Upcoming Fun Stuff: Ride for the Cure North Texas

North Texas Ride for the Cure.
Decatur, Texas
October 30th
http://www.komennorthtexas.org/ride2010.html

Of Being on a Roll and More Beatdowns (of a different kind)

First, I just want to say how much I love my Red Foxy Snob. I hate to jinx myself, but we've been on a bit of a roll lately. Making more and more progress and jus being more consistent. As always, it is about being honest in my training and not skipping steps. As I talked about in my earlier post about the warm up, Red and I are now adding some more stuff to the repertoire to get him more through and carrying more weight on his right hind. He's a bit lazier about the right hind.

- sitting trot work along the wall, gradually adding more cadence, and then leg yield from the right hind. He must carry himself on the right side not running through. I reinforce my seat and legs with just a tap tap of the whip. While he's stepping up and leg yielding the front of his body is really bent to the wall. Like Sue said, he CAN'T be TOO close to the wall. At one point, I moved to the quarterline and he started rushing through the left rein...I had stopped using the wall to help him shift back...back to the wall, the whole idea is to get him to shift back onto his right hind. And it's true, a smart horse without a deathwish to conk himself on the head will shift his weight back! Once we have the feeling that he's really carrying and stepping with that right hind maintain that feeling along the short side.

-Walk. there was a time in our most recent past that WALK was our most hated gait...but in dressage, walk is the purest of the gaits. Red was very prone to jigging at the walk. We've been working at this and I am amazed at the overstep and reach that Red has in his walk now! Sue has made me stop DOING SO MUCH WITH MY HANDS. I say this in all caps, because I think Sue talks to me in ALL CAPS. But first, how many of you have had your instructor take the reins from you from the ground and try to pull you and they always say, stop pulling, don't be so tense, relax your arms...well, she did that to me again but this time she pointed something out to me. So when she pulled the reins from me, I just continued to carry my forearm in a relaxed manner and relaxing my hand while still holding my reinsand then holding my LATS (muscles between your shouldes and down to your low back) and really melting my butt into the saddle when she pulled- Red actually shifted back. She showed me this to illustate that I didn't have to have a strong arm or hand. And then on to walk, but just activating my lats when Red pulled on me, he just went down to Low, Deep & Round...and back to the big walk. Honestly, I don't think Red has jigged at the walk in weeks and weeks. I can't tell you how many trainers I've asked to work with me on this and nothing consistently worked. Do you know how many coefficients are in walk transitions!?!?!?!? Giving away points people! As we were doing our walk transitions I noticed something, a jingling of Red's bit. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THAT BEFORE....Red playing and working the bit! OMG! He was actually relaxed and on the bit lightly playing with the bit in his closed mouth!!!! No tension!

Trot Cadence- How do you make the trot bigger or smaller without going to the hand first? Another thing I've been working on is how to bring Red back in our sitting trot with going to my hand...again, it goes back to the Lats! Maybe it is being so tall and seemingly unwieldy, but I tend to want to make my upper body smaller in the saddle and thus squish my shoulders. Sue is telling me MAKE YOUR SHOULDERS WIDER. POST with SHOULDERS! And it is true, I can really make the trot bigger and smaller without going to my hands except for an occationaly flexion by just posting bigger or smaller with my wide shoulders...maybe this is hard to visualize, but once you do it correctly you will really have the feeling....by doing this, I feel like I am not having to constantly soften soften the jaw because I have been constantly driving the trot with my seat.

To recap, the riding has been going really well. I am really pleased. I've been riding late at night mostly by myself because I just can't ride Redster in the heat. By nightfall, maybe we are both a bit drowsy and relaxed.

Another reason to ride late is because I can avoid any drama. Lately, it seems like the atmosphere at the barn has changed. The barn has been infiltrated by Natural Horsemen devotees. Personally, I don't care about your horse games and carrot sticks- just don't be waving that shit around and making your horse buck and bolt when I am working on getting a sensitive horse! Particularly when you are in a non full size arena, you ARE NOT a boarder, and you've got 20 OTHER acres to being doing that in! There is a reason why USEF requires a seperate lunging area at shows. There was a time at this barn when outside people weren't allowed because it infringed on the boarders. The barn has become a BEATDOWN onto its own. So sad.

