where she feels the shift in weight and balance. Once I get her like that, she can be lovely. Of course, if I get tight and hold at all, she can go right back to it. I have to remind myself to go back to this and not play tug o war with her when it gets hard with it. And it's been enlightening to do this with Quilla's new leasor (who's going to show her 1st, 2nd, and then 3rd in a a few shows to get her bronze) who started off unable to get her to canter or bend and could not stop tightening her left hip and leaning that way. Within two months the change has been dramatic in her riding with riding just one day a week.

Ouch exvet. That seems really expensive. After my '78 Suburban stopping for the champs, I took it in and had EVERYTHING done to make it perfect--alternator, all seals, gaskets, fluids, etc. It was $2,000. He even finally got my radio to work. WAY cheaper than a new truck, and so much cheaper to register and insure.

[heddylamar]

Maia likes to swap behind too if I'm not giving her to space to really open up. So cantering in the arena is a disaster. Outside is great, and even better if it's uneven ground ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ One of the suggestions I got from my bodyworker is lateral work, specifically things like shoulder/haunches in. We've been doing a bit since December, and Maia's great on a 20 x 40 meter now. We can hold the canter for a full 20 meter with a lot of leg and a bit of counter bend now, but it's a ton of effort on my part. More than I deem necessary So we're sticking with canter spirals in the counter bend when outside, and 20 x 30-40 circles in the arena.

Ouch, Exvet! That's crazy. I expect bills like that when I'm replacing something big, not for routine maintenance.

[exvet]

Maia likes to swap behind too if I'm not giving her to space to really open up. So cantering in the arena is a disaster. Outside is great, and even better if it's uneven ground ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ One of the suggestions I got from my bodyworker is lateral work, specifically things like shoulder/haunches in. We've been doing a bit since December, and Maia's great on a 20 x 40 meter now. We can hold the canter for a full 20 meter with a lot of leg and a bit of counter bend now, but it's a ton of effort on my part. More than I deem necessary So we're sticking with canter spirals in the counter bend when outside, and 20 x 30-40 circles in the arena.

Ouch, Exvet! That's crazy. I expect bills like that when I'm replacing something big, not for routine maintenance.

Most of it was for the 4 brake rotors and brake pads for a 3/4 ton diesel. Going up and down the mountain every 8 weeks for close to a year after 8 years of weekly use with the factory installed stuff (ie, original) adds up.............I could have just replaced the front pair but my hauling isn't likely to change and I don't scrimp on safety.

[StraightForward]

For anyone interested, here is a clip of the worst from the ride I videoed last weekend. Really coming up and bending at the top of the slope is where the struggle starts, so I really think it is mostly balance and strength. You can see she wants to just keep going up the hill rather than bending and coming around. The next day I rode in the big indoor I haul to and did not have these issues, though after watching this I was also careful to maintain my position and outside rein more consistently. Here I was sort of perching and trying to let her sort it out without letting her totally sprawl out in all directions. https://youtu.be/0zzS7pstI1c


For comparison, here is our first level test from October on perfect flat footing, with right lead canter starting around 3:15: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-oRBJyAmaw

[Aleuronx]

SF it looks like in the video she prefers to pick up the right lead a couple of times and is consistently trying to swap that left hind into the diagonal pair out of the left lead. It's interesting that you said the next ride keeping her up on the outside rein helped as that was likely holding that left hind into the lead. She also does this in the show video as you come around to the judge at C, swaps out and in with the left hind a stride. Is her left hind her weaker leg? If so that would make sense, or some SI involvement/crookedness that makes her prefer to keep the left hind supported in the pair than pushing off by itself.

Every horse has a weaker leg, I've yet to ride or know one that was equal in both. I know for Kora, who's right hind is the weaker one, leg yielding in the canter was big to promote the push but in a slightly differently way aka laterally helped a ton in addition to forcing me in that movement as a rider to completely support the outside aids.

