Spring Break

My kids were out of school this whole week for Spring Break so my week was spent pretty much camped out at the farm everyday, all day. Both the kids and I were completely wiped each day when we got home. Working outside in the ever increasing sun and temperatures was wonderful, but exhausting. Dwight got to ride almost everyday on Jazzy. They are doing well together and seem to be having a good time. I'm happy he is finally getting some ride time. Faith also got plenty of ride time.....riding pretty much everybody else! She was riding anywhere from 3-5 horses a day. She was having a blast and it is actually a lot of fun to see her on something bigger. She looked really good on everything we put her on and did an awesome job. Both the kids were really helpful with farm chores and helping even with lessons. It's amazing how fast they are growing up and becoming so independent.

Here's an idea of what Faith was riding:
Chip - Everything from simple flat work to jumping to trail riding. They had both the good, the bad, and the ugly this week....but still have a great time with each other and love riding together.

Jazzy - Ride her english and keep her forward and consistent. I am allowing her to ride Jazzy independently with little supervision. I want her to start planning her rides on her own, deciding what they will work on and what she wants to accomplish. I can keep an eye on her but am free to work with other horses or teach a lesson. She has done well and Jazzy actually did her first hour lesson for me with one of my students. She did outstanding. Faith has really done a great job with her. My working student for the week McKenzie also rode her and worked her western. Jazzy did well with her as well and is going to be a nice all around horse for lessons and shows.

Lulu - This young horse you may remember from last spring when I had her in training with me. After the owners took over she didn't do anything. The owners wanted to start riding her again but since she hadn't been touched since July (by me) they decided she probably needed to be worked again. My concern was I would put in time and training into the horse again for her only to be ridden once or twice a month. I worked out a deal that I would put in the training and tune up rides for free if they let me use her for lessons. This gives my students another option for a horse to ride and keeps the mare tuned up and in shape. After ground work and lunging and getting her back in shape the week before last I put two rides on her. She did great and remembered her training from last year. I've only ridden her western and trained her as a pleasure mount. The last time I put her rider on her all she wanted to do was follow me and would not do much for the rider. I decided I needed a strong confident rider to take her around. McKenzie got on and rode her western. She loved her and they had an outstanding ride once McKenzie got after her a little and made her leave me. Then I had Faith ride her. I wanted to see what Lulu would do in English and Faith is most comfortable riding English anyways so it was a good fit. I started them in the round pen to make sure all went well. They did great! The next day Faith rode her for about an hour in the arena at walk, trot and introduced trot poles and small cavelletis set at 6 and 8 inches. Faith is going to start riding her regularly for me and work her in the canter and start her over fences. I had one of my students ride her for her lesson at the end of the week and they did great together. Lulu did really well going english and shows promise of being an awesome all around horse. I once again find myself wishing this horse was mine. I am very attached to her and the owners never seem to have the time to commit to her that she needs/deserves.

Billy - Faith got to be a trail guide for students on Tuesday on Billy. She felt super important and got to take Billy over running water that none of remembered he had never done before....so he kept jumping it. She had a blast.

Junie - Heather wanted Faith to try riding Junie for her. She needs an experienced rider to start riding her and working her through her stanky mare moments and start working her into the canter and over fences. She also needs work on her consistency at the trot. Faith absolutely loves riding this mare. She is very forward which is different for Faith and has a lot of movement to her (similar to Johnny). Faith rode her in the arena one day and out in the jump field another day. Heather also wanted Faith to kind of work it out on her own and get a feel for Junie and after their first ride gave her little input. They did great together and Faith was able to help Junie find and hold a rhythm. She also pushed her through all her stanky moments without getting frustrated, just stayed quiet and pretended it never happened. She can also be wiggly and slide all over the place and Faith did great and making her straight, blocking her with her leg. It sometimes amazes me how quiet of a rider she is and how great a feel she has developed. I keep having to remind myself she is only 9. Under saddle she has the poise of someone much older. Heather was so happy with them she has asked Faith to ride her consistently 2 days a week. Faith was tickled.

Marty and Addy - These are our unbroke rescue ponies we took so they wouldn't get put down. They were both 5 time returns and were basically wild. We have done a lot of ground work with them and they are doing well have started introducing saddling, etc... Faith got to be the first passenger (of sorts) on both of them. Faith introduced them to the mounting block going up and down, making noise, bouncing around on one until they stood quietly. She then started laying across them and petting them and once comfortable and quiet we would lead them around with Faith laying on them and petting them. Marty spooked the first time and Faith just slid off and started again. The second time he did great and quietly walked around. Addy did really well while Faith is on but struggles with the sliding off part. It freaks her out a bit, but she got better each time. The next day, Heather's working student Victoria worked with them and my working student McKenzie did another time. They are doing well, it just takes time and consistency.

So that was our exhausting week. On a side note, I got Johnny out on Friday to assess his shoulder and the knot seems to be almost completely gone and is no longer sensitive to touch and press on. He lunged sound and seems eager to go back to work. I'm going to lunge him on Monday and then try to ride him on Tuesday. If he seems like the weight still bothers him then he is back on rest until the following week. I have an appointment to get his teeth floated on Monday so it will be later in the week since he will probably be sore for a day or two after. If he seems sound and fine I will work him lightly the rest of the week and then give a few days off after the float and then hit it hard after that. No matter what since the vet will be out for teeth, I'm going to have them re-check his shoulder while they are there.

