I posted an update on Princess Fancy Pants's blog a couple weeks ago, but we moved from California to Oregon a few weeks ago!
The horses have settled in and are quite happy here. The horse set-up was very well thought-out. The barn has four stalls (only three in use and three paddocks) each with a paddock. At the end of each paddock is a gate that goes out to a drylot area. There is an irrigation canal through the drylot, then across that is an irrigated pasture. There are two other irrigated pastures as well. There's a (small) indoor arena, a full-size outdoor arena, and trails on the property!
I've been doing a lot of fun things with Mac - we started with a couple days in the indoor, then ventured out to the trails where we did some fun conditioning work. The neighbors behind us have a playground, a skateboard half-pipe, some tarps flapping about, a dog, and they are building a shop. That is great de-spooking stuff! The other day we were working out there and the guys were using their nail guns to put up siding and we just went along with our work.
Mac ponied Princess Fancy Pants for the first time last week. They both were great! Mac seems to really enjoy having a job to do versus going around in circles. Hes nice and forward and happy when we work on the trails. He's a great leader for ponying the pony. It is so nice to have the indoor because PFP's paddock is right outside and she can look over the gate to the arena and see us working. I use that to my advantage to work with a rope, a lunge whip, a flag, a tarp, whatever. It seems to help.
I've been working him in his new western saddle, but today I rode him in his dressage saddle to do a proper dressage school. He's been a bit fidgety in the cross ties and I'm trying to figure out why. I've been stretching him lately - don't know if that has anything to do with it (like he's asking me to help him stretch). I palpate his back and his muscles feel good. He does seem to be reactive when I curry his neck and chest (although he's always been like that). I've got to find a new vet, so when I do that I'll see if I can find a chiropractor also.
I did find a clinician who has a hackamore clinic coming up, so I'll see if I can go to that . . . if the trailer is fixed by then. A wheel fell off of the trailer the other day! Just fell off! The bolts just sheared off and the whole wheel drum rolled right away. The good news is that we were actually driving it to be serviced. The bad news is that the part they need to fix it is discontinued so they're trying to track one down online.
I haven't been good about keeping up with pictures, but now that we're settling in, I'll try to get pictures and/or video every now and then.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Video: Mac and Princess Fancy Pants out together for the first time
Well, today was as good a day as any! PFP wasn't acting like she was in heat when I put her out with Paddy. She didn't immediately run over to where Mac was in his paddock when I let her out so after I got back from an afternoon yoga class I decided to let him out so they could be together for the first time.
And here's how it went.
Hussy!
And here's how it went.
Hussy!
Friday, February 13, 2015
JJ Maxwell saddle - it has arrived!
My new saddle is here, and boy is it gorgeous!!!!!
I rode in it on Wednesday for the first time and it is a great fit for Mac, it seems. I'll ride in it a couple times more just to be sure before I declare victory, but I can report that there was no side-to-side rolling, which is the problem I was having with the Crestridge. Also there's an appropriate amount of flare so there's no digging into his shoulders or the loins at the back of the saddle. There is an inlaid bicycle seat, but it is still hard on my bony butt and I don't see a way around that except getting a seat saver if I wanted to.
I got a 15" seat for lots of reasons. 1) The first western saddle I had was a 16" and it was too big, 2) the Crestridge that I got was a 15.5" and it was just right snug-wise, but it had a really padded seat and I would have been happy with a bit more room, and 3) I was afraid if I went any smaller then I'd have crotch problems like I had with a painful dressage saddle. Joe suggested I actually get a 14.5" seat, but I was worried about it being too small. I did sit in other friends' saddles that were 14.5" and they just felt too small to me. Well, lo and behold, I probably could have gone to a 14.5" because this 15" feels a little roomy. It does have a nice sweet spot, though, so there is somewhere that my body just wants to go to be balanced, so that is good. Someone suggested putting bucking rolls on might take up a little extra space and give me a closer seat feel, so may try that.
I really like the Hope rigging on this saddle. To quote from their website, this rigging style "lessens the cinch pressure, and spreads the pressure down the side of the saddle. This makes it unnecessary to have a rear cinch..." The saddle felt very stable but I didn't have to overly tighten the cinch to make it so.
Mac seemed really happy in it and at the end of our ride there was a very good sweat pattern with even contact and no dry spots.
I'm going to hit the trails again today and tomorrow. :-) LOVE IT!
