First (NATRC) ride of the season is the beginning of May. I have, at this point, no particular desire to recap March, so suffice to say that we probably managed 50-some miles, with about half of those as Serious Work and half of those just being miles with friends.
April goals:
1. focus on sustained trotting. Enough of my making excuses for her; she needs to at least try the hills, the steps, etc. If it is too hard, that's on me, we need to work on that.. and we're not going to fix that by never trying to trot what she is, in fact, capable of.
Again, as I've started running a bit, I'm learning that I don't think it matters how fast she's going. She just needs to be physically capable of trotting for minutes on end, which includes steps and hills. She needs to be able to do it in competition; why am I not pushing that more in training?
2. listening to me, not the other horse. This is something we can train when riding with friends. I have 0 problems at rides when we're the lead horse and have a friend (even a newfound best friend of two minutes) behind us. I have had some pretty intense issues at rides when we're solo, particularly at the start.. but even all the way through Quicksilver 2013, we had Serious Disagreements and she scared me. Fireworks 2014 and Quicksilver 2014 both had us riding part of the ride solo. I had been hoping that the issue was resolved with additional confidence and trail miles.
We happened to go out at the same time as another barnmate earlier this week, and I can say confidently that the issue is not resolved. The other horse is one we've actually never even ridden with before, but heading home when Other Horse started trotting, Fetti was insistent that we Must Trot. The situation and the trail space did not lend itself to working through the issue, so I got off and walked a ways. When I got back on, she was fine. This is not an option for NATRC, and I do have some concerns about the slightly-staggered start that was high-anxiety for both of us last year. It's not any worse than AERC - except that I do not have the option of starting entirely at the back of the pack. She's going to have to keep her brain. If I have to tuck in behind someone for the first mile or so, I will sigh and ask their permission, but I'd really prefer that we could 100% ride our own ride this year.
Current plan involves schooling this every single time we're out on trail and I feel I can safely do so. If horse in front trots off, I should still be able to get a walk. Suggestions? I'll take 'em. Current thoughts involve circles and lateral work. When her head is back with me, she can trot up towards the other horse again.. rinse, repeat.
Oh yeah. And figuring out saddles and stuff. That too.
Friday, April 10, 2015
Friday, April 3, 2015
Cranio & saddle fitting: part 2
I brought my boyfriend to take notes for me, knowing that historically my memory is not good enough for more than a few snippets. As fate would have it, I definitely needed these notes to help jog my memory about the various comments and insights.
The horse:
- travels narrow ("ropewalks") in back - actually, both in front & in back. Knew she did it behind, was unaware it was also occurring in front. Huh! I have absolutely no idea how this affects movement or really anything at all, though.
- appears more stiff at right shoulder/leg (or possibly left hind). I'd noted this, a barefoot trimmer had noted this, and this was one of my primary reasons for having a professional out to evaluate. Confetti definitely has a range of normal, and four years in I have a pretty good sense for what it is most of the time. This is something that is relatively new, not more than 3-4 months.
- slight delay right front at the trot, slight unevenness there. I.. missed this. Completely. I did not feel it, but we didn't trot much.. and we've been working so inconsistently I don't know how long it could have been there.. and now I feel like I broke my horse? I didn't even realize this was noted at the evaluation - I'm just seeing this in his notes now. Ugh.
- pelvis slightly off to the right
- right front hoof has some twist - try to shift some of that away from the right
- stoic! I've been told this before: normal horses give some sort of release, cues, etc. Fetti seems to really resist that at first, though she did give more as the session went on - but even then, sometimes her 'hm, grass now?' had to qualify as a release.
The rider:
- toes out more left than right
- tends to collapse on the right side
- should practice stretching the right side up while on the horse
- needs to not force her heels down
So: pony and I are totally fine (comparatively!) on the left, and need some work on the right. Ack.
