Calm, Forward, Straight

At the Barn # 55 - Easy like Sunday morning...

2012-02-12T13:54:00.002-05:00

All good things must come to an end... such as the unseasonably warm weather that I like to call "June-uary". Thursday night we had our first light freeze. And this weekend it has gotten into the mid twenties overnight, with big winds. I know this is no big deal for you hardy northerners, but after extended temps in the sixties and even seventies, it comes as a shock to the system. I'm super glad I resisted the temptation to plant anything just yet - it was hard - spring fever was duking it out with common sense every warm day.

I have also resisted blanketing unless it is cold + raining, or very cold + windy. This is made ~~a little~~ much harder because Cowboy's people have kept him blanketed nightly (and often daily) for months, despite the mild temperatures, i.e. he has definitely been sweating under there some days. Part of me wants to bring up the topic of "piloerection", but it would likely fall on deaf ears. I believe that Cowboy's girl is trying to avoid dealing with shedding and a dirty horse, even though until he will actually get into a trailer - glamming him up for shows is uneccesary.... just sayin'. (Probably best that I don't bring it up.)

"I got my pilo workin"...

What - another picture of me eating out of the manure bucket?!

When I can overcome my ocd, I realize that Val seems perfectly comfortable, warm chest and cool but not cold ear tips. He has a run in stuffed with hay and evidence suggests he takes advantage of it overnight. Plus - sometimes he bites at the blankets as I'm putting them on, in an irritated way. I know they must not be totally comfortable - one cannot roll with abandon while blanketed. And it's a known fact that blankets can stifle a good bucking fit.

No riding reports this week. I've been working on the property, getting rid of manure and sorting out electrical issues. Finally got an electrician out to figure a quote for running power to my studio / hay barn. It has taken a year, and many broken promises. Fingers crossed Mr. B. calls me with a quote this week. I flirted a bit, but my offer to dig the extensive trench brightened his outlook on the job considerably. No sweat for me, I dig for a living. I can do a lot of things, but electricity I leave to the pros.

Val and I did some good ground work - leading around the property (searching for fresh grass) and staying calm while Cowboy acted like a total idiot. He repeatedly jumped out from behind his sheds just as we came around the corners - this is his patented move - so I was prepared, but it often catches Val by surprise. At one point Val jumped straight up, all four feet off the ground, but kept a respectful distance. I had to give him a few strong corrections, until he was following just behind my shoulder, halting promptly and ignoring Cowboy - who got the finger pointed as well as some curse laced instructions.

There were also extended groomings where we practiced our ground tying, and we had several massage / scratching sessions. After a particularly satisfying total ear scratch I was given a lingering horse hug. *sigh*. Val is well into shedding mode - yesterday we made six hair waffles. I hope he keeps some coat in case winter hangs around. (Please don't hang around!)

In the Arena # 103 - Getting ahead of myself...

2012-02-05T21:41:00.000-05:00

A super busy week. The continuing stretch of great weather has compelled me to clear out some vegetation and begin building the new garden beds. A bit sooner than I had planned, in case this fine spell lasts and planting time comes early. Separate farmette post coming on this topic...

I also repaired and restrung the electric fence next door for the boarding operation. Time consuming as well as strenuous. There was a lot of damage from hurricane Irene and a subsequent nor'easter - mostly fallen trees. I had to put in a dozen new posts (time to get my phd again - (post hole digger)) as the original "builder" had screwed insulators directly into trees. The dead trees fell, and the live ones grew over the insulators. Once the wire was all strung and connected, I switched the solar panel on - both Lucky Barnett and I discovered that it doesn't take too long to charge the fence...

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Between rounds of chores, Val and I had time for two bareback rides. In some ways I can't even believe that I'm this comfortable without a saddle, and doing lots of trot work no less. The bareback posting is coming along well. Most of the action is provided by Val, with me stabilizing with my core, and activating my thighs. Relaxed knees and lightly hugging lower legs. It's interesting that giving up the stirrups as a place to brace, also helps to focus on maintaining steady contact while not balancing on your hands. So far, my lack of a saddle has proven an opportunity to improve my seat rather than an inconvenience.

Last Thursday was so frigging beautiful - sunny, 75 degrees and no wind. I came home intending to ride, then decided to choose the completely stress free option. I took my lawn chair, a picnic lunch and a stack of horse magazines out to the paddock . Me and Val were just hanging out. After he finished freaking out on the zero gravity chair - "why are you riding that?!" - he set out to investigate the picnic. Apparently crinkly white plastic trash bags are no longer a threat once they contain edibles. I offered him salad, but dressing didn't suit him so he spit that out. Then he really wanted my sandwich, but it was loaded with mustard, and I was hungry. We split the oatmeal cookies. He alternated between chewing on the chair, nosing for more edibles, and "helping" me read my magazines. What fun I had with my horse that day!

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Saddle shopping and ebay - a cautionary tale...

On the saddle search front - I believe I'm over my infatuation with ebay. Actually, ebay broke my heart. I spent nearly a week watching a brand new, vintage Klimke Miller 17 1/2, MW dressage saddle - (it was p-e-r-f-e-c-t, it was beautiful, it was likely to be affordable) - consulting ebay "experts" and formulating my plans.

For most of the week, the bids hovered around two hundred dollars. I figured out what I thought I was willing to pay. With just over an hour left, I took my position in front of the computer, opened two windows, and placed my first bid. For exactly fifty eight minutes, I had the top bid.

Hey, this ebay thing isn't that hard! Maybe no one knew what a great deal this saddle was! Maybe I was going to get a gorgeous saddle for four hundred dollars! The adrenalin kicked in.

So did my ocd / adhd tendencies. I couldn't handle just waiting, so I started screen shotting the various pix of the saddle, to place into my "new saddle" file. I needed to be able to brag on my awesome deal here on the blog after all...

Suddenly - while filling my file with the screen shots - with thirty seconds left - I was outbid, by ten dollars. Between my not speedy enough internet connection, my inability to do the math needed for my next bid, and total shock, I spazzed out and lost the saddle.

Holy crap - super disappointing - no excellent new saddle, and adrenalin poisoning to deal with as well. I had to go sleep it off with a pity nap. (time to call the waaaaambulance)

All the obsessing I did on ebay was actually a good thing, as it turns out. I came across another saddle option - Duett Fidelio - that after researching extensively I believe may be a great saddle to satisfy Val's shape, and my preferences as well.

The new plan is to put my saddle on the market, and depending on how that goes, keep looking for a used Fidelio to come up for auction. If my Beval does sell, I may be able to swing a new saddle, with tracings and fitting going on before rather than after the saddle purchase. Lots of lessons in this story.

At the Barn # 54 - I. can't. see. the. BOOGEYMAN! I am serious. Are you listening to me?...squeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

2012-02-03T22:24:00.000-05:00

In the Arena # 102 - No pain, no gain + awards!

2012-01-26T22:21:00.000-05:00

I love when awards roll around the blogosphere. It's a great opportunity to discover new blogs, and share your favorites. (And prizes make me happy!)

We've been given the Liebster award by Amy at Slow and Steady Wins the Race, and Annette from News From Aspen Meadows. Amy's blog shares how she manages to train her ottb Steady to be an eventer - her passion, as well as run a farm and be a full time mother. She tells it like it is, with a great sense of humor. Annette rides dressage, cooks good looking food, and has a most beautiful ranch with many lovely residents, featuring her horses Jackson and Winston.

Liebster means “dearest” in German, and the award is intended to help up-and-coming blogs get the attention they deserve. Here are the rules:

1. Copy and paste the award on our blog.
2. Link back to the blogger who gave you the award.
3. Pick your five favorite blogs with less than 200 followers, and leave a comment on their blog to let them know they have received the award.
4. Hope that the five blogs chosen will keep spreading the love and pass it on to five more blogs!

Here are my choices - spreading the love. :)

Paradigm Farms Horse Retirement - Melissa and her husband Jason run an absolutely perfect equine retirement farm in Tennessee. Besides providing loving, conscientious care to the residents, somehow Melissa and Jason find time to (frequently) document their goings on with photos, video and stories. What a bonus for the horses' people!

Collecting Thoroughbreds - Sarah's blog documents she and her ottb Derby's dressage journey seriously, but always with humor. I relate to her so much - and am very jealous of her awesome trainer.... see next award recipient.

TB at X - Christy is a sensitive, thoughtful dressage trainer who uses patient classical methods to train her two ottbs and a number of students (see previous award recipient). She is also blessed with the ability to put her knowledge and experience into words, clearly and concisely. Her blog posts always resonate.

Of horses and boys... and everything in between - horsemom balances motherhood and her dressage journey with humor and passion. We're on the same page about putting our horses first as we navigate the realm of classical dressage.

TB Friends - Joe Shelton runs a super successful thoroughbred rescue and re-homing operation in California. He saves injured horses right off the track. He deals with the kill buyers. He helps folks who are losing their farms. He has a loyal group of volunteers as well as a huge online following. A more humble, dedicated man you may never meet. Beautiful things happen because of this blog. Visit - you'll be inspired.

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Anti-saddle bareback campaign ride #2... an effective ride with tons of trotting. Forward is coming back. I believe I'm getting the hang of the posting without stirrups thing. Iron thighs and a core of steel when this is all said and done... and tomorrow I expect to hurt. Badly.

Terry from Moondance Ranch left me a great comment on my past post, with a link to the series of 9 Schleese videos about proper saddle fitting. Great resource. I wish I had seen these before I bought my saddle. I feel like I can make an informed choice about saddle fit now - and be a proper advocate for my horse. The videos absolutely confirmed that because of his shoulders, Val needs a wider tree. Even though he has sufficient wither clearance with a medium, he doesn't have room to move his shoulders. I hope we haven't done too much damage.

Speaking of Val - happy 10th birthday my mane man!!! The new saddle is coming, but until then....

In the Arena # 101 - There's more to it than meets the eye...

2012-01-24T23:24:00.000-05:00

I've made peace with the fact that my saddle isn't a good fit. The best course of action is to find another. Upping our work schedule substantially in December, (and sitting to the trot) made Val uncomfortable enough to let me know. Budget constraints limit me to a used saddle. I'm prepared to search until I find a very good fit. Hopefully I can sell my current saddle. If I break even, I'll be satisfied. In the meantime I will ride bareback. We had a lovely ride today. Forward, good steering, and most importantly, when I asked for the trot, he transitioned without any hesitation.

I'm officially in the throes of saddle fitting / saddle shopping. I have to admit I was overwhelmed at first, with assessing the fit, and then forming a plan of action for shopping from the hinterlands. I'm located at least five hours from the nearest decent saddle fitter. This, and ignorance about proper saddle fit kept me riding in a poorly fitting saddle for too long.

Last week, I contacted a fitter who was recommended by a fellow blogger. Oddly enough, a few years ago he came all the way out here to fit the trail riding business that is two minutes down the road from me. That was then, this is now. He said to email some pictures, which I did. Hoping to get some input from him soon.

The most relevant info pertaining to Val and I... my saddle rocks toward the withers, and is likely too narrow. A too narrow saddle will show more wither clearance. There is no helping a too narrow saddle. Pads will only make the fit tighter, and worse. Better to have a slightly wide fit, which can be improved with padding. I have ridden for two years in a sheepskin half pad with my likely too narrow saddle. Sorry Val - you tried to tell me. :)

I will bite this saddle when she takes it off...

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Highlights from the online research:

Measure from the button, diagonally to the center of the cantle, for the seat size

N, M, M/W, and W are fairly arbitrary size measurements, differing for each manufacturer. There are apparently centimeter measurements that correspond to N, M, M/W and W - but I haven't confirmed where you make that measurement. I've seen it referred to as "dot to dot"...

The fist method. A clenched fist (4") set into the the saddle under the pommel. 1/2" - 3/4" space on either side = M, 0" - 1/2" = N, >1" = W. Also seems arbitrary - all fists not being equal.

The angle method. 90° = M, 86° = N, 96° = W. Good if you see the saddle in person and carry a protractor around.

The stated size of any saddle may not be accurate when the saddle is used, due to wear and / or work done on the saddle.

Hoop trees vs standard trees? Picture an upside down U shape instead of a V shape. Val has plenty of whither, but is also wide, somewhat flat backed (side to side) with big shoulders. I'm thinking a hoop tree might be good for us, regarding how the saddle impacts (or not) his shoulders.

Checking your saddle fit...

Is it placed correctly on the horses back? One hands-width between front leg and girth, two fingers behind the shoulder blade. Seat should be parallel to the ground.

When girth is tightened there should be plenty (but not too much) clearance between withers and pommel. Slightly less with rider in saddle.

Gullet should span the "spinous process" - three fingers wide from front to back of gullet. Many saddles' gullets narrow towards the back.

Bridging is uneven pressure along the spine - under the pommel and cantle but not even from pommel to cantle. Rocking is tipping motion when pressure is applied to pommel or cantle. The saddle should remain stable when pressure is applied.

Two very helpful resources - Sustainable Dressage and Lorien Stable

We interrupt this regularly scheduled program....

2012-01-23T23:07:00.001-05:00

Thanks so much for all of the helpful and encouraging comments on the last post. I'm working on a saddle search update post, however, all of the extra research time online has made my head hurt. (time to call the waaaambulance) In the meantime -

Happy Chinese New Year! It's officially the Year of the Dragon now. The dragon is my Chinese astrological sign - ( edited to add: yours too if you were born in 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952, 1940, 1928...) - so I'm looking forward to a spectacular year - which should definitely start off with me finding the perfect next saddle!!

In the Arena # 100 - The devil is in the details...

2012-01-19T00:22:00.000-05:00

We had a decent ride yesterday. On the buckle warm-up, picked up and maintained decent contact. Lots of changes of direction and lots of transitions. But - what the heck happened to forward??? Val did not want to trot. We did trot work, but he was very reluctant. Spent most of the ride getting a timely response to my aid. Now that the hay strike is behind us, why not set my sights on another stress inducing dilemma...

Over the past few months we've been moving in a really good direction with some very effective rides - motivated, forward, even on the bit. However, there are also rides spent slogging around, feeling like Val would rather do anything than work. More of the former than the latter, but still...

Something isn't right. Pain, smart / bored horse avoiding work, inconsistent + timid rider or uncomfortable tack... I'm attempting to address / eliminate these variables in a systematic way.

Val gets monthly adequan shots for a hip injury sustained before I brought him home. The issues don't seem to correlate with the timing of his injections. I have ridden him after a dose of bute recently as well. He indulged in multiple flying changes and pogo sticky airs above the ground just yesterday. Pretty sure he's sound.

(Edited to add - Val moves very freely when we ride bareback + better steering. Haven't trotted without a saddle recently - will compare his enthusiasm next ride.)

We've incorporated ground poles, cones, games and all the ingenuity I can muster to keep our rides interesting. I've learned to let things go, to reward the smallest try, and to know when to stop - on a high note - backing up to something simpler that we do well, if necessary. Sadly my beach riding partner hasn't been available in ages. I don't feel confident enough to take Val to the beach or out on the trails alone, so off property trail riding isn't an option now.

I have reinstated my yoga practice. I've summoned patience I didn't know I had. I focus on soft following hands. I've gone out of my comfort zone asking Val to move out when he resists. (the benevolent dictator) Often, once I get firm, he's with me for the rest of the ride, (we just had to get over a speed bump), which seems like he may be testing me. I don't want to deaden him to my aids. I also don't want to miss something he's trying to communicate. My lack of experience makes me question myself. I can only hope this will improve over time.

And that leaves tack. Specifically saddle fit. I know I've had trouble with balance and staying even - I suspect Val may be having issues with his shoulders. This week, on a whim, I looked looked up my saddle, (Beval Natura), on tackreview.com. I couldn't find it. Then I googled it. Couldn't find it anywhere. No review, not for sale, nothing. So I went to the manufacturers site. They have discontinued production. My saddle is for sale new, for less than half of what I paid for it new, two years ago. I called the manufacturer to ask what happened. They didn't give me a straight answer. Can't say ~~much~~ anything good about their customer service...

beval

county

I've contacted a saddle fitter. I've emailed him pictures and info - we'll see what he thinks. In the meantime - my research has led me to a really good used option - a older County- in just the right size for both of us, and affordable... (theoretically.) It's the saddle I wanted on my original saddle search. Older but worth it. I used to ride in one at my trainers. The horses loved it - it fit all the horses at her barn - and my position felt effortless when I rode in it. Not because of big knee rolls or extra leather to hold you in either...

So maybe the possibly worthless faulty saddle has done me a favor, by leading me to the saddle of my dreams. We shall see. I've got a good feeling about it. :)

At the Barn #53 - It ain't over 'til it's over...

2012-01-14T17:20:00.004-05:00

Hallelujah - the hay strike has officially ended. I could not be more relieved.

The thought of moving one and a half tons of hay another time:

one to get here,
two to load into the old hay barn ( fell out of my trailer when the hay hook came loose),
three to put it onto a second set of palettes as the hurricane waters rose,
four to load into my truck heading to the farmette.
and five into the new hay barn (almost blew my knee out and got crushed by a bale),

was making me sick. Literally.

So was the thought of watching my horse get thin.
So was how the math of replacement hay would affect my budget.
So was figuring out where I would find any decent hay this time of year.
So was deciding out what to do with the offending not good enough hay -
(Please buy my extra hay even though my horse won't touch it - no really - I swear, it's great hay!)