[Moutaineer]

This is probably a stupid question, SF, but have you ever had her SI looked at? She kind of looks like a milder case of what Walker used to look before I had his injected. It's like she doesn't want to rotate that hind end through and take the weight. Could be fitness or strength of course, but I would think with the amount of work you do with her she'd be over that by now.

We've done some work on that leg yield on and off the rail at the canter exercise too, Ale. For us it's easy going to the right, but a bugger going to the left. It really does make you focus on your leg to hand connection and using your seat and legs to support the movement.

It is cold and damp and rain/snow mix today. Ugh. I hurt all over and am moving like I'm 100 years old. I did ride this morning though, just not very well! Trainer is off sick, so I had my ride to myself, which is good for me. We had an uneventful Monday morning after 2 days off ride in which we worked on getting in front of the leg and using canter-trot-canter transitions on a circle in order to do so. Tomorrow will be a better ride for it. And I think we may work on the canter leg yield exercise if I'm still on my own!

[StraightForward]

SF it looks like in the video she prefers to pick up the right lead a couple of times and is consistently trying to swap that left hind into the diagonal pair out of the left lead. It's interesting that you said the next ride keeping her up on the outside rein helped as that was likely holding that left hind into the lead. She also does this in the show video as you come around to the judge at C, swaps out and in with the left hind a stride. Is her left hind her weaker leg? If so that would make sense, or some SI involvement/crookedness that makes her prefer to keep the left hind supported in the pair than pushing off by itself.

Yes, she is definitely weaker in the LH. Which makes sense that coming around the higher end of the arena puts more weight on it and it gets harder. Neither vet or bodyworker have said anything about SI pain specifically, but she does get tight in her lumbar area and really whole hind end. She does have crookedness that I suspect is reduced mobility in her left hip; the right hip is higher, but watching from behind I think it's more that the left side is restricted. She will get that right hip stuck a little forward and I need to be more consistent with the little adjustment I was shown to push it back. I just ordered everything for her next shoe package and I'm going to put on a slightly wider shoe with a mild wedge, so it will be interesting to see if that changes anything.

Yesterday I set up the "circle of death" with just little x-rails. It was blustery and she was a bit up, but was doing some of her hind end stuff at first, but worked out of it. It seemed like having to stretch and jump a little at each quarter pushed her into rebalancing and getting her front end out of the way.

Today the saddle rep came out and we tried several Aviar saddles. T clearly liked two of them, though they weren't the same ones that worked with my leg. So hopefully she can track something down from another rep with the correct configuration and I can get it on trial. She also poked around on her back and just found really mild soreness just behind the scapula, but overall nothing indicating that saddle fit is causing us problems. It was interesting though; I did a pretty good warmup in my regular saddle, and then the first Aviar we put on, she started blowing a bunch, and then breathing way more rhythmically than she normally does. One other saddle, she really got round and went into the bit, so that is the tree we're going with, and hopefully the breathing will come along as well. Luckily I have a raise coming next month.

[Aleuronx]

That makes a lot of sense. I will share what my trainer drills into us, that the weaker leg has to be strengthened to be greater than not equal to the preferred hind. Why? Because the horse's natural tendency you have to use exercises as physical therapy so that even when they are having an off day, that weaker side is simply equal not lesser. Flipping the tables in your favor. For us it's canter leg yield, forward and back 2-3 strides (aka squats, age/level appropriate and LOTS, not just 1-3 reps), walk to canter transitions.

I don't miss the saddle shopping game! Fingers crossed you can find something you both like and the raise to support it, lol.

It's March and we had the biggest snow fall total from a single storm all winter. Or should I say spring? This El Nino influenced season has been weird to say the least.

Riding wise I'm feeling a bit like treading water until trainer returns from Florida circuit. The storm cancelled a repeat with other trainer and suss out whether our warm-up discrepancy could be managed. I'm pondering some schooling shows in April as on a whim I rode through both the trot and canter tour work for 3rd3 and it was like doable? Well aside from trot half-pass right which has seemingly disappeared. We either have bend and no sideways or sideways and no bend. I've been picking away at that the last couple of rides and dreaming of the snow melting so we can get back outside.

