I'm Back...

 

Hello, bloggers.

I was never really gone...just not at all motivated to post. Not for lack of things to post about, because I had a lot of stuff I wanted to post over the last month.

Here's a short overview (that really doesn't do it any justice).

I've been riding basically only bareback or with my new Abetta endurance saddle (see above) which Jean's sister sold to me for a very very generous price (Thank you!!). I love it! It's very light; I think Daisy enjoys it as well.

I've simply been enjoying Daisy, and getting back to basics. This month included a lot of work on stopping in the snaffle bridle. I regret not doing the schooling in the snaffle; she would have been fine. She's excellent in it now. I've been trying very hard to use all my aids when I ask for the stop, and my hands and reins as a last resort. She's doing well.

I've been trail riding often as well, and have taken her just in a halter and reins numerous times. She's been not quite as good as in the snaffle, but very close. One day I meant to only trail ride, so we went without a bit, and I ended up out on the road anyway because the trail was too wet. Once I got out there, I realized I only had a halter and reins. I took the chance anyway, and she was just fine, even on the road, cantering toward home, I had her stop right there. I've been riding carefully lately to make sure everything we do is a result of me asking her for it, not simply her guessing correctly what I want. Normally, in places where we canter, Daisy knows it and I just let her choose when we start cantering and that's all there is to it.  Now, I make sure she's at a very nice, controlled walk or trot and not anticipating the canter, before I ask for it. I've successfully gotten her to walk very calm in areas where before all she'd do was jig.

Daisy's hooves have held up excellently. This was our first full season on the 'natural' barefoot trim...if I wasn't 100% convinced before, then I'm 200% convinced now. She doesn't even avoid stones now; the majority of the time she'll walk/trot/canter over gravel without a flinch. Her hooves are never bruised (except a tiny spot that we found when she was trimmed yesterday from her bars being quite long) and she's a happy camper. I use her easyboots when time allows; she loves those as well. She seems to walk extra hard on the gravel those days, just to prove how awesome they are. 

I love my mare. She makes my life complete. I can't imagine what I'd do without her. She's my go-to whenever I need a picker-upper...and she always succeeds in making my day. Some rides start out sour, but at the end of it, I look at the little things we've accomplished that day and I'm always immensely proud.

I've ridden over 60 horses in my almost 12 years of riding. There are very few moments where I am afraid on a horse. I realize however that one fear I do have, and admit to, is my fear of being run away with. I'm not sure why it's such a fear of mine. The last time it truly happened (at the trail trial, on Daisy), I wasn't really scared while she was really running; simply angry that she wasn't listening. So I guess a better way to phrase it is, a fear of being out of control. I know they're big animals and I have a lot of healthy respect, and I never let them get away with things. But if they truly want to do something, they will succeed. I feel almost constricted when I ride Ladd or Bubba, because they are truly very strong, and I feel like I lose control with each passing moment at a canter (mostly only out on the trail). I hate that feeling. I know deep down if they took off, it wouldn't be that bad, they'd eventually stop, and I can always one-rein stop. But it still scares me.
I've resolved to fix this fear, at least on Daisy. I'm going to practice letting her go all-out, and then get her back to a stop. I tried it a little today...such a silly fear. She was going full-speed, and I had her to a walk in 10 seconds, tops. It all depends on the day, though.

 My oldest brother and I shared a trail ride together at Jean's. It was a lot of fun :)

 And last Saturday I had the pleasure of visiting my friend who lives about an hour away and I went riding with her, on a delightful draft-cross named Allie. :)

 

Ahhh...That Time of Year Again

 Almost exactly (to the day) a year ago I went to my first cross country schooling with Daisy. It was a complete and total blast. I still count it as the best day of my life ;)...besides the day I got Daisy. 

Here's the video from that day (and...I apologize for all the spelling errors...they are truly typos...I watched the video a ton of times before I noticed :P now it bothers me):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSDcW7jVg10

And so...on Monday...a year since our first schooling, we are....DOING ANOTHER ONE! 

I'm psyched. :) Truly. 

