I have to be careful that I don't let my excitement over Quaid's first show overshadow how well Carmen did. After all she's been around longer and deserves some air time as well.
The first thing that really impressed me this weekend was how calm, cool and collected she was for the unloading, being in her stall and all the excitement. The barn is shaped like a big T and she was in the stall that was right at the juncture. This allowed her to see everyone. Hilariously, she used this position to nicker to everyone in order to get fed. Samantha was laughing at her because every time she went into her tack stall Carmen kept talking to her.
This photo cracks me up. Suzi was desperate to say hi but Carmen was just too cool
Historically, Carmen has been stand-offish with people she doesn't know. If a stranger approaches her she will withdraw into the stall until they go away. So imagine my shock when I was sitting in the aisle and a family with young girls (approximately 3 & 5 years) walked by and they were smitten by her.
Mommy! Look at this one. She's so pretty! I just love her! That was not a surprise. What was shocking was that she allowed them to approach and kiss her nose. And she even whuffled their hair! She looked pretty pleased with herself.
Me: I feel like I don't even know you!
Carmen: I have depths.
On Friday I had booked us a warm up slot in the show ring and it was about 90 minutes after Quaid's. I hopped on and rode her in and we just, well, went to work. It was a really good session and I was pretty pleased with both of us. There was none of the typical 'will she work here, is there a problem there,' session. Not that we were perfect but it was a great session.
blurry screenshot
On Saturday a lot of my focus had to be on Quaid and helping him deal with all his emotions over being imprisoned in a stall all day and horses coming and going. But Carmen didn't seem to mind at all. She did call for him a bit when I was riding him but it was pretty low key.
Julia and I tacked her up and I hopped on to begin on our warm up. Carmen was forward. Like, who is this horse, forward. Usually in the warm up ring she's tight and I have to push her. Instead I had the opposite issue but, not gonna lie, I was really enjoying how flowing she felt. In no time at all it was time to go in. We were waiting for the bell when we came down by A and she gave a big spook (the lattice was gone from one side and she was pretty sure it was a cave with a monster). Right then the judge rang the bell. We regrouped and we started our test.
This is where the forward worked for me in terms of her trot work but bit me on the ass in our canter because in our first lengthen it became clear that I did not have a half-halt in the canter. Like at all. Which had us careening around the corner while I gave a sigh of relief that we made it.
But overall I was pleased with our effort.
The scores were pretty much what I expected. We had 60.43% with a comment that made me giggle: "An enthusiastic lads! Sometimes that energy needs to be better channelled over her back with more throughness'. Ya think? I have experience with pushing Carmen forward and stopping her from running off. This new forward Carmen needs some getting used to.
I had about 20 minutes for our next one so I went into the warm up ring we schooled half-halts. They were running a bit ahead of schedule and asked if I wanted to go early but I decided to use my time and go when I was scheduled. I needed all of it because Carmen was still quite energetic even though were hitting the 45 minute mark of pretty steady work.
I made sure this time that I schooled a few half-halts while we waited for the judge to ring the bell. It paid off- except for our transitions after the counter canter work. She totally blew those off. But the test felt pretty reflective of where we are in our training. Our score went up to 62.18%. The comment was nice: "A lovely mare! Work for more engagement in collection with clearer ability to carry behind. Capable pair." I honestly want to get 'capable pair' on a t-shirt but it will probably be misconstrued.
I was quite tired at the end but still really happy with Carmen and myself.
On Sunday I decided to start my warm up sooner to make sure that I could channel her energy. It definitely worked and our test felt really good. We even got a few 7s on our canter work and an 8 on our final halt.
Our score was much better than Saturday with a 64.29%.
So in between our tests I worked on keeping her supple and responsive. Then it was time to do our last test. I was ready (for the test and to be done). I made sure that I didn't fall into old habits of being grabby and tight. When we were done I was really happy with our test. It felt so good. Our score was 64.23 and another favourite comment "A very sweet mare." I love that she saw Carmen's sweetness because it's not always evident.
In the end I felt that Carmen and I had done really well. And, oh yeah, we came second in every class. Which was nice too.
As you know, Quaid, Carmen, me and Julia all headed to the show last weekend. Quaid was entered in the Intro A and B which are walk-trot tests in the small (20x40 dressage ring). It felt like a natural progression for us since he's been travelling to the shows with Carmen since last year. In June I rode him in the warm up ring and the show ring.
We arrived in good time we put the horses in their stalls. We were in different ones then last year and I asked for them to be separated. It was Carmen, Suzi, tack stall, Quaid, Darius.
Quaid: this is all a bit much. I feel tortured
I had booked a 30 minute slot in the show ring. My plan was to ride him in the warm up arena and then go into the ring, just like at a show. The show venue is right beside the highway which has been undergoing renovations for years. When we went into the warm up ring the construction crew started backing up the heavy equipment to put it away. Quaid took one look at the digger going by the far door and freaked out.
Quaid: do you blame me? It was a big monster just looking to grab a young and tasty snack! And I'm pretty sure that I'm really tasty.
