I forgot to mention that in my lesson, I started out with nice, quiet, even, consistent hands, but as things got tougher, my hands got a mind of their own. I'm pretty sure they were saying "Let's get out of here!" which doesn't help me at all with the whole "Let's go thatta way!"
Also, I don't want to jinx us, but the hives seem to be on their way out. This is bizarre, and possibly (??) related to the cold snap and/or the snow? Maybe he is eating something (moss???) that normally he doesn't eat because there's grass? Which he couldn't eat because he was inside and then it was covered with snow?
I have no idea, but I'll be really glad if that's it for this year.
Charlie with the long sought after cooler
Spring NWEC 2013 Novice
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Woot Woot! Train Willig coming through!
For today's "jump" lesson, I wanted to experiment with the theory that what Willig is a bit difficult about doesn't have anything to do with the fences, per se, but the visuals (rails on the ground, things under the fence, i.e. his "scary stuff" box).
We put my box and some cones out, and then I waited to warm up until Shannon got out, so that she could also give me pointers on how to warm up properly, because in previous lessons, both she and Mike have pointed out that I kind of "blah" along for a while before we really get to work.
During this, I also asked about why Willig seems so comfortable - in fact, curious - about stuff when I'm on the ground, but then finds it scary when I'm on him. This goes along with the whole "get off to cross the ditch". When he sees me do it first, it builds his confidence. Just horse nature.
So we warmed up, and Shannon did say to tighten him up a bit, not to let him go long and low with his head or to get strung out and go fast, but other than the normal amount of huffing and puffing that accompanies a lesson (and not when I ride by myself), it was fairly non-eventful even though this was like the fourth day of snow.
Then we started going past the scary stuff. I'd ride past it with the crop on the side that I expected him to shy to (i.e. in my left hand if we were passing something with his right eye), and the take away message here was: (drum roll) I ride like a passenger, not the conductor of Train Willig. Even though I'd see him start to look, and start to bend, and start to move away, it wasn't until Shannon would yell at me that I'd react. I could feel it coming an entire 1/4 circle away, and yet would do nothing until she told me to. I'm soooo passive. It's weird.
So then she moved stuff around and eventually brought in the Gator and a snow shovel (which was more scary than the Gator, fyi) and we went past it both directions at the trot and the canter and lo and behold, if I was consistent and assertive, Willig would go past it. He might bend a tiny amount, or do that gawky eyeball roll towards it, but if I was being the boss, he'd be the horse. Go figure.
Then we switched to the scary side, and did a new exercise, where we made 10 meter circles down the long line to the scary side. This added a new element of also going back past the pile of scary things but from a different angle. Again, riding him assertively, confidently, and consistently meant less hassle for both of us. What was weird again was how much I'm reluctant to use the whip or my voice. And when I do use it, I usually forget to praise when he does it right. And then I frequently use it ahead of time (once I get "whip" into my repetoire) instead of immediately after he's bad. And when he gets himself a bit worked up, it takes me a while to turn him (away from the side he's being bad to) and then I like to just stop, instead of working him harder. So if he's trying to canter off left like a jerk, then I turn him right and make him do a tiny canter circle several times so that it is more work to be a jerk than to just go where I wanted us to go in the first place.
So - this gave me a lot to work on, but I ended the lesson feeling, kind of bizarrely, really good. Even though I got Willig with the (now I feel stupid writing this) goal of riding him at Training Level or higher, and we're now going on the flat past a pile of crap, the light bulb went off for me on the stuff we've been working on over fences for a year (or more) now. I'm not RIDING him to the fence. I can work during the week, by myself, on these consistent firm aids and praise, and maybe, just maybe, it's been my three years of being a pansy that has made him fearful of the fences (although I think he's a bit of a goof and probably always going to be unreliable to a degree), and if I can undo that and teach him that never mind, I am the boss after all, and he can trust me, maybe in a few months, once we've mastered it on the flat, we can go back to trying it over fences. Because he is gorgeous when he's in the air. It's just the stuff on the ground that's the problem. And it's not him - it's me. I've got to learn to ride this.
Note to parents everywhere: invest in a good trainer for your kid. In the long run, it will pay off.
We put my box and some cones out, and then I waited to warm up until Shannon got out, so that she could also give me pointers on how to warm up properly, because in previous lessons, both she and Mike have pointed out that I kind of "blah" along for a while before we really get to work.
During this, I also asked about why Willig seems so comfortable - in fact, curious - about stuff when I'm on the ground, but then finds it scary when I'm on him. This goes along with the whole "get off to cross the ditch". When he sees me do it first, it builds his confidence. Just horse nature.
So we warmed up, and Shannon did say to tighten him up a bit, not to let him go long and low with his head or to get strung out and go fast, but other than the normal amount of huffing and puffing that accompanies a lesson (and not when I ride by myself), it was fairly non-eventful even though this was like the fourth day of snow.
Then we started going past the scary stuff. I'd ride past it with the crop on the side that I expected him to shy to (i.e. in my left hand if we were passing something with his right eye), and the take away message here was: (drum roll) I ride like a passenger, not the conductor of Train Willig. Even though I'd see him start to look, and start to bend, and start to move away, it wasn't until Shannon would yell at me that I'd react. I could feel it coming an entire 1/4 circle away, and yet would do nothing until she told me to. I'm soooo passive. It's weird.
So then she moved stuff around and eventually brought in the Gator and a snow shovel (which was more scary than the Gator, fyi) and we went past it both directions at the trot and the canter and lo and behold, if I was consistent and assertive, Willig would go past it. He might bend a tiny amount, or do that gawky eyeball roll towards it, but if I was being the boss, he'd be the horse. Go figure.