Thank you Val for giving in before I had to.

This morning I rolled the manure cart with yesterday's discarded hay into Val's paddock. He dove in as I moseyed over to his stall to make my morning how much hay did he leave check. What? There's not even any manure in there for you to eat around, my beloved steed...

SO much tastier from the big bowl...

nom, nom, nom

Just can't get enough...

My friend likes it too!

and --------- yesssss! Bags were almost empty.

Nibblenet retired (temporarily)

Still, I wasn't 100% convinced. I cleaned the stall and mucked the paddock, wondering "but will he eat this morning's hay?" and "do I need to continue peppering with the tasty alfalfa meant for trailer rides?" As Val devoured his pellets I filled and hung the breakfast hay bag, unadulterated. For the first time in ages, he left his most favored bowl of crunchies and walked over to the hay bag... sniffed...

(Critical moment. For the last several weeks, he would sniff the bag - look at me - sniff again - push the bag with his nose - sigh disgustedly and walk away.)

... and yanked out a big mouthful. For this he got a kiss on his nose and my undying gratitude. Well, he had that anyway. :)

Hay - this is good!

In the Arena #99 - Two steps forward, one step back... From the Farmette #8 - I feel the earth - move - under my feet...

2012-01-09T20:31:00.001-05:00

There were several drain the hoses, weatherproof the well pump days this past week. The first real cold weather so far this winter, and thankfully, it was temporary. Saturday was absolutely beautiful.

Our ride - not so much. Kind of "all's well that ends well." Initially, contact was intermittent - forward nonexistent, though I felt good about the quality of the contact while we had it. Val was once again very reluctant to move out. I attempted to reinforce a lighter aid with numerous transitions, concentrating on soft following hands. We finished off working with the trot poles, and making some decent circles with nice bend when we were focused. I finally got Val motivated at the trot, and we stopped there.

This lack of forward has me stumped. I wonder if I am blocking him? And if so - where. Did I break him sitting the trot a while back? Or could it be the saddle?! All I know is the bareback rides always seem much freer and more fluid for both of us. (Please don't be a saddle issue.)

Just the other day I noticed online that my two year old Beval Natura dressage saddle - has been discontinued, selling new for half what I paid for it. That doesn't bode well for a possible future saddle shopping budget now does it. The saddle has plenty of withers clearance, but I wonder if it blocks his shoulders? Has he changed shape? Did the saddle ever fit? Is the saddle affecting my position negatively? It does have more of a knee block than I like and is fairly deep. Stay tuned - I've been lurking around on ebay... ;)

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I'm in love. With a big, orange, manly machine. I spent nearly all day Sunday on a borrowed full sized Kubota tractor. I sorted and moved 2 years x 2 horses worth of manure. I've got my composted, ready to plant in pile, my give it a few more months now that it's turned pile, and my needs more cooking pile. Plus I filled a few low spots on the property. Plus, I have backup space. What a relief! There are only two horses here - and they could bury me in no time. Can't wait til I can go tractor shopping. :)

action shot

before


after

big orange krush + little orange krush

black gold

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How do you all respond to a possible hay strike? Val just finished up a twenty five bale load stored in my trailer, so it was time to start using the fifty odd bales in my hay shed. The hay from the trailer was light weight bales of stemmy, late cutting mixed grass hay. I'm guessing it was sugary - it smelled that way. The shed hay is 75 pound bales of orchard grass that is still fairly green. If I were a horse, I'd choose the latter. Val however, has turned up his nose, consuming half what he was just a week ago. I slipped some handfuls of special trailer ride only alfalfa here and there in the hay bag, which helped a little. I'm assuming he'll change his tune eventually, before all my hair turns grey...

In the Arena #98 - A very good place to start... (happy birthday thoroughbreds!!)

2012-01-01T22:54:00.002-05:00

We finished off 2011 with two rides, and began 2012 in the saddle as well. Couldn't ask for more - perfect weather conditions and happy horse + rider...

Unless it would be a freshly renovated tack room...

or a brand new manure composting space.

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I made a few changes to our regular ride routine. Hoping to pique Val's interest in our work, I set up a course of cones and ground rails. I also lowered my stirrups and left Val's boots in the tack room. The contact and energy came and went, although they improved in each successive ride. This indicated a lack of steady focus on my aiding I suspect. I've also gone back to a lengthier warm-up, working on the buckle before I take up any contact. Our big walk improves with every ride. It seems to work best to ask for it after a number of trot transitions. Regarding my posture, it was also effective to sit up and back so far as too feel like too far, which I think is just far enough.

What really excited me was how engaged Val became with the introduction of new elements in the arena. Despite his cleverness, he was unable to correctly predict what I would be asking for next. There were just too many choices. Balkiness and steering issues vanished. :)

Would we ride over the rails, or perhaps through them? Circle around the entire complex, or figure eight with a diagonal change through the rails? Turn-on-the-forehand at each cone? What about halting squarely in the rails. (practice for halting at X!) We transitioned and backed through them as well. It was enough to make a poor horses head swim...

One question I have is how to determine the correct distance between the ground rails. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'd like to set the distance so they wouldn't have to be adjusted for the trot work. Thanks in advance my blogger friends.

Afterglow

I likes my mints in me...

and on me :)

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Other news - there has been progress on the new arena. We've dropped and spread seven tandem loads of sand so far. In addition to the arena itself, we're adjusting the grade of the whole property to facilitate drainage. If it sounds expensive, it is. Who could believe you'd have to pay through the nose for sand when you live on an island made entirely from it?! We're getting there slowly but surely...

Whatever will she think of next?!

Out with the old, in with the new...

2011-12-31T22:04:00.002-05:00

January

We started the year treating Val for hay needles - a noxious weed in his hay that lodged in his gums, made eating very uncomfortable. There was some good progress in getting on the bit after a long stretch of bareback rides. And the coldest winter anyone could remember + a (for us) major snowstorm.

February

We rode - a lot. Made progress in the arena and out... with an eye towards reinstating trail riding. Worked on connection, half halts, and forward. I video-ed us for the first time - how revealing *eye roll*. Loving my horse...

March

Fine weather = feeling good + lots of rides. We rode bitless for the first time, lots more bareback and several mini trail rides. Got a lesson on a whirlwind hay trip - first in about six months, and one of the last as it turned out. A month full of progress.

April

A lesson with a different trainer who helped me get my horse forward. Not a dressage lesson, but very helpful. Shedding season, Val likes beer and plays a convincing dead horse. (no connection between beer and dead horse...)

May

A fall (sort of), more bareback with posting practice + mini trail rides, Val self loads, the farmette gets a garden - I made the raised beds and Val made the dirt. We break ground on the new arena...

June

The garden grows despite the drought making life difficult. I find the Shimmy Shack and start making moving plans. I travel to my trainer's farm for what turn out to be my last lessons with her....

July

Super hot - the arena footing deteriorates. We stay cool with frequent baths and watermelon snacks. The garden starts to bear, and the Shimmy Shack moves in.

August

Dad and I get the Shimmy Shack hooked up to utilities - and I clean it within an inch of it's life. Val spends much of the month wrapped and on bute due to a mystery swelling and then being stocked up. Sold produce to a farmer's market and a local restaurant until hurricane Irene tears up the island - just when everything was going so well. Found an injured kitten on the side of the road just before the storm - newest member of the household is christened "Seven". He has twenty four toes!

September

A month I'd rather forget. Trapped on the island with no road off, and about a billion mosquitos. Enough said.

October

We get the road back. My Dad and I build a kick ass deck around the Shimmy Shack and she's ready to move in, which I spend most of the month accomplishing. Val and I have a few good rides, and find out the break was good for both of us.

November

We make amazing strides. Val takes contact and works over his back - consistently. I'm having to manage myself less as a rider. I had serious doubts that we would move forward without a trainer. Riding has been an absolute joy. Still getting my living space arranged, but it's coming together.

December

My farrier gives me trimming lessons. Made contact with a potential new trainer. More great rides, a small step backwards, and then forward again. We end the year on a super high note with our partnership strengthening. High hopes for 2012 - Happy New Year everyone!!!

In the Arena #97 - Process of elimination...

2011-12-28T23:13:00.005-05:00

Val and I worked twice last week, with a focus on the forward that has been lacking. Before Wednesday's ride, I gave him some bute, letting it take effect while grooming and tacking up. Happily, the bute didn't appear to make any difference in the quality of his movement. His desire to move, sadly, was still lacking. Frustration resulted in a mini meltdown (mine) which then led to a much improved ride. Releasing tension always helps.

And a brainstorm... It occurred to me that there is an element of our training that I hadn't (over) analyzed yet in my last few posts. New boots. In September I ordered Val a pair of SMB VenTech Elite sports boots. Okay, we're certainly not elite, and it's a stretch to call us athletes... but the persistent drought this past summer caused super deep footing in our sand arena, which really concerned me. Horses get bowed tendons here pretty often, if over-worked in deep sand, especially on the beach. I've heard that horses work fifty percent harder when training in sand, and figured Val could use some extra support. I liked that these boots claim to stay cool, comfortable and don't restrict movement.

If you put them on right that is... There are numerous straps that attach with hyper aggressive velcro. I'm questioning the one that runs under the fetlock. I didn't exactly consult any directions about how to put them on, thinking that it should be self explanatory. Famous last words. I've since found some instruction online.

The next day we rode without the boots, without bute, and without a saddle. The ride began with Val heading straight for the gate. He hung his head over and began messing with the latch. I got the hint. No dice on a bareback trail ride though, or on arguing about heading back into the arena. We returned to the mounting block, started again and went on to have fluid, forward ride. What a relief!

A conversation later that evening with a fellow student of my former trainer put things into perspective. She has two friends, dressage riders, both facing tremendous obstacles at the moment. Not obstacles to accomplishing dressage goals mind you, but obstacles to life. They both have late stage cancer. And one of them also lost her lovely Morgan, who suddenly dropped dead a couple of weeks ago. Getting out of the house, out of bed even, can be a major ordeal for them. As my friend pointed out - they would give anything just to be on their horses these days. (At this point I felt like such a whiner!)

The takeaway... always double check your tack + your attitude. More importantly, every ride is a gift - so cherish them all!

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Holiday treats :)

A good time was had by all...

Twas the night before Christmas...

2011-12-24T17:22:00.004-05:00

Merry Christmas to all our blogger friends. We hope that your holiday is filled with as much joy and love as little Grace and her (new) pony Encore...

Best wishes for a healthy, happy New Year to you all!! (((♡♡♡)))

In the Arena #96 - I "rode the horse I have today".. now, may I please have the one I rode yesterday?!

2011-12-16T15:13:00.001-05:00

With the glorious weather still hanging in here Thursday, I was compelled to ride. Canceled an appointment, groomed and tacked, and away we went...

Nowhere. No go button at all. We argued about going forward, which direction to not go forward in, and ultimately which spot to refuse to go forward from. My recent strategy of skipping walk work and moving on to the trot was ineffective. Asking for the trot elicited a series of head shaking crow hops, with some dropped shoulder added in for effect. On a good note I stayed put no problem, and managed to run through my mental checklist instead of worrying into a fetal position.

My last few posts probably conveyed the sinister little undermining sense of disbelief I had at how well our rides have been going, for an extended period of time now, without a trainer. I tried to temper my enthusiasm, knowing that the pendulum would ultimately swing back the other way. Self fulfilling prophecy...

Yesterday was a day that I totally needed and missed the help of a better, wiser rider. I got completely frustrated at not being able to resolve the no go situation in a positive way, with a positive attitude. My mind went to that unhelpful place that predicts bad future events instead of being here now:

"If I don't end this ride on a good note, the sky will fall, and the sun will never shine again, and my horse will be broken. Waaaaa."

I dismounted. And quasi free lunged (chased him around waving my arms) for a few minutes, until I got control of my emotions, and he got with the moving forward program. Bingo.

Deep breath. He licked and chewed, I remounted, and we continued the ride. We did some nice big walking - best walk work we've done yet, he was covering ground. Then we moved out at the trot. I dropped my stirrups and rode on the buckle.*Val was super responsive to my aids. We ended on a very good note, as far as the riding part goes.

Now, here's the worrying part. As far the rider is concerned - I know that I struggle with being consistent in my aiding, with being even in my body, with not giving unintentional aids. The last few months suggest to me that I have become a more competent rider...

So what about Val? I believe his saddle fit is good. The sweat marks are always even and the same on both sides. My trainer inspected the fit and okayed it. Val doesn't react negatively to being saddled or to the girth being tightened. His mouth is great according to his natural balance dentist. He takes the bit willingly, and takes his time letting it go when we untack. He has been getting a nice foamy mouth lately, so I don't think there's a bit problem.

Could something be bothering him physically? He seems sound to me. I can certainly see when I'm not in the saddle that he shows no movement issues. Could he just be testing my leadership? Does everyone have day like this where it seems like they're going backwards? Should riding feel this hard - or more precisely, shouldn't it eventually feel easier?

For my own peace of mind, I'm going to give Val some bute before our next ride, which hopefully will eliminate if there is a physical issue that I've missed. And the next ride after that will be bareback. If the problem stems from my riding, I'm pointing my finger at how my tight right hip affects my seat. *I've noticed that when I drop my stirrups and ride on the buckle at the end of our rides, Val is the most responsive and loose that he ever feels.

I'll keep you posted. The dressage journey is nothing if not interesting and mentally engaging - resisting the urge to whine here - even more so when you're learning solo. :)

In the Arena #95 - ...of mice and men

2011-12-14T22:05:00.008-05:00

I've learned to be wary of going into our rides with too much of a plan. I have better results by responding to what goes on in the arena - "ride the horse you have today." However, there is a little strategy I cooked up, and this was the day to try it out.

While we've been improving by leaps and bounds this last couple of months, there is still an unresolved issue. An issue that derails warming up at the walk + steering, and often keeps us from using the whole arena. Recently I've avoided it by moving immediately into trot work, where forward cures steering problems. Bypassing the issue, but not solving it.

Sometimes steering is a monkey on our backs...

As I lay in bed the other night, I visualized beginning a circle at the top of the arena. Instead of closing the circle, I would drop further down the arena, creating a series of loops - sort of an open slinky shape
(sneaky)

This would theoretically accomplish two things: surprise my horse thereby keeping his interest - he's very allergic to predictable - and move me throughout the entire arena at the beginning of the ride, in a roundabout way, without arguments. Holy cow - it worked! Nothing challenges my creativity like dressage.You simply cannot phone it in with a partner like Val.

We proceeded to have a lovely ride focusing on contact, stretchy trot and big walk. Although I struggled with keeping my lower leg on consistently - when I was able, he responded by reaching into the contact. Listen to your horse...

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As I prepared for our ride this afternoon, Val surprised me with a new trick. Each time I glanced up from grooming, he was in the midst of untying his quick release knot. First mouthing the loop, loosening it. Next pulling the end to dismantle the knot. Then finally yanking the whole rope back through the tie ring with a flourish as the leadline dangled from his mouth. He cut glances at me throughout the entire process, looking quite proud of himself. I was supremely bummed not to have my camera handy, although I expect I'll have other chances to document this behavior. Good thing we ground tie now.

I recently got a comment asking about how we work on ground tying. It's pretty simple. I halter Val, then lay the lead rope over his back. I begin grooming, picking feet, bug spraying etc. As soon as he moves a step, I (calmly) stop what I'm doing, send him back to where he started with a light hand on his lead, and resume. This process also involves lots of cookies.

Initially, the exercise consisted of moving Val back into place, over and over. Now - he might take a half-hearted step or two, get put back, sigh, politely drop his head and wait. It's good to set yourself up for success, ie choose a nice calm day when your horse is feeling pretty mellow, practice after exercise, and have a wall, fence or some barrier to limit avenues of escape. How do you all do it?

In the Arena #94 - It's nice to share...

2011-12-11T21:19:00.003-05:00

Friday was farrier day. My farrier has kindly agreed to teach me the basics of barefoot trimming my horse, since he may not be able to continue traveling to our island much longer. Several horse owners here skipped out on his appointments with no notice last visit. He drives seven hours round trip to get here... people just blow my mind with their ignorant behavior sometimes.

Anyhow - I did Val's fronts this go round. Will work on the hinds next time. I feel pretty good about knowing what to trim, how much and why... using the tools smoothly, positioning myself and holding Val's feet comfortably and safely are going to take time. (understatement) It went well considering. My farrier is a patient teacher who can put his knowledge into words - lucky for me. My horse has decent feet after two years of being barefoot, so I'm not having to correct any major issues - also lucky.

