Due to the injury I got as a result of getting bucked off, I don't feel I have what I need to get back in the saddle and be 100% ready for what ever comes next. My chest and back are much better, almost normal but every now and then if I move a certain way, I'll get the twinge and I know I'm not ready yet.
I worked on the lunge with him Monday and Tuesday as well. And I'm noticing issues popping up all of a sudden. He will pay attention and then just as I'm about to end the session, something happens that blows it all away. For instance, I lunged him Tuesday. He was really trying and doing well at just the walk and trot. I had him keeping to the circle and forward even on his less willing side. We were at it for 20 minutes and I was about to "whoa" him and turn him to me and quit when he heard a horse down in the lower barn give one of those snort/whistle sounds and I lost him. His tail went up, he got all puffed up and stupid and I had to work like crazy to keep him out of my space. Damn it! I don't need to get crowded by a big doofus and I'll admit he rattled me again.
I got him to stop and stand facing me, Then shortened up on the lunge line and began hand walking him slowly in small, 10 meter circles over ground poles and talking to him. I was watching his body language the whole time. As soon as his head began to lower and he seemed more relaxed. I halted him, stroked his neck and walked him into the barn to end the session.
Last night I opted to just groom and really study his body language and expression. He was very good about it all and then we hit another stubborn roadblock. I've been working on having him move over and give me the most space in the aisle when grooming. Today was no different and as I worked on each side and switched, I would give a firm but gentle push against his side with my hand and say,"Over". And he'd move.
Then we got to about the 3rd time I needed him to move off the left side and he stubbornly planted himself. I pushed harder and said it a little more firmly. And he leaned into me! I gave him a bigger push and firmer command and he lifted his hip at me! At that point I growled at him, the foot went down and he moved slightly but not what I wanted from him.
Then I walked to his head and asked him to step forward. He took two steps with me, I went back to the side and pushed again and asked for,"over". He didn't move as far as I wanted but he did move away more willingly and I stroked his neck and went right back to grooming.
And after that nothing else, he gave me his hooves when asked so I could clean them. Then I decided before returning him to the stall to just walk him on the lead up and down the aisle. So we did. He was willing until one of the horses pinned it's ears and banged the bars as he was walking by. And then he wanted to stop at that horse and not stay walking with me. I quickly got his head forward and urged him to walk with me, at first he balked but he was focused on me. I could see the confusion in his reaction, "do I stay and find out what the why the horse in the stall did that to me or do I just go with her?" And then he put his head down and followed me. With that I led him into the stall and gave him a good face rub and ended our session.
What I am trying to understand is why we have gone downhill so fast. Did I miss something? All seemed to be moving forward and well. If you read back a few posts, this was the horse I plucked a plastic bag out of a tree with while on his back and he had almost no reaction. Now we're back to the very beginning. I have tried to analyze the bucking incident and where it came from. I'm trying to figure out where this reluctance is coming from to trust me. And I'm not sure I have the right answers. He has so much good, but I need to understand more and we need to fix this now. I want to want to ride him again but I want to do it knowing we're a team, not that one of us is tolerating the other.
I've ridden and worked with horses for almost 40 years and never hit a wall like this with any of the horses I've been involved with. Except maybe for one. There was one young horse years ago that I was schooling for the owners of the barn I was at and was doing really well with until another, less skilled rider took him to a show to try him and overfaced him at the jumps. He dumped that rider into a few fences at that show and was never a willing jumper again. After that, even with me, he was hitting the brakes in front of jumps all over the place.
I tried everything with that horse. I went from jumping 3'6" courses with no stopping all the way back to trying to build his confidence over ground poles. As soon as the jumps went to about 2 feet, he would stop and quit all over. He's the horse who dumped me into a jump at a show without any inclination and after that I told the barn owners it wasn't worth it, I didn't want to risk getting hurt on a horse I didn't even own. I actually felt bad that he couldn't even trust me again after he was so rattled by that other fool's attempt to jump him like I had done. He was sold after that as a trail horse with clear instructions not to attempt jumping him.
