Ride #14
A lot of rain this morning led to another very hot and humid afternoon. The footing was soft and the bugs were biting, but Ricky, Laureen and I saddled up (with Laureen's western saddle) and Laureen rode Ricky for the first time since she's been home. A short ride, but productive.
Its been decided that Ricky and I will ride in the Richland Independence Day Parade and also at The Indiana State fair.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Gone Visiting
Today was very hot and humid. Permission granted to vaccinate. A last minute call to the farm 1 mile away let me know the vet was in the neighborhood. In order to save on the cost of an individual farm visit, Ricky and I took a very brisk walk across the field to get vaccinations and a coggins test. All went well, with only a slight hesitation when we saw the cows. Started saying "Be Brave" to steady her along with "Easy". Very sweaty and tired when we got back, brushed her down, picked her hooves, gave her a drink of water and called it a day.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Challenges
Ride # 13 - 06/20/2010
A lesson with Tiffany. I being too heavy handed. Worked on communicating with a light rein. Worried about finding a comfortable amount of connection for both of us. Disappointed I was being heavy and didn't realize it. Canters were lose and free, both leads picked up immediately. Strong bolts toward the gate at both trot and canter and some cowboy riding to keep her turned in the right direction. Struggling to slow my seat when she trots like a maniac. Frustrated today. Things felt out of control with little or no communication. Tiffany did her best to encourage, David too. Ended the lesson learning how to put Ricky's front hoof up on my knees to rasp chips from the edges of her hooves. Sweaty backbreaking work.
Ride # 14 - 06/21/2010
A lesson with Ken Rheynard in the morning. Ricky is fresh today. Strong and powerful. Ken helped us find the connection, the magic place of compromise. Ken and I have worked together a lot in the past and he's excellent at correcting what I am doing while I am doing it..
Trotted countless circles, sponging the inside rein. Ricky was round a lot more than usual. Asking nicely. Good transitions. Strong bolt toward the gate at canter and Ken busts us and makes us work down by the gate. Hard work. Must work by the gate from now on. one step forward two steps back. Ended the day with some very nice round circles. Rode her down to the "Happy Place" in the pasture and dismounted.
A lesson with Tiffany. I being too heavy handed. Worked on communicating with a light rein. Worried about finding a comfortable amount of connection for both of us. Disappointed I was being heavy and didn't realize it. Canters were lose and free, both leads picked up immediately. Strong bolts toward the gate at both trot and canter and some cowboy riding to keep her turned in the right direction. Struggling to slow my seat when she trots like a maniac. Frustrated today. Things felt out of control with little or no communication. Tiffany did her best to encourage, David too. Ended the lesson learning how to put Ricky's front hoof up on my knees to rasp chips from the edges of her hooves. Sweaty backbreaking work.
Ride # 14 - 06/21/2010
A lesson with Ken Rheynard in the morning. Ricky is fresh today. Strong and powerful. Ken helped us find the connection, the magic place of compromise. Ken and I have worked together a lot in the past and he's excellent at correcting what I am doing while I am doing it..
Trotted countless circles, sponging the inside rein. Ricky was round a lot more than usual. Asking nicely. Good transitions. Strong bolt toward the gate at canter and Ken busts us and makes us work down by the gate. Hard work. Must work by the gate from now on. one step forward two steps back. Ended the day with some very nice round circles. Rode her down to the "Happy Place" in the pasture and dismounted.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
A New Friend
Although I was a little nervous about letting someone else ride Ricky, I had a wonderful morning with our new friend Katie. Katie is a good rider with lots of experience and had a ball riding Ricky. Ricky behaved very well until then end, when Katie admitted her legs were losing their strength and Ricky started to test her on which direction they might go in. I got on and touched her up, we cantered and the ride was complete. Ricky is going to be a very good horse for lots of people to ride, eventually.
Here's a little clip of Katie and Ricky.
Friday, June 18, 2010
A Morning Ride
Ricky and I's 12th ride together was a breeze. Literally. We worked in the morning to avoid the rain and enjoyed the brisk winds moving through the front pasture. Because the bugs were scarce, we practiced standing and flexing a lot. Bill was grading the driveway with the Bobcat, but it didn't bother Ricky one bit. She'd make a good construction zone horse. 25 meter circles with straight trots as a reward for a good circle with plenty of roundness (comparatively).
Plenty of rein feel today, hands were steady, organized and informed. Both canter leads achieved, but on a looser rein, with little connection. Will work on picking up more of a connection at the canter and asking for rounder circles as the week progresses. Canter did not feel out of control or "rollicking" today, just a nice even gait. There were no arguments about which way to turn today and not even a glance at the gate.
She's happy. I'm happy.
Concerns:
Ricky is gaining weight instead of losing it.
Hooves are starting to chip at the edges.
There was a funny little hop motion occurring every now and then at the canter to the right. I wonder if her right hoof is starting to swing out a little because its getting longer.
Plenty of rein feel today, hands were steady, organized and informed. Both canter leads achieved, but on a looser rein, with little connection. Will work on picking up more of a connection at the canter and asking for rounder circles as the week progresses. Canter did not feel out of control or "rollicking" today, just a nice even gait. There were no arguments about which way to turn today and not even a glance at the gate.
She's happy. I'm happy.
Concerns:
Ricky is gaining weight instead of losing it.
Hooves are starting to chip at the edges.