Then we switched to the scary side, and did a new exercise, where we made 10 meter circles down the long line to the scary side. This added a new element of also going back past the pile of scary things but from a different angle. Again, riding him assertively, confidently, and consistently meant less hassle for both of us. What was weird again was how much I'm reluctant to use the whip or my voice. And when I do use it, I usually forget to praise when he does it right. And then I frequently use it ahead of time (once I get "whip" into my repetoire) instead of immediately after he's bad. And when he gets himself a bit worked up, it takes me a while to turn him (away from the side he's being bad to) and then I like to just stop, instead of working him harder. So if he's trying to canter off left like a jerk, then I turn him right and make him do a tiny canter circle several times so that it is more work to be a jerk than to just go where I wanted us to go in the first place.
So - this gave me a lot to work on, but I ended the lesson feeling, kind of bizarrely, really good. Even though I got Willig with the (now I feel stupid writing this) goal of riding him at Training Level or higher, and we're now going on the flat past a pile of crap, the light bulb went off for me on the stuff we've been working on over fences for a year (or more) now. I'm not RIDING him to the fence. I can work during the week, by myself, on these consistent firm aids and praise, and maybe, just maybe, it's been my three years of being a pansy that has made him fearful of the fences (although I think he's a bit of a goof and probably always going to be unreliable to a degree), and if I can undo that and teach him that never mind, I am the boss after all, and he can trust me, maybe in a few months, once we've mastered it on the flat, we can go back to trying it over fences. Because he is gorgeous when he's in the air. It's just the stuff on the ground that's the problem. And it's not him - it's me. I've got to learn to ride this.
Note to parents everywhere: invest in a good trainer for your kid. In the long run, it will pay off.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Down in the dumps post
Saturday was really windy, and with some time off that week, Willig was full of joie la vie (i.e. he had a couple good bucks on the lunge line), so I ended up using my lesson to discuss the merits of selling him, the progress he's made, what I want to do, and the like.
Today it was windy again, and he was Mr. Placid on the lunge line, and then, even when a wall of wind hit the barn like a tsunami, hardly flicked an ear. Willig's Motto: "Consistent Only In My Inconsistency". Maybe that's the motto for all horses, though.
Actually, it gets right to the heart of what was bothering me about my lesson. I was running through the same ruminations with Mike, and he pointed out that in his experience, a horse doesn't change its personality based on its work; i.e. a willing, patient horse who puts up with a lot of noodly banging around inside (ahem - my interpretation of me riding dressage) is probably going to be a willing, patient horse who puts up with a lot of crap over fences. But Willig isn't. And THAT'S what's weird. Why not? And what can I do about it? And have I really tried everything there is to try? And is it - horrors - me? Am I really just kind of a lousy, backyard rider? Is it ME who hates the fences? And if so, why do I think that I like them?
So Mike pointed out the obvious - if I'm not in the mood for hard work, and he's had a few days off, after I lunge him, just put him on the freaking draw reins already (NOT over fences, though, kids). Choose my fights, as Shannon said for Saturday's wind.
Then he pointed out that we warm up like slugs (these are my words). I drag around and around, and maybe a couple laps in actually start pulling things together. He's told me this before. Get on him and get riding, especially when he's had a few minutes on the lunge line.
From here we went to working on left bend, and trying to find whatever it is in me that holds the right side so tight. He had me bend with the left rein, leg yield with the left leg, then open with the right hand (like I'm going "ta-da" sweeping my hand out to the right), holding my right leg out and away from him, and then putting more weight in the right stirrup. (I was too chicken with the wind to try it, but he said ride with only one stirrup as a good exercise.)
And after a while, I started to be able to feel a bit more. This is weird, because this is the biggest feeling block I've ever hit. Like I can lean back (i.e. get vertical) and I feel "Woo! I'm falling backwards onto my back!") but when he says "pull left and leg yield to the right" I can BARELY feel it. Way later, at the end of the lesson, I pointed out that I could feel it when we were on a little circle, but around 15 meters was where I stopped being able to feel it and had to look to see where his head and neck was. So Mike said "so look then".
We did that for a long time, which was frustrating.
Then he had us ride down past the scary end where "the wind blows up his tail" and Willig didn't want to go past, but after a couple times, gave in and was like "fine". We went past with the leg yielding over - i.e. staying off the rail to give myself enough space to move him by leg yielding so that I have space to get closer and not ram right into the back wall.
Then we did some canter work, holding the outside rein contact steady so that Willig can't lift his head with the transition. Again, the first couple times he was confused because we were doing something different (he so loves to reveal that the flaws all come from me), but then he got it, and then quit trying to lift his head at all - even when we switched directions.
And this goes to my starting point. I don't get it. He's so willing and eager to please, almost, smart even. He knows all this dressage stuff already, and is just waiting for me to give the correct aids. So why are fences so freaking hard? My other horse friend was telling me how she brought her horse out to Aspen to school, and he just did every BN fence - even the big canoe. And here I am, AT HOME, and Willig can't do a 2' thing. What's the deal?
So then we dropped my left stirrup, got the whip across my left leg, and then got on a little 10-12 meter circle going left, and bent his head and neck to the left, while I pushed his hindquarters out with the whip and my leg. And then grew the circle out to 20 meters, and then did it again. And again, he caught on to this after just a few times and did it just fine.
So take away: be firm, consistent, and the boss about the contact and the bending.
Today it was windy again, and he was Mr. Placid on the lunge line, and then, even when a wall of wind hit the barn like a tsunami, hardly flicked an ear. Willig's Motto: "Consistent Only In My Inconsistency". Maybe that's the motto for all horses, though.
