Another day of horse subduing heat!
Colonel is now officially too skinny to ride. We dont have a saddle that sufficiently clears his withers. Robert says they've got him back on his grain, so hopefully we'll be back to riding soon.
Anyway, I decided not to waste a day of training with him, and I got out the surcingle and crupper. Colonel wasn't exactly thrilled. Out on the long lines we practiced our follow your nose routine. I gave him some pressure on the inside rein, as soon as he stepped with his inside leg, release, when he kept turning after the release, outside rein to straighten him out. After a while he got a bit sour on his turns, but he eventually figured out that if he went straight when I released the pressure then he didn't get any outside rein. We zig-zagged all over the arena like this.
We also practiced driving in squares and triangles. Let me tell you, that is very difficult work. Poor Colonel, every time he started anticipating a particular shape, I switched it on him. His desire to do what he's told is admirable. His inability to wait until he's told what to do is annoying, and frustrating for both of us. I'm thinking that if I can get it into his head that he should follow his nose then he can do that without being asked and everyone will be happy. Right? I can dream, anyway.
Next thing we did was something from a book I have. I took the inside rein out of the surcingle so there was just a straight line between my hand and the bit. My theory is that this better simulates and opening rein. Colonel has a nasty habit of massively over doing his turns if you ask with the leading rein, as I've discussed before. We did more squares and triangles, and then I added a spiral in spiral out exercise. Really it was more like a spiral in, walk straight out exercise. He followed his nose in pretty nicely. He still wanted to circle a little, just out of habit, when I straightened him out, but it wasn't bad.
It could easily be my imagination, but he seemed to be getting it. At least, he seemed to be getting the idea that a short pull means a shallow turn while a longer pull means a sharper turn.
After talking with Robert for a while it was time to get Star out. Basically the plan was to do the same things we did on Saturday.
She was a little more reactive to everything than usual. I attributed this to the fact that today we were working her bad direction. She bolted past the hay monster right off the bat, no stopping and staring. (Improvement? Dunno.) It took two loops around but we got a nice comfy trot going. I was very much enjoying myself.
We picked up our canter a little after passing the hay monster, and quickly sped up to a hand gallop towards the barn. I asked her with my voice to take it easy. She basically ignored me. She gave me two slower strides and then was right back up. I decided this was fine anyway. It was smooth and straight and I felt secure. I felt so secure in fact, that we galloped around the turn and all the way past the culvert. The instant we passed the culvert we went from a hand gallop to a relatively relaxed (but still extended) canter. I decided we may as well keep going up the long/scary side. I decided to avoid the gate so that Star wouldn't fuss about it and break gait. Bad move. She remembered it was there and was somewhat alarmed that I was keeping my distance this time. Give 'em an inch... but actually it was only a brief trot interlude before we were back to cantering, and I brought us back to the fence. She was expecting to stop before the curves so gave her a push to let her know we were going to keep going.
I let her avoid the spot she hates through the first turn. I pushed her through the former mud puddle and into the second turn. We finished the second turn but I decided we'd quit before going past the hay monster. As we both caught our breath I looked down and saw that she had worked up a nice little lather on her neck and around her saddle pad. That didn't stop her from bolting past the hay monster. It didn't matter. We had gone 3/4 of the way around the field. At least. I wasn't feeling especially wiped out. (I would have gone around again if Star had been up to it.) My longtime goal of circumnavigating the field at a canter is within my grasp.
I probably would not have been so bold if I had realized at the time that Star was massively massively in heat. I first noticed the evidence when I was rinsing her off. After her bath I led her out to the pasture and she and Luka were both having conniption fits as she passed by his stall. She did all the classic she-whore stuff on our way out to graze, very scandalous.