[Josette]

Proprioception and Strength Training Techniques for Horses

https://thehorse.com/1121736/propriocep ... ness&uuid=

[StraightForward]

Good article, thanks! I do have SureFoot pads though I haven't been using them quite as often lately. T has no problem standing on them though.

Yesterday she lost a shoe, and sure enough, it was the LH. Now I know my glue work left something to be desired, but the other three were still on tight. Makes me think she is doing weird things with that leg. The cuff was a bit pulled away from the shoe on the lateral front edge, which is also where she develops flare persistently.

[Chisamba]

Hello everyone, I hope you do not mind me chiming in late. Early March I was in Ireland spending quality time with family and for the first time I did no riding or teaching while I was there. I usually schedule submerging so that the trip is tax deductible, but this was pure family time.my mother is 93 and my brother lives closest to get and had all the hard work of daily care. She still lives alone in her own home, bit has care givers who assist her with bathing, and meals. She has been refusing to eat. While I was there she ate with us with great appetite, but I'm told when Mikhail and I returned home she did not get up or eat for 3 days.

Many of you are helping an aging parent so you know how it is.

I decided while I was gone to send Saiph to my trainer so that she could continue with the work we started this year.

Stephan is also one who believes in stretch to the outside rein to establish the connection through the body as part of warm up. We work mostly in a circle, changing from circle to circle, suppling with the inside hand moving inward, (not backward keeping steady contact with the outside rein and suppling the horses with inside bend until the elasticize through the body into the contact. The weight in the outside rein being the gift of a connected horse.

Once Saiph is forward and through and teaching into the contact we ride her more up into forward hands into collection, with shoulder fore, leg yield and then mediums.

It is a method I am familiar with and respect and it is working.

When saiph spooks ( its not if, its when) then into the outside steady rein with suppling inside rein and of course, inside leg into the outside contact. " ride the corners,Marion" " hold the outside rein " supple, bend, supple more, bend more. Inside leg.

It's the basic building block that will make our PsG dreams come true. Lol.

The interesting thing about the warm up is that I have introduced it to all my horses, focusing more on the outside connection and the suppleness, and it really works, so I'm sold. My green horses cannot do it as well because they are not yet confirmed off the inside leg, but that is such an important first step I'm focusing on that too.

On a positive note I only took my skinny clothes to Ireland because I totally did not want to gain weight, and I ate mindfully, and I lost a few more pounds

Khall, what a delightful filly!

RP looks smashing and I too love the pink.

Kora, Mari and Exvet, your work sounds so impressively progressed

Moutaineer, congrats on 3 years, it's 4 for Saiph and I. Good luck preparing for Mette.

Heddy, good luck moving. I have always though Maryland was nice. I hope you think so too.

[Kelo1]

Well hello.....it's been a long time since I posted here, but I'm poking my head back in. It's wonderful to see so many familiar posters.

Not sure if y'all remember me, I have the sorrel QH who got to Grand Prix before it was time to retire him about 4 years ago. He's still happy at home, ridden several times a week. Most of the time we just ride and do limbering stuff, but when he feels sassy we still do GP maneuvers just because it makes us happy.

The past, um, 6 years have been a real chore trying to find a new partner and I've been through several, but I am hopeful I've finally found one (as of last fall). That may be the hardest part of all of this, that I got talented young horses and spent years on each of them trying to develop relationships and realizing it was not what I wanted. And the thing was it wasn't the horses, it was me -- they'd act like young horses, good most of the time, spicy sometimes, and my friends would tell me to just cowboy up, but I *did not* want to do that. It was a chore to ride never knowing what was gonna happen, and it made me feel pretty lame when my friends rolled their eyes at me.

But guess I still went ahead and sold them, and found this one. He's a 7yo gelding, and a rope horse before I got him. His main attribute is he is a kind, kind, kind horse, one of the meet-you-at-the-gate fellows. He's just a pleasure to be around, and the same horse whether you ride him every day or don't ride him for a month, can take a joke and tries really hard to please.

