All The Kings' Horses

This will probably come as no shock to anyone, but Gia was a little dramatic with her shipping boots today. As promised, I got a video of it. ☺ Amazingly though, she loaded up very quickly and gave me no problems there.  Maybe she decided the trailer wasn't as scary as these things that were suddenly attacking her legs! Anyway, once we got to CDP, she unloaded fine and walked on the hot walker a bit. I lunged her to warm up, and she wasn't stiff again today either.  She was almost perfectly behaved ... that is, until she saw Angus.  Dun, dun, DUNNN!  (She really wasn't bad, but she did raise her head and check him out). I took her into the arena to hang out in the scary places - the gazebo, the road side of the arena, the scary wall jump, the end of the arena where Angus was hanging out.  She was actually pretty comfortable in all those spots today. Under saddle, things started very relaxed, and she was even going well past all the scary spots, with only a littl

Gia was a little jumpy today, but I'm not really sure why.  Perhaps because the neighbor put up some new scarecrows in his garden, or perhaps just because it's Monday. Anyway, I lunged her to warm up, and that definitely made a difference.  She also wasn't stiff at all today, but she was quite grumpy when I asked her to go more forward. Under saddle, I worked on the same things as last time.  I did have to do a lot of circles and half halts today.  She definitely had more energy! To finish our ride, we worked on walk to halt transitions.  I had mentioned this exercise last week, and I was able to video it today.  Each time she came against my hand when I asked for a halt transition, I put her in a small circle.  It actually only took a few circles before I was able to get a soft, obedient transition to the halt.  It wasn't square, but I can worry about that another day.  I rewarded her for her effort by hopping off and ending our ride there. Since Gia had been g

I lunged Gia again to start.  Only her first few steps in each direction at the trot were stiff, then she moved out just fine for the rest of the trot work. Under saddle, I worked on all the same things at the walk and trot again.  We were working out a few kinks with my new video system, so I wasn't paying as close attention to what I was doing with Gia, but everything felt pretty good. I did work on transitions a bit more with her today though.  Each time I tried to ask her to make a down transition, she would come against my hands.  No hand in particular, pretty much both hands symmetrically.  Each time I felt her come against me, I would put her in a small circle, wiggling the inside rein and pushing with the inside leg until she let go.  Then I would go straight and try the transition again.  It didn't really matter which way I circled, just whichever way was most convenient at the time.  If she had been coming up against one hand in particular, then I would have circl

Gia's video today will be a little generic.  I purchased a Pixio video system, and we tried it out today.  The idea is that there are sensors around the arena, as well as on the rider, and a tracking robot that you can attach your phone or camera to.  This way, you can video your rides without needing to have a person there to do it.  There are so many ways that this can come in handy! Anyway, I started Gia's session with some lunging to help her loosen up and push more from behind.  She looked less stiff today, when getting started, than she did yesterday. Once I got on, we walked and trotted, working on the usual stuff - circles, stretching, corners, diagonal lines and centerlines.  Her stretch was really good again today.  She felt a little quick at times, and a little tight in her neck in some spots when the circles were a little tight, so I did larger circles than usual today, in the corners.  I also had to keep my hands a bit wider, at times, to help her find her

Gia loaded on the trailer very easily today.  So, next week, I will most likely do a video of her in shipping boots for the first time.  Stay tuned!  Gia walked on the hot walker while I rode Butch, and then tied, uneventfully, to the trailer while I tacked her up, despite the mowing and weedeating going on around her. I lunged her at the walk and trot today to warm up.  This was the most relaxed she has been since she's been coming to CDP!  I also noticed that she started out a little stiff, and not really pushing from behind, which is kind of what I've been feeling under saddle lately.  I pushed her to trot a little bigger, and to use herself, and to stretch down and that really helped a lot.  I think she's been stiff from not using herself as much, and just needs to work it out.  Once that was good, I walked her around the arena.  I sat and perused my phone for missed messages and emails whenever she seemed tense about a certain area, namely the gazebo.  Charlie co

