Dressage with Judy…

Dressage has, for some reason, caught my attention.  I’ve always been amazed at the beauty and precision required by the horse and rider, and the incredible subtlety of the art.  When I watch some one like Ashley Holzer and her beautiful horse, Pop Art, or any number of other successful horses and riders, it really inspires me.

Ashley Holzer and Pop Art

And of course, you can’t do dressage without a dressage saddle.  I almost bought a Keiffer saddle on Ebay, but I was luckily outbid (I think it was lucky).  As it was pointed out to me, it’s kinda silly to drop a wad of cash on something like that without at least trying one out.  And it is much easier to buy a saddle (or a horse for that matter), than it is to sell one.  I’ve been spending a lot of time pricing them out, and just seeing what is available.  I am also hoping that riding in a dressage saddle, at least some of the time, will help me improve my seat, my position and my posture.

Judy, one of the boarders at the barn, very kindly lent me her Anky saddle today, and gave me an impromptu dressage lesson.  (Remember, those impromptu lessons are always the best!)  It was pretty amazing!  We spent most of it walking, but getting a good, forward swinging walk and me feeling his hips with my seat bones.  We were getting the connection.  I could really ‘feel’ and understand what we were doing.  Judy was a great coach, anytime she wants to help me, I will jump at the chance!  There is so much about riding that I understand logically, that I know I should ‘feel’, but that I don’t.  I’m just not a natural rider.  I have to work hard to get it!  She really helped me get it today.

Riding in that saddle was very different than my close contact.  But different in a good way.  It forced me to sit down, and it was much easier to sit up (sounds like a contradiction but it’s not.)  I still have to work hard remembering to work on correcting all these little bad habits that I have, but it felt easier.  Judy very kindly offered to let me borrow her saddle whenever I like, so for now, I may take advantage of that.

I’m hoping to do a few low level dressage shows with Bailey this summer.  Who knows, maybe it’s the beginning of a new chapter in my riding story.

I can halt my horse with my butt…

Seriously, he listens and pays attention (when he wants) so well, that he will halt with my body half-halt to halt.  That’s all I wanted to tell you tonight.  But that’s pretty frackin’ good!  (Just sounds funnier when I say I can halt him with my butt.  Which is pretty close to what it is!)

The Brave and the Surefooted…

That’s my boy!  Had a great ride in the arena yesterday, should have seen our trot.  We were strong, and forward!  Our canter maybe left a bit to be desired, but we got both leads.  He was so good!  We left the arena to walk around out in the yard and cool down, and the trail to the back beckoned.  Before I could think too hard about it, we were heading down the trail.  We’ve been back there before with Youpi and Steph, and with Brian and his horse, so it wasn’t new.  But we’ve never hacked on our own before.  We followed the trails, splashed through some pretty big puddles, stopped a few times to ponder life, but we did it!  No spooks, no problems, just a straightforward Bailey-and-me hack in the back.  I didn’t stop to think if it was stupid or careless on my part, I just decided to trust that he would be my sensible boy.  And he was.

Today, we had another ride in the ‘hunter’ ring, and then we went on another hack with Brian and the horse he now rides, Humphrey.  (Unfortunately, Tommy is retired due to a medical condition.)  Humphrey tends to be a little spooky at times, so when he jumped, so did Bailey.  Lucky for me, Bailey never seemed to ask how high, more like WTF?  And then he’d realize Humphrey was being a goose, and he’d settle right back down.  I see a lot more hacking in our future.  We will be out there all winter, keeping those trails packed down, and enjoying the ride!

Back in the Saddle…

I’m so happy to riding Bailey again!  His leg is almost back to normal, the puncture wound is completely healed and there is just a bit of soft swelling left where the wound was. And that is coming down bit by bit.  He never was lame on it, but everytime he would bend the wound would break open.  I had to keep it wrapped continuously in order to keep it clean and to support the ‘scab’ to prevent it re-opening, and it just seemed to take such a long time to heal.

We’ve had a few lungeing sessions, and a few rides in the arena.  Yesterday, my friend Steph and her horse Youpi accompanied us down the road to the hay field and back.  It was not very far, but it was out on the road and in the open.  Bailey got a bit jiggy on the way home, and I got a bit nervous, so I hopped off and walked the rest of the way.  When we got back to the yard, I got back on and just walked around a bit.  All in all, a very good first road hack.  Today,after lungeing and riding a bit in the arena, Mel (my coworker) and Brian accompanied us to the hayfield again, and this time we did an entire tour of the field perimeter.  He was so good!  And I stayed on the entire ride.  No chickening out, just calm and cool (on the outside).  I’ll admit, I was still a little nervous, but not as much as on Sunday.  And Bailey proved to me that my worries are unfounded.  He was listening to me, he halted when I asked even as the horse beside him kept walking, he didn’t spook at anything.