Actually, it gets right to the heart of what was bothering me about my lesson. I was running through the same ruminations with Mike, and he pointed out that in his experience, a horse doesn't change its personality based on its work; i.e. a willing, patient horse who puts up with a lot of noodly banging around inside (ahem - my interpretation of me riding dressage) is probably going to be a willing, patient horse who puts up with a lot of crap over fences. But Willig isn't. And THAT'S what's weird. Why not? And what can I do about it? And have I really tried everything there is to try? And is it - horrors - me? Am I really just kind of a lousy, backyard rider? Is it ME who hates the fences? And if so, why do I think that I like them?
So Mike pointed out the obvious - if I'm not in the mood for hard work, and he's had a few days off, after I lunge him, just put him on the freaking draw reins already (NOT over fences, though, kids). Choose my fights, as Shannon said for Saturday's wind.
Then he pointed out that we warm up like slugs (these are my words). I drag around and around, and maybe a couple laps in actually start pulling things together. He's told me this before. Get on him and get riding, especially when he's had a few minutes on the lunge line.
From here we went to working on left bend, and trying to find whatever it is in me that holds the right side so tight. He had me bend with the left rein, leg yield with the left leg, then open with the right hand (like I'm going "ta-da" sweeping my hand out to the right), holding my right leg out and away from him, and then putting more weight in the right stirrup. (I was too chicken with the wind to try it, but he said ride with only one stirrup as a good exercise.)
And after a while, I started to be able to feel a bit more. This is weird, because this is the biggest feeling block I've ever hit. Like I can lean back (i.e. get vertical) and I feel "Woo! I'm falling backwards onto my back!") but when he says "pull left and leg yield to the right" I can BARELY feel it. Way later, at the end of the lesson, I pointed out that I could feel it when we were on a little circle, but around 15 meters was where I stopped being able to feel it and had to look to see where his head and neck was. So Mike said "so look then".
We did that for a long time, which was frustrating.
Then he had us ride down past the scary end where "the wind blows up his tail" and Willig didn't want to go past, but after a couple times, gave in and was like "fine". We went past with the leg yielding over - i.e. staying off the rail to give myself enough space to move him by leg yielding so that I have space to get closer and not ram right into the back wall.
Then we did some canter work, holding the outside rein contact steady so that Willig can't lift his head with the transition. Again, the first couple times he was confused because we were doing something different (he so loves to reveal that the flaws all come from me), but then he got it, and then quit trying to lift his head at all - even when we switched directions.
And this goes to my starting point. I don't get it. He's so willing and eager to please, almost, smart even. He knows all this dressage stuff already, and is just waiting for me to give the correct aids. So why are fences so freaking hard? My other horse friend was telling me how she brought her horse out to Aspen to school, and he just did every BN fence - even the big canoe. And here I am, AT HOME, and Willig can't do a 2' thing. What's the deal?
So then we dropped my left stirrup, got the whip across my left leg, and then got on a little 10-12 meter circle going left, and bent his head and neck to the left, while I pushed his hindquarters out with the whip and my leg. And then grew the circle out to 20 meters, and then did it again. And again, he caught on to this after just a few times and did it just fine.
So take away: be firm, consistent, and the boss about the contact and the bending.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Hive expansion
The hives picked today to start really spreading. Both the left and right side of his neck had the few medium sized ones, that have now deflated, but look like moon craters.
And now his body has numerous small speckled hives.
So it's not hay, not cob, and not ulcers.
Also, it is much, much harder than I thought to get good video and photos of Willig in motion. Tom used a tripod, but with all the light that our arena gets, the video will have 5 seconds of excellent focus, then we go past one of the light walls so we go completely dark, then it adjusts, but by then we're in front of the open door, so we go completely dark again, so then it adjusts, but then we're back in the corner without natural light, so then when it adjusts, we're perfect for 5 seconds, and then back in front of light. I guess next we'll try videoing at night, when there's no pesky sun ruining it.
And of course, Willig was super well behaved and peppy today.
That being said, we did video me schooling test 1-2, and while we're still pretty small for most of the test (except for when we loom right past the camera), at least it's not shaking or with a fence rail blocking most of the view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7LRwzIejLk
I oscillate between being thrilled with how great he looks, and how much my riding has improved, and being heartbroken at how much I still suck.
And now his body has numerous small speckled hives.
So it's not hay, not cob, and not ulcers.
Also, it is much, much harder than I thought to get good video and photos of Willig in motion. Tom used a tripod, but with all the light that our arena gets, the video will have 5 seconds of excellent focus, then we go past one of the light walls so we go completely dark, then it adjusts, but by then we're in front of the open door, so we go completely dark again, so then it adjusts, but then we're back in the corner without natural light, so then when it adjusts, we're perfect for 5 seconds, and then back in front of light. I guess next we'll try videoing at night, when there's no pesky sun ruining it.
And of course, Willig was super well behaved and peppy today.
That being said, we did video me schooling test 1-2, and while we're still pretty small for most of the test (except for when we loom right past the camera), at least it's not shaking or with a fence rail blocking most of the view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7LRwzIejLk
I oscillate between being thrilled with how great he looks, and how much my riding has improved, and being heartbroken at how much I still suck.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Willig is for sale
I changed my mind. He doesn't like to jump, and we could both be unhappy making tiny steps of progress over the next 10 years, or I could let him do a job he loves. It just happens that I'm not ready to do that job yet. I want to keep jumping.