Today was a crazy Monday morning (nothing having to do with Gia, just things like water leaks everywhere, dog attacks, dead squirrels, a grumpy teenager, you know, the usual).  Anyway, I wasn't able to get a video of her today. However, she stood almost perfectly for me to mount.  I worked on stretching circles at the walk, and trying to allow more with my hands.  Then I added corners, diagonal lines and centerlines.  I did have to do a lot of corner circles today. She was eager to get into the trot work today! I repeated all the stretching circle work at the trot, and I did have to do a lot of  half halts.  She wasn't bad, but was much more forward than usual.  I finished with down transitions from trot to walk to halt, that were really obedient! After I got off, Danielle held her while I hosed her off.  She was fairly good for hosing off her body, maybe a little tense.  She was OK for the right side of her face, but very resistant to putting her head down when I w

I did the same under saddle stuff today that I did on Wednesday with Gia.  She was much less fidgety and grumpy when I mounted today. We had a few "scary" jumps set up in the arena that I had been using with one of the other horses I rode today.  I decided to leave them up, even though we wouldn't be jumping them, just so Gia could get used to riding around them.  I had her circle each jump in each direction, asking for bend and counterbend.  She really didn't seem to care about them at all! The walk and trot work felt a bit better today, but I still kept it brief and simple. Afterwards, I finished pulling her mane.  She was a little fussy and fidgety at first, but eventually, she almost fell asleep.  I fussed at her when she would shake her head or push up against her poll, and made sure to tell her "good girl" whenever she was quiet.

I started Gia out with a lot of walk today.  She was fussy again when I went to get on her, but a little better than yesterday. She was also a bit tense and tight, so we did a lot of circles with stretching until she was more relaxed.  Then we worked on corners, diagonal lines and centerlines at the walk. At the trot, she felt more symmetrical, although she did feel like she wasn't pushing off from behind as good as she usually does.  I kept the trot work to just circles and stretching.  She typically feels a little stiffer to the right, but today she felt stiffer to the left. After our brief ride, I decided to work on pulling her mane again.  She was a little fussy right at the top, near her poll, but pretty quiet once I started to move farther down her neck.  I got about half of her mane done today, and I'll probably finish it up on Friday.

Gia was a little bit tense today when I got on to ride.  It's a bit cooler and windier today, especially for a day in June. I spent a lot of time at the walk.  Lots of stretching down on circles to help her relax.  When that was good, and she felt more relaxed, we did corners, off-the-track lines, diagonal lines and centerlines.  I didn't have to do ANY circles in the corners today! When I went to trot, something didn't feel quite right.  She didn't exactly feel off, but she didn't feel like she usually does either.  I had Dylan take a video so that I could see what was going on, but I couldn't really see anything there either.  She might have looked a smidge short strided in her right hind.  That's the leg where she got cut a couple of weeks ago, and it's still healing, so it's possible that she is a little sore from that.  I ended our ride once I had taken the video, and checked her all over.  I couldn't find any other explanation for wha

I took Gia along today to the Carolina Horse Park (CHP) for their schooling day.  We were bringing a few other horses to school cross country before the show tomorrow, and we weren't too pressed for time, so I decided this would be another good outing for Gia. She was slightly less nervous about getting on, and standing on, the larger trailer this weekend.  Although, I did manage to get a video of her "piaffeing" in the trailer after I loaded her. Once we got there, she was the first one to school.  This may have made her more nervous, since she didn't have any down time on the trailer, but sometimes that's the way it will go with events, and she will need to learn to be flexible.  She may have also been more nervous because, if you've never been there, CHP is a HUGE venue for competitions, and there are TONS more people and horses there for events. Despite that, she did stand tied to the trailer fairly well.  She was a bit fidgety and looky, but she nev

Gia was very sleepy in the crossties today, but as I was getting on her, she was very fidgety.  I got her to stand still, but when I asked her to move forward, she felt like a ball of energy about to explode.  I got off and decided to lunge her first. Good decision! As soon as I sent her out on the lunge line, she bucked and twisted up in the air! I spent a lot of time sending her forward, fussing at her when she was naughty, bringing her back, and sending her forward again.  When she was good with trot/canter work, then I had her repeat it at the walk/trot.  Then I had her change directions and go again.   When she was much more relaxed, I got back on, and proceeded with a pretty decent ride. I didn't ask for too much after that - just our usual walk and trot warm up, which went perfectly fine.  I was a little pressed for time, and I wanted to reward her for behaving better the second time. We are all allowed a bad day, so hopefully, that's all this was

