Wizard Ride 69: Puddle Jumpers
Sunday, 4/5/09
After work, I hustled over to the barn for a quick ride. Rain is expected for the next few days so I wanted to ride outdoors while I had the chance. We had amazingly beautiful weather here in NJ today: sunny with temps in the low 60s. As an experiment, I did not administer Ulcergard to Wizard tonight. The result? He seemed fine. Not sure what it means, but it’s noteworthy.
I groomed him quickly and turned him loose in the outdoor arena to let him stretch his legs. Lately, I’ve been riding without doing much if any longeing or liberty work so I wanted to change up the routine. Wizard followed me like a dog as I walked around the arena, peeking over the fence with me to watch the deer graze at the tree line, walking with me to investigate the jumps and barrels in the arena, etc. I asked Wizard to trot- he picked up a trot, and… WHOOP! He was out of the arena- what happened?!?!? My fault entirely- there was a showdeo at the barn today and the side gate must have been left open. I neglected to check all 4 gates before I turned Wizard loose. Wizard’s powers of observation clearly outweighed mine. My heart dropped as he slipped out the gate, but I relaxed when he stopped at a patch of grass. Calmly, I said, “Come here,” as I broke a carrot in half. Wizard turned his head toward me and then he was no longer a free man. Whewwww- my heart began beating again. As a reward for him being so good, I let him graze a few moments. I felt terrible about what happened- my oversight could have been very dangerous. It was a good lesson for me to pay attention to my surroundings. When I saw how calm Wizard was when I caught him, it made me happy that we’ve done liberty work together- he did not seem scared or nervous at all when I walked up to him when he was loose.
I put Wizard back in the arena, and he took several playful laps around at a trot and a gallop. At my cue, he would stop and trot toward me. He also ran through a few puddles of water that were left over from the rain a day ago. I guess he’s not afraid of water!
I saddled him up and rode for about 25 minutes. The footing in the outdoor arena is softer and deeper than the indoor arena so I made sure not to work him as long outdoors as I normally do indoors. I want his muscles to get used to the footing gradually. We worked on relaxing his topline and I worked on keeping my shoulders straight as I rode with a loose rein. I was able to ride figure 8s with a loop in the reins. At the end of the ride, we worked on walk/trot transitions- they were a little awkward but I think the footing had something to do with it. I’m sure they’ll get better each time. I also trotted Wizard through puddles a few times- he’s completely fearless about water. I remember riding through lots of puddles with Alibar– it ended up being a great exercise because we never had a problem with water at horse shows :^)
I Want Revenge and Joe Talamo win the Wood Memorial!
Aqueduct Photographers, by Bud Morton
Wood Memorial 2009!
Saturday 4/4/09
Derby Fever has smitten even the most reasonable racing fans. Today was action-packed and many a handicapper is wrestling with the mental gymnastics provided by the results of today’s races. On the West Coast, grey wonder The Pamplemousse (aka Fruit Loop) was scratched from the Santa Anita Derby due to a tendon issue. In his absence, Pioneerof The Nile dominated.
A few hours earlier at Aqueduct, I Want Revenge won the Wood Memorial under jockey Joe Talamo. If you have not seen the video, check it out. I Want Revenge has a slow and awkward start (pictured below) and overcame traffic to win comfortably. Talamo’s riding was superb- he sat chilly on the horse and aided him as he threaded his way through the field, finishing smartly with minimal encouragement.
Here they are out of the gate…
And a few other photos from the race. I was pleasantly surprised to hear a LOUD cheer from the crowd when Talamo returned to the winner’s circle and again when he walked through the paddock. Increased awareness of these amazing athletes is a wonderful byproduct of the success of Animal Planet’s Jockeys.
Check out my Flickr photostream for more photos of the day’s racing.
Wizard Ride 68; JR Session 24: No Joy in Mudville
Thursday, 4/2/09
I bounced out of bed this morning, eager to go to the barn. The sun was shining, the air was warm, and I was eager to ride Wizard outside in daylight. When I arrived at the barn, I found out that there had been A LOT of rain overnight. The arena was perfectly usable Wednesday night, but today, it was wet. The arenas at the barn drain very nicely but the rain must have come down very recently. It will take at least a day for it to dry out. And we have more rain expected tomorrow >:^(
There were several people riding indoors so I tried to longe JR outside. I tied up his tail and took him around the farm, looking for a dry spot to longe. All we could muster was a bit of jogging on some moderately squishy ground. I gave up and let JR graze. JR-2 points, Sarah-0 points.