The Doctor Is In

The vet came out today for shots and coggins on the critters that need it. Chip also got his teeth floated. Johnny still has been struggling with his right front shoulder so I had the doc check that out too. He seems sound when I lunge him but when I go to ride him he throws a giant fit after just a few steps. He is obviously still in pain. I even tried Faith to see how he would do with someone lighter and he still struggled. Frank (our vet) looked at him and said he had some deep tissue damage in the shoulder near the elbow and will need between 4-6 weeks of rest. ARRRGGGG! Just as he was going so well! His new dressage bridle just came in and he looks soooooo good! Before it came in I got my new surcingle that actually fits him and he did great in side reins! I guess he can relax and enjoy his time off and we will have to wait to go back to work. It's disappointing but there is nothing I can do.

Since I had to get Lulu out for the vet anyways, I decided to take her for a spin this morning while it was pretty out. She did great, like she never had any time off. I'm excited to put her back to work. Some may remember her from last year as a free horse given to a family after found tangled in some barbed wire. I trained her for several months and even took her to a show. The family kind of left her in pasture over the winter and didn't do anything with her. They wanted to start riding her again, but of course she hasn't done anything for months and they are super beginners. I made them a deal that I would work with her for free in exchange to get to use her for lessons. I will probably also be showing her again the year or have one of my students show her. I love working with her and am excited to have her back in the program.

We Have A Winner!

After narrowing it down to our final favorite 3 names:

Lucy's Limited Edition

Skip To My Lu

Lucy's Lady Luck

 

We finally have a winner.....LuLu's show name will be "Skip To My Lu"!

Wish us luck!

Coming Along Nicely

Lulu suffered a minor eye injury late last week and had to take a few days off to recover. Just a small scratch, probably from itching on a tree or getting something stuck in her eye and rubbing it. Anyways, she is all better now and back to work. On Monday I rode her for over an hour focusing on a consistent jog and collection. 

While she was sore on Tuesday, she still gave me another good ride. I rode her during one of Heather's lessons so she could ride with another horse. She was very well behaved and while interested in the other horse, was a perfect angel. I decided today to start her canter. My big concern was after getting such a nice jog out of her that she would try to rush and run out again all the time after letting her have some speed. So I decided to start small, I asked for just a few steps of canter, then brought her back to the jog asking her to stay slow and steady several times around the arena then ask for a few steps of canter again, back to jog. Wash, Rinse, Repeat, and TA DA! She got it. After doing exactly what I was sure would happen (get really excited when I introduced more speed) she learned to quickly come back to me. I gave her big rewards for doing the canter but also rewarded her settling back into the jog after. I can't say enough about this horse. Really a good, smart girl. I had Markie ride her some after I was done so I could get some good pics and video of her....or at least the best you can with your iphone!

Speaking of coming along nicely, Faith has been working hard getting ready for our first show this season on April 23rd. Her and Chip are doing great and have shown lots of improvement the last couple of weeks. They should be a force to be reckoned with this year! She is going to ride again tomorrow and I'm going to try to remember to bring the good camera for good pics and video.

Manic Monday

Super busy today and sweating to death....it was almost 80! I know I wanted warmer weather, but wow that came fast! It's suppose to be warm again tomorrow and then a cold front moves back in for cooler temps. Just when I was getting used to the warm.

Lulu had the morning off since I did a demo ride for her owners this afternoon and then her little girl ride her. She did great and so did Olivia (her kid). We also found out she can be quite the ham for the camera!

Getting groomed and looking good!

Pretty Lulu!

We worked Lotti this morning. It was the start of her 30 day tune up and since she hasn't been worked at all for months we decided to start with some in hand work and lunging with a saddle on. She has a previous bad habit similar to the one I just worked through with Pilgrim which is every time she wants to get out of work she sucks back and jigs while bracing on the bit, which was definitely evident today just on the lunge. Other than that she did well, just needs to lose a few pounds. After her tune up she will be offered for sale so if anyone is interested in a super cute 14.3 hh chubby buckskin mare let us know. I will post pics later this week of her.

Johnny also got back out today and after some lunge work I decided to take him for a spin. Just a walk around the arena with lots of stops, starts and turns, but he didn't attempt to kill me once! WIN!

Pilgrim had the day off to recover from all his hard work, but he is back to work tomorrow.

Faith and Dwight both got to ride today. Dwight has finally found the need for speed....well at least trot, and Billy was more than happy to oblige him! They trotted all over the place. Faith worked some flat and is working on correcting a bad habit she has gotten into with her hands that causes Chip to counter bend all the time. She's getting it, but it will take some time to correct, lots of practice. They also did some jumping. Heather had her work on sitting, instead of posting, trot to the jump. This is for two reasons 1. It gives Faith more control all the way to the jump. 2. To prepare Faith for cantering the jump course.

A Good View

Despite the rain, I braved the weather to work Lulu this morning...you know because I'm dedicated and stuff. She was trying really hard today and we are working on consistency in her gaits. She thought a bunny might eat her at one point, it was the first time she's ever spooked over anything, but all in all a very good day even with the weather. I just love the view from up there, don't you?