Well, now I'm at an impasse again. I have called a trainer in Natural Horsemanship who's results I have seen on 3 of my friend's horses. I think I need a different direction and a new outlook and from what I have seen and heard, maybe he can give me some tools to work with that I haven't tried before. So, the journey takes a another direction.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Kreativ Blogger Award
I just received the Kreativ Blogger Award from War Pony at PhoenixDown Farm Thanks so very much to War Pony for thinking of me!
From reading past winners it seems the tradition is to list 7 of your favorite things and then pass the award to seven blogs who you think deserve it. This isn't an obligation but it's always fun to read about others in the blogosphere.
So here goes:
These are a few of my favorite things (in no particular order)!
1. My Family!
2. My horse, (although lately we're having issues!)
3. Diet Coke
4. Taking my kids to the beach
5. Watching movies
6. Doing needlework
7. Shopping
And now, to give the award away!
1. Mugwump ChroniclesI can't say enough great things about Mugwump's blog. I love reading her stories and her training advice is well written and sound. She's a good source of information and her blog has been one I've gone back to especially now with this big, green horse.
2. The Eventing Percheron The name says it all. I enjoy reading about Brego's adventures. I hope my horse has adventures like that some day.
3. Oh Horse Feathers! Because Mrs. Mom just - rocks!
4. A Year With Horses Kate is a great blogger and always has good input in return!
5. Horses of Follywood Jean is also a great blogger and has good input to share!
6. Ellie and Werther I guess I have a soft spot for Wesley and always read Ellie's blog to check in that he's doing okay.
7. A Horse and a Half Always entertaining, On The Bit is a fun blog friend to have!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Back to square one
I'm still sore. My sternum is still hurting when I inhale deeply and my arms still have that "pulled muscle" ache. Advil and I have become very close friends these last few days. But I'm up, around and taking another approach with the beast.
I've been treating him very well. I've always been generous with treats and snuggles. However, I decided that I need to step up my dominance factor with him. Not by being abusive, but in a "Boss Mare" kind of way. No more goodies without working for them, and he's going to have to work to win me over, not the other way around.
Little things need to be addressed from the ground, like when grooming, he likes to move his butt into you on his right side until you are very close to the wall. Not to mush you into the wall, but almost to see if he can just put himself there because he wants to. Usually I give a half hearted push and say, "Over" and after a second he'll move away from the pressure a step and give me room. Last night when he did it, it was a firmer command of, "Over" and a strong pressure against his side with my hand until he was on the other side of the aisle and I had all the room and he was against the wall. Then I kindly said, "Good boy" and continued my brushing like nothing happened.
He's very aware that the goodies have all but ceased and I can see he's puzzled. He's looking for rewards that I'm not offering without getting something from him first. And the reward he gets is a scratching on his forehead or a rub of the muzzle. No food goodies.
I was going to lunge him yesterday at mid-day, and it was a HOT day. I figured I'd use the heat to my advantage for 15 minutes on the lunge but then decided why broil myself at the same time? I went with husband and the kids to the beach instead and enjoyed watching my boys dig and play in the sand and collect shells.
I went to the barn at 7:00PM when it was cooler and more comfortable. My intent now is to give him variety in the routine and keep him guessing so he's going to have to trust me as I present him with different scenarios. I need him to rely on me, and not be so concerned what the other horses are doing at any given time. I took him out to the polo arena to work on the lunge. It's the first time he's been out there in the evening by himself. If he was going to be a jerk, I was ready for it. I've seen horses lose it out there when they know all the other horses are in their stalls for the night.
He was saddled and bridled. I had the lunge line clipped to the bit on the outside and over his poll through the inside ring of the bit. No side reins as I'm not sure he's used to them. All I wanted was for him to walk and trot a little like a gentleman and if he had any issues with the tack, to buck it out so I could get a feel if something was wrong with the fit. And he was a subdued little baby. No fireworks, no bucking. He tried to bulge through the turn as he circled by the gate but I waggled the lunge whip and asked him to "walk on" and he kept going. We did 15 minutes of walking and trotting in both directions and I was surprised, he didn't even whinny for any of the horses in the barn during the whole time.