It's been half a year now where I can just go to the barn and relax and bop around and I am much happier now so I think I made the right choice for me.

Anyway, this fellow has had to do basically a 180 on expectations for what he's being asked for under saddle, and by gosh he tries so hard every single day......from just loping on the right lead, to contact with the bridle, to pushing him forward.

I like to think we're making decent progress. He can canter off on the right lead without running into it. He's finally moving forward much more freely, has started being comfortable with contact, and recently has even started figuring out stretchy walk and trot. He's started figuring out how to hear my seat cues, and is getting the hang of lateral work.

I mostly work on going forward freely, then transitions between and within the gaits, spiraling, doing leg yields and some shoulder in work, and started doing lengthenings (right now I do about 4 steps of shoulder in, lengthen for about 5-10 strides, then leg yield to the wall).

He's super stiff still, so I try to do a lot of bending him and trying to get him to figure out how to do transitions without stiffening his body -- suggestions welcome on exercises to help. Almost any transition, up or down, he wants to stiffen his body, raise his head and freeze his back up, kind of a rope horse habit. As soon as he makes the transition he relaxes right back to where he was.

I doubt he's going to impress folks, but if dressage means training then that's what we're doing, and by gosh he makes me smile with how hard he tries.

It's been a few years since I've even had dressage lessons and for now we'll stick to my backyard, but maybe at some point in the future we can get back to lessons or even showing!

[Chisamba]

Kelo, I vote for loving the ride on your horse., feeling safe and having a working relationship!

Your boy had a big butt and I cannot lie. I luff it.

For horses that climb in the canter transition, I work on suppling to the inside to stretch to the outside rein through the transition. Patiently. You don't get it all in one day

[khall]

Kelo it’s good to hear from you again! What a cutie your new guy is!! For those of us with yellow ponies we should form the yellow brigade:)
To help prevent stiffening in the transition put a bend to him. Ask for yield laterally in the transition.

I have a cool comparison of Joplin

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/3XQqrGYoTjZ2nUjL/? At 4 and at 9. This picture was late last year. Joplin is really stepping up in her canter work. Now I’ve got to keep up! Cedar clinic in a week so looking forward to getting her opinion on our work and for her to meet Lani.

And Lani pics! Showing her fuzzy forelock and her saying hello to Henry who really wants to play with her.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/5ph46bewTzcEE4ST/?

Chisamba glad you had a good visit with your mom. It’s so tough to watch them fail. Saiph looks good!

SF that’s a tough one with T. What I most see is the brace in her. I deal with some brace in Joplin as well and Cedar wants me to use lateral work to help soften that brace. I’ve done something very similar to what chisamba was saying keep them supple on the inside rein.

Exvet it sounds like good progress with both of your boys. Yeah!

Mountaineer glad you were able to ride outside. Fresh air and sunshine!

Happy spring to you all! And good riding

[exvet]

So nice to see you back Kelo1! I was just thinking about you the other day when I had someone who competes a quarter horse in classical dressage was lamenting on her handicap (her horse's breed) LOL.

Chisamba it sounds like your trip was a very good one. Glad you're back too

khall I've been meaning to put together a time line of pics showing Junior's maturation process. You can definitely see that Joplin is all that! At times it seems like it takes forever and then all of a sudden it's like scratching your head and wondering ......just when did that happen? They look like a big horse!?

I had a long day at work yesterday and didn't get on the road towards the Valley until almost 7 pm. I'm so grateful that my three just load and go. I do feel sorry for Junior. He still has his woolies and it's in almost 80 degrees here today. I did make it a point to ride him early this morning. Looking forward to tomorrow. My daughter is coming over so we can all go on a nice long hopefully relaxing trail ride.

[Moutaineer]

Hi Chisamba! I'm glad your mother enjoyed your trip to Ireland and that you did too. Saiph does look good.

And Kelo1! Yes, it's all about your own journey and enjoying what you ride. Handsome big guy you've got there.