I really just need to focus on Red. He's still happy and healthy. He's really giving me his all, and really listening...and as obedient as a redhead can be. He knows biting and pawing aren't allowed, so he just headbutts you for a cookie or he halfheartedly raises his hoof and then sets it down without making a noise so that he can get your attention without actually pawing.

Pony Beatdown

Cheryl went ALL the way to Canada to ride Aragon's half brother Not really, but it makes us sound like jetset catchriders! This pony's name is Fiddle and he could be Aragon's twin! oh, Cheryl also went to visit her dear friend Linda,another pony addict, and to drink lots of wine.

Photographic proof of the beatdown!

Please canter! Sue would say, "there's your medium! "

They Survived!

And are still friends! Cheryl can't resist a pony!

The secret language of Lucy & Ethel (Part 1):

Party between the jumps.
Blob on a Cob
Slob on a Cob
Pornonthecob
Redrum
Love the Naughty
The Dome
Come here so I can beat you.
Schnapped
Velocicorgi
CorgiRaptor
Team Corgi
Corgilicious
We need a bigger bit
DTG Dog To Go
Naughty
Go on a drag
cobasaurus
Team Broke
Team Maverick
Make it Pretty
Tap it Out
LTD (Lunge to Death)
Trotathon
Beat it!
Come here so I can beat you
Debbie Downer
Team Red
Ghetto Groom
Day Crew/Night Crew

Blast from the Past!

Being riders that have to support their habit with full time jobs, Cheryl and I spend a lot of time on email waiting for 5 o'clock on Friday. Here's a funny email exchange from when we first became friends.

Hey Cheryl, How is it going? I am so depressed. I don’t know what my problem is…I don’t know if I have post vacation blues or if I hate work. I hope it isn’t the latter, because I am still staring down like 30 more years of this and I need the benefits! BTW, do you know any single or recently divorced millionaires who would love to keep me in a manner to which I’ve yet to become accustomed to? Hey, I lost 5 lbs. probably just water weight, but I’ll take it! Only like half a ton left to loose! Woo-hoo! First, did you tell Jason that to be slobbered on by Fang is akin to being blessed by the Pope. I am just so thankful that he didn’t take a boob along with a chunk of your shirt. I can’t afford reconstructive surgery for myself, much less somebody else. Here’s my next purchase: Here’s a description: A simple anti grazing device that makes life easier for the child rider (HA!HA!) Or Maybe I should get this, maybe more appropriate?

Anyway, I loved the pictures. Is Columbine Aragon’s dad? They totally look alike. That’s what Fabio will look like in 2 years. Grant and Surefire are cuties. Grant looks very happy with his kid. Y’all looked great out in the hunt, you were grinning like crazy. Were you drunk!!?!??! Just kidding! Here’s a picture of Red’s daddy doin’ his thing. He’s in his twenties here, from a couple of years ago. I am also including a picture of Fang, Sr. I think Red looks just like him.

Setting the Tone

If there's one lesson that Sue is beating into my head, it is about being honest in my training and consistent about not skipping steps. Before you even get on your horse, you have to set the tone for the entire ride. Even after a week off because of the heat and a busy schedule, if I can stick to setting the right tone from before I walk into the arena, I can make sure that the ride is productive, progressive and pleasant for both of us.

Like I said, I took the week off because of the heat and I wanted to spend some time at some local clinics. One thing I saw this weekend were some really pleasant outlines. I made it my goal to have a similar out line.

As we walk to the arena, I make sure Red starts focusing on me...does he come back when I take small steps, when I walk out does he walk out? When I mount, even on a long rein I start making sure he's listening to my seat- big steps....little steps. Listening to each rein, giving me his jowl on either side. As I collect the reins, he must do it without any resistence or rooting against me. And then I start on asking for his haunches....does he listen to my right leg and then my left leg. He can be a little sluggish to the right leg. I now go to a halt, asking one step at a time for a turn on the forehand....and then we move on to leg yield. I ask him to continue to give me a long and low neck, even as I take up the reins.

