See Spot run ... and catch the bright blue ball

Wake up call at 5 a.m. today, in order to beat the 100+F temps. The boys are currently spending the nights outside, it is cooler in the pastures and the open run in shed than in the barn. However, it meant that I had to get them in to feed at 5 a.m. in order to leave at 6:30 a.m. for our lessons - on my vacation day! It was all worth it, though.

I started again with Chambord, and I don't know what happened...  he was just awesome. Soft, round, on the aids, I couldn't have asked for more. And the nice thing was that he kept it for JP. It's not easy for a horse to have to adapt to two different riders. As Sandy pointed out, I keep my long legs close (sometimes too tight) to Chambord's sides, where JP's legs are at a different point of Chambord's barrel, and he is moving them more. Chambord adjusted nicely to both of us and really did a great job.

We worked quite a bit on my position again. Seems my long upper torso is 'swaying in the wind' in downward transitions. I absorb the motion upwards instead of in my hips and thighs. Sandy compared it with a long backed horse (as opposed to a short backed one). Collection for the long backed horse is usually harder. So... more collection exercises for me!

Now - what's with the "See Spot run ... and catch the bright blue ball"? Another one of Sandy's apt analogies. I still have the tendency to ride Remy like a baby, even though Sandy has been on me to "ride him like a trained horse", meaning asking for more. So today she came up with the comparison of kids in school: Children need to move on from reading "See Spot run" to more complex sentences like "See Spot run and catch the blue ball". Same with Remy, he needs to progress in his learning. Don't get me wrong, we are not skipping grades here, but we are moving up correctly and consistently with the training scale as our 'bible'.

For example, I tried using Saumur's exercise of shoulder-fore for straightness with Remy today. Initially, I got too much bend and we lost the rhythm and relaxation. After a bit more practise we succeeded it made a great difference in Remy's way of going.

Perhaps my reading should get a bit more complex, too. I've always been a ferocious reader of a great variety of books: Classics, novels, academic books, training manuals, etc. but right now I am glued to a murder mystery. Not exactly food for higher learning, but then, who knows, I might have to draw on it some day: "How to win over the handsome FBI agent". Of course, only to give advise to my single friends :-)!

Back to the scene of the accident - and Nordic people are not made for heat waves

Despite the heat I was looking forward to trailering Saumur to a lesson with Sandy today, the first time since the accident. Sandy is healing well, she has physical therapy several times a week with good results. Saumur has been going well at home so I was eager - and yes, a bit apprehensive, too - to see how he would be back in Sandy's indoor arena.

I am VERY HAPPY that everything went well, neither Sandy nor Saumur seemed to relive the trauma. Sandy fed Saumur sugar in the area where they fell, which I found quite touching. We had a very good lesson, focusing on precision. At first glance that seems pretty easy, but it is darn hard (at least for me). One exercise was having Saumur in a shoulder for at the halt, keep it in the walk, and then canter off without the haunches swinging in. Saumur is now at a stage of his training where he is very 'tuned' to the slightest aids, which of course will backfire when the rider (uh, me!) is not precise.

Saumur did not spook once, despite the side doors of the arena being open. He was supple and relaxed, and we finished on a good note.

While the heat did not seem to bother Saumur, my Nordic ancestors did not do me any favors when it comes to dealing with the sun. Very fair skin, blond hair and blue eyes allow for more sunlight to penetrate the body (and thus producing more vitamin D) which is great for living in Northern Europe, but definitely does not jive with 100F heat waves in Michigan. On the other hand, Chambord definitely does not have any vikings in his pedigree, and still gets sunburned. Pass the SPF 50 sunblock, please!

Luckily Luanne beat me to re-scheduling our saddle fitting session for Remy today. Even with the best of intentions I could not envision myself in our outdoor arena in the scorching sun, trying out saddles. Note to credit card: you have a reprieve until Sunday!

Does he need another quarter? - and more "Yes, Ma'am"

Finally - back to lessons with Sandy! We trailered Chambord and Remy today, hitting the road fairly early due to the intense heat.

I warmed up (actually that's quite an oxymoron, better to say I loosened up) Chambord for JP, as JP's knee is still healing. Chambord worked really well, but his little quirk is that he is used to get a treat for an exercise well done. When he thinks that's the case he will stop and crane his neck around, waiting for the sugar to come. Lavish praise from me after a good job obviously was not cutting it, Chambord refused to proceed without his reward. Sandy jokingly asked "Do you need another quarter in?" That's exactly how it felt!

Remy did retain the progress from our last rides well, he is much more consistent in the connection. What is lacking is the "Yes, ma'am!". He sometimes takes his sweet time to react, meaning he is behind my leg. No fun pushing him along in 90F weather. Remy is right at attention when I carry a stick (I don't have to use it), but the little bugger knows when I don't have one. Nevertheless, we managed to improve from "Hmh, maybe?...OK, then" to "OK, off I go". Not the sharp "Yes, ma'am" Sandy would like to see but a good move in the right direction. I sure could get used to more "yes, ma'am's"... anybody taking the hint??

Vacation for the humans = back to work for the Equines

JP and I are off next week - an entire week of vacation! Something most Europeans cannot understand, anything less that three weeks is not a vacation in their eyes.

The weather is not entirely cooperating, temps in the high 90s F (high 30s C), with extreme dryness. The grass in the pastures is dried to dust, and our hay man gave us the bad news that he is very doubtful about being able to harvest any second cutting hay this year.

With the extreme heat yesterday we decided to give the boys another day off, and headed first to the Ann Arbor farmers market and later to the movies and dinner. We both agreed that the film we saw was one of the best films ever "The Untouchables". A really awesome movie!

Today we got a head start on the heat, I brought the boys in at 5 a.m. for breakfast (they had spend the night outside, where it is cooler than in the barn), and we started at 8:30 a.m. with grooming and tacking up. While Chambord was sulking a bit ("work? are you sure?? I'd rather snooze!") Remy and Saumur were eager to get going. I am thrilled, because after two weeks off both of them were working really well. Remy picked up where we had left off, no problem. Saumur clearly is much more comfortable after the treatments, and he was soft and supple. For the most part, I kept it low key with him, but started practising a bit portion of 4th level, such as enter collected canter, x halt salute. At least we can enter correctly!

So... vacation... will we go back to work in a week like Chambord or like Remy and Saumur??

Honey(s) - I am home!! - and a treatment update

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.

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 :-)

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'!