Niki pitched a fit so I brought her out too. Later she didn't want to be caught, the little vixen, so I chased her around with a rope. Eventually she decided she didn't want to do that anymore. When I went to get Star, she was no trouble at all. She'd done all the running that day that she stand.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Fun in the sun
Saturday Robert told me to have a fun day after moving all that hay before. In direct defiance of his orders, I went and got Colonel. In his stall he was looking almost too skinny to ride, but I took him out and looked him over in the light, and in more uniform shade, and actually he was looking slightly better than previously, so I forged on. He was calm enough warming up, even with the gigantic wagon the shires were pulling out in the field. We worked on steering. Particularly we worked on keeping his nose and his feet on the same track. It was a massive fail. I'd tip his nose for a 20 m circle and I'd get 8 m from his nose and bigger from his shoulders and even bigger from his hips. Alternatively, I'd try to tip his nose and all I'd get was a braced neck and a shoulder moving on too tight a circle with his hips falling in to the circle.
Whats more, he was really pissed that we were doing all these tight circles. You would think that in defiance of these tight circles he'd, oh I dont know, make bigger ones to make his life easier? Did he do anything to try to make his life easier? No. He just got pissed. He'd start cantering on these little circles so I'd push him on cantering in these little circles which really really pissed him off.
To be honest, when he gets angry it scares me. When he bucks and pulls I become very uncomfortably aware of how much bigger and stronger and stupider he is. I really resent being scared of him. So basically after a while we were both pissed. I was ready to quit for the day, but I couldn't really justify it. I got off him and lunged him.
You should have seen his face when I ran the lunge line through his bit. He was so sure he was done. I lunged him until his coat was slick. I hate to do that to a thin horse, but I couldn't think of anything better to do. When I was feeling less vengeful I got back on him to cool him out. He was doing the same sort of shitty stuff, weaving around when he's supposed to go straight, bracing his neck, or over turning, as I described before. Still, it was a calm walk so after a good go around the arena I brought him back to the barn. He sat in the cross ties for a long time before being put back. I'm pretty sure he learned absolutely nothing from that ride. I, however, did learn from that ride. I learned that I need a more detailed plan than just sitting there being pissed. So, more scheming is in order.
After hanging around in the heat I finally went and got Star. It was time to have fun.
We walked around the field once. Very long negotiations regarding the hay monster in the burn pile. I practiced not taking my legs off her when she's misbehaving. Bad habit. Bad. I was pretty pleased with my progress when she finally bolted past the hay and my legs were wrapped around her just fine.
Next we worked on getting a calm, pleasant trot in the field. Thats not really her strong suit but when I was satisfied then we went for a run. I had sortof forgotten that we hadn't cantered/galloped towards home on the scary side yet. I started with that. It was scary, but in a good way. We were doing a pretty good gallop, the wind felt really good rushing past my face. Star travels very straight and smooth when we're galloping, and I had my legs streched down and wrapped around her nice and tight so I felt secure. Plus, Star cant really go that fast compared to, say, Colonel. When we got down to the tracktor equipment I sat deeper in the saddle and within three strides we were walking again. Thats the thing that makes me feel the safest of all. I can stop Star with my voice, my seat or my reins even when we're galloping towards the barn. No fuss, no nothing. Can I slow her down within a gait? Thats a little trickier, but still.
We cantered up the other side, Star was a little sluggish. We walked through the turns and then galloped most of the way back home. I cooled her out in the arena. She was very subdued in the cross ties, barely raised her head when I took off her bridle.
Bath time was a little less relaxed. She was good for the first side, but she refused to turn around in the wash rack. We spent a long long time arguing about that. I spent an irritating portion of that time getting the whip untangled from her tail, but I basically won the argument and for a little while Star was clean. When I scraped the water off her, it did not resemble mud, very cool.
Star was unimpressed.
Whats more, he was really pissed that we were doing all these tight circles. You would think that in defiance of these tight circles he'd, oh I dont know, make bigger ones to make his life easier? Did he do anything to try to make his life easier? No. He just got pissed. He'd start cantering on these little circles so I'd push him on cantering in these little circles which really really pissed him off.
To be honest, when he gets angry it scares me. When he bucks and pulls I become very uncomfortably aware of how much bigger and stronger and stupider he is. I really resent being scared of him. So basically after a while we were both pissed. I was ready to quit for the day, but I couldn't really justify it. I got off him and lunged him.
