Feel free to introduce yourselves :) I appreciate the feedback and support,and it would be lovely to put a name to a face!
Thursday, 24 September 2015
Hey! Did I mention how lucky I am?
So I have been diligently working Bugatti every day with the goal to have a supple, balanced, happy horse from beginning to end each ride. To her credit, she is an excellent student. Never says no, and never holds on to any tension in her body or her brain. I couldn't ask for a better temperament. Funny, I've ridden geldings and stallions almost all my life, and only had 4 mares in my training program, total. I have to admit, I find communicating with this horse, connecting with her, much more available than with any gelding or stallion I have ever had. I find myself asking her questions during training, ie"If I flex right, are you supple in your jaw?" or If I ask for a reinback from this medium canter, would it be available?" and it's like she knows what I am thinking. If the answer is ever "no", or "eh, probably not at the moment" I know that it's only because I have not paid enough attention in the past few seconds to the quality of the connection or the lightness of the reaction from my aids to ensure that anything is within one aid. It's never, with this filly, because she has blocked me out or she isn't trying her damndest to follow my lead.
2 days ago I had my working student, Chloe, up on her back so I could start to introduce Bug to half steps. She's almost 5 and it's a good time to introduce them a couple times a month, just lightly, just playfully, to get her educated in how to start to transfer weight to her hind legs and how to fold her joints and tilt her pelvis. Like any young horse, she wanted to swing her haunches in and get faster instead of sit and fold. but really all I am looking for in the first session is acceptance of the tap of the whip, for me to find out where the tap of the whip will yield the best reaction, and for her to pick up the leg of which I tap. That's it. no trot steps needed, no sitting required, and just an invitation to play the half step game.
She surprised me by reacting to the taps by creating a trot rhythm, and when corrected for being rooked (I had Chloe position her slightly shoulder-fore) did actually tilt her pelvis and sit for a step or two. Man, is she smart. She also learned sugar comes with in hand work. LOL.
so then she had yesterday off and today I rode her nice and forward for the warmup, really paying attention to her rhythm and acceptance of both reins and both legs.The majority of our training session today was me introducing her to transitions within gaits, while maintaining roundness, suppleness on both reins, and acceptance of the inside leg to outside rein connection. Going left she is very honest on my outside (right) rein connection, but going right she is still a touch crooked and tends to lean in. The suppleness of her ribs and base of the neck is imperative to her balance and connection, especially when teaching her half halts, like today. She learned to half halt from my outside rein and shift her balance back while maintaining lateral connection and suppleness, all in one day. Obviously the quality of those minute transitions (half halts) will get better with time and repetition, but for her to learn a half halt in one day is incredible.
What I want to avoid, here from the start, is her getting tight and bracing during transitions or changes in direction. I am trying to take the time to nurse it right now, so I don't have to fix it later.
I can feel there are many more gears within her gaits, and I want to make sure she's through, supple, and swinging happily through her body before I try to "improve" her paces. They'll be there, ready and available, if I take the time now.
She sometimes gives me moments of lightness, carriage and power that leave me in awe. I'm so very, very lucky to have this particular horse. She's going to be something.
2 days ago I had my working student, Chloe, up on her back so I could start to introduce Bug to half steps. She's almost 5 and it's a good time to introduce them a couple times a month, just lightly, just playfully, to get her educated in how to start to transfer weight to her hind legs and how to fold her joints and tilt her pelvis. Like any young horse, she wanted to swing her haunches in and get faster instead of sit and fold. but really all I am looking for in the first session is acceptance of the tap of the whip, for me to find out where the tap of the whip will yield the best reaction, and for her to pick up the leg of which I tap. That's it. no trot steps needed, no sitting required, and just an invitation to play the half step game.
