Do you spoil your horse with tack?

So this topic of conversation came up during a clinic late last year. I keep meaning to blog about it, but just haven't had the chance to put thoughts together.

Spoiled horses.

I'm not talking about the peeps who love matching things, blingy helmets, all the leather things and general tack-hos.

This was more about, are you purchasing certain items in hopes your horse will go better in that item? Is your horse resistant, or evasive and instead of looking toward your riding, you buy a piece of equipment to "fix" the problem? Such items may include:

•  Expensive-ass bits (I've gone that route; didn't fix our contact issues. Only going back to the basics did)
• Unorthodox bridles (i.e. Micklem)
• Stupid-expensive, "miracle" half pads (GUILTY here)
• Coddling your horse with fuzzy pads, girths, crown pieces
• Reins that promise "more elastic contact"
• ... you get the idea

Hampton now sports a sheep-skin pad thing on his noseband. It's a crank, and it pinches him just a little.  Interestingly enough, his teeth grinding has just about vanished after I started using that. I'm wondering if that noseband causes his face to go numb? But when he wears it, I always think .... sheesh, I am spoiling him with this! He looks so pampered and ridiculous.

I also bought him an Acavalla gel pad. Yes, the same kind Valegro wears. 

I like the half pad, but it did not magically make him piaffe, passage and spit out one-tempis like Valegro. Hmmm. It's nice, but for sure falls under the "spoiled him with tack" category. A cheaper half pad would have been just fine.

I've been trying different girths lately, and at the moment like the fuzzy coolmax because Hamps is clipped and I did not have the heart to use my grippy PC girth  on him when he is pretty nekked in that area. However, I am in the market for Total Saddle Fit girth. .... I wonder if it will make any difference in his shoulder freedom. Or, perhaps we just need to work more on that in our daily schooling???

I'll never know!

>> Also, there is nothing wrong with spoiling your horse however you see fit. I just found this to be an interesting viewpoint.

Ooops. Now I own a saddlebred.

This is him. NO dressage training, very green. 15.2 and I don't think
I look too big on him?

Those of you who are friends with me n FB may have already read about the leaked news.

My good friend Liz and I went to "just look" at a saddlebred who my old trainers had for sale. He was a total show horse flunk out, and CHEAP.

I should mention his full brother sold for $500,000.

So we made the long drive out to Illinois to see this fellow. He was of course cute right off the bat. I rode him for quite a while, testing him in various ways to see how he would react to pressure, and a rider who was asking him to do things he had no idea about.

He was a very typical, wiggly green baby. (He doesn't even turn 3 until May!). But quite well behaved, very obedient, happy and willing. Even when he got tired, he never got pissy. I was rather impressed with his brain and energy. Here's a short video of some walk and baby trot ...



Of course he has no clue about leg aids, or what outside aids are, or anything really. BUT .. he does have a nice mouth, accepts contact and is quite soft in the neck. He is obviously very weak throughout his body. Which is normal, and to be expected. He's a touch spooky/balky, which doesn't bother me one bit.

So wittle.

But I see some serious dressage and sport horse potential for him. He just isn't a breed show quality. But he will have a career doing something else for sure! Clean legs, sound (but weak). I didn't find any sore spots on him. Friendly in his stall. No health issues, etc.

So we have talked about being co-owners on this little fellow. He is going to need A LOT of time to grow up. And we don't plan to work with him more than 3 days a week. Liz is going to transition him to living more out in the field, and then maybe he will come live with me toward spring where he can learn a little more about life (trail riding, ponying off Hampton, hills, etc).

... It's not 100% official yet ... but .... we all know what happened the last time I went to "just look" at a 2 year old horse ....

LAE clinic: Jumping

... Or, "It was a good idea to wear brown breeches."

The above is my best attempt at drawing out the course. I apologize. I am not artist, despite what my job title may imply.

We started out popping over a vertical with a ground pole on the landing side. Why? A ground pole on the landing side is helping for horses who like to take off long, or rush and leap at the jumps. This obviously does not apply to Hampton (master of chipping in), but it was very helpful for the "enthusiastic horses."

From there we went through the line of verticals - 3 strides in between but again with a ground pole in front of each fence. Hampton was a little sticky the first time through, and thought about leaving to the right - but I help him straight and he figured it out.

From there we added to the course.

Vertical, line of 3-stride verticals, to the set of oxer bounces, to the ouside line, to the oxer and back down the outside line.

Hampton got sticky on me again in the in and out of oxers. In fact I thought I would get jumped out of the tack at one point. BUT - he kept going and we recovered. Lainey had us go through that grid 3 or 4 more times so Hampton could really figure out his feet. He got a great education and so did I. I have to ride more forward - always.

Toward the end, one oxer was hiked up to 3'. I literally gulped and said whisperd "f__ me" under my breath. I have not jumped that high since college, and Hampton has never been faced with much of anything over 2'6 or 2'9 at best.

