Things Equestrian

A Crossroads in Our Relationship

2011-06-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

Recently my horse life has been intensely emotional.

The Problem

Cruz made it painfully clear that he wasn’t enjoying the life of a dressage horse. He didn’t want to go round and his canter was getting four beat/lateral and flat. At our last show he threw his head in the air, his equine equivalent of flipping me the bird.

This caused me to indulge in much weeping and gnashing of teeth while I considered whether we had a future together.

Taking Action

I decided to practice cutting the umbilical cord (remember, I bred, backed and trained this horse) and get used to the idea of saying goodbye to Cruz by trying out new horses for sale.

While I did this, at the suggestion of my trainer I sent Cruz to Steuart Pittman, brilliant local event rider, for a month’s training to re-establish my gelding in his old career as a one-day eventer. And find him a new owner.

Cruz’s Reaction

The very tall Steuart made my 16.2 gelding look like a little pony as I watched him ask Cruz to walk over a teeny-weeny ditch. My previously brave eventer looked at it in horror as Steuart told him to stop being such a woosy dressage horse. Eventually I walked in front to show him it was safe, and Cruz took the exact same route over it as I had done.

After some flat work and a few jumps (which Cruz attacked with gusto) Steuart rode him back to the barn. Cruz was then washed off and put in a stall.

I drove away, listening to his pitiful whinnies but sure I’d done the right thing.

Over the next few days Steuart got him jumping quietly, going on trail rides and being turned out in a big field with ten geldings he’d never met before. In short, Cruz went from spoiled brat to being just another horse. He was treated well, but not as anything special.

Feelings…. (Sound of violins)

I felt uncomfortable on all the horses for sale I tried out, ended up taking an off the track Thoroughbred to an OTTB rescue center instead (more about that in another post) and only felt at home when I got back on Cruz for a couple of lessons with Steuart.

Cruz has become humble: he doesn’t want to be sold.

Progress

After three weeks I brought him home to enter a local dressage show.

For the first time in four years I gave him no calming supplements. Although he whinnied for his buddy CD who was also there, he didn’t do anything naughty. He was a superstar in the warm-up, even when a horse came and kicked out next to him.

His three beat canter was back (he got 7 for his gaits) and despite our recent lack of dressage work, we still came in second!

The CoolStance Feed Factor

The CoolStance feed is a big reason for this. Cruz has quietened down so much that I sometimes take his temperature to make sure he’s not coming down with anything!

He hasn’t become a zombie by any means, but he’s calmer and happier. He’s putting on weight and doesn’t spook at everything. I’m no longer afraid to take him out on trail rides, in company or alone, and I jump him for fun, to vary his work.

What Next?

Cruz was getting bored with pure dressage, and it adversely changed his way of going under saddle. He returns to Steuart next week for his final six days of training, and I’ll have some jumping lessons, too. This will keep him interested in his work.

I’ve changed the way I ride dressage with him with positive results. I'll write more about that next time.

I’m more relaxed on him because I’m having fun with him, rather than only concentrating on riding perfectly. As a result we’re both enjoying a better relationship.

Maybe there’s hope for us yet.

Clinic Notes: Cesar Parra

2011-04-25T16:17:00.000-07:00

Cesar Parra came to Sharon Myers’ barn, Chimney Hill, in Upper Marlboro for a clinic on 20th and 21st April. Unfortunately I was only able to watch three horses’ rides. But, as always, I learned a lot in that short time.

Here are my notes - I hope some you find some of them useful.

Specific Issues

First Horse

This was a young horse with lovely movement in walk and trot, but a weak canter.

Improving the Canter

• Cesar told the rider to work on her horse's trot for several months, to strengthen the horse before asking for canter again.

• For homework he told her to work the horse in shoulder-in away from and facing the wall to change his muscle memory. This would enable him to approach canter work afresh.

• He also suggested lungeing the horse before riding.

Second Horse

An established Third Level gelding,

Bending and ‘Giving’

• When bending the horse, the outside rein must remain in strong, steady contact – without moving the hand forward – otherwise the horse won't give into that rein.

• The horse’s head must remain straight in the bend, not tipped to one side. Otherwise it is an evasion and not true acceptance of the outside rein.

• When the horse gives to the outside rein, the rider can give, too. But we need to appreciate the big difference between ‘giving’ and ‘throwing away the contact’. Giving with the hands is a slight easing of rein tension, not a loose rein.

• We should give with our hands every chance we get. When the horse learns to relax - without taking hold - he also learns to accept the giving as a reward.

Third Horse

Working at Prix St. George level.

Canter Pirouettes

The rider was having problems getting her horse to submit to the right outside rein in canter pirouettes.

Cesar had her walk the horse in a 10 meter circle with haunches in, then go into canter from walk, still keeping the haunches in WITH LOTS OF OUTSIDE REIN on the ten meter circle.

(I've watched Cesar giving lessons at his New Jersey barn, and his big issue with canter pirouettes is frequently the rider's insufficient outside rein.)

Tempi

For the flying changes the rider’s legs should move ‘like windshield wipers’ in the moment of change, rather than the huge leg and body movements one sees in some riders.

General Themes/Observations

Emotions

• Don’t take it personally when the horse doesn’t do as you ask.

• Don’t hold a grudge against the horse after corrections. Quickly regain your calm.

Quickness

A theme throughout was that we riders are too slow to react to the horse and make things happen. We need to be much more alert and reactive, without being hurried.

Work Less for More Results

The aim is to work less as a rider for more reaction from the horse.

Forward, Forward, Forward!

This was another constant theme running through the clinic.

• If the horse is sluggish off the leg, take both legs away and kick. Keep doing this until the horse reacts as soon as you simply take your legs off.

• Get the horse moving forward before all else. There is nothing to work with until the horse is doing this.

• Get the horse moving from freer shoulders.

Half-Halts

Get the horse sensitive to the half-halts: be dramatic with them if the horse doesn’t listen. The half-halts must come through!

The Whip

Get the horse to react to a touch of the whip. This way we can use it as an aid, not as a punishment, with just a light request.

Reins First

This is a difficult concept for those of us who were trained in the German fashion which dictates ‘applying as much or more leg as we hold with our hands.’ But most of us aren’t strong enough to do this.

So Cesar advocates getting the horse to come back ONLY WITH THE REINS. Then, when he is light in front, ask him to go forwards off the leg and seat.

This makes the horse much easier to ride.

Constantly Adjust

Keep making little adjustments while riding, testing the horse’s flexibility in the head and neck, or rebalancing him.

Lateral Flexion

Continually test the left and right lateral flexion in the horse, in all three gaits. Make sure the horse is supple and ready for any new movement.

Cruz Bay still looking supple today after working hard!

Exercise for Developing Counter Canter

2011-04-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

What is Counter Canter?

'Counter canter' means cantering on the lead counter to the direction in which you are traveling. For example, if you're cantering clockwise round the arena, but are deliberately on the left canter lead, this is 'counter canter.'

Among other things, it's a test of the horse's balance and obedience under saddle, and is introduced in the Second Level dressage tests.

Learning Counter Canter

Here’s a useful exercise for developing counter canter.

1. Start with your horse’s easier canter lead as it will help him perform better.

Let’s say it's the left lead.

2. Develop a rhythmic, active left lead canter on a 20 meter circle at one end of the arena.

3. Once your canter is established, ride across the diagonal, maintaining a consistent tempo.

4. Don’t go deep into the corner. Instead, turn your horse to the right in a shallow arc and begin a 20 meter circle at that end of the arena, maintaining the left lead.

5. Continue riding in counter canter on the 20 meter circle (or larger, if necessary).

6. If your horse has trouble believing you're really serious about this ‘wrong lead’ business, exaggerate your canter aids to convince him. E.g. more inside bend, stronger outside leg behind the girth, stronger driving inside leg. But remain centered in the saddle, otherwise your horse will feel he’s losing his balance.

7. Stay relaxed throughout, so this exercise doesn’t become a big deal for either of you.

8. Once you’ve completed a circle, ride back across the diagonal and canter on the ‘correct lead’ for one circle.

Ride as if counter canter is the most normal thing in the world and you’ll stop yourself from stiffening in the saddle, making it harder on the horse.

Once in each direction is probably sufficient for your first attempt, as it’s physically and mentally tiring.

Make This a Daily Routine

Incorporate this exercise into your riding routine until it becomes second nature. Then you can start working on the Second Level three loop serpentines.

Another Use for this Exercise

My instructor originally gave me this exercise for Cruz because he wouldn’t bend to the left in left-lead canter. Not only did I have to ride him in counter canter, but I also had to counter-bend him to the right.

After a circle of this, it was a huge relief for him to bend correctly to the left!

Is Your Horse High on Spring Grass?

2011-03-31T06:07:00.000-07:00

Cruz Bay's mom, Kelly at age 25

The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed that Cruz and I were supposed to attend a bomb-proofing clinic last weekend, which was to be the ultimate proof of how well the CoolStance was working.

Thankfully, it snowed and the event is now set for May 7^th.

Spring Has Sprung and So Has Cruz

I say ‘thankfully’ because, after the remarkable way he calmed down since being on CoolStance, the spring grass has shot up and so have Cruz's spookiness levels! He declines to listen to yours truly and every riding session is currently a ‘back to basics’ ordeal.

It took a few bad rides for me to put two and two together and come up with four. But I did finally make the connection between his being on more lush pasture and his new, bolshy attitude. He’s gone from virtually no NSC starch in his diet to way too much from the grass. (Although the CoolStance is keeping him from being borderline dangerous, which is what he was last year before I changed his feed.)

