Monday's Training bog

Horse: Abby
Today's Main Goals: Transitions and Forward
Today's Secondary Goals: Buddy Sour
Began the session with a short trail ride around the pasture (20 minutes). Working in a forward frame and building confidence away from the other horses being ridden. She was very hesitant to lead off the group and kept lagging until she was behind the group. I worked her repeatedly up and back in the group. I then started to rein her away from the group for short forays. When she would continue on with a slack rein and straight, we would return to the group. I then took her several yards behind the group and asked her to maintain a walk and not rush back to the group. All went very well. I then broke off from the group to return to the riding arena. She again was hesitant to move off, but soon gained confidence as we walked on.
The focus of today's arena work was transitions. I repeatedly asked for walk/trot transitions. I incorporated a dressage whip today to get her to upward transitions lighter and quicker. The lope transitions take so much urging that I want to get a more responsive trot transition before tackling the lope transition much. Her downward transitions were excellent! I sort of expected that though, she likes to go slow. She transitioned just off body cues (slowing seat, deeper seat). Her halts stuck, no floating through them. She halted square would move back easily when cued. We worked on these goals for about 45 minutes. Transitions became smoother, upward transitions came easier and quicker, she moved out in a more energetic trot, she began to rein better at the trot off of leg cues along with rein cues, she maintained focus longer and relaxed throughout. All in all a successful lesson with improvement in all of todays goals. Next lesson goals: continue with transition work incorporating the lope transitions, began introducing under saddle lateral work, more trail riding to improve confidence in new situations both with a group and alone.

Riding Lessons

Last night was riding lesson night with my youngest student (7). This was her 4th lesson and she has been struggling with the trot. She is still riding bareback with the halter and is doing great at the walk, but the trot scares the bejesus out of her. Last week she had to ride Brandy because Sadie had decided to jump a gate and cut her leg. They got along well, but Brandy has a much rougher trot and a bony back. Jaylee valiantly tried to sit the trot, but instinctivly "kneed up" whenever she attempted the trot. Near the end of the lesson I had her recite the ABC's while lunging. Much better seat. We ended on that high note. Now this week, she is back on Sadie. We begin with walking exercises (figure 8, poles, serpintines) and now it is time to practice the trot. Jaylee immediately stiffens up. I start her on breathing exercises and once she begins to relax I encourage her to cue Sadie for the trot. She starts off okay, but the knees soon start to inch up and she is so stiff in her arms, that she pushes herself back. We reposition and begin again. This time I start asking her about her upcoming trip, 4th of July, etc. Soon she is relaxing, reaching down with her heels and sitting up taller. We practice on the lunge for a few minutes and then I send her out on her own. Again the tension. I tell her that I know she is ready to try this and remind her of my promise to NEVER ask her to do something that I don't think she is ready for. She smiles and sets out to try. At first she resorts to the monkey on a dog position but after a few laps she is sitting the trot softly and enjoying herself. By the end of the lesson, she is doing figure 8s and poles at the trot. She is soooo pround of herself and I am estatic at her progress. She can't wait to go home and show her cousins how much she has learned. Hopefully by the time she has her next lesson, my insurance issues will be cleared up and we can use my bigger riding arena. I think she is ready.

