Wizard Ride 245: In the Dark Places
Monday, 6/13/11
I got out of work late, and it was getting dark as I tacked Wizard up for our ride. We went out on the trails with Philly and Lily for a ride around the short loop across the street. Riding in the dark is a trust exercise, both for horse and rider, and for the intrepid rider who happens to be on the lead! During my time in front, I ate my share of spiders and spiderwebs, I am sure. Lily and Philly both took turns on the lead, but Wizard mostly stayed in front. The horses can see the trails just fine, but riders must beware of kneecaps being smacked by trees! All three of us emerged from the woods, mostly unscathed, to darkness, and returned safely to the barn.
Wizard and I took a few trips around the big outdoor arena at a loose, relaxed trot. His head was stretched just as far down as it could go. The air was cool, and Wizard enjoyed a night outside with his paddock buddies, Indy and JR.
Wizard Rides 243 & 244: I’m Into Something Good
Wednesday, 6/8/11
Something good is happening with Wizard. Actually, a lot of good things are happening. This spring, he has really turned a corner and seems to really like working with me. He was always willing, but now I’m seeing him act in a more affectionate manner. And under saddle, we’re solidifying the beginnings of a great team. I’m feeling him taking contact on the bit WAY more than he was even a few months ago. He is bold and responsive. We rode outside under the lights on a VERY hot night. I took it easy with him, and our ride was really nice. We worked on our usual transition sets, walk, trot, transitions within the gaits, halt, a little canter work, and some lateral work.
Thursday, 6/9/11
I really enjoyed reading Sinead Halpin’s COTH blog entry about finding a rhythm and committing to it. I need to keep that in mind while jumping Wizard. I set up a cross-rail to a tiny vertical, with a 9-foot placing pole in front of the cross-rail. There were four strides between the two jumps. The first time through was one of the best, with me committing to a rhythm and Wizard gamely riding the line. I worked on the line a few more times, and when I tried to micro-manage the jumps or distances, Wizard lost confidence. He read my every thought and responded. It’s very zen, this jumping thing. Carole gave a little impromptu advice through the lines as we did the jumps a few more times. We kept it short and sweet in the hot weather. She was really impressed with the progress we have made in our flatwork. And Wizard’s owner saw us riding and said Wizard looked “phenomenal”. I’m so proud of The Wiz!
Zodiac: Nine Months Later… on the TDN Blog
September 2010:
May 2011
Please visit the TDN Blog at this link to see my most recent photo session and updates on Zodiac at Days End Farm Horse Rescue. You’ll be amazed!!!
Wizard Rides 240, 241, 242: Gut Feeling
Sunday, 6/5/11: I took another trail ride with Wizard, around the long loop. This time, we went out alone. As usual, he was fantastic. We walked the beginning parts and then trotted the last half of the ride. His trot was WAY better on Sunday than it was on Saturday. I wish we had some more long stretches of trail. I’d really like to work on his gaits out of the arena. The flies were AWFUL! I’m glad he was wearing his fly bonnet and new nose net. His ankles were smeared with Belly Balm to keep ticks from climbing up his legs. I used my dressage whip to remove the offending flies off his neck as we walked. The sandy stretches were worse than the wooded areas.
Saturday, 6/4/11:
Such a wonderful solution in such an inexpensive package! Two enthusiastic thumbs up for the Cashel Quiet Ride Nose Net. Wizard tends to be very reactive when flies bite him, and the Nose Net kept him a little happier. We rode out along the long loop with another boarder and her pony mare. For the beginning of the ride, we walked, and we cantered and trotted for the long stretch across the street. On the trail home, we walked, as always. He was a little hot when we started the cantering, and settled a little at the trot. The Mountail Laurel are in bloom, and it is spectacular to see the forest of flowers along the trails.
On Thursday, 6/2/11, I was short on time so I longed Wizard in the indoor arena.
Wednesday, 6/1/11:
We rode indoors, and worked on our lateral work and transitions. I carried a riding crop. Carrying it was all I needed, too! Wizard was lighter on my leg, and I did not notice as many gaps in attention. His canter work was hot and unbalanced- we still need work. His transitions from trot to canter are very hit-or-miss, and when he gets nervous, his canter gets sloppy. His later work was really nice. I can feel him getting stronger and more coordinated. He can hold a shoulder-in for a longer period of time, and I can feel him engaging his hind legs as he works. My gut feeling about the canter work is that we just need to do more. We got out of practice and now it;s time to build muscle and miles.
Wizard Rides 236, 237, 238, 239: Driver’s Seat
Ahhhh, back from a much-needed break!
Tuesday, 5/31/11
Took a nice walk out on the trails with Kris and Philly, and returned as it was getting dark. The horses were great on the dark trails, in spite of the awful flies and gnats. Once we returned, I did a little relaxed trot with with Wizard in the outdoor arena. He was very quiet on the bit- not very “chompy”- YESSSS. I wonder if we could do a little dressage schooling show this summer… Hmmm.
