In this episode of cheaters

Don't tell Hampton, but I've been sneaking off and riding other ponies lately.

But he's still my main man ....

Last week I was farm sitting for my BFF and she very graciously let me ride her second level mare. What's even better, is that the mare is basically a pony! It was quite a change from riding big old Hampton!

I hauled from BFF's house up to take a lesson with her regular instructor (in Indiana). I had a wonderful time - not only riding Simone for the first time, but also taking a lesson with someone new. I learned a lot and I hope Simone did as well. She is a very forward ride, which frankly was refreshing. And VERY sensitive. She takes a tactful, sensitive rider. 

I exhausted L's pony.

It sure is nice when you ride a friend's horse and all their training makes you look good.

By the way, L SAYS she is starting a blog but I have yet to see evidence of that. Hmmmm.

*nudge nudge*

The next day I rode our little guy Royale. It was a windy day, and I hopped on him out in a field. Next to the road. With traffic zipping by. 

No spooking. No nothing. He was a total gem. We are still working on cruise control, but that will come. His bridling issue has also greatly improved over the past few weeks. In fact I didn't even have a problem bridling him at all. His innocence cracks me up. He reminds me why I just love the young horses and how quickly they learn.

snuggles with Royale!

Oh just riding the baby skadaddlebred out in a field.

And this week I am riding the BO's mare, Luna, while she is out of town. Luna is another highly sensitive mare who needs a quiet, confident ride. She has some anxiety and baggage that she acquired before she came to KY. My focus with her will be rhythm, and quiet trot/canter transitions. 

It's been a fun week and a half! Hampton has a week of work ahead of him - in preparation for our rated show on Saturday and Sunday.

Which reminds me, holy crap I have so much to do!

2016 Prancing begins: Schooling show

Derp 1 and Derp 2.

Show season 2016 has begun!

Hamps and I drove down the road to the Spring Run Dressage Show on Sunday. My plan was to knock some rust off in 3-1, and then try 4-1 and see where we were at.

The wild stallion precious pony walked off the trailer WILD. Would not stand still, prancing, snorting. Once I was on, he started passaging all over the damn place like he was some stallion making a grand entrance.

"Well f--- me." I muttered as I swerved my way to the warm up ring.

I used my warm up that really puts his brain and body to work. And sure enough, in about 10 minutes he was much more focused. THEN I could start warming up for the actual tests.

Third-1 actually was the best 3-1 we have ever done. We had one bobble in the extended trot (he cantered) but only because I asked for too much power and his legs got tangled. It was my fault totally. Had we not bobbled there, we would have gotten a 70%! .... As it was, our score ANNIHILATED any other score I have had at Third level. We earned a 69.5%. I mean in the previous two years I think I only broke 60% once at 3-1.

Weeee!

Check out this little clip of a bombdiggity flying change! I wanted to post this for anyone struggling with the changes. Trust me when I say I wish I had video of Hamps and I and our THREE YEARS of struggles with this movement. It is finally coming together (slowly). JUST KEEP WORKING AT IT is my advice.

Yes, I realize the judge was quite generous. But I will take it, thankyouverymuch.

We only had one rider between 3-1 and 4-1 so we didn't get much of a break.

I thought 4-1 went better than the previous attempts we have done, but still some issues started to pop up. "Butt high" (bucking ... eh hem) in one change, behind the leg, crooked, going more and more downhill.

So you've seen how lovely our single changes have become .. now I am going to share a video of the line of "tempis" in 4-1. You just have to do 3 changes, no count required. But notice how we start to look totally fucking drunk. So crooked, wavy, wobbly. But mostly clean at least?! Just goes to show that there are still a lot of holes and work to do before PSG.



So after our 4-1 test I started thinking. Then it sort of dawns on me.

He's just tired.

Tired pony gets kisses

I think we have come to a point where Hampton really can only do one test a day now. It's just too much for him to do two, especially so close together.

While he is cardiovascularly fit, he just doesn't have the strength and stamina to do two mid-level tests (almost upper level really) in one day. I don't know why it took me a year and a half to figure this out, but I am pretty certain that fatigue is the source of a lot of these issues. Because none of them showed up in the first test!

Anyway - a great learning experience. And a fabulous 64%+ in 4-1!

The sad thing is, I was 100% sober.

I couldn't be more proud of him! We have a rated show coming up in two weeks so now I know what we need to focus on this spring.

Oh ... and by the way, don't take dressage so seriously! (see video of my exit)

Dressage is not always pretty

I'm just going to leave this here.

