Bratitude Adjustment

The courbette is an upper level dressage movement -- when asked for. When Phantom does it, he's being a brat.

On Monday, I excused Phantom's bratty attitude because of the unsettled weather. Hail hitting a metal roof unnerves me, too. However, come Wednesday with no storms blowing through, I got fed up with his mini-courbette when I asked for a sidepass or back up. He only pops up a little in the front, but I don't like the evasion. I wasn't blocking his movement and asked for the sidepass with an open rein. So...out came the side reins and an additional 15-20 minutes of longeing. This had a definite effect on his bratitude and I ended up with some decent lateral work AND backing up.

Today I started with the side reins. I always let Phantom longe without the side reins attached in order to release any pent up piss and vinegar. I then worked him for 15-20 minutes with the side reins. Not nearly as resistant to them as he was on Wednesday. Worked him in the looky-loo corners and did some trot/canter transitions and spiral in and out at the trot.

He was still bratty about the looky loos in the corners when I was in the saddle, but Zorro was also being a bit naughty. The High Pressure Hops? Sheesh!

Anyway, I worked through posting trot, canters each direction, then sitting trot to do some lateral moves. Then, with an empty arena (yay!) I went through the Training Level One test a couple of times. Polished it ain't. Good thing our Sunday Play Day at CEC is intended to be a low key gathering for riding, socializing and eating.

Phantom is noticably stiffer/more resistant to the right. I tend to get squidgy in the midsection when riding, but when I "touch" my shoulder blades it helps me firm up my torso and Phantom moves better. He also goes better wihen I have firm but relaxed contact with my full leg. Go figure -- it's the rider's position. :-)

We have a gorgeous weather forecast for the weekend. Supposed to push 80 degrees by Sunday, so I'm looking forward to a day at the barn with fellow horse folks enjoying our critters and each other on a pleasant spring day.

Double Barreled Writing

I continued to work on "Wizard" this weekend, but also did some rewriting on "Legacy." As hoped, by taking a break from "Legacy" I came up with a slight change in the backstory and made a decision regarding POV. I'm going to try something to see if it will work.

Anyway...surprised my little self by producing pages for both stories!

RIDE-ITUDE

It was a case of Low-Pressure-Looky-Loos. I drove to the barn in a hail storm. The sun broke out while I was grooming and tacking up. At least two heavy rain cells blew over while I was in the arena. And a serious hail storm passed over after I'd turned out Phantom and was putting things away. ARGH!

It was a little difficult getting Phantom's attention while he was eyeballing each end and all four corners of the arena. *sigh*

I longed before riding to take off the edge as I always do. I got in 20-25 minutes of riding and was just getting ready to begin sitting trot and lateral work when Phantom notched up the hairy-eyeball routine (apparently in response to the immiment storm cell). I jumped off and longed him again past all the trouble spots and called it good. I did get some decent trot work and a canter each direction before starting the second longe session. I figure there's not much to be gained if Phantom isn't listening and I'm getting irritated.

So...I'll aim for some lateral work during my next ride. The weather is supposed to be clearing up as the week progresses.

Sheesh! In recent weeks we've had sunny 70 degrees to toppling freezing levels and hail storms. Spring in western Oregon. Gotta love it!

Ride-itude

Put Phantom through his paces today in preparation for next weekend's fun day at the barn. The CEC Barn Bunch will be gathering for a day of low-key competition and food. Notice how food plays a significant role in our barn activites? We'll have a mix of English and western classes, trail classes ridden or in-hand, and "ride a buck." That's buck as in $, not buck as in "yeeha!" (the dollar under the knee class, last one to lose his or her dollar wins).

For comic relief, I signed up to do Training Test 1 in the dressage-test-of-choice class. First, I had to get a copy of the test. Boarder Char helped verify that I had the one in current use. Then to learn the test, which wasn't too bad. And next, ride elements of the test. Ah, there's the rub.

I actually had the arena to myself for most of my ride today, so I made one run through the whole test. Oops, Phantom stiffened up for the latter half of the test. A little resistant to the right. So we did circles and transitions to the right until I was over-riding and he was anticipating. Once I got a bit of consistently soft and round work, we changed rein. More transitions in the new direction -- by now Phantom was getting a little anxious. Managed to get a couple of decent transitions and turns up the center line so called it good.

We generally do a posting trot on a long rein to stretch out and loosen up at the end of our ride before our cool down at a walk.

All in all, for not having taken lessons for years nor having ridden a dressage test for an equal or greater number of years, I was pleased with our work. I think next week I'll focus on lateral work, then revisit the test movements on Friday.

Good ride-itude today.