Monday, 5/30/11
Did a little arena work with Wizard indoors, and showed him off for my friend Cathy. She had not seen him in a while and was really pleased to see how much muscle he has developed and how nice he is under saddle. We did some basic work, but kept it light since it was so hot outside (close to 90 degrees). Mostly trot work and a little cantering.
After our arena work, we took a trail ride with Philly and with a big young warmblood. It was his first trail ride and he was a star. Of course, he was out with two very solid trail horses: Wizard and Philadelphia :^) We did the bigger loop and were out for about 45 minutes.
Sunday, 5/29/11
I got back in the driver’s seat for this ride and worked on a plan. We rode indoors, and did a lot of work with transitions: walk and trot, as well as transitions within the gaits. I could feel a true connection on the bit in some parts of the ride, and it was lovely. Wizard is becoming a more educated ride now. We also worked on some lateral exercises. Leg yield and shoulder in to the right are fine, but Wizard and I are both weak to the left. Our next goal is to improve our canter departs- he is still loosey-goosey and rushes if I push too much or don’t hold him together.
Wednesday, 5/25/11
Rode outdoors, and succumbed to my worst riding habit: riding without a plan. I should have worked on more transitions in order to improve our canter departs, but I did not, and Wizard was rushing a little bit. His lateral work needs practice as well. Time to get with the program again…
Click here to read about Thoroughbreds in their second career competing at the Jersey Fresh Three-Day Event.
Wizard Rides 233, 234, 235: Ghost Town
Wednesday, 5/11/11
The barn has been a beehive of activity lately, with horse shows and events, but I caught a nice quiet evening for a ride. Wizard and I rode under the lights outside, and my friend was there grazing her mare. We continued our transition work, warming up at a walk and trot on a stretchy loose rein and then beginning walk-trot transitions at each arena marker. I incorporated a working trot, a forward trot, and a slow trot between the markers. We then did some circles, and eventually began canter work. Wizard is still slow and awkward into a canter, but improving. I did transitions within the gaits at the canter as well, going from a working canter to a hand gallop and down to a slow canter.
Thursday, 5/12/11
My mom came out and took some pictures of our ride. I started in the small dressage arena and worked on some lateral work and bending in addition to transitions. We did trot work and then went to the large outdoor arena to do a little JUMPING!!! Two cross-rails were set up three strides (three lonnnng strides of four short). Wizard and I rode down the line about 4 times and he was a STAR. He jumped with his usual heart, clearing the jumps by over a foot.
Friday, 5/13/11
Wizard and I took the two mares, Lily and Philly, out on the trails. We did one of the longer loops and rode it in reverse. We even found a new trail! Wizard navigated the trails wonderfully, and was both the leader and the follower throughout the ride (mostly leader, ha ha). When we returned, I did a little loosening trot work in the dressage arena with him, stretching and lengthening his stride. The air was cool and there were not a lot of flies out. A perfect night for a ride!
In celebration of Silver Swallow’s retirement and career, I’m sharing my story about her from the morning before Breeders’ Cup 2009. Please click on this link to read about our adventure:
http://thetdnblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/moonlighting-as-pony-rider-with-silver.html
Wizard Ride 232: Going Against Your Mind
Tuesday, 5/10/11
Don’t throw away the reins! I need to tattoo it on my forehead. The first thing I want to do when Wizard takes contact on the bit is to feed him a little more rein, and I know it’s the wrong thing to do.
Onward and upward! We worked in the outdoor arena, on a beautiful spring morning, for about 40 minutes. We warmed up at a walk, stretching and moving into a nice marching gait. Our warmup continued with trot work on a large circle, doing a stretching/contact exercise. From there, we worked on transitions, moving from walk to trot and back to walk at each arena marker until Wizard’s hind end was engaged. Then at each marker, we did a different movement, either a leg yield or a shoulder in or a transition or a smaller circle. I then asked for some canter work. Wizard picked up the right lead perfectly the first time but the second time, it took a few tries. We hacked around the property as a cooldown and then I left the barn and headed to the office for a day of work- a nice way to start a day :^)
Wizard Ride 231: Contact
Monday, 5/9/11
Before work, I snuck over to the barn to enjoy the AMAZING weather. I took a quick trail ride with my friend Kris and her mare Philly- we covered about 3 miles or so. Wizard was ready to rumble when I first got in the saddle, but he was settled and was perfectly warmed up by the time we got back to the barn.
After the trail ride, I did a little arena work with Wizard. We worked at the trot, and I worked on my hands, specifically maintaining contact. I tend to fall into the awful habit of fiddling with my hands, feeding the reins through my fingers, and throwing away the contact. I made a concerted effort to keep contact, and Wizard liked it! He stayed on the bit through serpentines, and his transitions were nice. Now all I need to do it remember this :^P
Rock and Racehorses: The Blog 