Me: no I don't blame you at all. Let's figure it out together.
I did some ground work and then got on. All we did was walk because I could feel him vibrating. After a bit we went into the show ring. There were other horses there and he gave a big sigh of relief. One of my goals for this show was to not freeze when I ride him. Instead to be proactive and help him to deal. And I have to say I did. It was a bit intimidating. We were in the ring with more advanced riders on bigger horses. But given that we were walk-trot pretty much everyone was more advanced. And I have to say they were very understanding and didn't get really annoyed when we got in the way either because of steering failure or because I wasn't paying enough attention. Julia took some clips of us and most of them showed us going around doing our thing. He had one baby moment in the clip below. But it felt like we dealt with it and moved on.
I felt really good about how we were doing and stopped soon after. He was pretty tired by then- mostly mentally. But for a horse that was back in February he coped with trailering in, new stall and being ridden really well.
I had expected our ride times to be really early because it's more typical for the show to start with the lowest levels and work upwards. But there were so many people in training level that the show committee decided to have all the training level classes in the morning and the rest in the afternoon. This made my ride times around between 1 and 2 both days. That gave a lot of time for us to get ready without rushing.
Saturday morning I fed both of them and checked them over. Both slept well. Quaid had a cut on his lip that was bleeding. I still don't know how he got it but I think it was by trying to reach his neighbour. I cleaned it as best I could but it was still pretty raw. I asked Jane and she told me to show it to the Steward. I did that and the steward advised me to put some vaseline on it and as long as it didn't bleed again I was good to go. Phew.
I took Carmen out to check her over for stains and Quaid got upset. Now when he gets upset he kicks out. He's done it before. This time we heard a crash and when Julia check on him she came out with his water bucket which he shattered. Sigh.
Quaid: none of this is my fault. If I had stayed home I'd be fine.
Me: you would not have liked being alone.
Quaid: I meant ALL of use stay home.
Me: not gonna happen. It's all part of growing up.
Quaid: growing up sucks.
Me: tell me about it. At least you're not paying bills.
Fortunately there's a feed store really close so I ran there and bought an expensive rubber water bucket. After all it's cheaper than going through plastic ones and it's only money, right?
I had given Quaid a half-tube of omeprazole on Thursday and Friday as a preventative measure. I looked at how tense he seemed and just gave him a full tube. I did that again on Sunday and I think it really helped. We walked both horses out to graze. He was great about walking along the parking lot and by the parked trailers. At the grass he just dropped his head and grazed. I could see him settling.
When it was time for our warm up we got him ready and took him out. Despite my goal of not freezing I could myself getting all worried about not upsetting him and freezing. Fortunately Jane was there and got us working and going forward. Quaid was shaking his head and that made me lighten up all my aids. Jane told me to knock it off (nicely) and to ride him forward into a steady contact. I was also to not let him set the pace but use my legs and my posting to help him stay in a trot rhythm. Strangely enough that worked. There were a couple times when he would balk and then shake his head and back up. This was a new one for me but Jane had me ride forward and did not let me back off.
Trying hard and having fun
Before I knew it, it was time to go in the ring. I had Julia walk beside us because the entry can be a bit overwhelming. We walked into the lower part and it was game time. I had a lot of feelings about this. It had been my dream with Steele but never happened. Carmen took a long time for me to be able to ride her in a show and last year when I thought I might lose him or he might never be sound. It's not like all of that was in the front of my brain but it was there. The judge rang the bell, I took a deep breath and rode in. Tanya read my test for me. I did have it memorised and, let's face it it's not long. But having her voice there helped me to free up some brain to ride the horse I had. It felt like a lot. But honestly he was so good. He had a lot of questions for me but listened to my answers and was a really good boy (even when he called out):
He handled everything, including the clapping and seeing people in random spots. Our score for this test was a mix of 6's, 6.5s and 7's for a final score of 66.25. I was thrilled with that. We scored 7 on our final halt which as great because we only started schooling centre line halts a few weeks ago. The judge noted that he lost forward momentum when he was calling out. I was for sure riding him too carefully but I forgive myself for that because this is all so new for us.
After we walked out for our steward check and he was clearly over all of this. I briefly thought of scratching but instead did a little walking around in the warm up and tried to take deep breaths. I felt a lot better after we 'survived' the first one. It wasn't long before we were going in again. This time I think he was sure we should be done. But I took a breath and rode him in. You can see that he's behind the leg and really not that keen to go forward. We had some lovely 7s for our entrance and turn but you can see on the centre circle he's not so keen. The first one earned us a 3 but the wheels came off completely on the second circle. He was quite resistant. But I was pleased that I didn't get upset. I gave a little laugh, gave the rein and asked him to go forward. I was okay with him just walking until we got ourselves together and we trotted out of the circle and finished.
The second circle earned us a 1 and the comment 'very naughty'. Which, honestly, made me laugh.
Quaid: What part of no don't you understand? Me: the part where you say 'no'.
