Prepping

 Chatt Prep

photos; Prepping

videos

Successful Lesson: Phew!

Today we lessoned at home. We were supposed to have a lesson at Ashland but the arena's were closed. Because it won't quit raining!!! I reached out and Jacel mentioned that she was riding Jean's horses for her so she could teach me here. YAY!!! I asked if she would do all three and she agreed. Triple Yay!! 

I started with Funny in case the weather went wonky and I really wanted to get her done. So, I tacked her up and I decided to do the dressage saddle, since we've had three rides now with no shenanigans. Plus, I had a good 30 minutes to spare so I figured worst case scenario, I could swap back out. Except... Jacel got there early so.... I didn't get to do a long warm up. Ha ha. Oh well. We hacked up to the arena in the pasture and then went to work. We did spend a long time walking around the arena warming up because Jacel and I were chatting. I told her where we were at and that I was still not sure what the cause of her behavior was.... ulcers, ovaries, stifles... or heck, even saddle! 

So... we started off at the walk and Funny was already motoring. Jacel had me do some ten meter circles pushing her hindquarters out on the circle and riding her shoulders in. Then we picked up the trot and did the same thing. Basically... I could use the circles to help her balance herself. (Much like Aubreys' article). And I focused more on riding her body than her head. I did shorten my reins enough that there wasn't any loose flopping reins or inconsistent contact to annoy her, but... the reins were just there to stay steady. Not to direct. I rode the body by using my thigh to move her shoulder inside and my leg back to push her haunches out. And.... it was magic!!! Everytime she got quick and rushy, I did a ten meter circle. And it had to be a 10 meter circle because 15 - 20 meters were too easy for her. But every time I did a ten meter circle, she had to rock back and balance herself. She started to lift in her back and bend in her barrel! And she got soft and started reaching for the connection. Ooooh magic!!  But, we did lots of 10 meter circles.... ha ha. Like almost all 10 meter circles. Ha ha! Well, we did manage some straight lines. 

We went into the canter and did the same thing. Only our 10 meter circles were closer to 12-15 meters. Partly because the canter is harder and partly because I can't steer around the poles and such in my arena. Ha ha. But it was the same concept there. However, I felt like I was slipping off to the sides so badly. I stopped and tightened my girth twice even but it was just... I don't know if she's throwing me off... my balance sucks... the saddle doesn't really fit??? She did have one bucking episode with a little squeal. It was on the right lead when I sat back and put my leg on. But she didn't stop and prop and carry on. And then I was able to sit back more again later and she didn't do it. So... still not sure what it is... behavior?? Ulcers? Pain? sigh... but at least it was only once.  Jacel said she thought ulcers still but also... she was a little bit weaker in her left hind and tended to be weaker in general in her hind end. She said that she has such an amazing shoulder, it's just easier for her to pull herself along. So we've got to encourage her to use her hind end. She gave me a good analogy... If she told me to write my name.. I'd do it with my right hand and it would be easy and pretty. But if she told me to do it with my left hand... I'd grumble and be annoyed and ask why I can't use my right hand. But I'd do it. I would struggle. It would be ugly... but if I kept at it... eventually I would get pretty good at it left handed. So... sorry Funs... it's gonna be leg day! 

We finished on a good note and called it a day. That was a hard work out and she was trying. Jacel also pointed out that while she fussed a little, she never really said no. She never really got fussy. She said that she was so smart and talented that we had to challenge her or we bored her. So... we up the work in the sense that we challenge her mentally and physically but respectfully. And Funny was a happy camper for the most part. :) Good pony!

I will try the pole exercise next time with her. (The one we did with Lyric... side pass over the pole, serpentine over the pole, and then straddle it). 

 

Three rides!!

It's been 3 rides without shenanigans!!!