As we walked back to the barn, instead of taking him the usual way, right through the front of the barn, I walked him around the barn and went in the side door, a place he's never gone before. He was a little nervous about it but I kept up a soft voiced urging and firmly led him around the front of the barn and into the side door, through the side barn aisle and back to his spot on crossties in front of his stall. I could sense his relief when he realized where I led him to. And I rewarded him with a forehead rub for trusting me and following me into the barn through this strange new place.
I'm learning he's a horse who is very safe with his routines and if you vary things, it might bring out his less than compliant side. Typical toddler, if his routine is changed, he has a meltdown. That's why I'm going to keep up small changes to get him to rely on my judgement and trust my guidance. Back to square one as it were until I can get back in the tack and lots of lunging under saddle.
When I untacked him, groomed him again and picked his hooves, I walked him into the stall and closed the door behind me. He had his face up to the bars of the stall, waiting. Waiting for a treat, or a kind word. He got nothing. I ignored him and went to putting my tack away. Each time I returned from the locker room to collect more tack (I am hurting too much to carry it all in one trip) I walked by and he was still standing there, watching me. When I finished putting my stuff away, I went to check on my friend's horse's water further down the aisle in the barn. I walked past Rugby and he was still standing there by the door, waiting. A soon as I was out of view but he could hear my footsteps, I heard this behind me,
"Whinny"
It was Rugby. By now I'm guessing he figured he was not number one on my list. I finished checking on my friend's horse, then called her on the cel phone. The whole time I was chatting with her on the phone I heard an occasional whinny from him. When I finished I walked back to his stall. He watched me the whole way and when I stopped and looked at him he pawed his hoof against the door and banged on it. I sharply said, "NO" and opened the door slowly. He put his nose forward at me and I again said, "No, back up!" He went to paw again and I stomped my foot and butted his chest with my shoulder and said, "No, back UP!". He took a step back in surprise and stood there looking at me. Then I turned slightly away and waited without looking at him. In a second, he slowly walked up and put his nose in my hand. I rubbed his nose and walked out, closing the door behind me.
He decided to give up after that. He went to eating his hay and figured I was done with him. That's when I took the 3 horse cookies I had with me, reached quietly through the bars and placed them softly in his feed bucket. He didn't notice at first what I did but was surprised to find them when he raised his head up from eating to look at me when I closed the lights and said, "Good night, Rugby".
Big baby. And a very smart one, too. He's a bit more clever than he looks.
I've been treating him very well. I've always been generous with treats and snuggles. However, I decided that I need to step up my dominance factor with him. Not by being abusive, but in a "Boss Mare" kind of way. No more goodies without working for them, and he's going to have to work to win me over, not the other way around.
Little things need to be addressed from the ground, like when grooming, he likes to move his butt into you on his right side until you are very close to the wall. Not to mush you into the wall, but almost to see if he can just put himself there because he wants to. Usually I give a half hearted push and say, "Over" and after a second he'll move away from the pressure a step and give me room. Last night when he did it, it was a firmer command of, "Over" and a strong pressure against his side with my hand until he was on the other side of the aisle and I had all the room and he was against the wall. Then I kindly said, "Good boy" and continued my brushing like nothing happened.
He's very aware that the goodies have all but ceased and I can see he's puzzled. He's looking for rewards that I'm not offering without getting something from him first. And the reward he gets is a scratching on his forehead or a rub of the muzzle. No food goodies.
I was going to lunge him yesterday at mid-day, and it was a HOT day. I figured I'd use the heat to my advantage for 15 minutes on the lunge but then decided why broil myself at the same time? I went with husband and the kids to the beach instead and enjoyed watching my boys dig and play in the sand and collect shells.
I went to the barn at 7:00PM when it was cooler and more comfortable. My intent now is to give him variety in the routine and keep him guessing so he's going to have to trust me as I present him with different scenarios. I need him to rely on me, and not be so concerned what the other horses are doing at any given time. I took him out to the polo arena to work on the lunge. It's the first time he's been out there in the evening by himself. If he was going to be a jerk, I was ready for it. I've seen horses lose it out there when they know all the other horses are in their stalls for the night.