Finishing on a good note, the tail adding a little flair
I was sure I had a bad score and was pleasantly surprised that it was a 54.06%. The judge noted some 'unfortunate tension today'. And she was right but I was not even remotely upset. I was proud that we worked through it and it wasn't by muscling but by just being patient with him. He's young, it's his first show. I wasn't expecting him to be perfect.
In the end we garnered a first and second place ribbon which made me very happy.
Quaid: show my fans how great I did! CHEESE
That night he was a lot more relaxed. Largely due to being mentally and physically tired. Sunday morning he was a lot more settled but I gave him another full tube of ulcer meds just to be safe. After breakfast he went for his walk and didn't care a whit about traffic or kids or dogs. He even had a roll on the grass.
Carmen: save some grass for me Quaid: snooze you lose!
I was really excited for the Sunday tests. I continued to be really happy with his performance on Saturday and knew that today would be even better because of our experience.
Before long we were tacked up and in the warm up. I remembered what Jane had said and I was riding a lot more proactively. When he tried to balk a bit I sat up and put my leg on and went forward. Jane was there to help again and she even noted that I was being his 'rock' rather than waiting to see what he would do and then react. Our warm up was going really well. Motorcycles were flying by on the highway and he didn't care at all. Then the first level horses came in and one of them was a gray.
Quaid: CARMEN! IT'S CARMEN. SOMEONE IS STEALING HER! HEY CARMEN!
Me: it's not Carmen. I know it's a gray horse but it's not her.
Quaid: It's NOT Carmen? OMG is it wearing her skin? WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?
Me: sigh. please calm down
Quaid: HOW CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN NOT-CARMEN IS HERE?
I rode him for a bit but decided that we'd be better off going out to wait for our test with was a few minutes away. It is worth noting that Jane had to go and so she didn't have a chance to correct this decision. Julia was with us but he was still agitated and when it was time to go in the ring he didn't want to go and even gave a half rear. But Julia was great and led him in. He saw the horse before us and was still quite agitated.
I gave a deep breath and it was time for our test. And, spoiler alert, it was great. I rode him forward, when he got a little excited I held the bucking strap. But I was thrilled with it.
Our scores were a lot of 7's with a few 6's and 6.5s. Our final score was 68.13. I was so happy with him. The judge said that it was a fluid test, which was exactly how it felt.
We went back to the warm up to wait the 10-15 minutes for our next test. Not-Carmen was still there and Quaid got quite excited again. Jane told me to bend and soften, bend and soften. I was pretty sure that wasn't going to work. Turns out it did and he immediately relaxed. Huh. Go figure.
Soon it was time for our last test. He walked in quietly and we felt pretty good, although not super energetic. This resulted in him dropping his head and nose a bit. This is definitely a strength issue. I probably rode him a little slow and was a bit restrictive but over all it went well. We had issues again on the centre circle on the right rein. The judge said she thinks I held too much with my left. Which was definitely a factor. I have studied my video and have some thoughts too but am saving them for another post because this is getting long. Either way, we finished our test. By now Quaid had garnered a little fan club and they cheered and clapped us out. Which he took as his due.
In the end we scored 59.38%. I was thrilled with that. Both tests went up on the second day.
another first and second place ribbon. He's so over showing at this point
I was really happy that we went and did the thing. It's always a worry that you might overtake a youngster. while I definitely pushed a boundary he took it all in stride. I was so proud of him. And me.
One thing I love about my lessons is taking what I learned and seeing how well I apply it when working on my own. Having a rapidly approaching show also lends a little motivation. Last week lessons were cancelled so my friend Tanya and I decided to work together. She came to my place and gave me her observations and coaching on Carmen and I then went to her place and did the same. It was a lot of fun and very useful.
Riding with a loose rein was a game changer. However, Carmen came into heat last week and that made her more challenging. It quickly became apparent that she was taking total advantage of my loose rein to careen around and blow off any half-halt. I decided to take up my outside rein and give the inside when I can and, as she settled into the work, giving both. When I explained it to Jane at our lesson this week she agreed with me and said 'you need to ride the horse you have not the horse you had yesterday'.
pretty girl standing almost square
I really like how Stacy Westfall talks about horse training. She doesn't use terms like disobedience or resistance. Instead she likes to frame it in terms of horses asking questions. What I like about this approach is that it helps me to reframe my response from 'winning' to finding the answer for the horse. I'm not sure if that makes sense so let me give an example:
Today in my ride Quaid was definitely bending to the outside and resisted my attempts to bend hin. I could definitely use my rein but that really just moves the neck/head. His body was staying pretty hard against my leg. When I put my inside leg on he simply went faster. So I wondered if he really wasn't understanding that one leg means 'move away' and two legs are 'go forward'. He wasn't being disobedient, he was giving me the response he thought was correct. I did some work on the circle and it was better but still felt like I wasn't explaining it well. So I went to a walk leg yield. After our 3rd one I could feel him go 'ooooh, I get it now'. Not that I think we're done with that lesson but I like to get something better and then leave it.
his trot is really coming
Carmen asks lots of questions, lol. In our lesson yesterday we focussed on half-halts and getting her off the inside leg (the theme for this summer I believe). Jane helped us by having us do lots of leg yields that are more sideways then forward. Then when we were on the rail she would tell me to do a small leg yield and I felt Carmen shift right over.