What to Do?

So last night I researched online to see what I could do to mitigate the effects of the grass, until its high sugar levels die down again and I get my pre-spring horse back. I found some really useful information on an Australian website.

If your horse is being a butthead ‘cos of the new spring grass you may find this helpful:

http://www.naturalhorseworld.com/Articles-Nutrition.htm#magnesium

The article recommends chelated magnesium. I have noticed that Cruz is showing a new interest in his mineral block, which tells me he’s missing something in his diet. So I actually went so far as to order the site's chelated magnesium product, called Alleviate.

Since it’s not going to arrive from the Antipodes any time soon, I researched chelated magnesium products closer to home and found SmartPak’s Quiessence.

Since no expense is ever spared when it comes to the horse, I ordered a month’s supply based on the product’s 37 testimonials. Most of them were very positive re: calming effects - among other good results like loss of excess fat (not a problem with Cruz!).

If you Google ‘chelated magnesium for horses’ you’ll find other products out there, too. I just happen to like SmartPak as I use their SmartFlex joint supplement with great success on our twenty year old Irish Draft cross C.D. as well as Cruz.

So I’m hoping that chelated magnesium will give me back my well-behaved CoolStance horse in time for his first competition on 1^st May and that bomb proofing clinic the following weekend!

I shall keep you updated.

The Warm-Up: Part III - Exercises for the Athletic/Easily Distracted Horse

2011-03-21T15:08:00.000-07:00

I wrote in Part I that the warm-up phase for Cruz, my athletic and easily distracted horse requires more contact than for my husband's older and calmer horse.

Not only must I keep Cruz on a shorter rein, but I also need to keep his brain busy. Rather than riding large circles and asking for bend and stretch, I have to sneak up on him with more subtle suppling exercises.

To be honest, they keep my brain busy, too.

Walk Work is Under-rated!

I have a tendency to overuse my hands, which Cruz understandably resents. So I devised a sequence of movements to loosen his shoulders and neck without him getting bored. The advantage to me is that I must keep my hands quiet and be effective with my seat and leg. All my aids must be communicated to Cruz in a clear and unhurried way, so he can understand and obey them without resistance.

Harry Boldt’s fantastic, but wildly expensive book “Das Dressur Pferd” explains how useful lateral walk work is for suppling the horse.

The Exercises

I walk a few large circles before asking for leg yield on both reins - on a 'Training Level' contact. I try hard to keep my hands quiet and slightly in front of the saddle, so I’m not ‘in his face’ when I ask for the lateral movement. By asking for only slight inside flexion I avoid blocking his shoulder with a too tight inside rein.
I then ask for shoulder-in on the long sides, in both directions.
Now comes shoulder-in till the half-way point of the long sides (E/B) then an unhurried switch to travers (haunches-in). When Cruz is happy with this, I switch a couple of times between shoulder-in and travers on the long sides.
As soon as Cruz is giving nicely to my quiet hands and listening to my leg and seat aids, I ride him down the center line in shoulder-in, then change to renvers (haunches-out) to make sure he’s supple in his neck and through his ribcage. I switch back and forth every few strides. (I got this idea from this YouTube video of Bent Branderup.)
Once Cruz is bending without any resistance, I go down the center line again. This time I ask for shoulder-in followed by half-pass in walk to the right (his better side). I then come round and ask for half-pass to the left.

My gelding is now supple and willing to work long and low in all three gaits with a soft, round contact. Best of all, we’ve achieved our goal without a fight.

This may seem a somewhat back to front approach, but it works very well for us. Maybe it could help your horse and make the warm-up walk phase more interesting for you both?

The Warm-Up: Part II - Warm-Up Exercises for the Older/Arthritic Horse

2011-03-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

In Part I we met C.D. who is an older, slightly arthritic horse. He needs a long, loose rein for the first ten minutes of his warm-up and after that he’s willing to listen to his rider.

However, he still has days when he’d rather not bend, thank you very much!

A friend of mine who is now his regular rider was away for a week and asked me to keep him going in her absence. One day I didn’t have time to tack him up and ride him, so I put on his bridle and took him down to the arena for some short-reining.

An Exercise on the Ground

I’m no expert at this. What I know about short-reining comes from the fantastic book “Horse Training in Hand” by Ellen Schuthof Lesmeister, available from amazon.com.

She explains (and illustrates in great photos) how to ask the horse to bend while you walk next to him, holding the regular reins. It is a wonderful way to encourage the horse to work long and low without you on his back, and loosens him up before you get in the saddle. (There is also way more valuable information in this book on what you can accomplish through long-reining and other work in hand.)

I short-reined C.D on both reins, working him in walk on circles and figures of eight. It didn’t take him long to become soft in my hand, and I rewarded him by finishing for the day. When my friend rode him two days later, she was amazed at how supple C.D. was.

Short-Reining Before Mounting

After a week of being ridden, C.D. became a little resistant again. So my friend decided to short-rein him before her ride. It was her first time doing this, but she’d read the book and watched me. She soon felt comfortable with it and so did C.D., so she trotted him for a few half-circles, too. (This is a great fitness exercise!)

C.D. was now supple. The question was, would he remain so under saddle?

He was so supple and obedient that she only needed to ride for fifteen minutes to achieve what it normally takes twice that time to accomplish! She was thrilled, and C.D. was relaxed and happy. End of session and lots of pats.

Another Use for Short-Reining

Short-reining is really useful if you have a horse which can’t be ridden but is still able to work.

As an example, I used this method to exercise Cruz Bay when he had a sarcoid on his girth area, but was otherwise perfectly healthy.

The Warm-Up: Part I - Two Styles for Two Different Horses

2011-03-08T19:05:00.000-08:00

We know that the warm-up for a dressage horse (or any horse for that matter) should be for 'as long as necessary and as short a time as possible.’ In my experience, depending on the type of horse, not only is the length of the warm-up going to vary, but also the method.

Cruz Bay is an 11 year old, athletic ¾ Thoroughbred. He often acts like a child with ADD and needs his attention focused quickly, and his energy channeled.

Callow Double Clover (aka CD) is my husband’s 17.2 hh Irish Draft/Thoroughbred cross. He’s 21 years old and very even-tempered with a touch of arthritis.

The two horses require very different warm-up approaches.

The Older/Calmer Horse

You can enjoy relaxing with a horse like CD at the beginning of each riding session.

But the big gray takes this one step further: unless you allow him to walk on a long rein for at least ten minutes, he’ll fight against any real contact. He can resist for hours without giving in!

But after you walk him on a light, almost non-existent contact for those ten minutes, he’ll accept a long and low frame, allow you to bend him left and right, and soon start to carry himself. He always honors his end of the deal if the rider does, too.

The More Athletic/Easily Distracted Horse

Cruz Bay is a more challenging animal. If I lead him down to the arena in just a halter, he’ll behave much better than if he’s bridled. He’s no dummy, and knows when Work is about to happen!

He’s not a good candidate for doodling at the start of a warm-up because he’s too likely to ‘spook’ at the trees swaying at one end, or imaginary deer rustling behind the bushes at the other. Cruz needs stronger contact with shorter reins than CD as soon as I’m mounted. It’s almost as if he feels more secure when I use a more masterful approach right from the get-go.

He’ll allow me to perform a series of warm-up exercises with him in a shorter frame, although I keep his poll below his withers at this stage. He needs the opposite of the light loose contact to relax him.

After five minutes or so of this he is more settled and focused, stretching down into a nice long frame on a lighter contact.

It’s been interesting to understand that although following the German Training Scale is a must when riding dressage, there are various ways to achieve each stage, depending on the temperament and athleticism of the horse.

Overcoming My Horse's Fear (and Mine!): Final Part: Completing the Cure

2011-03-04T07:46:00.000-08:00

Part I and Part II explored why my horse and I are afraid, and the first steps I need to take to overcome the problem. But there are other methods I can adopt.

Besides changing my attitude, here some more practical things I'm doing to help Cruz and me work through our fear.

Desensitization

If you’ve read my previous blog on desensitizing Cruz, you’ll already know that I’m throwing nerf balls at him: opening and shutting umbrellas next to him, holding them over his head and waving seven balloons round his body and between his ears. He is coping magnificently – if not actually happily! – with this.

At the end of this month we’re going to a Rick Pelicano bomb proofing clinic. It’ll be with eleven other horses, so I hope to (a) get through it with flying colors and (b) have lots of photos to prove I did!

Change of Nutrition

I’ve changed his feed to CoolStance, which is a starch reduced feed deriving ‘cool’ energy for horses through coconut oil and fiber. It seems to be having a very positive effect on him: he is much less spooky and anxious after only a short time on the feed.

Reintroduction of Cruz to Other Horses in the Ring

I’ll be taking Cruz to a local “horse whisperer” who trains difficult horses. He’ll help me build up Cruz’s confidence around other horses in the ring.

I’ve also extended an open invitation to my riding friends to bring their horses to ride with us.

Yesterday a friend brought her horse and rode with me in my arena. Cruz gave one small sideways shy, but quickly got over it and concentrated on his job. When another friend brought Cruz's stable mate in as a second horse, I rode Cruz between both animals as they walked towards me. Cruz coped well.

Next time we'll do the same thing in trot and canter. I expect to report good results!

Why Bother Doing This Myself?

Why don’t I just hand Cruz over to a professional and be done with it?

Because I’m his Mum! I bred him - from a mare who was a complete basket case when she first came to me, and ended up being the best and most reliable horse I’ve ever owned to date.

