Ah, it is SO NICE to be home again. Even though it was great finishing a business trip to France by spending time in Germany with family and friends I missed everybody at home. At least I had some 'horsey activity' - I went shopping with my dad to Loesdau, one of Europe's largest tack stores. My dad sat patiently on a chair drinking coffee while handing out fashion advise for finding the perfect riding pants. Great fun!
JP picked me up at the airport, and the moment we drove up to the house the boys were waiting at the fence. It felt so good to see everybody happy and healthy.
Speaking of healthy: While I was gone Saumur had an appointment with Heather Brinkman (Sporthorse Therapy). Heather does the equivalent of Rolfing for humans. She worked on Saumur about a year ago when he injured his hip running through a gate, and the treatment really helped him. This time she found Saumur very tight and restricted, especially on the right side (the side he fell on).
Today Dr. Weaver, the Equine Chiropractor came. I told him that Saumur fell with Sandy about a month ago. First remark from Dr. Weaver: "But he must have fallen before" (due to the way his body was out of alignment). And yes, he was right, a couple of weeks earlier Saumur got scared on is way to be turned out, the person leading him let go, and Saumur slipped in the aisleway and fell on concrete. Dr. Weaver said that Saumur must have been in pain from this already (even though he wasn't noticeable lame). Saumur clearly enjoyed the adjustment, sighed deeply, and was relaxed. Hopefully we are now back on track!
Remy also got an adjustment as a follow up from his episode of 'growing pains'. He was a stellar patient, perfectly behaved, didn't even flinch when he got the acupuncture with B12 injections.
The boys are good to go - what's left to fix? The human! I will see my chiropractor tomorrow, too bad he doesn't dole out cookies like his counterpart for the equines.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
Yes, riding is better than walking - and how to get my 'horse-fix'
JP had arthroscopic knee surgery on Friday. Years of wear and tear (plus soccer, motorcycle and other accidents) are taking their toll. Everything went well and JP is on the mend. The surgeon explained to me afterwards that he repaired as much as he could, but running and long walks are out. The bright side: He confirmed that in JP's case riding is better than walking!
Saturday Remy and I had our first stroll down the lane, just the two of us. Remy had worked well under saddle in the arena, so I thought it would be a good occasion to take him for a walk to the park. Remy marched right along, relaxed, curious, but not worried, even when his buddies called for him. What a joy to ride a horse like that! I told him that he'd have to step in Crissy's hoof prints, as she was my ultimate trail friend. Didn't get any objections, other than Remy probably thinking "What, following the example of a girl?! Piece of cake!"
With Saumur I changed things around. I rode him in a snaffle, wearing my soft half-chaps instead of the stiff boots, and no spurs. Our warm up consisted of forward canter in two-point. All went well until a car flew by our outdoor arena, splashing through the water puddles and backfiring at the same time. Saumur got scared and took off, but the great news is that I got him quickly under control and we continued on as if nothing had happened.
Tonight I have to leave for yet another business trip, first Paris, then Geneva, followed by Frankfurt and Stuttgart (that part is friends and family). Over a week without a horse fix?! It will be tough - and yes, JP -- of course I'll miss you, too!
I know that some women take a T-shirt or something of their husband's with them when they go out of town. Me... I am more thinking along the lines of taking a sweaty saddle pad :-)
Saturday Remy and I had our first stroll down the lane, just the two of us. Remy had worked well under saddle in the arena, so I thought it would be a good occasion to take him for a walk to the park. Remy marched right along, relaxed, curious, but not worried, even when his buddies called for him. What a joy to ride a horse like that! I told him that he'd have to step in Crissy's hoof prints, as she was my ultimate trail friend. Didn't get any objections, other than Remy probably thinking "What, following the example of a girl?! Piece of cake!"
With Saumur I changed things around. I rode him in a snaffle, wearing my soft half-chaps instead of the stiff boots, and no spurs. Our warm up consisted of forward canter in two-point. All went well until a car flew by our outdoor arena, splashing through the water puddles and backfiring at the same time. Saumur got scared and took off, but the great news is that I got him quickly under control and we continued on as if nothing had happened.
Tonight I have to leave for yet another business trip, first Paris, then Geneva, followed by Frankfurt and Stuttgart (that part is friends and family). Over a week without a horse fix?! It will be tough - and yes, JP -- of course I'll miss you, too!
I know that some women take a T-shirt or something of their husband's with them when they go out of town. Me... I am more thinking along the lines of taking a sweaty saddle pad :-)
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Good lessons come with a bonus - a little voice in the head
Starting out with Saumur in the outdoor arena we worked on supplying exercises and transitions. He definitely needs an adjustment by the Chiropractor, as I feel he is shifting me to the right. First I thought my saddle got twisted when Saumur fell on it, but the saddle looks even and feels fine when it's on Remy. After the warm-up we played with counter canter - flying changes, as well as trot half-pass zig-zags. Our outdoor arena is rather small (about 30 x 40m), so there is not much room to adjust. It was a beautiful evening, perfect to finish the session with a relaxing trailride with JP and Chambord.
Back home it was Remy's turn. He had called for us the whole time we were gone. 'Mr. Eager-Beaver' is always ready to do something - even if it's not exactly what he is supposed to be doing. In the time it took to put my helmet on he had opened the Velcro tabs on his (double locked!) Woof boots and pulled them off.
It was the first time that it was just the two of us in the outdoor arena, no Chambord to provide equine companionship, no JP on the alert, ready to scrape me off the ground if needed. It went really well, Remy was focused and concentrated, and we had a nice and soft connection.
The whole time I was riding I had this little voice in my head that would go like this for Saumur "narrow hallway, keep him straight, lots of transitions, shoulders lead in the half pass...". For Remy it told me "narrow hallway, make him move forward, more forward, transitions, transitions, make him look slightly to the inside, don't let him be rude...". It seems that good lessons do come with the bonus of a little voice in the head. However, I will not openly admit to the uninitiated that I am 'hearing voices'!
Back home it was Remy's turn. He had called for us the whole time we were gone. 'Mr. Eager-Beaver' is always ready to do something - even if it's not exactly what he is supposed to be doing. In the time it took to put my helmet on he had opened the Velcro tabs on his (double locked!) Woof boots and pulled them off.
It was the first time that it was just the two of us in the outdoor arena, no Chambord to provide equine companionship, no JP on the alert, ready to scrape me off the ground if needed. It went really well, Remy was focused and concentrated, and we had a nice and soft connection.
The whole time I was riding I had this little voice in my head that would go like this for Saumur "narrow hallway, keep him straight, lots of transitions, shoulders lead in the half pass...". For Remy it told me "narrow hallway, make him move forward, more forward, transitions, transitions, make him look slightly to the inside, don't let him be rude...". It seems that good lessons do come with the bonus of a little voice in the head. However, I will not openly admit to the uninitiated that I am 'hearing voices'!
Monday, June 11, 2012
Staying in the narrow lane - and a touch of teenage defiance
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!
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!
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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