She surprised me by reacting to the taps by creating a trot rhythm, and when corrected for being rooked (I had Chloe position her slightly shoulder-fore) did actually tilt her pelvis and sit for a step or two. Man, is she smart. She also learned sugar comes with in hand work. LOL.
so then she had yesterday off and today I rode her nice and forward for the warmup, really paying attention to her rhythm and acceptance of both reins and both legs.The majority of our training session today was me introducing her to transitions within gaits, while maintaining roundness, suppleness on both reins, and acceptance of the inside leg to outside rein connection. Going left she is very honest on my outside (right) rein connection, but going right she is still a touch crooked and tends to lean in. The suppleness of her ribs and base of the neck is imperative to her balance and connection, especially when teaching her half halts, like today. She learned to half halt from my outside rein and shift her balance back while maintaining lateral connection and suppleness, all in one day. Obviously the quality of those minute transitions (half halts) will get better with time and repetition, but for her to learn a half halt in one day is incredible.
What I want to avoid, here from the start, is her getting tight and bracing during transitions or changes in direction. I am trying to take the time to nurse it right now, so I don't have to fix it later.
I can feel there are many more gears within her gaits, and I want to make sure she's through, supple, and swinging happily through her body before I try to "improve" her paces. They'll be there, ready and available, if I take the time now.
She sometimes gives me moments of lightness, carriage and power that leave me in awe. I'm so very, very lucky to have this particular horse. She's going to be something.
Monday, 21 September 2015
The weekend went by so fast! Here in Salmon Arm the weather has been so odd. Last night I rode Bugatti at 6 pm, and in the middle of a wind/rain storm. Everyone else at the barn bailed, but in my opinion, you cant pick the weather at a horse show, so I might as well go about as if it was a normal day. Tacking up, my saddle pad blew off my saddle and literally hit Bug in the face, and all she did was take one step back and look at me like, "Hey, your saddle pad is taking off, you might want to go grab that." With the heavy rain on the barn's tin roof, it was so noisy, as well with branches falling off trees and blowing around, but she couldn't care less.
So I took her to the indoor and warmed her up, rain coming in sideways through the arena and wind howling. So impressively, she just focused on me and went to work. Lots of free walk, some leg yield along the rein until she really accepted my inside leg on her girth and didn't try to run past my outside rein.
She is hollow to the right and stiff to the left (leans against my left leg) so my focus right now is bending her when on the left rein, and straightening her when on the right rein. She accepts the contact much better now that I switched bits from her runner double jointed plastic loosering (happy mouth) to a KK ultra double jointed loosering. She has some substance now to be able to find support on, and I feel like my half halts can go through her body.
We are working on not only rhythm and creating her equally supple on both sides, but also the transitions within gaits that she stays over her back and reaching for the contact instead of hollowing and coming above the bit. I don't want her to respond to every transition or half halt with tension in her topline. It's something that is hard to fix down the road.
So, getting there. She's a good dance partner :) That hind leg just never quits!
So I took her to the indoor and warmed her up, rain coming in sideways through the arena and wind howling. So impressively, she just focused on me and went to work. Lots of free walk, some leg yield along the rein until she really accepted my inside leg on her girth and didn't try to run past my outside rein.
She is hollow to the right and stiff to the left (leans against my left leg) so my focus right now is bending her when on the left rein, and straightening her when on the right rein. She accepts the contact much better now that I switched bits from her runner double jointed plastic loosering (happy mouth) to a KK ultra double jointed loosering. She has some substance now to be able to find support on, and I feel like my half halts can go through her body.
We are working on not only rhythm and creating her equally supple on both sides, but also the transitions within gaits that she stays over her back and reaching for the contact instead of hollowing and coming above the bit. I don't want her to respond to every transition or half halt with tension in her topline. It's something that is hard to fix down the road.
So, getting there. She's a good dance partner :) That hind leg just never quits!