Next up: Wizard. I grazed him for about 30 minutes before our ride. Wizard was being so nosey- he walked me all over the farm, snorting and snooping around the paddocks. He’s such a funny horse.
I tacked him up and rode indoors. Today, we had the opportunity to work with other horses in the arena. One horse was at the far end of the arena being longed and one was doing groundwork by the gate so we were in the middle. I took the opportunity to work on some of our exercises form the lesson the night before. We walked for about 10 minutes on a loose rein and then picked up a trot. I forced myself to trot Wizard on the buckle. Everything in my head is screaming to pick up the reins when he speeds up, but I shut off the voices in my head and kept trotting. To the right, his rhythm is less steady so it was even tougher to do. We only managed half a circle at the time before I chickened out and picked up the reins. Because of this, I made it my goal to trot on the buckle at the end of our ride during the cooldown part of our session.
For the rest of the ride, we worked on several patterns, as well as walk/trot transitions. Wizard was a little on edge because of the horses around him but I embraced the challenge and we worked through it successfully. Transitions were tough at first. I repeated to myself over and over: If the horse gets tense, ride softer. Changes of direction were easier than transitions for Wizard tonight, but we got a few nice walk transitions after Wizard got into the groove. It seems like with a horse like Wizard, everything can be solved by methodically, calmly working through it. He’s very game and has a very good work ethic. By the end of our ride, Wizard’s transitions improved and he was bending better. Sometimes, when I feel him really connecting to the bit, I like to let him open his trot up a little bit and we do a little forward trot down the long end of the arena. The entire ride was almost an hour, including walking to warm up and cool down and standing for a little chatting with barn buddies. I am continually amazed how fit Wizard is getting- he’s becoming quite a little beefcake.
Product rave: Charles Owen AYR8 Helmet. Pictures in black/silver but I bought black/black.
I purchased the helmet from The Tack Shelter in Colts Neck NJ. They are having a spring sale- the wonderful thing about spring sales is walking into the store looking for polo wraps and walking out of the store with a brand new helmet and a Joules shirt :^)
I was in need of a new helmet and I wanted one that’s tough enough for schooling but nice enough for shows. The AYR 8 fits my head like a glove- it’s really soft and lightweight and the fit is so secure that it feels safer than my old helmets. I also like that it feels a little more secure at the back of my head. The vents help air flow and it looks a little more conservative than the more stripey helmet cousins. There is something about the helmet that makes it fit even better than the GR8, another Charles Owen helmet. Two thumbs up for this fabulous helmet.
Here’s the Charles Owen description of the helmet:
The stylish Ayr8 by Charles Owen is taking the show jumping circuit by storm, with leading lady rider Ellen Whitaker making heads turn whenever she steps into the ring. The low profile helmet combines fashionable microfibre suede side panels, with a mesh centre to maximize air flow through the 12 ventilation apertures, achieving the perfect combination of cool equestrian chic. Developed for the equestrian athlete the slimline helmet uses advanced modern materials and incorporates the latest in thermoregulation for helmets to keep your head cool. The soft suede harness incorporates the revolutionary Gpx™ technology which creates a snug and secure fit using scientifically designed grippers. The harness is coordinated to the specific colours within the range to give that complete finished look. The brim is gently rounded to flatter the face and a press stamped metallic logo is positioned centrally above the peak. Another embroidered logo features on the back of the helmet to replace the traditional ribbon . The supersoft headband is embedded with high tech silver ions, providing built-in antimicrobial protection, helping to keep the helmet hygienic and free from smells.
Wizard Ride 67; JR Session 23: The Death Star
Wednesday, 4/1/09
Two honey-colored eyes, two black-tipped ears, and a loud nicker greeted me when I arrived at the barn tonight. Wizard is learning the routine- I administer Ulcergard and feed him a tub of Alfa Supreme while I work with JR. There is a theory that feeding alfalfa before a ride can help settle a horse’s stomach if he’s suspected of having ulcers. The alfalfa is also good for building muscle and adding weight, plus Wizard eats it like it’s candy.
JR had an easy night. I longed him outdoors for about 15 minutes and walked him for 5 minutes. I wormed him with Equimax and put him to bed.
Sarah showed up and I began my riding lesson. We warmed up at a walk on a loose rein. We then trotted on a large circle. Wizard began to stretch down with his neck, which is a good thing. I clutched the reins with my hands whenever his trotting tempo increased, which is a very bad thing.
“Drop your reins and let him trot on the buckle,” said Sarah the Trainer.
“Ergh,” said Sarah the Student, as she made a pathetic attempt to loosen the reins.