We're doing beginner novice height. Mmmm hm. :)

My only decision to make right now is....snaffle or kimberwicke?

I'm leaning towards kimberwicke. Hate to switch it out though...

Until later :),

First Show on Laddie!

Yesterday I had my first show on Ladd.
I rode him 3 times last week, all in my own wintec, and he was pretty good with it, and with the riding. Friday we had a club mounted meeting in prep for the show, and suddenly Ladd pulled some funny stunts...Like bucking when a horse passed at the canter...! What's up with that?! He wasn't doing that the other days!

Ladd is an OTTB. Having been a racehorse, it seems he had his ear twitched at least once or twice...and so is incredibly head-shy normally. On a small horse, this isn't such a big deal, but on Ladd...well, if he doesn't want you to touch his ears, chances are you won't get to. So he had some burrs in his forelock from probably July. I had to get those out for the show! Luckily I'm not short. I rubbed baby oil in with one hand, and then standing on tip-toes I reached up and slowly but surely got those nasty burrs out (all the while he acted like I was pulling teeth or something!). Of course, once they were out, his forelock was a greasy mess. Somehow, he seemed to admit defeat at that point, and obligingly put his head down to get his forelock braided...a miracle. :)

We unloaded rather badly at the show grounds...Bubba and Ladd were together on Jean's two-horse trailer, and when Bubba was taken off to get tacked, I wasn't ready to take Ladd off yet. Of course, once Bubba got off, Ladd immediately strained against the trailer ties to get out...on with the lead, off came the butt-strap, and he shot out of the end of the trailer. oops.
There are cows across the street of these showgrounds. Of course they fascinated him :P. I got on him and lowered my stirrups a hole, to get more leg around him, at least until I knew he wouldn't do something silly. I took him in the arena (alone) to warm up. He was just fine going left, and then had to spook at everything going right. Figures. :P The advertisements on the sides of the ring and some paint stripes threw him off.

Time came for first class, English Pleasure. I thought before I came that, if Ladd held it together, we could be in the ribbons. I think he would have been first class, but that at one point he broke to a trot from the canter, and I asked for it again right away, and he got it, but while moving back to the rail he did a flying change. I had to go back to the trot and pick it up again, and by that time it was a pretty noticeable break of stride, and so we didn't ribbon in pleasure. That was ok-I was happy that he held it together as well as he did.

Next class was English Equitation-Equitation judges the rider, not the horse (which is judged in Pleasure). We had to do an extended trot in that class, and after my work on extensions at camp, I could tell that he was truly extending and not merely speeding up. I think at the end the judge even complimented us on our extension :)
The pattern for equitation was really nice: Canter the length of the ring in a straight line and do as many lead changes as possible, simple or flying. I tried to avoid getting in on either end of the line, but of course this particular judge started from the middle and picked me to go first.
That's my face when she said "You're right in the middle. Thanks for volunteering to go first!".
Oh dear :P

I chose to do simple changes with Ladd because I know he speeds up during flying ones and I wanted get at least three changes in. I did a few strides of canter, right to a stop, and then the new canter lead from a standstill, four times. He was so so good! :)
And...we got a first :)

By the time Hunter Hack came along we got in and it was pouring. Ladd jumped fine (they're tiny jumps) and it was decent, but we were all soaked at the end and the ring was slippery...so we opted to go home. That was fine with me-I would have only taken him in the western classes, riding English, to school him anyway. Ladd and I got first in Hunter Hack as well! :)

In other news, I got Daisy's new snaffle and love it. More on that another time. :)
All photos by my mom :)
Until then,

Mostly Lopez

I rode Lopez during camp for jumping. I only ended up riding him 3 times...one day I rode Daisy all day, and once my lesson on him was canceled because of a thunderstorm.
Lopez is a 10 year old Appendix gelding. I think he's about 15.3...maybe 16hh? Not sure.

He was a good boy. The first day (when I took the picture below) he had a funny habit of untying himself. Again...and again...and again. Try doing up a girth one handed, the other clutching a lead....interesting. Needless to say, I wasn't really that excited to ride him. Funny as he was on the ground, though, he was great in the saddle. For the record, I tacked him in a stall the other 2 times and he didn't give me any trouble.