Wednesday, 16 September 2015
So I rode last night and tonight in the new indoor, late, around 8 pm. Of course by then no one was at the barn but me, and so it was a good time to just concentrate on Bug and building a routine. I am still in awe at how trainable this horse is. Even when I came off of her the first day in the field, I never got the feeling she was trying to be bad. She hadn't been ridden in weeks and the young horses in the next field were all riled up. I'd be shocked if she hadn't bucked. It was bad timing I had kicked her into a gallop and was up in 2 point at the time. When I got back on I wasn't afraid of her and she never has from that day on pinned her ears and gave me that same "I am going to buck so hold on tight" face.
She has no tension in her body or her mind. It's a feeling I have rarely felt. Only once actually, on my coach's old horse, Mark. He let you into his body and his mind from day one too. She feels like that. It's wonderful.She doesn't spook, but she is aware of things, casually. she breathes deeply, and doesn't hold tension anywhere. Her body s naturally straight, I don't need to spend a lot of time "fixing" one side or another, and she is super soft in my hands and in her back and in her ribs. It's lovely. From the first step, shes ready to swing and stretch. And man, is she sensitive to seat and weight aids.
We search our whole career for this type of horse. I've finally found one! :)
She has no tension in her body or her mind. It's a feeling I have rarely felt. Only once actually, on my coach's old horse, Mark. He let you into his body and his mind from day one too. She feels like that. It's wonderful.She doesn't spook, but she is aware of things, casually. she breathes deeply, and doesn't hold tension anywhere. Her body s naturally straight, I don't need to spend a lot of time "fixing" one side or another, and she is super soft in my hands and in her back and in her ribs. It's lovely. From the first step, shes ready to swing and stretch. And man, is she sensitive to seat and weight aids.
We search our whole career for this type of horse. I've finally found one! :)
Tuesday, 15 September 2015
Autumn is here!
My favourite season is back...just in time to settle into a nice easy training transition with Miss Bugatti. She is so easygoing, she has already become the "pony" horse for several horses a few years older than her who are nervous nellies around the stable, and she is asked to buddy up with them to guide them past scary bouncing babies hooked up to their jolly jumpers and puddles on the ground, saddle pads where they don't normally lay on the hitching post, etc. She couldn't care less! It makes me so proud and very impressed with all the work the Bruners' have done with her throughout her young life so far.
I gave her yesterday off and longed her lightly today, wanted to give my back a bit of a break, which probably wasn't the best idea. Did I tell you I actually have 3 fractures, not 2? Yeah. It's painful but I find it actually helps the swelling and mobility to at least get in the saddle and do some walking and light posting trot. that's why there's such a thing as Therapeutic Riding I suppose.. (I have done nearly 1999 hours of volunteer work for the PRDA in Langley) Anyways, Bug is super relaxed and settled right in. She couldn't be easier!
Here's a conformation shot, she's not quite straight, I think her front legs are closer to the camera than her hing legs are, but it's close enough!
And her pedigree. Note the Donnerhall on the top and bottom :) that's where the good mind comes from I bet!
I gave her yesterday off and longed her lightly today, wanted to give my back a bit of a break, which probably wasn't the best idea. Did I tell you I actually have 3 fractures, not 2? Yeah. It's painful but I find it actually helps the swelling and mobility to at least get in the saddle and do some walking and light posting trot. that's why there's such a thing as Therapeutic Riding I suppose.. (I have done nearly 1999 hours of volunteer work for the PRDA in Langley) Anyways, Bug is super relaxed and settled right in. She couldn't be easier!
Here's a conformation shot, she's not quite straight, I think her front legs are closer to the camera than her hing legs are, but it's close enough!
And her pedigree. Note the Donnerhall on the top and bottom :) that's where the good mind comes from I bet!
Friday, 11 September 2015
So, bad news. Apparently when I came off the other day I broke my spine in two places. I was wondering why it hurt so much. Huh.