“Trust him and ride on the BUCKLE. Seriously. He doesn’t WANT to rush and he’ll stop rushing when you are balanced.”
“What if he gets really fast?”
“You’re riding a CIRCLE…”
“Sigh…”
It took several rotations on the circle before I could reliably trot Wizard on the buckle without my hands getting a mind of their own and fiddling with the reins. When I finally sat up, loosened my shoulders, and rode with my hands on the buckle of the rein, a funny thing happened: Wizard relaxed, lowered his head, and trotted smoothly. And when Sarah asked us to walk with me just using my seat, another funny thing happened: he walked. The beauty of the independent seat. If only I could keep my shoulders this straight and aligned all the time.
Just for fun, Sarah asked me to ask Wizard for a canter on a circle. I asked him, but he simply flattened his ears and trotted reallllly fast. Sarah smiled and we moved on to our next exercise. It’s going to take some mental gymnastics to get Wizard to canter with balance and relaxation. So far, we have our best luck using trot poles and cross rails.
After more work with bending and trotting on contact on figure 8s and serpentines, Sarah set up a series of trot poles on a circle. It looked kind of like a star, except there was an angled pole in the center.
First, we walked the circle. Then, we trotted to the left (the direction that is easiest for Wizard). Before I began trotting, the pattern looked fairly simple. I’ve ridden it many times before with Alibar and countless lesson horses. But a green horse with a good trot stride made it feel a little like a video game, riding him straight to the center of each trot pole, keeping the bend of the circle, and staying out of his way as he trotted over the poles. The first few rounds were u-g-l-y. Once Wizard figured out the pattern and I figured out my rhythm while I stayed out of his way, we got exponentially better. But then the star became the Death Star… we had to make a left turn after pole F and trot over pole G. It required me to stay OFF Wizard’s mouth and really use my leg to engage his inside hind leg. After we trotted over pole G, we kept trotting past the poles and circled outside the line of poles until we established a good rhythm to the right. Then we trotted the poles to the right. I remember reading somewhere that just because a horse can do something to the left does not mean he can do it to the right. Sometimes horses need to be trained the same behavior in both directions. This was very true on our little star. Again, we took a few awkward passes to develop rhythm and balance. I could hear Wizard really working hard on this task. His respiration increased and I saw a little sweat on his neck. This was the hardest I’ve felt him work since I started riding him. I was very pleased that his sweat dried as soon as we were done with the exercise. He was sweating from effort, not nerves. It’s really enjoyable to ride a horse who can focus on a task and who tries so hard to do well.
After our star circle, we took a walk break while Sarah set up a little line for us. I could tell that Sarah had the goal in mind of developing my seat and getting my shoulders back where they should be. The trot poles/jump line was in the direction of the barn/gate so I needed to keep my seat in order to prevent Wizard from rushing. It consisted of three trot poles, followed by two teeeeny cross rails. They were small enough that we could walk over them (and we did).
We trotted the combination a few times. Wizard was forward and responsive, but he was beginning to speed up at the trot. Sarah warned us that she might ask us to walk or halt during the line. We trotted in, ready for her signal. She asked me to halt him after the trot poles and before the first X. We did it :^) Next time through, she asked us to walk before we even got to the trot poles. Next time through, she asked us to walk for just a fraction of a second, then trot on, like an exaggerated half halt. The last two times through, she did not ask us to walk or halt at all. Wizard was listening, waiting for my signal, as we trotted through. I was balanced and focused. The last time through the line, Wizard broke into a canter between the two cross rails. I was instructed to let him canter anytime he offered it so I did. I did a good job of staying out of his way, and we were done. Another great lesson!
I untacked Wizard, wormed him with Equimax, put Novlasan on the bite mark on his throat (hey JR, WHO do you think might have bitten Wizard on the neck???), applied Thermaflex to his legs, and gave him a good grooming. And I have the day off tomorrow and the forecast is good so I’m hoping for a daylight ride outdoors :^)
Monday, 3/30/09
The weather is windy but dry after a few days of rain. Both horses were complete mudbombs from rolling and playing all day in the sunshine. Wizard has a big bite on his neck and a little lump from the bite between his jaws, probably from too much horseplay. It did not seem to bother him. I gently cleaned it and put a little ointment on it. I grazed both horses before it got dark outside. I administered Wizard’s Ulcergard and gave him a tub of Alfa Supreme while I took pictures of Mary the Morgan wearing bunny ears and worked with JR.
