Soak, cold hose, hand walk, REPEAT

The title says it all. The extent of my schedule this week has involved a lot of convincing Reffy he wants to stand still while I soak his bruised heel, then convincing him to not step on the hose while I cold hose his scraped up and fat hind leg, followed by convincing him he REALLY doesn't want to roll in the nice sandy indoor while I hand walk him at about Mach 50. The plan is to continue this sequence of events until Saturday when the farrier comes to shoe horses and check his heel, and then to hope he is magically sound after that.

A girl can dream.... Right?

Seriously horse?!

This is what greeted me when I brought the horses in today. Thanks Reffy. You're officially not allowed to go outside until I buy you protective boots.

P.S. leave the stinkin mares alone and stop kicking at the fence!!!!! >:-O

Good news and bad news

Since things have been going so well, it's inevitable to get a bit of bad news. Reffy is lame. Poop. He's looked a little ouchy the past couple days but since the ground is so uneven and solid I figured that was the problem. I lunged him a bit this morning and he was definitely off on his right front. No obvious reason, no swelling or exceptional heat. He's a tad warm in the heel area, so for now we're going to assume he's bruised himself and treat it as such. :( Luckily, he's not the kind of horse who goes outside and acts like a maniac, so he is still on normal turn out.

Which brings us to the good news! Ashley's TB Quincy got to go outside today and Reffy finally has a pasture mate! He's pretty unconcerned about the new guy in his field and prefers to eat his hay rather than get rowdy. Quincy on the other hand is hell bent on chatting up the ladies over the fence, and the gelding in their field is NOT happy about it.

Q and Ref are pretty adorable together though. Eventing buddies in the making!

Q likes to make silly faces for the camera ;)

2013 Goals

Since the weather this week is not conducive to working my handsome Reformation, instead I'm working on a list of hopefully achievable goals and riding plans for this season. Always, things will be subject to change according to progress, finances, and unforeseen circumstances.

February:

• Continue to lesson (dressage) once a week, possibly twice if weather and work schedules permit
• Be able to canter and not die in a controlled manner by the end of the month

March:

• Start jumping in lessons
• Ride in my jump saddle at least once a week to strengthen my two point and get back in galloping shape (even though we won't be galloping for a looonnng time)

April

• Combined Test at Bucks County on the 14th, starter level. School cross country if weather and conditions permit! 

May

• Mix and Match at Burgundy Hollow

June

• Midatlantic Horse Rescue All Thoroughbred Benefit Horse Show!!!

So far, that's all I've got. Fingers crossed that the weather will improve soon and I can get back on my horse!

"Hey mom, its cold out. Why are you laying on the ground to take my picture?"

Playing Catch-up

I'm finally sitting down and updating today. I've been a complete slacker in the blogging department, but this should be a long one since I have almost two weeks of stories to write about. We'll start with last Saturday (the 12th).

After our week of ups and downs I was looking forward to Reffy's first dressage lesson. Of course, as luck would have it, my guy came in from the pasture Saturday night with this boo boo on his hind leg.

Now it doesn't look like much, just a little scrape, but in my experience with TBs, they tend to be delicate flowers when it comes to boo boos. I took him up to the indoor to lunge him and see if he was sound. Thank goodness, he was. I cold hosed his leg to bring the swelling down and gave him some bute just to be safe. 

The next morning I kept him in and lunged him again to make sure he hadn't gone lame over night. He was still sound and our lesson was still on. Hooray! My mom and sister (and my baby niece) were coming to watch so the pressure was on. Lol. Reffy decided the best way to impress everyone was to thrash his head around and chomp like a maniac the whole time. Its so hard not to get irritated with him sometimes. He definitely needs more holes in his flash noseband to keep his mouth shut. The lesson itself wasn't too bad. We need to keep working on our downward transitions from the trot. Brakes were a bit of an issue and he pretty much sticks his nose in the air as soon as I ask him to walk. Gah! We also worked on riding straight down the quarter lines since he prefers to just bop along on the rail and not steer at all. Lastly, we worked on figure eights with a straight line in the middle, changing bend between E and B. Ref was pretty good when changing from his stiff way (to the right) to his easy way (to the left) but not so great changing bend from left to right. He just needs practice!

All in all, Megan was pretty impressed with how he looked since the last time she saw him. It had been about a month since she came out and gave us a crash course in lunging with side reins, and she insists that he looks taller and longer since then. He really does look like a completely different horse. 

picture Megan took during our lesson

Fast forward to through a week of mostly lunging and only one ride Thursday night (I had a house guest Tues-Fri). He was actually quite good, and there was much less chomping since I punched extra holes in his flash. 