I rode in it on Wednesday for the first time and it is a great fit for Mac, it seems. I'll ride in it a couple times more just to be sure before I declare victory, but I can report that there was no side-to-side rolling, which is the problem I was having with the Crestridge. Also there's an appropriate amount of flare so there's no digging into his shoulders or the loins at the back of the saddle. There is an inlaid bicycle seat, but it is still hard on my bony butt and I don't see a way around that except getting a seat saver if I wanted to.
I got a 15" seat for lots of reasons. 1) The first western saddle I had was a 16" and it was too big, 2) the Crestridge that I got was a 15.5" and it was just right snug-wise, but it had a really padded seat and I would have been happy with a bit more room, and 3) I was afraid if I went any smaller then I'd have crotch problems like I had with a painful dressage saddle. Joe suggested I actually get a 14.5" seat, but I was worried about it being too small. I did sit in other friends' saddles that were 14.5" and they just felt too small to me. Well, lo and behold, I probably could have gone to a 14.5" because this 15" feels a little roomy. It does have a nice sweet spot, though, so there is somewhere that my body just wants to go to be balanced, so that is good. Someone suggested putting bucking rolls on might take up a little extra space and give me a closer seat feel, so may try that.
I really like the Hope rigging on this saddle. To quote from their website, this rigging style "lessens the cinch pressure, and spreads the pressure down the side of the saddle. This makes it unnecessary to have a rear cinch..." The saddle felt very stable but I didn't have to overly tighten the cinch to make it so.
Mac seemed really happy in it and at the end of our ride there was a very good sweat pattern with even contact and no dry spots.
I'm going to hit the trails again today and tomorrow. :-) LOVE IT!
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Harry Whitney clinic
I went to a Harry Whitney clinic a month ago and haven't posted about it! There's so much to tell, but I'll try to keep it short and condensed. We had the benefit of a round pen so I took advantage of it and got some help with liberty work with Mac. The first couple days, Mac was really . . . how to say it . . . not coming from a place of relaxation. And it seems like Harry is all about getting the horse with you and getting the horse to work from a place of relaxation, so this was a great opportunity.
Harry helped me a lot with positioning my body, when to stand still and not drive Mac forward, when to step, where to step, how much to step, and it was amazing how it worked! I've always thought of Mac as a sensitive horse. I've seen the way he reacts to people who have a lot of "energy" or "presence" and he tends to be wary of those people or reactive to them. I didn't realize that sometimes I have more presence than I think I do! Where I thought I was dialed-down, I could still bring it down even more and have my communication be more subtle. It was great!
Mac was a great traveler, he made friends with his neighbors, and he came out to work without having any issues with being barn sour (to his credit, that really isn't his thing anyway).
When we went to work under saddle (in my old saddle, pre-new saddle), I told Harry I wanted to focus on working from a place of relaxation. So we did our ground/liberty work first, then when we were in synch (and it took less and less time each day), I'd get on. We worked on lots of changes of direction and transitions - Harry says to not get stuck in a rut of doing the same thing over and over for too long - keep it mixed up. Of course I know that in my head, but sometimes I get so in the moment that I want to try to perfect what I'm working on and then I go on with it for too long. It was a good reminder.
Harry's clinic was good from the standpoint of getting a real intimate experience. Each person has their own 1-hour lesson and then everybody else audits everybody else's lesson, so there's always something to learn and watch and really get into one horse/rider combination and understand what they are working on. I learn just as much from watching other people as I do from my own lessons.
There was someone there kind enough to take some pictures, so here are a couple. This was liberty work:
I wanted to ride in the hackamore to get some one-on-one tips from Harry. Here are a couple photos from that:
Harry helped me a lot with positioning my body, when to stand still and not drive Mac forward, when to step, where to step, how much to step, and it was amazing how it worked! I've always thought of Mac as a sensitive horse. I've seen the way he reacts to people who have a lot of "energy" or "presence" and he tends to be wary of those people or reactive to them. I didn't realize that sometimes I have more presence than I think I do! Where I thought I was dialed-down, I could still bring it down even more and have my communication be more subtle. It was great!
Mac was a great traveler, he made friends with his neighbors, and he came out to work without having any issues with being barn sour (to his credit, that really isn't his thing anyway).
When we went to work under saddle (in my old saddle, pre-new saddle), I told Harry I wanted to focus on working from a place of relaxation. So we did our ground/liberty work first, then when we were in synch (and it took less and less time each day), I'd get on. We worked on lots of changes of direction and transitions - Harry says to not get stuck in a rut of doing the same thing over and over for too long - keep it mixed up. Of course I know that in my head, but sometimes I get so in the moment that I want to try to perfect what I'm working on and then I go on with it for too long. It was a good reminder.