With TLC, professional guidance and determination/grit/guts I hope to turn this talented, athletic gelding into the horse that he was born to be.

Overcoming My Horse's Fear (and Mine!): Part II: Where Do We Go From Here?

2011-03-03T07:23:00.000-08:00

You now know where our fears originated (see previous post) but what can I do to remove them?

Stop Anticipating Bad Stuff!

Every time I mount Cruz now – and I mean every time – visions of him rearing/bucking/bolting go through my head. I have to remind myself that he has never done any of those things without cause, and certainly not while being mounted! He is not a rearer/bucker/bolter. I take a deep breath and remind myself to act like a confident leader.

Be Cruz’s Comfort Zone

As I wrote in a previous blog about spooking I need to take charge and ride Cruz with quiet but determined purpose. Whether he pretends to be afraid or is truly worried, it’s my job to steer him through that anxiety/naughtiness.

I must be careful not to increase or cause fear in him by anticipating a bad reaction. Instead I have to ride as if I expect everything to turn out well. If I do this, Cruz will worry less and concentrate on his job.

Dwell on Victories, Not Defeats!

There have been many occasions when Cruz has acted up yet I’ve managed to ride him through it and perform a good test.

This includes our last show of the 2010 season, when he panicked and bolted in the warm-up because an empty trailer rattled noisily past. He followed this with a series of half-rears round the dressage arena because he suddenly developed separation anxiety from Double Clover, my husband's horse who was competing at the same show.

I am encouraged by the video of my two rides that day. Although I felt terrified inside, I was determined to make my talented bay do the tests! Onlookers remarked on how calm I appeared throughout – and I hope I fooled Cruz, too.

He tried to duck out a couple of times, then buckled down to work (albeit resentfully) and we missed first place (to my friend on my husband’s horse!) by half a point, with marks in the mid-60s.

So: I need to stop focusing on the bad times and remind myself that I’m perfectly capable of riding Cruz through his fears as long as I don’t allow myself to be afraid.

Next: Completing the Cure

Overcoming My Horse's Fear (and Mine!): Part I: Where It All Went Wrong

2011-03-02T07:19:00.000-08:00

Over his eleven years of life since I bred him, Cruz Bay has had a lot of accidents. Not all of them have involved me, but a good many of them have!

Here are some examples of what I’m talking about.

Accident One

When I took him to his first show, the four year old panicked and jumped over the breast bar of the trailer. He squashed me onto the floor where moments earlier I’d been standing and trying to calm him down (big mistake!).

He scrambled to his feet, then dived out through the jockey door on the side of the trailer. This exit is designed for humans, not horses, but somehow he survived the narrow squeeze with only a few scratches.

I, on the other hand, needed months before I could use my left shoulder again!

Accident Two

Another time he panicked on tarmac between a stationary truck and a trailer. He slipped and fell, throwing me to the ground with him, then kicked me under the trailer as he scrabbled to get up and flee for home.

A few more scratches for him and several weeks' recuperation for his owner!

Accident Three

This is the accident which scared him and me the most. We were at a huge licensed show in New Jersey and had no business being there. I didn't realize that we would be warming up for First Level together with Grand Prix horses coming at us from all directions and performing 'menacing' half-passes and canter pirouettes.

Cruz freaked and reared vertically. I survived the rear but ricocheted off him on landing. Upshot: he was terrified of other horses in the warm-up and I was terrified of my horse. ( While hobbling with the help of two walking sticks for three weeks!)

The Blame Game

It took me a long, long time to stop blaming Cruz for what happened and take responsibility for having put him in that situation. Oh, how I wish I could take back that day!

Instead of thinking we were ready for the Big Time, I should have swallowed my pride and taken it slowly at more schooling shows. It now takes one small thing to ‘go wrong’ in the warm-up at even local schooling shows for Cruz to go ballistic. Mea culpa, mea culpa!

Next: Where Do We Go From Here?

Anyone else have horse accident stories? Let me know what happened and how you and your horse coped afterwards.

Is My Horse Really Afraid When He Spooks?

2011-02-28T13:29:00.000-08:00

Does your horse have favorite ‘spook spots’? Mine does!

Every time I lead him down to the arena he hopes that deer will rustle in the woods, to justify him giving a big leap. When that doesn’t work, he waits until I’m in the saddle, then keeps an eye out for any kind of movement at either end of the sand school.

How much of this is real fear, and how much is just putting it on?

I understand that horses are prey animals and watch out for predators (you know, like deer and the barn cat), but I have noticed that Cruz’s ‘fear’ depends a great deal on how he feels on any given day.

For example, I once rode him in the arena with the entrance gate open. The one thing I promised Cruz would never happen, happened. A stag ran into the middle.

Unbelievably, Cruz didn’t bat an eyelid. Turned out he had a respiratory infection (from weed killer spray): he had no energy left over to be upset by the intruder.

I’ve noticed that my gelding’s level of spookiness increases in direct proportion to the intensity of his work. He’ll seem relaxed at the beginning of our riding sessions, even walking quietly past the short side of the arena where the vicious deer, squirrels and barn cat hang out .

But when I ask for true bend in trot and canter, it becomes Work with a capital W. Suddenly he just knows those varmints are out to get him and leaps sideways. (So much for my outside rein.)

Hmmmm…. Interesting!

So I’m using this evasive behavior as practice for later, when I’m at a show. He’s a strong horse, and it takes a lot of effort and energy to combat his naughtiness, but I have to prove that I can thwart his attempts to avoid work and frighten me.

I drive him powerfully forwards - past the area where he acts up - over and over again, from both directions and in different gaits. Additionally I ask for extra inside bend before, during and after the ‘scary’ spot (he tries to scoot off when we’re past it).

We often have to go through this charade. But on his new CoolStance feed I’ve noticed a considerable increase in his willingness to give in and get down to work.

Translating this into preparation for shows this season, I know I have to ride him this way whether he’s acting out of fear or just misbehaving to avoid work.

Results of the New Feed Plus the Desensitization Process

2011-02-23T17:02:00.000-08:00

In addition to changing Cruz Bay’s feed, (see previous post) I’ve also set about desensitizing my big bay. I purchased a copy of Rick Pelicano’s book Bombproof Your Horse and began using some of his techniques.

A set of twelve nerf balls from Walmart began my sessions. At first I showed one to Cruz in his stall then bounced it gently off his neck and gave him a treat. I continued to throw them at his neck, his back, his rump.....you get the picture.

Cruz's eyes bulged and he shied away, but then understood the balls weren’t going to hurt him and allowed them to come at him.

Eventually my son could throw them at him while I was mounted - still offering treats, of course!

Now part of my after-ride routine is to throw nerf balls at him in his stall – from the front, on his head, from behind. He doesn’t enjoy it, but he lets me do it. I can now throw four or five at him before giving him a treat.

He's also learning not to be afraid of umbrellas. I open and close two different sizes and colors of umbrella on either side of him, and hold them over his head. Treats are liberally dispensed and he is being very brave.

In the arena I’ve placed a tarp, which he walks over with no problem now.

Is the Combination Working?
Yesterday I took Cruz down to my arena to ride. I deliberately had a friend drag a noisy chain behind my tractor in the field next to the sand school, with the front bucket raised menacingly high in the air.

The tractor came very close while I was leading him down to the arena. He saw it and raised his head, ready to take off. I offered him a treat and his fear immediately subsided. That has never happened before!

The tractor came full frontal towards us and close to the boundary fence many times while I rode in the arena. A cyclist came past on the other side. But Cruz remained unperturbed by any of it. He listened to me, and performed his walk work in shoulder-in, renvers, tranvers and half-pass as though nothing else were going on.

Conclusion
The feed and the desensitization seem to be working. For the first time in three years I am hopeful that Cruz can become a confident horse who trusts me.

And I have just received information that Rick Pelicano is giving a bombproofing clinic in March at the farm next to me. What a stroke of luck!

I’ve signed up for it so watch this space.

New Year's Resolution: Create a Calm Horse!

2011-02-22T10:26:00.000-08:00

The Mistake
This year I'm going to turn Cruz Bay, my three-quarters Thoroughbred gelding, into a calm horse. I only have myself to blame for my ten year old's problem: he’s terrified of other horses in the warm-up arena at shows.

The year 2007 was a wonderfully successful dressage season for us. We won all our local schooling shows at Training Level, and when I moved up to First Level we won those classes, too.

Then I made a huge mistake in 2008 by taking him to a massive licensed show at the New Jersey Horse Park for our first competition of the season. I didn’t realize that all dressage levels - including Grand Prix - warm up together in one not-so-large ring.

Cruz became anxious about the high-stepping horse traffic as soon as I entered that arena.
Within seconds he was pinned against the boundary fence with a huge black horse cantering diagonally towards him in half-pass. He panicked and reared vertically. I stayed on for the rear, but he landed with such a thud that I was unseated and lifted up into the air. I fell with a thump onto the ground.

Upshot: me hobbling around with two canes, terrified of Cruz, and Cruz with a deep phobia of other horses.

In the last three years I’ve annually - with a lot of hard work - managed to persuade him that the other horses in the warm-up are not out to get him. He has never had a horse actually run into him, yet that seems not to impress him.

Every year something happens to upset him in the warm-up. Another horse acts up or a loud trailer/car drives by and he becomes a basket case again.

The Mission

So, this year will be devoted to getting Cruz over his anxiety. Until I get past this stumbling block, we shan’t be able to compete at the higher levels in licensed shows.