He tripped a lot, much like Bubba does...very forehand-y. He was a good boy, though. He jumped everything I asked him to. He died out a few times...He'd come to the jump at a good canter, and then fall to the trot :P but leg got him through it.

This was my lesson group (below). :)

Anddd Lopez and I :)

Local news:
I ordered a new bit for Daisy, one most like the one I used at camp. A loose ring, french link snaffle. This one. I'm dying to get it and start riding with it....I want to start riding Daisy up to Jenny's arena and working her in it. :)

I rode Ladd today at Jean's. He was a good boy :), even in an arena full of other horses. We did some drill team stuff to music and he was surprisingly agreeable.

Bubba, Daisy, and Western

Helllooooo....

I've been meaning to post but of course haven't had the time.
Daisy is completely fine; i took her out the day after I posted last time and she was fine; jumping a bit and galloping a lot. She felt amazing.
I also rode Bubba. Normally Bubba is a very tank-y ride; very strong, and my biceps KILL after a ride. Now that he's retired, Jean is trying to ride him long and low; sort of westerny/hunter horse, so that he'll do well in pleasure shows. Because she's used to him, he does great at it with her. But our last few rides together were awkward because I was trying to ride long and low, but I'm not used to him enough and it was hard to get him to do it and I ended up using a lot of contact anyway. Last ride on him on Friday was like riding on clouds though :). He felt incredible. We just clicked riding together with the new technique. My arms weren't sore at all, and he did everything amazingly. He stayed at a nice controlled, same speed trot and canter in both directions. I had to do nothing but balance; he controlled his speed and kept it slow himself. He felt amazing, best ride on him ever! So I'm quite excited to ride him again. I'm finally completely convinced that I can ride him successfully in county fair; we'll kick butt ;) (Unless we have some sort of unplanned disqualification again :P)

Anyhow, I rode Daisy western on Saturday. Note to self upon seeing the photos: I REALLY need to buckle down and get a new pad! I wanted to go western to test run my new boots :) like 'em?

And I rode her in the rain, bareback, with the western bridle on Monday evening. That's where I took the fourth picture. She was so great; at the end, with just very slight wiggling of my fingers to "run" the bit, she went down on the bit...with a loose rein and no contact. Very cool. :) I'm yet undecided about which bit to be using...her Tom Thumb or the curb...For various reasons, I can't decide. I may try the curb again; it's not as harsh, correct?

The trimmer came today and Daisy has no bruising and relatively hard hooves, and they look great :) they make me smile.

Question is, do you guys trim the feather-like things on their fetlocks? I never have, but lately I've noticed them...I can't decide.

That 'tis all for now. On Thursday I will indeed to go to witness the gelding operation :) should be cool.

And after looking at old posts, I want to point out that she never stands like this anymore:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ISgC_pFR932DRkxk3gqJ_j0Z90blRb4oN3-X07Qzk-qYwJlzCD1nTBBQk_vdILUR7tHjHK72OEkU9QDs9hrKc5J94fBix8nkxr2CH-hnwMyeltvLyjEAsbXNM4GUNgsqoHOYgIXdkLU/s1600-h/groomed.JPG
Not sure why...better trimming...really because of more selenium? idk. But it's awesome. :)
Until my next post,

Foaming: Myth or Truth?

I've been told a few times that a horse foams at the mouth when the rider has soft hands and the horse is relaxed...question is, is this true? Do any of you out there know (have proof?)? I just wondered...Daisy's been foaming a lot lately, particularly today when we worked on flying lead changes...at one point, so much foam was dripping from her mouth that it flew up and hit her in the face :P.

I'm using a stainless steel bit in the photos above (Doesn't copper make horses foam? B/c I use a copper Tom Thumb for western or a copper curb and Daisy never foamed).
Just a question for thought... :)

She's Gettin' the Hang of It

Right-lead cantering, that is.