We had an unexpected bluebird day today. I got to the barn to snow on the roof and a coating on the outdoor arena, the sun came out and it all burned off while I was prepping the dirt-yak, King of Mud, so I got an outside ride and lesson which was just so nice. Lovely to have all that space.

Of course, the downside was the little bits of snow still plinking off the trees next to the arena, which were a major cause of concern, but we soldiered on--it gave him some serious forward spark

The high point of today was a real, honest to God, smooth as silk, extended trot. I realize I don't think I've ever felt that before and I've been grinning like a fool ever since. Wahoo!!!

This weekend's weather is supposed to be deeply uninspiring, we have trained really hard this week and my body could use a rest, so I'm going to have a weekend off horses and spend some time with my neglected DH and rather dirty house.

[Chisamba]

I also am a fan of the pink Blob, and you and RP look good too.

Tuesday I schooled in the outdoor and got video of some good examples of Tesla getting weird with her hind legs in canter. It seemed that part of the problem was that her hind legs would be folding and stepping up and through, but the front end was still down, so the hind legs would get kind of stuck. Of course it didn't help that I kind of curled up and abandoned her in a probably misdirected attempt to stay out of her way so she could sort things out. On the upside we had some lovely trot work including half passes.

With the video findings in mind out this morning and had the big indoor to myself. T started out a little above the bit and wanting to brace and scramble in the canter, but I stuck with things and insisted on more connection with the left rein and thought of pushing her shoulders up and out. It seemed like a lightbulb went off and we had some pretty nice canter work (no hint of laterality confirmed by the big wall of mirrors). Now she's forgotten how to do C/T transitions, but whatever. I am going to make a serious effort to haul her out once a week for a while and see if we can get past this canter challenge.

I'm not there and don't know Tesla, to my eye it's mental. She holds herself so tense she cannot use herself. I would address the tension and see where that takes you. I would move her neck around. Bend flex release repeat you know that is doing that the horses neck should be a supple as an elephants trunk.
Just get her to move her poll , until she is less blocked in the neck. . I my experience once you have the neck relaxed the forward comes.

Just a suggestion , use it if you think it may be helpful.

PS. I just read Khalls response and what she said. ( we agree we just verbalized it a bit differently,)

[Chisamba]

I have a little videos of Saiph in work if anyone wants to see .

[StraightForward]

Kelo, good to hear from you! Another member here, Ponichiwa, also has a cute palomino QH learning all the dressage ropes (and now she has his little brother to).

Moutaineer, woohoo on the extended trot!

Chisamba, welcome back! I'd forgotten about your big trip and wondered when you'd pop back in. The photos of Saiph looked super.

In my lesson on Thursday, we kind of came to the same conclusion that a lot of this is mental with T. My instructor says sometimes she has moments that are totally spectacular, then she just gets tight and does something weird. Now she rarely fully stops on me, but it makes sense that in a way it's coming from the same place. Canter is physically hardest for her, so it makes sense that is where she gets tense. We did get some good work doing some HI and HP in a bit on the circle. In possibly a stroke of dumb luck, she threw her LH shoe on Wednesday, so I went out and reset it, but accidentally put it back a bit too far. She actually seemed to do better with the shoe set back, so when the padding material arrives and I redo the hind pair package this week I'll make sure they're just a bit more set back. Hoping giving her a better feeling on her hind feet will help with the mental tension. It is getting so much better in the warmup though; she goes into a normal trot and starts stretching so much faster and takes much less "revving" before cantering, where we used to spend 10-15 minutes feeling like riding through quicksand. I'm just about to head out for my second lesson, then, like Moutaineer, need to focus on some non-horse things for the rest of the weekend. Hoping for drier weather and some time off next week before starting my detail at work.

[StraightForward]

Kelo, good to hear from you! Another member here, Ponichiwa, also has a cute palomino QH learning all the dressage ropes (and now she has his little brother to).

Moutaineer, woohoo on the extended trot!