The First Strategy - Change of Feed
Cruz has been on Ultium for the last three years, but now I was looking for something to calm him down while still providing the energy and nutrients he needs.

After researching the internet and reading horse owners’ feedback on various feeds, I became interested in an Australian product called CoolStance

It is made from coconut, and is low on non-structural carbohydrates (NSC). High NSC diets increase the horse’s blood glucose levels which in turn increase the horse’s blood insulin levels. One of the many negative effects of this is hyperactivity.

In a low NSC diet, the horse’s necessary calories have to come from fat and fiber. CoolStance is ‘packed with ‘cool’ energy from coconut oil and fibre from copra meal.’ Online you will find some bad press about copra, but the makers of CoolStance are fastidious about their preparation process.

CoolStance has been fed to horses for over 20 years. The less than 2% starch doesn’t cause hot or fizzy behavior, and the coconut oil is easily digested and absorbed by the horse.

According to the information from http://stanceequine.com ‘CoolStance and hay will provide the required amounts of minerals and vitamins’ for most horses.

I contacted the only person selling this feed on the east coast, Paul Christy, at paul@stanceglobal.com (Tel: 610-247-7584). He visited me from his home in Pennsylvania and left three bags of CoolStance for me to try. I immediately started feeding Cruz with it.

Here are some testimonials

P.S. No, I’m not a paid representative: I’m simply trying out a new feed for my hot horse!

Next: Working to desensitize Cruz, and the results of the new feed

Horse Skin Fungus - A Fast Cure

2010-02-27T13:36:00.000-08:00

If Snowmaggedon rapidly followed by The Ultimate Blizzard of 2010 hadn't hit my corner of Maryland, I might have noticed the terrible yet hidden condition of the mare's tail earlier.

I feel awful about not noticing the problem sooner. The first indication of anything amiss was a small tangle at the base of Gigi's tail. It proved to be a piece of skin. This was not good news, although her tail looked fine - until closer inspection.

Underneath her long and bushy top bristles, the skin on the middle third of her tail bone was sloughing off in big scaly chunks, like a shedding snake. It was horrifying! I hadn't ever seen her rub her tail nor were there any broken hairs to indicate that she had. She let me touch the area without flinching. It didn't seem to bother her when I gently teased the dead skin off and handfuls of hair come out with it. I decided instead to clean the area off with betadine solution.

In the interests of honesty I rang the friend who had left her horse to my tender care and is very proud of her mare's tail. I was worried that the condition would spead and Gigi's entire tail would fall out. Luckily her owner was great about it and agreed that I should contact the vet.

Three feet of snow made the path down to my barn impassable by vehicle. The vet would not have been able to drive here to check Gigi: so she and I consulted over the phone. She determined that it was a fungus, and suggested I wash Gigi's tail in Selsun Blue.

Since the temperatures were in the teens and low 20s I didn't think Gigi would be keen to have me wash her tail, especially as I've had to shut off the hot water in the barn for now (long story). However, I went to the store to buy the shampoo.

I noticed there were two types: one had sulphur in it, the other had zinc. Just the day before I'd bought a product at my local feed merchant which contained both ingredients as well as mineral oil. It advertises itself as 'the single solution for' a host of horse fungal problems. I decided to try that first. All I had to do was wash off the betadine and apply the new solution daily.

Within two days the problem was already clearing up. The mineral oil was softening the dead skin and causing it to slide down the tail in smaller pieces instead of big chunks, without taking nearly so many hairs with it. What a relief!

Only six days into the treatment healthy pink skin is forming and new hairs are already growing. I'm hopeful that by the time my friend visits us on her annual trip from Florida to New Jersey, Gigi will have a full tail again.

I cannot recommend this product highly enough. It's called Shapley's Original M-T-G (Mane Tail Groom). Its other uses are mane and tail detangling and conditioning. It's not expensive - I paid $12.99 for a 32 fluid ounce bottle. I thoroughly checked my geldings for fungus and one of them had a tiny itchy patch on the top of his tail which cleared after one application.

If your horse gets fungus, rain rot, girth itch, scratches, sweet itch or dry skin M-T-G is the product for you! Check out www.shapleys.com if you're interested. And no, I have absolutely no connection with the company - I'm just grateful it exists.

You may also find my article on ringworm useful. Life is never dull around horses - I discovered the hard way that humans can get ringworm, too.

Coming Back into Work After Winter: Making the Best of Just Walking Your Horse

2010-01-28T16:41:00.000-08:00

If like me you don't have access to an indoor arena your horse may also be coming back to work after three months of terrible weather and not being ridden.

We all know we can't pick up where we left off in the fall. Like a human athlete, our horses have to be brought back gradually to peak fitness. And that starts with two weeks of walk, beginning with twenty minutes a day and building up to one and a half to two hours (in an ideal world).

That much walking can get pretty dull! Keeping it interesting and beneficial to both horse and rider can become a real challenge, but there are things we can do to put that single-gaited time to good use.

I start by addressing my personal riding bugbears.

First I practice sitting more quietly in the saddle and not working harder than the horse, to get a bigger and more active stride out of him. I ask him once with my legs, and if I don't get a response I ask more strongly until he's putting the required effort into his walk.

Another issue I have is not lengthening my legs enough. It's hard for me to do this and have them be effective. That's why it's so important for my horse to march forward right from the beginning. It's easy to have long, quiet legs and a quiet seat when the horse is moving actively!

Once I've addressed those two problems, I can get working on my horse. That first week we can't make tight turns or small circles, so after walking him in a straight line on a light contact, I ride him in very large circles and begin to supple him. Asking him to go long and low I bend him left and right - not too much - until he loosens up. After shallow serpentines on the long side I test how well he's listening to my legs with some shoulder-fore and short leg yields.

In week two I introduce shoulder-in, decreasing and increasing circles and longer leg yields. I even get adventurous and try the elusive renvers in preparation for Second Level (I can dream!). Some turns on the forehand and rein-backs, plus a couple of trail rides ridden with more contact, give added interest to our sessions.

By week two and the introduction of trot work, we'll be well in sync with each other and Cruz will be more than ready for the next gear.

Introducing a New Mare to Three Geldings: Mission Accomplished!

2010-01-05T08:19:00.000-08:00

Despite the terrible weather and misgivings about introducing a new mare to my established 'herd' of three geldings, the process has been successfully completed. Hurray!

The mare's owner arrived at my house one day before the horse, and the mare arrived one day ahead of a two foot snowfall. She descended very calmly from the huge trailer which had transported her for hours and walked with incredible aplomb down to my barn. The geldings were naturally curious about her, but she stayed very serene, which kept my guys from getting worked up. I was impressed.

She then got one afternoon in a grass paddock facing my three boys in their field before the 24 hour blizzard came, and everyone was stuck in the barn for two days and two nights. There was a lot of mucking stalls to do, and luckily my friend, the mare's owner, pitched in. (She is also much more efficient than I am!)

Meanwhile we were off schedule for introducing Gigi gradually to the other horses before my friend had to leave for her house in the south. The mare and the geldings were able to go out on day three, but Gigi had to stay separated. The snow was simply too deep to allow for anyone to escape quickly in case of trouble. It would be like trying to run through sticky treacle. Gigi also needed a fly mask because the glare of the sun reflecting off the snow made her eyes water and start closing: this meant reduced visibility.

We did however mix and match whom Gigi slept next to each night. She began at the end of the barn with just one neighbor, then went into a stall with a horse on either side to rub noses with through the bars.
As it turned out, this was an ideal situation. She became acquainted with everyone despite the bad ground conditions.

Snow or no snow, we went ahead on day five and put her out with Kinley, my twenty year old mega alpha male. Gigi is an alpha female. We decided the two Titans should sort out their pecking order. That first day they were in love: Kinley followed her everywhere, and even shared his hay pile with her - something he never does. Phew! we both thought.

Then came day two. Kinley had lost the Christmas spirit and the honeymoon was over. When Gigi joined him at his hay pile he warned her off. She wouldn't take 'no' for an answer and laid her ears back while advancing on the hay again. This time Kinley aimed both barrels at her chest - thankfully missing it. Gigi spent the rest of the day avoiding him and I was sorry they didn't get on after all.

Going for broke, we put all four horses in the same field the following day. To my amazement, there was minimal sniffing and squealing before everyone found a hay pile and started munching. I expected fireworks at some point, but we're now in week three without major flare ups. And now that Kinley has reasserted his authority over all and sundry, he is friends with Gigi again.

I think the enforced time spent in the stalls while the weather was so bad helped a lot. They each had their own space while being able to communicate with the new horse.

Advice needed on integrating a mare into a group of geldings!

2009-12-08T09:03:00.000-08:00

If anyone out there has had experience introducing a mare successfully into a group of geldings, I would very much appreciate knowing how you did it.

I have a friend's mare coming to retire with me at the end of the month, and am anxious to ensure it goes smoothly without loss of limb or life. The three geldings run as a mini-herd because I've set up the barn so all four doors open up into a blue-stone area and from there to the fields. The stalls double up as their run-in sheds, and the three fields interlink so they can come in any time when they want.

This system has been working brilliantly, and I need the new mare to fit into it for her stay to be possible.

Obviously I have to work up to her being allowed in with all three boys. But I'd be interested to know if anyone else has done this before and if so, how.

Thanks to anyone who answers this post!

Horses in winter

2009-12-08T08:53:00.000-08:00

This weather is a real downer, isn't it? I'm in Maryland, and we've had tons of rain, which then turned into snow over the weekend.