There was a funny little hop motion occurring every now and then at the canter to the right. I wonder if her right hoof is starting to swing out a little because its getting longer.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Bath Day
A big ole bath for Ricky today. Mane and tail conditioning too. Her hooves need trimmed, and I noticed a few cracks that seem to be lengthening. Must consult a farrier about hoof dressing. We went for a walk along the fence line and ate a little bit of the yard.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Here we GO!
Ride # 8
Worked with trainer Tiffany Bongers as well as David Bongers today to reinforce Ricky's training exercises. Ricky got along well with the 5.75" French Snaffle I bought her. She likes to try to move out of a flex, so we had to keep flexing until she understood to stay still. We need to work on standing still and square.
Ride # 9
A very humid day, worked in the front pasture. Kerri Mulso was there, snapping video and pictures as well as advising. Worked on maintaining a steady connection. Hands low on withers, moderate rein tension. Ricky is trying to find the bit and the place to hold her head. A lot more connection today than ever before. Wrong lead to the left , with a simple change on the circle to correct was major goodness. Right lead was perfect. Ricky tends to kind of rush on when first asked, I will try to ask her more politely and see if it works. Only one big move to the gate today, had my whip on the wrong side when it happened. I'm going to set her up next time. Electrical tape is not working, adhesive is melting and sliding. Rode in my new tall boots today. Stiff!
Ride # 10
Moderately humid day. Bill is mowing across the way from our lesson. Worked right up by the road. No spooking at any of the cars, buses, or motorcycles that passed. A lot of trotting, circles at both ends with straightaways. Lost track of my diagonal, but was so caught in the moment of achieving a good rhythm, I just let it slide. Ricky has a great trot when she can relax into it, which is quickly, so there's hope for smooth transitions with a minimum of work. A little battle on the canter circles, but we caught both leads. Ricky is very stiff on her left side. Many attempts to give to the bit by throwing nose in the air and to her right. Flexed her left when this occurred. A few nice circles and then straight aways for rest time. Too many flies for much standing work. Ricky backed nicely. Canter left and right, with lots of speed at onset, but settling quickly into a nice rhythm. No moves to the gate. I moved my whip a lot, but did not use it.
Ride # 11
Used Lance's pasture for our work today, a tighter space to move around in. Lots of figure eights and circles with BIG trots corner to corner in straight lines for rest. Ricky is very good at going where you look. She's trying so hard and is so patient. Its a pleasure to work with her. No cantering today, the ground was too soft. Backed 5 steps nicely and semi straight. 40 minutes in the pasture and then a dismount, walk through the barn, mount and ride down the back fence line to look at the pond. A short spook at the scarecrow in the garden, but quickly regained confidence. We both thought it was funny. Red Vetwrap on reins worked splendidly. Good steady hands and light cues today. Must also start to sit up more and relax my elbows. Its nice to have a little time to work on these things as well as ride the horse. No moves to the gate or arguments about which direction to turn. Today was a good ride.
Worked with trainer Tiffany Bongers as well as David Bongers today to reinforce Ricky's training exercises. Ricky got along well with the 5.75" French Snaffle I bought her. She likes to try to move out of a flex, so we had to keep flexing until she understood to stay still. We need to work on standing still and square.
Ride # 9
A very humid day, worked in the front pasture. Kerri Mulso was there, snapping video and pictures as well as advising. Worked on maintaining a steady connection. Hands low on withers, moderate rein tension. Ricky is trying to find the bit and the place to hold her head. A lot more connection today than ever before. Wrong lead to the left , with a simple change on the circle to correct was major goodness. Right lead was perfect. Ricky tends to kind of rush on when first asked, I will try to ask her more politely and see if it works. Only one big move to the gate today, had my whip on the wrong side when it happened. I'm going to set her up next time. Electrical tape is not working, adhesive is melting and sliding. Rode in my new tall boots today. Stiff!
Ride # 10
Moderately humid day. Bill is mowing across the way from our lesson. Worked right up by the road. No spooking at any of the cars, buses, or motorcycles that passed. A lot of trotting, circles at both ends with straightaways. Lost track of my diagonal, but was so caught in the moment of achieving a good rhythm, I just let it slide. Ricky has a great trot when she can relax into it, which is quickly, so there's hope for smooth transitions with a minimum of work. A little battle on the canter circles, but we caught both leads. Ricky is very stiff on her left side. Many attempts to give to the bit by throwing nose in the air and to her right. Flexed her left when this occurred. A few nice circles and then straight aways for rest time. Too many flies for much standing work. Ricky backed nicely. Canter left and right, with lots of speed at onset, but settling quickly into a nice rhythm. No moves to the gate. I moved my whip a lot, but did not use it.
Ride # 11
Used Lance's pasture for our work today, a tighter space to move around in. Lots of figure eights and circles with BIG trots corner to corner in straight lines for rest. Ricky is very good at going where you look. She's trying so hard and is so patient. Its a pleasure to work with her. No cantering today, the ground was too soft. Backed 5 steps nicely and semi straight. 40 minutes in the pasture and then a dismount, walk through the barn, mount and ride down the back fence line to look at the pond. A short spook at the scarecrow in the garden, but quickly regained confidence. We both thought it was funny. Red Vetwrap on reins worked splendidly. Good steady hands and light cues today. Must also start to sit up more and relax my elbows. Its nice to have a little time to work on these things as well as ride the horse. No moves to the gate or arguments about which direction to turn. Today was a good ride.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)