The weather forecast for the next few days is nice, so I am hoping to get out a few more times with whoever cares to join us, so that we really get used to being out in the wide, wide world.

'I am so great' - (it's true...he really is!)

One step forward, two steps back….

After my last amazing lesson with Tracy, Bailey decided he wanted some time off.  And that I should never, ever have a day away from him or the barn.  Bailey and his partner in crime, Youpi, went touring around somehow, and Bailey got a very nice puncture wound on his back leg.  Until it heals completely, he has been out of commission, which means no riding, and no progress.  Until then, we were doing good.   He was proving to be a dependable boy, and I was ready to take him out on the road.  The wound is almost all good, so hopefully we can get out soon.  I just want to see how he reacts and behaves, and get him out there before the snow flies.  I haven’t ridden in a few weeks, and I can’t wait to get back in the saddle.  But I think we may have a few lungeing sessions first!!!!

Wish I had pictures….

Today I had an awesome lesson with Tracy. My biggest fault is going slow, and biggest fear  is going fast. As in, I want Bailey to go slow and safe. And I should be pushing him forward instead. I am afraid of speed. (Which is funny considering how I drive.) But once I get him to move out and really trot on, he is lovely. He tends to be lazy, and I like to go slow, so we are a good/bad combination that way. I really have to learn to sit up and push him forward. I also hunch over, just in case he takes off on me. I need to learn to trust him, and not ride defensively. He has never given me reason to not trust him. If anything, he has been an absolute rock throughout this training process, and takes every thing in stride. Very little phases him. Sometimes, he needs to get the beans out, and I can tell pretty much immediately if that’s what he needs to do when I get on.  In that case, I will get off and lunge him.  And sometimes he is just bored by the repetition of going around in the ring, so he needs little problems to focus on (like poles and cavalettis) instead of focusing on arguing with me.  So I’m going to work on sitting up and going forward, lots of poles, and I’m hoping to get out on another hack very soon.  He really needs to get out hacking to keep him interested in this whole riding thing.  Lots and lots of hacking!

Hacking and hay…

After working our collective butts off on Saturday bringing in hay, I went for another hack with Steph in the back.  Bailey was so good.  Steph rode Nick instead of Youpie, who had pulled a shoe, and Bailey didn’t mind in the slightest.  A few time, while Nick paused to munch on some tree leaves, Bailey and I even went to the front and led the way.  That was okay with Bailey.  I think we’ll be trying the hay field beside the farm soon, and see what he thinks of the golfers and their carts, across the road.  Most horses find the golfcarts a bit odd, but I have a feeling Bailey will take it all in stride.  Especially if he has a solid buddy riding with him.

I was supposed to have a lesson tonight, but we did hay again today, and I am simply too sore and exhausted.  Had a really bad night’s sleep again last night, and started the day off on the wrong foot.  Dh and kids are out of town,  and I think it’s affecting my sleep patterns.  So rather risk riding when I’m not feeling great, I blew it off to come home, walk the dog who was really anxious by then, and relax.  Enough people wanted to ride with Tracy tonight anyway, so I don’t think I was missed.

Left lead success….

My dh and offspring have headed for the hills (actually, for Sault Ste Marie) and I found my house to be too quiet and too lonely this evening, so I headed back out to the barn to ride Bailey.  He always cheers me up.  Monday night’s lesson was great, but we had a real problem trying to get our left lead.  Tonight, he picked it up three times and only twice picked up the wrong right lead.  I lunged him quickly on Wednesday, trying to work on the lead, and he got it a few times, but more often than not he picked up the right lead going left.  I think we may have had a break through. He obviously likes his right lead better, and he’s got a gorgeous canter.  But he does not like to bend left, at the walk or the trot, so I guess it’s safe to say he is right footed.

posted a new video of Bailey and me

It’s on youtube (who know I’d figure out how to do that??)  See if this works….

He rocks. He rules. He really is a wonderhorse!!!

Bailey went on his first hack yesterday, on the trails behind TicToc, with his bud, Youpie, in the lead, and grouchy little Sam the school horse in behind.  Bailey was an absolute angel!  He didn’t look at anything, he went over the little culvert hill, and we hacked.   I was so proud of him!  What a good boy.

Today, the trailer was open and I figured, what the hell.   So Bailey walked right on, ate a few carrots, and walked right off again.  It was such a non-issue, I couldn’t believe it!  So we did it again.  Stayed on for a few more minutes, (he had an itchy spot under his neck that he wanted scratched), and did the same thing.  What a good boy!  I love my horse!  He is just the best and I’m so grateful that he is mine.

We have a lesson tomorrow night, and Emma has promised to tear herself away from the new barn kittens long enough to take some pictures and videos for me.  Will post them if she keeps her promise.