I am curious about the RF unevenness. It's not something we've consciously battled before, and my gut feeling is that it probably ties in to the excessive resting of the LH and trying to drop all her RF weight on me when holding that foot. I know there was something going on there. I don't know, clinically, what it was. I'm not yet concerned enough to pull a lameness vet out for diagnostics - but I will be keeping an eagle eye on how that progresses. If she stops leaning on me on that leg and vets through with no RF/LH comments in our next ride, perhaps then some of the worry will subside.
The horse:
- travels narrow ("ropewalks") in back - actually, both in front & in back. Knew she did it behind, was unaware it was also occurring in front. Huh! I have absolutely no idea how this affects movement or really anything at all, though.
- appears more stiff at right shoulder/leg (or possibly left hind). I'd noted this, a barefoot trimmer had noted this, and this was one of my primary reasons for having a professional out to evaluate. Confetti definitely has a range of normal, and four years in I have a pretty good sense for what it is most of the time. This is something that is relatively new, not more than 3-4 months.
- slight delay right front at the trot, slight unevenness there. I.. missed this. Completely. I did not feel it, but we didn't trot much.. and we've been working so inconsistently I don't know how long it could have been there.. and now I feel like I broke my horse? I didn't even realize this was noted at the evaluation - I'm just seeing this in his notes now. Ugh.
- pelvis slightly off to the right
- right front hoof has some twist - try to shift some of that away from the right
- stoic! I've been told this before: normal horses give some sort of release, cues, etc. Fetti seems to really resist that at first, though she did give more as the session went on - but even then, sometimes her 'hm, grass now?' had to qualify as a release.
The rider:
- toes out more left than right
- tends to collapse on the right side
- should practice stretching the right side up while on the horse
- needs to not force her heels down
So: pony and I are totally fine (comparatively!) on the left, and need some work on the right. Ack.
I am curious about the RF unevenness. It's not something we've consciously battled before, and my gut feeling is that it probably ties in to the excessive resting of the LH and trying to drop all her RF weight on me when holding that foot. I know there was something going on there. I don't know, clinically, what it was. I'm not yet concerned enough to pull a lameness vet out for diagnostics - but I will be keeping an eagle eye on how that progresses. If she stops leaning on me on that leg and vets through with no RF/LH comments in our next ride, perhaps then some of the worry will subside.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Cranio & saddle fitting: part 1
This is the post I was supposed to write on Thursday. I had a really lovely Thursday morning with a local-ish saddlefitter & craniosacral lady. I think she's excellent and well worth the cost, she doesn't rep a particular saddle, and she didn't try to talk me into anything.
For reference: a semi-square, sort-of straight conformation shot. I think her back has dropped over the past few years; I don't know if that's an age thing, a topline thing, a saddle fitting thing, or a combination of all of the above. She has more wither than she used to. (But on comparison to a 2013 photo, not very much more, so I won't panic.)
We started off by looking at the Eurolight. She acknowledged that she's not a Specialized fitter, I admitted I've never had an actual Specialized fitter come out to fit the saddle, and we carried on fiddling in various directions. Previous shim/pad setup: no shims, 3/4" fitting pads, slight outward flare to pads in front. Sweat patterns have been good. Saddle moves 1-2" forward AND 1-2" backward during any ride with substantial hill - so at the bottom of a downhill, I can fit my whole hand in the sweatmark behind the saddle. Not ideal.
I was actually quite impressed by the difference shifting the pads up a half-inch, back, or forwards made. No shims, just the same pads. Moving them alllll the way up top (essentially narrowing the gullet) led to excellent shoulder clearance
I feel like the front-to-back balance isn't entirely correct here. I know I felt like I was sitting WAY back - while it looked to be a good fit for the horse, it was not so much a good fit for me with the way the pads were. This might be fixable with thicker or thinner fitting pads, but the conclusion we pretty much came to was that I should readjust it back to how it's been.
Unfortunately, she also had me try to point me knees and toes forward in a proper neutral seat rather than the outward-pointing I default to in the Eurolight. My knee hits the front D-rings. It really is too small for me. This is not good news.