I'm going to stick with my plan for the next few months, while he's listed, but maybe his dream owner will walk into his life and I'll see that it was the right decision. Or maybe I'll give up on wanting to event, or maybe the light bulb will go off for him and he'll realize eventing is pretty cool.
DreamHorse.com Horse ID: 1652007 - Wise Guy
He's on dream horse under "Wise Guy".
Another horse in my barn is for sale on Dream Horse too - an adorable pony named Zoe, who makes me wish I was 25 years younger or just really, really short:
DreamHorse.com Horse ID: Zoe
And then Holly, for someone more experienced than me who can take a well-raised horse wherever she wants to go, which maybe I'd be able to do if I stuck with Willig for the next 10 years and actually learned how to ride a horse:
DreamHorse.com Horse ID: Perfect Holiday
Think of it. You could make a day of it visiting our barn.
I'm going to stick with my plan for the next few months, while he's listed, but maybe his dream owner will walk into his life and I'll see that it was the right decision. Or maybe I'll give up on wanting to event, or maybe the light bulb will go off for him and he'll realize eventing is pretty cool.
DreamHorse.com Horse ID: 1652007 - Wise Guy
He's on dream horse under "Wise Guy".
Another horse in my barn is for sale on Dream Horse too - an adorable pony named Zoe, who makes me wish I was 25 years younger or just really, really short:
DreamHorse.com Horse ID: Zoe
And then Holly, for someone more experienced than me who can take a well-raised horse wherever she wants to go, which maybe I'd be able to do if I stuck with Willig for the next 10 years and actually learned how to ride a horse:
DreamHorse.com Horse ID: Perfect Holiday
Think of it. You could make a day of it visiting our barn.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
1-2 improvement
We rode 1-2 in my last lesson, and wooo, what an improvement two weeks has made! I think I've only ridden it a couple of times, and it surprised me when I knew the test today. Being used to the eventing tests, it's the longest, most complicated test I've ever done.
It was really great to have Mike watch and comment, because he has a lot of tips and insight into some of the "details". For example, you walk on a long rein from K to X and then from X to H, then medium walk to C, then trot at C, then at R a 20 meter stretchy circle. And I had a hard time with the logistics of this sequence of movements (from H to R) - it seems weird to have a long rein, suck them up, trot, let them back out, all in basically the short corner. Mike's tip was not to suck the reins all the way up. Brilliant, simple, and I can almost guarantee it never would have occurred to me on my own.
We started with some obedience/bending work. Mike had me take charge of Willig's connection, and then keep it. From the halt, I connected him up (to make the waterfall neck) and then I had to keep that neck, particularly when I knew he was going to try to shoot it up to look outside, and then I also had to keep the inside bend, even if it meant using a heavy hand. This worked really well, and after a couple of times past the scary side, Willig gave up on battling me and just went past nicely. What was a bit weird was how out of breath it made me.
Also, I am still clenching up with my knees and grabbing with them whenever I get the least little bit nervous. So we're also back to thinking about putting my legs down and long.
Side note on Willig's progress: we warmed up entirely on the scary end, almost without incident, despite two riders outside and a car, and B with a pitchfork cleaning up some poop at that end.
Then we did canter work, and our first transition (like always, it seems) was sloppy. Mike pointed out that to ask him to keep going into it, by pushing him onto his forehand and making him run, doesn't get me what I want. Go ahead and regroup. Don't insist on canter if it's ugly.
Then we did what I call horsey sit-ups (even though they're not, but it's stuck in my head), where we made the canter smaller and smaller. Willig did excellent at this. From December, when he could hardly do two steps, to now, where he can just keep going around and around until Mike tells us to stop, is a world of difference. And I don't have to work as hard either.
My homework for the next lesson is to keep working on horsey sit-ups, which I think (but am not sure about), are helping Willig build muscle for collection. Mike said it's important to think lift-lift (like rearing) and not let him slam down on his forehand (the easy way out for him).
Second side note: Willig has been a bit tired the last two days, so it was also impressive how he didn't try to act naughty to avoid work, even though he was willing to walk along stretched out on a long rein (usually, it takes an hour of hard riding before he really wants to stretch out and down).
Then to work more without stirrups. I have let that slack with everything else.
And ugh! There was a third major thing that now I can't remember.
I also talked with him a bit at the start about Willig's attitude. He pointed out that I won't learn anything on a horse that doesn't challenge me. Very true, but it's also not as much fun to be constantly struggling. But then I went to the gym and spent time thinking about it while I was running, and when Willig is brilliant - holy cow is he amazing. It's just that he's brilliant only maybe 10% of the time. So CAN he increase that? I think he has come a long way, and I am learning an enormous amount, and Mike believes that the dressage will translate to the jumping. And while he's not what I wanted (isn't that life, though?) maybe I'll learn something different. So I'm going to stick with my plan for the next six months, and then I'll re-evaluate again, because if I'm going to sell him, I might as well put in a break with the crazy period coming up at work when I won't be able to ride anyway. Although I have been making excuses for a while now, deep down I really like him, even if it does make me anxious every time I jump. But when he jumped that course Sunday - it was a delight. And last year at Caber - a delight. And when we learn something new in dressage - a delight. And when he picks his head up and comes to the fence because I called his name - also a delight. He's not what I would have picked for myself, but maybe in the long-term, there's a reason the universe got him for me. At least for the next six months.
In hive news, after 3 days without a new hive, today he had three new ones on the right side of his neck. Bummer. It probably wasn't the cob, or ulcers, since he's on his 4th day of the omeprazalone (sp?) and they said it only took 24 hours to see a difference. BUT - just a few small ones a month after the first one (and some deflated fat ones) is something I can live with. I just wish I knew what caused them.
