Saturday was the first day I took Remy by myself in the trailer. Luckily Sandy is feeling better; and she started teaching again. With Remy, the key right now is to keep the hallway narrow, meaning keeping my hands close together and low. I have a tendency to widen my hands in an effort to help him with straightness. Unfortunately, that produces just the opposite and gives Remy more wiggle room. So a good image is to pretend we are on a narrow highway, and we better stay in our lane!
Remy worked well, and didn't get rattled about being alone. However, when it was time to go home the picture changed: "Young Man" planted his feet in front of the ramp and refused to go forward. Now here is a horse that until then loaded perfectly, always on the first try. This time though, no go. I remembered Buck Brannaman's saying "You need to control the feet", and clearly, I did not have control of the feet. Thinking back, that also happened during my ride, as Sandy pointed out several times that Remy was not responsive enough to my leg. The temperatures were scorching and I decided to get the job done, pronto. We got Cay-Lyn out from under her well deserved shower, and all it took for Remy to march in was her standing behind him with the 'handy-stick'.
Hmm, obviously, we need to put more emphasis on groundwork, and controlling the feet. On Sunday the goal was to do exactly that and practise loading. Another area that needed addressing was Remy's idea of unloading. Having always traveled in slant load trailers before coming to us he preferred turning around in the trailer and walk out head first. I used to open the partition of my straight load so he could turn around and walk off. Not the safest way to do it. So yesterday I left the partition up and we practises backing down the ramp (after having worked on backing on the flat). The first attempt was rather reluctant, but by the second try Remy had it and we quit on the perfect third unloading.
What do the old masters say? "Repeat often, acknowledge the smallest progress, praise lavishly". Works equally well for animals and humans!
Monday, June 11, 2012
Saturday, June 9, 2012
The roadtrip is confirmed - Amish country, here we come
The long awaited confirmation in form of a short email from George was almost obscured by all the other 'urgent' mails when I checked my overflowing Inbox between two meetings and trying to figure out a complicated trip to Europe. But then I saw the sender and dropped whatever I was doing. Yes, the boys and I are welcome to spend a week of training with George in Ohio, starting August 6. AWESOME!
So, Saumur, Remy and I will hit the road August 5 - destination Ohio. George is located right in Amish country, which worried me the first time we went there. Saumur (having been sent for 'remedial training' twice to the Amish by his former owners) does not have fond memories of that time, but he handled it well last time so there shouldn't be a problem.
My organizational skills have already kicked in: Room is reserved, vacation is blocked in my calendar, and in my head I am packing trunks and making lists. I mean, it's only two months away!
Many heartfelt thanks again to JP for his unwaving support, Sandy, for all the hard work and encouragement in getting us to that level, and to the Morgan Dressage Association for awarding the training sponsorship to Saumur and me. You guys are awesome!
So, Saumur, Remy and I will hit the road August 5 - destination Ohio. George is located right in Amish country, which worried me the first time we went there. Saumur (having been sent for 'remedial training' twice to the Amish by his former owners) does not have fond memories of that time, but he handled it well last time so there shouldn't be a problem.
My organizational skills have already kicked in: Room is reserved, vacation is blocked in my calendar, and in my head I am packing trunks and making lists. I mean, it's only two months away!
Many heartfelt thanks again to JP for his unwaving support, Sandy, for all the hard work and encouragement in getting us to that level, and to the Morgan Dressage Association for awarding the training sponsorship to Saumur and me. You guys are awesome!
What do first horse shows and first waffles have in common?
While assessing Remy's first outing into the horse show world I was thinking about all the things that went right (we stayed together! Remy settled in well and performed in awful weather conditions without getting too flustered) and the things that weren't so great (aside from the weather - Remy screaming his head off in the ring for his buddies, and me getting so flustered by it that I stopped riding).
That reminded me of something I read a while ago, comparing first horse shows and first waffles (waffles from scratch, not the frozen toaster kind):
"Just think about how the first waffle you make never comes out right - it sticks or it falls apart. By the second one, you usually got the formula right. Never worry about your first waffle. It's just a practise run for your second waffle."
Some people, like Sandy's student Catie, are good cooks and get their first waffle right (Catie was AA Champion TL at the show). Congrats, Catie!
Others, like me (definitely not my mother's daughter in the kitchen) need more practise runs. Especially when some of the ingredients -fruits, horses- are on the green side. Now, hand me the waffle iron and the horse!
That reminded me of something I read a while ago, comparing first horse shows and first waffles (waffles from scratch, not the frozen toaster kind):
"Just think about how the first waffle you make never comes out right - it sticks or it falls apart. By the second one, you usually got the formula right. Never worry about your first waffle. It's just a practise run for your second waffle."