JR looks like the time off did him a little good. I free-schooled him for a few minutes in the arena and he trotted and cantered around the arena, investigating the big collection of jumps in the middle of the ring (there was a horse show at the barn this weekend). Grooming did not bother him and he was fine about being saddled. I tried my KK Ultra on him to see if the looser mouthpiece was better for him. He chewed the bit most of the ride, but it looked like productive chewing. Unfortunately, JR still felt resistant under saddle. He was willing to perform the tasks I asked, but he was not as forward as he can be. I did a long warmup at the walk, followed by trotting on a loose rein. He was rushing at the trot so it took a little bit to relax him enough to stretch down. We worked on walk-trot transitions and I could feel resistance in the transition from walk to trot. I rode him on a big figure 8 and rode a few simple patterns. I asked for a few steps of leg yield, which he did very well. I rode JR for about 20 minutes. I might go back to groundwork with him and give him a little more time off from riding.
I recently got a new saddle pad for Wizard. My Roma pad already fell apart in the wash (My bad! Gentle cycle means gentle cycle) and I’m going to see if my mom can save it. Tack of the Day sold Eous sheepskin pads and I got one recently. It’s thicker than my Roma pad so I was a little concerned how Wizard would like it. Wizard gave it the stink eye as I placed it on his back, but then the funniest thing happened. He took a BIG SIGH. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but perhaps he really is a sensitive guy and really enjoys everything fuzzy.
So here was my ride plan for Wizard. The plan is italicized and my comments are in bold:
Warmup:
Warm up at the walk on a loose rein, allowing the horse to take in his surroundings. Wizard performed this very well. He was calmly interested in his surroundings- the sounds of the wind outside did not affect him at all.
Begin work at the trot on half the arena, first asking the horse to stretch down and reach for the bit. Ask for walk/trot transitions, using the entire arena. Encourage engagement of the hind end by asking for the transitions frequently. Be sure to actively ride into and out of the walk. DO NOT pull for a walk. Ask for the trot when the inside hind leg is ready to go forward. Change directions and work on walk/trot to the right and to the left until the horse feels more supple and is on the rider aids. The warmup trot went well, but this is way too soon in the warmup to ask for a lot of walk-trot transitions from Wizard. When I asked for them later in the ride, they were far better (see below). The changes in direction were a little awkward at first but then we both got more balanced.
Ride on a 20m circle in both directions. Count the number of steps on the circle and determine if the number is similar the next few times around the circle. I decided to do this exercise later in the ride. I spent more time at the trot letting Wizard get more relaxed and balanced. I did not longe him tonight and I think that’s why we did well with a longer warmup.
Work:
Ask for a Figure 8 with a walk in the center, making sure to trot only after the center line. We started this exercise trotting the entire figure 8 and when I felt him responding to leg, seat, and hands, I asked for a walk at the X of the figure 8. It went really well! We continued on to serpentines and used the entire arena (100 x 200 is a BIG arena!), walking at each change of direction and picking up the trot after the center line. This is a really beneficial exercise for Wizard.
Begin work on a more sophisticated and balanced trot by alternating between a forward trot and a working trot, making sure to keep the rein aids light and soft. If the horse gets tense or resistant, give, give give and ride softly. I incorporated this exercise into the serpentine/walk exercise. Whenever Wizard felt like he was bending well and using his hind end, I kept riding down the long side of the pattern and ride in straight lines down the arena, asking for forward trot on the long ends and working trot on the short ends. Wizard feels quite green with this exercise so I need to be very sympathetic with my hands and seat. When he needed to be rebalanced, I took him back into the serpentine and went back to the exercise with transitions. By the end of this exercise, Wizard was doing a little of that happy working Thoroughbred snort that I love so much. Whenever he gets tense, he makes “the gelding noise” (that gork-gork-gork sound) and it goes away as soon as he relaxes. For some horses, they make the gork-gork sound even when relaxed, but I always notice that Wizard is tense when I head the sound.
Go back to riding a 20m circle in both directions, riding short into the circle and ask for a leg yield for just a step or two outward toward the rail and the edge of the circle. This was our first work on the 20m circle. I tried leg yield a few times and decided 1) Wizard does not know it nearly as well as JR does, if at all 2) it’s easier on the straight line for Wizard. So I asked a few times by walking on the quarter line and asking him to step just 2 or 3 steps of leg yield. He did it well but greenly so I did not ask for it at the trot.
Cooldown:
Trot on a loose/soft rein on a 20m circle, counting the number of steps again. Did they change? Are they the same? No comparison since I skipped this exercise in the beginning of the ride. To the left, Wizard took 30 steps every time. To the right, he took 31, then 28, then 28, then I got him to do 30. He’s less consistent to the right so I think it’s not as easy to trot rhythmically to the right.