Another busy week, so no time to write about yesterday's adventures. Gia did SUPER at CDP yesterday! She was fairly good with the trailering, although a little hesitant to get back on to go home, and very "piaffey" when we were almost home. She walked on the hot walker while I had my lesson on Butch.  Then I tied her to the trailer, very uneventfully, while I groomed and tacked her. I warmed her up with some lunging, just at the walk and trot, to focus and relax.  She was really good with that, and only got upset when she heard someone start weedeating.  Her "new" reaction, anytime something upsets her, is to buck and kick out.  Hopefully, this is just temporary, and just on the lunge. Once I was ready to ride, I took her into the arena and just hung out in the "scary" part for a while on the ground with her.  I sat on the fence and checked my email, while Gia decided that the gazebo and the tractor were not actually going to kill her.  Once

We were finally able to get some horses and riders out to a show today after several long months of no competing! So, I brought Gia along today to school. She was quite fussy on the trailer.  I had to take my larger trailer (lately, she has been riding in the smaller one), and although it doesn't seem like a big deal to us, riding in a different trailer is a big deal to a horse.  Gia got on just fine, but did a LOT of piaffeing once she was on.  In this trailer I have to take out the first divider, so Gia actually has two stalls to herself so she doesn't feel too cramped, but she was still stressed. Once we got there, she stayed on the trailer while my students competed.  She was pretty quiet for the most part, but started to act up when another horse at another trailer was getting her attention.  Nothing too bad, just more piaffeing. When it was finally her turn, I pulled her off and tied her loosely to the trailer.  She was a bit more fidgety than that last few times,

I worked with Gia today on pretty much the same things we have been doing at the walk and trot lately.  Everything went pretty much how it has been going - nothing dramatically good or bad. It was quite hot today, so I decided I would hop off early and revisit bathing with her. She has been bathed before, but not since last season, so no telling what she remembers. With a young or green horse, I always make sure they are really sweaty and it's a nice hot day, before I attempt bathing.  They are more likely to enjoy it that way, and less likely to be afraid of it. I started her out just like I would if she had never been bathed.  With ANY horse I bathe, even the experienced ones, I ALWAYS start by turning on the hose with the nozzle pointed AWAY from the horse.  Then I bring it in and start with their lower front legs, being careful to aim the water away from their face.  Then I work my way up their body, towards their head, with the spray still pointed away from their face,

Yesterday was a bit busy, so I didn't have a chance to write about Gia's adventures. I took her to CDP stables again.  Her trailering was perfect, she even pulled me towards it when I went to load her in the morning.  One more good one, and then we get to try shipping boots!  You'll definitely want to check out that post! I put her on the walker while I rode Butch. While I was getting her ready, I tied her to the trailer, almost properly.  She could have cared less.  The only thing she wanted was to be able to reach the yummy grass underfoot. Lunging went pretty well.  Since her cut is just above her hocks, (she was still sound yesterday, by the way), I did not want to use the Pessoa, which rests just above her hocks.  So, I just passed the lunge line through the bit and attached it to the girth to allow for a little leverage to encourage her to stretch while she moved forward.  She was a bit grumpy about being asked to move forward, even at the trot, so I did a lot

I took it easy on Gia today.  She came in with a fresh cut on her leg.  I lunged her to check for soundness, and she was fine, but I didn't want to push her too much today.  So, no jumping for me today. 😡 I mainly worked on getting her to stretch down at the walk on circles.  She was a little stiffer on the right side today, when she is typically stiffer on the left. I did a lot of work "off the track" today at the walk and trot. The "track" typically refers to the path around the arena closest to the rail.  That's where most folks work when they are riding their horses in the arena.  It's where I have all my students learn to ride first, before I let them work on other figures in the middle of the arena. "Off the track" refers to a path that's about 3 feet away from the rail, or the track.  Once my horses are more confident on the rail, and fairly confident in moving off my leg, I like to do most of my work off the track.  It