I tacked Val up for a ride after we trimmed him. Cowboy was already working beyond the far end of our arena. It's been a while since both horses were working at the same time. Val indicated that he'd like to stay at the far end and watch Cowboy work - like he usually does. It took some time and patience to convince him otherwise. After settling our little difference of opinion, we enjoyed a workmanlike ride - the high points being steady contact (foamy mouth), round 15m circles, decent transitions and some stretchy trot at the end of the ride. It was fun to ride with someone else for a change. For one thing, there was room in my tiny breeches pocket for treats since I didn't have to cram my cell phone in there. And it's always nice to have company when doing chores. A really good day at the barn. :)

Last night Val followed me out into his paddock while I picked manure. As per usual, while nosing about, he suddenly needed to munch on some discarded hay that had sat on the floor of his run in all day, until I put it into the manure cart (where it's desirability skyrocketed). I proceeded to jokingly offer him hay, one strand at a time. He politely ate for as long as I offered. After the snack, he rested his chin into the crook of my shoulder, quietly breathing onto my neck, while we watched the sun set behind the trees. *sigh*

In the Arena #93 - And then rainbows came flying out of our -----

2011-12-08T20:46:00.004-05:00

After a brief cool down, we were blessed with another week of ~~unseasonable~~ delightful warmth and sun. Yesterday was likely the end. For real this time.

I cleared my schedule by early afternoon, and got Val ready for our ride. The horses were surprisingly calm considering that tree trimming guys spent half the day clearing my property around the electric lines with power tools, and then disposing of the cuttings in a giant, deafening wood chipper...

Cat crossing property nowhere near arena = horse eating monster
Wood chipper screaming and whining next to arena - not so much...

I recently have been experimenting with reintroducing some on the buckle warm-up work before we move on to the trot - 'cause I'm stubborn like that. Apparently yesterday I crossed the line into tediousness, and Val acted up... refusing to listen to my aids and getting super choosy about where he wanted to work. After a bunch of head tossing, a spin and getting bucky with it, I gave him a stern "NO" and a little smack with my dressage whip. Instant attitude adjustment. It was so awesome! :)

Believe me, I have traveled a long road leading to the point where I can reprimand my horse and feel okay about it. Too often in the past, I let Val get away with this type of behavior. I made excuses for him, and ultimately I was afraid. Afraid of how he would react, and afraid I would lose my cool.

His tack fits, his teeth are good, he's not in pain. He tests my resolve because he can... because I let him get away with it for so long - ie I trained him to do it... because I can be inconsistent and inaccurate with my aiding... because he's smart and easily bored... and because he's ~~conservative with his energy~~ pretty lazy sometimes.

The best thing is that the confidence I got from giving that correction, letting it go immediately and moving forward, will likely help keep me in the frame of mind that heads off this type of situation in the future. Sometimes a little spanking is a good thing...

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So on to our ride, post correction. Simply our best yet. We got on the bit quickly, with Val carrying himself so nicely that I could have sat the trot all day - which I didn't, as my posting is coming along but still needs lots of work so I can get to where I don't have to think about it every stride. Besides, sitting the trot right now feels like a sinfully delicious treat, one that I'm not sure I've quite earned yet, or maybe might contain too many calories...

We also did some serpentines, baby leg yields and rode deep into our corners. I focused on using my core, especially for downwards transitions, as well as making sure I banish piano hands, and aiding from my elbows, which stay at my sides. There was some big marching walk after the trot work, and tantrum free on the buckle work as well. We finished up as a cold rain started falling... winter's calling card.

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I miss lessons with my trainer... besides the info and supervision, I miss the barn time, companionship and watching lessons with people who are as obsessed with dressage as I am. Nonetheless we are making progress. And ironically this break from instruction is the reason. I have had to accept responsibility for our training. I stepped up, took responsibility, and found out I'm plenty capable. At least, I'm not going to ruin my horse. Total surprise to me.

Now I'm contemplating the canter - stay tuned...

In the Arena #92 - Love me two times baby...

2011-12-04T22:47:00.001-05:00

Happily, I have two more rides to report on. We're on a roll :)

On Friday I got done early with my responsibilities, and headed straight home in the midst of a superb day - sunny, in the sixties with no wind. The arena was toasty. Val and I started work right away - grooming and tacking up while he was ground tied. There were a couple of efforts to walk off, and some impatience, (head bobbing + lip flapping), which I patiently corrected, then returned to my grooming tasks. After a big sigh, Val stood still for the remainder of our preparations. He has really made progress with ground tying, and I believe that the benefits of this work also show up under saddle.

Just as I finished tacking Val up, my neighbor cranked up some sort of jack hammer-ish, super loud tool right next door to the arena. Oh goody... It didn't impact the ride at all though, which made me very happy.

We moved right into our trot work, which lasted for over an hour, with a couple of walk breaks thrown in. We alternated posting and two point, focusing on half halts and transitions. Nothing new, but we are refining his movement and my aiding, little by little.

After the ride I hung all my tack out on the arena gate and cleaned it - a super thorough job. I took it apart, saddle soaped and oiled everything.

Val helped too. He pulled the stirrups down, grabbed pieces that I wasn't working on and dropped them in the sand, and groomed me. I finally had to banish him to the far corner of the arena...

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Today there was a milestone. Our first (intentional) sitting trot. Val's coming on to the bit, and my confidence in taking up more contact presented me with a lovely lifted back as I sat the first few strides of a trot transition, so I kept it up. It felt great, and Val snorted and motored on pushing from his hind end. This is the first time I've sat the trot where it didn't feel like I was unnecessarily bouncing around on his back, and it didn't take tons of effort to sit in my horse, not on him. Yay - so dressagey!

Next I dropped my stirrups for some posting practice, which followed the sitting trot work quite nicely. To finish up we worked on turns on the forehand. The right handed ones were very sticky - lots of resistance from Val. After the ride I remembered that I had rotated my leathers post cleaning the other day, but neglected to check for stretching. Sure enough, my left leather, formerly right, had stretched and needed to be raised, so I was likely more uneven than usual.

All in all a very satisfying ride. :)

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I'm thinking if horses could smoke, or suck their thumbs... or bite their nails, these two would be prime candidates. So orally fixated...

In the Arena #91 - Farewell indian summer + better late than never...

2011-11-29T20:38:00.004-05:00

Well.. it couldn't last forever. Shorts and flip flops still appropriate, windows open, no heat using, beach walking, horse riding weather for most of November. It was good for the soul. :)

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Val and I got another ride in on Sunday. We worked for well over an hour, until both of us were good and sweaty. Lots of trotting - 15m circles and figure eights. Transitions and staying forward were my main focus. The upwards transitions are coming right along, although I'd like to continue to get lighter with my aides. We achieved some nice halt to trots. Also - contact is becoming more consistent with each ride. Val has many a foamy mouth lately. (loving it!!)

I also wanted to address getting prompt responses and more smoothness on the downward transitions. I 'filled my sail', corresponding to tightening my core and resting in the saddle, but also closing my legs and asking for some energy at the same time. Transitions always help Val to focus - I need to remember to work on them more often - especially if he comes to the arena distracted.

The rest of the ride I worked on posting and in two point. I'm continuing to improve my posting - my ankles are gaining flexibility. The best indicator is my horse. He blows, snorts, seeks contact and generally seems to be enjoying himself. Poor guy - he's had to wait far too long. Now I need to open the hips more so I get ears over hips over ankles...

So here's where I had a little epiphany. *eye roll* Sinking the weight down through my heels, which I (mistakenly) thought I was already doing, makes balancing in two point a piece of cake. Really, you say?! Yes indeedy :)

Apparently, I've been bracing my ankles by jamming them down in the stirrups, thereby putting the weight on the ball of my foot, (and driving my lower leg too far forward in two point). Analogous to pulling a horse's head back into a fake frame. It may look on the surface like the proper posture, but it's actually produces the opposite of correct mechanics.

Hel-lo! How many times did my poor trainer have to remind me I wonder. I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm a visual / experiential learner, and decidedly not aural... :)

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Who knew that hay can be more dangerous than horses? I had another hay related accident. This time I fell between my tail gate and the doorway to my hay shed. Well, one leg fell between. The rest of me fell on the truck, doorway and under the bale of hay I was slinging when I slipped on some loose hay. My one leg smashed on the towing ball. I immediately felt sick to my stomach - said some bad words, and silently thought how much it would suck if I couldn't ride. Not if I couldn't work, pay my bills, drive or dress myself mind you... The knee is as big as a grapefruit but nothing is damaged on the inside that I can tell. Ibuprofren is my friend.

Oh yeah - this is my 200th post :)

In the Arena #90 - Just my 'magination....

2011-11-25T21:24:00.006-05:00

Good Thanksgiving. Sharing the kitchen with my pastry chef sister and wine maker brother in law, cracking up at my delightful three year old nephew, and singing (belting it out baby!) along with a play-list of old favorites - what a great day.

The weather was perfect, so we capped off the afternoon with a visit to the farmette. (dinner was at my Dad's place) Val was super happy to hoover up some treats, Sweetpea and Q enjoyed our company on their evening dog walk and everyone got to inspect the Shimmy Shack + Seven's very special feet.

I am indeed blessed :)

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Upon re-reading, the recent posts about Val's and my work in the arena have been on the rapturous side. While I aim to be accurate in my accounting - I honestly haven't had many difficulties to report lately - which kind of blows my mind... And since I'm without eyes on the ground, (still no trainer) it's easy to question myself, and wonder if wishful thinking may have gotten the best of me. More work to do in the confidence department...

Happily, my dear friend Jenn showed up to the farmette with her new camera today, just in time to document our session. It was another beautiful day shared with friends, and another lovely ride. Yay :)

In the Arena # 89 - An attitude of gratitude

2011-11-23T10:43:00.004-05:00

Val and I took advantage of some gorgeous weather yesterday to squeeze in a ride before the holiday mayhem sets in - the arena does have perfect footing at the moment. (!)

After a quick warm-up we moved right into trot work - with Val responding to nice light aids. I focused on balance in the corners, not leaning to the inside. Sitting straight and tall, even in my stirrups, and leading with the girls ;). Looking out through Val's ears - not down. Visualizing what I wanted to happen so that I almost didn't have to use my aids after a while. And soft following hands. Things were feeling pretty good, so I picked up quite a bit more contact than I have been lately, which Val loved. He responded by getting rounder and motoring forward using his cute little hind end.

Most of all - I focused on INSIDE LEG TO OUTSIDE REIN. Thinking of getting that tattooed on my wrist - not even kidding... ;)

We had the most fluid, connected trot work I've ever experienced outside of working with my trainer. I have been trying to improve my posting by loosening up my ankles, and letting them take the weight rather than posting off of the balls of my feet. The quality of the trot also seems to improve when I can accomplish this. We ended our trot fest with what felt like a super square halt and reinback, and did some beautiful turns on the forehand - on the buckle and no stirrups. I'm glad I finally figured out that doing walk work later on makes our sessions much more productive.

Saving the best for last - (can't get enough of Val's cute little whiskery muzzle)...

Can you see it?! There was more before the cookies...

And when really Val enjoys our ride, he grooms me while I clean tack. Love you too buddy!

Yes - this was a hard shot to capture

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Thanks to our kind readers out there in blogland. You never fail to share your inspiration, knowledge, support, humor and friendship with us. I am so lucky to have found you all, and I am very, very grateful.

I hope you all have a great holiday, and get to spend some time with your family and your horses. I'm off to the kitchen - Happy Thanksgiving!!

From the Farmette #8 - What a long strange trip it's been...

2011-11-19T17:52:00.002-05:00

Some of you are probably starting to think that I made up the Shimmy Shack and am actually living in my tack room next door to Val, sleeping on hay bales. Peeing in his stall (you know you've all done this). For various reasons I have not posted photographic evidence so far because...

Misplaced my camera in the move for a while

Found camera but neighbors kept running over my internet lines (because it took a r-e-a-l-l-y long time for my internet provider to come bury them)

Sometimes I skipped out on unpacking to spend quality time with my horse - mental health days

It takes a veritable storage genius with the patience of Job to solve the where will all my stuff go?! puzzle when you try to move (even a very small) house worth of possessions into a trailer

I will be officially + totally unpacked / moved in tomorrow. (insert wild applause here) Photo tour to come ;)

At the Barn #52 - What's wrong with this picture...

2011-11-16T15:00:00.004-05:00

Yum-mo!

Yep - my (definitely not underfed) horse chowing on the day old hay scrapings (layered with poo) that he was much too good to eat off the stall floor ten minutes ago....

"Um - looks like food to me? What's your problem?!"

In the Arena # 88 - Do we think we're better riders than we are?... Are we better riders than we think we are?

2011-11-14T22:24:00.013-05:00

Confidence

a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's circumstances
faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way
the quality or state of being certain

It's been a long time since I was a confident rider. As a kid, I was supremely confident for my first half dozen lessons. Heck - I was jumping by my third lesson. (?!) Then - surprise surprise - there was a bolt and fall where I got knocked out and dragged around the ring a few times. Things have never been the same. Fast forward...

Val and I had our best ride ever this weekend. We totally got into a groove. I think I coordinated my aids more effectively, concentrated on my position, and approached having soft following hands. Our 15m circles that were round and fairly balanced. We did bunches of smooth figure eights. We rode deeply into our corners. And best of all, Val reached for contact, (hallelujah!) without me doing anything except being there for him, consistently. It felt effortless. I spent the ride laughing and thanking my horse with lots of pats on the neck, and he motored around snorting and blowing contentedly. Afterwords, while I cleaned tack, he groomed me top to bottom, both sides.

"Hello - this is how I'm supposed to feel when I ride!". Not apprehensive, not anxious, not slightly nauseated. Please don't get me wrong - Val is not the kind of horse to be afraid of. He's so sweet and easy going. I've felt these feelings ever since I started back riding again. And I've had plenty of enjoyable and positive rides with him, but we've also spent entire sessions battling about who the boss is, or more importantly, why does she have to be so uptight?! Being un-confident and a perfectionist is a stressful combination...

I'm not quite sure what to attribute this progress to - we haven't had lessons in forever, but we've been moving steadily forward in the last few weeks. I can't offer any explanations, wise words or suggestions. But I'm psyched. I'll take it - and more of the same please!

one of my favorite things

less pictures - more cookies

told you I worked hard

so where's my cookies?!

check my new kicks

these puppies have some serious velcro

kisses go here

In the Arena #87 - Turning the corner...

2011-11-08T23:00:00.001-05:00

Major apologies on disappearing for so long. Moving absolutely kicked my ass. If I ever have to do it again it better be when they're hauling me out for the big dirt nap. I'm not kidding.

Also, it took for-ever (a month) for the internet provider to permanently install my dsl connection. Surprisingly, my neighbors kept running over the wires that were laying across their gravel driveways. You know you're in the boondocks when...

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I've been living with my horse for a little over two weeks now. It's so great. SO GREAT! I can watch Val ~~frolicking in his paddock~~ ambling around from one meal to another from the comfort of my bed. I can feed him breakfast in my pajamas. Without even brushing my teeth first. Heavenly.

Even better - I've already ridden more in the last week than the two previous months. Happy rides. Harmonious. Cooperative. Lots of transitions, with the focus on rebuilding our fitness by trot, trot, trotting. Keeping us moving forward is my main goal at the moment. Apparently Val appreciates it when I'm not a stiff jangly bucket of nerves. He's pretty relaxed himself these days. Hunting season hasn't flipped him out at all this year. We rode bareback today with hunters blamming away the next property over and he didn't even blink. Such a good boy deserves many gingersnaps!

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I definitely won't be entertaining ~~much~~ at all in the Shimmy Shack. I had several family members shoehorned in there for a few minutes over the weekend, causing a little claustrophobic attack. If it can't be al fresco - it ain't happening folks. So sorry ;)

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After reading Feet First: Barefoot Performance and Hoof Rehabilitation recently, (yes, I jumped on that excellent bandwagon - what a great book!) I decided it might be good for Val to supplement his magnesium. During the ten plus weeks without our farrier I researched white line disease extensively. The Veterycin treatments I gave him seemed to help quite a bit - my farrier could see the improvement. I'll be interested to see how much of a difference the magnesium makes. Actually, I'm thinking I may also need some. Lots of people are deficient in this mineral too. We're using magnesium citrate - it's more easily absorbed than magnesium oxide and can be found at Bulkfoods.com.

Speaking of my farrier - he's officially teaching me how to trim Val, as he may not be able to continue coming to the island. Several folks ditched on their appointments last week, and he was furious. Me too. I'm hoping he'll make it out here a few more times so I can get confident in the process. Fingers crossed. He's a patient teacher, and very generous with his knowledge. Thanks Will.

I'll have to close now, as I'm off early on another all day hay run tomorrow. My hay suppliers are giving me dire predictions about the price and availability this winter, so it's time to stock up. I'm looking forward to catching up on all of your blogs! :)

From the Farmette #7 - Getting there...

2011-10-14T16:06:00.001-04:00

First of all - we have a road again!!! I may never have longed for an inanimate object this much before... welllll, possibly a vintage County saddle ;)

Truck crossing temporary bridge on hopefully permanent road

Taking a super quick break from sorting through my belongings, divvying out my belongings, throwing away my belongings and carting around my belongings.... why must there be so many?

The Shimmy Shack is up and running - all utilities on board (for the most part). I've spent the last week dodging thunderstorms, finishing the new deck, which more than doubles my square footage (!) Dad and I spent two whole weekends on the project, and maybe two perfectionosts is not alwayts better than one, but it turned out fantastic. Dad - words cannot express how awesome you are! Also getting the new building settled in - this was a bit of a nightmare - the baby faced delivery boy apparently needed more practice as he damaged some expensive lumber (and promptly lost my check) due to extreme incompetence.