Yesterday we had another lesson. It was super super nice out, but insanely windy, and since our outdoor is still a swamp from all the rain/snow, we were confined to the indoor again. Not so good. Lol. When its windy, the doors bang and the roof creaks. That can be a recipe for disaster. Reffy lunged quietly and I made sure to work him in the scary corner with the banging door. As soon as I got on however, the wind picked up and I had a spooky coiled spring under me. One of the boarders, Malinda, had come up to see how things were going and thankfully agreed to grab my vest out of my car, just to be safe. Megan pulled up as she was bringing it back up to the indoor and she was a little worried since dressage lessons usually aren't scary enough for crash vests. Lol. Luckily, it was only a precaution, and once we got to work he was focused and calm. Such a good brain on this horse! Things went so much better this time. Less thrashing, better steering and brakes, and he even started to figure out that he's supposed to remain on contact through his trot/walk transitions. We're getting there! Megan had me pretend I was asking him to walk, and at the last second before he broke from the trot, leg him forward again onto contact. We will be doing a whole lot of that over the next couple of weeks. I need to remember to continue to half halt on the outside and support him with my leg through the transition instead of expecting him to do it himself. We also tried a little canter, but abandoned ship when he tried to run into it every time instead of stepping right into it. No mach 50 trotting allowed! More cantering at a later date I'm sure, but for now, we will continue to perfect the walk and trot.  

This week we probably won't do a whole lot of working at all due to forecasted highs in the low 20s. Brrrrr!  Therefore we may not lesson this weekend. It all depends on the weather. Hurry up spring!!!!

Ups and downs

Yesterday Reffy cantered in side reins for the first time. It was a bit of a hot mess. Lol. To the left he had some problems picking up the correct lead, and after finally getting him on it, he had no brain left to go back to trotting in a productive way. Gahhhhh. Luckily, his lead was no problem to the right, and he gave me a lovely couple strides of canter on the bit. Hooray! Still no focus for trotting after though. At least his melt down was over doing something new instead of just losing his brain.

I almost didn't work him today, but since I have a lesson on Sunday, I sucked it up and ventured back out to lunge around 7 pm. Thankfully he was all business and went about his job without any fuss. The left canter was still sticky but I tried to let him trot into the corner a bit after I asked him to put his balance where it needed to be to pick up the correct lead. He definitely just needs to be stronger to get it on the circle. No big. And eureka, his trot work after cantering was not an epic fail! Such a smart boy. I took a couple videos so I could post screen shots**, sadly I always remember to record him when he's going left and not as nice and consistently round as he is to the right. Oh well. I'm also re-posting a pic from one of his first sessions in side reins so you can see the difference, not only in his body, but also his stride! He's gone from lookin like a quarter horse to actually starting to resemble a sport horse. I sent the shots to Megan and she says he looks like a completely different guy. Way to go Reffy!

I also took a trip to horse girl Disneyland today, or Horseman's Outlet for you normal people, and picked up a new dressage bridle, longer bit (no more Pony leftovers) and a couple pairs of full-seat breeches for myself. Yay for buying things! And I looked at jump saddles on consignment. Darn my little butt. All the ones I'm interested in getting my hands on were like 18s. Boo. Oh well. I'll just keep looking and saving my pennies.

Tomorrow the farrier comes to do Ref's feet. I'm still on the fence about whether I want to try to keep him barefoot behind for the rest of the winter or put shoes on. Guess I'll have to chat with our guy, Gabe Nonnemaker, and see what he thinks.

Until next time!

**The pictures with the leg wraps are from today.

Random riding and fun with tiny ponies!

Today I went to visit Shoshana (who used to half lease the Dusty Pony) and her adorable halflinger cross Izzy at Horseng Farm. We had a super fun time playing with her and a project pony, Reggie. I'll link to the videos at the end of this post.

Izzy is such a sweet mare, we think she may be part Morgan due to the insane flatness and length of her back. She's had a real good start thanks to the girls over at Rocking Horse Stables (apparently I'm giving props to EVERYONE today. Lol) and her dressage basics are spot on. Sadly you can't see that in the videos because they were taken after I asked her to canter and she definitely still needs a bit of work there and has a bit of trouble getting her brain back to work after cantering. Take my word for it, she even leg yields! Hopefully we will see them out and about at schooling events this aping and summer.

And then, there's Reggie. Adorable little Reggie, who has only ever been a leadline pony at 5 years old, was purchased by Heather McCarty at Horseng (she realized his coggins had 'bad pony' in the name section), and is currently being trained to be a riding horse by Shoshana and another girl. He's a welsh and only 12 hh. Needless to say, my ride was comical. And what a naughty pony! Lol. Sometimes he just randomly stops and tries to bite your feet. Or he goes sideways with his neck curled around so that you fear he may topple over on his side.