One thing I learned this weekend is about insisting for the horse to stay on the bit and stepping up eveny into the contact. So I added that to my warm up. He must stay on the bit, with a long and low neck and then I ask him to step up with which ever leg is not stepping under. It is really mind opening how just by doing these little things it improves the rest of my ride.

From here, I move onto trot work....alternating the cadence in the trot....bit steps/small steps...always a long and low neck (he tends to want to be giraffe- so asking for a long and low neck is a constant for us) From here, adding legyields from the quarter lines and then onto shoulder fore. Tonight I decided to add haunches in down the longside of the arena....I think it helped him loosen up and bring his back up sooner. From here I went to sitting trot, shoulder in/ haunches in and working on the circle and working our the cadence of the trot. At the sitting trot, I have been really working on using my seat to change the cadence....it's getting better. On the circle, I work on shoulder fore and leg yield before asking him for the canter...again, long low neck and again, I work on the cadence. I just want it to not be tense transitions...it is all about the seat, and the looser my seat (not pinching my knees) the better the transitions from working to medium canter...I work on that 4th level movement, asking for collection and giving the reins...He was awesome at this going to the left! Go Big Red!

As he works more from his hind end, I am having a lot of trouble controlling the balance and tempo in the downward transitions...I think I am going to have Sue help me here.

I've had two weeks off from lessons, but I've been working really hard on all my homework and Red has been ON POINT! So let's home that Sue doesn't tell me crack is wack and I need to go to dressage rehab and 2x a week lessons...I don't think I can handle it!

So anyway, I will report back post lesson on Wednesday- NAMASTE!

Texas Summer Riding Survival

Your Horse Called. He wishes he was on a beach chillaxin with this donkey! (a donkey on St. John, Virgin Islands. Photo by Ivy)

Somebody tell my why I live in Texas? It is so freaking hot right now! I've owned Red since 2002 and the first summer I owned him, he stopped sweating from Anhydrosis (the failure to sweat due to the stress caused by excessive heat and humidity). Every summer since that first time he stopped sweating, I got depressed because he looked so miserable. Somewhere along the way, I started to think of it as Red taking a vacation from June to July and giving us both a break because really, who wants to ride in such extreme heat! With my change in attitude, I've learned to manage to keep him sweating just enought to stay in work and we are both so much happier. Needless to say, I've had some time to make a list of things that make riding in the summer a bit more pleasant. Here are some of our favorite things for dealing with the inferno like Texas summers:

Oster Clippers Clipmaster and A5 clippers- Every Spring, Red gets a full body clip. With less coat and less sweat, the easier it is for him to keep cool. I don't think it is necessary to think about what his coat is going to look like if I clip him througout the spring and summer it always comes back very nice! My goal is to keep him cool and comfy. So Oster clip masters make bodyclipping a cinch! And no stripes! Then I use the Oster A5's for face, clean up and for the legs. I find that clipping the legs keeps them from getting the awful stud crud. The A5's clippers are also good for shaving corgi bellies!

Vetrolin linimint- a splash in a bucket and add some water makes a fantastic cooling brace and helps cool down faster. I often start out with sponging Red off before my ride, as well as during and after. Be sure to scrap after sponging- the water that has been warmed from the body heat acts as insulation. Scraping the warrm water off helps them cool faster. Another thing that I do is that I put a frozen water bottle in my vetrolin bucket to keep the water from getting warm. Trainer Sue uses a combo of water, 1/2 rubbing alcohol and a capful of vetrolin.

Gatorade powder- Even though I have Red on electrolites during the summer just to encourage him to drink, I still like to make sure that he's drinking plenty of water. A couple of scoops of Gatorade in the water bucket is a yummy rewarding drink for the redheaded snob...and that way I make sure he's getting hydrated too. This is a great trick for horse shows or when you are away from home and want to ensure that your horse is drinking.

Sweating Supplements- I use One AC, Peak Performance PERSPIRADE and Electrolites. One AC and Perspirade 2x a day and Electrolites 1x a day. I would recommend that you consult the makers of One AC or whomever supplies your supplements for the correct dosage. I also keep a Himalayan Mineral block in his feed bucket.