I had a very nice ride last Friday before the moving craziness began in earnest. We did a good bit of trotting, but didn't drill anything for too long, and utilized the cones, finishing up with some work on the buckle. I think Val may be one of those horses that prefers warming up at a faster gait, and focusing on the walk later on. He really seemed like he enjoyed it. (which is good, because there's more coming where that came from mister man!!)

My recent photos are still on the camera at my other house, where the dogs are convinced that I'm abandoning them each time I walk out the door with a box - and there is no longer internet. Will edit post with some visuals asap. :)

In the Arena #86 - We are stardust, we are golden + award!

2011-10-06T17:05:00.006-04:00

Just in case anyone thought I was exaggerating about the veritable plague of mosquitoes we were having, check this out... caught by the Park Service in a trap, not too far from my farmette last week. 24,000 in 12 hours... (disgusting - right?!)

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Val and I had a very satisfying ride Tuesday evening, although it didn't start out so promising. First, I had to follow Val around the paddock with his halter for a while before I could catch him - unusual. And then he developed a major case of ants in his pants during tacking up. He didn't seem super enthused about the prospect of working after sooooo long. Plus it was technically dinner time. Some firm, gentle persuasion got us on the right track. The ride starts on the ground...

Our warm-up at the walk was uncharacteristically energetic - I'm chalking that up to the lovely cool weather. It did take some work revving up into trot mode however. After a few d-r-a-w-n out attempts on the long sides, we got into gear. Val began responding to my leg immediately. He was very relaxed, snorting and blowing. During our walk breaks, we did a number of correct turns on the forehand, and a few rein backs as well. I'm relieved. It won't take too long to get back to where we were before our extended break from working.

It's funny how sometimes the things you resist are in reality just what you need. It's been really stressful to me not riding for these many weeks... my horse lost fitness... I lost my fitness (sore sore thighs yesterday!). And even more so not having had regular instruction for so long.

The reality is - it's time to put my big girl britches on. I'm officially 100% responsible for my riding at the moment, and may be for some time to come. No more relying on someone else's feedback - I must develop the feel for what is right under saddle.

My plan of action moving forward is:

Regular work schedule. Check. I'll be living full time at the farmette by next weekend so riding time will be optimized. Four days a week would be ideal.

Balance my dressage goals with my riding goals. Time to regroup. I've spent too many sessions getting hung up, sometimes arguing with my horse and I guess letting my reach exceed my grasp. Time to go back to basics. From here on out, my plan is to get Val moving forward at the trot. Lots of long and low, reaching and stretching. We'll concentrate on the walk after warming up at the trot. My job will be to keep him moving, do tons of two point and no stirrup work, and perfect my posting. Loose flexible ankle, legs long and draped, and open hips. My position is important, but not at the expense of impulsion and cooperation from my horse.

Future trainer search. I'd like to take lessons school horses for a while once I do find a trainer prospect. I want lunge lessons - my seat needs the work. Once I've found the right trainer we'll see about putting Val (and me) through all of the work, stress and expense of trailering several hours away and getting used to a new farm. And - I would like to find a trainer who focuses on biomechanics. Who sends me home with exercises to work on, in and out of the saddle. I feel that my intellectual understanding of dressage is competent, but my body fails me, which leads to frustration.

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Annette over at News From Aspen Meadows kindly bestowed an award on our blog... the One Lovely Blog Award. I say - it takes one to know one Annette. She regularly fills her blog with beautiful photos, good training and horse keeping info and fun stories about all of the darling inhabitants of her ranch. If you haven't visited her - do :)

So a stipulation of receiving this award is recommending fifteen blogs and sharing this award with them. Due to many of my choices already having been recognized by Annette and Grey Horse Matters, my list will be limited to these eleven - which amounts to much of my blogroll minus Annette and GHM's lists. ;) I have been remiss in searching out new blogs, as well as posting and commenting lately - as soon as I have completed my move to the farmette, I plan to spread my blog wings again.

In no particular order... every one of these blogs is heartfelt, horse loving, informative and lovely:

Collecting Thoroughbreds

TB at X

It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time

Honeysuckle Faire

Sweet Horse's Breath

The other stipulation of this award is to share seven things about myself, so here goes...

1. I studied classical piano, classical ballet and Latin when I was younger - and now classical dressage. This pattern will be explored in a future post, and possibly in therapy lol.

2. I studied graphic design in art school - the equivalent of six years - no degree. Ran out of money or I might have stayed forever...

3. I've never owned a vehicle with automatic transmission. Neither have I trashed a clutch. I'm inordinately proud of that fact ;)

4. I've been a vegetarian (lacto-ovo-pesco) for almost thirty years. Longest commitment in my life.

5. I worked as a sous chef in NYC for several years. Great learning experience but sooooo underpaid!

6. I've broken six bones... none from a riding incident. Best one was (as a four year old) falling out of a the bottom bunk while having a super active dream.

7. I've had four concussions where I lost consciousness... only one from a riding incident. (Tell the truth... are you thinking "that explains it"?!)

At the Barn #51 - Better living through chemistry

2011-09-28T21:04:00.004-04:00

For the first time in ten days, the shiny yellow orb made an appearance in the sky this morning - burning eyes and singeing skin. The collective mood lifted.

Our mosquito population however, has reached astronomical levels now that the rain is finally gone. There is no way you can work outdoors for more than five seconds without protection. It's epic - no one can remember it ever being this bad before.

I generally avoid using bug spray, but right now it is a necessity, for humans and horses. They are suffering too. Val volunteers himself for spraying and scratching immediately upon my arrival to the farm, by galloping to the gate and screeching to a halt with some head tossing thrown in for emphasis. He often gives sweet grooming in return to show his appreciation. Val has really lifted my spirits lately.

Yesterday I ~~almost~~ reached my breaking point upon discovering at dusk that the well pump wasn't pumping (again). Process of elimination led me to a faulty pressure plate, which my Dad and I repaired today, but tolerating the conditions while diagnosing - mosquitos flying into your eyes, up your nose down your throat - put me over the edge. (I capped off my pity party last night with Haagen Daz Creme Brulee. All better.)

Oh look Dad, surprise in the pump house!

There is talk that our road will be back in early October, but no confirmation yet. As of today, they've spanned half the breach... thank you so much road fixing guys!!!

Is tiny road fixing man getting ready to bust a move?!

This weekend we're expecting cool north winds and temps in the 60's. Perfect. Looking forward to leaving the post hurricane blues behind. Yes indeed.

Oh, and Seven is a big help too. Extra good snuggler, this one :)

Keepin' your head above water, making a wave when you can...

2011-09-25T01:54:00.007-04:00

Writer's block

First, my apologies for being a bad, bad blogger. I have kept up with reading your blogs, but writing was beyond me for a while.

This post has been started several times over the last few weeks. Each time upon review it pretty much amounted to a bunch of whining. Venting is satisfying, but very often not that interesting for others to read. Maintaining a good attitude has ~~been challenging~~ taken all my energy for the last few weeks.

Rider's block

O-ver! On Thursday I rode for the first time in maybe six weeks. A very quick and easy ride, bareback, as a thunderstorm rolled in. What a relief, though I will be reinstalling forward.

So, a number of things have kept Val and I from working...

weather - hurricane then nor'easter + over fifteen inches of rain in seven days. We were in a severe drought and needed rain, just not three months worth all at once. Enough already.

abysmal arena footing, although better since the rain, sort of. I've finally met with the contractor for my new arena to plan out the project - weather dependent of course. A happy new development is that we've arranged a trade for the work. Theoretical progress here.

mysterious leg swellings - the last episode was my first experience with stocking up. My recently acquired leg wrapping skills came in very handy once I got a clue that standing around in the run-in for days could cause fluid build-up. Val's hurricane experience apparently instilled a new-found respect for staying dry via his shelter. Happy that he's staying comfortable and I'll wrap preemptively next go-round.

horrid cracked up feet with thrushiness. Treatment: daily picking, Veterycin gel applied around the frog, painting the sole with Venice Turpentine + a seriously unskilled trimming job.

A note about trimming. I absolutely adore my horse! He was an angel, putting up with my abject ineptitude. Clouds of mosquitoes and flies surrounding us and me with no hoof stand and not exactly speedy. I used a chunk of piling to do the leg pulled forward filing work. And my inexpensive hoof nippers behaved accordingly. Comical! Val didn't move a muscle throughout. My only aim was to address the bent upwards chunks that were exposing above his soles, even out the length of foot and to do no harm. Hopefully I accomplished my goals. Sadly it may be another three weeks before our farrier can get back. Pix of the two fronts, before and after... none of them are level unfortunately.

Some news about our dressage education / guidance / mentorship. We're presently looking for someone to study with, and have been for months. It's confirmed now. My trainer is closing up shop. Suffice it to say the economy is a contributing factor. Not that I could go anywhere for lessons any time soon. We're on our own for real now. Will be exploring a couple of options once we can drive off island. Sad.

On the move

Circumstances have pushed our moving date into October, but things are progressing. I luckily (sooo lucky) found a storage facility - they're almost all gone due to numerous folks having storm damage. Lumber for a deck around the shimmy shack is arriving Monday. Not having a road onto the island is screwing up lots of things, including the delivery date of my new half hay shed / half studio building, but I have arranged for the foundation to be built at any rate. The utilities changeovers are scheduled. And I have been bestowed a physical address - which I was told at one point could only happen with a building permit. Very handy for when lumber deliverers and utilities switchers drop by. The real work of editing belongings begins in earnest now - by far my biggest challenge. I have found numerous ways to avoid dealing with my crap. Which I have too much of. It's officially crunch time. ;)

Gratitude

I made it off island last week for a full moon marathon hay run. A seventeen hour day all told with two ferry lines + rides added in. The hay is beautiful seventy pound bales of orchard grass, and now I may have enough to last through the end of the year. Highlight of the trip was a sublime nap on the boat ride home with lovely breezes blowing right into my truck as I got the best sleep in months on the pillow I remembered to bring. Low point was when I managed to cap off the day by taking a spill out of the back of the trailer after the hay hook suddenly let go of the bale I was trying to pry out while standing on another bale. I went flying backwards, landing flat on my back, halfway on and off the ramp. No major harm done. Yet another horse related activity that warrants wearing a helmet! ;)

And finally - Seven is such a spectacular kit-tehn. Smart, super snuggly, gets along well with others. Update on the extra toe count - grand total of twenty four. I had to do a kitten to cat comparison to confirm that cats don't usually have hind foot thumbs. And no, we don't have the world record, not with a mere twenty four toes. That would require twenty eight.

early start

big moon

sunrise from the ferry

waking up

Hope springs eternal... or Nothin' left to do but smile, smile, smile

2011-08-31T12:46:00.002-04:00

I guess I'm officially addicted to the internet. It was more of a bummer not to be able to get online than it was to have no power, a/c, refrigeration, tv. I did miss my vacuum almost as much as my darling apple though... I've been optimistically carrying the laptop around for days. In the car... in my bicycle basket when you couldn't drive yet, (frantically) trying every available plug or wifi spot. No luck until today. Weeeee - I'm giddy :)

While the storm was bad, it could have been much much worse. (Stay tuned for my official rant about The Weather Channel - all drama, all the time + pix and video) Val thinks it was pretty bad since he had to endure the experience alone. (I thought I heard Val singing a sad little song when I made it back up to the farm..."♬♪Where have all the cookies gone.... long time pa-assing...♪♬")

His buddy Cowboy evacuated - against better judgment - to a place off island , and much more vulnerable to tide than here. I still haven't gotten through to his people about how they fared.

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As it stands now, we're cut off from the mainland by several (five) new inlets, which will have to be filled in and a new road built over.

In the meantime sole access to the island will be by a two hour ferry ride to the mainland - dependent on weather conditions - landing you in the middle of nowhere, another hour to civilization...

I don't even want to think about the repercussions. Minimum six hours to equine veterinary care and hay. A trip of any consequence will require staying overnight. Moving plans on hold until there's a road to deliver the 10 x 20 building I ordered (hay storage + studio space). Val's feet are atrocious- un-rideable condition - and the farrier canceled his two week overdue appointment last week. I doubt he'll be back until the road is sorted out. I guess I'll be borrowing tools and trimming Val myself. Anyone with advice (smazourek?!) please leave in comments. Bottom line - life is going to be even more (I really want to use curse words here) complicated than it already was.

Looking on the bright side:

My home wasn't flooded
Generators arrived to supply our power yesterday
The Shimmy Shack survived intact other than a minor leak
The truck only suffered a few high speed pine cone scars
I had just purchased feed + raised and tarped my hay supply- so no diet for Val ;)
My refrigerator is sparkling clean - "when in doubt - throw it out"

And finally, to all of our readers... I haven't said enough (ever?) how much it brightens my days to be connected to such a kind, knowledgeable and supportive group of horse(wo)men. Thank you!

At the Barn #50 - A few of my favorite things

2011-08-24T22:16:00.000-04:00

Whoa - long time no post. It's been a whirlwind around here.

A synopsis:

❖ Just as the heat wave broke, Val's rh swelled up and got hot again. More icing, wrapping and buteing. He's a really good patient and I am getting the hang of wrapping his legs. It's all in the wrist ;) In the meantime we've done a ton of groundwork which has been really good for us. I can see the results, but I can't wait to get back to a regular riding schedule. Val thinks he's joined the AARE...

❖ The farrier can't make it until next week (over seven weeks) + it's been super hot and dry + the flies have been ferocious, so Val's feet are horrible - chipping and cracking. I had to get the rasp out myself. Now sporting several new band-aids :)

❖ Dad and I installed the connection from the trailer to the septic tank. We did a very professional job if I do say so myself. Heck - we showed up. That's better than most contractors around here. We're thinking of a sideline business - B&C's Fake-ass Plumbing - "You need to poo, we know what to do!"

❖ My left hand is enormously swollen from a white-faced hornet sting x 3 in the barn Sunday morning. I had been maintaining a live and let live attitude about these guys. Frankly, I didn't even realize they were hornets til that little bugger attacked me, but let's just say he met his maker at the end of my broom last night. Extremely painful. I'm wondering if Val's mysterious swellings were from hornet stings?

❖ Earthquake. Too bizarre...

❖ Impending hurricane. I spent the day doing preparations, with more of the same on tap for tomorrow. The farmette is in pretty much the best location on the island as far as wind and tide go, so Val should be fine. There will likely be major sound-side flooding around my house. Bye bye garden. Bye bye flower beds. Bye bye nice lawn. Living in the path of periodically destructive storms does help learn the "don't get too attached to stuff" lesson.

To end on a happy note:

Meet the newest addition to our household. I found him last Friday night, stunned on the edge of the road. I believe he was hit by a car as he had a wound on the top of his head like he had skidded on it. And he acted like he had a concussion. He perked up the next day, and has figured out grown up cat food, litter boxes and friendly humans. Oh, and upon closer inspection, several extra toes on each paw were discovered. We shall call him Seven :)

At the Barn #49 - No good deed goes unpunished (II)

2011-08-10T23:30:00.008-04:00

Recently during my many midday trips to the barn to administer cooling showers over the last month, I noticed that Cowboy was often out of hay. Out of hay in his boiling hot sand paddock with no grazing. Out of hay from noonish to sometimes after dark. When it happened five days in a row, I finally had to say something.

One evening everyone was at the barn at the same time, so I brought it up to Cowboy's owner L. She's young - fifteen - but a good rider and a pretty good listener too. I mentioned that the hay bag had been empty repeatedly, and asked how much hay she was feeding.

When she said three flakes. I proceeded to give the "hay lecture" :

Hay flakes are all different
Horses (with no grass) need 2% of their body weight in hay per day
For Cowboy that's 24lbs or so, which could be a third to a half bale of hay depending
Weighing the hay is more accurate - did she want to borrow my scale
Horses need to eat constantly for their digestion to function properly
Without enough hay, at best you have a restless bored horse, at worst a colicking horse

During the hay discussion L's mother M walked up and interrupted:

"Well - I've NEVER heard that before. That's not how we did it in Pa. When he lived in Pa he only ate so and so flakes. Besides he just drops it on the ground and then it's wasted."

This put me over the edge. I laid into her about how I didn't care how they did it in back in Pa - didn't he also have grass up there - yes. Was she the one feeding him there - no - it was full board. Didn't he show up to my barn from Pa about 150 lb underweight - yes. Eight hours is entirely too long for him to go without hay. A few bales of hay are waaay cheaper than colic surgery, and besides you have to be able to get your horse on a trailer before you can even get to the vet...

This was the interesting part.

The conversation took place over my paddock gate, me and Val on one side. L and her mother on the other. When things got intense, Val proceeded to stretch his neck out over the gate, turn his head sideways and gently lay it on M's shoulder. He snuggled up close to her neck and kept his head there for the entire exchange, about ten minutes. Val has given me a horse hug or two since I've known him, and he's more than happy to share grooming, but this was a very unusual display of affection. I was overwhelmed with the feeling that Val was trying to diffuse the tension, and that he felt for M while she was undergoing the wrath...

( Okay - my ~~ability to tolerate foolishness~~ patience was at zero. Hormonally challenged.)

Was I being cute - - - again?!

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I saved this critter from being hammered by the sprinkler in the garden this evening...

I thought it was called a Hummingbird moth. Pretty hefty right? :). They hover while hunting nectar at night, and do sound just like a hummingbird when they buzz around your flowers.