Harry's clinic was good from the standpoint of getting a real intimate experience. Each person has their own 1-hour lesson and then everybody else audits everybody else's lesson, so there's always something to learn and watch and really get into one horse/rider combination and understand what they are working on. I learn just as much from watching other people as I do from my own lessons.
There was someone there kind enough to take some pictures, so here are a couple. This was liberty work:
I wanted to ride in the hackamore to get some one-on-one tips from Harry. Here are a couple photos from that:
New saddle for Mac
I hesitated posting anything about it while I was trying it because I waffled back and forth between liking it, but Mac got a new saddle!
I got Mac a Heather Moffett Vogue dressage saddle. I've tried a few other treeless saddles over the years and have always found them very comfortable for trail riding, but have had a hard time with them for actual dressage work. My complaint is that they are generally too bouncy and I've always thought it had something to do with the big pads you have to use because of the lack of structured tree as part of the saddle.
Here's what the saddle looks like:
The first day I tried it I did notice the bounce factor, although it wasn't as bad as in the other saddles I've tried. The seat is nice and comfortable, my leg hangs in a good position, and Mac seemed to like it because he was very forward. It made me realize how resistant he was to doing work in the other saddle. With this saddle, I really didn't need any leg to get a forward response, and same with a half-halt or downward transition - he was just very, well, responsive! But, still, there was the bounce. The rep was supposed to send me the smart panel pad to go with it but left it out of the box so I was using the standard panels that come with it - the smart panel pad is filled with little cork balls so it helps with the bounce factor and is good at helping with weight distribution. The standard panels are some kind of latex rubber.
Even though the bounce factor made my equitation horrible, I wanted to do a back-to-back trial of that saddle compared with my regular saddle, so I had Colin video me (don't know why it wasn't focusing well, but you get the general picture):
I showed it to a couple people, didn't tell them which saddle was which, and got some good feedback on which saddle they thought Mac liked and went better in (and they all were in agreement).
Next ride I went for a trail ride. The seat is very comfortable for trail riding, but I found myself being pitched forward onto the pommel. The seat is memory foam so it sort of molds to you once it warms up and I thought that since we were going up and down hills in the forest, that was the problem. Next ride in the arena, though, I noticed the same problem. I contacted the fitter who suggested using thin shims in the panels, and I happened to have some so I tried it and that helped a lot. Not only did it help prevent me from sliding forward to the pommel, it helped the balance on Mac's back and also took away a bit of the bounce factor.
I trail rode with the shims again and didn't have the problem again so that was solved. Still was waiting for the smart panel, though.
I finally got the smart panel and used it twice. In order to use the smart panel, I took out the rubber panels. Instead of two different "panels" that go in the panel-holding-places, for lack of a better term, the smart panel is basically just a half pad. It wouldn't really work with the wool pad I was using so I had to go back to a cotton square pad. I used the attachments on the panel pad to affix it to the rings on the saddle, put the square pad on, put the pad/saddle on, and off we went. Ok, that really does make a difference. The bounce factor was gone, and Mac seemed very happy. Halt-canter transitions were easy. Trot-canter transitions were forward and smooth and lacking ear-pinning or tail-swishing. He feels lighter to me. My position felt much better - more secure, less bouncy, just like in a regular treed saddle.
So I bought it. The quality of workmanship is really lovely - it almost seems too nice to trail ride in!
I decided to sell my Crestridge western saddle because I just didn't like the way it fit Mac, and now my other dressage saddle is for sale, also.
I got Mac a Heather Moffett Vogue dressage saddle. I've tried a few other treeless saddles over the years and have always found them very comfortable for trail riding, but have had a hard time with them for actual dressage work. My complaint is that they are generally too bouncy and I've always thought it had something to do with the big pads you have to use because of the lack of structured tree as part of the saddle.
Here's what the saddle looks like:
The first day I tried it I did notice the bounce factor, although it wasn't as bad as in the other saddles I've tried. The seat is nice and comfortable, my leg hangs in a good position, and Mac seemed to like it because he was very forward. It made me realize how resistant he was to doing work in the other saddle. With this saddle, I really didn't need any leg to get a forward response, and same with a half-halt or downward transition - he was just very, well, responsive! But, still, there was the bounce. The rep was supposed to send me the smart panel pad to go with it but left it out of the box so I was using the standard panels that come with it - the smart panel pad is filled with little cork balls so it helps with the bounce factor and is good at helping with weight distribution. The standard panels are some kind of latex rubber.