Rode at Ashland after the show. Jump saddle. Very "bloodhound"y today.  Trotted the gallop track and then cantered... fast and quick but... maybe wants to be an endurance horse... she'd be good at the long power trots!

spooky as all get out... spooked at a rock... another big rock... and some random piece of fence that's been there. Trotted up hoot an holler hill and jumped a fallen tree.

finished in the arena... trotted nicely but still quick. But.. I was able to get more bend than before... still felt like I had to perch... or I was perching/two pointing/half seating...  cantered and canter is quick and forward but not awful.... finished with a tiny bit more trot and a halt on centerline. Took a second or two to settle into halt but clicking helped. 

after her ride... cellulitis WAY impoved... I could see bones and tendons again! Hopefully this will last

Back to (her) normal... and take my own advice

 Today we did a virtual saddle fitting with Tasida to figure a few things out. Between Nancy coming out and Tasida's videos and .... to be honest, the trauma with the panamera... My head exploded and I needed some advice. So... Tasida was kind and did a virtual fitting and it was so helpful. 

 

Funny spent half the time trying to bend in half for scritchies. Girl.. stand up straight!! I can't tell if the saddle fits if you're a pretzel! Ha ha. So... first things first... her rib emergence is no longer at 4". Baby girl grew up and grew some withers and no longer qualifies as a potatoe! And actually, as she's lost some weight (ulcers? in heat?) she's more angled than flat backed as I originally thought too. The good news is that Tasida liked the panamera on her very much and feels like if it fits her that well and *I* am much happier in it on her than on Lyric... keep it for her. So, check... dressage saddle for Funny. We checked her loxley again and she very much still likes it on her. I did remind her that we have had to narrow it two gullets but yay that we can. And that makes sense that she is no longer a potato. So check... jump saddle. So sweet. Funny is good to go! 

 

So... later tonight I rode her. I so wanted to take her to Ashland and do a long hack first, but... I was running out of time because I had a doctors appointment for me this morning and then Dan had a vet appt at 1. And then the saddle fitting. So.. it was too late. Plus the arena's were all closed for show prep. And I really wanted to test her a bit. So... I rode at home. I put the jump saddle on her because she's always worse at home. And it's windy. And deer time. So, we started out in the pasture and I rode her around the field for two laps. Partly looking for Lyrics missing shoe and partly because I wanted her to have a very long warm up and not be in the arena. She felt a little bit electric and was super fussy in the bridle. She wanted to be long and low and not have any contact. But.. no shenanigans and we ened up in the arena. We walked a good bit more and then I finally felt like she was ready to trot. Or maybe I was ready. ;) I was giggling because she was power walking so fast and I was trying to allow her to snack on the edge of the arena because... 1) free weedeating and 2) fill that belly so there's less splashing on your presumed ulcers. But she was power walking so fast she couldn't hardly grab a bite. I was like "Funny, if you would just slow down, you could actually eat"... and then laughed.... because... Um... I only had time to eat brunch today... I had leftover BBQ sandwich at 10:30 because... I didn't have time to eat breakfast and I didn't really have time get lunch until after the vet appt at 2 plus but I was hungry. And so at this point it was almost 6 pm and I had only eaten the one sandwich all day. Ha ha.. Okay.... MAYBE Funny will finally learn to slow down when *I* finally learn to slow down. I'm guessing that God is as frustrated with me as I am with Funny. ha ha. Okay... noted... trying to work on it!

 

Anyways... we trotted and she was good. Quick... but not quite as speedy at first. She did build up some momentum over time but she was fairly responsive. We did have a big spook at the deer who was laying down in the grass and jumped up as we trotted by, but other than that... no shenanigans. She didn't pin her ears the entire ride... just a few moments here and there. She did listen to my thighs closing some and slowed down. She kind of ignored my half halts but also... I was riding very consveratively and "babying" her so that she didn't explode. But I feel like I've been riding that way the last multiple rides and she has still exploded, so... yay for no explosions today. We did manage to get some decent trot work. And then I pushed it more and cantered. And she was big, but she was good. No bucking, no bolting, no kicking out, no squealing. Just... her normal zoom zoom self. We finished with a little bit more trotting because I wanted to see how she would be after the canter and I wanted to finish on a good note. And she was definitely more zoomy after we cantered but there was no balking or naughty behavior. So YAY!!