*This is Daisy's usual face; with ears back. But I've gotten used to it. I just thought I'd show you...she likes to try to convince you that's she's better then you. I just ignore her attempt and it's fine. :)*

"Please open up my grass pen, Mom!"

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I've been working super hard on getting Daisy to use her right-lead. I think she's FINALLY getting it.

Everywhere we went, I didn't let her canter unless it was a right-lead. Maybe once a week I'd take a break and let her do whatever she wanted. Sometimes, she'd pick up her right-lead by herself. Other times, I'd enjoy her left lead, and how collected and strong it is compared to right.
Now, she's doing pretty darn well! She at least has a feel for when it's better for her to use right or left lead. Yesterday, I cantered her on our lawn, which is SMALL but it's better then absolutely nothing, and she started out with her usual left lead when it should have been right. She realized how hard it was, and I moved her down to trot and asked for canter again and she picked up her right-lead really quick. When we ride on the road, the shoulder of the road is kinda angled, and she'll pick up whatever lead makes the angle less noticeable...

Most horses should do that stuff without trouble; it's horse common sense. Daisy isn't that kinda horse. I think it's a miracle in itself that she does this now. Last year, it was left-lead or no lead.

My county fair is next week, and I'm going to be showing in it. I really hope that Daisy will keep up her leads in the show ring; we still probably won't win things like pleasure classes because she's not collected enough, but it's worse when you look terrible because she doesn't even do her leads right. Last show we went to, the judge pulled me over and said "You're a good pair, but you need to work on her leads a little." That was frustrating, because that judge had no idea how hard I was already trying.

At least I know that Daisy can do it now; it's not just for show-ring sake; it really is more comfortable for her to just do her leads then feel choppy going right using her left lead :-P lol.

Right now, I'm taking a break riding...I'm still riding, but yesterday I only rode in a halter and reins, and today and tomorrow I'm doing the same. That's because of this:

Daisy seems to have cut her lip on her bridle, and each time I use it it gets cut open again...I've been using the same bridle for 2 years, and this never happened, so I don't know what's up...I'm giving it some time to heal for now...


Tomorrow, Tuesday, Daisy is getting picked up and brought to Jean's house...Wednesday I have a kinda "lesson" with Jean on jumping, along with another 4H member, and then we have a 4H mounted meeting...Next Sunday is our first show. It's a games show(Gymkhana), so that's fun. :)
Monday is no show, Tuesday is English day at the county fair, so I ride all English classes, Wednesday is mounted (relay) games, Thursday is Western day, Friday is Gymkhana, and Saturday is an open show where we're staying for the English part of the day...

Until my next post,

Jr. Cutter Curb Bit

Hey! Sorry I haven't posted, but I'm back! People kept bugging me to post, sooooo...

4H requires that if you are riding a horse that is over 6 years old one handed (neck reining western) that you use a curb bit instead of a snaffle. I've been riding with a snaffle the whole time (this is what a snaffle looks like) so before the fair I had to borrow a curb bit (the one Daisy's wearing in the second pic) and ride in it. It was like riding a different horse! Daisy behaved MUCH better-she moved better and was easier to control, and she liked it as well. If you use a snaffle bit riding one handed it's a harsh bit because of the way it moves, but the curb is meant for one hand reining. You also use a curb strap (curb chain) under the horses chin. When you pull back on the reins to ask the horse to stop, it first puts pressure on the top of the horse's head. Some horses will stop because of that pressure already, but if they don't the bit then comes back farther and causes the chain under their chin to dig into their chin and make them stop. I bought my own curb bit now (the one above) and I use it on Daisy, and she's great. Although, it is a lot harder to stop her when we're galloping on the road-I've learned to use my seat and my voice more often now (sitting deep in the saddle, leaning back, squeezing my thighs, putting my heels down, and saying "Whoa".). I kind of wish it'd be easier to stop Daisy (ESPECIALLY when I let her out in a full gallop along the road-she's FAST!) but I suppose it's a "learning experience". LOL...so, here's my not-that-great post. :)

2:03 PM