The District & State Shows

Last year when we went to the District show, we left early on the morning we showed. Bad mistake! We were scheduled to leave at 5:30 am to make an 8:30 pre-show meeting. Mapquest gave us an 1 hr & 45 min route - no problem right? WRONG! One of the horses took 30 minutes to load and mapquest lied! The route we were told to take took 2 hrs and 45 min and we hauled butt the whole time. So needless to say, we made it to the show 10 minutes before the first class. Thankfully we had done all grooming the night before - so a quick wipe down and we were showing. The whole day seemed to go that way - hurry, hurry - rush, rush. It showed in our results. The horses and the girls were keyed up all day - the only classes we qualified for state in were by default ( less than 11 in the class) except for Cash - he placed 4th in Gelding Halter. This year, it would be different. We reserved stalls and went down the day before. The girls watched the speed events, did final grooming touch-ups and went to the hotel and swam. The horses were walked around the grounds and relaxed in their stalls. I was the lucky one that got to sleep in the extra stall! Wahoo! Actually I preferred it - I don't think I could have taken a night of pre-teen drama. I'll take the steady munch of hay and swishing of shavings any day. We did much better in the arena as well - maybe not in placing, but each girl performed better than last year. For example - Rendi & Cash competed in 4 classes last year ( 4th - Halter, 11th - Showmanship, DQ - Western Pleasure & DQ - Trail) this year they competed in the same 4 classes ( 3rd - Halter, 11th - Showmanship (they both hate it), 10th - Western Pleasure and DQ - Trail) Not great results, but considering last years performance Cash was a champ. Last year, his fear of other horses caused him to freak in Western Pleasure and is fear of well everything caused him to freak in Trail. This year Western Pleasure went well, except for his barrel horse run-down the arena, and Trail was fairly respectable as well. He is still learning to cue with neck reins and this was his first time to be exclusively neck reined. My daughter learned a valuable lesson on preparation and practice. Everyone had a good time and almost everyone was pleased with their performances. We know that we aren't at the level to win and we just want the experience. Now on to State! Rendi qualified in 3 events, but chose to only show in Halter. It was the only event she felt she had earned a right to compete in. But, UHOH, she breaks her leg the week before. Luckily, she is put in a walking cast and is cleared to show in halter. Cash took such care of her in the ring, even seemingly to block the judge away from Rendi when he came too close - not a big help in placing. They did not place under either judge, not a big surprise. None of the girls placed at State - way out of our league, but they did seem to get a fire under them. I have long told them that to really compete, they must practice, practice, practice. They were just content to participate. Now they saw that it would not take a whole lot to step it up and be show ready. They want me to find them some shows to go to and especially some shows in the NE District, the toughest district. Rendi now finally understands that Cash can't be a playday horse and be a tough competitor in the show ring. She also now understands that she really hates showmanship and dislikes the way Western Pleasure horses must travel (trope) to be really competitive. She is now going to focus on the Trail, Western Horsemanship and Western Riding classes. She knows that she is still going to have to slow Cash down, but not alter his natural gaits. She still refuses to show english - too bad. She has also decided to show in the speed events. She asked a friend if she could train his horse to run barrels & poles. He was happy to oblige. He gets his "extra" horse trained to do something and Rendi gets to bolster her horsemanship skills and experience. Win-Win. Needless to say - all of Rendi's plans with her horses are on hold for at least another month. Darn broken leg!

Whew, finally an update!

Alot has happened in the last two months! My two kids have been playing in the local little league, so we have been at softball/baseball games four nights a week. My 4H group competed in the District and State Horse Shows. Thanks to my husband, I have three horses currently in training. Riding lessons 3 days a week. My daughter has decided that she wants to be able to compete in the 4H speed events next year and she talked our neighbor into letting her use his green broke mare. Guess who gets to train her? Yep, me. My husband and I have been in the hayfields cutting hay for this winter. Rodeos every weekend - the boys (bulls) are doing fantastic! My daughter's cheer fundraisers, the school fundraiser's and the little league fundraisers. My 4H club's combined playday series - 5 weeks. Whew! In there sometime, my daughter slid into home and broke her leg. At least she scored! Also I have desperately been trying to find the time to work with my own horse. I have for the first time in a looong time set my own horsemanship goal - I want to be able to ride my own horse in the County Fair horse show! So far it isn't gping all that great. I have rode him 4 times in the last month. Wellback to work, then to the hayfield, back to the barn to train and then home to collapse into bed!

New Pasture!

I turned some of the horses out into the new pasture this afternoon. I only turned out three because the new cross fence isn't done and I knew if I turned out all six, I would have to hunt them down at feeding time. Well I chose to turn out the boys today. My reasoning is that Colty always comes when you call and Cash can't bear to be away from Sadie. Jacob's steer rounded out the trio. After grooming, I turned each horse out the gate. They immediatly dropped their heads and began grazing. No problem. Soon Sadie realized that Cash was gone and she could not get to him. She began calling wildly and galloping around the pasture. Val joined in for a bit and then decided that it wasn't worth it. Cash heard Sadie's call and came thundering back over the hill to the adjoining fence. He ran the fence line trying to get back to Sadie. My daughter (it's her horse) and I watched incredulously as Cash ignored the knee deep grass to come at Sadie's call. I guess thats love. Well finally after about 10 minutes, Cash headed back to the pasture. Sadie began calling again, but Cash did not respond. Sadie became more and more upset (she even stomped her foot). Ren made the comment, "UhOh, Cash will be sleeping on the couch tonight." That is exactly what the situation reminded me of - an old married couple with the whipped husband. He finally gets a backbone and the wife can't stand it. Well Cash wandered back some time later to "check in" and Sadie gave him the cold shoulder. "Just like a woman", my husband joked. Finally it was time to feed and I went to the gate to call the boys back. I hollered Colty's name and just like the great boy he is - he came. I really love that horse. I need to get some pictures of him and post them. He isn't the best specimen of horse, but that doesn't matter. I love him just the way he is!