We ended on a good note and then hacked back to the barn. But we also happened to find Lyrics missing shoe! Yay! And Dan's flymask. Ha! Score. I hopped back on and she carried me back home. She's still flirty and in heat a bit, so... who knows if that's playing a role. Or if it really is ulcers. I kind of wish I had just scoped her at the last vet visit, but... I just hate doing that to them. (the overnight stay, the starvation, the stress!). 

So... two successful rides in a row! I'll continue to use the jump saddle until after the show I think.. JUST in case. Although I guess we'll see what happens. I may not be able to resist "testing" her. And I will need to enter soon, so hopefully I can sneak in another ride Saturday or Sunday before closing date.  I suppose worse case scenario, I can sub Dan or Lyric in for her.  (Which... actually, might be kind of fun. Not sure Dan would be ready to jump BN, especially at Chatt, but maybe they would let me drop down. I'm also not sure Lyric would be ready, but... hopefully Funny will be good to go!). 

Oh, and she had fat hot puffy back ankles and lower cannons. Sigh.. cellulitis?? No wounds noted, but... she did go in the lake two days ago. And her fly boots are dropped. So... but sound and not uncomfortable.

Missed Her! And This!

Today I braved a bareback ride! Even with her having had a good bit of time off. I just... figured that way we could roll in the lake and I wouldn't be tempted to push her and "test" her. So we headed out. She started off a little fresh. Her usual power walking but she was also a little bit... vibraty! Hee hee. She was jumpy but not spooky. She just felt a little bit like she might explode whereas normally she just feels motory. But, she behaved and we didn't have any mishaps. We aimed for the hills and ended up on the hooky trail. Which was a bit of a mistake as the kids were out at recess so she had to stop and stare a few times. BUT, she just stared and then carried on. So yay! We also came across a turtle once we got into the hay fields but she was motoring on and I'm not sure she even saw him. He was the leathery soft shelly type guy. He ignored us too. :) 

 

 

I let her trot/asked her to trot in the hay fields but I had to keep pulling her down to the walk because she was bouncing me off her back. She was quick and hollow and holy cow she's a lot harder to sit her trot bareback than Daniel. When we got in the woods, I tried trotting again and we actually got a decent fancy trot that I could sit to. I'm not sure if it was the terrain, she had calmed down, or what, but... I used it to my advantage. 

 

We stopped at the lake and I let her walk in. She splashed around a good bit. I almost thought she wasn't going to roll but then she did. And then another 6 times or so. Hee hee. Glad I was bareback, but my boots got soaked! They were squealching. ;) But we had a blast! 

We then headed to the XC field and I let her trot a little bit there. We walked over the baby ditch, which she stopped and tried to run out at. Funny!! But then she did it and then the middle ditch and then back over the baby ditch. We then trotted into the water complex and I had her trot in circles in it too. She is fancy!!! Dang, I wish I could do my whole dressage test in 1.5' of water. She was fancy and slow! I'll definitely have to do this often to help strengthen those muscles and give her the idea. Then, for funsies... we trotted the log out of the water. (Since we had already done it before the other week or so). She was perfect. And then I couldn't help it so we trotted the hanging log heading to the water and then through the water. I almost jumped the log stack out but decided to be smart. She was good! And... no bucking and tantrums. Even with the trotting, cantering a teeny bit, and jumping. So.... is it because we were out in the field? Is it because she was bareback? Or is it because her ovaries feel better? Or her stifles feel better? Or is the injectable omeprazole working? I don't know but I don't care. I"m just glad she's feeling better! We headed home after that.