It was really great to have Mike watch and comment, because he has a lot of tips and insight into some of the "details". For example, you walk on a long rein from K to X and then from X to H, then medium walk to C, then trot at C, then at R a 20 meter stretchy circle. And I had a hard time with the logistics of this sequence of movements (from H to R) - it seems weird to have a long rein, suck them up, trot, let them back out, all in basically the short corner. Mike's tip was not to suck the reins all the way up. Brilliant, simple, and I can almost guarantee it never would have occurred to me on my own.
We started with some obedience/bending work. Mike had me take charge of Willig's connection, and then keep it. From the halt, I connected him up (to make the waterfall neck) and then I had to keep that neck, particularly when I knew he was going to try to shoot it up to look outside, and then I also had to keep the inside bend, even if it meant using a heavy hand. This worked really well, and after a couple of times past the scary side, Willig gave up on battling me and just went past nicely. What was a bit weird was how out of breath it made me.
Also, I am still clenching up with my knees and grabbing with them whenever I get the least little bit nervous. So we're also back to thinking about putting my legs down and long.
Side note on Willig's progress: we warmed up entirely on the scary end, almost without incident, despite two riders outside and a car, and B with a pitchfork cleaning up some poop at that end.
Then we did canter work, and our first transition (like always, it seems) was sloppy. Mike pointed out that to ask him to keep going into it, by pushing him onto his forehand and making him run, doesn't get me what I want. Go ahead and regroup. Don't insist on canter if it's ugly.
Then we did what I call horsey sit-ups (even though they're not, but it's stuck in my head), where we made the canter smaller and smaller. Willig did excellent at this. From December, when he could hardly do two steps, to now, where he can just keep going around and around until Mike tells us to stop, is a world of difference. And I don't have to work as hard either.
My homework for the next lesson is to keep working on horsey sit-ups, which I think (but am not sure about), are helping Willig build muscle for collection. Mike said it's important to think lift-lift (like rearing) and not let him slam down on his forehand (the easy way out for him).
Second side note: Willig has been a bit tired the last two days, so it was also impressive how he didn't try to act naughty to avoid work, even though he was willing to walk along stretched out on a long rein (usually, it takes an hour of hard riding before he really wants to stretch out and down).
Then to work more without stirrups. I have let that slack with everything else.
And ugh! There was a third major thing that now I can't remember.
I also talked with him a bit at the start about Willig's attitude. He pointed out that I won't learn anything on a horse that doesn't challenge me. Very true, but it's also not as much fun to be constantly struggling. But then I went to the gym and spent time thinking about it while I was running, and when Willig is brilliant - holy cow is he amazing. It's just that he's brilliant only maybe 10% of the time. So CAN he increase that? I think he has come a long way, and I am learning an enormous amount, and Mike believes that the dressage will translate to the jumping. And while he's not what I wanted (isn't that life, though?) maybe I'll learn something different. So I'm going to stick with my plan for the next six months, and then I'll re-evaluate again, because if I'm going to sell him, I might as well put in a break with the crazy period coming up at work when I won't be able to ride anyway. Although I have been making excuses for a while now, deep down I really like him, even if it does make me anxious every time I jump. But when he jumped that course Sunday - it was a delight. And last year at Caber - a delight. And when we learn something new in dressage - a delight. And when he picks his head up and comes to the fence because I called his name - also a delight. He's not what I would have picked for myself, but maybe in the long-term, there's a reason the universe got him for me. At least for the next six months.
In hive news, after 3 days without a new hive, today he had three new ones on the right side of his neck. Bummer. It probably wasn't the cob, or ulcers, since he's on his 4th day of the omeprazalone (sp?) and they said it only took 24 hours to see a difference. BUT - just a few small ones a month after the first one (and some deflated fat ones) is something I can live with. I just wish I knew what caused them.
No more whining
Willig is who he is. I'll decide by the end of the season whether his moments of brilliance and his lack of inherent braveness are things I can live with.
"It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy of life lies in having no goal to reach."
-Benjamin E. Mays
I wouldn't be happy without a goal, and he gives me plenty. :)
"It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy of life lies in having no goal to reach."
-Benjamin E. Mays
I wouldn't be happy without a goal, and he gives me plenty. :)
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Jump Day: Willig's Version
I was happy to see my mom this morning when she showed up, and it's so nice when she grooms me and gets all that hair out. We rode in the normal spot but without music, so I thought something might be up. I was kind of tired after Thursday and then being ridden hard yesterday, so I wasn't feeling much like making a big deal out of things. I was so happy when she got off after only half an hour!
We went on a walk outside, but then we walked around and around the outside arena. I got to see a whole bunch of fences, but then she got back on me. Man, that's annoying when I think we're done and then I have to go back to work.
And so (sigh) of course I had to keep patiently training her on how to ride me quietly but assertively. She started out her normal kind of wimpy approach to fences, so I was like "look, mom, I do this to be nice to you, and I don't have to do it". She put me on the lunge line for a while, which was nice because I got to vent my frustration with always having to explain everything to her like she's a little 6 year old rider. She can be so slow sometimes! And then that crazy white demon came out into his yard and I had to keep an eye on him to protect us both. She's so silly - she put that boyfriend of hers down there so the demon would eat him first! Oh well, works for me. I'm WAY faster than a bipedal human if the demon comes over again.
I felt a little better after the lunge, so then we did a small course twice, and I think I finally got the message across: "Stop talking about selling me. I am gorgeous and fun. You just need to ride me properly and not scare me too much."