Rode Bugatti today, first time at her new home, she was fantastic! A little fresh to begin with, but I was able to just steadily work her through it in circles and serpentines at trot and canter, man is she a sensible, brave filly. she felt like she could have blown up if I had let her or kicked her, and she was on the edge, but i just patiently sat on her and kept a steady rhythm and although she was stiff both ways and leaning on both legs, as expected after getting her teeth floated 48 hours before and an 11 hour drive yesterday, she worked so well and relaxed just fine. What a gem.
If I take some ibuprofen and some Nucynta about an hour before I ride, I am ok for about 2 hours and I can get everything done before the pain returns. As long as I keep active I am not too painful. Bone pain is so different from discogenic pain.
Here are some pics from today, and a couple videos. Keep in mind my back is broken in two places, and this is my third ride on this horse, and first in this stable. She had her teeth floated 2 days ago, and was on the trailer for 11 hours yesterday. (and she's 4). I suppose what I am trying to say is, Be nice please :) I really like this horse and I know she's not where I want her to be. I know she needs to be much longer and flatter in her neck, but not necessarily lower per se. she has very little wither, and is built downhill. She's actually never been higher in the wither than the croup for a single day in her life, as per her owners. So, I have to be very careful how I ride her, I need to get her over the back but I can't tip her over the withers and onto the shoulder or else she will be way over the forehand and it's a huge loss of balance. I will need some help with this one for sure.
Anyways, here you go! I love this filly.
Rode Bugatti today, first time at her new home, she was fantastic! A little fresh to begin with, but I was able to just steadily work her through it in circles and serpentines at trot and canter, man is she a sensible, brave filly. she felt like she could have blown up if I had let her or kicked her, and she was on the edge, but i just patiently sat on her and kept a steady rhythm and although she was stiff both ways and leaning on both legs, as expected after getting her teeth floated 48 hours before and an 11 hour drive yesterday, she worked so well and relaxed just fine. What a gem.
If I take some ibuprofen and some Nucynta about an hour before I ride, I am ok for about 2 hours and I can get everything done before the pain returns. As long as I keep active I am not too painful. Bone pain is so different from discogenic pain.
Here are some pics from today, and a couple videos. Keep in mind my back is broken in two places, and this is my third ride on this horse, and first in this stable. She had her teeth floated 2 days ago, and was on the trailer for 11 hours yesterday. (and she's 4). I suppose what I am trying to say is, Be nice please :) I really like this horse and I know she's not where I want her to be. I know she needs to be much longer and flatter in her neck, but not necessarily lower per se. she has very little wither, and is built downhill. She's actually never been higher in the wither than the croup for a single day in her life, as per her owners. So, I have to be very careful how I ride her, I need to get her over the back but I can't tip her over the withers and onto the shoulder or else she will be way over the forehand and it's a huge loss of balance. I will need some help with this one for sure.
Anyways, here you go! I love this filly.
Monday, 7 September 2015
As promised, here are some photos. I will do this better in the future, I promise. I am just not very organized at the moment. Enjoy!
The riding photos are all the very first time I rode Bugatti, and she had not been ridden or longed for a week or so, we were in a 3 acre field next to a unch of young horses. Such a good girl!
The riding photos are all the very first time I rode Bugatti, and she had not been ridden or longed for a week or so, we were in a 3 acre field next to a unch of young horses. Such a good girl!
Saturday, 5 September 2015
When it just feels right..
you know.
And, how often do you drive 10 hours to go try a horse, it tosses you into the dirt, and you STILL fall in love with it and bring it home? Not very often. Let me tell you the story. (It's not that long, I promise!)
I drove up with D'Jango the day after Leslie's clinic ended (so, Tuesday) and arrived at Bugatti's owner's place around 9 pm. Of course, I got lost and ended up at an Esso station across town and had to call for a rescue mission. Their daughter who is also the trainer/co owner (she's a couple years younger than me) came to pony me home. Get to their farm, settle in, I can tell right away its just a really wonderful family and I like them right off the bat. it just feels right. They kick my butt in Dominoes and we all go to bed.