Walk on a loose rein until horse is cooled out. Did this, good boy! It was a GREAT ride. I rode for about 40 minutes and he was steamy and just barely sweating when we were done. I’ve long been looking forward to the day when I could have ride like this on him. Things are really coming together. I even felt that old familiar feeling of not wanting to be done with the ride even though our work was done.
Ride plan for Wednesday night? Riding lesson!
Ride Plan for Monday Night
If I don’t have a ride plan, I tend to trot a bazillion times around the arena and ride in little paisley-shapes. This is a tentative ride plan for both JR and Wizard for tomorrow night.
Goal: To improve and continue work on relaxation, suppleness, and connection to leg, seat, and hands.
Warmup:
For JR, I will long line for 5 minutes and longe him for about 10 minutes. He had about 2 weeks off of riding but now the saddle has been adjusted. If he feels tired, I will modify as needed.
Warm up at the walk on a loose rein, allowing the horse to take in his surroundings. Begin work at the trot on half the arena, first asking the horse to stretch down and reach for the bit. Ask for walk/trot transitions, using the entire arena. Encourage engagement of the hind end by asking for the transitions frequently. Be sure to actively ride into and out of the walk. DO NOT pull for a walk. Ask for the trot when the inside hind leg is ready to go forward. Change directions and work on walk/trot to the right and to the left until the horse feels more supple and is on the rider aids.
Ride on a 20m circle in both directions. Count the number of steps on the circle and determine if the number is similar the next few times around the circle.
Work:
Ask for a Figure 8 with a walk in the center, making sure to trot only after the center line.
Go back to riding a 20m circle in both directions, riding short into the circle and ask for a leg yield for just a step or two outward toward the rail and the edge of the circle.
Begin work on a more sophisticated and balanced trot by alternating between a forward trot and a working trot, making sure to keep the rein aids light and soft. If the horse gets tense or resistant, give, give give and ride softly.
Cooldown:
Trot on a loose/soft rein on a 20m circle, counting the number of steps again. Did they change? Are they the same?
Walk on a loose rein until horse is cooled out.
Wizard Ride 65; JR Ride 21: Little Piles of Sticks
Thursday, 3/26/09
Another week, another awesome riding lesson :^)
We began the lesson where we left off last week, asking for a little bend from Wizard in simple exercises and doing work with walk-trot transitions. As he became more relaxed and forward, the exercises increased a bit in difficulty. We worked on figure 8s, serpentines, and skinny figure 8s. I felt more stable in my seat and I can feel my leg improving just a little with each lesson. Wizard is much more confident during changes of direction.
Gradually, Sarah incorporated a few trot poles into the exercises. She set up three trot poles one stride apart from each other and we trotted them. Wizard is excellent at negotiating trot poles! He maintains his rhythm and articulates his joints beautifully as he glides over them. I do my best to stay out of his way and help him over the poles.
As I rounded a corner after trotting the three poles, I heard the familiar sound of clanking jump cups… I turned around and saw a little cross rail.
“Sarah!” I said, “That’s a JUMP…”
Sarah grinned and responded, “No, Sarah, that’s just a little pile of sticks. I’ll tell you when it’s a REAL jump.”
So we trotted a little line from half a cross rail to a teeny-tiny, itty-bitty vertical. Wizard trotted everything really nicely. He picks his feet up very carefully and maintains his rhythm over poles and jumps. I close my hip angle, give him his head, and stay out of his way.
A long-term training goal is to gradually encourage Wizard to canter under saddle. I’ve read many schools of thought about how to ask a green horse to canter. The method I like best is to invite the horse to canter by teaching him to round his back over small jumps or out on the trails. Naturally, the horse will break into a canter between obstacles and it’s the rider’s job to encourage the rhythm and stay out of his way. Wizard decided that today was the day to show me his canter under saddle. Dear readers, his canter looks way more uncomfortable than it rides! After trotting a little fence, I could feel him rounding up as if he was thinking of cantering. Sarah immediately told me to let him do it and encourage it. I did my best and it worked! It was our first little canter and it felt pretty organic and comfortable. Success!
We rode the line a few times in each direction. Wizard sometimes chose to canter and sometimes chose to trot. I really focused on letting him do what he needed to do. When I look back at these photos, I realize that I could have given him even more of a release and I was jumping a little ahead of the motion.
On the last two lines, Wizard started feeling a little frisky and got a little quicker down the line. After the second fence, he bowed his head and playfully flung his front feet up a bit as we slowed down the canter. He was not bucking, just playfully leaping. I think that he likes these little jumps.