It was a pretty fun day, and then I got lots of kisses, pats, and treats just for doing my job.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Tomonbelay#p/a/u/0/RSXwgs1yFwY
We went on a walk outside, but then we walked around and around the outside arena. I got to see a whole bunch of fences, but then she got back on me. Man, that's annoying when I think we're done and then I have to go back to work.
And so (sigh) of course I had to keep patiently training her on how to ride me quietly but assertively. She started out her normal kind of wimpy approach to fences, so I was like "look, mom, I do this to be nice to you, and I don't have to do it". She put me on the lunge line for a while, which was nice because I got to vent my frustration with always having to explain everything to her like she's a little 6 year old rider. She can be so slow sometimes! And then that crazy white demon came out into his yard and I had to keep an eye on him to protect us both. She's so silly - she put that boyfriend of hers down there so the demon would eat him first! Oh well, works for me. I'm WAY faster than a bipedal human if the demon comes over again.
I felt a little better after the lunge, so then we did a small course twice, and I think I finally got the message across: "Stop talking about selling me. I am gorgeous and fun. You just need to ride me properly and not scare me too much."
It was a pretty fun day, and then I got lots of kisses, pats, and treats just for doing my job.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Tomonbelay#p/a/u/0/RSXwgs1yFwY
Jump Day: Martha's Version
Because Willig was unjumpable for J on Thursday (a wise move on her part, and a good heads up for me), I started today inside with an easy warm up (and a good, although not spectacular Willig) and then a few times over the little 2' fence inside.
Then we went outside, and he got to walk around for a while while I adjusted the height and spread of the fences. A great course was already set up, but I just made it a couple of 2' fences, mostly 2'3"-2'5" fences, and a couple of 2'6"-2'7" fences. I wasn't going to try the wall today, but I adjusted the blue barrels and a couple of small oxers.
Warming up outside, Willig was smack dab in between good Willig and naughty Willig, so I tried him over a few fences, and then went ahead and put him on the lunge line when he didn't improve:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Tomonbelay#p/a/u/1/F5K7Yewz9BY (Special note to Shannon - when he tries to run out on landing, you can hear me making the "eeehhh - eeehhh" (i.e.: "You're a bad horse") noise!)
He wasn't too crazy on the lunge, but of course then the poodle came out.
So I used what we've done in my lessons and stuck Tom at the far end, and then did a little course twice. Caveat: I didn't jump the blue barrel and I took out the combination with the oxer because with the show next weekend and us not working outside much this winter, I wanted to build confidence more than I wanted to push his envelope this week, particularly since this was his first time outside in a long while, and this was a tremendous improvement from his Thursday "ride" with J.
Here's how we ended. It's hard to see because of the light:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Tomonbelay#p/a/u/2/kN1Hg3Wg0mA
I kissed him so hard I hurt my lip.
He was sweet, steady, and perfectly reliable.
So I'm considering this a solid performance - nice, linear improvement and fun to ride. Special bonus - Shannon suggested I get Tom to video so I could see me - although I'm little and far away (and dark), my lower leg isn't moving!!! Praises to Shannon and Mike - all those lessons are paying off!
Then we went outside, and he got to walk around for a while while I adjusted the height and spread of the fences. A great course was already set up, but I just made it a couple of 2' fences, mostly 2'3"-2'5" fences, and a couple of 2'6"-2'7" fences. I wasn't going to try the wall today, but I adjusted the blue barrels and a couple of small oxers.
Warming up outside, Willig was smack dab in between good Willig and naughty Willig, so I tried him over a few fences, and then went ahead and put him on the lunge line when he didn't improve:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Tomonbelay#p/a/u/1/F5K7Yewz9BY (Special note to Shannon - when he tries to run out on landing, you can hear me making the "eeehhh - eeehhh" (i.e.: "You're a bad horse") noise!)
He wasn't too crazy on the lunge, but of course then the poodle came out.
So I used what we've done in my lessons and stuck Tom at the far end, and then did a little course twice. Caveat: I didn't jump the blue barrel and I took out the combination with the oxer because with the show next weekend and us not working outside much this winter, I wanted to build confidence more than I wanted to push his envelope this week, particularly since this was his first time outside in a long while, and this was a tremendous improvement from his Thursday "ride" with J.
Here's how we ended. It's hard to see because of the light:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Tomonbelay#p/a/u/2/kN1Hg3Wg0mA
I kissed him so hard I hurt my lip.
He was sweet, steady, and perfectly reliable.
So I'm considering this a solid performance - nice, linear improvement and fun to ride. Special bonus - Shannon suggested I get Tom to video so I could see me - although I'm little and far away (and dark), my lower leg isn't moving!!! Praises to Shannon and Mike - all those lessons are paying off!
Saturday, February 05, 2011
Hoof Holding
My fingers are crossed, but taking the tiny amount of cob out of Willig's grain might have been the hivey golden ticket. It was Wednesday that I put up the note to change it, so in the best case (and I think the morning grain was already mixed) he's been cob-free for three days. The left neck hives were flatter and going away, the couple of scattered body hives (small ones) were deflating, the right neck hives were flatter and going away, and I didn't see a single new hive.
We'll see.
I started him on omeprazole, which he wouldn't eat, and probiotics today too. I thought maybe he didn't like the homemade applesauce, but I ate some when I got home and it was fine, so the omeprazole must smell pretty strong. I really don't want to have to syringe it down his throat.
In other thoughts, the last couple days I've been upset because he was bad again for my rider. My friend who rides dressage said I should really just go ahead and sell him as a dressage horse. Here's how (sorry for the repetition from like every other post), I view the options:
- Willig is just a slow learner, and if I'm patient (aka stubborn) and just keep trying, eventually the light bulb will go off for him.