We were practicing my canter down the centerline to halt at X for 4th level. The problem wasn't the halting, it was the fact that I was insisting on halting IN A STRAIGHT LINE and he was not allowed to throw his haunches left. So, in the halt he got a spur in his left side.

And that is how a tantrum over halting happened.

(I stayed on. Barely. Thanks FITS breeches!)

The professor and the kiddo

Sorry this is the newest media I have of the Porkchop

Finally I am getting my act together for a proper update on the 2 boys.

HAMPTON:

• Working on keeping the flying changes straight, straight, straight. If everything is going well, I can try some (random, no counting) tempis. But most days we just do single changes. OR no changes at all.
• Increasing the steepness of the half pass (trot and canter)
• Ranvers in counter canter (helps both above issues)
• Canter pirouettes are coming along! They are still a little big, and sometimes he gets his legs tangled, but I think as soon as I can refine the aids a bit they will be right there.
• Half pass zig zags (just one "zag" obviously)
• Always always testing the forward and back
• Refining the walk pirouettes. This is a movement we need to be getting 7s or 8s on to make up for the fact that he doesn't have 8 or 9 gaits.
• Always focusing on the suppleness.
• Continuing hill work and trail rides with power walking.
• Recently got saddle reflocked, and massages for both me and the horse. Interesting we are both tight in the same places ...
• Developing the "show trot." He can now maintain this for quite a while. BUT ... we lose it when we try to keep it within the movements. Will def be something we can show off on the short sides in the ring.

ok He is ADORABLE

ROYALE:

• Adjustment to herd life. He is doing quite well actually. He does like to play, and can be a pest but he isn't stupid. When one of the mares pins her ears, he backs off.
• Standing quietly by mounting block. He does well at this for as young as he is. He does eventually walk off and loses patience, but it will come. I expect my horses to stand until further notice.
• Stretching at the walk. Really asking him to overtrack. As a saddlebred, he has a tendency to walk "up and down" with his back feet. Lots of walking and trail riding will help this.
• "Cruise control" at the trot. He likes to start off quick, then when you ask him to slow down he slows down too much. Just needs to learn to keep the tempo I request, until I tell him otherwise.

Baby's first ears photo!

• Canter transitions. These are a hot mess. Like, I have to kick and fling my reins at him and run him into it. That's ok though, he will learn. :) Once in the canter he is quite lovely.
• Consistent contact. I don't really ask him to be on the bit, but he naturally goes there so I am rolling with it. He is quite soft and supple (compared to Hampton who has the most rigid neck evah)
• Trailer loading - CHECK! A really good boy
• Itty bitty baby leg yields at the walk
• Bridling. His only real issue is that he does not like to be bridled. He will throw his head up and back away at the moment you ask him to take the bit. This will just take time to fix. Not sure why he is doing this ... teeth have been checked, but he is young so could be losing caps.

That's about it for the baby. Mostly he is just hanging out and figuring out what herd life is about. Right now he only gets worked maybe twice a week, which is just fine for his age. He has had a lot of change happen in the past 3 weeks. Bless his little heart. :)

Royal and L's second level mare.

Hamps and I are just about ready for our first show of the season.

Next up: Vaccines, worming and coggins day and then we will be set!

The Barefoot Experiment

Today

In November I pulled Hampton's shoes for the winter.

Many people were quite supportive, and I got raised eyebrows from others.

And I will admit, I was a little worried for the first 2 weeks. His stride was shorter, he was a bit tender especially on rocks and pavement. But I stuck it out - helping him with Magic Cushion and hoof hardener. And after almost a month, you never would have known he wore shoes for a year and a half before that.

His feet never cracked, never broke up much.

I felt like he was much more sure-footed especially on trail rides. It was almost as if I could feel the ground beneath him. No more slipping on the road. I never worried about the mud. He self maintained quite well, only needing to be rounded off a couple of times. His work never suffered. Plus, I saved some serious money.

While I know it's not possible to try this with all horses, for Hampton I consider this a major success. I plan on pulling his shoes every winter. The nail holes grew out, and his feet expanded.

But, show season is rapidly approaching. So he has 4 new sneakers now. And his feet look FANTASTIC. He has never had bad feet to begin with but I'm just pleased with how nice they look now. And balanced. He is happy to have them back on, for sure. And I think it is only fair for him to wear shoes with the level of work he is doing this year, and you just never know what footing you will encounter at shows.

Previously unpublished photo of a tired (barefoot!) Hampton,
myself and Lainey Ashker.

But come October or November, off they come again.

Unless of course, we go to Florida. (plans still in the works!)

More updates to come on Hamps and Royale! Both boys are great, although this week has not been productive because rain. Then snow. Then more rain. And storms.

Spring is almost here though!