I had one ride where Quaid was quite spooky at one corner. Like 'nope not going there' spooky. I almost dismounted but realised that was because I was worried about him acting like Carmen 5 years ago. He's not like that. Instead he was just telling me that something there made him uncertain and do we really have to go there? So I took a breath and just did what I know: work elsewhere, use that to rest and gradually get to work in that corner. The next day you wouldn't know that there was even a problem there. I was glad to work though it because at our show I'm sure that he'll have a few worries.
I didn't canter on the spooky day but did the next because he felt far more ready. I love this video (thanks Julia) because he's just so soft and trying so hard.
Carmen and I worked really hard in our lesson on Friday. She was feeling less challenging but still a bit spicy. Nothing too horrible but our half-halt in the canter was non-existent. Which really impacted our counter canter. Jane was having us ride a 3 loop serpentine with the middle loop being counter canter. I realised that I had to half-halt strongly as we went across otherwise she would get heavy and pull on the forehand. After a few on the right we went to the left and it was effortless. Unfortunately my phone ran out of battery power but I did get some footage of some earlier work.
To be completely truthful I am a little worried about showing 2 horses next weekend over 2 days. But Julia will be helping me. For Quaid I am just looking to get hin in the ring and answer his questions as he learns about his job. We can definitely do the two intro tests (which are just walk/trot in the small dressage court). What is new is the location not the work. I fully expect that thee will be bobbles and will be happy if I can give him a positive experience.
I will happily take a last place ribbon because it means we answered all the questions.
Summer is speeding along and the weather has been mostly nice. Ed and I went away for a week to Newfoundland. It was a great trip, I highly recommend everyone go. We ate a lot and hiked a lot and explored. It was lovely to get away just the two of us.
The view from a hike just outside St. John's
About a week before we were to leave I saw a juvenile rooster at the end of our driveway. I suspect he was dumped. I started leaving food out for him and set out a live trap but he was too canny for that and every night he would disappear into the ditch. I tried to find his roosting spot at night but was unsuccessful. Everyday he spent a little more time with the girls. Right before we were to leave I spied him with them in the run and I quickly and stealthily snuck up and shut the door. I had the farm sitter leave them locked up for a few days so he got used to his new home. I have to say he's settled in quite nicely and appears to be particularly fond of Thelma. We never wanted a rooster but what can you do?
From left to right: Henry, Natasha and Thelma
When we got back the horses and I picked right up where we left off. After such a successful clinic I decided to take the plunge and entered Quaid into the show at the end of the month. We're signed up for Intro A & B, which are walk-trot tests in the small ring (20x40). I am okay to scratch if things feel like too much but I think we can do it. I'm not fussed about the score or satin, it's really just to show him his job.
Last Sunday I was able to sign up both horses for a lesson with Jane. We started with Quaid and it was amazing. I don't have media because my phone only has enough juice for about 90 minutes recording so I decided to save it for Carmen's.
Jane was clear that I tend to freeze when I ride Quaid. And she's right, I worry so much about doing the wrong thing that I do nothing. Which isn't, surprisingly enough, helpful. Jane had me ride Quaid forward. Which was a lot faster than I thought. Our trot felt really fast but it wasn't. Jane was on me to use my feel so when I ask him to go forward I don't push too much. I, of course, screwed that up a few times but Jane just had us roll with it. We did a lot of canter and, because he was forward int he trot, it felt more balanced than it has. I was in a light seat and kept my hands down and it felt good. I was actually sorry that I didn't have video.
the best boy
Then it was Carmen's turn. This lesson blew my mind a little. Jane wanted me to ride with little contact and use my seat and legs to bend her. It was hard to not take the inside rein. Like impossible. I don't know why Jane doesn't get really frustrated with me but she just keeps reminding me. At one point I actually dropped the reins to prevent myself. But Jane told me not to do that, I needed to have the reins and keep my hands forward.
look at her carrying herself with a loose rein
Carmen was really intrigued by this lesson and was really good. I doubt we could have done this last year and definitely not two years ago. She'd have taken the loose rein as permission to dodge all over the place. Transitions were to be without pressure on the reins. in the photo below we were coming from canter to trot with the loose rein. Look at her going forward and reaching under.
Here are some videos if you want to see:
I get such a kick out of Jane's triumphant 'HA' when Carmen just gives these lovely transitions. Once again we jump forward in our work and it feels so good.
Fortunately Carmen is not too annoyed for not telling you about her brilliant performance yet. I told her that I needed to go through all the video first.
What is interesting about Carmen is how great a traveller she has become. She hesitated going in the barn yard first bit otherwise self-loaded and was happy in her new stall. Once she chewed everything out first. And that all translated into her rides. My lesson was shortly after we arrived.