The next morning we go out and feed the horses (which include a few absolutely stunning and equally heart-melting foals that are bred to the nines.) and load Bugatti up after I groom her and she soaks up all the attention. The best part about loading? she self-loads. SHE's 4. you drop the ramp, lower the butt guard, throw the rope over her neck and tell her to get im. she just walks on and stands there. Like, boring. Same as unloading. just drop the ramp, lower the butt guard and tap on her and tell her to get out. she backs herself off and stands there, looking for her next meal or a neck scratch. Ho Hum.
I am out of a job.
That is, unless she can teach herself to piaffe and passage and do pirouettes and one tempis. HA! Well, even I need help to get there. so, there.
I look around for the arena, and, don't see one...soo.....I ask, is this where we are riding? Yep, it is, see that pasture over there? Ok, European style, I can do this,
Tack her up, LEad her over to a fence, and I am told, Don't pull her to the fence, just get on the fence, and she has to come to you. wherever you are to mount up, she gets her butt over and puts herself into position. don't let her be lazy! I can get used to this, I think to myself.
So she sidles up tho the fence where I am sittin', and I hop on, and she's a bit anxious, so I tell her, no, we wait until my stirrups are perfect (because that's my thing) and then we go. just enjoy the moment. So, off we go. she's hollow, rushing, antsy, and the ground is uneven. I am not getting her attention, her rhythm sucks and so on, so I just go into trot. same there, but at least I get her moving. She's way too fast, not really in front of my leg, but definitely past my seat and against my hand, with no suppleness and no rhythm or swing. So I just keep going, one way then the other, in as circly-type figures as I can, and I feel right away she's better going to the left, and more crooked to the right, as she wants to throw her haunches into the right and throw her shoulders out to the left but lean and careen around corners. so lifting and placing the inside right shoulder and getting the inside right hind to take steps towards the outside left front is the name of the game. without pulling onside the inside rein or letting her lay against my right leg. I go to canter left, and boom, out comes the launching, leaping, bucking, crowhopping explosion I knew might be in there somewhere. I kick to a gallop, get up into two point, and then whamo I am in the dirt. haha.
I get back on, she feels bucky still, and so I ask her regular rider to get on as if I get slammed in the spine, I won't be able to walk for a while. So she does, Bug does a bit more, then goes for a nice long gallop, and then it's all gone and is fine. I get back on and everything is cool again.
The next day I ride her and walk trot canter both ways, in an indoor a ways away, shes an angel. what a feeling, her contact, eerything is wonderful. feels like a 7 year old. wow! she's going to be a neat horse. Very exciting, this girl. Will post pics and video!
And, how often do you drive 10 hours to go try a horse, it tosses you into the dirt, and you STILL fall in love with it and bring it home? Not very often. Let me tell you the story. (It's not that long, I promise!)
I drove up with D'Jango the day after Leslie's clinic ended (so, Tuesday) and arrived at Bugatti's owner's place around 9 pm. Of course, I got lost and ended up at an Esso station across town and had to call for a rescue mission. Their daughter who is also the trainer/co owner (she's a couple years younger than me) came to pony me home. Get to their farm, settle in, I can tell right away its just a really wonderful family and I like them right off the bat. it just feels right. They kick my butt in Dominoes and we all go to bed.
The next morning we go out and feed the horses (which include a few absolutely stunning and equally heart-melting foals that are bred to the nines.) and load Bugatti up after I groom her and she soaks up all the attention. The best part about loading? she self-loads. SHE's 4. you drop the ramp, lower the butt guard, throw the rope over her neck and tell her to get im. she just walks on and stands there. Like, boring. Same as unloading. just drop the ramp, lower the butt guard and tap on her and tell her to get out. she backs herself off and stands there, looking for her next meal or a neck scratch. Ho Hum.
I am out of a job.