In a sense, though, it is good news. I've been fighting to canter correctly in this saddle all year. Even just sitting, my knees rotate out and my toes correspondingly rotate out. I'm not physically capable of getting my thighs onto the saddle. My lower leg ends up unstable and unable to easily support me in a balanced canter. The trot is fine, but I'm sure it's not doing me any favors long-term, and it might come back to bite me over a longer distance. It's not me. It's not something I'm doing. I'm fighting the saddle, and I cannot win.
So. Anyone have a 16" Eurolight - heck, I might even go for an International if I had to - that they want to trade for a 15" Eurolight? I love this saddle except for the part where it doesn't fit me.
I will admit I disagree slightly with the fitter on this next one. (EDIT: after posting, shifted a few things, no longer disagree with fitter! Another post coming.) She felt the saddle was, if anything, a hair too wide, and fit quite nicely with the Woolback. Good: I'd always hoped to add the Woolback if doing serious trails with it. I think it does fit the horse pretty well, but I think with the addition of the pad, it feels pommel-high. I'm going to switch out the gullet plate for one size wider to see if that makes it a more comfortable ride, and if so, will evaluate sweat patterns with a proper trail ride. Fitter also said I should drop my stirrups, and was spot-on with that assessment.
As I keep going back through this and re-writing, I'm now wondering if perhaps the saddle iss too far forwards? I didn't think it was, but I'm barely seeing the third braid from the front of the pad, so maybe I was wrong. (Third braid is reversed and runs up her neck to the top of the withers where the neck starts to move; the braid itself tends to fall about mid-shoulder.) If the saddle was really too far forward, that might explain why it felt pommel-high, and the entire issue may simply be me not remembering to shift it back far enough for re-photographs and a first ride. Hm.
Which brings me to.. point billets. Maybe I switch back to using the point (or sort-of point-like) billet on this saddle and see if that helps keep it in place - and help remind me to put it far enough back?? It's a Y-girthing option in back, can use the point billet or regular billet for the front.
Jen wrote an excellent post about girths that I found quite enlightening about girth placement for dressage saddles, and pretty well convinced me I don't need to buy a TSF girth for Fetti. (Yet.) But that, too, tells me that my photos show a saddle that's too far forwards over the shoulder.
In my frantic crowd-sourcing of information, Mel stated that she aims for her saddle to move very little with a snug breastcollar and crupper. Dressage saddle crupper is out of commission for the moment (see: prior incident where crupper T attachment tore some staples and stitches from the panels), but the breastcollar's been pretty awfully light. I tightened that up a zillion holes. I may need to loosen it one or two holes if I shift the saddle back a few inches, but that's okay. The breastcollar needs to be tighter than it has been.
Next post: craniosacral work & movement evaluation
We started off by looking at the Eurolight. She acknowledged that she's not a Specialized fitter, I admitted I've never had an actual Specialized fitter come out to fit the saddle, and we carried on fiddling in various directions. Previous shim/pad setup: no shims, 3/4" fitting pads, slight outward flare to pads in front. Sweat patterns have been good. Saddle moves 1-2" forward AND 1-2" backward during any ride with substantial hill - so at the bottom of a downhill, I can fit my whole hand in the sweatmark behind the saddle. Not ideal.
I was actually quite impressed by the difference shifting the pads up a half-inch, back, or forwards made. No shims, just the same pads. Moving them alllll the way up top (essentially narrowing the gullet) led to excellent shoulder clearance
Unfortunately, she also had me try to point me knees and toes forward in a proper neutral seat rather than the outward-pointing I default to in the Eurolight. My knee hits the front D-rings. It really is too small for me. This is not good news.
So. Anyone have a 16" Eurolight - heck, I might even go for an International if I had to - that they want to trade for a 15" Eurolight? I love this saddle except for the part where it doesn't fit me.