He was saddled and bridled. I had the lunge line clipped to the bit on the outside and over his poll through the inside ring of the bit. No side reins as I'm not sure he's used to them. All I wanted was for him to walk and trot a little like a gentleman and if he had any issues with the tack, to buck it out so I could get a feel if something was wrong with the fit. And he was a subdued little baby. No fireworks, no bucking. He tried to bulge through the turn as he circled by the gate but I waggled the lunge whip and asked him to "walk on" and he kept going. We did 15 minutes of walking and trotting in both directions and I was surprised, he didn't even whinny for any of the horses in the barn during the whole time.
As we walked back to the barn, instead of taking him the usual way, right through the front of the barn, I walked him around the barn and went in the side door, a place he's never gone before. He was a little nervous about it but I kept up a soft voiced urging and firmly led him around the front of the barn and into the side door, through the side barn aisle and back to his spot on crossties in front of his stall. I could sense his relief when he realized where I led him to. And I rewarded him with a forehead rub for trusting me and following me into the barn through this strange new place.
I'm learning he's a horse who is very safe with his routines and if you vary things, it might bring out his less than compliant side. Typical toddler, if his routine is changed, he has a meltdown. That's why I'm going to keep up small changes to get him to rely on my judgement and trust my guidance. Back to square one as it were until I can get back in the tack and lots of lunging under saddle.
When I untacked him, groomed him again and picked his hooves, I walked him into the stall and closed the door behind me. He had his face up to the bars of the stall, waiting. Waiting for a treat, or a kind word. He got nothing. I ignored him and went to putting my tack away. Each time I returned from the locker room to collect more tack (I am hurting too much to carry it all in one trip) I walked by and he was still standing there, watching me. When I finished putting my stuff away, I went to check on my friend's horse's water further down the aisle in the barn. I walked past Rugby and he was still standing there by the door, waiting. A soon as I was out of view but he could hear my footsteps, I heard this behind me,
"Whinny"
It was Rugby. By now I'm guessing he figured he was not number one on my list. I finished checking on my friend's horse, then called her on the cel phone. The whole time I was chatting with her on the phone I heard an occasional whinny from him. When I finished I walked back to his stall. He watched me the whole way and when I stopped and looked at him he pawed his hoof against the door and banged on it. I sharply said, "NO" and opened the door slowly. He put his nose forward at me and I again said, "No, back up!" He went to paw again and I stomped my foot and butted his chest with my shoulder and said, "No, back UP!". He took a step back in surprise and stood there looking at me. Then I turned slightly away and waited without looking at him. In a second, he slowly walked up and put his nose in my hand. I rubbed his nose and walked out, closing the door behind me.
He decided to give up after that. He went to eating his hay and figured I was done with him. That's when I took the 3 horse cookies I had with me, reached quietly through the bars and placed them softly in his feed bucket. He didn't notice at first what I did but was surprised to find them when he raised his head up from eating to look at me when I closed the lights and said, "Good night, Rugby".
Big baby. And a very smart one, too. He's a bit more clever than he looks.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The bigger they are, the harder you fall.
Yep. Yesterday I hit the dirt.
Hottest day of the year so far. The night before he was a gentleman in the arena behind the barn. I'm figuring on a nice quiet ride. What do I get? I mount up, start to walk off and he pulls his bronc moves on me. I rode out the first two bucks then he saw his friend, Sparky being brought in from turn out. He bucked up, humping his back, knocked me loose and over his shoulder I went. I grabbed his neck on the way down to slow the fall but I still hit the dirt. My left elbow is bruised and my sternum also feels pretty bruised. Broke my reins, too. There was a big dust spot on my helmet where my head hit the ground. Why anyone would ride without one is beyond me...