Apparently it's also called a Sphinx or Hawk moth. Unfortunately (I didn't realize) the caterpillar version is the tobacco / tomato hornworm - dreaded enemy in the garden. They are startlingly large as well. Pretty is as pretty does...

In the Arena # 85 - Now is the summer of our discontent... At the Farmette # 6 - You say tomato, I say ka-ching!

2011-08-08T15:33:00.000-04:00

Update on the suddenly swollen ankle - - - it's back to normal!! Several commentors had suggested a bug bite or sting might be the cause, and I did inspect closely looking for signs of that, or some kind of injury, and didn't find either. But I did find this post from almost exactly a year ago... go figure. Next year I'll probably know better :)

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Still waiting for the weather to break... still having a cool shower + watermelon snack daily... still not much riding going on. We are doing groundwork, especially leading work to and from our grazing field. Val often wants to impatiently charge ahead of me on our way out to the green green grass. This provides plenty of opportunities to practice halts and backing up until we can get our mind on our work. On our way back to the paddock, when we're grass drunk, everything is nice and mellow. We can even walk in the super scary mini woods trail. Yesterday when ~~a death dealing stranger~~ Pat, Cowboy's grandad, ~~lurked around suspiciously~~ walked past the manure pile pushing a wheelbarrow, the reaction was limited to a four footed stomp - aimed in the opposite direction of the handler. What a good boy :)

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Even without getting to ride, and being hot as hades, Saturday was super productive. While my Dad took charge of installing the tie downs that will keep the Shimmy Shack from shaking too much or even tipping over in the big winds we often get, I weeded and harvested the garden. I also harvested some bamboo to make stakes for my pepper plants on steroids. The bamboo was here - I would never willingly put that kind of invasive plant in. Hopefully I can keep it in check by using it for projects around the farm.

Anyway - I took my harvest over to a fantastic local restaurant whose chef is contracting me to grow specialty produce for them next year. We're going to work out the details this fall, but in the meantime he purchased a beautiful basket of four kinds of heirloom tomatoes, red and yellow cherries and an assortment of hot peppers. And he pays waaayyy better than the farmers market. Yay - and once again - thanks Dad!

At the Barn #48 - Take out wrenched ankle...

2011-08-06T00:01:00.002-04:00

Yesterday afternoon during my visit to the barn for midday cool rinse + watermelon break, I noticed some pretty major swelling in Val's right hind lower leg. Bummer. It was all the way around his fetlock, down into the pastern and above the fetlock for a few inches. It was pretty warm, and the swelling was firm, even tight, feeling. I cold hosed, and got Val to stand in a bucket of nice cold well water for about fifteen minutes. He also got 2g of bute.

Early this morning, the swelling wasn't any better - in fact it was possibly a bit worse. More bute, and I rushed up to the barn as soon as I finished work. This time I took some of those flexible freezy bags, and polo wrapped them around his ankle. While he chilled out, I groomed, trimmed and clipped. Then I compression wrapped the affected leg, all the while wishing that I had practiced this skill prior to needing it, but I think I did an okay job.

We trotted out on level ground to check for lamenes, but I couldn't observe his movement very well while leading him. I need a helper. However, he didn't appear to be off. Also checked his pasterns to be sure they were still at the same angle - check. Big sigh of relief on that one.

Stomping flies (they are ungodly bad right now)? Torquing leg in the #^*$%*#@& deep sand? It certainly isn't a result of too much work. Let's hope the swelling has gone down tomorrow morning, otherwise we'll have to plan for a trek to the vet - an all day affair.

Besides, it's better for everyone involved (Val) if we limit the bute consumption. It results in such drama.* One could almost be convinced that poor Val will never again enjoy his most favoritest horse cookies. Or even the humblest bowl of horse chow for that matter.

After this mornings dose, Val took issue with my having loaded the hay bag with the same hands that touched the dreaded bute tube. He proceeded to deliberately sniff the freshly loaded nibblenet all over. Then he sniffed my hands, sniffed the bag, hands, bag... finally he delicately lipped out about three strands of the offending hay, spun them around in his lips a few times, dropped them on the floor and stepped on them. Another round of sniffing - hay, hands, hay, hands... big sigh.

I read you Valentino!

*(drama was significantly milder (disappeared) when delightful grazing was offered)

In the Arena # 84 - What we did on our summer vacationFrom the farmette #5 - Bumper crop and + channeling Mr. Clean

2011-08-02T14:52:00.008-04:00

It has been (almost) unbearably hot and humid for two straight weeks... so I thought I'd give you a taste of our day to day routine. (can't wait for a different routine) Note that it (almost) includes no riding. Oh and I'm posting this today - written yesterday - because it literally took all night to upload / download these measly videos.

Unfortunately we're expected temps to get back up into the 90's with 90% humidity again all week long. Working outdoors is kicking my butt at the moment. Boy do I love swimming pools + the ocean + showers + air conditioning...

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Vacation is officially over. It rained enough to firm up the arena temporarily, and cooled off a bit as well, so ~~tonight~~ last night, we finally rode! A nice bareback ride before dinner. Thank goodness... the longer I go without riding the squirrelier I feel about our first ride back. Happily, it was all good. I did lots of stretches in the saddle, focusing on staying balanced and even. Front to back as in on all three points of my seat, and side to side as in no collapsing my left side / shortening my right leg. Our steering and turns on the forehand reflected the evenness. This seems so much easier to me when I'm riding bareback.

There appears to be a tropical storm on the horizon, which I (almost) welcome. An extended period of rain would resolve my arena footing issues for a while, as well as our drought. Fingers crossed for a near miss that drops three or so days of rain and no wind to speak of...

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Pie in the Sky produce is coming along. I have managed to keep my basil producing by cutting it back six nodes down each time I harvest. Last week I picked a big ol' basket of peppers - which are selling very well at the market.

I also have started eating tomatoes - a nice assortment of heirlooms. ♡BLT's + tomato sandwiches ♡!! I'm not even too sad about the diminished crop caused by rampant blossom end rot. I'd just be having to can them in this miserable heat - how's that for making lemonade!

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Trailer update:

A while back I got a request for "grody" pictures of the trailer pre-cleaning...

Stains + outright filth

Rodent + water damage

Yep - there were definitely rodents... lovely

I have cleaned out all the ~~crap~~ belongings of the former owner. Vacuumed thoroughly and steam cleaned - carpet and upholstery - twice. Hooked up the water, which entailed a hide and seek for the water lines, which entailed tons of exploratory digging on the hottest day anyone here can remember.

Now that I have water, I can begin the scrubbing. I've preliminarily doused the bathroom with strong cleansers. This weeks agenda includes hooking up the septic lines, bleaching the water tanks and connecting hurricane straps. As I spend more time in the Shimmy Shack, I can see myself living there. I think it's going to be good :)

At the Barn #47 - Beating the heat

2011-07-24T00:32:00.000-04:00

Excessive temps got you down?

This is how we roll...

A cool rinse...

drinks from the hose...

so refreshing!

And then there's that summertime favorite -

Nom, nom, nommity nom!!

Of course some of us just soak up the air conditioning all day...

At the Barn #46 - The good, the bad and the ugly In the Arena # 84 - Making do

2011-07-18T14:56:00.000-04:00

Guess what showed up at the farmette last week! A cowboy. A real live cowboy. A cow working, colt starting, boot, hat and spur wearing, knows how to use the rope hanging from his saddle horn yes mayam'ing cowboy from a ranch in Wyoming. *sigh*

The real cowboy's kid - a thirteen year old cowgirl - has dreamed of riding horses on the beach for her whole life... this summer they made the dream come true. After stops in South Dakota and Iowa for horse shows and to pick up grandma, they found their way here. Sounds good so far...

Stock photo - not the real cowboy ;)

Background: the woman I bought my property from still owns the land next door. She had to move inland due to health issues, temporarily abandoning her small horse boarding operation. For the past year I have helped her keep the business afloat on this end. Taking bookings, maintaining the facility, sorting the customers out when they get here, often letting them camp on my property. Here's why - although I enjoy meeting the horses (and horse people), I'm planning to put an end to helping with boarding business.

Shortly after the boarder's arrival, we spent three hours in the boiling hot afternoon sun releasing their 25,000 lb converted semi + three horse slant with live-in from a soft spot in the sand where the cowboy had attempted to turn the rig around. We ended up creating a track with lumber that I luckily had laying around. A very labor intensive and sweaty job. (strike one)

And the picnic table I sat on for a few minutes while rehydrating was apparently infested with chiggers. The back of my legs are covered with scores of maddeningly itchy bites. (strike two)

The offending devil bug

At 9:30 that same night, I was well on my way to bed when a series of confusing phone calls ensued. My neighbor down the way from the farm called to tell me that the cowboy's elderly mother was lost in the neighborhood randomly knocking on doors. I tracked her down at another neighbor's house. She wanted to call the police because she was worried about her son and granddaughter not being back from riding. She also had no idea where she was - across the street from my farm, her son's truck, her son's cell phone, (and her son and granddaughter as it turns out). I talked her down, reminding her that the ride takes over two hours which technically gave them another fifteen minutes, and directed her back across the street to her son's truck with the phone and the living quarters where she could wait comfortably. I also wondered how the police could possibly help someone who has no clue where they are.

I then left a message on the cowboy's cell asking that he please call me to let me know he and his daughter had returned safely. I never got a call, so could barely sleep worrying that one of them was injured and they had to spend the night in the woods or worse. Why would you not carry a cell with you on a trail ride in a strange new place when it was likely to be dark before you get back? (strike three)

SO as much as I love sharing our fabulous trail ride to the beach - I'm done with feeling responsible for people who don't / won't be responsible for themselves, no matter how adorable they are or how cute of an accent they have...

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I took advantage of a beautiful cool day on Saturday to finally get a ride in. Still very very deep footing in our arena. There's a small area that is still somewhat firm, so we stuck to working in that limited space, at a walk. A delightful bareback ride. We worked on moving out, outside rein connection, halts and turns on the forehand. And me being even and balanced, keeping my weight down in my right side, not collapsing my left side. I thought from Val's responses, that I had succeeded in evenness, but the pictures tell a different story. :)

Left leg longer...

"Need more cookies - mouth empty!!"

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An update on improvements at the farmette...

My poor grading / tractor man is recovering from double hernia surgery. He'll be out of commission for many weeks, so the new arena is on hold (again). We'll have to work where we can, and pray for rain. On a good note - over the weekend I got the trailer properly electrified. That just leaves bringing in h2o and connecting to the septic and then we're operational. On tap for the next few days - carrying the trailer contents to the dump + the very thorough cleaning. Stay tuned for pix...

In the Arena # 83 - Few and far between From the Farmette # 4 - Moving day and lessons from the otter

2011-07-11T18:15:00.008-04:00

Val is getting a heat + footing + busy-ness related break this week. I'm bummed. I really want to be posting about making progress with my horse. The way things are looking - riding time will be hard to come by for the next little while.

It's been too miserable to ride any time except the evenings. The arena footing is still atrocious even after our first decent rain came last Friday, which would have been cool enough to ride except it was pouring all day.

Our farrier got rained out on Friday, so had to cram everyone on the island in on Saturday. I think he was hurrying. Val and Cowboy were sore, and both of them complained during the trim, which doesn't usually happen. The part where W. uses the nippers seemed like it pained them some. He claimed that it was because of the rain, that their feet were soft. I wondered if one day of rain after over two months of no rain (in a sand paddock) would have that effect... I gave Val some bute that night and the next morning, but didn't feel good about riding him.

So instead of riding I took the tractor up to the farm Saturday afternoon, hoping I could drag the arena, and maybe compact it some as well, but (apparently) we need even more rain to firm the sand up enough - the tractor nearly got very stuck. To avoid having to pull it out with my truck, I had to rock the tractor back and forth for seventy five feet or so to creep over to the firmest part of the arena and escape. Fun. It was quite a sight. (and sound) Val actually left his shady hay sanctuary to check me out with curious eyes and ears. He could probably hear my cursing over the tractor noise. Yes, I am a potty mouth.

Along with visiting family obligations, the arrangements relating to with my future living quarters have occupied every extra minute since last week. However, there is ~~good~~ great news on that front. We moved the trailer to the farmette Sunday morning. Although fraught with snags, semi-emergencies and multiple last minute changes of plans - picture a combo of The Beverly Hillbillies + The Three Stooges and you'll be close. Only one flat tire. At one point I had envisioned a doomsday scenario of breaking down in the middle of our only highway, blocking all traffic and needing some type of major league equipment to clear up the mess... No worries, we were ultimately successful.

Hooked up and ready to roll

Backing all the way up the street

On the road again (after we fixed the flat)

Only five miles to go

Almost there

Home sweet home

Today I spent the entire day underneath the trailer (in the dirt) with jacks and large (heavy as hell) chunks of 8x8 shimming the trailer up for level and proper height for access to the septic tank - IMPORTANT! Thank goodness that task is done. I believe that the trailer's nickname shall be "The Shimmy Shack" :)

I am getting the sense that my control freak / type A / ocd tendencies are really going to be challenged through this moving / life change transition I'm embarking on. And that was an understatement :)

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I had a delightful visitor on my early morning dog walks this week. A sea otter. Otters are some of my most favorite creatures - in close competition with any type of monkey (primate)! ;) He seemed to be curious about me as I took these pictures, at one point coming within a couple of feet, standing up to get a better look. It was still pretty dark, so I'm super happy that any of the photos came out.

Otters are seem to be so happy. Even when they are doing their "work" - hunting and fishing, they find a way to enjoy themselves - indulging in frequent play breaks. Lighthearted and joyful - they know how to live :)

In the Arena # 83 - Right round baby, right round From the Farmette #3 - Ask, and you shall receive

2011-07-05T20:06:00.006-04:00

I finally found some time to ride over the weekend. Val was super mellow during grooming and tacking up. (maybe too mellow) And once the ride started, he didn't want to move - at all. Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle of the legs led to tap, tap, tap of the crop. Some pony club kicks. Still a snail's pace. (Just a few months ago I thought we were on to straight, having handled calm and forward...)

Now admittedly Val has a lazy streak. I have my suspicions that this quality is what derailed his racing career. The horse knows how to conserve energy. Favorite gait - whoa. Favorite activity besides eating - sleeping. What complicates matters is that due to the ongoing drought, our arena footing is (at least) 8" deep sand. I can barely push the muck cart through it, and I'm no shrinking violet. When I get this severe lack of forward, part of me thinks - well, I wouldn't want to work in here either.

So I said what the heck, we'll work out in the back of the property - usually a muddy marsh, now an open grassy field. No fence, no gate, no boundaries... and the source of scores of horse eating monsters. I led him out, mounted and we got down to business. Val picked up the pace nicely. We warmed up and achieved a decent marching walk. There were some hiccups with steering, but I picked my battles - forward - and used circles to change direction. Keeping him moving was my main objective. We picked up a trot and did some nice work - round circles, serpentines and figure eights. Overall, I was very pleased. Especially that we both focused on working and not scary stuff :) A good session.

Afterwords we headed back to the paddock. Cowboy, who had watched us quietly the whole time we worked, suddenly decided to flip out. He has had very little exercise lately. This, coupled with excess feed, and he has been ready to explode. Running the fence line maniacally bucking. At one point he acted like he was going to jump the electric fence, right beside us as we walked by. Val - who had apparently saved all of the day's athleticism for this moment - did a reining horse worthy 360° spin. Seriously exciting. After the shock wore off, I dismounted and cussed Cowboy out while we returned to our space. It seemed like my tirade made Val feel as good as it made me feel. :)

Other than that eventful ride, we've been doing a lot of hand grazing. Also some impromptu liberty work - Val following me while I pushed the ~~tasty hay snack delivery~~ I mean muck cart... walk, trot, halt + yielding the hindquarters. Unorthodox but it worked. I hope things settle down soon so we get more rides in :)

My trainer, when I relayed the story of our ride during my recent "tele-lesson", cautioned me that my reservations about the footing could be the source of Val's reluctance. Beware the lack of leadership - our horses are always ready to step in and provide the agenda...

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Now - on to news of the farmette. I GOT THE TRAILER!

my new front door

the "slide outs" - bedroom and dining room extenders

Dad and I gave it the thorough inspection on Friday. While I hope there's enough bleach in the whole world to (eventually) make me feel like it's clean, (no interior pictures as they are a bummer), the important things appear to be in order. No leaks - though I'll be resealing all the seams just the same. It's 36.5' long and 11' wide with the slide outs. (trailer lingo) The appliances can run on gas or electric - handy when the power goes out during hurricanes. Lots of light, and more storage than I would have expected. (look how optimistic I sound)

With any luck, I'll have it moved to my property this week. I spent yesterday going over all of the possibilities for where to locate the trailer, my storage building and the future house eventually. All things that I want to move only once. It was a quite a puzzle. And a bit draining. I believe I got it worked out.

My plans are to be moved in by October. That allows plenty of time to clean, clean, clean... get the water / electric / septic hooked up and build a little deck for some outside space. (The girls will be getting a fenced in yard! ) And also have the mother of all yard sales + pack up everything I'm keeping. And to find a storage space for my furniture - goodbye interesting eclectic furniture - hello mundane tacky blue grey upholstery. (don't even get me started on the carpet!)