Even though the bounce factor made my equitation horrible, I wanted to do a back-to-back trial of that saddle compared with my regular saddle, so I had Colin video me (don't know why it wasn't focusing well, but you get the general picture):
I showed it to a couple people, didn't tell them which saddle was which, and got some good feedback on which saddle they thought Mac liked and went better in (and they all were in agreement).
Next ride I went for a trail ride. The seat is very comfortable for trail riding, but I found myself being pitched forward onto the pommel. The seat is memory foam so it sort of molds to you once it warms up and I thought that since we were going up and down hills in the forest, that was the problem. Next ride in the arena, though, I noticed the same problem. I contacted the fitter who suggested using thin shims in the panels, and I happened to have some so I tried it and that helped a lot. Not only did it help prevent me from sliding forward to the pommel, it helped the balance on Mac's back and also took away a bit of the bounce factor.
I trail rode with the shims again and didn't have the problem again so that was solved. Still was waiting for the smart panel, though.
I finally got the smart panel and used it twice. In order to use the smart panel, I took out the rubber panels. Instead of two different "panels" that go in the panel-holding-places, for lack of a better term, the smart panel is basically just a half pad. It wouldn't really work with the wool pad I was using so I had to go back to a cotton square pad. I used the attachments on the panel pad to affix it to the rings on the saddle, put the square pad on, put the pad/saddle on, and off we went. Ok, that really does make a difference. The bounce factor was gone, and Mac seemed very happy. Halt-canter transitions were easy. Trot-canter transitions were forward and smooth and lacking ear-pinning or tail-swishing. He feels lighter to me. My position felt much better - more secure, less bouncy, just like in a regular treed saddle.
So I bought it. The quality of workmanship is really lovely - it almost seems too nice to trail ride in!
I decided to sell my Crestridge western saddle because I just didn't like the way it fit Mac, and now my other dressage saddle is for sale, also.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Back in the saddle again!
Well, it isn't like I ever left, but I did take a 2.5-year hiatus from regular lessons. I've been doing clinics in the meantime (Buck Brannaman, the Californios, others whom I didn't like as much and so will remain nameless, and a Harry Whitney clinic coming up), but took a break from dressage lessons. When I quit the lessons a couple years ago it was because the tools I had in my toolbox, and the traditional dressage training that I was doing just wan't doing it with Mac. I needed more. Now that I feel like I've gotten proficient enough in ground work and getting to Mac's brain and challenging myself with new experiences, I'm ready to go back to lessons. I'm sure I've picked up some bad habits in the interim, so back to school I go!
We had our first lesson with a new instructor on Monday and I really liked it. She advocates Kyra Kirklund's method of training so one of the first things we worked on was the ABCs in Kyra's training. The ABC are basically "go when I put my leg on (and let him have his head to go forward), stop when I pull on the reins (and take the leg off), and steer" - it is that simple. In the past I've had dressage lessons where I was instructed to ride Mac "into the contact" and I would sometimes leave with sore arms and an annoyed horse - especially at that stage in his training when he knew even less than he knows now.
So one of the first things this instructor said to me was "lengthen your reins" and I really did say to her "I love you already." We did a very simple warmup exercise of halting and then asking Mac to walk on a loose rein by gently closing my leg - NO resistance from the hand. If he didn't go, I'd kick. Simple, yes? Then back to the halt by using hand and not leg. Then we did it from walk to trot. It didn't take too many times before Mac was nicely moving forward.
After that exercise we did the square exercise whereby we'd walk on a straight line on one wall then halt. Then use inside hand for flexion and outside hand for contact and outside leg to turn (once he flexed to the inside, I would give on that rein and support with the outside rein) and walk on. Halt, repeat. Again, this is so simple and not rocket science, yet for some reason I seem to have been in training programs that try to make things more complicated than they need to be.
We did that exercise from the halt to walk, then the walk to trot, then rounded off the corners to a 20-m circle, then expanded the circle more and used more of the arena. Mac did have a couple spooks because it was feeding time for the barn horses (we trailered in for our lesson) and they were running around in their paddocks, but it just gave me more energy to work with . . . as well as working on my brain and not getting distracted and staying in "work" mode and using my inside leg!
By the end of the lesson, Mac was moving so nicely, I really enjoyed it. When he gets on the aids and is forward and over his back, it is the loveliest feeling. I know he's a mustang, but in my head feel like I'm riding Fuego and loving it!
I think I'll probably do a lesson every other week, as I do like time to practice on my own at home. It was nice to have such good instruction and feel like I made a lot of progress in just an hour!