I was supposed to go to a tack sale as a vendor on Sunday, and had cleared out an embarrassing number of bridle parts, stirrup irons, spare reins, interesting bits, and two saddles I never use. I was cleaning the lot as I watched the snow flakes come down, gently at first, then more violently until the 'there won't be any accumulation' forecast turned out to be a bald-faced lie!

My first concern as always, was the horses. Would they mind the snow? Luckily we'd been warned it might come, so I'd brought them in that afternoon out of the rain to dry off under light stable blankets while munching hay.

I then winterized the barn: filling up and plugging in each electric water bucket and performing ditto on the outside water trough. I put blankets on the now dry horses and opened up the stalls so they could go outside if they so chose.

They responded by galloping to the far side of their huge field and not bothering to come in until the next morning when they saw me poke my head out of the house to admire the winter wonderland. So much for being concerned about the weather!

It never ceases to amaze me how hardy horses are, and how little bothered by adverse weather as long as they have access to shelter. My guys now have full winter coats, too, so when it's dry I take the blankets off. They stay out all night regardless of how cold it is: the hay I carefully place in their stalls, in case they want to come in, is untouched.

I need reminding every year that horses do not want to be as snug and warm as we think they do!

Rubesca's Anniversary of Death: Laying a Wreath and Remembering

2009-11-23T07:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was tough. Three years ago, on 22nd November 2006, my equine soulmate colicked at 5:30 p.m.

She was 26 years old, had won a trophy that summer for the highest dressage scores over three shows in Virginia, where I was living, and I thought we had many years ahead of us yet.

We were in the middle of a move. She and my three other horses were staying at a boarding barn while we sorted out the new house and built new stables. She hated it. I shan't go into the callous attitude of the people who ran the barn, but suffice it to say, I couldn't wait to get my guys out.

It was the night before Thanksgiving, quite literally a dark and stormy one. I hadn't seen my horses since Monday, because of waiting for deliveries at the house. All day Wednesday it had been raining and blowing a gale and all day something told me Rubesca was unhappy. Either she would be outside in the weather with a blanket on - she hated blankets - or she would be indoors and miserable. After waiting forever for a morning delivery, it came late afternoon. As soon as I could, I bolted out of the door and roared round to the barn. I had to check on all my guys, but especially Rubesca. That nagging voice....

The horses were indoors, with little hay and even less water. Everyone had gone home. The horses were glad to see me: more hay and more water were distributed. Rubesca nickered to me. I rubbed her face, relieved she was O.K.

Ten minutes later she lay down and groaned. I was perplexed. She lay quietly, and I began to brush her face, waiting for her to tell me what was going on. This behavior was new. Soon she got up and began to look at her flanks, wanting to lie down again - this time to roll. I grabbed a halter and lead rope and walked her around outside in the roaring wind and rain. She kept trying to go down.

There followed three long hours of rousing people to help, getting the vet out and having to make the agonizing decision to euthanize. Her gums were going black - her circulation was shutting down.

We were in the indoor arena now and after she fell, I asked everyone to leave. Lying over her head, stroking that beautiful face and sobbing, I chanted over and over and over: "What am I going to do without you?" I really didn't know how I was going to cope.

Cruz Bay's Mum: Kelly aka Rubesca (for shows)

Rubesca was my success story, the crazy 18 year old Thoroughbred chestnut mare who was given to me free. Within six months we had bonded and she was winning showjumping, dressage and one day event shows with me. She'd had three event wins alone as a 25 year old the year before and together we were more than the sum of our parts. I was about to retire her from competing and watch her frolic with her son and the other two geldings in the fields.

Instead I have an "In Memoriam" plaque on the door of the stall at our new barn which should have been hers. She lies in a grave, situated within the paddock closest to the house and enclosed with white fencing. I have planted a garden over it. Last October she was joined by our 22 year old cat, Mitsu, who lies facing her. I can see them from the house.

At 5:30 p.m. yesterday I began crying as I remembered the last time I brushed her face and lay a wreath on her grave. At 8:30 p.m., the time she died, I added a solar lamp from our yard. It was burning brightly, and by its light I could see the plaque: 'If tears could build a stairway, and memories a lane, I'd climb right up to Heaven and bring you home again.'

But at least she gave me the gift of being able to say 'goodbye.'

A great riding lesson!

2009-10-29T20:12:00.000-07:00

Today's lesson was fantastic. At the moment we are making progress all the time, and it's a good feeling. I need to remember this when we take steps backwards. But it's been a long time coming!

The major things I learned today are:

1. To emphasize the outside rein (especially the right with Cruz) hold it open and downwards until he gives to it, while keeping the inside rein steady. This worked beautifully, at all gaits. And don't be afraid to do it during the test.

2. Use light taps with the whip to activate his hind end when he slows down, which is usually in the corners, while keeping my legs on to encourage him forwards.

3. Also when turning make sure to support Cruz with my legs, including going up the center line.

Cruz gave me smooth canter transitions and stayed round and straight along the long sides. His trot work was lovely, too.

Let's see if I can replicate the work tomorrow and through the weekend!

Riding while being videoed

2009-10-27T19:18:00.000-07:00

Two days ago I finally got my seventeen year old to tear himself away and take some footage of yours truly. I need it to post on YouTube at some point to link to my website, so people can see I'm not lying when I say I ride!

I'm also entertaining the idea of volunteering at a Thoroughbred Rescue center where they retrain OTTBs to become regular riding horses. The center needs a video of me riding, since the folks there are understandably wary of unknowns claiming they can ride well enough to be of any use.

I was pleasantly surprised at the result. Cruz behaved very well, so of course the batteries on my little hand-held device went dead after I began my canter work on the right lead. My son switched to the regular video camera which records on tape, but I have yet to discover (a) how to view it through the camera and (b) how to transfer it to the computer and thence to YouTube. I'm trying to get my son to film me again. Now all I need is no more rain, which started again with a vengeance today.

However, Cruz has been pretty good the past two days. He still tried it on with me in left canter after the filming stopped and took a while to convince that I was just going to sit there, quietly but firmly asking him to flex left and keep cantering without throwing a fit about it. Eventually he gave in.

Then yesterday we went through the two tests we have on Sunday, to finish. He had a bad moment but it was soon over. I was trying to keep things smooth as though I were in the ring, so as to know how to hide the fact that he's being difficult while bringing him round to my way of thinking.

I've been wearing my custom show boots again, and am so pleased that it's made no negative difference now. And the most wonderful thing of all is that yesterday I was able to sit quietly in all three gaits, without nagging with my legs. Cruz responded so well, by becoming ultra-sensitive to the lighest of pressure from my legs, encouraging me in this new and improved way of riding! I know he's thinking "It's about &^*$% time, Mom!"

So although my arena flooded again today, I have fond memories of yesterday to see me through to tomorrow.

I have been giving him Ex-Stress in preparation for the Equestrian Center on Sunday, just to help see him through the overnight stay and the day at the show.

Quick! Ride before it rains again!

2009-10-24T17:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was frustrating: I wanted to soldify the lessons learned the day before, and ended up waiting for the plumber all day. Allegedly he was going to arrive within 2 hours of 11:30 a.m. Time to ride after he's finished before the sun goes down, I thought. Well, he didn't get here till at 5 p.m.

Then today, Sunday, it didn't rain until we'd been to Starbucks and had our coffee and done the crossword. I was livid! I have the show next weekend and need to keep Cruz going. Luckily the rain stopped for long enough to bring the horses in, give them hay and let them dry off before I rode.

The wind was blowing very hard, in big gusts, and Cruz thought it a reason for spooking at the end of my arena as usual. But he behaved very well about being mounted and walking off, and after that he only tried it on when we came to that end of the arena. He tried very hard at the left canter, as usual, but I persevered and he gave in quite quickly. I made sure he would behave round that corner and then cantered him quite a bit more to make sure he would keep it up.

I then brought him back to trot and he was fantastic!! He was supple and round and in front of the leg.
I did some work in sitting trot and made sure he'd transition into canter on both leads with no argument.
Cruz was great, and we finished on a good note.

Riding Lesson notes

2009-10-22T17:25:00.000-07:00

Today's lesson was, as usual, very educational and humbling! Let's see if I can remember everything.

We concentrated on getting me to look up instead of at Cruz's neck and react to the feel of him in the reins. I can assess what's going on and adjust my riding much faster this way.

1. I need to ask Cruz to give on the right rein until he does it. Whether I'm riding to the left or right, I need to get him to submit to the right rein. Once he does, he gives in the back and is more supple - in all gaits.

2. When he doesn't want to bend left (once we start what he considers to be 'work') I mustn't turn him in small circles while emphasizing my left rein and asking him to get off my left leg. This makes him more unbalanced, and upsets him. I need to work him on a larger circle where he has a chance of co-operating, and loosen my upper thigh, while keeping my legs quiet. I have a habit of using too much left leg, which encourages him to move sideways.

3. Moving sideways instead of forwards as asked means he is behind the leg and able to evade my aids. I must keep him in front of my leg and using his rear end, then he won't feel I'm in his face and will be better able to co-operate.

3. When I asked him for left canter from walk he got discombobulated very fast. If this happens, I need to stay calm, keep my left rein asking for inside bend, loosen my thighs and relax my legs again. Just stay like that and he'll give in graciously, without a fight. It really worked.

4. Maintain that right rein (without giving up the left rein) while cantering down the long side in left lead. If necessary, move his head left and right - just minimally - to keep him supple in the neck and round and giving his back. Same goes for right lead canter, but he did that better anyway, 'cos it's easy for him.