I will admit I disagree slightly with the fitter on this next one. (EDIT: after posting, shifted a few things, no longer disagree with fitter! Another post coming.) She felt the saddle was, if anything, a hair too wide, and fit quite nicely with the Woolback. Good: I'd always hoped to add the Woolback if doing serious trails with it. I think it does fit the horse pretty well, but I think with the addition of the pad, it feels pommel-high. I'm going to switch out the gullet plate for one size wider to see if that makes it a more comfortable ride, and if so, will evaluate sweat patterns with a proper trail ride. Fitter also said I should drop my stirrups, and was spot-on with that assessment.
Which brings me to.. point billets. Maybe I switch back to using the point (or sort-of point-like) billet on this saddle and see if that helps keep it in place - and help remind me to put it far enough back?? It's a Y-girthing option in back, can use the point billet or regular billet for the front.
Jen wrote an excellent post about girths that I found quite enlightening about girth placement for dressage saddles, and pretty well convinced me I don't need to buy a TSF girth for Fetti. (Yet.) But that, too, tells me that my photos show a saddle that's too far forwards over the shoulder.
In my frantic crowd-sourcing of information, Mel stated that she aims for her saddle to move very little with a snug breastcollar and crupper. Dressage saddle crupper is out of commission for the moment (see: prior incident where crupper T attachment tore some staples and stitches from the panels), but the breastcollar's been pretty awfully light. I tightened that up a zillion holes. I may need to loosen it one or two holes if I shift the saddle back a few inches, but that's okay. The breastcollar needs to be tighter than it has been.
Next post: craniosacral work & movement evaluation
Friday, March 27, 2015
Grief
 |
| Night ride in days past. |
This is the pony that gave me my bareback trail confidence, taught me a solid sitting trot at high speeds (also bareback), and rarely put a foot wrong. Good mind, good heart. He took a little piece of mine with him.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Lesson pony
One of the perks of having a pony is that I get to introduce friends to the joys of horses. Fetti makes an excellent leadline and petting pony. She's cute, un-intimidating, and friendly.
If I ask nicely, other ponies are often available to me for beginner trail rides. I'm very lucky to have generous friends with bombproof, beginner-safe ponies. Several friends have gone out on rides with me, and my boyfriend comes out a few times a year.
It dawned on me that aforementioned boyfriend, despite gamely attempting to keep up on the adorable, wonderful, bombproof, pogo-stick trotting pony on the trail, had never really had a Proper Lesson, and never quite entirely got his posting trot down. This must be fixed.
I started his mini-lesson with him riding a bombproof pony in a Western saddle. Unfortunately, I'm an English rider through and through. I have drilled in the basics of alignment head-hip-heel. This does not work quite so well in a Western saddle where the seat naturally sets one further back. Safe trotting: accomplished. Position: needs work, fighting saddle.
I have a perfectly good horse with a well-balanced saddle, and how hard can trotting on a lunge line be?
To my credit, I did lunge Fetti without a rider first. She was fine. Put the rider up. She was fine. Bunch of polite circles, both directions, only mildly fussy until the reins got dropped and then all was well. If I were smart, the blog post would be ending there, her career as an occasional lesson pony secure, her halo appropriately transparent and sparkly.
Another dear friend of mine came out recently. He's been on for a few tiny trail rides, but less experienced and recovering from some injuries a while back. Bombproof ponies are unavailable, but Fetti should be fine. This time, I stuck her in the round pen first, knowing she'd been full of herself lately. It took thirty minutes for her to settle into a reasonably polite semi-beginner trot. Maybe she's just forwards today, I thought. Usually once she's settled, she stays settled.
Tacked up. Added rider. Back in the round pen, ask for a trot, acquire a FLOUNCE into five steps of trot and some threats at canter, interspersed with the occasional solid 7-10 steps of trot. The assumption is made that the rider is somehow cuing incorrect - after all, horses are honest, we know there's an imbalance from an old injury, she's already been worked and unlikely to go forwards, that's not her normal. To his credit, the friend managed to work out a fair bit of posting trot and balance even as Fetti is not making it easy.
I hopped up to demonstrate the difference between western pleasure jog and serious endurance trot, and found that my generally sane horse was a raging snotty bitch. Leg? OMGIHATEYOU. Canter? FLOUNCE. Trot politely? CANTER.