We had our first lesson with a new instructor on Monday and I really liked it. She advocates Kyra Kirklund's method of training so one of the first things we worked on was the ABCs in Kyra's training. The ABC are basically "go when I put my leg on (and let him have his head to go forward), stop when I pull on the reins (and take the leg off), and steer" - it is that simple. In the past I've had dressage lessons where I was instructed to ride Mac "into the contact" and I would sometimes leave with sore arms and an annoyed horse - especially at that stage in his training when he knew even less than he knows now.
So one of the first things this instructor said to me was "lengthen your reins" and I really did say to her "I love you already." We did a very simple warmup exercise of halting and then asking Mac to walk on a loose rein by gently closing my leg - NO resistance from the hand. If he didn't go, I'd kick. Simple, yes? Then back to the halt by using hand and not leg. Then we did it from walk to trot. It didn't take too many times before Mac was nicely moving forward.
After that exercise we did the square exercise whereby we'd walk on a straight line on one wall then halt. Then use inside hand for flexion and outside hand for contact and outside leg to turn (once he flexed to the inside, I would give on that rein and support with the outside rein) and walk on. Halt, repeat. Again, this is so simple and not rocket science, yet for some reason I seem to have been in training programs that try to make things more complicated than they need to be.
We did that exercise from the halt to walk, then the walk to trot, then rounded off the corners to a 20-m circle, then expanded the circle more and used more of the arena. Mac did have a couple spooks because it was feeding time for the barn horses (we trailered in for our lesson) and they were running around in their paddocks, but it just gave me more energy to work with . . . as well as working on my brain and not getting distracted and staying in "work" mode and using my inside leg!
By the end of the lesson, Mac was moving so nicely, I really enjoyed it. When he gets on the aids and is forward and over his back, it is the loveliest feeling. I know he's a mustang, but in my head feel like I'm riding Fuego and loving it!
I think I'll probably do a lesson every other week, as I do like time to practice on my own at home. It was nice to have such good instruction and feel like I made a lot of progress in just an hour!
Monday, September 15, 2014
Mac and Princess Fancy Pants meet - video!
Here's a video of Mac and Princess Fancy Pants meeting over the fence last week.
I had some amazing rides on Mac last week. I changed up my pre-ride ground work routine a bit and I think it helps loosen him up before I get on. I was able to really be present during our dressage schooling on Saturday. I could really isolate various body parts to give him an aid. For example, to collect his trot I would half-halt with my abs, for lack of a better description. To go forward and lengthen, I would change my seat - I wish I knew how to explain it . . . the only way I can describe it is I sort of sucked up his back with my seat as if I could lift it and move it forward. I'm sure that sounds weird. Anyway, it was really fun and good!
And yesterday we went for a trail ride in the woods and it was just so lovely.
It was just one of those rides where I really appreciate my horse and how good he is. I really feel like we have a good partnership and that he enjoys our outings together.
I think I might try a new saddle on him. I'm waiting to get a Heather Moffett Vogue dressage saddle on trial - I've heard people either love them or hate them - we'll see what camp I fall in! I've had a treeless saddle before (and tried lots of others) and while I found it extremely comfortable for trail riding, I actually found it hard to ride in for arena work. I think with all the special padding that you're supposed to use it creates too much bounce. Mac really seemed to like the last one I tried, but I just couldn't ride in it. Supposedly the HM has a cork panel that you can use that absorbs the excess bounce. We'll see!
I had some amazing rides on Mac last week. I changed up my pre-ride ground work routine a bit and I think it helps loosen him up before I get on. I was able to really be present during our dressage schooling on Saturday. I could really isolate various body parts to give him an aid. For example, to collect his trot I would half-halt with my abs, for lack of a better description. To go forward and lengthen, I would change my seat - I wish I knew how to explain it . . . the only way I can describe it is I sort of sucked up his back with my seat as if I could lift it and move it forward. I'm sure that sounds weird. Anyway, it was really fun and good!
And yesterday we went for a trail ride in the woods and it was just so lovely.
It was just one of those rides where I really appreciate my horse and how good he is. I really feel like we have a good partnership and that he enjoys our outings together.
I think I might try a new saddle on him. I'm waiting to get a Heather Moffett Vogue dressage saddle on trial - I've heard people either love them or hate them - we'll see what camp I fall in! I've had a treeless saddle before (and tried lots of others) and while I found it extremely comfortable for trail riding, I actually found it hard to ride in for arena work. I think with all the special padding that you're supposed to use it creates too much bounce. Mac really seemed to like the last one I tried, but I just couldn't ride in it. Supposedly the HM has a cork panel that you can use that absorbs the excess bounce. We'll see!
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