5. Cruz doesn't want to get underneath himself in canter, so he tends to rush down the long side. I have to make sure I get him round, and with half-halts bring him into a more balanced canter. At one point he did a flying change from left to right lead to get out of cantering to the dreaded left! That was a first.

6. As a general rule, use shoulder fore whenever I'm riding down the long side.

7. Use shoulder fore coming onto the quarter line and moving into leg yield. Look where I'm going, so we don't overshoot the quarter line and go round in a circle again. Keep the outside rein guiding the horse on the line I want to take, maintain the shoulder fore and ask him to move laterally.

8. When in sitting trot in the final phase, ask him to lengthen and shorten (not 'go faster' or 'more slowly' because the impulsion and activity have to remain the same) to get him used to bringing his hocks underneath himself and strengthening his hind end.

Great trot, square halt, big pats with sugar and walking to cool him off.

There are horses and then there are horses: do mares and geldings mix in the field?

2009-10-21T15:54:00.000-07:00

A very close friend of mine needs to move her 18 year old mare from her current deluxe quarters in a state where shoeing costs over $300 per horse, down to yours truly's humble establishment, where it costs less than half that amount. I hope to integrate her easily into the herd, as it were.

Cruz's mum ran with him and the other two geldings for years, and it was never a problem. It made for a balance in numbers and Cruz remained very close - in a filial way - to his mum until her death when he was six. I think he misses her, as he bonds very fast with mares when we go to shows or clinics, and I think he will be overjoyed to have a mother figure in his life again.

But I'll have to be very careful how I introduce the new horse to the others. I don't want fights to break out over her - been there, done that, with fatal consequences - and will have to be extremely watchful.

If we can make this work, Cruz won't be the odd man out any more. Sometimes the two older horses go off and leave him in a corner of the field by himself, which makes me feel sorry for him and want to cry over the death of his mother all over again.

It won't be for a few weeks, and my friend will arrive with her horse, and stay until the mare has settled. So I have time to come up with a game plan.

Horse riding can be fun, after all!

2009-10-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

Somehow I've managed to keep it all together for the last two days! Cruz spooked at a deer rustling in the trees by the entrance to my arena, and decided it was a good ruse to continue shying at that spot as soon as I asked him to start his trot work. He thought it was a fantastic idea to do the "I can't canter on the left lead here, because Something Bad is going to get me."

For the first time ever, I kept my hands in their correct position, and each time Cruz tried to throw his head up or evade me any other way, I just kept a steady even contact. Lo and behold! He gave in very quickly, after the first try during his trot warm up and a couple of attempts to evade me in left lead canter.

It was such a good feeling to have him submit without a fight!! I patted him and told him he was a good boy. I could sense that by keeping a firm but not unkind hold on the reins, he felt reassured that I really was in charge and that there was nothing to worry about/no point trying it on!

Tomorrow I have a lesson and have told my instructor that I only hope I can show her what I've been bragging about, and not have it all fall apart under pressure!

Watch this space.

Steady hands, happy horse!

2009-10-19T20:55:00.000-07:00

It was so good to get back in the saddle today after 96 hours of torrential rain. The previously half-full water troughs were overflowing. Although my arena wasn't completely dry, it was very rideable.

Cruz was just wonderful again. He stretched down into the steady contact my hands are finally offering, bent easily to the left and right, cruised smoothly into canter on both reins and snorted happily all the while.

And the main reason for this: STEADY HANDS!!! Why, oh why did I never pay sufficient attention to my hands before these past few weeks? All Cruz has ever asked of me - well, one of the things he requires - is constant support from yours truly. Now he knows where to put his head, he's happy to do it.

End of ride: lots of pats while walking him off. Dismount, loosen girth, flash and cavesson, many apple chunks and hugs in thanks. We both admired the beautiful sunset to our right as we walked side by side up to the barn, with the obligatory stop to poop in my driveway (by Cruz, not me!).

My Thoroughbred cross horse and his apparent reaction to sudden temperature drop

2009-10-19T19:48:00.000-07:00

After four solid days of pouring rain, a swimming pool instead of a riding arena, watching Cruz roar around the field, rearing and spinning for lack of other exercise, and a missed horse show on Sunday as a result, the sun came out. Hurray! By late afternoon the arena was rideable.

As I groomed Cruz I noticed two things. One, his winter coat has suddenly sprouted and two, he is no longer sensitive about being brushed. He's been enormously antsy while having his stomach and even his back cleaned, and has several times tried to cow-kick me: that's not Cruz at all! I was very much hoping this new sensitivity was down to the change in season, and it looks as if it was. This is the first year it's happened. Maybe because of the rapid drop in temperature and his body's attempt to compensate fast. Now his coat is thicker he's back to enjoying being groomed.

After the second day of rain, which my British born horses usually don't mind, I brought them all in for a few hours to dry off. I didn't want them getting rain rot/scratches. They have the option of coming out of the weather any time they want, as I've set up the stables to act as run-in sheds as well, but they weren't taking advantage of this shelter.

Kinley and CD were fine, but Cruz was shivering. I put a net blanket on him and covered that with a light wool rug. He was immediately more comfortable, and soon warm and dry. The three horses then wore New Zealands until the temperature rose and they were happier without them.

Anyway, that's taught me that when the weather suddenly and dramatically cools down, the Thoroughbred part of Cruz has a tough time with it. Luckily for them, the Irish Draft in the other two overrides the sensitivity of their Thoroughbred side.

This is different from usual: Cruz is normally the horse wanting to be out in the rain, snow, ice, you name it. I always thought this was his one quarter Welsh Cob coming through - the rugged pony part of him. In Virginia he used to open his stable door so he could be out in some terrible weather conditions. So once again I put his atypical body reaction down to the suddenness of the temperature drop.

One has never learned everything when it comes to horses. That's why they never get boring!

A Good Rider is a Good Leader

2009-10-14T14:51:00.000-07:00

Have just come back from riding Cruz in the rain. Hey, we're both from England - we can take it!

I hope I'm not speaking too soon, but Cruz is in such a good mood and so co-operative that I'm in high hopes of a good show on Sunday. He's teaching me things he's tried to tell me for ever, but which I am only just now listening to. Poor Cruz has a rather dense mum.

I have a really irritating habit of adjusting my left rein all the time. I don't keep my fingers wrapped round it tightly enough and it gets longer as I ride, necessitating constant shortening. This means the left rein is never steady and annoys the heck out of Cruz. It has taken me years to figure out just how disconcerting it is for him, which is very embarrassing and makes me feel bad for him. So much of his anxiety in left canter can be traced to this one issue, plus not enough right rein.

What it boils down to is that Cruz has never had constant reassurance and true leadership from me. It's like being a girl with a dance partner who is supposed to lead but keeps changing his mind about where he wants to go or how to get there. He sometimes has his arm round your back, supporting it, then takes it away, then puts it back. Can you imagine how worrying that is, having no support from your partner and not knowing what's coming next, as you're never being properly prepared for the next step?

I'm working hard to be the reassuring, confident leader of our dance partnership, and keeping steady contact with my hands, appropriate leg pressure and bend/flexion, forward movement and preparing Cruz correctly and in timely fashion for transitions.

It's really working!

He went long and low and stretched and bent in walk, trot and canter, snorting away and letting me know he approved of the New Me. His transitions were smooth, and even his first canters were easy to sit to, as he gave in his back early. Consquently I positioned my legs better in left canter, as I am just as right-handed as Cruz is and we both struggle on the left rein.

Once again, the session didn't need to be long. His work was just as good in sitting trot, and with my keeping a firm but soft hold on the left rein, he is happy to give to it in the canter transitions and stay flexed correctly to the left both on circles and on the straight.

I think I'm finally getting the hang of being a good leading dance partner. Even when he heard a deer moving in the woods and thought about taking off, he stayed calm because I kept him between my hands and legs.

Another good day!

Riding horses is about being grateful for any progress!

2009-10-12T18:35:00.000-07:00

Cruz and I had our lesson, which was very hard work on both of us. My instructor showed me how to persevere without getting into an almighty fight, specifically maintaining my cool when Cruz doesn't care to bend or even remotely flex to the left.

The next day my rear end was so sore, I just rode in walk! But it was productive and I used the time to practice shoulder-in and renvers (I'm not very good at the latter yet, so walk is easier on the horse). The next day Cruz was much more co-operative and the week progressed well until we hit another brick wall. Cruz definitely has a work threshhold! He is now very good at counter canter on the left lead while bending inwards to the right! He much prefers that to a normal left lead canter. I persevered until I got a decent-ish left canter from a decent-ish right legyield, then stopped.

In my next lesson, I was shown how Cruz sets his neck in any given bend and doesn't care to change it. We worked on exercises to loosen his neck while riding long and low, all the way up to asking for more engagement and raising his poll. It was, once again, very hard work, but he began to give in his back as well as in his neck and jaw, and did some lovely work. I was able to sit quietly and ended on a high!

I was busy the next day, so he had time to recover. When I rode him again, I made sure to keep his neck and jaw supple while asking him to move forwards off my leg. Another thing I must keep in mind is that if he is going sufficiently forwards he won't feel that I'm getting 'in his face' when I ask strongly for any given bend if he doesn't give in easily. The whole ride was peaceful: Cruz listened to my requests very politely, gave the required bend, so that I was able to reduce that to flexion early on. AND, he gave me the most wonderful left canter. It took less than half an hour to reach this point, and I stopped then and there. Big pats and a walk around the neighborhood as a reward.