Initially I thought that the purpose of our lesson was to get off the outside rein. But I realized that was incorrect- it was to get on the outside rein. Hear me out- I can ( at least in theory) let go of the inside rein but that doesn’t mean that has contact on the outside. We could just be prancing around on 2 loose reins.
Jane was very committed that I was to get her to take contact on the outside rein and then ask her to flex or bend to the inside. She explained that when Carmen’s head tilted it was because she wasn’t through to the outside.
Honestly, it was exactly the precise lesson I needed. At first Carmen would simply bend to the outside. Turns out I had to use my leg to help her, but even if she didn’t bend, I was not allowed to take the inside until I had her on the outside. Up at the far end were sone stacks of hay. I put on my outside rein and she went ‘ooh snacks!’ And grabbed a mouthful. I burst out laughing.
Carmen: how come our ring doesn’t have a buffet?
As the lesson progressed I began to understand how important this work is. And Carmen began to understand about the outside rein as well. And she began reaching for the bit.
Love this capture of Jane, us and the other clinic participants. It takes a
This work resulted in Carmen becoming soft and, well the only word I can think of is pliable. Or transitions became so fluid. Our canter was soft and balanced. You could barely hear her footfalls.
Here’s a brief clip:
We’d been doing shoulder in off and on through the lesson. It always feels like it requires lots of support. At the end of the lesson we did ones that gave me goosebumps. They felt perfect. Unfortunately, my Pivo quit videoing by then so I have zero proof. But Jane thought they were good enough for us to end on. So there’s that.
Carmen enjoyed her hose off and I turned them both out to enjoy some grass in the barn Carmen was being admired by cute gelding she accepted his admiration as her due but let him know she was tolerating his presence when he left she was annoyed ‘Hey, I wasn’t done being pissy with you!’
So much mare face
Julia rode Carmen the next day. I realized that somewhere along the line she is becoming a schoolmaster. She was really good through the whole lesson and didn’t pull any stunts like she has in the past with her. I was so proud of both of them.
Last weekend Carmen, Quaid and I went to a dressage clinic with Coach Jane. It was a 3 day clinic but we only did 2 of the days. I bathed both of them on Friday and packed up the truck and trailer. In the morning we left early, right after feeding (and morning coffee because that makes it better for everyone). It was zero trouble to load by myself. The clinic was about 45 minutes away an easy commute. When I arrived I had help to unload which was much appreciated. Carmen was a bit uncertain to come into the barn at first but then she decided she owned the place so it was all fine. Quaid followed along like the good boy he is.
Quaid: well this is new (sort of, he was here last September)
I rode both horses on Saturday and just Quaid on Sunday. I'm going to break this up for both horses and thought it would be fun to start with the baby genius. Quaid's first lesson was in the afternoon at 2:00. I got him ready and walked him down by the ring to hang out before we went in. As we got closer and he could hear Jane over the speaker the noise of Suzi & Tanya working in the ring he got very excited. Like tail over the back snorting like a dragon excited. Well, it might just be a lunge lesson.... I thought.
There's a grass ring outside the arena and I worked him there until we had a bit of a brain and he remembered that he was a horse not a kite (note: I never run a horse off its legs but sometimes you have to balance the focus with letting them move their feet). Soon enough it was time for us to go in. By then he had settled a lot and we did a little work in the arena before I got on. I didn't set up my Pico for this lesson because I had left my phone in the barn and just didn't want to add that to my already busy brain. So there is no media for this lesson.
so here's a cute photo of him and his bff Archie
The ride was very exciting for both of us but probably not for anyone else. He was super excited and very forward which is not how we are at home so we hadn't schooled the slowing down too much. Turns out that simply hauling on the reins is not the answer to that. Letting him go forward and using my voice, seat and outside rein is the way. Oh and relax things, don't be so tight. Breathing is also good. But honestly he did so well. I could feel him working really hard to hold it together. But he did hold it together as did I and by the end we were walking and trotting and not looking like an octopus being ridden by a crab. I hosed him off and put him and Carmen out into a small grass paddock to relax. I'm pretty sure by then he mentally and physically tired and was over this idea of working for a living. But I was happy to note that the stress hives did not appear.
That evening we all had a potluck dinner with lots of great food, laughter and chatter. I drove home, leaving the horses at the barn and was sound asleep before 10:00.
The next day our lesson was at 10:00 a.m. Quaid looked quite happy and he was eating everything. I got him ready and walked him down to the ring to hang out again. He was a completely different horse. Still a bit excited but not overwhelmed. We stood outside the ring relaxing and he got to see Tanya and Suzi go around. He even had a pee while we waited, which made me laugh. This time I did set up the Pivo so there's media.
