Shoedini

March 4, 2012 4 Comments

We’re mired up to our eyeballs in mud, and over the last week and a half, Derby has lost three shoes. He’s been a regular Houdini when it comes to getting out of his shoes.  Or, “Shoe-dini” as it were.  Anyway, between the footwear issues and the lingering effects of the flu/bronchitis/whatever-it-was-that-I-had, I’ve had pretty much zero time in the saddle recently. I finally got back on yesterday and today.  Both rides were short, and uneventful.  He’s still moving very nicely off my seat, and today I did some gentle leg-yields and shoulders-in to engage his hind end.  But really, both rides were mostly about reconnecting myself with my riding muscles, and my feel and timing.  I have a slew of business trips coming up, and then at some point chances are good that Derby will have his throat surgery.  So far, the spring has been a little rough. I’m looking forward to having the mud – and these other obstacles – behind us.

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Fits and starts.

February 8, 2012 4 Comments

We had a middling lesson on Monday, but last night I ended up staying out of the saddle because Derby was clearly back sore, and was absolutely evil in the cross ties, snapping and pinning his ears flat against his head.   This isn’t normal behavior for him, so I put down the brushes and gave him the a once over.  His back was reactive.  He was also sensitive to very gentle touching on his sides and his tummy.  This is also new – he enjoys being groomed and generally doesn’t object to having his tummy curried, except when I need to employ a bit more vigor when removing clods of dried mud  – but that wasn’t the problem yesterday.

Unfortunately, the appointment to re-scope him was cancelled and we’re still trying to synch everyone’s schedules.  In the meantime, I’m going to call the vet today – at this point, given what I saw last night, I wonder if he’s not getting some ulcers.  His behavior has been strange, and last night was markedly worse, and he has been on a variety of meds lately (Previcoxx, SMX and Dex.)   Time (and the vet) will tell, I’m sure.

 

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A little bit more, each day

February 2, 2012 1 Comment

Things have been a little strange lately, because 1) there are a whole new set of variables in the mix and 2) I have an overactive (and overly protective) subconscious.
I’m investigating some of Derby’s breathing issues, and had him scoped about three weeks ago.  As my vet put it, there was “a whole lot of pathology in there.”  Derbs, who coughs a lot, and leaks water (and worryingly, sometimes food) out one nostril, has a deformed epiglottis, some paralysis of his is flaps (the arytenoid cartilage) and displaces his soft palate.  The good news is that his trachea scoped clean – my biggest worry was the possibility of his aspirating food and water down his windpipe, which would be very bad indeed.

He’ s being rescoped on Tuesday, with a specialist in attendance.  And since the first scoping, he’s been on a ton of drugs.  SMZ, Previcoxx, and Dex.    He’s clearly feeling good – Previcoxx is also indicated for arthritis and his gaits look fantastic.  And on some nights, he doesn’t cough, at all.

However,  a few recent events – including a meltdown spook at an open tack trunk that we’ve passed literally hundreds of times as we were walking back into the aisle, toward his stall (and the cookie jar) after a ride had me wondering about whether or not the drugs were having some effect on his behavior, or causing ulcers, the symptoms of which can manifest themselves in all sorts of ways.
Long story short, I became very worried, especially after riding a couple crazy spooks at the same tack trunk, which apparently is hiding a yawning void which sucks horses straight into the Nether World.  And by “worried” what I really mean is that legitimate concerns give way to overblown, irrational fear.

My concerns stem from my experience with Jag, when I unknowingly pushed a horse that wasn’t feeling good too far, and spent six weeks in a cast contemplating my mistake.  So “listening to the horse” has become one of my rules.   I simply don’t want to put myself at risk riding a horse that is NQR, or worse.    Commence the dithering.

I’ve spent some time talking through things with Christy, who reminded me that Derby has taken significant exception to weird things in his environment when other people have ridden him for me when I was out of town   A folding chair, a chain, and a partially open door have given him pause and reason to spook.  This was actually helpful, because in talking with her, I was able to conclude that his behaviors are in fact normal for him, not drug induced.   That soothed my mind.

I’ve had a couple trepedatious rides, and finally, a better one last night.  I have another lesson today.  I’m hoping that within a few more days, I’ll be completely over myself, and able to get back to some real work!  The clock is ticking toward our first outing this year, and we are so. not. ready.   As Christy says, we’re doing a little bit more than we did yesterday, and the day before. If we keep doing a bit more, we’ll back on track.

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Get up laughing

January 24, 2012 6 Comments

Tonight’s ride took an unexpected departure – in more ways than one.

As we warmed up, I hopped up into two point and let Derby roll.  He was clearly feeling good, going around at a spanking trot.  For fun,  I pointed him at a pole laying on the ground.