Rain, Rain, Rain, ...

Well we are now on our 7th day of rain. This is where access to an indoor arena would be great!!! But alas, no such luck. No horse training (except for light in-hand work), no riding lessons and no fence building. I scored a big one this week! I leased the adjoining 80 acres to our home! That brings us up to a grand total of 460 acres! Last night we totaled up our remaining cattle herd and with the new calves this year - we own 49 but feed/care for 62 head. Each group must have it's own pasture - big bulls, yearling/two year old bulls, cows, heifers, horses. This takes alot of grazing pasture! Wahoo!!

My daughter began try-outs for her high school cheerleading team yesterday. I'm pretty sure she will make the team (they came to her ( an 8th grader) and asked her to try out). My concern is how many extra-curricular activities can a kid keep up with? Ren is an extremely organized kid, but she still needs time to be a kid. She already has to carry around a planner to schedule her life - 4H Leadership, 4H Equi-Spirit, Butner 4H, training her horse, softball/basketball, and now cheerleading. Her father and I have told her that she really needs to pick her three favorites and give them her all. She has her eye on the prize of college and knows that extra-curricular looks good on college applications. Has anyone faced a similar challenge?

The Kentucky Derby was awesome! I love those come from behind runners and WOW 20 lengths behind to win! The story behind the horse is great too. I swear, if I did not know better, I would think that I was watching a made for T.V. movie - unknown small time trainer and his unspectular horse come to the big show and triumph. Even the race reminded me of the Black Stallion book - the match race where The Black, a horse from nowhere, is waaaayyyy behind but still manages to pull out the victory over the more expensive and favored horses. I would like for him to win the TC, but it is highly unlikely. With the fresh horses that always race in the Belmont, there won't be any TC winners. I can see Kevin Costner playing the trainer in the movie though.

What a weekend!

Saturday was the second in the Playday Series. Wow! What a difference a couple of weeks made in the girl's riding! It might actually become competitive for the buckles. We had alot of fun with even some of the adults getting involved in the barrel racing - Crystal had the fastest time on Sadie - You go girl! My son had the fastest kid time - only thing was he ran on foot. LOL Good news was that the fastest offficial time was a full 20 seconds faster than last time. Way to go Ren! Outside leg to turn Cash! In the other events - the rain on the metal roof unnerved some of the horses during the trail class. They thought the gate was a horse-eater. The poles were something to be jumped not trotted over and the bridge was a portal to nowhere. Needless to say not a clean round to be seen. The western pleasure class was pretty uneventful, however it was done one horse at a time. Some of the newbies were having trouble controlling their horses. The poles went much better - the kids and horses are getting familar with the pattern. Cash did not try to jump them this time. I am hoping that with some good weather, the kids will get out and ride. The competitive juices are flowing. Maybe that will compel them to practice and be ready to compete! The rain postponed all additional riding for me this weekend. No real training all last week because of the rain and me under the weather. Yesterday a couple of the bulls decided to go roaming (someone left the back gate down - probably one of the fisherman going to our back pond) but came back when we called. What good boys. We finally caught the cow/calf pair that has been in the bull pasture for the last month. She was MAD! Daryl was threatening to take her straight to the sale barn. She had worn out the two cattle dogs, chased Daryl up the fence numerous times and broke one of the feeders. As much as I tried to reason with her (It's for you own good. You are going to better pasture. All your friends are there. ;) nothing worked. Finally, Pup acidentally led her up the alley or she chased him up the alley, either way, and she was caught. We wormed her and hauled her to the cow pasture. Called up the cows, fed and turned her out. She stepped off like nothing happened, walked over and began eating. Cows are soooo moody! Does anybody else have any crazy cow stories? Everybody that comes to visit is so scared and intimidated by the bulls. Not me - it is the cows that will get you!