Chisamba, welcome back! I'd forgotten about your big trip and wondered when you'd pop back in. The photos of Saiph looked super.

In my lesson on Thursday, we kind of came to the same conclusion that a lot of this is mental with T. My instructor says sometimes she has moments that are totally spectacular, then she just gets tight and does something weird. Now she rarely fully stops on me, but it makes sense that in a way it's coming from the same place. Canter is physically hardest for her, so it makes sense that is where she gets tense. We did get some good work doing some HI and HP in a bit on the circle. In possibly a stroke of dumb luck, she threw her LH shoe on Wednesday, so I went out and reset it, but accidentally put it back a bit too far. She actually seemed to do better with the shoe set back, so when the padding material arrives and I redo the hind pair package this week I'll make sure they're just a bit more set back. Hoping giving her a better feeling on her hind feet will help with the mental tension. It is getting so much better in the warmup though; she goes into a normal trot and starts stretching so much faster and takes much less "revving" before cantering, where we used to spend 10-15 minutes feeling like riding through quicksand. I'm just about to head out for my second lesson, then, like Moutaineer, need to focus on some non-horse things for the rest of the weekend. Hoping for drier weather and some time off next week before starting my detail at work.

[Tanga]

Kelo--So happy you picked a horse you love. You know what I love? Pictures that show hind legs way under and separated--THAT is a sound, talented horse.

Chisamba--Yes, the feelings and stress about mom. We're on four hospital admissions since Xmas (all breathing issues, flu and pneumonia--which she was unvaccinated for) and getting the finances and realizing the nightmare there, and having to find a new place to live near me . . . The emotions.

The good thing is, I am happy with the horses. It is still raining on and off here, but no non stop deep mud like last year. We lost about seven of the local shows I can drive to in 30 minutes, so we're down to a few options we have to do to or drive a lot longer (at almost $5 gallon gas in my ancient Suburban that gets maybe 10 mpg pulling.) This is not a champ year, so I'm going to ride Quinn GP, GPfs and I-2, and my friend wants to get her bronze, so she's riding Quilla one 1st level test and 2 2nds, and then I assume can get her bronze at the next show with the 3rd level tests-- unless she falls off. Quilla is having a ball being miss easy to ride schoolmaster, and sneaking out of frame or forward if she doesn't ride correctly. Between my friend and my two other leasors who used to ride their mom, both girls have four people riding them. And it's worked out fine. It's really taught me more in how to think and ride and got me more focused on what to do correctly, and the girls love it. I still usually ride Quilla 1/2 days a week and can put her through a GP test in a snaffle easily, so maybe this will help, and I'm really happy with Quinn. It will be a big break to go to some shows and only ride two FEI tests a day!

So, before I get too old to ride, I guess the plan is to do one more champs with both girls at I-2 and GP next year, and then, I don't know. As my friend said, what else do I want to do? I might let my friend breed them to her new Cob stallion . . .

[heddylamar]

@Kelo What a cutie! He's got the big butt like my mom's retired barrel horse/pasture ornament/very occasional dressage horse (I give her shade for not riding very frequently, but he's the perfect horse for that) My first horse was a redheaded QH mare. She taught me so much, and I still ride her offspring. That fit is so important.

I understand what you're going through @Chisamba and @Tanga. We're dealing with similar aging challenges with my dad and the DH's grandmother. We'll be near-ish to grandma again in Maryland, so we'll both be spending a lot more time with her. As for my dad, I should be sending more gift baskets to the nurses. He's not cooperative, or nice, to the nursing staff.

In horse news, I found a barn last week! It's a multi-disciplinary place, with a cross country course, loads of hills, multiple arenas, and so much grass Maia's going to need a muzzle for a few weeks ... or for me to glue her lips shut since she'll have the muzzle off in minutes And it's only 11 miles from the house. Now I just need to get back to riding! We're home this week, then back to Maryland for closing, etc the following week.