Cruz has continued for four days like this, and I am able to ride more quietly - at last - without getting after him. Another thing I have realized is that I am very unsteady with my left hand. I am beginning to appreciate how negatively this affects Cruz - heck, if I were a horse, I'd be a lot less tolerant than he is! I'm concentrating on keeping my left hand steady, especially through the upwards canter transition, when I've been giving the rein away and then trying to get it back after he's got upset. It's working a treat: if I keep that steady contact even on the hated left rein, Cruz feels comfortable and flexes nicely to the left.

Of course, I need to watch that right rein! So much of my straightness 'issues' with Cruz result from a lack of sufficient right rein...Dressage is certainly never boring! But it feels great to look forward to my rides again, and not have to keep going ad nauseam just to correct some issue. My riding time has been cut almost in half at the moment. That'll change as I introduce more work, but for now I want Cruz to feel that it's all easy for him and that his canter work is no big deal.

I have a show coming up on Sunday next. I'm in the PVDA Chapter Challenge Show on November 1st. My team is riding Training Level so that we are all able to compete together. I'm riding the same tests this Sunday as a practice for the November show. Given the way Cruz is going. I'm hopeful that we'll do well.

Interestingly I've found that wearing my super warm winter riding boots has improved my leg position.

A Much Happier Day

2009-09-29T18:41:00.000-07:00

Today I was determined to stay friends with Cruz and I succeeded. It was a windy day so I stayed in the upper two thirds of the arena to save any distractions for him, since he was threatening to be distracted and I wanted to keep things calm and concentrated.

I worked him long and low in walk and he bent fine to left and right, as he did in trot. I cantered him first on the right lead, a couple of times, and then walked on a long rein to take a break. I didn't want him anticipating left canter and getting worked up ahead of time, which he does very easily.

So when I asked for the left canter lead a few minutes later, he stayed straight and slightly bent to the left. I was careful not to ask for too much bend. I patted him like crazy afterwards, then worked on the right rein in trot, and the left. I found that if I now kept the right (outside) rein consistent and vibrated/squeezed the left rein he reacted well. I cantered him one last time on the left rein and Cruz was willing to give a little bit more. He still threatened to throw his head up, but I managed through squeezing the left rein to prevent it and have him give in gracefully. I stopped right there.

Big pats, time for a wash down followed by tea and turn out.

I hope tomorrow's lesson goes as well. I also hope my son Ross passes his driving test. He has to wait another three months otherwise, as Maryland law has changed.

A royal disagreement!

2009-09-28T19:27:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Cruz decided that he was NOT going to bend left in left canter. He was very happy to bend to the right, even in counter canter, but not to the left. I must have ridden him for two hours in the rain, trying to find a way for him to accept the left bend. He finally agreed to bend left if I rode him long and very low, but as soon as I asked him to hold himself even a little higher, it was all over.

I was worried about what the neighbors thought, watching me turn him in left circles and pushing my left leg into him about every two minutes!

Because of all this, he did some fairly decent leg yields as long as I rode him straight, not bending to the left!!

So I ended being satisfied with those, although really frustrated over the left canter. It seems to rear its ugly head every so often. Cruz does find it difficult.

Sunday I was off in Norfolk at a Barnes & Noble book fair, so he had a day to recover, together with a lot of arnica. Today I lunged him, reeling him in more and more on the left - but still not particularly short - and he gave me grief about that left lead in canter again. Eventually he gave in, and I stopped. But it took a long time. I hope I can ride him tomorrow in a more friendly manner, the way I did at the show after a bad day on the eve of the competition. He seemed to agree to a truce that day: I'm looking for that tomorrow! We'll see.

A Lesson Learned!

2009-09-23T07:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took Cruz for another dressage lesson. Although it would be nice not to have to trailer him for my weekly kick up the posterior, it is useful for him to travel so consistently. I no longer worry that it'll take an hour or more to get him into the trailer, which is how bad he used to be.

Our big bugbear right now is bending, especially to the left. Yesterday I was pushed into making him bend left, even if it meant having to exert a LOT OF HEAVY repeated left leg and left rein to make him give in.

I was given a useful exercise to get him to cross over laterally and get me to put that lifeless left leg of mine on his side. Do a canter leg yield on the left lead, then bend left and go into trot before the end of the long side. Come round and perform left leg yield then canter before the end of the long side. Repeat three times. By the end of the exercise Cruz was yielding gracefully to the left, and I was keeping my left leg on him better. We obviously did the same on the right leg, but without the same fights! Any time we were on the left leg and Cruz gave me 'no' I had to turn him left and really kick with my left leg a couple of times before he gave in. Then he got a big pat and went on our merry way.

We also performed counter-canter circles in both directions with him looking outwards to get him realizing how easy the correct bend is! He was exhausted afterwards and very happy to march onto the trailer and go home!

Today he gets off - he's worked for seven days in a row because of the show and the lesson, and deserves a break.

CD's eye is weeping again, although it's not sensitive to the touch. So I'm using the cortisone cream again and stepping up the homeopathic treatment, in case the trauma is threatening another ERU episode. I really hope not.

The Show Results Are In!

2009-09-21T17:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a good day. I managed to watch a friend ride her new mare at Training Level for the first time, and was able to read her first test. She did really well. The mare is very forward going, so my friend is being careful not to sit deep in the saddle yet. But they got good scores for both their rides.

I went home to fetch Cruz, who behaved really well. He warmed up without a trace of tension or resentment after our less than happy session at home the day before. I tried hard to use my inside leg every time I asked for a bend left or right, and be soft with the hand asking for the bend. Cruz was a trooper and gave in graciously. His canter strike offs were great, as well.

But my stirrups were, once again, too long!! One of these days I'll be relaxed enough not to have to shorten them a hole at a show.

I worked him in the indoor and walked him outside alternately, and took him round the ring during the lunch break. He was very calm, and did a good first test (First Level 1). The only really bad movement was the rising trot on a long rein: I got a 5, which is sad, as we've got 8s before, and that score is multiplied by 2.

The rider between that and my next test was a no-show, so they wanted me to go straight back in. I hadn't practised my leg yields. So I rode to the indoor, and immediately asked for trot, and a left and right leg yield.
They were brilliant!

So of course, in the test the right leg yield was horrible! I can't have set him up correctly for it. But I took a deep breath, straightened him up, and got a clean canter strike-off to the left. I've never been able to salvage the canter and ensuing 15 meter circle after a bad leg yield. So that's a big plus. The left leg yield was pretty good, and I got the canter fine afterwards. We've made progress.

Still got a 5 for the stretching trot circle. Need to work on that. I also need more submission. I took Cruz back to the indoor and asked for the right leg yield again. He was suddenly a lot softer than before, and gave me an exceptionally nice one. I was told by the judge not to bend him inwards so much for the leg yields. She also said that he would have gone better in a third test. If we'd had more time to prepare for the second test, he may have been really submissive before I went in. Maybe this points to taking even longer to warm him up before his next test.

But I got a 7 for my riding (x 3) on both tests, which was a huge improvement on the 5 I got last time! Final results were 64% and 62.5%. There were three people riding at First Level: me, the no-show and myself. So I got a first and second place ribbon, plus a PVDA medal.

I celebrated with a venti frapuccino chai tea at Starbucks and sat outside in the sun doing the crossword. Embarrassingly I was late for afternoon Mass, but a friend sat with me and made me feel better.

A good day, and I'm really feeling that Cruz and I have made a small, but significant breakthrough.

He was also very co-operative on the lunge today. I would normally have given him the day off, but I have a lesson tomorrow and Sharon asked me to exercise him even though he was just at a show. He moved well, and I didn't push him for long.

So we're good friends, still, and I so hope we can move onto the exercise leading into half-pass tomorrow. Then I'll really feel we've moved forward!

P.S. CD's eye is doing much better. He's not so sensitive about my touching it to put cream in, and he's also keeping it open. I'm continuing with the homeopathy for a few more days until he seems out of danger. I don't want this episode to set off another outbreak of moonblindness because of eye trauma.

A Scary Interlude

2009-09-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was trailering Cruz to a lesson. En route I had to brake (luckily not for an emergency stop) and my foot depressed almost to the floor before anything happened. Even then, the stopping power was negligible.

I was on my way and decided to continue, thinking that I only needed to adjust the setting of the electric brake box linking to my trailer's brakes. When I got to a quieter part of the route I played with the settings, but that made no difference.

I forced myself to concentrate on the lesson, then worry about the brakes on the way home.

During the lesson I was made aware of how little my left leg does. I need to keep my left calf on the horse, which putting my whip in my left hand will help.

We worked on leg yields, which we both find difficult to the right, as Cruz doesn't move off my left leg. Not surprising as I've never really asked him to! He got pretty pissy when I insisted, both in trot and in canter, but we got through the "no way am I doing this, mom" barrier and developed some exciting bend and thrust in both gaits. My homework is clear! I need to work on it today without upsetting Cruz as we have a show tomorrow, First Level 1 and 2. All I want is NO BLOW UPS during the test. Total submission would be a terrific bonus, too!

Anyway, I started off home, with my brakes soft and virtually non-existent. I got pretty scared, and drove ultra cautiously, keeping a good distance between me and the vehicle in front, and slowing down early for approaching downhill slopes.

As soon as I'd unhitched the trailer, I drove my Expedition to the auto mechanic, who is thankfully very close to my house. He's also next to the dog grooming parlor, so I took my Border Collie, Ruggles aka Fatso, to get his hair shaved off, as he's getting hot and bothered this summer. So I killed two birds with one stone.