- Willig will never enjoy jumping, and it will also be kind of nerve-wracking and not very much fun. I want to jump in the last 20 years I think I could reasonably do it. (I figure 55 should be my retirement from jumping and just switch to dressage for the "last" (?) 10 years of riding.)
Actually, I guess that's the range of his response.
So then my options are:
- Sell him as a dressage horse. He is really quite a nice mover.
- Keep stubbornly trying to jump him for another year (?) and see if he's a slow learner or if he really, truly hates to jump. (Him being bad for J is my proof that it isn't just me. For the last year, I thought it was just because I was timid on him.)
- Give up on jumping him and just ride him dressage.
And the one I like:
- Stubbornly stick out this year, if he still hates it, ride him dressage, and then in about five years, get a second horse who can jump. I'll only get one more jumper and then one more dressage horse out of my life, but ...
I'm kind of fond of him. It's really, really cool to be able to ride the 1st level tests and work on the 2nd level movements. I like it a lot more than I thought I would. I'm just not ready to not jump yet.
I just don't know which it is - is he going to catch on eventually? Or am I trying to fit him (a square peg) into a sport he doesn't like (a round hole)?
We'll see.
I started him on omeprazole, which he wouldn't eat, and probiotics today too. I thought maybe he didn't like the homemade applesauce, but I ate some when I got home and it was fine, so the omeprazole must smell pretty strong. I really don't want to have to syringe it down his throat.
In other thoughts, the last couple days I've been upset because he was bad again for my rider. My friend who rides dressage said I should really just go ahead and sell him as a dressage horse. Here's how (sorry for the repetition from like every other post), I view the options:
- Willig is just a slow learner, and if I'm patient (aka stubborn) and just keep trying, eventually the light bulb will go off for him.
- Willig will never enjoy jumping, and it will also be kind of nerve-wracking and not very much fun. I want to jump in the last 20 years I think I could reasonably do it. (I figure 55 should be my retirement from jumping and just switch to dressage for the "last" (?) 10 years of riding.)
Actually, I guess that's the range of his response.
So then my options are:
- Sell him as a dressage horse. He is really quite a nice mover.
- Keep stubbornly trying to jump him for another year (?) and see if he's a slow learner or if he really, truly hates to jump. (Him being bad for J is my proof that it isn't just me. For the last year, I thought it was just because I was timid on him.)
- Give up on jumping him and just ride him dressage.
And the one I like:
- Stubbornly stick out this year, if he still hates it, ride him dressage, and then in about five years, get a second horse who can jump. I'll only get one more jumper and then one more dressage horse out of my life, but ...
I'm kind of fond of him. It's really, really cool to be able to ride the 1st level tests and work on the 2nd level movements. I like it a lot more than I thought I would. I'm just not ready to not jump yet.
I just don't know which it is - is he going to catch on eventually? Or am I trying to fit him (a square peg) into a sport he doesn't like (a round hole)?
Thursday, February 03, 2011
April 9 hunter jumper benefit horse show at Forest Park
Forest Park Equestrian Center is hosting "The Road to Kentucky Benefit Horse Show" for two of the Baywood Pony Club members who are raising money to go to the eventing championships (in Kentucky) this July.
There are 9 hunter classes (ground pole to open hunter 3'3") starting at 9 am, with schooling from 8-9 am, and then jumper classes (ground pole to intermediate 3'9") beginning at 1 pm. Classes are $15 ahead of time, $10 for a schooling round, $20 post entry classes, and $10 haul in, with food and a silent auction.
Please come and support these great riders!
Post a comment with your email (I won't publish it) and I'll send you the entry form. (I can't figure out how to post it as an image.)
There are 9 hunter classes (ground pole to open hunter 3'3") starting at 9 am, with schooling from 8-9 am, and then jumper classes (ground pole to intermediate 3'9") beginning at 1 pm. Classes are $15 ahead of time, $10 for a schooling round, $20 post entry classes, and $10 haul in, with food and a silent auction.
Please come and support these great riders!
Post a comment with your email (I won't publish it) and I'll send you the entry form. (I can't figure out how to post it as an image.)
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Willig future hive treatment?
Willig's hives are continuing to spread, only in slow motion. Right now he's getting, once a day, a big scoop of Platinum Performance, a huge heaping scoop of Platinum skin & allergy, a heaping scoop of Riva's Remedies Equi-Derm, and an equal size scoop of flax. In prior years, I have given him this twice a day and with Strongid. His nose and chin also still have that weird "sunburn" looking thing, but as of yesterday I tried quitting the blue antiseptic stuff (I forgot it's name) and am just using the baby butt stuff (desitin?) to see if it makes any difference over the next few days. If it lasts much longer, I'm going to have to finally give up and call the vet.
He has a few small hives scattered over his body, but they are mostly on the left side of his neck and chest (big but flat) where they started, and today, a few more on the right side of his neck - big and flat. Nothing crazy compared to in the past, but each day it seems like there's one more and the neck ones have gotten a bit bigger and flatter.
I actually had an email exchange and then a phone conversation with a representative from Riva's Remedies (http://rivasremedies.com/), where I get the herbal blend (Equi-Derm) of chickweed, plantain, and yellow dock. (I'd put up a link, but they're changing their website this weekend I think, to make it easier to order online.)