He trotted over to the arena wall and just stood watching Sparky. I was already on my feet walking over to get him when people came running to see if I was alright. I don't know if I was more pissed or hurt. And for the first time, actually a little hesitant about what I knew I had to do next, get my @$$ back up in the saddle.
Sparky's owner wanted to know if I wanted her to bring Sparky out for the lesson or go in the smaller arena. I said to bring him out. If he needed his equine "blanky" for me to get back on and do what I had to do, so be it. No use getting dumped twice.
I waited until they brought Sparky out to the arena, then got back on and rode for 40 minutes. And all was good and calm. No more bucking, no nonsense. But I was pretty taut for the whole ride. And I don't mean scared up and tight, just very, very much on guard up there.
Today, I think I'm too sore to ride and have my left arm and shoulder working if he tried anything again. I figure lunging under tack is a better way to go. I knew eventually I'd have to come off. It will happen but somehow I didn't think it would happen THIS quickly. Glad to have the first time over with but not looking for it to happen again anytime soon. I'm hoping this isn't something he pulls often.
And I had just gotten past the "new horse" jitters. I was really cautious riding him in the very beginning and was just starting to feel I had it together. Back to square one. Oh, green horses...
Hottest day of the year so far. The night before he was a gentleman in the arena behind the barn. I'm figuring on a nice quiet ride. What do I get? I mount up, start to walk off and he pulls his bronc moves on me. I rode out the first two bucks then he saw his friend, Sparky being brought in from turn out. He bucked up, humping his back, knocked me loose and over his shoulder I went. I grabbed his neck on the way down to slow the fall but I still hit the dirt. My left elbow is bruised and my sternum also feels pretty bruised. Broke my reins, too. There was a big dust spot on my helmet where my head hit the ground. Why anyone would ride without one is beyond me...
He trotted over to the arena wall and just stood watching Sparky. I was already on my feet walking over to get him when people came running to see if I was alright. I don't know if I was more pissed or hurt. And for the first time, actually a little hesitant about what I knew I had to do next, get my @$$ back up in the saddle.
Sparky's owner wanted to know if I wanted her to bring Sparky out for the lesson or go in the smaller arena. I said to bring him out. If he needed his equine "blanky" for me to get back on and do what I had to do, so be it. No use getting dumped twice.
I waited until they brought Sparky out to the arena, then got back on and rode for 40 minutes. And all was good and calm. No more bucking, no nonsense. But I was pretty taut for the whole ride. And I don't mean scared up and tight, just very, very much on guard up there.
Today, I think I'm too sore to ride and have my left arm and shoulder working if he tried anything again. I figure lunging under tack is a better way to go. I knew eventually I'd have to come off. It will happen but somehow I didn't think it would happen THIS quickly. Glad to have the first time over with but not looking for it to happen again anytime soon. I'm hoping this isn't something he pulls often.
And I had just gotten past the "new horse" jitters. I was really cautious riding him in the very beginning and was just starting to feel I had it together. Back to square one. Oh, green horses...
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Naming a Horse
I don't know about you, but naming a horse has not come easy for me. Oh sure, as a kid, naming every Breyer horse in your collection was a piece of cake. And they all had grand, fancy names like, "Wicked Mountain Lightning" (because when you are 7 years old, 3 big words together is a super impressive name!). Then you actually are priveleged to own a real, live horse and suddenly the name takes on a new level of importance.
My first horse came with his name, "Tally Ho". He was a lesson horse I fell in love with as a kid and my unsuspecting parents bought for me (figuring if I actually had to care for a horse and see how much work it was I'd quit. Nope, I'm no quitter!). His name was cute, English and just suited him, so we left it.
The second horse was my dad's horse. He had no name when we bought him. His coat was a deep coffee brown with a flaxen mane and tail. His personality was very, very laid back. Somehow, "decaffeinated" was a good word to describe him. We named him, "Sanka". I think my mom named him, (she had just switched to decaf back then!)