It turned out that some screw or other had got grungy or loose or something. It was quickly fixed at no charge (hurray!) and I drove home with real brake power. I now don't have to try and beg, borrow or steal a towing vehicle for the show tomorrow!

Wish me luck and I'll write an update tomorrow evening.

An Interesting Day

2009-09-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

The day began with Starbucks, which is always a good thing. A friend passed through, who had to have a terminally ill horse put down this morning, a tough thing to experience. But she was also going to look at a new horse this morning. He looks like a sweetheart and I hope he's a match.

I managed to finish the crossword - also a good thing. I then put a second dose of ointment in CD's eye. He's looking so much better: the eye is less swollen, less painful and he's keeping it open. He doesn't enjoy my messing around with it, which is understandable. Because the pupil is dilated through the Atropine, I kept him inside with completely closed doors. He was happy as long as he had something to eat all day long. He's a very easy going horse.

At 11:00 went to the funeral of a horse neighbor's mother. It was my first time at a Methodist service and with a woman minister. It was very moving and especially poignant because my father died on the same day - 14th September - nineteen years ago. Father Dan gave me the cross from the altar after the Mass on Monday, as a great friend had told him that it was my father's anniversary.

Also at the service the same Psalm 23 and the Gospel, about there being many rooms in My Father's house, were included as at my father's funeral. Of course, I cried.

So it was great to ride Cruz in the afternoon. I have a lesson tomorrow so decided to ride until he got loosened up. I worked on collection and extension for a while, and then Cruz suddenly gave in his back. For the first time (with him) I was able to sit quietly with my legs long. It felt fantastic! So I now have what looks like a system for loosening him up. Cesar said yesterday that we should do this.

I have a show on Sunday. I don't know if I can reproduce the same on the day, but I'm going to try!

Dr. Cesar Parra's Dressage Clinic

2009-09-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday and today I audited Cesar's dressage clinic at my instructor's barn - Sharon Myer's Chimney Hill Farm. As always, he was very informative, interesting and amusing! Cesar comes up with great anecdotes to prove points he's making.

Here are some of the things he is keen on/exercises he uses:

1. Bend inwards - exaggerate this while warming up the horse.
2. Work very long and low at the beginning to stretch the horse. This may initially be a little painful, as for people, but the horse works through the pain barrier and becomes looser and freer.
3. When walking after the first warm up phase, keep the horse on a reasonable contact. He's not worked hard enough to be really listening to the rider, and is still easily distracted. Also, keep him busy, even now. Bend him left and right, walk in circles, left and right, to keep his mind on the job.
4. Concentrate on one higher level movement per riding session (unless you have a show that weekend and need to put it all together) so the horse remains fresh and not mentally overloaded.
5. The horse can't stay up and round for long periods of time (another reason for 4. above) so don't spend too long in that frame. Give the horse frequent breaks.
6. When working on a tougher movement, do it three times then let it go! Tomorrow is another day.
7. If the horse misbehaves, GO FORWARD. Don't stop and regroup, go forward and regroup. Also, use the inside leg to get the horse's attention while bending him inwards if he's being difficult (threatening to buck, etc.) and if you get the poll up he cannot buck. Be quick to forgive and relax again as soon as the horse submits.
8.GREAT EXERCISE TO INTRODUCE TROT HALF-PASS:
Trot across the diagonal, come away from the long side in leg yield exaggerating the outside bend like crazy. From the short side go up the center line, still bent (now it's the inside) and push the horse over in half-pass.
Same works for canter half-pass.
9. Cesar addressed the issue of a horse not wanting to work harder once the long and low phase is over. He says none of us wants to work harder, but we need to in order to attain our goals. Also this is a reason not to overdo the tough stuff in any given session.
10. Emphasizes value of prayer and singlemindedness in achieving goals.

Let's see if I can reproduce that at home by myself!

Sunny September Sunday

2009-09-13T19:01:00.000-07:00

Last night I was up till 3 a.m. revamping my blog page, checking my book sales and creating links to and from my ebook publishing page. That is when I discovered a review of my book The Horse Bumbler: Getting It Right By Mistake. This lady is truly annoyed with me! I'm a 'spoiled brat' and she 'feels sorry for my husband.' She unfortunately didn't finish the book, otherwise she may have felt differently. But it was a great lesson for me: not everyone is going to like Bumbler and as an author I have to learn how to deal with adverse reactions. As a Christian I'm obliged to turn the other cheek, anyway.

So how fantastic that Cruz suddenly went super soft and round and supple for me today! I felt like a true dressage rider. When I create a forward going walk from the start, as my instructor says, Cruz develops a wonderfully energetic stride and moves straight with the same evergy level when I ask for his first trot. His canter work to the left was as good as to the right, too.

Another bug bear of mine is the ubiquitous leg yield. I know the theory - keep him straight, supple and on the outside rein, develop a good forward going trot. But I've tended to panic over the lateral thing and sit crookedly in my attempts to push the horse over. My latest tactic has been to incorporate a leg yield when I feel he is ready (and I can sit in balance) and not perform more than two at a time. I.e. not make a 'thing' out of them. The result has been great. Cruz stayed balanced and moved forward and laterally with smoothness and ease.

I ended the sesson on a high. Cruz is also snorting during his work,which indicates that he is feeling better about dressage, too.

Back in the Saddle after Two Days Off

2009-09-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

The past few days have been spent anxiously awaiting a call from my farrier. I missed the last appointment, so it was my own fault that I had three horses overdue for shoeing for more than a week! So after that last great lesson when it rained non-stop and I was worried about the shoes, I didn't ride.

But the farrier came yesterday - hurray! And it stopped raining today - hurray again! Not only that, but my arena had dried out sufficiently to be rideable. So I was able to get on my horse again, which is a good thing as we have a show coming up next weekend. He was well-behaved for a Thoroughbred cross who had been off work for more than 24 hours.

Cruz was a little unhappy with his left canter lead, but surprised me by being balanced and co-operative again when I did that counter canter exercise. I have aspirations to enter a Second Level test before the end of the year, and already the lowest level one needs a serpentine in counter canter with three loops. Now I feel that maybe - just maybe - we'll sneak that test in before the end of 2009. Even if we don't quite make it by then, I still know that it's not an unrealistic goal for the near future.

I was very proud of Cruz for having such a great attitude. He's got a decent shoulder-in and we're working well on walk to canter strike-offs. Now I need to quietly and clearly teach him to back up without making him anxious or think that I'm going to ask him to back up every time we halt. I'm learning that he listens much more than I've given him credit for. And he's always so cuddly after exercise.

Another good day!

A great dressage lesson!

2009-09-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took Cruz for a midday dressage lesson. He'd had the previous day off, because he's due for shoeing and I wanted to make sure his shoes were O.K. for my first lesson in a month.

He was an absolute star. As usual I needed to work on using that right rein, which he has trouble accepting and which is essential to keeping him straight. He bends nicely to the right, but has difficulty to the left, going out over the shoulder because I don't support him enough with the right/outside rein.

But boy, once he straightens out and all his pushing power propels him forward, what a different horse he is! It's really exciting to ride him when his back gives and he's motoring. Looking in the mirror, I see a horse with great presence.

He still tries to put his head up when I go down the long side, and I have to concentrate on 'riding every stride' instead of thinking "ah! I got it!" and relaxing too much. That's the moment Cruz is looking for and he's so very good at taking advantage of the loophole I'm giving him.

I'm taking a long time to accept just how hard I need to work to get results! My instructor told me to ask for energetic walk right from the start, and encourage Cruz to loosen up.

We did a new exercise to loosen his back in canter. Just as in trot, he has a hard time bending to the left on the left rein. So my instructor had me canter on his good lead, the right, do a loop and come back to the track half way down the long side, counter canter in a shallow loop, then continue on a twenty meter circle in counter canter, asking for bend to the left - while making sure to keep my left leg back and more weight on my right (inside) hip. Although he found it difficult, Cruz was very obliging and tried his heart out. When we did this on his left (bad) lead and came back to true canter, he found it so much easier than counter canter, that he performed a beautiful, rhythmic and balanced left lead canter. I was thrilled with him!

So now I have my homework before my next lesson.

Making friends with my horse again

2009-09-08T19:42:00.000-07:00

It's sometimes hard to understand the difference between total commitment to a goal and overworking it.

My aim this year, as a dressage rider who bred and trained her own horse, was to move up from First to Second Level. In pursuit of that I forgot that Cruz Bay, who is the beautiful boy in the photo with me, and the son of the most wonderful mare in the universe, is a horse. He's not a machine, he used to event with me and enjoyed it. He's asking why he only gets to go into the riding arena every day instead of going on trail rides and jumping sometimes, too.

We had one good show out of three this season, when he finally got to warm up on grass. He even gave a little buck of joy! We won that class with high marks, but bombed at the next one.

I went home with my tail between my legs. Then I asked myself why we'd done so well two years ago, winning every show we went to. The answer seemed simple. That amazingly successful year, Cruz and I had been through a lot, but included in his daily routine was lots of jumping and trail riding. Fun stuff.

I also used to ride him in a happy mouth, which I'd changed for a double-jointed French snaffle for more leverage. My spurs were now longer with rowels, too.

Now I've put the happy mouth back in, and am wearing the short spurs. Cruz and I have a jumping session once a week, and go on weekly trail rides. We're working hard at that dressage, too. But I'm back to having fun with my horse again, and being friends with him.

My riding seems to have improved. I'm more relaxed now, and quieter in the saddle.

I have a show on 20th September. Let's see whether we do better this time.

If anyone has had similar experiences with their horses I'd love to hear about it!