That is, unless she can teach herself to piaffe and passage and do pirouettes and one tempis. HA! Well, even I need help to get there. so, there.
I look around for the arena, and, don't see one...soo.....I ask, is this where we are riding? Yep, it is, see that pasture over there? Ok, European style, I can do this,
Tack her up, LEad her over to a fence, and I am told, Don't pull her to the fence, just get on the fence, and she has to come to you. wherever you are to mount up, she gets her butt over and puts herself into position. don't let her be lazy! I can get used to this, I think to myself.
So she sidles up tho the fence where I am sittin', and I hop on, and she's a bit anxious, so I tell her, no, we wait until my stirrups are perfect (because that's my thing) and then we go. just enjoy the moment. So, off we go. she's hollow, rushing, antsy, and the ground is uneven. I am not getting her attention, her rhythm sucks and so on, so I just go into trot. same there, but at least I get her moving. She's way too fast, not really in front of my leg, but definitely past my seat and against my hand, with no suppleness and no rhythm or swing. So I just keep going, one way then the other, in as circly-type figures as I can, and I feel right away she's better going to the left, and more crooked to the right, as she wants to throw her haunches into the right and throw her shoulders out to the left but lean and careen around corners. so lifting and placing the inside right shoulder and getting the inside right hind to take steps towards the outside left front is the name of the game. without pulling onside the inside rein or letting her lay against my right leg. I go to canter left, and boom, out comes the launching, leaping, bucking, crowhopping explosion I knew might be in there somewhere. I kick to a gallop, get up into two point, and then whamo I am in the dirt. haha.
I get back on, she feels bucky still, and so I ask her regular rider to get on as if I get slammed in the spine, I won't be able to walk for a while. So she does, Bug does a bit more, then goes for a nice long gallop, and then it's all gone and is fine. I get back on and everything is cool again.
The next day I ride her and walk trot canter both ways, in an indoor a ways away, shes an angel. what a feeling, her contact, eerything is wonderful. feels like a 7 year old. wow! she's going to be a neat horse. Very exciting, this girl. Will post pics and video!
Tuesday, 1 September 2015
T'was The Night Before Christmas...
..in September.... And like a 3'rd grader before a trip to Legoland, I can't sleep. Which, is pretty bad because I have a 9 hour drive ahead of me to go meet my new dance partner tomorrow and I need to sleep. Like, badly. I just spent two days at Sun Meadows running a clinic with my coach Leslie Reid, which I didn't ride in because I don't have a horse yet, but nonetheless it was amazing, just being able to watch, so of course I am pumped, and exhausted from the running around. That was a very long sentence.
I am going up tp Entwistle Alberta to Misty Ridge Warmbloods to meet "Bugatti Fantasy" AKA "Bug", a long 4 yr old filly, silver bay, 16.2, 1rt level or so. If the meet n' greet goes well, she'll be shipped this weekend or next and stay with me permanently. She's not for sale, she's going to settle down and be a performance horse as long as it makes sense for the both of us!
So, so excited. everyone please cross your fingers and toes!
I'm bringing the Djangorilla with me as I just spent the weekend without him and he is lonesome without his mama. Plus he loves road trips because he knows he gets sour cream and onion chips.
I
I'll keep you guys posted!
I am going up tp Entwistle Alberta to Misty Ridge Warmbloods to meet "Bugatti Fantasy" AKA "Bug", a long 4 yr old filly, silver bay, 16.2, 1rt level or so. If the meet n' greet goes well, she'll be shipped this weekend or next and stay with me permanently. She's not for sale, she's going to settle down and be a performance horse as long as it makes sense for the both of us!
So, so excited. everyone please cross your fingers and toes!
I'm bringing the Djangorilla with me as I just spent the weekend without him and he is lonesome without his mama. Plus he loves road trips because he knows he gets sour cream and onion chips.
I
I'll keep you guys posted!
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