My mare, "Alta", came with her name. Her Jockey Club papered name was "Alto Speranze". In Italian it translates to, "High Hope". With her high-and-mighty attitude, that name just fit her. Several Italian friends commented on the mixing of gender since the name was in the masculine and my horse was a mare (wishful thinking on the part of the breeder?). So I changed the vowels when I registered her with the AHSA (now the USEF) to "Alta Speranza". I kept her name since several people in the local horse show world also knew her from the track since she was a NY-bred thoroughbred. With a name like that, I knew if they heard it over the loudspeaker at the shows, they'd know it was her. What I didn't foresee was how the name was often mispronounced by announcers at the shows! Alpo(No, NOT a good thing to hear your horse called!!!), Aldo, Spranza, Seperanza were some of the typos that were read to my disappointment.
So when Monty came along, I knew I wanted a simple name. One that had a low risk of being mispronounced, misspelled, and misunderstood. It was harder than I thought. I came up with names based on his color, the time of year, etc. and hated all of them. Then, sometime into the 2 weeks I was trying him it came to me, "Solitaire". A game you play by yourself. A single diamond. That kind of summed up the circumstances in his case and it was elegant and easy. Somehow at the same time, we just started calling him, "Monty" as his barn name and it stuck. It suited him.
And now I have,"Rugby". That's not the name he had before I chose him. In the truck, on the way home from the lady's house after we went to see him, my husband and I were talking and I turned to him and said, "You know, if he's the one, I already have a name picked out."
My husband was surprised, "Really? But he has a name."
"I'm going to call him, Rugby" I said.
"Hey, I like that!" mused my husband, "Where did that come from?"
"I don't know, it just came to me and it suits him." I replied.
I know where it came from. My husband loves Ralph Lauren clothes. He's especially fond of their "Rugby" collection, which in it's early days featured several pieces with a really cool skull and crossbones motif on a black background. This big, burly black and white horse made me think of that and it's a name that sounds cute when you say it but the sport is in reality a rough and tough game. My husband is kind of cute but also kind of a rough and tumble guy.
My husband is the one who pushed me to go look at this horse, he just liked him the moment he saw pictures of him and told me he had a good feeling about this animal. He felt my pain and everything I went through when I lost Monty. He loves animals and has a good eye for a good animal. I joked with him I was going to let him choose this horse since at this point I'm kinda picky. And this horse has turned out to be so wonderful for me.
So it's a little sappy but, the name came to me in a connection between husband and horse. My husband is my best friend, I guess I wanted that good karma with a new horse, too.
So, there are my horse naming stories. I'd be curious to hear from readers if they have any horse naming stories to share. If you have a blog and already have written about naming your horse, post the link and we'll catch up to everyone's story!
My first horse came with his name, "Tally Ho". He was a lesson horse I fell in love with as a kid and my unsuspecting parents bought for me (figuring if I actually had to care for a horse and see how much work it was I'd quit. Nope, I'm no quitter!). His name was cute, English and just suited him, so we left it.
The second horse was my dad's horse. He had no name when we bought him. His coat was a deep coffee brown with a flaxen mane and tail. His personality was very, very laid back. Somehow, "decaffeinated" was a good word to describe him. We named him, "Sanka". I think my mom named him, (she had just switched to decaf back then!)
My mare, "Alta", came with her name. Her Jockey Club papered name was "Alto Speranze". In Italian it translates to, "High Hope". With her high-and-mighty attitude, that name just fit her. Several Italian friends commented on the mixing of gender since the name was in the masculine and my horse was a mare (wishful thinking on the part of the breeder?). So I changed the vowels when I registered her with the AHSA (now the USEF) to "Alta Speranza". I kept her name since several people in the local horse show world also knew her from the track since she was a NY-bred thoroughbred. With a name like that, I knew if they heard it over the loudspeaker at the shows, they'd know it was her. What I didn't foresee was how the name was often mispronounced by announcers at the shows! Alpo(No, NOT a good thing to hear your horse called!!!), Aldo, Spranza, Seperanza were some of the typos that were read to my disappointment.