Some people, like Sandy's student Catie, are good cooks and get their first waffle right (Catie was AA Champion TL at the show). Congrats, Catie!
Others, like me (definitely not my mother's daughter in the kitchen) need more practise runs. Especially when some of the ingredients -fruits, horses- are on the green side. Now, hand me the waffle iron and the horse!
Friday, June 8, 2012
An unusual Yoga demonstration - 'Equine Downward Dog'
This morning Remy gave me a reminder that I should go back to my Yoga classes. When I got to the barn at the pre-dawn hour of 5 a.m. Remy rose himself from his plush bed, yawned - and proceeded to assume a perfect 'downward facing dog' pose. Clearly, he didn't feel self-conscious at all, sticking his hind end in the air. But then, he wasn't wearing skin tight yoga pants either... Some grunts, more stretching, and Remy was ready to receive his healthy vegan breakfast.
Note to JP: We need an addition to the farm sign: "Equine Yoga Retreat".
Note to JP: We need an addition to the farm sign: "Equine Yoga Retreat".
Sunday, June 3, 2012
A sensible Quarterhorse - taking care of everything
Today it was Chambord's and Saumur's turn to get out and about. It is still very windy, but at least it is a bit warmer and no longer raining.
Both Chambord and Saumur had Friday/Saturday off so we thought it prudent to longe both of them before hopping on and going out into the windy plains and woods. As Chambord went through his paces on the longe line he let go of the air in his belly - and voila, the girth of the heavy trail saddle became loose and the whole contraption slipped and ended up underneath his belly. Now, at that point a lot of horses would have had a bucking fit, trying to get rid of the strange thing hanging underneath them. Not so Chambord: he stopped and calmly waited until JP had unstrapped the saddle and put everything on the right (up!) side.
Off we went, and initially Saumur thought every branch cracking would be out to get him. But within a very short time he settled down and followed the blond trailblazer on shortcuts through quite dense brush and woods. Saumur seemed really happy to be out on our favorite trails.
Clearly, Chambord would make any working cowboy a great partner. But the way he takes care of not only his French horseman but also his four-legged buddies -and not to forget his expensive equipment in the form of a Schleese trail saddle- earns him at least a platinum star (and plenty of cookies, which is all that counts in his mind anyway)!
Both Chambord and Saumur had Friday/Saturday off so we thought it prudent to longe both of them before hopping on and going out into the windy plains and woods. As Chambord went through his paces on the longe line he let go of the air in his belly - and voila, the girth of the heavy trail saddle became loose and the whole contraption slipped and ended up underneath his belly. Now, at that point a lot of horses would have had a bucking fit, trying to get rid of the strange thing hanging underneath them. Not so Chambord: he stopped and calmly waited until JP had unstrapped the saddle and put everything on the right (up!) side.
Off we went, and initially Saumur thought every branch cracking would be out to get him. But within a very short time he settled down and followed the blond trailblazer on shortcuts through quite dense brush and woods. Saumur seemed really happy to be out on our favorite trails.
Clearly, Chambord would make any working cowboy a great partner. But the way he takes care of not only his French horseman but also his four-legged buddies -and not to forget his expensive equipment in the form of a Schleese trail saddle- earns him at least a platinum star (and plenty of cookies, which is all that counts in his mind anyway)!
It's proven - I have my very own 'mudder'
A 'mudder' is a term used for a racehorse that runs well in muddy conditions. Well, after this weekend at the Waterloo show I can honestly say I own a 'mudder'.
We arrived Friday afternoon to blustery winds, steady rain, and temps only flirting with 50F. Remy stepped off the trailer and started calling for his friends. I walked him around the showgrounds, and the kid was flying higher than a kite in the beginning. No wonder: the vendor booths were covered in white plastic, banners and flags were flying in the heavy winds, the grounds were just mud pits. Prudently I decided to only longe him, but it was a challenge to find some higher ground where he didn't disappear ankle deep in the wetness.
After that more hand walking in the arena, where I was more than ankle deep in the wet sand, with each squishy step worrying that my boots would get sucked right off me. Luckily this seemed to be quite relaxing for Remy.
The next day dawned not much better, I saw 4 a.m., hit the road by 5 a.m., and got to Waterloo an hour later. I was grateful that Remy is very good about braiding, and even in the unfamiliar conditions he let me fuss with his mane without objections.
The warmup was a disaster. Everybody crowded in one small arena with huge water puddles. Remy got really worried when horses cantered up behind him, as the splashing noise was pretty intimidating. I did the best I could, but we were less than prepared when going to the ring. To top it off, there was a mix up with the scratched rides before me, and the judge whistled before we even had a chance to ride around the ring. What can I say: I stayed on and we stayed in (the arena). That was about it.