When we were done with the lesson, Wizard was barely sweating- he’s getting quite fit. I wrapped his legs in standing bandages for a few hours and put his Thermatex cooler on him. He grazed for about 20 minutes and then munched on his Lucerne Farms Alfa Supreme. I gave him a dose of Ulcergard before the ride.
Before the saddle fitter arrived, I turned JR out in the big outdoor arena to let him play and stretch his legs. The horses were only outside for a few hours due to the rainy weather. I let JR graze for a little while and then he had a saddle fitting appointment.
Besides being an expert saddle fitter, Teri Miller is an accomplished rider. Her eye for saddle fit and rider position is fantastic. As soon as I met her, I was immediately impressed with her knowledge and her professional demeanor. She took wither tracings of JR’s back and carefully examined his muscling. She noticed that his right shoulder is larger, which could be a big factor in my saddle issues. Teri also watched me ride JR and noted my position and how the saddle sat on his back. Teri adjusted the saddle by adding wool to the right side. As soon as I sat in the saddle the second time, I felt a HUGE difference. I could finally sit my left seatbone in the saddle! For all of the previous rides on JR, I was caving in to the side because the saddle was not straight. As a result of the crookedness, my seatbones could not both sit in the saddle. After Teri’s adjustment, I felt like I was riding in a new saddle.
Teri also looked at the fit of my Stubben Portos on Wizard’s back. She said that the saddle is actually a little too wide for him so my merino sheepskin saddle pad is a good idea. She also gave her blessing for me to continue using my Thinline Ultra pad on both horses. Just for kicks, Teri put one of her County saddles on Wizard’s back. The saddle fit him like a glove. Since Wizard is not my horse, I was not looking for a long-term saddle fitting solution, but if I was, I would definitely consider County saddles. The craftsmanship is fantastic and the saddles look like they are designed with the horse in mind.
For anybody looking to improve the fit of a saddle, I highly recommend contacting a saddle fitter. Reflocking and adjusting are very financially reasonable ways to improve saddle fit as long as your tree fits your horse’s back. If you are in New Jersey, contact Teri Miller. It was well worth the very reasonable cost. I wish I had done this years ago.
Next time I’m out at the barn, I’ll be back on JR and I hope to begin work at the shoulder-in with Wizard. I’m on a roll!
JR Session 20, Wizard Session 64: The Life of a Barn Rat
Wednesday, 3/25/09
Steuart Pittman wrote a concise and helpful essay about teaching horses to jump. I love his conclusion to the essay:
“I truly believe that horses love to jump for the same reason people love to jump. Take a look some time at the expressions that you see, either in photos or in real life, on the faces of horses when they’re airborne. Most of them have a soft eye and ears in a neutral position. I see a lot of horses who look sour before the jump and sour after it, but have an expression of bliss when they’re in the air. Riders are the same way. I like to think of it as a moment when we drift back in time to when life was simpler. We escape the burdensome realities of life on earth and we approach the heavens. We do it on the back of a creature believed by wiser cultures than our own to be the animal that carries us to heaven. Maybe teaching horses to jump is good practice for the after-life.”
Tonight, Mary the Morgan Mare, JR, and Wizard all had free jumping sessions. We videotaped the sessions so I should have a few little clips online in the next day or two.
Ladies first. This was Mary’s second time free jumping and I saw a marked improvement in her balance and rhythm. First, I set up three poles one stride apart from each other and we asked Mary to trot and canter through them. Easy as pie. Then, I bumped the last fence up to a cross rail. No sweat. By this time, Mary had already caught on to the pattern and was practically doing the chute on her own. She also flung her head after each pass like she was very pleased with the process. She skipped over a little vertical, and then I raised it so that the jump was about 2’6″. Mary hit the pole but kept going forward and came through with 100% confidence her last time through over a smaller fence. In the beginning, Mary sort of stepped over the obstacles, rather than gathering and leaping. Interestingly, at the very end I dropped the chute to just poles again and Mary came through with a lovely, round, forward canter and snapped her knees over each pole. I think that she will improve even more next time.
Up next was JR. Where Mary was refined and dignified as she hopped the obstacles, roly poly JR was a rowdy little kid. After each grid, he leapt and bucked with gusto. Since he has only free jumped once before, I did not raise the bar over 2’3″. JR’s style is forward, but not as graceful as Wizard or as nimble as Mary. As he becomes stronger through his topline, jumping will become easier for him. He should have very nice style once his rhythm and coordination improves. I applied Sore No More to JR’s legs and put him to bed.