So when Monty came along, I knew I wanted a simple name. One that had a low risk of being mispronounced, misspelled, and misunderstood. It was harder than I thought. I came up with names based on his color, the time of year, etc. and hated all of them. Then, sometime into the 2 weeks I was trying him it came to me, "Solitaire". A game you play by yourself. A single diamond. That kind of summed up the circumstances in his case and it was elegant and easy. Somehow at the same time, we just started calling him, "Monty" as his barn name and it stuck. It suited him.
And now I have,"Rugby". That's not the name he had before I chose him. In the truck, on the way home from the lady's house after we went to see him, my husband and I were talking and I turned to him and said, "You know, if he's the one, I already have a name picked out."
My husband was surprised, "Really? But he has a name."
"I'm going to call him, Rugby" I said.
"Hey, I like that!" mused my husband, "Where did that come from?"
"I don't know, it just came to me and it suits him." I replied.
I know where it came from. My husband loves Ralph Lauren clothes. He's especially fond of their "Rugby" collection, which in it's early days featured several pieces with a really cool skull and crossbones motif on a black background. This big, burly black and white horse made me think of that and it's a name that sounds cute when you say it but the sport is in reality a rough and tough game. My husband is kind of cute but also kind of a rough and tumble guy.
My husband is the one who pushed me to go look at this horse, he just liked him the moment he saw pictures of him and told me he had a good feeling about this animal. He felt my pain and everything I went through when I lost Monty. He loves animals and has a good eye for a good animal. I joked with him I was going to let him choose this horse since at this point I'm kinda picky. And this horse has turned out to be so wonderful for me.
So it's a little sappy but, the name came to me in a connection between husband and horse. My husband is my best friend, I guess I wanted that good karma with a new horse, too.
So, there are my horse naming stories. I'd be curious to hear from readers if they have any horse naming stories to share. If you have a blog and already have written about naming your horse, post the link and we'll catch up to everyone's story!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Best Ride Yet!
Saturday was another lesson with the Master. And what a gorgeous spring day! It hit 70 degrees! Rugby did remember all we started with and we worked again on getting him to understand to move off the pressure of the bit and carry himself. Just through the walk and a little at the trot he was asked to carry himself and stay balanced without leaning into my hands for support. And he was getting it! Those moments when he would get light and carry his big self were heaven!
Just as we were nearing the end of our half hour, Rugby noticed a little chestnut horse being jogged for soundness outside the vet clinic. And he lost it. He must have thought it was his stable buddy, Sparky. He started whinnying, and trying to turn his head to look at what the other horse was doing. Then he started balking and wanting to go to that side of the fence instead of stay on our circle. The Master chuckled and said, "Awww, we were almost in second grade and now we went back to kindergarten." I chuckled, too and rode it out until he gave up and went back to walking our circle. The Master sent us back to the trot for another minute or two then back to the walk and quit. But we finished the lesson with his full attention and on a positive note.
Yesterday, I went to ride about the time when all the other lessons get started. I wanted to ride in the polo arena and like to do it when the ring gets busy since my horse is happier in company. We rode in the midst of 2 lessons and some boarders exercising their horses. We had our best ride yet! Rugby was attentive, trying very much to be soft in the bridle and was quite balanced through the turns. He didn't try his balking and bulging as we passed the gate and kept a steady trot on the large circle.
Today the weather is supposed to become rainy and lousy. It's a much chillier morning. Looks like he'll get his turn out time this morning and be snug in his stall when that cold rain starts a little later today. He deserves the day off for being such a good boy.
Just as we were nearing the end of our half hour, Rugby noticed a little chestnut horse being jogged for soundness outside the vet clinic. And he lost it. He must have thought it was his stable buddy, Sparky. He started whinnying, and trying to turn his head to look at what the other horse was doing. Then he started balking and wanting to go to that side of the fence instead of stay on our circle. The Master chuckled and said, "Awww, we were almost in second grade and now we went back to kindergarten." I chuckled, too and rode it out until he gave up and went back to walking our circle. The Master sent us back to the trot for another minute or two then back to the walk and quit. But we finished the lesson with his full attention and on a positive note.