Riding Schedule- I start changing my riding schedule in the Spring before it gets hot. The earlier and later that I ride, the less stress on his system. I start riding before 10am and after 7pm. I simply don't understand the people that ride their horses between noon and 5pm when the heat index is at it's highest. Maybe I've gotten weak, but how miserable for the human and the horse! By riding before and after the heat of the day, I am conserving both of us! The less stress the better and less chance of heat stroke for either of us!

WOOF Neoprene boots- I prefer to ride with protective boots on Red.I was always a super fan of the fleece lined boots,and they are still great, but during the summer I've been riding in the Neoprene boots, that AJH has turned me onto. I think I've noticed that his legs sweat less with this brand of boots.

Fans- lots of fans! Box fans are weak! I like to get the heavy duty, high velocity fan from Tractor Supply or from a Home Improvement store.

Evening Turnout- If you have this opton at home or where you board your horse please consider it. A nonsweating horse should be inside during the heat of the day, consider it a siesta. Turning your nonsweating horse out at night means less stress because they doing what is natural for horses- grazing- during the coolest parts of the day.

Now for me:

F.I.T.S. half zip riding shirts- cool prints, flattering fit and cool for riding...wicks away sweat. It has a little stock tab on the back of the neck so you can attach your stock tie.

Irideon riding tights- super comfy, and again dries fast in the summer.

Sox Trots- who wants thick socks in hot sweaty boots? Not me! I like these super thin boot socks...with endless prints.

Effax Ledercombi- leather cleaner and conditioner- cleans off the sweat, dirt and grime off of tack, saddle and boots, not to mention the mold that seems to be gathering on tack this extremely humid year.

IRH Elite riding helmet-Courtney K. Dye's accident has reminded me that helmets are necessary for our sport! Every ride, every time! As the temperture creeps up, so does my desire to go helmet free but this super cool and light helmet is light, and so airy! Not to mention stylish!

Frog Togg Chilly Pad towel...soak this thing in water drape it around your neck and it will keep you cool for up to 4 hours. I've got one in pink and I let it sit in the vetrolin bucket and it is so refreshing! I wish they made polos in this fabric! I'd be all over that!

Sunscreen- Lots of squinting in the sun and a freckling leads to premature aging and spending money on botox that you could be spending on lessons and tack. I like using a hypoallergenic sports sunscreen like Bullfrog or Banana Boat (at least #15 or as high as #30) on my face and neck

Smartwater- electrolyte water that tastes just like water. How great! And when you are done, take the empty bottle refill it with tap and freeze it to chill your vetrolin (or if you are AJH- to chill your pony's gatorade).

Karma

So lets discuss "Karma" or "what comes around goes around" or whatever you want to call it. Do I believe in it? Do you believe in it?

I think maybe what I believe to be karma is really just good old-fashioned, home grown, Catholic guilt. When my actions or thoughts contradict my basic moral upbringing, I think that is when I start worrying about Karma.

This train of thought is the fault of my Mother. I will put this blame on her because she is a Saint. She believes to this day that all people are good and she tried to instill this belief in me. I, on the other hand am much more of a pessimist. I do believe that (most) people are good, but I think I do tend to be very suspicious.

If I say something about someone will lightening really strike me down? What if what I say is true or something that I really believe to be true even if it is ugly or hurtful? Is that worthy of a Karmic debt?

Most of the time when people speak of Karma, they only refer to it as being something negative or a secret weapon that can be used against ones enemies. "I hope Karma bites them" or something to that effect.

So instead of saying, "I hope she breaks a leg" we can call "Karma" on them. In essence, we have hoped ill will against someone, without actually saying it. It is Karmic political correctness. We can remain lily white even though we hope she gets hit by an Escalade as she walks across the Piggly Wiggly parking lot.

It all goes back to Good versus Evil. Yin and Yang. Good things happen and bad things happen It's a roll of the dice. That is what life is all about. I think when someone calls Karma, they just want to take credit for the misfortunes of others and not get dirty doing it.

Life is what you make it, I say Karma can get in line.