In the interest of honesty, I'm going to share some media from the lesson. I know there's a lot I need to fix. My habit of tightening my arms and raising my hands took over. I realise that this from my own tension. When you're riding a green horse (and not a professional) it feels really vulnerable. I am reasonably sure I know what he's going to do but I'm not completely confident that he won't 'blow'. That and the fact that a green horse feels different every stride has made me ride more defensively. As an AA I will own that and simply say that I'm working on it. And probably will until I die or stop riding (whichever comes first). #ridingishard
Quaid was fascinated with the mirrors in a really adorable way. On Saturday he wanted to put his nose on the mirror and blow on his reflection. You could see him trying to figure out who this horse was.
mounting while he checked himself out
The lesson was a continuation from Saturday with Jane being much more honed in on me using my aids correctly and not just calming me down (which makes me sound like I was a wreck on Saturday which I don't think I was, but in all honesty I don't remember a lot of the ride Saturday so....*shrug*).
I did a lot better letting go of the inside rein and being comfortable asking him to walk forward. When he broke to trot I was to let him and ride him forward. If he got fast I need to slow my posting. Which, like I KNOW but totally forgot I knew.
I love this, I'm giving and he's reaching
There were a couple steering failures. Once I tried to trot him across the diagonal away from the in-gate and he did not want to go that way. It caught me off guard because we trot across the diagonal all the time but we regrouped and carried on. The video below is some of our good work.
Jane had us going in a nice trot and then told me that when I was ready to ask for canter. Which he got excited and I got defensive and we had a total communication break down.
Quaid: LET GO OF ME Me: STOP CAREENING
But do you know what was great? We had our. moment, went back to trot and he settled right down and forgave me. Here's a video if you want a giggle. It felt a lot more 'eeek' then it looked:
Which honestly was my takeaway from watching the video. In the moment of riding it felt largely unbalanced and I felt like I was awful. When I watch it he's actually pretty steady and his focus is phenomenal. Especially when I remember that he's just 4 and this is like our 46th ride.
I told Jane that I didn't think I was feeling confident enough to canter this weekend. She told me not to worry and she was working with me. Which I knew. I know she wasn't trying to push me too far out of our comfort zone and I totally trust her. I'm glad we tried it. I was just giving feedback on how I'm feeling.
At the end of the lesson Jane said that we need to remember that riding a youngster makes us feel and look less skilled then when we ride a schooled horse. Riders need a ton of experience on backing horses to look balanced and fully competent (not that she was calling me incompetent. At least I don't think so, lol) Which is 100% true. It has been a real experience having a baby again. I doubt I'll do it again but don't think I regret Quaid. I absolutely do not. I'm loving this experience with him. I can see the horse he's going to mature to be and it's amazing. I all ready feel safer on him than I did on Carmen even 2 years ago. He tries so hard and is a kind horse. It was good to take him away and see how he amped he can get and work thought it with him. I think it's good for him to keep getting these experiences so he has confidence in himself. Like I said, this time he never showed any hives and never stopped eating. Which tells me he's less stressed by going places.
Way back when I first started riding with Jane I made a comment in this blog along the lines of 'I know I'll plateau at some point but for now I'm enjoying the progress'.
Jane told me after that I was not going to plateau, not on her watch. And she has not been wrong. I've been riding with her now since 2021 and I don't want it to end. Honestly, it seems that every lesson I have I say 'that was the best gait or movement yet'. According to Jane, if you continue to show up and do the work there is no plateau, there is only moving ahead.
This weekend I have a 2 day clinic with Jane at Krista's place (about 40 minutes away) and both horses are going in it. I'm excited because:
1. I'll be riding with friends
2. Having 2 days in a row helps move things ahead
3. Quaid will have lessons away.
I had to write out my goals for the clinic for both horses and here's what I wrote:
Carmen: Continue to work on forward, straightness and self-carriage. Julia will be riding Carmen on Sunday but I'll have her on Saturday.
Quaid: be able to work in anew location, straightness and rhythm, improve walk-trot transitions, canter work.
two horses getting ready for work but with very different feelings about it
Of course, once you write down goals it's impossible to not think about them in the rides leading up to the clinic. Quaid continues to impress me with his basic ridableness (new word but I like it. If it irritates you maybe ridability is a better word. Spellcheck doesn't recognise either one). I can ride him with Carmen or alone and he's fine. It's not that he's not sensitive. He is, I would argue, as sensitive as Carmen. But his reaction differs. While Carmen tends to do the big spook/spin/bolt his are more a quick splay of the legs or small scoot and then back to work. The other day Julia was riding Carmen and she had lots of feelings to express. Quaid reacted to none of it. Even when she did a big spook/bolt he barely flicked an ear. He does worry about going by her in the ring but that's just it- he worries and then does the thing. At one point I said to Julia, would you like to trade horses and ride the easier one? Which is hilarious given that she's 14 and he's 4.
Today I put out 3 trot poles. I hand walked and trotted him over them then did them under saddle. I expected some tripping/stepping on the poles at the trot. Instead he looked at them and was very careful with his feet. We only did a few passes over them and I let it alone.