Third session was Wizard. I gave him a dose of Ulcergard before the session. Of the three horses, Wizard has the most natural jumping ability. He trotted the poles like an old pro, and leapt over the crossrail like a little rocketship, prancing and arching his neck and coming over to me for a carrot after each effort. He took the 2’3″ vertical very comfortably so I raised it to about 2’6″. Unfortunately, he did not have enough impulsion and he stopped before the fence. I was very disappointed in myself for the failed effort, but Wizard seemed far less concerned. He hit the rail the next time so I lowered the bar back to the “safe” height and he jumped it beautifully. I think that since Wizard’s canter is still a little awkward, a jump that required a little more bascule meant that he hit the pole with his hind feet. As his hind end strengthens, jumping will become easier and more graceful. When he is relaxed in his front end, he will be looser with his neck and topline and he will be able to handle the jumps more fluidly. I have a lot of faith that Wizard will be a nice little jumper once our flatwork improves. I applied Sore No More to Wizard’s legs and put him to bed.
For Wizard and JR, I enforced good jumping efforts with the clicker. I was really proud of how well all three horses took the chute. From their forward movement and their attempts to take the chute even when we were done with the sessions, I could tell that it was a very positive experience for them. The last time I did the obstacles with each horse, I brought the jump down so they were just taking the poles. It was a fascinating study to see their necks arch and backs round up as they negotiated the question set before them. I hope to continue to free jump the horses about once a month throughout their training.
In nine hours, I have a riding lesson. Off to bed for me! Ahhhh, the life of a barn rat.
JR Session 19; Wizard Ride 63: Get On Your Boots
Monday, 3/23/09
Back to chilly weather here in New Jersey. Temperatures hit the upper 20s at night and the wind was gusty. The air is dry and there’s local concern of forest fires with the dry air and cold winds. Horses love cool climates, but the dry air seems to irritate them while they are being handled. I hand grazed Wizard for a few minutes as the sun set. When we walked back in the barn, his tail looked like a cat’s bottle brush tail after seeing something scary! I put a little conditioner on both horses to combat the static and dryness.
JR worked indoors on long lining, followed by a longeing session. Monday was his third time long lining and he’s beginning to get the hang of it. The first night, we only walked a few steps but now we can do some circles and change direction. Of course, he breaks into a trot and sometimes gets distracted, but he’s a good study and I expect him to keep improving.
On the longe, JR was frisky. He trotted and walked quite nicely but once we ventured to the far end of the arena and he felt that magnetic pull to the gate, he broke into a playful canter and hauled against the longe line, playfully bucking. I joked to my friend that it felt a little like fishing for marlin- not that I’ve ever fished for marlin, but a leaping palomino on the longe line must feel something like hauling a huge fish onto a boat. JR is getting fitter- he just started blowing and broke just a hint of a sweat by the time we were done. I cooled him out, groomed him, and put him to bed.
Wizard was again very sensitive to grooming on the crossties. He did not do anything threatening, but was clearly displeased by the brushing routine. Was it the static? Or was it the fact that I rode him three days in a row? Or was it the fact that this was the second session without Ulcergard? I’m still not sure.
On the longe and under saddle, I saw no problems in his behavior. He was a little stiff but he worked out of it. I also noticed the slightest bit of filling in his left hind fetlock, but it looked defined by the time I was done riding him. I longed him for about 10 minutes, then rode for about 20. We worked on about half the arena and I asked for circles in different parts of the ring. My goal was to keep him soft and introduce a little more leg whenever he felt like he was losing his rhythm. It worked well and he was comfortable with riding in different shapes. He relaxed quite a bit to the left but never completely relaxed to the right. He was obedient but not quite the superstar he was for the past two rides. When I was happy with the work he did, we cooled out and I brought him back into the barn. He was better about grooming after the ride.
I noticed that Wizard interferes (makes contact by touching one leg against the other) a bit on the longe and under saddle. I hear the click somewhere between 0 and 4 times during each session. I’m considering putting brushing boots or polo wraps on him to protect his legs. I tried a pair of Nunn Finer open front boots on his front legs. The sheepskin liner and leather shell are lovely but they slid down an inch or so while Wizard longed. I assume that the sheepskin needs to mold to his leg and wear down a bit before the boots fit him perfectly. Get on your boots, Wizard!