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I mentioned a few posts back that I'm calling my produce selling venture "Pie in the Sky" produce company. A few folks commented that they liked that as a name for the farmette. "Pie in the Sky" came up because several years ago someone suggested I should buy my property and I replied "Well, that's a pretty pie in the sky idea!"

I have been cooking up a few other choices. I'd love some feedback + suggestions - thanks :)

Willow Marsh Farm

Willow Ridge Farm

Marsh Ridge Farm

Pie in the Sky Farm

Higher Ground Farm

Dream Weaver Farm

End of the Road Farm

Sandy Lane Farm

Sea Horse Farm

today's harvest - a peck o'peppers + one sad tomato

At the Barn #45 - Murphy's Law + another prize!!!

2011-06-28T21:21:00.001-04:00

Guess what I did yesterday...
I made it rain.

Guess how I did it...

No, I didn't wash and wax my truck, or water my garden, or even do a rain dance. I went on an all day hay run. And returned with trailer full of lovely orchard grass.

Just as I got back into town and prepared to unload the trailer - holy cow - no way - the sky opened up and wet stuff fell out!

I'd be willing to bet - if I had tried to take my flatbed instead of the horse trailer, it surely would have rained all day :)

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I love prizes. A lot. Winning prizes makes me giddy :) So, a few weeks ago I entered a contest, and won some excellent Yes To Carrots hair products from Eagle and Jessica at Thoroughly Yours. Great products btw.

And, since I was on a bit of a roll, I entered another contest at Ashley's fun blog A Process of Learning - starring her horses Ella and Poppy. Stop by and check her out :)

For Ashley's contest I had to write about my horse cleaning challenges... the biggest challenge being when Val sleeps on poo pillows. And we won! A bottle of Absorbine's Showsheen 2 in 1 / shampoo + conditioner showed up on my doorstep last week. Thank you so much Ashley! I haven't tried it out yet, but will definitely review when we do.

Now we both have new shampoo ;)

In the Arena # 82 - Control issues From the Farmette # 2 - 24 hour news cycle

2011-06-26T15:44:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite things about riding / horsemanship is how I am consistently reminded about the many aspects of my personality which need improvement. Patience (lack of), self control (lack of), ability to tolerate frustration(lack of)... it's a long list.

Friday started off cool, overcast and breezy - perfect for riding - oh I wanted to play hookie (sp) from work. By the time I made it up to the barn however, it had cleared off into a sticky and sweltering afternoon. Well too bad - I was at the barn, last ride was on Monday, we were going to ride. (add stubborn to that list) When I finished grooming I was soaked. I tacked Val up, applied plenty of fly spray - and off we went. Sort of. He was less than motivated, I was uber uptight, and we degenerated pretty quickly into a no steering, no forward, balky mess. No unicorns or rainbows here. I dismounted and got my sh#t together on the ground (had a ~~little~~ big 'ol hissy fit).

The upshot - I was hot, uncomfortable and most importantly feeling overwhelmed with non-horse related concerns. (more on those later...) I was neither able to control my body or my emotions. I couldn't concentrate, and basically had no business being on my horse. I also couldn't leave things with Val like they were, unresolved. After much deep breathing (and a few tears) I remounted and salvaged our ride. We did some very nice trot work, especially the 15m circles - round in both directions - and I worked on relaxing my ankles while posting. Add some crisp transitions and we ended on a good note.

After work comes pampering. A cool rinse + minty fresh liniment, drinks from the hose, green grass and then it was dinner time - the best time of the whole day (besides breakfast time). Thank goodness horses are patient with us humans, that's all I can say.

Sweaty all over

Fun with the hose

Refreshingly handsome!

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Yesterday's ride went tons better. Until the gun shots that is. I had just worked through some reluctance to pass close to the neighbors property when blam blam blam - extremely close by gun shots happened unexpectedly. Val and Cowboy both bolted - expectedly. I stayed on. I think my very stern hollering to the neighbor convinced Val that I had the situation under control.

Me "What the hell?! I'm trying to ride my horse over here!"

The neighbor, "I'm shooting a snake! Water Moccasin!".

Me, "Did you hit him?"

Neighbor, "Not yet!"

Me, "How many shots do you need?!"

Neighbor, deciding to have a sense of humor, "Maybe a few more!"

I dismounted and led Val over to the very closest spot by the fence and waited. After each gunshot I fed him a cookie. Training opportunity = bribery. ;) Once the neighbor finally dispatched the snake, or ran out of ammo, I led Val back to the mounting block. He swung his butt out so I force marched him around a few times. We proceeded to have a lovely ride. I focused on draping my legs while still giving effective aids, and we achieved the start of some bend - I could just see Val's inner eye. More successfully round 15m circles, work on our big walk, and turns on the forehand. Attitude is everything in riding.

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On to news of the farmette. Fixing to have ten tons of peppers. Weeding, weeding, weeding. Still no rain, so lots of hand watering. I found some blossom end rot on the first little green tomatoes. Usually a sign of lack of calcium exacerbated by drought conditions / uneven watering. Solution - powdered milk. Who'd have thunk? :)

So - there is some really big news. I think I have found a way to live on my property sooner rather than later. In a decent sized travel trailer one of my landscaping clients owns. I've been eyeing it for a while. The owner mentioned the other day that he would be moving it soon. I took a chance and asked what he was doing with it and he offered it to me. Super affordable price and terms.

This changes everything. As in I'd be getting out from under paying rent + mortgage thereby saving a bigger down payment for building my house - which will likely need to be huge. As in no more commute to the barn two or three times a day - fuel savings and more riding! As in just about all my stuff will have to go into storage - time to seriously minimize.

It's a ton to think about. Lots of decisions and logistics to work out. First step is inspecting the trailer. Then I'll have to figure out the storage situation. I'll probably need to get a small out building for studio space and extra storage. And I have to make sure I can be comfortable for several years in a tin can. With two dogs :)

There is even more news that I'm not at liberty to mention yet - stay tuned... (I think I need a drink!)

In the Arena # 81 - Hanging loose on the second longest day + a farmette update

2011-06-20T23:55:00.005-04:00

Well... Val had a mini vacation since our trip last weekend, and I've taken a little break from the blog. It has become blazing hot, and the flies are out of control. One way I can tell? My horse gallops to the gate when I arrive, practically begging me for fly spray. And once I've sprayed him, he happily blows and snorts, while the flies promptly start chewing on me.

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In the meantime, the garden is going to town, despite our almost total lack of rain. We have had exactly two twenty minute thundershowers since the first of May. My well is struggling and the grass is getting crispy. As a result, I'm resorting to recycling water. When I twice daily refresh and clean Val's water bucket, instead of throwing out the old water - I transfer it to a big bucket placed in my wheelbarrow, wheel it up to the garden and small bucket it onto the plants. Can you imagine what life is like for women who must daily carry all the water for their household for many miles? Sometimes on their heads?! I believe that I didn't take water for granted before - but I know I don't now.

A milestone... I harvested my first tomato - a sweet little cherry(!) Bigger milestone - last Monday I sold my first produce to the local farmer's market. Nearly two pounds of organically grown basil. Grown with organic practices - I'm not interested in becoming officially organic. I feel that designation has been co-opted. No chemical pesticides, no chemical fertilizer. Hand weeding and removing pests by hand as well. There has already been an attack of some voracious tiny caterpillars. Total eradication isn't possible, but I've kept the numbers within what the plants can tolerate. As I scouted out and picked the little buggers, pictures of my tobacco farming grandmother came to me. As she patrolled her garden, she would dispatch (smear) caterpillars between her thumb and forefinger, quite handily. Especially those fat pale ones that hide in the mushy places on corn cobs... I remember how repulsive that was to me as a child. Now I see the practicality and economy of motion. But I still can't go there - I just leave them out in the hot sun to sizzle :)

I'm calling my mini farming venture Pie in the Sky Produce Co. This year is just exploratory, but next year the plan is to increase the amount and type of produce... hopefully contracting with a wonderful local restaurant as well as selling to the market.

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The wind switched this afternoon bringing cooler temperatures, so Val and I had a very pleasant evening ride. My focus was to continue the work we had done at my trainer's - keeping my body relaxed and free while using light but persistent aids. Val is not at all interested in exerting himself in the deep sand of our arena at the moment, but I remained neutral in my seat and my emotions (so hard!) while insisting that my reasonable requests were answered, followed by lots of praise. I got him listening to me, moving off of my leg with some nice turns on the forehand. I was very pleased with our simple work.

Side note: My trainer had mentioned at my lessons that she was wearing plain cotton (not full seat) riding pants now and found her seat was much improved. Not the first time I've heard that sticky seat riding pants aren't necessarily helpful. So I rode in my plain cotton riding pants this evening and I concur. So much more mobility and freedom in my legs. And bonus - I don't need a shoehorn to pull them on when I'm sweaty and it's totally humid in my burning hot tack room - a serious struggle some days ;)

Any big plans for the longest day of the year?!

In the Arena # 80 - Well worth the wait + letting it all go

2011-06-14T00:29:00.007-04:00

No computer access since last week, so my apologies for the sparse posts. Also - thanks to our new followers. The weird blogger issues from a few weeks ago made it difficult to find out who you are until recently. Will be catching up on reading posts and comments over the next few days. Oh - and p.s. - I think my use of the term horse p*rn the other day (that's what I call my horse magazines) caused some major traffic. Yikes!! Am I going to have any regrets due to this naive mistake?!

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So - I've had just two lessons since last November - only one on my own horse. It's been exhilarating, frustrating, but mostly so challenging to be responsible for Val's and my dressage training... it was such a relief for us to finally work with my trainer again.

Friday was our travel day. After packing the truck and trailer - Val couldn't load fast enough once he sniffed out the extra special alfalfa kicker in his hay bag - we hit the road. I'm thankful for my fiberglass trailer. With temperatures in the mid nineties, Val was still (fairly) cool and comfortable. Our 3 1/2 hour ride was smooth, but best of all, safe. After arriving and getting Val settled in, I trailered a horse from another farm across town back to my trainers place. Dinner + a movie and day one was done.

We had three lessons, two Saturday and one Sunday. Started off with some groundwork refreshers. I have not been consistent in my space boundaries lately when Val and I are leading and hand grazing, so he has been disregarding my authority ;) Erin reminded me that when I correct him, I have to mean it. To put the absolute fear of god in Val if he steps one inch into my space, doesn't stop on a dime, etc. every single time! My inconsistent leadership stresses him out - he's much happier when I make the decisions. This work had immediate benefits under saddle - what a good boy!

Is it time to work? No? Ummm, cookies then?!

On to our main objective - relaxation. We did numerous exercises that loosened me up.... ankles, hips, arms and torso. At one point I was dancing to the trot (doing the twist)... totally fun, and Val was loving it. I became very aware of where I hold my tension. It was amazing how Val's movement became freer, smoother and bigger once I let go and stopped blocking him. There was lots of blowing and snorting + grateful looks. :) Here's what I want to keep in mind:

What I thought I was addressing with more leg - sluggishness, lack of forwardness - was really Val trying to cope with me being tense and unbalanced.

No holding. No holding tension in your body, or more importantly in your mind. It blocks your horse - and if you keep it up - pretty sure it pisses them off.

No holding your aids either. Adjust him and trust him. Trust is not 95%, 98%, 99.9% - it is 100% or nothing.

You cannot prevent mistakes. You need to allow your horse to make an error, and then you have an opportunity to correct it. I had a major realization of how often I am guilty of this. It's an insidious form of not being in the moment.

Overall, the weekend with my fabulous guy was so wonderful. He enjoyed grazing, friends, attention, the grass... don't forget the grass! I can't wait to do it all again, but in the meantime, I'll be focusing on loosening up so we can boogie!

Nancy and Lad

Ashley and Howard

Bud and Val grooming - Lad watches longingly

Lovin' feelings

In the Arena # 79 - Oh, it was hot all right...

2011-06-07T22:31:00.005-04:00

Well, not how you would think...

Temps did get up into the 90's right after our last ride, so we skipped out for a few days, sticking to hand grazing and ground work. Then the temps came down nicely (!) However with the cool breezes from the north came acrid smoke from a forest fire burning peat in the ground on the mainland. Trust me that it stinks! More groundwork... extended grooming sessions... mane pulling... tail banging... tack room cleaning...

Finally today we rode. After a whole week off, I guess I expected to be a little rusty. And I kept to a walk, as our footing is dreadfully deep. It is hard for me to push the wheelbarrow through it at the moment.

While warming up I asked for a turn on the forehand, and we somehow ended up backing into the electric fence. Poor Val. Often I think to turn the fence off before we ride because it's really strong and I fear touching it with my legs when we work on the rail. *warning - Darwin award material coming* Once I touched it with my shoulder while reaching in to pull the drain plug out of a tub full of water... reaching through the fence strands instead of going around - into water! Lazy + stupid. When my shoulder hit the wire it felt like a cigarette burn, or maybe a hot iron...

Anyhow - after the shock came "the great leap forward"! Thankfully I stayed on, and again a few minutes later when we got too close to the same spot. Interestingly, our ride really improved after the shock. Val listened better, and had more energy. Our school figures were very accurate, we got a bigger walk, decent contact - chewing and reaching on the loose rein, and a number of halts from seat, core and exhale / no rein.

What started out as a disorganized and frustrating ride, evolved into a success. The takeaway:

Give Val the benefit of the doubt - keep the aids light
Following hands
Consistent inside leg to outside rein makes consistently round circles
Engage the core and breathe

And apparently my seat is a little better than I think it is. Val popped up and bolted forward today. Only for a few strides, thank goodness, but I was right with him. He didn't react as violently as he could have, and I didn't freak out either. Good for the confidence - that :)

In the Arena # 78 - All's well that ends well...

2011-05-31T13:51:00.006-04:00

So, last winter I posted about emergency repairs to the well pump that brings water to my barn. Dead well pump. Not fun - again...

There's the inconvenience of having to take things apart, purchase new parts and put them together... I know I shouldn't complain too much as my handyman (who also happens to be my father - love you Dad!) does the real work. All I really have to do is fetch tools and run back and forth turning spigots on and off. Then there's the worry about what we would do if suddenly we don't have the well. Dad does the fixing - I do the worrying.

I was right to worry. For the last month or so, the well not been reliable. Uneven, surging water flow that will sometimes peter out after being used for more that filling up a bucket - horse rinsing, or watering the garden. We checked out possible mechanical causes, but there may be another factor. The water table is as low as I have seen it since living here. Lack of rain in general, and lack of tropical systems that really dump in particular. I woke up this morning scheming about transporting water in the back of my truck, and siphoning verses carrying buckets, trailering Val to my house for bath time...

Good news is that handyman extraordinaire got the mechanics taken care of so we can bring what water there is to the surface - let's pray for rain!

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Progress... Dad and I laid out the boundaries of the new arena over the weekend, as well as shot levels to get an idea of how to move around the material we have, and how much sand I'll have to bring in for the project. It looks like rearranging what sand I have already will make the cost more manageable. Next step - planning. I have to take all the info we collected and transpose it onto a large copy of the site drawing. Ugh - math. I had to pull out the pythagorean theorem to make sure the layout was square. Within inches as it turned out, although a calculator was necessary to accomplish the ciphering ;) Getting closer all the time. Once we have our proper arena with proper footing there will be no excuses Val!

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Val and I had a "play date" yesterday. I hooked up with the only other dressage rider in the area - D, a summer visitor. She borrowed a horse and brought him over for some schooling as I have the only "arena" around. Val was happy to have horse company - Cowboy pulled his patented scary jump out from behind the run in when they go by move. Twice. Thankfully Charlie, a pretty little refined chestnut quarter horse, was unfazed.

We had a nice first session, although Val took advantage of my lack of focus. It was the first really hot day and he didn't feel like moving at all, so it took a lot of effort - mental and physical - to get beyond a walk. To be fair, the arena sand is very deep right now, making it all the harder to work. I can barely push the manure cart through it at the moment. Our trot transitions were labored and took way too long, with even some popping up in the front end as protest. (Yes - I was blocking with my hands at the time) ;) We finally got some round 15 meter circles at the trot, very good work on the buckle before it was over, and we ended on a high note.

It will be a good challenge for us to focus on working with other horses and distractions around. D's arrival is very timely. We have plans for more rides, with photos and video to come.

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A final note - with the sudden temperature rise come the snakes. This little pretty appeared between me and my destination - Val's stall window as I left last night. She may have been laying eggs under the wash rack concrete pad when I disturbed her. She hissed, coiled, struck and rattled her tail at me. An impressive display, but bluffing none the less. Hopefully this will be as serious as our snake interactions get this summer :)

At the Barn #44

2011-05-28T22:38:00.005-04:00

Stopped at the post office on my way home from the barn and what did I find in my box? New horse p*rn. I absolutely love Fuego XII! So cool of Dover to put him on the cover. Wish there was a centerfold ;)

Edited to add: If you didn't get the chance to see Fuego XII's freestyle from last years World Equestrian Games, please enjoy now :)

In the Arena #77 - Thigh-ku

2011-05-26T20:39:00.001-04:00

Forgot saddle pad...