He jumped it.  Seriously jumped it, as gathered himself and jumped it.

It has been three decades since I jumped.

He cantered off but came right back to me, as I exclaimed “Oh, my god, we jumped!”  Liz was riding and concurred, adding that it was a proper jump, not a crowhop over the pole.

Christy walked back through the arena and I exclaimed (again) “We jumped! Christy, we jumped!”

“Let me see!” was her response.  I demurred, then said, what the heck.  We picked up the trot, I hopped back into two point, and aimed at the pole.   As we approached, I (very unnecessarily) gave Derbs a little click.

Derby proceeded to LAUNCH himself over the pole. I felt his back round and then found myself popped out of the tack.  Okay, holy crap, that’s what bascule feels like.  Upon landing, Derby was a bit exuberant and got away from me.  I wasn’t balanced, nor was he, and we didn’t make it around the turn. Or, more precisely, he made it, but I didn’t.  I slithered off after riding a couple strides up on his neck. Happily, I was able to hop up laughing, and go fetch my horse.

To his credit, Derbs is not a fan of losing his rider.  He stood, looking worried and doing that stressy, heavy, rapid breathing that horses do when they are worried.  He balked at the mounting block, and was still visibly upset. I intended to get back on, but he looked like he might lose his marbles.  We walked around for a while, until he regained his composure.  By that time, however, my hind end was starting to tighten up.  Yep.  I landed on my butt again. Given the alternatives, that’s the spot I would have chosen.

After the fact, Christy and Liz told me they guesstimated the height of Derby’s jump approached 3 feet.  Christy confirmed that he was really round.  So, he’s a fancy jumper.  That’s great.  I might experiment with jumping again – when the weather is a lot warmer and maybe the horse will be more inclined to use an appropriate amount of effort to get over obstacles.  And I’ll be a lot stronger in my two-point when that time comes, too.

For now, I’m just glad I got up laughing.

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Clarifying lateral work basics

January 23, 2012 1 Comment

Beginning our work on a 20 m "square"

Tonight I wanted to work some more on improving my ability to activate Derby’s hind legs, and really get him to step under himself.  Christy devised a great exercise that helped me tremendously.   We started at the walk, on a 20 m “square.”  Instead of a circle, Christy had me ride straight lines, and then ride each turn like a deep corner.   This ensured I bent the horse, and straightened the horse, and bent again.    Then she had me add a couple steps of leg yield on my straight sides.  I was amazed that we were able to do this easily, and without a much insistence on my part. We repeated the pattern at the trot, and as we rode through it,  I could feel the contact and the gait improving.  It was a neat exercise that really helped me develop more feel about what a decent leg yield requires, and what it feels like.

Switching directions, however, things got a little sloppy in the corners.  Christy remedied this by having me fix my eyes on a spot on the wall, and ride toward it.  Then going into the corner, he had me turn my head, find a new spot, and ride to that.  This little trick cleaned up my corners in a hurry.  I started riding them deeper and getting more well organized.  Best of all, I felt a real improvement in my connection and the horse’s back end.  You can see from the picture below that he’s really using himself.    It was a great lesson and this exercise is one I”m going to use a lot!

Goal achieved. Derby is using himself well behind.

PS.  I put my small spurs back on tonight.  My lower leg is staying really quiet! Yay!!!

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Pat your head, rub your tummy

January 18, 2012 2 Comments

Putting it together - still leg, bending, round horse.

I squeezed in a lesson tonight, because we’re slated to have temperatures so cold tomorrow that riding will be questionable at best, and working the horses would be a bad idea.

As I mounted up, I told Christy that I had done my homework last night, posting laps keeping my feet light in the stirrup, while feeling my inner thighs burn.  While things were easier last night, I admitted to Christy that I had found putting it together – getting the horse round and bending, for example, was tough for me while I was also thinking about carrying myself correctly.  I know the muscles aren’t there yet, but I told her I wanted to start working on adding aids as I develop strength.  Multitasking, I said, was tough.

“Like pat your tummy, rub your head,” said Christy.  “Okay, then! ”

She put us on a circle, asking me to spiral in and out at the trot.  Keeping good rhythm was non-negotiable.  Off we went, and I am happy to report that I’m finding it easier and easier to carry myself correctly in the saddle.   We set up the bend by softening the inside rein, and pushing the horse into the outside rein from my inside leg.  However, I was so fixated on my position that I forgot some other essentials.  Christy reminded me that when bending, to move my outside leg back a bit. Duh! I couldn’t believe I had forgotten that, but that’s what I do when I’m focusing on one thing – it’s often to the exclusion of everything else.  Slowly, she put the pieces back together, stopping every now and then to have me stand a couple beats to realign myself.