And for those who are keeping score at home, here are some progress photos of Wizard…
December 2008:
March 2009:
December 2008:
March 2009:
JR Session 18; Wizard Ride 62: On Your Knees
Sunday, 3/22/09
I heard from the saddle fitter and she’s hoping to be able to schedule an appointment to adjust my saddle very soon- hooray! In the meantime, training has not ceased for JR. I started our session with work on long lines. For those who are unfamiliar with the process of long lining, check out this link. I’m about a million times more boring as I wander around the arena with a wiggly green horse, but the link gives you an idea of what you can do with long lining. With JR, we’re only walking at this point- he occasionally jogs and then settles back to a walk. The long line work is good for him to learn the driving aids. I’m working him in a cavesson until he’s a little more experienced and then I can try the bit.
I long lined JR for 10 minutes and then longed him. Today, we used the entire arena (100×200!). I moved the circles as JR worked so that he started at the bottom of the arena and ended at the top. I’m gaining more lateral control over him. He still has that gravitational pull to the gate, but I learned today that a little give-and-take on the line as he goes through the “magnetic” part of the circle really keeps his “birdie” on me on the longe line and not at the arena door.
JR is showing more rhythm and relaxation in his trot. Occasionally he feels the need to remind me that he’s a green youngster, like when he did a 180 degree spin at the canter and bolted in the opposite direction when he saw a break in the arena wall. The little guy has quite a pirouette on him :^) I’ve increased canter work with JR on the longe and now we’re doing more than a few rotations. His balance is improving at all gaits. When we finished longeing, I turned him loose and let him stretch his legs: buck, leap, fart, leap. I cooled him out and put him to bed.
Today was the first day I’ve ridden Wizard without Ulcergard in a few weeks. I decided to use today as a test to see if I need to go back to administering a dose before each ride or not. I did not see a big difference under saddle, but I saw a difference while I was grooming him. He was touchier and more irritated than normal- he did not make contact, but he nipped in my general direction I brushed his side. He also lifted a leg when I brushed near his belly. Is he touchier without ulcer meds? I shall continue my experiments.
My friend Kris visited the barn today. I’ve known her since 1997- she’s a friend from college. She always loved horses but has gotten more serious about her hobby in the past year or so. In two weeks, she will begin leasing her first horse. I’m really happy for her. And it’s a lot of fun to have a crazy horse friend who understands the joy of the latest Dover Saddlery catalog and enjoys visiting the barn during my crazy night owl hours.
While I was tacking up Wizard, I showed off Wizard’s carrot stretching abilities to Kris. Side to side, Wizard flexed his bendy neck. Then, we did the bowing carrot stretch. Wizard began the bow as usual, arching his neck, lifting his topline, lowering his head. Then, he bent his front legs and… WHOAH! Wizard was on his knees and just about lying down in the barn aisle. I helped him back up and checked him for any injuries. Aside from rumpled hair on his knees, he was fine. I tried the bow one more time, and WHOAH! On his knees again. What the heck was going on??? I brought him in the arena so I could watch him move out and see if anything looked out of the ordinary.
I saw nothing out of the ordinary. I worked on the same exercises with Wizard as I did with JR and I walked up and down the whole arena with Wizard circling me. Left and right at the trot, he was very good. I did a spiraling exercise on the longe and Wizard was a champ. Then, I stepped up the difficulty level and we did the arena exercise at the canter :^) To the left, Wizard was fabulous- I don’t think he broke stride more than once. To the right, it was much more difficult for him. He broke stride a few times but he kept trying and eventually his rhythm and balance improved. As we moved back to the gate end of the arena, he broke stride several times and began stopping a few times. Once he successfully cantered one last rotation on the correct lead, we were done. The canter work is much more of a workout for Wizard- he does not break a sweat at the trot but the canter is more mentally and physically taxing. He’s come a long way!
I rode for about 15 minutes, working at a walk and a trot. Since it was late at night, I used the under-saddle work as a cooldown. We did a lot of walking on the buckle and a lot of relaxing trotting. He was great to the left and a little more tense to the right (as usual). I got several good little stretches- not exactly a stretchy circle, but he definitely loosened his topline. I was able to trot him on a slack rein in each direction. After Wizard was cooled out, I put him to bed with a tub of Dengie.
As I drove home from the barn, it occurred to me why Wizard ended up on his knees in the barn aisle: the shoes! I do the side-to-side carrot stretches before almost every ride but I have not done the bowing stretch in a while. The last time Wizard did the bow, he was barefoot. The poor guy had no traction when he tipped his toes forward as he bowed deeper. It was a slow-motion thing and I think he was simply sliding. And then he even did it again for me when I asked the second time! He’s such a sweet, willing horse. I’ll be sure to only ask for carrot stretches on dirt from now on. Or as Kris suggested, I can purchase a yoga mat for Wizard.
Rock and Racehorses: The Blog 