In Memory

Lucky Charm, June 6, 1999 - April 8, 2009



This is Lucky with his twin persons on joining the family ten years ago. He was a soft coated wheaten terrier, a breed I recommended to my friend Karen for Steven and Emily. Wheatons are a medium sized dog, sturdy enough for play, but not too big. Wheatons were bred to do it all: hunt varmints, herd, guard the homestead, and provide companionship. Not much herding or varmint hunting to do in the Seattle burbs, but plenty of companionship provided.

Regrettably, Lucky was humanely euthanized on Wednesday because of a terminal health issue. He will be sorely missed.

They say dogs leave pawprints on our hearts. I know this to be true.

Good dog, Lucky.

This Little Piggie

The piglets arrived today from the auction. A pair of sisters from the same litter. They are the boys' 4-H project and this is about as cute as they'll get. They are reported to be around fifty pounds. If I have it right, the boys will add another 200 pounds for the 4-H Fair in August. Weight gain is carefully regulated. The boys have to bring the pigs to weigh-ins during the spring and summer to make sure the pigs aren't putting on too much weight too quickly. The boys will also train the pigs for showmanship with the goal of competing in conformation and showmanship at the fair.

Cody and William took umbrage with the piglets taking up residence near their turnout. Finn and Phantom were free grazing closeby and reacted to Cody and William more than to the pigs. Last year Phantom accepted the pigs as long as they were in the pen where they belonged. However, once a blue tarp was added to provide the pigs some shade during the heat of the summer, Phantom was NOT happy. The tarp flapped in the wind and made a nose -- obviously the traits of a horse eater.

We've talked about rotating the horses in the turnout near the pigs so the horses can become accustomed to other farm animals. I figure the more my horse is exposed to, the better. Back in the olden days when the State Fair offered hunter/jumper classes and I competed Kiyara, we had to deal with miscellaneous critters in the nearby livestock pavilion and come and go past the cattle wash racks. Not to mention warming up next to the racetrack (a thrill for all those riding recycled thoroughbreds!).

PHANTOM

He trotted out sound again today. I didn't detect heat in his foot, but that could just be me. I let him free graze, then returned him to the round pen. We'll see what he's up to tomorrow. Still the potential of an abscess acting shy for the moment.

AB FAB DAY

Absolutely fabulous day! Low 70s, nice breeze. Home owners will be dragging their b___s to work on Monday after a weekend of yard work.

I attacked some overgrown shrubs in our yard, and went on a seek and destroy mission to clean the cat pooh from our barkdust.

Indy kept me company while I did yard work. When a couple of neighborhood cats joined us, he just watched them and later tried to play with the cats. They, of course, thought he was a goober. :-)

Huh?

Phantom trotted and cantered sound on the longe line this morning. In fact, when spooked by an invisible horse eater, he did an extended trot. Flung those front feet out there!

What's that all about?! He was definitely ouchy yesterday. I have witnesses.

His right front is still warm, however, so I soaked it and let him free graze for a little while. Then I placed him in the round pen when I left so it will be easier to monitor him.

I don't know what's up with the Goober Boy. His owee was either a stone bruise, or he has a coy abscess -- lurkiing but not yet making an appearance.

We have honest-to-goodness spring weather predicted for this weekend. Hard to believe, since it was freeze-your-hiney-off cold this morning. I switched out Phantom's medium-weight turnout to his turnout sheet. If it gets as warm as promised, I'm sure owner Susan and the crew will pull blankets. There will be lots of rolling in the turnouts if the shedding ponies are "nekked." Just might register at the local earthquake center!

Owee

Brought Phantom in from turnout, brushed and tacked him up, walked him over to the arena, sent him out on the longe line -- and he was head-bobbing sore. So I stopped him, pulled off a glove and sure enough, his right front foot was warm.

*sigh*

I'm thinking it's an abscess. Tendon is tight, no edema, heat focused below fetlock. Plus...we've had 3-4 horses pop abscesses over the past month. Phantom did have a small stone wedged in his heel that I picked out during grooming, but I'm thinking I won't be so lucky that he has a minor bruise. No...I've already got a tab running at the vet's from Monday's jabs and dental work -- why stop there?

I soaked his foot in epsom salt today (scrounged from my just-in-case trunk where it had turned into a solid block over time -- like coal turns into a diamond, only much less valuable). I must say, Phantom was exceptionally good about soaking, since I used one of my little buckets for him to stand in. I'll see how he's doing tomorrow morning before I start making calls.

Phantom seldom has soundness problems, so I count myself fortunate. His previous owner had to deal with a trailering injury. About ten years ago I had the summer of the strained hind tendon.

So the Goober Boy is on a staycation.