Importance of Patience

What a pretty day yesterday ended up being! Normally our Saturdays are packed with lessons, but due to illnesses and students out of town, Heather and I found we had a relatively free afternoon. So we all saddled up and were able to put in some much needed saddle time. Faith went first, riding Chip and doing a long flat warm up, really concentrating on a good seat and clear cues...really making Chip listen right away. She finished up with doing a few practice jumps, then working over a small course. Chip was more excited today, but Faith took it in stride and had a really nice ride today. Chuck was suppose to take pictures of her coursing out in the field, but got distracted watching her and forgot...so we figured we would put one up of her practicing in the arena over a small crossrail the other day. They make such a good team!

Afterwards Heather and I got our boys out and saddled up. I had Chuck take some pics and video, since I needed to see what he looked like from the ground so I knew what all I need to focus on during our workouts. I also just wanted some pictures of me and my boy together! I found myself during our ride together pleasantly surprised by Pilgrims willingness to move forward and starting to accept the contact of my hands. Patience has never been much of a virtue of mine, although with horses it's one of the most important things you must possess. All too often I have seen horses where there training has been rushed by people who felt the horse "should be able to perform this by now", instead of focusing on whether the horse is ready to perform a maneuver. With Pilgrim, I knew I had a challenge in front of me. Not only just in conformation (he has very classical stock QH conformation and build slightly downhill....perfect for western pleasure and hence why I bought him, but a curse in dressage), but I started Pilgrim's training in western pleasure. For those unfamiliar, I ask the horse to stretch down into the bit, but their reward is my release of contact. The horse is rode with little bit contact and is primarily ridden with your seat and legs. So while many of these things will benefit us in the dressage world, I needed to teach Pilgrim to accept the contact with the bit as a constant. From my research, I've found other QH people struggle with this very thing and often caution you not to get frustrated and try to rush or force it. So I've been keeping my contact light and soft and reminding myself every time he braces and is stiff that we are not failing, just taking our time. It appears that Pilgrim decided to remind me that if you have patience, it will pay off....even more so because I know I didn't force him. So, while he kept dying out at the canter today, I'm not complaining. For the first time I had a focused horse that was driving forward and soft and supple enough to actually start accepting contact! Was he still bracing at times? Absolutely! But it's very hard work once they start lifting their back, and we took lots of walk breaks, worked lots of stretching frame, and he got lots of treats when we were done! For the first time I feel like I might actually be doing something right and we may have a future in the sport!

Heather worked CJ's butt today! Isn't he good looking? CJ is short for Chocolate Jasper, he is a Sport Horse of Color born and bred in California out of Chocolate Freckles. He holds a special place in my heart as he babysat me through fine tuning my seat and aides and through my first dressage tests last year while Pilgrim was recovering from a bowed tendon. 

Heather working CJ

Heather and CJ

CJ and me at a show...He's a good teacher!

Heather coaching me

Brrr!

Cali Cat assisting me in driving around the farm....always helpful!

Today was a cold one. Heather and I spent the day trying to find the sunniest places on the farm to work in all day. Every time we would finally start to thaw out, the sun would move! Just a reminder, no matter how many layers you have on, if it doesn't get above freezing, the saddle is still cold when you sit in it! At least the horses seemed to enjoy the soaking up the rays, despite the chilly weather!

Ponies enjoying the morning sunshine

"You want to take my blanket off now? I just got comfy!"

Heather and I got a phone call today asking if we would like to be featured instructors at this years 4-H clinic. We were asked last year, but it was snowed out and never rescheduled. We were again very honored and of course said yes. I myself am a big supporter of the 4-H programs, as that's where I got my start. This clinic is always a great way to give back and possibly pick up some new students. It's open to any 4-H members anywhere and often draws crowds from 3-4 surrounding states as well as throughout Tennessee. Again, it's a great honor. Heather will be teaching a class on jumping, I will be teaching one on Showmanship and one on Western Pleasure. They will also be having someone in to demonstrate a new class called Cattle Boxing. We are just as excited to see it!

For those of you avid Quarter Horse in Dressage supporters, check out February's issue of Dressage Today, where you will find the American Quarter Horse featured in an article covering the AQHA's dressage program and the new opportunities it's creating for the breed and their riders. It's a great article and showcases many horses and riders already competing, including my personal hero Lynn Palm who has worked for more than a decade to help make dressage a recognized discipline within the AQHA. Being a lifetime AQHA member myself, I hope I can make my mark in the sport and help positively shape this program that's still in its infancy!

Family Portrait

Heather's husband, Keith, is a professional photographer. The other day he asked if I would like to have a family photo done of all of us together on horseback. Of course I thought that was a great idea! How cute would that be! This of course turned out to be quite the adventure in itself!
First the weather turned yucky on the scheduled day of pictures. We decided to wait. The next day when I go to feed I see blood running down Pilgrims face. Him and his pasture bud CJ had been playing their favorite game "face bite" and apparently Pilgrim lost. I called my vet and had 6 stitches put in for cosmetic purposes. Almost $200 later, I frantically call Keith to see if he can photoshop Scarface in the pictures...which of course he can.

After rescheduling due to weather, we finally got a nice day yesterday. The sun was out, it was almost 60 degrees...absolutely beautiful! I got my son and daughter both saddled and up on the ponies while Heather helped get Chuck up on her Sport Horse of Color, CJ. I worked on getting Pilgrim polo wrapped and saddled. Keith wanted the photos taken out in the field....which makes sense. I hadn't factored this in.
I should explain, Pilgrim has been working in the arena only for the last couple months. I rode him out in the field only twice since he came off his latest injury, both times after a significant workout in the arena, and both times were spent with me reminding him he could not have a "born free moment" and run off. He also works ok with other horses, but loves his buddy CJ a little too much, and spends all his time trying to touch him.
So as I get ready to get on Pilgrim, I hear a clicking sound.....the inevitable loose shoe sound coming from his left front. Sure enough his shoe is loose from all the mud we've had lately, and he's managed to snag it just right and bend it funky. After a call to my farrier and an appointment set up for Monday morning, I can't ride him to settle him in, just have to jump on a moment before the photo and pray he stands still.
I hop on and we line up for our family photo, all the horses calm and quiet....oh wait...except mine who is now loosing his mind. We are loose in the glorious field, there are two ponies between him and CJ, and I expect him to stand still? After a few moments of jigging underneath me, Pilgrim is completely irritated and suddenly decides to lose his brain (a common occurrence for him) and rears up. At this point I'm completely frustrated, stringing a very creative slew of curse words together as Chuck reminds the kids not to talk like mommy! I decide it's probably best (so I don't kill Pilgrim or vise/versa) if I stand on the ground next to Pilgrim for our pictures. After, I take him in the arena so we both have a good experience, get on and find my well behaved sweetheart again...awww, I just can't be mad at him! Keith takes a few pictures of just me and him together. Not what we had in mind for our family picture...but then again, nothing ever seems to work out as planned with us!
Heather called this morning and said there were several really good pictures, so I'll put some up soon for everyone to see!