Carmen with some feelings over walking into contact
now she's over it
Yesterday we went out hacking with Julia and Carmen after our work. He was great, following along. Today I wanted to see if he'd let me open the gate to leave. He was unsure and once the board fell and he scooted. But then we went back and, step by step, opened the gate and stood there waiting. I looked at Julia and said 'I should be in the dirt and he should be over there' . But Quaid likes to think his way through pressure which is great. Then he led the entire hack out. I was super impressed.
leading is a great way to get him to being able to be solo
I know that Quaid's progress is a result of his basic temperament and all the work I've done. Like I've said, he's quite sensitive and could be, I think, pushed into being a hot horse. Our canter work is our biggest issue right now. Partly a balance issue and partly me letting go. I definitely need some help with it before it becomes a thing. We may not be able to work on that at the clinic but I will book a lesson soon at home to focus on that.
Carmen is also the result of her temperament and the hard work I've done (with so much help thank god). Last week I actually took her out on a solo hack. I have done that at times but with a feeling of taking my life in my hands which is not fun. Now I have confidence in my riding ability and her understanding to not worry overmuch.
When I first titled this blog 'Journey with a Dancing Horse' I didn't really understand how much of a journey this really is and how exciting it is to discover what's around the bend.
If you clicked on this thinking I was going to give you some wonderful wisdom about making horses and this sport affordable, you are going to be severely disappointed. And while there are some things that save money it really is all relative and, let's face it, horses are incompatible with a life filled with fine wine, food and travel unless you have a small fortune of your own. And you probably shouldn't control it because it will just result in more expensive horses and equine related purchases. ...
no regrets though
So, yeah, I got off on a little tangent there. Sorry.
Anyway, this is more about riding in this heat and making training sessions short and economical in terms of training. With the heat and humidity resulting in high temperatures I'm finding I can usually one get one ride in and for only about 30 minutes.
Cordelia waiting for me to fill the pool
It's made me more focussed and spending much less time fussing. Instead I get on and we get on with it. Of course Quaid still requires a few minutes of groundwork. Or I do. But whatever. Knowing that we have limited time means that I can pick a few things to work on and so I need to prioritise. With Quaid I'm keeping the focus on forward, straight and our walk/trot transition. It is improving but it takes some concentration. He has a habit now of lifting his front and hopping into the trot rather than pushing. He does it when lunging so it's not just me causing it. I need to make sure we have a marching walk and then ask him to pick up the trot. If he tries to do it fast he'll launch so I let him have the time to sort out his feet and not get after him to respond quicker. The nice thing is that when I correct him he figures it out.
Today I noticed that he was getting distracted and even spooked. I realised that I was not occupying his interest enough so I needed to be asking more. As soon as I did that he flipped his focus back to me and we carried on with a good ride. Quaid minds the heat more than Carmen. And the deer flies really bother him. As soon as they start swarming I try to finish up pretty quickly so I'm not torturing him. I haven't put his fly sheet on because it's so hot.
With Carmen I've been focussing on her responding to my half-halts. A lot of the time she'll completely blow them off and lean on the bit. As soon as Jane dialled in on this for us I realised how much I was letting her decide if she wanted to rebalance or not. So now I'm not and she's not always happy with me even though she's a lot more balanced. Funnily enough, since I've been working on her rebalancing our canter-walk transitions have improved tremendously.
After our rides I hose her off and let her graze while I put her tack away. When she's ready to go back in the field and I'm not done she'll come in and find me.
Carmen: I have to do everything around here!
Carmen doesn't mind the heat as much as Quaid does so we sometimes finish hot and sweaty. Which is why I typically have only ridden one of them. Today I rode both because it was cloudy. By the time I was done with Carmen I had to peel off my breeches.
I've been enjoying the short, focussed rides a lot. No more endless walking and seeing if Carmen feels ready to trot. We walk, and then get on with it. I think she likes it better too, but it's Carmen so I'm reading between the lines here.
Carmen: oh my god woman have you not looked at the forecast? There's a heat warning out. Why are we even standing here.
Me: well it's not really hot yet and I figure we could get some work in.
Carmen: *sigh*
Me: Remember you're a desert horse
Carmen: Virginia? I don't remember any deserts there.....
Me: I meant your heritage and, for the record, your mom was from Spain.
Carmen: Well I'm a Canadian now, used to cold winters and mild seasons. Not a humidex of 39!
Me: And we don't have to work hard, there's no need to be spicy. Just sayin'
Carmen: I swear you don't even know me.....
*Editors note: Carmen was fine, with a couple little tests. We were able to get our work done and cool off.
**Carmen's note: I'm always fine. I just didn't feel like making her work too hard, she seemed awfully warm and I didn't want her to have heat stroke. You're welcome.
First of all, thank you to everyone who reached out and commented with encouragement, support and empathy. I really appreciated it.
This morning the vet clinic I had reached out to called me. They are working hard on a plan to support the horse owners in our area. The woman I talked to was professional and kind. She said that they are looking at setting 1-2 days a month to come to our area for routine care/calls. She outlined the emergency procedure and generally made me feel a lot better. They also have a great set up for hauling in so I might do that. The big worry is that if there's a major emergency and the horse can't be trailered because of how far away they are but I won't borrow that trouble. It feels like a huge burden has been lifted. I'm hoping that we will see equine services in our area again.