The very helpful representative not only knew more than any vet or fellow sufferer that I've talked to, but she had some suggestions:
First - no cob. Horses don't digest corn well, but it also tends to be the most heavily treated with various nasty poisons (my wording), and sometimes it is processed with cow feed, which can have other additives that aren't good for horses. She said there have been a couple of feed recalls from contaminants that the feed stores know about, but there's no requirement that the information about it also gets distributed to the horse/cow owners who bought the feed. So today I took Willig off his 1/4 scoop of cob twice a day and now he'll get 1/2 scoop of oats (instead of 1/4 of each).
Second - no clover! She said frequently the hives are associated with clover. This is weird because that's what I had heard from my vet too, but then the "all alfalfa" diet was the thing that kept them in check last year, after many other failed efforts.
Third - watch what's in the fields and turn-out. And watch what the neighbors treat their fields and turn-outs with. Here's something I've never asked about - whether the timing of them has anything to do with any field treatments that Shannon does for weed and pests. I can't imagine she did one in the dead of winter, but it's probably worth asking, although it seems really unlikely that the one day a week (on average) that I hand graze him would result in hives.
Finally - a lot comes from hind-gut problems, so she suggested I try ulcer remedies and pro-biotics, which is also what one of the fellow boarders suggested. She recommended several that they carry, but I had actually already ordered probiotics, ulcergard, and a free sample to try, and I am anxiously looking at the mail each day. Their remedies are: allerg-ease, equi-cleanse, pro-colon, pro-dygest, and vitamin C. So I will definitely try those next after I go through the ones I'm waiting on.
She thought it was very unusual that we had four horses that have slightly different combinations (I looked at the feed chart today and two (Willig & G) get cob while two (A & M) don't; and two (G & A) go out on the grass rotation while two (Willig & M) don't) out of 21, getting them at different times of year, and not matching any of the "obvious" changes like hay or bedding. I agreed. She also said that they have heard more and more horses are getting them, and that it's getting harder for people to keep them under control with herbs and not having to use prednisone and stuff. Yech.
As an aside, today I jumped Willig over a tiny (two fence) course that I turned into a 3 minute course several times, the last time without stirrups. He wanted to be a little silly about the fences, but I just sat down and rode, and although he was kind of awkward over the little vertical (a little shy of 2'), I think it was because I don't put down the ground line and he didn't know where to take off. That, or he was just being a jerk face. I think he has a sense of humor, because he waits until I put the desitin on his nose, and then waits for me to bend over, and then he likes to jab me with his nose with a sneak attack from behind, and leave a bit white spot from the desitin. Maybe he's always done it, but I think he's saying "If my nose has to smell like a baby's butt, then so do you!"
He has a few small hives scattered over his body, but they are mostly on the left side of his neck and chest (big but flat) where they started, and today, a few more on the right side of his neck - big and flat. Nothing crazy compared to in the past, but each day it seems like there's one more and the neck ones have gotten a bit bigger and flatter.
I actually had an email exchange and then a phone conversation with a representative from Riva's Remedies (http://rivasremedies.com/), where I get the herbal blend (Equi-Derm) of chickweed, plantain, and yellow dock. (I'd put up a link, but they're changing their website this weekend I think, to make it easier to order online.)
The very helpful representative not only knew more than any vet or fellow sufferer that I've talked to, but she had some suggestions:
First - no cob. Horses don't digest corn well, but it also tends to be the most heavily treated with various nasty poisons (my wording), and sometimes it is processed with cow feed, which can have other additives that aren't good for horses. She said there have been a couple of feed recalls from contaminants that the feed stores know about, but there's no requirement that the information about it also gets distributed to the horse/cow owners who bought the feed. So today I took Willig off his 1/4 scoop of cob twice a day and now he'll get 1/2 scoop of oats (instead of 1/4 of each).
Second - no clover! She said frequently the hives are associated with clover. This is weird because that's what I had heard from my vet too, but then the "all alfalfa" diet was the thing that kept them in check last year, after many other failed efforts.
Third - watch what's in the fields and turn-out. And watch what the neighbors treat their fields and turn-outs with. Here's something I've never asked about - whether the timing of them has anything to do with any field treatments that Shannon does for weed and pests. I can't imagine she did one in the dead of winter, but it's probably worth asking, although it seems really unlikely that the one day a week (on average) that I hand graze him would result in hives.
Finally - a lot comes from hind-gut problems, so she suggested I try ulcer remedies and pro-biotics, which is also what one of the fellow boarders suggested. She recommended several that they carry, but I had actually already ordered probiotics, ulcergard, and a free sample to try, and I am anxiously looking at the mail each day. Their remedies are: allerg-ease, equi-cleanse, pro-colon, pro-dygest, and vitamin C. So I will definitely try those next after I go through the ones I'm waiting on.
She thought it was very unusual that we had four horses that have slightly different combinations (I looked at the feed chart today and two (Willig & G) get cob while two (A & M) don't; and two (G & A) go out on the grass rotation while two (Willig & M) don't) out of 21, getting them at different times of year, and not matching any of the "obvious" changes like hay or bedding. I agreed. She also said that they have heard more and more horses are getting them, and that it's getting harder for people to keep them under control with herbs and not having to use prednisone and stuff. Yech.
As an aside, today I jumped Willig over a tiny (two fence) course that I turned into a 3 minute course several times, the last time without stirrups. He wanted to be a little silly about the fences, but I just sat down and rode, and although he was kind of awkward over the little vertical (a little shy of 2'), I think it was because I don't put down the ground line and he didn't know where to take off. That, or he was just being a jerk face. I think he has a sense of humor, because he waits until I put the desitin on his nose, and then waits for me to bend over, and then he likes to jab me with his nose with a sneak attack from behind, and leave a bit white spot from the desitin. Maybe he's always done it, but I think he's saying "If my nose has to smell like a baby's butt, then so do you!"
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