You should have seen his face when I ran the lunge line through his bit. He was so sure he was done. I lunged him until his coat was slick. I hate to do that to a thin horse, but I couldn't think of anything better to do. When I was feeling less vengeful I got back on him to cool him out. He was doing the same sort of shitty stuff, weaving around when he's supposed to go straight, bracing his neck, or over turning, as I described before. Still, it was a calm walk so after a good go around the arena I brought him back to the barn. He sat in the cross ties for a long time before being put back. I'm pretty sure he learned absolutely nothing from that ride. I, however, did learn from that ride. I learned that I need a more detailed plan than just sitting there being pissed. So, more scheming is in order.
After hanging around in the heat I finally went and got Star. It was time to have fun.
We walked around the field once. Very long negotiations regarding the hay monster in the burn pile. I practiced not taking my legs off her when she's misbehaving. Bad habit. Bad. I was pretty pleased with my progress when she finally bolted past the hay and my legs were wrapped around her just fine.
Next we worked on getting a calm, pleasant trot in the field. Thats not really her strong suit but when I was satisfied then we went for a run. I had sortof forgotten that we hadn't cantered/galloped towards home on the scary side yet. I started with that. It was scary, but in a good way. We were doing a pretty good gallop, the wind felt really good rushing past my face. Star travels very straight and smooth when we're galloping, and I had my legs streched down and wrapped around her nice and tight so I felt secure. Plus, Star cant really go that fast compared to, say, Colonel. When we got down to the tracktor equipment I sat deeper in the saddle and within three strides we were walking again. Thats the thing that makes me feel the safest of all. I can stop Star with my voice, my seat or my reins even when we're galloping towards the barn. No fuss, no nothing. Can I slow her down within a gait? Thats a little trickier, but still.
We cantered up the other side, Star was a little sluggish. We walked through the turns and then galloped most of the way back home. I cooled her out in the arena. She was very subdued in the cross ties, barely raised her head when I took off her bridle.
Bath time was a little less relaxed. She was good for the first side, but she refused to turn around in the wash rack. We spent a long long time arguing about that. I spent an irritating portion of that time getting the whip untangled from her tail, but I basically won the argument and for a little while Star was clean. When I scraped the water off her, it did not resemble mud, very cool.
Star was unimpressed.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
After a month haitus...
A lot has happened in the last month. I havent been blogging it. I wish I had now, so I'm picking up again on the blogging. I cant really summarize what's happened so I'll try to summarize where I think I am with the horseys.
Lady:
I was doing really well riding her every time I was at the barn. I dropped the habit after a last minute trip to CA so I want to pick it back up again. Sometimes we really get in sync and its very good.
Star:
Star is rounding her back at the trot! Its really nice. Next up, canter. Her canter in the arena lacks impulsion. Her departures are reluctant. She is always poised to stop if she feels like she's loosing her balance. On the adgenda is to teach her better transitions; that its not acceptable to just stop cantering; and also, that she can keep herself balanced and not feel the need to stop.
Colonel:
Colonel is doing pretty well at remaining calm. He's even doing a little better at calming down after something hypes him up. He is still: leaning on the reins during transitions; throwing his shoulder out around the bend; reluctant to pick up the canter on command; falling in like crazy at the canter. On the adgenda is: teach him a reasonably nice stop, teach him to follow his nose, teach him balance at the canter.
Lady:
I was doing really well riding her every time I was at the barn. I dropped the habit after a last minute trip to CA so I want to pick it back up again. Sometimes we really get in sync and its very good.
Star:
Star is rounding her back at the trot! Its really nice. Next up, canter. Her canter in the arena lacks impulsion. Her departures are reluctant. She is always poised to stop if she feels like she's loosing her balance. On the adgenda is to teach her better transitions; that its not acceptable to just stop cantering; and also, that she can keep herself balanced and not feel the need to stop.
Colonel:
Colonel is doing pretty well at remaining calm. He's even doing a little better at calming down after something hypes him up. He is still: leaning on the reins during transitions; throwing his shoulder out around the bend; reluctant to pick up the canter on command; falling in like crazy at the canter. On the adgenda is: teach him a reasonably nice stop, teach him to follow his nose, teach him balance at the canter.
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