A dressage whip was retrieved. The pony and I had a Serious Discussion about how such behavior is unacceptable (and in which I deeply regretted not turning her out in the arena within the past week). I apologized to beginner friend for doubting his balance and told him that he was (probably) fine and it was just Fetti being obnoxious. He's a little bit crazy, too; he got back on and we did a bit more work, slightly more productive, slightly less attitude.
Lesson pony halo status: seriously tarnished, possibly confused with devil horns?
I know she needs turnout. I know she hasn't worked hard enough this week. Honestly, I'm really grateful that this is the first day in ages that she's thrown this sort of full-blown hissy fit. It used to be a regular event! Nonetheless, let this serve as a reminder to me: Fetti is never going to be 100% beginner-safe.
 |
| Blonde. Pink. Usually braided. "Food, maybe?" |
If I ask nicely, other ponies are often available to me for beginner trail rides. I'm very lucky to have generous friends with bombproof, beginner-safe ponies. Several friends have gone out on rides with me, and my boyfriend comes out a few times a year.
It dawned on me that aforementioned boyfriend, despite gamely attempting to keep up on the adorable, wonderful, bombproof, pogo-stick trotting pony on the trail, had never really had a Proper Lesson, and never quite entirely got his posting trot down. This must be fixed.
I started his mini-lesson with him riding a bombproof pony in a Western saddle. Unfortunately, I'm an English rider through and through. I have drilled in the basics of alignment head-hip-heel. This does not work quite so well in a Western saddle where the seat naturally sets one further back. Safe trotting: accomplished. Position: needs work, fighting saddle.
I have a perfectly good horse with a well-balanced saddle, and how hard can trotting on a lunge line be?
 |
| Hard enough that I can't get photos while lunging - it took two of us in the round pen to get video for boots. |
To my credit, I did lunge Fetti without a rider first. She was fine. Put the rider up. She was fine. Bunch of polite circles, both directions, only mildly fussy until the reins got dropped and then all was well. If I were smart, the blog post would be ending there, her career as an occasional lesson pony secure, her halo appropriately transparent and sparkly.
Another dear friend of mine came out recently. He's been on for a few tiny trail rides, but less experienced and recovering from some injuries a while back. Bombproof ponies are unavailable, but Fetti should be fine. This time, I stuck her in the round pen first, knowing she'd been full of herself lately. It took thirty minutes for her to settle into a reasonably polite semi-beginner trot. Maybe she's just forwards today, I thought. Usually once she's settled, she stays settled.
Tacked up. Added rider. Back in the round pen, ask for a trot, acquire a FLOUNCE into five steps of trot and some threats at canter, interspersed with the occasional solid 7-10 steps of trot. The assumption is made that the rider is somehow cuing incorrect - after all, horses are honest, we know there's an imbalance from an old injury, she's already been worked and unlikely to go forwards, that's not her normal. To his credit, the friend managed to work out a fair bit of posting trot and balance even as Fetti is not making it easy.
I hopped up to demonstrate the difference between western pleasure jog and serious endurance trot, and found that my generally sane horse was a raging snotty bitch. Leg? OMGIHATEYOU. Canter? FLOUNCE. Trot politely? CANTER.
A dressage whip was retrieved. The pony and I had a Serious Discussion about how such behavior is unacceptable (and in which I deeply regretted not turning her out in the arena within the past week). I apologized to beginner friend for doubting his balance and told him that he was (probably) fine and it was just Fetti being obnoxious. He's a little bit crazy, too; he got back on and we did a bit more work, slightly more productive, slightly less attitude.
Lesson pony halo status: seriously tarnished, possibly confused with devil horns?
I know she needs turnout. I know she hasn't worked hard enough this week. Honestly, I'm really grateful that this is the first day in ages that she's thrown this sort of full-blown hissy fit. It used to be a regular event! Nonetheless, let this serve as a reminder to me: Fetti is never going to be 100% beginner-safe.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Bale bag update; convention notes; ACTHA year #2
If I don't write something now, I'm never actually going to get around to posting, and then it'll be time for the monthly recap with nothing having been said. Oops.