Yesterday, I went to ride about the time when all the other lessons get started. I wanted to ride in the polo arena and like to do it when the ring gets busy since my horse is happier in company. We rode in the midst of 2 lessons and some boarders exercising their horses. We had our best ride yet! Rugby was attentive, trying very much to be soft in the bridle and was quite balanced through the turns. He didn't try his balking and bulging as we passed the gate and kept a steady trot on the large circle.
Today the weather is supposed to become rainy and lousy. It's a much chillier morning. Looks like he'll get his turn out time this morning and be snug in his stall when that cold rain starts a little later today. He deserves the day off for being such a good boy.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Pre-purchase Exam Done
Yesterday was Rugby's pre-purchase exam. Not bad. Some things that I'm glad I'm aware of but no deal breakers as far as the vet seems concerned. I'm going to take the plunge and buy him. So as of tomorrow, I go to the bank and send the balance in a certified check!
I checked my training calendar (I have a calendar hanging in my locker. On it, I write in how long he's ridden or worked with and what was done) and he's now got 10 rides on him. In those 10 rides there has been noticeable improvement on:
- walking up to the mounting block and standing still while mounted
- standing still after I am in the tack and settled, then only walking on after I ask.
- walking and trotting past the gate or barn door without as much resistance
- staying straighter at walk and trot down the long sides of the arena
- trotting for longer periods of time without trying to break to the walk.
He's shown me even in this short time that he has a good capacity for learning and keeping what he's taught. That is great if my schedule keeps me away from riding for a few days because it's nice to get on and pick up where we left off instead of having to do a "refresher" each time. That was one of Monty's strongest traits and I love that Rugby seems to have it, too.
The night before last, I went to ride after dinner. By now, Rugby has no problem riding under the lights in the arena behind the barn. So I mount up, get settled and ask him to walk on, we start along the rail when I see a white plastic shopping bag stuck in one of the short trees on the long side of the riding ring. Looked like the wind had blown it around and it got snagged on the branches. It was just above the horses' eye level and Rugby hadn't noticed it yet. As we approached and walked by, I figured, "okay, let's just see what he does" so I reached over and plucked it out of the tree!
He felt me twist, then felt the tug and heard the bag rattle. He just hopped one step to the side and planted himself still! Then he turned his head around to nuzzle my boot and look at me as if to say, "ok, what was that? is it safe? sounds like a bag - are there treats I should know about?" I crumpled the bag and stuffed it into my pocket and rewarded him like crazy for being so calm! That's a personality worth a million to me.
I checked my training calendar (I have a calendar hanging in my locker. On it, I write in how long he's ridden or worked with and what was done) and he's now got 10 rides on him. In those 10 rides there has been noticeable improvement on:
- walking up to the mounting block and standing still while mounted
- standing still after I am in the tack and settled, then only walking on after I ask.
- walking and trotting past the gate or barn door without as much resistance
- staying straighter at walk and trot down the long sides of the arena
- trotting for longer periods of time without trying to break to the walk.
He's shown me even in this short time that he has a good capacity for learning and keeping what he's taught. That is great if my schedule keeps me away from riding for a few days because it's nice to get on and pick up where we left off instead of having to do a "refresher" each time. That was one of Monty's strongest traits and I love that Rugby seems to have it, too.
The night before last, I went to ride after dinner. By now, Rugby has no problem riding under the lights in the arena behind the barn. So I mount up, get settled and ask him to walk on, we start along the rail when I see a white plastic shopping bag stuck in one of the short trees on the long side of the riding ring. Looked like the wind had blown it around and it got snagged on the branches. It was just above the horses' eye level and Rugby hadn't noticed it yet. As we approached and walked by, I figured, "okay, let's just see what he does" so I reached over and plucked it out of the tree!
He felt me twist, then felt the tug and heard the bag rattle. He just hopped one step to the side and planted himself still! Then he turned his head around to nuzzle my boot and look at me as if to say, "ok, what was that? is it safe? sounds like a bag - are there treats I should know about?" I crumpled the bag and stuffed it into my pocket and rewarded him like crazy for being so calm! That's a personality worth a million to me.
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