But we gave it a shot. We came around on a diagonal, over a gate, over the skinny barrel and around to the oxer.

sooooo the first attempt we BOTH were like "DA FUCK?!" and this is what happened:

*screeching tires sound*

Second attempt was also a stop. So, they put the back rail down so we could both get our confidence back. Jumped that fine. After that we were sailing over it! Oh, I was clinging on for dear life but Hampton gained a lot of confidence. I was so proud of him for trying!

Full video of out takes:




Slow mo of our 3' oxer jump:

Some other tidbits:

* The canter to approach the jump with, is the canter you will land in. So don't come at a jump all strung out!

* Stay tall!

* A forward horse is a straight horse

* Always be prepared to halt in front of a skinny. It's fine if they stop, but they must remain straight.

* Teach the horse to land and look for the next jump

* Quick reaction to the leg (hmmm, sound familiar?!?!)

* Contact approaching the jump, and in the air is HEALTHY. Don't be afraid of it.

*If you start losing a shoulder, lift that hand (and send the other one forward). For example, if your horse likes to run through the left shoulder, life your left hand pretty high to help block.

Lainey is coming back in March so I am hoping to have the money to at least do a jump lesson. I think it has been really good for Hampton (and me!).

Cross training for the win.

(and I didn't really poop my pants that you know of, but was eye-bugging for sure)

LAE clinic: Flat

I was lucky enough to ride with Lainey Ashkey again this weekend. I am exhausted (because of course I can never get a damn weekend off work, so after riding it was straight to newspaperland!) ... but here are some tidbits I took away.

DAY 1: Fancy prancing DRESSAGE

Note: There is video somewhere but I don't have it yet. So, you get icky iPhone photos. Sowwy!

Sunrise! Too bad the footing was f-ing frozen.

We were stuck in the tiny indoor since the outdoor footing was frozen, but we all rolled with it and got creative. Here's what we worked on:

* Quarter canter pirouettes (riding a square basically). How many canter strides can you fit in the corner?

* Use your SEAT in the canter. Tuck the tailbone. Lean back a little, quiet upper body.

* Left leg FORWARD. My leg leg is notorious for sliding back. This is because I hang on the left rein. ARGH! I need to stop this obsession with the left rein. It's not special.

* Forward and back (vital to building the ability to maintain the pirouette)

* Couple of flying changes (actually impressed with myself that we did changes in this indoor. It's barely bigger than a 20m circle)

* Developing lift in the trot. Think passage, allow the trot but keep the lift. This is our big homework. This "floaty trot" has to become Hampton's working trot. It has to become his norm. Need to build fitness and strength, but it's in there.

* Control the haunches with the outside rein

Why we prancing so early?

* KEEP REINS SHORT. Honestly someone needs to beat me upside the head. This horrible habit has returned, and even more so in jumping. I keep slipping my reins! Hampton has trained me into "giving" by lengthening my reins. So he really doesn't have to sit, he just lowers his neck. (and up goes his little bottom!)

* Soften with the elbows (no slipping the reins)

* More prompt reaction forward and back!

Other comments:

She is 100% supportive of focusing on 4th level this year. She said PSG is "ABSOLUTELY" in our reach. She was extremely encouraging, and said we should try to compete at shows where there are many horses and riders better than us - because that will make you step up your game.

Hilarious, because there are ALWAYS pairs better than us, no matter the show we go to. But, I get her point. haha.

Then she suggested we come stay with her in Ocala next spring, and shimmy down to Wellington for a show or two.

I asked her how much that would cost and she said "Ocala is cheap." ... I am sure it is, compared to Wellington. And I would love LOVE to spend a few weeks in FL training.

Not Florida.

I am going to crunch numbers and see what I can make happen for next year. But I am not getting my hopes up. I would have to get another part time job at the very least. And even then, I'm not sure I could come up with what is probably $4,000 for the trip. If not more. Has anyone done this? Any advice?

I just need to win the lottery haha.

Overall a very positive dressage ride, despite our less than ideal ring to work in.

After putting Hampton up, I went to watch a few more lessons. And this is when things got interesting.

There was a youngish gal with her adorable Paint cross horse. He was not an easy ride, and had a history of barrel racing as well as pony-ing horses on the track. Which is failed at because he would run off. haha.

Anyway, Lainey got on this pony and it was pretty much one of the finest pieces of riding and methodically training the horse I have ever witnessed. Many clinicians will not get on horses, much less a scrappy, difficult little thing like this Paint.

Things started out a lot like this ....

He tried EVERY evasion in the book to avoid her leg and escape the contact. When those didn't work, he made up his own evasions. Throwing his head around, fish tailing wildly, pacing, racking, hollowing his back, trying to run off, shaking his head. It was impressive.

But Lainey never got mad. She never picked a fight. She kept her leg on, and kept sending him sideways. When he accepted or leg, softened and slowed - he was allowed to go straight.

At the end, she was jog-trotting him on a loose rein. It was quite the transformation. And the horse wasn't tired, he was accepting of the aids. He was finally rideable. I was amazed at what I had just witnessed. And super impressed. I know many horses like this, and people often pick fights, or lunge them to death. It is about accepting the aids. All riding is about accepting the aids.