I love this screen shot from my lesson last weekend
Last week we got our small square bales in. It was a lovely day and it was fairly easy. I usually get a mix of square and round bales. This year I'm doing a mix of small and large squares. I'm hoping that this will be easier for storage and less dust.
Cordelia approves of the hay
Ed and I also went strawberry picking the next day. I love strawberries and we are currently feasting on strawberry shortcake, putting strawberries in yogurt and I want to back some things with them. I made jam and will freeze some berries in baggies to add to my breakfast over the winter.
summer deliciousness
I've been riding both horses fairly regularly. With the summer heat settling in I have to get it done in the morning. But I don't mind. Quaid and I growing in confidence and it's a lot of fun. We have some great conversations. He developed this hop into his trot transition which was making me uncomfortable and trying to figure out how to fix it. As with moth things, there's not one answer. He needs to be forward thinking and a little flexed to the inside. The last two rides I've been working on correcting it. When he'd hop, I'd say 'no' and bring him back, reset and ask again. When he'd simply trot without the hop I'd praise and reward. I can really see him thinking it through. He's so cool in how he tries. Today was pretty hot so he enjoyed a good hosing after.
He's filling out nicely
The deer flies are awful this year and driving him a little crazy. I finally caved and bought him a fly sheet. I hope this will help him. But man he looks hilarious.
Serious Mrs. Roper vibes here
The flysheet was a bargain and is a cheetah pattern. The fly boots are hot pink because he usually comes in with just 1 and the hot pink is easy to find in the field. Carmen's expression when she saw him was hilarious. I don't have a fly sheet for Carmen. The flies bother her but not too bad and I don't like how hot they can get in them. The longer I have horses the less I'm inclined towards blankets and sheets in general. (but I do use them when I think it's necessary).
I've signed both horses into a clinic at the end of the month. I'm looking forward to riding them both. Based on last year's experience it should be a lot of fun.
I've been hesitant to even think about this, let alone write about it.
Two weeks ago we received notification from the vet clinic we've used since we moved to the area in 1996:
As you may know, we are experiencing veterinary staffing shortages. Unfortunately, we do not have enough Equine or Livestock Veterinarians to continue these services this fall. This has been a hard decision for us, however, effective August 1st we will be discontinuing livestock services (both clinic and farm calls for cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, goats), as well as temporarily suspending equine services effective August 16th, 2024.
This means that as of August 16th, I will not have any vet for my two horses. This is incredibly frightening to me. So much so that when Ed tried to talk to me about it I told him I couldn't. I have reached out to the clinic they said might be able to provide coverage. I have yet to hear back.
There is a crisis in equine medical care and it's bad. It is estimated that 4.9% of private practice vets practice equine medicine (https://horsesport.com/horse-news/conference-addresses-critical-vet-shortage-canada/). There are lots of reasons: cost of education, limited enrolment possibilities, demanding and rude clients and an impossible to maintain work-life balance.
I believe that the other factor is the current trend of private vet practices being bought out by large corporations (https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/veterinarians-corporate-consolidation-1.7207186). My clinic used to be privately owned. Now it belongs to Vet Strategy which is 70% owned by a large conglomerate in Boston.
Pets are now big business. I have my doubts that a large business in the U.S. cares whether my horses have access to care and this worries me. Most vets and technicians do not enter this profession to make money. They enter because they love animals and want to make their lives better. But the reality of trying to operate a practice on your own (or with partners) must be daunting. And I believe that while having someone run the practice makes it easier for vets, not being able to guide the practice in a way you want must just add to the pressure (this is just my opinion and observations, I have no direct evidence of this).
In the meantime I have to figure out what to do. I will continue to reach out to other clinics. Last year my local vets saved Quaid's life. If I have an emergency what do I do? What about ongoing vaccines? I am comfortable to give my horses needles but I can't float their teeth. And I can't buy vaccines without a vet prescription in Canada; unless I figure out how to get to the states and get them. Which I 100% will do if I have to.
Do I buy a shotgun and learn how to shoot my horses in case I have to euthanise? I've even considered selling and moving away to where I can get a vet. Do I keep moving then?
the communication from my vet clinic said:
We understand that there will be feelings of support and understanding as well as disappointment. We understand that some may be interested in contacting us to express their feedback. We encourage you to contact us at (email) so that we can best direct your concerns as well as leave our phone lines open for emergencies. We would like to remind you that verbal abuse or harassment of any kind will not be tolerated or elicit a response.
It is our intent to resume Equine Services as soon as staffing permits, however we will not be resuming Livestock services.
I have sent two emails asking for clarity on the vaccine issue. I have yet to hear back.
It is hard to not fall into despair over this situation. I honestly don't know what to do or where to turn. All I'm left with is to hope that equine services will resume at the clinic or that someone take me on or someone else will fill the void here.