How to post bareback? Val says -

Say what!? (thighs sore now)

Any suggestions for posting bareback? Am I supposed to post from my thighs so as not to pinch with my knees? Is that even possible? How far off of the saddle is far enough?

Four rides this week so - off to a tub with bubbles and epsom salts. :)

In the Arena #76 - Three rides = wet saddle pads + :)

2011-05-25T23:39:00.009-04:00

Recently I made an addition to the description of our blog - "and the occasional tale about creating my one-woman farmette". Well, the one woman farmette has kept me super busy lately, hence the infrequent posts. I spent much of last week building new garden beds and filling them with our lovely composted manure. Then came the planting the baby vegetables and herbs. Yay! Then came the deer.

So a few more days to round up materials and fence the beds. The materials were on order, but Bambi found the garden with one day to spare, and tasted a number of plants. It looks like everything will recover nicely, if just a bit misshapen. I wasn't able to find something to recycle for this purpose, but I did come across an inexpensive, flexible plastic fencing that should last, will be reusable and was relatively easy to install. Then I scrounged up some old fish net to drape over the beds when the birds come around to peck up my ripe tomatoes. They always know the peak of ripeness, as do the racoons.

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We've gotten three rides in this week. Doing loads of trot work, and our stamina is increasing. Our balance through the corners is better. I'm getting some honest reaching for contact - usually right after the trot transition - although it's not sustained yet. I've become obsessed with both of us getting fitter, and specifically with Val's haunches filling out. I know that getting Val to work over his back, use his hind end and carry himself properly is the key to our dressage and fitness goals. I haven't pinpointed what I'm doing / not doing, but hope that when I can get us up to my trainer's farm for some lessons again she'll set me straight. I'm so looking forward to riding in a proper arena with good footing. Time to complain about my arena again... it's very deep sand at the moment due to lack of rain. I've been thinking that I want to start working on the canter, (which I can't believe I'm saying) but until the footing is more solid I don't want to try it at home.

Overall, things are going really well for us now. While our improvement isn't swift, it is happening consistently. What I am most pleased with is my partnership with Val. And we're becoming more adventurous - two jr. trail rides this week, after schooling in the unfenced arena. Six months ago I couldn't steer my way out of a paper bag. The thought of a dressage test was literally nauseating. Heck - the though of working outside the arena stressed me out. Now I can finally envision not only successfully completing a dressage test, but possibly showing. Horse shows are pretty impractical when you live in the middle of nowhere like we do, but with enough planning it could be done on the rare occasion. Something to look forward to :)

View from the other arena

Cookie please - bring one for my friend here too....

That's right - it's bath time...

I love shiny things

Just desserts

At the barn #43 - Duh, winning!! (yes to carrots)

2011-05-18T20:48:00.000-04:00

No tiger blood here, but apparently we're lucky!!

Eagle, over at Thoroughly Yours was kind enough to pick Val's name out of a hat a couple of weeks ago for a "Yes to Carrots" contest sponsored by his blog. Eagle is a handsome, energetic and well spoken elder statesman of the thoroughbred world. I don't know how he has the time, but when he isn't galavanting around with his girl Jessica or keeping up with a strenuous west coast social calendar, he writes a very entertaining and clever blog. (There are fun little surprises here and there - try passing your cursor over the pictures) Well worth visiting :)

I picked up "our" package from the post office this afternoon on my way to the barn. It arrived beautifully gift wrapped...

I think at some point Val heard me say that the prize was carrot related (blah, blah, blah, C-A-R-R-O-T, blah blah)... Of course he assumed it was his. A horse prize. For horses. I had to gently break it to him that although carrot-related, it was not technically carrots. Or even edible. Mine Val. All mine. I'll make it up to you buddy ;)

Botanical body care products + carrots = awesomeness. I can't wait to try these out. Thanks Eagle and Jessica!!

In the Arena #75 - Reading is "fun"damental...

2011-05-16T16:50:00.003-04:00

When I very first started studying dressage, a friend kindly recommended some books... My Horses, My Teachers - Alois Podhajsky, Centered Riding - Sally Swift, Riding Logic - W. Museler and 101 Dressage Exercises For Horse and Rider - Jec Aristole Ballou.

I devoured My Horses, My Teachers and Centered Riding immediately. I need to give Riding Logic another try - it was way over my head at the time. Today Val and I cracked open 101 Exercises.

A hundred and one?!!!!!

We dove right in. Before I knew it we had ridden for well over an hour. Why the heck didn't I do this sooner? This book gave me the structure and focus that I had been struggling to find working without my trainer, and relying on my imagination.

We tried three exercises. Large oval with big and little trot, go and whoa, and turns and forward movement. Basically focusing on getting on the aids. Coincidentally, our contact was excellent today. I found it much easier to concentrate on accuracy, my aids and Val's movement, when I didn't also have to plan / decide on our school figure at the same time. The book is designed to be brought to the arena, with large print and simple, well explained diagrams. A fun session - and a great tool for riders who often have to work on their own like we do.

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Over the weekend we also did quite a bit of groundwork. Ground tying is something I've been wanting to accomplish with Val since I got him. We had two extended grooming sessions where he was ground tied the entire time. Initially he tried to walk off. Each time I stopped grooming, (patiently) moved him back, and then continued working.

I got some good insight into Val's coping behaviors during this session. First he tries to walk off. Then he tries what I like to call "hammer-heading". (His head met my elbow several times) Next comes lippy grooming which can turn into nippy clothes grabbing. More elbow. Finally there is extreme head tossing. I had seen this behavior when I met him at his old barn. Once he ran the gamut, which took about fifteen minutes or so, he finally stood calmly, eyes closed and bottom lip dangling. The second session he just stayed put from the get go... what a good boy!

We also did more trailer loading practice. Val self-loaded numerous times, so I think that's confirmed now. I couldn't be happier. I should elaborate - I'm sure that Val self-loaded before I bought him. I haven't taught him anything. A few bad loading experiences when we first got together unfortunately set us back. So really, I'm the one that needed the trailer loading work. I think I've got it down now ;)

Finally, we had an amateur massage session. I worked on Val's poll and neck. He has some very tight places on either side of his poll, and further down his neck as well. I guess it was okay because Val stayed put, and did a lot of stretching and yawning. We have booked a real massage session with someone who practices the Masterson Method. She is located on the other side of the state from us, but happens to be vacationing here in early October. Lucky Val!

At the barn #42 - Why I didn't ride today (Part 2) or I made the boxes and Val made the dirt :)

2011-05-13T23:44:00.005-04:00

Rewind to yesterday evening when blogger was on some kind of fritz, and I didn't get to post this...

48 4x4's cut
4 raised beds
An entire box of deck screws
3 drill batteries - 2 that wouldn't hold a charge + 1 that ran out
2 borrowed drills
5 or 6 new blisters / calluses
3 ticks (pulled off)
2 splinters (pulled out)
+ / - 40 wheelbarrows FULL of composted manure
1 aching back

After losing most of Wednesday afternoon due to equipment malfunction, the garden boxes are finally finished - building, filling and planting.

Some thoughts...
How full can you fill a wheelbarrow and not tip over pushing it up a hill? Is it advantageous to shovel ambidextrously? (Yes - more even soreness.) Don't get a lady drill (12 volts) - it's just can't hold up to real work. A lady hammer is another story however. Projects always take ~~half again~~ twice as long as you planned for :)

I'm well past the age when birthdays are a big deal, but yesterday was the best one I can remember. (Of course my memory is not what it used to be...) After a thoroughly pleasant day at work, I headed up to the farmette to finish preparing the beds for planting. Since I got done well ahead of schedule, there was even time for a quick ride before my dinner plans. Dinner was spectacular, and best of all, the chef, a friend of mine, gave me a tour of their new kitchen garden. We made plans for him to come help himself to more of the manure I have stockpiled, and I may have a future customer for produce from the farmette.

Our ride started on a grand note, with me pulling off my first graceful bareback mount - one smooth motion. I spent the ride focusing on the timing of my leg aids. When I gave the aid just as Val was about to pick up his hind feet, we got a really nice reaching big walk. Made some headway with contact, and we had good energy. It had been a week since our last ride. I think we both were glad to get back to work. Well, I've been working my fingers to the bone... Val has been "working" on his subliminal messages about grazing, grass, things to eat that are green...

At the barn #41 - Why I didn't ride today (Part 1)...

2011-05-09T22:04:00.001-04:00

Instead of riding, I got intimate with my power tools. And my ~~discarded~~ recycled lumber pile.

This summer is my trial run for putting in a large enough garden that I can sell my surplus at the local farmer's market, which btw had no local produce last year. It will also give me somewhere for the manure to go, feed me and my Dad, hopefully offset the mortgage payment and justify the term "farmette". That's the plan - good thing the days are longer ;)

Some people mocked me (love you Daddy-o) when I asked to carry a trailer load of oddly sized 4 x 4's (full of nails) up to the farmette instead of to the dump. Little did they know the next day I would covet an entire fence full of 2 x 2's, nails still attached. Also headed for the dump. These were a little trickier to handle, i.e nobody wanted to help, but as you can see, they also made it to the woodpile.

It's a good thing too, because when I hit the lumber store Saturday to pick up a few extra 4 x 4's that I had figured I'd need, guess what - NO LUMBER. Not a stick. Apparently, the clients are paying the building contractors late, so the contractors owe the lumber store for their lumber, and the lumber store can't pay their bill to the lumber yard... trickle up economics?! Nearest other lumber store - three hour round trip...

Anywho - after rounding up a few scraps over the weekend, today I went to town. Once I solved the wood puzzle, it looked like I was still two 4 x 4's short. I went to the trim pile - the ends off of everything I had cut so far - and pieced together the remaining two boards I needed. And the leftover pieces fit exactly - this kind of thing gets me so excited - instant lumber karma. :)

Tomorrow I'll screw it all together, and then comes the fun part - me and the wheelbarrow have a date with the compost pile...

I've already seen snakes lurking... gloves mandatory!

144 square feet

Can you see where it's pieced together?

In the Arena #74 - Maybe I'm amazed...

2011-05-06T22:31:00.001-04:00

Overheard at the barn a few weeks ago:

"Val - I know I've let you down a few times... for instance the hurtful hay full of foxtail barley. Remember how I lost my cool when you flipped out on the lunge tearing the line out of my hand? And who could forget how I loaded you on the wrong side of the trailer when I came to pick you up from your previous owners... can you say Mr. Toad's Wild Ride?!"

"Okay, I'll make you a deal. I promise you can trust me. I promise - I'll take care of you - and you promise you'll take care of me. Kay? Love ya!"

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So yesterday, I fell off. Sort of. In the best possible way.

When I got to the barn, my neighbor was weed eating, hedge trimming and chain sawing. In the woods right next to my arena. I decided it was high time for Val to get over being scared. I drove all the way to the barn, and I wanted to ride today.

After grooming and tacking up, I took a high-headed lookylou Val over to the mounting block. The weed eater got closer and closer. In the breaks between the whining engine noise, there was crashing around in the woods that you could hear but not see. It took a few minutes, but Val eventually calmed down. I reassured him, and sang him silly songs. (Kacy at All Horse Stuff calls this trail opera - I'd say arena opera.)

We proceeded to have another great ride. We worked on forwardness - keeping my leg on... contact - consistency... half halts - timing... balance - riding both sides of my horse... transitions - getting immediate response to my aides and riding into our corners. Nothing new there. And there probably won't be anything new for a while. It's going to take time for Val and I to incorporate all of these elements into our rides. Especially working almost exclusively on our own as we are. Will keep you posted on progress - hope we're not tedious, tiresome or monotonous in our quest to achieve correct, elegant, cooperative movement.

As we rounded the corner closest to all of the commotion, I was concentrating on not leaning in on my turn, and Val was concentrating on freaking out. He shied pretty violently to the inside. I was unseated, but not enough to come off. I had the presence of mind to grab my saddle rather than Val's mouth. He had the presence of mind to stop freaking out. As I got back over my horse, the girth slipped and I sort of rode the stirrup down to the ground - it felt much like an escalator. I fixed the saddle, mounted back up, and we continued the ride. I was so proud of him. A few months ago both of us would have been too unsettled from the noise and distractions to even consider riding, much less recovering from an incident. I believe that his trust in me is growing every ride. And I look forward to each new ride, where at one point I dreaded them. I'm so grateful.

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After grooming and carrot stretches, I thought "why not do a little trailer loading practice?". It seems to go smoothly when we're on the same page after a good ride. This time was no exception. He followed me into the trailer twice with no delay. So I thought "what a good time to push the envelope!" and baited up the trailer by leaving a gingersnap on the chest bar. Val self loaded three times in a row. Walked right in with the lead rope laying over his back. Yet another multitasking fail prevents me from sharing my joy in video format. Maybe next time :)

Where's.

My.

COOKIE!!

In the Arena #73 - You are the sunshine of my life...

2011-05-01T14:53:00.001-04:00

Best. ride. ever.

Hands down. Happy snorting pony. Zero steering issues. Contact, softening, leg yields, serpentines... etc. Fun! It wasn't even what we did, but how we did it. I rode with something approaching subtlety and tact, and my horse so appreciated it, rewarding me with his willing cooperation. Balance and self carriage are in our grasp. (add a thousand smiley faces here)

Once again I am reminded - if I can get / keep my act together... focus + concentration, tempered by relaxation - Val will gladly give me 100%. (And lots of nibbly grooming while we un-tacked!) I love you Valentino!!

In the Arena #72 - No horses were harmed in the making of this post...

2011-04-29T20:51:00.006-04:00

When I got down to the barn this afternoon, Val came over to say hi, then immediately ambled off to lie down for a big ol' nap. Hel-lo - it's time to work. You get twenty three hours free per day, I'm just asking for one... dude - wake up!

Can't. work. must. snoozzzzzzzzz....

This would be why I have gotten the occasional worried call....

"Um, something might be wrong with Val!"

"You mean he's playing dead horse again?
Just offer him a cookie - he should come back to life."

I may have to rethink this advice, as today I waved cookies - smelling salt style - under his nose, and got only nostril twitches and a half-hearted lip reach for a reaction. I messed around in the tack room for a bit, and when the heat and flies got to be too much for him, he joined me in his stall. We groomed and tacked up with the lead rope just laying over his back, in case he needed to reach his water, which he did. What a good boy :)

We had a very, very nice ride. Worked more on contact and forwardness, with focus on being balanced through the turns and transitions. (inside leg / outside rein). We weren't 100% consistent, but had some really good moments. There were a few sticky turns which resolved as long as we kept moving forward.

After our sweaty trot fest, it was time for a cool refreshing bath, with a liniment rinse and drinks from the hose, followed by grazing. The grass has exploded in the last few days, and must be so tempting when you're stuck in a mostly dry lot all day looking at it.

I deserve this

As Val munched on the grass, I got to thinking about how contrary riding can be. You want to address issues, but not to get hung up on them. Don't obsess about your location in the arena, but your school figures must be accurate. You need to get answers to your aids, but also must know exactly when to stop asking. I guess it really is all about balance. (More balance please!)

Love my horse!!

In the Arena #71 - Discretion being the better part of valor...

2011-04-25T22:44:00.001-04:00

I must confess, I left a little something out of my last post. My ride on Saturday was actually a lesson from a different trainer. My boarder's trainer who was visiting from PA for the week. I had to take advantage of getting instruction with my horse in my arena. But somehow it felt a little bit like cheating on my trainer, and I wanted to mention it to her, before writing about it in my blog. She was cool with it...whew!

So - as I already related in my last post, the lesson went really well, but wasn't without it's intricacies. I was pretty nervous. Really nervous. There's something to be said for the trust you develop with someone you've ridden with for many years. I trust my trainer. I know that she has my best interests, and the best interests of my horse uppermost in her mind. Then there were the inevitable differences in theory and position. I feel like I succeeded at separating the valuable bits from the parts that contradicted, with out flipping out, or offending the visiting trainer. The best part of the experience was working in my own arena, and having someone push me way past my comfort zone. We broke new ground for sure.

Thrilled to report Saturday's magic carried over to today's ride. Forward. Tons of trot... no stickiness. Smooth changes of rein, rode into and through the corners, figure eights and weaving the cones. I can really see the difference when I support Val with the inside leg to outside rein. He feels better balanced already. No surprise, when he doesn't have to compensate for my interference so much. We're navigating contact too. While he's not reaching the reins from me just yet, he does seem to be appreciating my efforts to be consistent.

We worked in two point as well. After reading Grey Horse Matters' post on two point (with the very helpful diagram) I realize I have sooo far to go with this exercise. My balance is nowhere near what it needs to be... oh well, no pain, no gain. We finished up with halt trot transitions. Val treated me to several very square halts.

Afterwords some grazing, in the Bermuda Triangle, where for once, something scary actually did come crashing out of the woods behind us. A deer? Val leaped right into me, but caught himself and just brushed my shoulder with his shoulder. It was a very agile move, thank goodness. While I wish that he didn't feel so spooky out of our arena sometimes, he does seem to be a little more thoughtful about scary stimulus, and much more aware of me, in relation to his escape route. I'll take that as progress, and a sign that little by little he is trusting me to be the leader, and of course keep us safe from the myriad dangers lurking around every corner... don't worry Val, I won't let anything happen to you, I promise!

In the Arena #70 - Something's gotta give...