End result

Next up - jumping day!!! Or, good thing I wore brown breeches. 

A little preview! :)

Horse manspreading

It's not just humans who participate in the annoying habit of manspreading.

This is from a week or so ago, but here is my friend's horse - rudely manspreading in the trailer.

Poor Hampton.

Happy New Year!

Spent New Years Day with the same guy I have spent it with since 2010. :)

Another New Year's Day ride with this swamp monster.

I've decided not to set official goals this year. I just want to roll with the punches a bit, and not be afraid to change the "plan." Competition scores are not everything - at least not for a very ordinary amateur rider like myself. I felt like my goals for 2015 were way too competition focused and I think that caused me to put too much pressure on myself and Hampton.

Plenty of shows on the radar, as well as clinics, lessons, jumping and much more. I still plan to be dedicated to the sport of dressage and our pursuit of PSG. Just going to try to not be so rabid about it. But perhaps that's part of being a dressage rider. We are just that way.

I have a wonderful horse. I need to not be so stressed about whether or not his half pass has enough bend all the damn time. Or how he lacks enough expression. Or blah blah blah.

This year my focus is happiness, fitness (both of us), and trying to be more in the moment.

Cheers.

2015 Goals. Success and failure

2015 Goals Review

(A norovirus has annihilated my entire family that came to Christmas. Including yours truly. So while I enjoy my Zofran, you get a goals post!)

In January, I set these goals for myself. Let's see how that turned out:

{{Keep Hampton's happiness and health AND my happiness and health the No. 1 priority}}
SUCCESS. We battled some anxiety, behavioral, and I suspect ulcer issues in the spring and early summer. It got so bad that I actually considered selling Hampton. I even listed him on FB. I also was battling anxiety and eating issues related so my stomach. I lost 22 pounds along with a lot of strength. I found a good doc and some good meds, plus better eating habits. I've now gained all but 2 of those pounds back. Hampton hasn't had an "episode" in a very long time. He is happy, quiet and in a much better frame of mind now. But it was touch and go this spring. I didn't write about it all that much because I didn't want to sound like a whiney kid who says "Oh my horse isn't perfect anymore so I'll just sell him and get a new one!!" (and I'm not referring to people who truly do not get along with a certain horse and choose to move on. That is a different story) .... I'm glad that we were both able to work through it, even though it meant not making as much progress as I had hoped.

Spring 2015

{{ Show Third Level, qualify for Regionals }}
SUCCESS. We actually did this in one weekend, at Harmony in the Park.

{{Score a 65%+ at Third Level}}
FAIL. Didn't really come close. I think our best was a 61% and some change this year.

{{Create and show a Third Level Freestyle}}
SUCCESS. We weren't ready for this, but I did it anyway. We did squeak out a 60%. But in the future, I will need to make it much more difficult and change up the music. But I did it. On my own.

An "exuberant" change in our freestyle

{{Improve and continue working on my position}}
I did well some of the spring and summer on keeping my reins short, but old habits die hard. I would say there is some improvement here, so I will call this a semi-SUCCESS. But, it's a work in progress. I'm no Charlotte D.

{{Develop more reliable flying changes. Develop the 4s and 3s}}
I'm not sure if this is a success or failure. We can't do reliable 4s and 3s yet, but the quality of the changes continues to improve. We are battling major straightness issues and until that is ironed out, the tempis are impossible. However, the single changes are pretty darn reliable now. So, another semi-SUCCESS.

{{Debut at Fourth Level}}
SUCCESS. We did do this, twice at schooling shows. My first try we got a dismal 54%. Our second try at the KHP earned a 57%. 

Flying change: NAILED IT

{{Show at 3 rated shows}}
FAIL. We only made it to 2 rated shows. It's not a big deal. My cat had surgery in May, and then shortly after his cancer returned and it was very aggressive and angry. I ended up spending all of my money and then some on poor Grover, who I ended up euthanizing anyway. It was heartbreaking and depressing. So, needless to say I had no money for anything else. Oh well. First world problem!

{{Attend one clinic}}
SUCCESS. We have clinic'd a couple of times now with Lainey Ashker, who I am really enjoying learning from. More in the future! 

Lainey clinic

{{Develop canter pirouettes}}
SUCCESS. These are coming right along. Hampton has a real gift for these, and I just need to be careful not to ruin it.

{{Take more photos}}
I tried! I consider this a SUCCESS. I brought my camera to the barn frequently, and took quite a few photos at shows. Still need to be better at this though. Instagram doesn't really count.

{{Be better at money/budgeting}}
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. FAIL.

Super secret "it's a big maybe if all the stars align" goal:
 Debut PSG in the fall. ssshhhhh, this one is the big ambitious goal!
BIG FAT FAIL. No way were we going to be ready for the PSG. That was just wishful thinking on my part. Maybe next fall? We need much better balance and consistency. And the pesky tempis. The reality is that Hampton just needs more time to develop. He is not built for this and so he struggles with things a more talented horse would not. That's ok, he can have more time! I'm still enjoying the journey.

I don't what the heck to strive toward in 2016!!