With Christy’s help, we were able to produce nice circles with respectable quality, and best of all, I was maintaining my steady lower leg and carrying myself correctly. Definite progress.

I think he's man enough to wear pink!

 

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Steadying my leg

January 16, 2012 2 Comments

One of the things I like most about riding with Christy is the myriad ways in which she really makes you think about, feel and internalize what you’re doing.  Tonight, as I was warming at the trot, I asked her (hopefully, I should add) how my lower leg was looking.

“What do you think?” she replied.  Now, with Christy, this is not a rhetorical question, nor is it formulaic. Sometimes you’ll be doing well and sometimes, not.  I thought things felt pretty good, which is how I answered.

Now, when there’s a diplomatic pause, that’s when you know you’re in trouble. I got the pause.  “It looks like you’re kicking him with each beat.”

Damn.  Damn damn DAMN.  I was still keeping way too much weight on the balls of my feet, and while I thought I was holding them still, in reality, that was far from the case.  Here’s a short clip with a perfect illustration.

You can see that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to give precise, quiet aids with all that other movement.  And spurs would be monumentally unfair.

Christy had me post, at the walk, keeping my feet light in the stirrups, which tranferred more of my weight to my inner thighs.  To keep me from pinching with my knees, she had me drop my stirrups and feel which muscles I was using to hold my legs in place, and then had me recreate that feeling when I picked up the stirrups.  As I posted, my leg was still.  My inner things were burning, but my leg was still.

She then had me take that into a trot.  Voila.  Big improvement, as you can see:

However, it wasn’t easy, and I couldn’t sustain it.  I’ll be working very hard on building the strength needed to carry myself properly in the saddle over the next couple weeks.

My legs are already feeling sore after tonight’s ride.  I’m looking forward to being over this particular hurdle!

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Managing details

January 15, 2012 1 Comment

Today Derby and I worked for about 40 minutes, still focusing on trot work, and still sticking to the compacted footing on the rail.   That limited my ability to do much, so I focused on doing quality work, as simple as it was.  This meant good upward transitions that were crisp while keeping the horse on the bit, working in a quality trot, with the horse round and forward, and solid downward transitions, at the letter and maintaining quality. Essentially, I worked on managing the details, which is a crucial aspect of riding a good test.

I also focused on another important detail, which was steadying my lower legs, by keeping the majority of my weight on my thighs – not on the balls of my feet, or on my butt.   Until I keep that lower leg steady, I’m not allowing myself to wear spurs – when my leg is loose, I inadvertently spur the horse, and even though I use short, rounded, gentle spurs, the last thing I want to do is deaden the horse to my aids.  Even more importantly, I need to have control over my lower leg if I’m going to deliver aids with any sort of precision. I started out in two-point, did some stand-stand-post-post to feel my leg steadying, and then paid attention to where my weight was resting while I posted. I was rewarded with an easy, forward trot from Derby, who is very inclined to peter out as soon as I fall out of my balanced seat.

We get to recommence lessons tomorrow night. I’m glad we’re back to work!

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We’re back!

January 14, 2012 2 Comments

I hopped on Derbs for our first ride since late December, and he felt great. I took it easy – he’s had more than two weeks off, which followed a really spotty riding schedule during the holidays.  We worked for about 25 minutes, but had a good ride nonetheless.

As we warmed up walking, I tested whether or not Derby was still responding to my seat.  As we worked some serpentines and shoulders-in, the contact got stronger and steadier, and we had nice walk cadence.

Moving into the trot I stayed on the rail, where the footing is more compacted.  Derby’s heel bulb is still tender, and  deep footing puts pressure on the sore spot.  I wrapped the heel before riding, and he didn’t take a bad step – but still, I was careful.

I woke up my riding muscles with a couple laps in two-point, and then alternated standing two beats, and posting two beats.  That exercise reinforces my balance and helps steady my lower leg.  Because we weren’t doing anything off the rail, I simply did some half halts into a smaller gait, and then asked for more trot down the long sides. I wasn’t wearing spurs or carrying a whip, but Derby complied willingly.

As we finished up, I dropped my stirrups and worked on transitions to halt, half halting and holding my core as we halted to invite Derby to stay on the bit and round.

His back was up and the contact felt really good.  We’ll do a bit more work tomorrow, and will have a lesson on Monday. Yay!

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Grounded

January 5, 2012 2 Comments

Derbs has tweaked an ankle, and the vet recommends a few day’s rest.  I’m working on the “head down” command – giving to pressure can always use a little work – and am pursuing intensive cookie therapy.   Hopefully, we’ll be back to work on Sunday!

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