2011-04-24T12:46:00.012-04:00

Wow. Such a busy week, I haven't had a moment to post unless I wanted to cut into sleeping time. Not. Spring is in overdrive and suddenly there aren't enough hours in the day. Lots to catch up on.

Let's see... I spent two afternoons pulling Val's mane. I had tried to simulate the proper look with my trimmer a few weeks back, but ended up with a raggedy mess and several hair chunks missing from his neck. Time to bite the bullet. Val calmly munched on hay while I went to town. It's still not as short as I know my trainer would like, but I think it's a good compromise - no more yes I cut this mane with scissors / three stooges blunt cut anyway. Still working on it when I took these pictures....

Oops, forgot my barn shoes...

halfway through...

Apparently Val and I have exactly the same color hair - mane and head... (the dentist pointed this out after her session with Val when I was giving him a ton of kisses that he couldn't resist due to sedation) ;)

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We got a decent ride in on Friday. Started off struggling with basics. Once again, the next door neighbors were an issue... plenty of hollering (cursing), dogs crashing through the woods, and super loud radio blaring yards away from the arena. This required some remedial desensitizing, but we got it done. We ended up with some good trot work, and Val's attention back on me for the most part. Finished on a good note and celebrated with a cookie fest in the most scariest spot where the dogs invaded from. Cookies make everything better!


Did someone say cookies?!

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Saturday - we finally got our breakthrough! We were forward, we had nice bend and we were riding through, not cutting, our corners. We achieved flow. No bogging down in the changes of rein or the corners. Beautiful figure eights. One really nice square halt. What a blast! Val was on the bit. He totally enjoyed himself, was salivating to beat the band, and carried himself for a good part of the ride.

What I figured out (re-learned, forgot, need to remind myself of....)

My stirrups were still too long...

I have the weirdest bad habit of swinging my right leg back too far behind the girth. This has certainly worsened my turning issues, if not outright created them. Thinking it might have to do with my wonky hip...

It is prudent to skip a lengthy warm-up if we start off in sticky-land (where many arguments begin). Move on trot work asap. Trot, trot, trot! Forward solves most problems. Go back to slower work, straightness and transitions after getting forward.

Don't forget the resting part of posting... like a tiny half halt. Use leg on the up phase...

Val has been bored. Seriously. And not worked hard enough in a long while... A bored horse looks for ways to relieve his boredom, and getting over on me is one of those ways. I have been aware of this for a while. No more arguing. Now I have the tools, mostly the confidence, to address this boredom / resistance.

Leg - leg - leg!!! If he ain't reachin', you ain't drivin'!!!

After using my legs to drive, I MUST give Val somewhere to reach to... soft, even, continuous, elastic contact.

Outside rein, outside rein, outside rein!

My game plan for the next month or six weeks is simple. Major trot work. Wet saddle pads. I will change rein and school figures often, and keep us moving forward. I will focus on my leg, position and use of for driving, as well as providing reliable, trustworthy contact for Val. We will both build endurance and stamina, as well as more muscles. :) If yesterday is any indication, I should probably stock up on epsom salts. Very sore today - in a good way.

My boarders' mom kindly took some photos for me. Pardon the fuzziness that not even photoshop could cure - a fingerprint got on the lens at some point - but there were a couple that aren't too bad. (I was losing my stirrup in the shot where my heel is so not down) ;)

Val got to finish off the day with a lovely scrubby bath, including his "area' which was disgustingly filthy and full of beans. I realized, thankfully at the end of the bath, that the well pump was on the fritz. Several hours later Dad and I had it fixed up. It was such a beautiful day, and my ride was so rewarding, that I didn't even care.

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Day off for both of us today. I did remove last years stall fan and put a new one up. If anyone out there uses Lasko box fans, there has been a recall!! Val was very helpful, inspecting the ladder and snuffling on my legs while I was up on the ladder. He loves his fan! Happy Easter everyone!

Inspecting...

I'll catch you... if I'm not alseep

At the barn #40 - Wherein Val and I share a cold one...

2011-04-16T21:15:00.005-04:00

No new rides to report on, but we've still spent plenty of quality time together. There's been some amount of de-hairing going on daily. I don't know if it's a just thoroughbred thing, but Val doesn't shed out in clump or patches, and he's not visibly extra hairy. None the less, hair fills the air and covers me and the floor when we're done.

Yesterday my friend D and I did our several miles of speedy walking in the campground, then headed up to the barn for some fun and refreshment. TGIF. After barn chores were done, and Val's hay + warm mash bucket were set up, we took him out for a bit of grazing. I've been increasing his time on grass by five or ten minutes every outing - though he'd prefer to eat til his sides split. He's been hinting each evening by shunning his fresh hay and instead stretching his lips waaaaaay under the electric fence to pathetically grasp the few pitiful strands of green he can reach, punctuated by well timed looks, in case I didn't get the point. GRASS, GRASS, GRASS, GRASS, GREEN GREEN NOT DRY TASTY GRASS P-L-E-A-S-E!!!!!!!!!!!

When we came to the fork in the road - left to the Bermuda Triangle, right to the small arena grass patch - I asked Val which way he wanted to go, and let him choose. Bermuda Triangle it is! D and I sipped some delightfully cold adult beverages while he ate his fill. Cowboy threw his usual OH MY GOD I CAN'T SEE MY FRIEND fits - commonplace and therefore totally ignorable.

After making our rounds, we headed over to the small arena. Val got a tad pushy, so we did some in hand work... halt with me, walk with me, please focus on me and not the grass Mr. Man... He did beautifully. It was fun to show off his lovely movement to my friend. A few more mouthsful as a reward, then back to the barn.

Val got a thorough grooming and tucked into his dinner, while D and I pulled out some chairs and had another beverage. After demolishing his mash, Val walked over to our little ice bucket and helped himself to one of our beers. I was afraid he might try to open it, so I shared mine with him. My guy enjoys him a cold one! He sipped it out of my cupped hands. I'm kicking myself that I wasn't quick enough with the camera - well - my hands were kind of full... and wet lol. I did find some evidence that Val isn't alone in his beverage preferences however...

Pretty sure I could teach Val to do this...

Then we could ride to the nearest watering hole...

Zenyatta sips her Guiness from a tupperware bowl :)

Besides a new-found enjoyment of beer, Val really dug my friend. He followed her around like a puppy, and loved on her. Not in the potential treat source way, but real affection. So far, she'd the only person he's been that way with besides my Dad, whom he adores.

We hung out until dark, and plan to make it a monthly date. Val surely enjoyed our company - he was super calm and content. I must create more time to hang out with him - no demands, plans or schedule - just companionship and company. It's so good for both of us!

In the Arena #69 - Stuck in the middle with you...

2011-04-13T22:02:00.004-04:00

Our dentist recommended that in the first ride after her visit, we just work long and low. She also said that it would probably take three rides for Val to get accustomed to how his mouth feels now.

Happy to report that steering was great in ride one. Hard to say for sure why. I was super secure in my seat today, staying down evenly in both of my legs, at least partially because I cleaned and conditioned my tack the other night, and I felt extra grippy. Another good reason to keep your tack clean. ;)

The grippy-ness was very helpful just a short time later as we started our trot work. Val put his head down, and surged forward with a buck, crow hop and several strong canter strides. Surprise!! I haven't come anywhere close to tapping this horse's power. Can't wait until I'm brave enough.

Stayed put on my horse through his shenanigans, thank goodness. Then I hopped off with my knees feeling totally like jelly, adjusted the saddle and continued the ride. I took a deep breath and asked for the trot again. No problem... more trotting, turns on the forehand, transitions and cone work. Val was anticipating my requests, which made me laugh, and also plan some different activities for our next session. Other than his saddle discomfort protest - we had a very productive ride.

Saddle feels better now...

Afterwords we grazed in the Bermuda Triangle of horse eating monsters. Val was the calmest he's been in that area, only looking up from his grass a few times at some loud birds. He ignored Cowboy's calling when we were out of sight, and led back to the paddock keeping perfect pace with me.

Doesn't it look scary to you?!


Lord knows what's lurking here!!

We had a rinse off, some carrot stretches, and then did a little trailer loading practice. Twice with no delays. Per-fect!! When a boy is that good he should definitely reap the rewards. :)

We love it in the trailer - there's gingersnaps in here! :)

At the barn #39 - Just say ahhhhhh...

2011-04-11T20:23:00.004-04:00

Last week's busy-ness carried over the weekend, and this week looks much the same. Work is really picking up as spring has definitely arrived. Plants to plant, beds to weed and lawns to mow. Add to that several deadlines related to my jewelry business, out of town visitors throwing delightful dinner parties - great meal lingering over the table for some fine company and conversation that kept me up well past bedtime - and then where the heck do you squeeze in horse chores? I don't know how exactly, but I did it.

Friday was hay run day. My friend, the owner of our dearly departed Ginger and her daughter Honey Bee aka the brat, and I took my flat bed trailer and headed up the road to a new hay source. This one didn't disappoint. Gorgeous 65 lb bales of orchard grass, that despite being the same age as all of the substandard hay I've dealt with since last October, was still green, not dried or faded or musty or dusty and without any noxious weeds. Hell-o all you hay brokers out there - apparently you can successfully store quality hay through the winter so it's still worth paying through the nose for - just sayin'...

The only snag was a too many cooks in the kitchen moment while I was negotiating a drastically tight squeeze backing my trailer, which by the way I actually do daily for a living. The farm owner and his wife were both giving me (contradictory) directions as well as S. who had to put her 17¢ in. Let's just say that it took everything I had to block out the two unnecessary voices and hear the one that counted + not blow up and use my lower brow vocabulary. Serious self control. I'm so not kidding :)


Dropping off Honey Bee's share...

"mine all mine!!" ;)

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Today was horse dentist day. I love my new dentist, a practitioner natural balance dentistry. I found her in a round about way due to Kate from A Year With Horses. Thank you so much Kate!!

Briefly, as I understand it, the idea is that rather than just flattening out hooks and waves on the molars, attention is paid to the incisors, facilitating the smooth side to side motion of the jaw, as well as how the upper and lower jaw meet in the front of the mouth. This should affect, besides grinding hay, the ability and willingness of the horse to flex at the poll and laterally, as well as give to the bit, accept contact and round.

K. was professional, had a lovely way around Val - giving him frequent breaks from the speculum. She explained what she was doing at every stage, and used the minimum amount of sedation necessary. She mentioned immediately that she found unevenness in Val's incisors which was likely impacting his flexibility to the left. I'll reserve final judgment for after we have a few rides under our belt, but we have had recurring struggles with bending and turning to the left since I brought Val home, which I had hoped wasn't completely due to me, as my best efforts have not totally resolved that issue.

My one regret is that I had intended to take pictures, but got so wrapped up in the process that it was too late when I remembered. Val got the afternoon off. I'm looking forward to a ride and status report in the next day or so.

In the Arena #68 - Ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more...

2011-04-07T23:18:00.004-04:00

Today actually felt like spring. Finally! Bright enough to need sunglasses. Causing the first baby sunburn. Hang your clothes out on the line - shorts and flip flop weather. A superb day!

We groomed, tacked up and rode while waiting for Will, our farrier. Challenging would describe much of the ride - "don't want to go over there" and "why must we turn left" about sums it up. I know that I struggle with physical issues which affect the quality of my aiding... I'm looking forward to our visit next week with the natural balance dentist to confirm that Val doesn't as well - re mouth and bitting.

I got our (my) act together about halfway through the ride, and we ended on a very good note - willing trotting with good transitions and lovely free work on the buckle. Done just in time for a quick refreshing rinse before Will arrived.

I have to say I am a little frustrated that we seem to be covering the same ground lately. I'm ready for a breakthrough. Hopefully getting my trainer's input (maybe next weekend?!) will steer us out of this rut we find ourselves in. And I'm planning to apply some creativity to our next sessions - I fear I may be boring the tar out of Val.

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Expensive side note - in the space of two weeks we will have...

1. Had the vet out for spring vaccinations
2. Seen the farrier for a trim
3. Gone on (an all day) hay run
4. Gotten our yearly dentistry

Whatever possesses me to lust after an Ansur saddle?!

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Helper watches, Will trims, Val reaches

The soul of patience or
"Does this picture make my head look big?"

Will is nice

Fronts

Rears

In the Arena #67 - I'll be your mirror...

2011-04-03T22:11:00.002-04:00

I'm really appreciating these longer evenings. More time for chores and riding. Second to riding, I loves me a freshly dragged arena!

I repeated the ujjayi breathing warm-up from the other day. And again, our ride was positively impacted. This exercise is a keeper. The only drawback - I haven't exactly figured out how to incorporate "good boys" into the breathing exercise.

We did lots of trot work. Our transitions were prompt and crisp. Val reached, and started to pick his back up... we even produced some sittable trot. There were still a few sticky left turns. After looking at the photos my boarder took for me, I wasn't surprised. I was sitting way, way off to the left. I don't seem to catch myself in this position issue until it shows up in Val's movement, or lack thereof. I hope I can overcome my hip situation.

Overall - a wonderful ride. We are progressing. It would ~~probably,~~ definitely help to get a lesson more often than every six months. Eyes on the ground and all...

This uncertain economy, especially fuel prices, has forced me to reassess a number of my goals / priorities this winter. I've had only one lesson since December... there is no new arena (yet)... and I've had to give up my spot in the spring Herbermann clinic. Hopefully things will start looking up soon. We're heading up to my trainer's farm weekend after next, I've set aside the funds for about half the sand needed for the arena, and have made arrangements for another clinic spot in late October. Meanwhile, we'll just continue moving forward, slowly, but surely.

Calm, Forward, Straight

At the Barn # 55 - Easy like Sunday morning...

In the Arena # 103 - Getting ahead of myself...

At the Barn # 54 - I. can't. see. the. BOOGEYMAN! I am serious. Are you listening to me?...squeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

In the Arena # 102 - No pain, no gain + awards!

In the Arena # 101 - There's more to it than meets the eye...

We interrupt this regularly scheduled program....

In the Arena # 100 - The devil is in the details...

At the Barn #53 - It ain't over 'til it's over...

In the Arena #99 - Two steps forward, one step back... From the Farmette #8 - I feel the earth - move - under my feet...

In the Arena #98 - A very good place to start... (happy birthday thoroughbreds!!)

Out with the old, in with the new...

In the Arena #97 - Process of elimination...

Twas the night before Christmas...

In the Arena #96 - I "rode the horse I have today".. now, may I please have the one I rode yesterday?!

In the Arena #95 - ...of mice and men

In the Arena #94 - It's nice to share...

In the Arena #93 - And then rainbows came flying out of our -----

In the Arena #92 - Love me two times baby...

In the Arena #91 - Farewell indian summer + better late than never...

In the Arena #90 - Just my 'magination....

In the Arena # 89 - An attitude of gratitude

From the Farmette #8 - What a long strange trip it's been...

At the Barn #52 - What's wrong with this picture...

In the Arena # 88 - Do we think we're better riders than we are?... Are we better riders than we think we are?

In the Arena #87 - Turning the corner...

From the Farmette #7 - Getting there...

In the Arena #86 - We are stardust, we are golden + award!

At the Barn #51 - Better living through chemistry

Keepin' your head above water, making a wave when you can...

Hope springs eternal... or Nothin' left to do but smile, smile, smile

At the Barn #50 - A few of my favorite things

Recommended Reading

At the Barn #49 - No good deed goes unpunished (II)

In the Arena # 85 - Now is the summer of our discontent... At the Farmette # 6 - You say tomato, I say ka-ching!

At the Barn #48 - Take out wrenched ankle...

In the Arena # 84 - What we did on our summer vacationFrom the farmette #5 - Bumper crop and + channeling Mr. Clean

At the Barn #47 - Beating the heat

At the Barn #46 - The good, the bad and the ugly In the Arena # 84 - Making do

In the Arena # 83 - Few and far between From the Farmette # 4 - Moving day and lessons from the otter

In the Arena # 83 - Right round baby, right round From the Farmette #3 - Ask, and you shall receive

At the Barn #45 - Murphy's Law + another prize!!!

In the Arena # 82 - Control issues From the Farmette # 2 - 24 hour news cycle

In the Arena # 81 - Hanging loose on the second longest day + a farmette update

In the Arena # 80 - Well worth the wait + letting it all go

In the Arena # 79 - Oh, it was hot all right...

In the Arena # 78 - All's well that ends well...

At the Barn #44

In the Arena #77 - Thigh-ku

In the Arena #76 - Three rides = wet saddle pads + :)

At the barn #43 - Duh, winning!! (yes to carrots)

In the Arena #75 - Reading is "fun"damental...

At the barn #42 - Why I didn't ride today (Part 2) or I made the boxes and Val made the dirt :)

At the barn #41 - Why I didn't ride today (Part 1)...

In the Arena #74 - Maybe I'm amazed...

In the Arena #73 - You are the sunshine of my life...

In the Arena #72 - No horses were harmed in the making of this post...

In the Arena #71 - Discretion being the better part of valor...

In the Arena #70 - Something's gotta give...

At the barn #40 - Wherein Val and I share a cold one...

In the Arena #69 - Stuck in the middle with you...

At the barn #39 - Just say ahhhhhh...

In the Arena #68 - Ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more...

In the Arena #67 - I'll be your mirror...