Of course, I'm in love with him. I think he's adorable. And he's Reffy's mini me with his face markings and one white hind. Who wants to buy him for me?! Lol.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2tlOyR8EZ9w Izzy trotting

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0K6U3Pjb02U Not getting away with refusing jumps

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BQjmQJX_5XA Reggie jumps and I laugh

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-2fg09WhzVM Jumping barrels in hand

Surprise!

After two days of work imposed vacation for Reffy, tonight I was back in the saddle with a no nonsense mentality. I had a chat the other day with Ashley about warm ups and making a clear definition of when he should be working. So from now on he will be lunged before every ride, even if he lunged earlier in the day. At least for our dressage rides. It seems to suit him to go right into work while riding instead of fussing around for 20 minutes or more trying to get him to warm up and work into his bridle and on the bit. Of course, as he progresses and gets stronger this coil possibly all change, but today, it worked, so we'll continue on this route.

We worked on staying round during and after transitions tonight. He's still developing his muscles and has a hard time going from the walk to the trot or coming from the trot to walk without sticking his nose straight in the air. He really fights at the walk when I ask him to come into my contact, but it will come.

Also, just for kicks and giggles, I asked him to leg yield down a long side. And, surprise!, he moved away from my leg as soon as I asked. Woo hoooo! Granted his bend was non existent but there was no shoulder popping and diving. That was to the left. To the right, his stiff side, I didn't really get a whole lot of anything but that's ok!

I used my spurs tonight with no problems whatsoever. And much less work on my part to get him round! Thank god. Hahaha. He already takes so much leg and support that without spurs I was just floundering. I can't wait to continue on our schedule this week and hopefully lesson with Megan next weekend! :-D

On a funny note, I left his blanket on the floor of the aisle while I was riding, and our one barn cat, Jazzy, took it upon herself to crawl into it and make herself a bed. She and the other barn cat, Socks, have been banished from the heated tack room due to scratching saddles when they jump up to perch. Her nest in Reffya blanket was super adorable and I felt bad when I had to put it back on him. Sorry kitteh!

Screenshots

I have yet to figure out how to get videos to post from my phone to my blog, so instead you get screenshots of some good moments during my ride tonight. Thanks Ashley for taking the video and telling me to shorten my reins ;)

Double Team and Two-a-Days

Reffy's training is officially in full swing. Last night, Ashley and I double teamed him on the lunge line. Me on the line and her with the whip. Gotta make him realize the only way to go is forward! No more of this ploddy western pleasurey horse garbage. Lol. No offense to you western pleasurey types, just not my cup of tea! He seemed to learn pretty fast that in order to escape the wrath of Auntie Ashley he must go forward at all times. And with impulsion! We're still tending to get a little behind the bit in side reins, especially when they get a little tighter. Work in progress :)

Today will hopefully start his series of two-a-days, consisting of lunging in the AM, then going out to play, and me riding in the PM. Fingers crossed he takes to the extra work and doesn't give me his opinion in fun ways. If all goes well, I plan on getting back on a lesson schedule with Megan next weekend. I definitely feel like I need eyes on the ground and a lot of guidance at this stage. I know what I'm doing, and what he's supposed to be doing, but it's hard to tell if we're on the same page and I'm getting the results I want. Theo was never one to dip behind the bit, so that's a little foreign to me. Tonight Ash will be around to watch. Expect another post later or first thing tomorrow!

Here's a still from a funny video of Ref playing with Zam's extra dead jolly ball. He got a new one for in his stall too!

Freedom!

Reffy is officially outside! He's currently by himself until we figure out who his buddies are going to be. Here are some pictures of him rolling in the snow. Yay!!!

Happy New Year!

The first day of 2013 begins what is hopefully going to be an awesome year. Reffy moved home! I'm so excited to have him under my feet and in my care at Hidden Hollow. The next couple days will include a brief settling in period, getting turned out in a field for the first time in a month, and getting back to work.

Of course, nothing can always go perfectly smoothly. Both horses got on and off the trailer without much fuss, Pepper leaving the farm and Reffy coming. Super score! No banged heads or heart palpitations from scrambling on slippery surfaces. We were home free and safe. Until I tried to walk Reffy into his stall. Apparently, the step down was akin to a bottomless pit, and there was no way he was going in willingly. It took about 10 minutes and Jeff and Alyssa literally shoving him from behind til he launched himself in. Hopefully when I have to take him out and put him back tomorrow we won't have that problem. I won't have as many extra hands to get him in. Poor Ref will have to sleep in the aisle. Lol.