The noon ride was better, but I got so focused on keeping Remy's focus that I actually had an error for going off course. No big deal, I was happy with the improvement. Despite the error and a "disagreement about straightness when entering" we scored over 60% and Remy got an "8" on his walk!
Time to pack, go home and relax! After all his efforts poor Remy did not quite get the welcome at home he so deserved: Saumur clearly was jealous, and chased him off with bared teeth; probably thinking: I'll teach you about going to a show without me!
We arrived Friday afternoon to blustery winds, steady rain, and temps only flirting with 50F. Remy stepped off the trailer and started calling for his friends. I walked him around the showgrounds, and the kid was flying higher than a kite in the beginning. No wonder: the vendor booths were covered in white plastic, banners and flags were flying in the heavy winds, the grounds were just mud pits. Prudently I decided to only longe him, but it was a challenge to find some higher ground where he didn't disappear ankle deep in the wetness.
After that more hand walking in the arena, where I was more than ankle deep in the wet sand, with each squishy step worrying that my boots would get sucked right off me. Luckily this seemed to be quite relaxing for Remy.
The next day dawned not much better, I saw 4 a.m., hit the road by 5 a.m., and got to Waterloo an hour later. I was grateful that Remy is very good about braiding, and even in the unfamiliar conditions he let me fuss with his mane without objections.
The warmup was a disaster. Everybody crowded in one small arena with huge water puddles. Remy got really worried when horses cantered up behind him, as the splashing noise was pretty intimidating. I did the best I could, but we were less than prepared when going to the ring. To top it off, there was a mix up with the scratched rides before me, and the judge whistled before we even had a chance to ride around the ring. What can I say: I stayed on and we stayed in (the arena). That was about it.
The noon ride was better, but I got so focused on keeping Remy's focus that I actually had an error for going off course. No big deal, I was happy with the improvement. Despite the error and a "disagreement about straightness when entering" we scored over 60% and Remy got an "8" on his walk!
Time to pack, go home and relax! After all his efforts poor Remy did not quite get the welcome at home he so deserved: Saumur clearly was jealous, and chased him off with bared teeth; probably thinking: I'll teach you about going to a show without me!
Friday, June 1, 2012
Hitting the delete button on some thoughts -- less than ideal conditions for the first show
As I am looking out the window I see the four boys grazing in the pouring rain. I am shivering inside, trying to focus on my work and not to worry about taking Remy to his first show this afternoon.
It's cold, blustery, and raining - and Remy has had much less preparation than I would have liked. So, is it really a good idea to take him to Waterloo? I guess I won't be chickening out just yet, the plan is to go there and see how he will handle everything. If he is too worried, and the footing resembles a mud bath, then we'll just scratch.
My friend Glenda called this morning, and she brightened up my spirit quite a bit. I am in one of my 'fretting moods', just over-thinking, and over-analyzing everything. I am perfectly capable of riding without a coach, I had done it with Saumur for years at the lower levels. Still, it's kind of unsettling when going to the first show with a baby. Glenda told me that Luanne, the saddle fitter, mentioned to her what a nice horse Remy is. Luanne sees a lot of nice horses, but it seems Remy really stuck out.
Anyway, the immediate question is "how will Remy handle the situation?". I am a bit concerned as he started bucking under saddle for the first time with me just two days ago. In my mind I have images of me flying off in the midst of the crowded warm up area or in front of the judge. Better hit the delete button on those thoughts, pronto!
JP, as always, has been nothing but encouraging. So, I better imagine him in a cheer-leading outfit while reading our tests. Probably won't help with the concentration, but it definitely will put a smile on my face no matter what antics I might have to deal with!
It's cold, blustery, and raining - and Remy has had much less preparation than I would have liked. So, is it really a good idea to take him to Waterloo? I guess I won't be chickening out just yet, the plan is to go there and see how he will handle everything. If he is too worried, and the footing resembles a mud bath, then we'll just scratch.
My friend Glenda called this morning, and she brightened up my spirit quite a bit. I am in one of my 'fretting moods', just over-thinking, and over-analyzing everything. I am perfectly capable of riding without a coach, I had done it with Saumur for years at the lower levels. Still, it's kind of unsettling when going to the first show with a baby. Glenda told me that Luanne, the saddle fitter, mentioned to her what a nice horse Remy is. Luanne sees a lot of nice horses, but it seems Remy really stuck out.
Anyway, the immediate question is "how will Remy handle the situation?". I am a bit concerned as he started bucking under saddle for the first time with me just two days ago. In my mind I have images of me flying off in the midst of the crowded warm up area or in front of the judge. Better hit the delete button on those thoughts, pronto!
JP, as always, has been nothing but encouraging. So, I better imagine him in a cheer-leading outfit while reading our tests. Probably won't help with the concentration, but it definitely will put a smile on my face no matter what antics I might have to deal with!
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