[exvet]

We had a gorgeous trail ride this morning. My daughter came and rode Brandon while I was on Junior and Ace filled his job without putting a foot wrong. The weather comes in overnight so other than a family gathering in the afternoon tomorrow it's unlikely I'll get much more riding in before I have to go back to work on Tuesday. As for progress, well, we managed a bit more with piaffe and passage since my champ of a daughter was there to help from the ground while I was on Junior. It's fun to watch as his light bulb flickers a bit brighter with each attempt.

[Ponichiwa]

For those of us with yellow ponies we should form the yellow brigade:)

Team Palomino!

Welcome back, Kelo, and on what a cutie. I completely empathize with not wanting to play young horse shenanigan games anymore. Sounds like you're on the right track now with Mr Tries Hard - sounds very similar to my guy's approach to life, and it's so nice. The hardest thing is just getting them to try less hard when they get a little tense.

Good luck on the move, Heddy!

Chisamba - Saiph is looking great.

All good over here - Queso is getting stronger, so the connection is better, but with strength comes a bit of stiffness/rigidity so we're alternating collection/strength-building days with sideways and suppling days to make sure we don't overdo the body building. I'm cleaning up the changes this month: he can be late or together behind when I'm not carrying enough tempo or forward into the changes, but doing my favorite counter-canter-renvers exercise not surprisingly works again.

On the opposite side of the training spectrum, Dijon is working on Adult Ammy 101: standing tied, getting bathed, and going on handwalks for a couple minutes a day. He's turning into a pretty confident, human-oriented little guy. It might be the snacks at work.

[mari]

Loved reading the updates over the last few day!

Chisamba - welcome back and glad your trip was good! Your pictures on Saiph are lovely.
Kelo - what a cutie! I dream of having a palomino <3

I've had some hard rides on Odin last week, he has just gone into monster mode and was pulling me around like a ragdoll. My back hurts, my neck hurts, my knees hurt. My instructor rode him yesterday and he was better, but still hard work and she got to feel the things I feel. And today was a fun (where fun = hair-raising) jumping lesson that he had a BALL at.

[Moutaineer]

I'm dead chuffed that I managed to repeat the nice extended trot today. It's amazing how much easier it is when you actually have the horse through and on your aids and you aren't just chasing the poor creature across the diagonal...

[StraightForward]

I am cautiously excited about Tesla's new hind shoe package. 4 mm wider and a little leather wedge. We had to ride inside last night because it poured buckets all day, but no swapping in back, and I was able to convince her to canter more slowly/deliberately without getting climby or too short. I think she is standing more square too. We had some nice trot work and I found a little bit of flexion that had been missing the the HP left. We have more rain on the way, so we'll be stuck inside for awhile. It will be interesting to see how she does with the slope once we're back in the outdoor. Even before the shoe change, she is moving much better overall. I got some video last weekend and she is looking really supple and swinging in her body quite early in the ride.

[exvet]

Yay Tesla! Rode in the sleet and freezing rain today. It wasn't so bad because for whatever reason we didn't get wet. I put Junior in the double bridle for the first time ever. He wasn't a fan but I did have more engagement and more collection even without using the curb (I always tie it up over their neck for them to get used to first before really riding with it), only using the snaffle/bradoon. I'm going to ride him a couple more times in it before I decide if I need to look further for something else. His sire's double did not fit but the fit of Monty's old bits seems good so we'll see. I also used my old Roosli on Brandon because I am getting his saddle's billets replaced. I almost think he went better in it. I have lessons on Sunday so I'll see what the instructor thinks.

[exvet]

No Roosli for Brandon. I rode him on the trail with it on Saturday without much drama; but, in my lesson on Sunday he had a major temper tantrum. My instructor was shocked at how mad he got and his antics. We even switched to doing in hand work and he started trying to strike at me (has happened before) which I had warned her. No one got injured and I was able to dampen his emotions with more walk work and in hand work. Her observation was that the saddle seemed to 'fit' but it definitely moves more over his kidneys. He has always been the Princess and the pea; so, western saddle it is. My SLK should be done in 1-2 weeks.

