>Enamored

>You know those days when your horse totally steps up to the plate and exceeds your expectations?   I love those days.  I was absolutely enamored with my horse (all over again) by the end of the day on Sunday.

Since I’m trying to be financially responsible these days, I have scrapped my plan to try to take a bunch of clinics this fall/winter (though I am very tempted to take the clinic with Chris Kappler coming up next month).  Instead, I’ve decided to schedule some lessons with a few other local trainers whom I’ve heard good things about, just here and there to get another perspective on my horse and my riding (with Alicia’s blessing, of course).  So on Sunday I took a lesson with Sarah Segal, who trains along side of Chris Kappler.  Tucker was amazing, I learned a lot, and it was a very fun way to spend a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

We started off getting a nice forward trot rhythm to the left, using about 1/3 of their huge ring, and getting him in a little more elevated, and in fact less round, frame so that he was lighter up front and using his hind end more.  Once Tucker got the hang of what I was asking, he happily complied.  Right off the bat we did lots of walk-trot-walk transitions.  I tend to give Tucker as many steps as it takes for him to walk without bracing or losing his hind end during downward transitions, but Sarah pointed out that this is actually making it too easy for him and allowing him to avoid the moment of actually sitting down and using his hind end.  So we worked on making the transitions happen quicker, even if they weren’t perfect the first few times, and they did improve as we kept doing them.  (Such a smart horse!)  Then we let him extend his trot to give him a break from all the hard work.

Then we went to a smaller circle, tracking left, and worked on counterbending, then back to an inside bend, and went back and forth between these for a few circles.  Once that became smooth, we increased the aids for the counterbend and did a shoulder-out on the circle, then back to a normal bend, then a shoulder-in on the circle.  He did all of this really well.  I haven’t done much shoulder-in while on a circle (I always do them down the long side of the arena), but it really seemed to help him since it became more like just amplifying my aids for a normal inside bend. 

We went back to the full 1/3 of the ring and then changed directions, and did some more transitions, trot-walk-trot.  Once these improved, we went back to the small circle to the right, and did the same exercise in this direction.  I had explained that I struggle with his shoulder-in tracking right because he pops his left shoulder out and overbends instead of using his hind end.  The circle exercise really helped with this and then she had me hold the shoulder-in coming out of the circle, tracking straight across the ring.  He stayed really soft and used his right hind so nicely.  I’ll defintely be using this exercise going forward.  It feels more like a logical progression: establish a good trot on the circle, then counterbend, then shoulder-out, inside bend, then shoulder-in.

We let him walk and catch his breath and then went to the right lead canter.  Again, lots of canter-walk-canter transitions.  We’d canter about ten strides, walk, then canter right away again.  And repeat.  Then we did some countercanter, another thing I haven’t done much of with him, but I was relieved that for the most part, he executed it beautifully.  So we’d canter right, walk, canter left, walk, canter right, walk, canter left, and progressively asked him to hold the counterlead a little longer and around the corners.  Then I did a simple change of direction through the walk, and we did the same exercise to the left.  Lots of transitions, and then we started alternating leads between the left lead and the right lead countercanter.  It was easier for him to hold the right lead countercanter (not surprising, since his right lead is always easier).  I was so impressed with how well he held the counter lead though, since I almost never ask him for it.  I think I’m going to start making it a part of our regular flatwork. 

The jumping portion of the lesson was great as well, and I have lots more to tell you but it’s time for bed…. There’s a kitty curled up on my lap right now and she’s making sleep look very appealing. 

On a different note, I hope everyone will say a little prayer or send good vibes or think positive thoughts for Gennyral.  My thoughts will defintely be with OTB and her beautiful boy while we wait to see what’s going on with him.

>Happy birthday Julie girl!

>Today is Julie’s 2nd birthday.  Happy birthday Princess!  It seems like only yesterday you were bouncing around trying to get used to those wobbly long legs. 

Since onthebit asked in the comments how Julie is doing, and Nicku asked me on facebook whether there’s any Julie news, I figured that was quite enough prompting.  I can take a hint!  I know when you all are bored of hearing about the big brown horse and his various facial injuries and it’s time to talk about my little spotted girl. 

As it turns out, I do have some Julie news!  First and foremost, the current plan with her is that she will stay in Florida through this coming winter (the nicer time of year to work a horse in Florida), and the trainers at Stones Throw Farm will put the basics into her: round penning, backing, and basic walk-trot-canter.  I talked to Celia and Larry today and it sounds like they have a great program.  They work the babies a few times a week, frequency depending on the horse, starting off with ground work in the round pen and then sitting on their backs.  After this, they give them two weeks off to go back out to the field and “process.”  Then they go back to work a few times a week for a couple of weeks, followed by another couple of weeks off, and so on, until they are in regular light work by February. 

Then in March, Julie will come home to live on the farm with me at Paper Road.  We have a nice ring so I’ll be able to work her a few times a week myself until it gets cold, at which point she’ll have the whole winter off.  I’ll probably do the same thing again the following year, which is exactly what I did with Tucker.  The folks at Stones Throw think I’ll have no trouble working with her myself, since she’s been very well behaved for them.  They said she’s the first one to come to the fence when they go out to bring the kids in for their weekly grooming/bathing. 

I also just learned that Julie went to the Brandenberger inspection, passed with flying colors, and is now an approved Brandenberger.  In September (once fly season is over), she’ll get a brand that looks like this. Very cool!  Her father, Raine Dance, is also now an approved Brandenberger stallion.

You’ll note that one of my very, very favorite horses is a Brandenberger.  I know of another Brandenberger, named Balthazar, who is also a fantastic creature, extremely brave and willing, with a heart of gold and a penchant for tearing off his blankets in the middle of the night and driving braiders crazy with his midnight racket.  (But I love him dearly). 

Oh, and one more thing.  I’ve always wondered what happened to the dark bay mare that I ordered, with the white socks and the star?  Well, she arrived this year.  Apparently she was on back order?  Meet Julie’s little sister:

That’s Secret’s pretty red butt in the photo to the right, and it makes me miss her so much!  This adorable little filly is a full sister to Julie and exactly what I wanted absolutely adorable, if you ask me.  In case anyone is having a particularly bad day and needs some additional cuteness, please go here and see all of this little girl’s playmates.  Too cute for words!  It is a good thing I don’t live closer to Florida, or I would quickly be accumulating a lot of young horses. . . . 

So, that’ about all I have on the Julie front.  And for the record, reason number 1,578 that equine babies are better than human babies:  you can ship them off to someplace where they will be well cared for and happy until they are old enough to be useful to you.  Pretty sure they frown on things like that for human babies.  Except my niece of course, who is an absolute joy (just in case her parents read the blog).  I can’t wait to buy her a pony.