Junior was the bomb, well as ponies go. He unfortunately has learned and now anticipates the FC with the great exercise of trot-counter-canter on the 20 meter circle then using that to leg yield/spiral in and then ask for the FC on the 10-meter circle, little, no big stinker. It was clean/flying going from right to left but skip-a-change going left to right. We changed it up and then tried haunches in on the 10 meter circle and putting the FC on the 10 meter circle figure 8 focusing on moving his haunches instead of his shoulders. It worked, true flying changes. Another exercise that really helped to bring out the expression in his trot half-passes was to half pass on the 20 meter circle in and leg yield out which really helped to mobilize and get better control of his shoulders. It's certainly a challenge to not only isolate but mobilize the various parts on such a short coupled beast. We worked on some passage as well. He at least can bounce. Because I rode Junior first in my lessons then had to ride him home, switch horses and get back before my next lesson (instructor taught another pair in between) I hand galloped him home. I guess my instructor and a few of the boarders watched. When I got back with Brandon, my instructor was beaming because even she believed that Junior has a 10 canter in there (LOL, of course as long as you're galloping home towards his friends. Geesh horses/ponies!).

[Moutaineer]

Happy Monday! A day off for us as we spent the weekend riding with Mette, so we are both a little tired!

It was a really good clinic for us and confirmed that we are very much on the right path. What with one thing and another it has been quite a while since I have ridden with her. She was very pleased with the progress we have made.

Potters was a total rockstar and didn't put a hoof wrong all weekend--even when the horse that had gone before him got totally hung up in a trailer loading incident and was pounding and banging and crashing around trying to get unstuck just outside one of the windows of the indoor, while his owner screamed. (That was a total mess. Vet called, sutures, lacerations, puncture wounds...) He also patiently babysat another new-to-our-barn horse who didn't want to get on his owner's trailer so had to come in mine, so Potters hung out quietly waiting for his ride times and generally proved his worth of weight in gold!

So, what did we work on? Straightness was probably the biggest theme, in which we had already made some progress and made quite a bit more. My horse called me a liar when I said that straightening him up could sometimes cause significant fireworks and was most obliging about the whole thing. It will be interesting to see if he is similarly cooperative about it at home.

We worked on half pass at the trot and the canter, which was very helpful. I'd already had a "less is more" revelation at home a week or so ago, so this confirmed it quite nicely.

We did a lot of canter work, and Mette's comments lined up with my trainer's view of ""nice", but you need to be less passive and doing more to make it better." So we did more, and more... worked on extension to collection which was a bit humbling and something I really need to focus on before I go into the show ring again, and we had fun with some lovely flying change sequences.

It proved that our winter of quiet basics has been so worthwhile. As has been my work on my own general fitness, balance and suppleness, and of course the work I have done on my breathing.

[StraightForward]

Sounds like the work is all really paying off, Moutaineer!

Monday a barn buddy and I hauled out to ride. T was a ridiculous herd bound nightmare when we got there. I lunged her for awhile in the outdoor while she called for her BFF who was in the indoor minding her own business. During her histrionics, she ripped most of her RH shoe off so it was hanging by one tab. I should have been more careful, but she very deliberately cow kicked me when I reached down to pull it off, so I have some nice bruises on both legs and my left bicep now. Of course I read her the riot act, and once the shoe came off, worked her some more and eventually she got her emotions semi-under control so we went in and walked US in the indoor. Last night she was a little angel at home. The outdoor footing was still pretty mushy under the surface, so we were a little limited on options, but I worked on making her more honestly accept HH into the outside rein as she'd started to try evading. Then I mentally reviewed what Leslie worked on with us last fall so I'm hopefully not paying to hear the same things again when she's here in ten days. Interestingly, I'm not sure if she was any worse with her hind shoes off. I will put them back on when my next supply shipment arrives, but at least I can keep riding.

[Moutaineer]

Ouch SF! "Mares in Spring" do you think?

Farrier for Potters today, then we'll get back to work tomorrow.