The dam is still up. Our conditioning rides are still trucking along, and we're still not hugely enthusiastic. Not much to say on that front!
Bale bag/slow feeder: we seem to have reached our happy point! Confetti is now going through a bale a week, or approx 130-150# of hay. It took about two months. I'm still using the bag for 2-3 days of hay rather than putting in the entire bale; right now that's an entirely satisfactory solution. In the future we may revisit the idea of bagging the entire bale in one swoop. One perk to filling a third of a bale at a time: it's possible to mix in a few grass/alfalfa flakes with the straight grass. I may up that to 50/50 grass/alf and straight grass.
Convention: was most excellent. I'd never been before, and it was a lot of fun. Lots of vendors, chatted with the Renegade folks, got some neat Renegade swag (photos hopefully forthcoming), chatted with American Trail Gear, sold some stuff, bought a little bit of stuff. I also got to meet Aarene - pestered her with various questions and bought a paper copy of her book. One can never have enough good books. One of my questions for Aarene: how to speed up a slow horse? Her answer - which I think she's given on the blog, too! - is to sing.
I put some music on my phone and we headed into the arena yesterday. The music should be excellent motivation to keep going with arena sessions rather than getting bored ten minutes in. In fact, we managed to sustain trot/canter circles and serpentines and direction changes for probably 25 minutes. Woohoo! My choices of music need to switch to those with a faster tempo. Even so, they served as an excellent mental preoccupation and it's an experiment we'll keep working on. (Aarene gives song suggestions here, now that I thought to look.)
Other convention notes included reassurance that some alfalfa is good for helping with ulcers (no, I do not want to switch to only straight grass), slowfeeding is also good prevention, turnout is ideal. There were way, way more topics covered and things I took notes on, but migraines have left my memory a little bit lacking.
It was really lovely to get to see/talk to/socialize with all sorts of people, drop in on interesting seminars, and generally feel like I got something out of it. Very worthwhile.
ACTHA:
The dam is still up. Our conditioning rides are still trucking along, and we're still not hugely enthusiastic. Not much to say on that front!
Bale bag/slow feeder: we seem to have reached our happy point! Confetti is now going through a bale a week, or approx 130-150# of hay. It took about two months. I'm still using the bag for 2-3 days of hay rather than putting in the entire bale; right now that's an entirely satisfactory solution. In the future we may revisit the idea of bagging the entire bale in one swoop. One perk to filling a third of a bale at a time: it's possible to mix in a few grass/alfalfa flakes with the straight grass. I may up that to 50/50 grass/alf and straight grass.
Convention: was most excellent. I'd never been before, and it was a lot of fun. Lots of vendors, chatted with the Renegade folks, got some neat Renegade swag (photos hopefully forthcoming), chatted with American Trail Gear, sold some stuff, bought a little bit of stuff. I also got to meet Aarene - pestered her with various questions and bought a paper copy of her book. One can never have enough good books. One of my questions for Aarene: how to speed up a slow horse? Her answer - which I think she's given on the blog, too! - is to sing.
 |
| Shiny mane! |
Other convention notes included reassurance that some alfalfa is good for helping with ulcers (no, I do not want to switch to only straight grass), slowfeeding is also good prevention, turnout is ideal. There were way, way more topics covered and things I took notes on, but migraines have left my memory a little bit lacking.
It was really lovely to get to see/talk to/socialize with all sorts of people, drop in on interesting seminars, and generally feel like I got something out of it. Very worthwhile.
 |
| "Tied to a tree. Whatever." |
ACTHA:
This year I judged an obstacle rather than drag riding. Way better for Fetti's sanity even if she was full of herself on the way back to base. She stood, well-behaved, tied to a tree for a bunch of hours. Except when she rolled with the saddle; then I was not quite so happy with her. Overall, though? Pretty good.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
February recap, March goals, convention!
First off: I will be at the AERC convention this weekend! I would love to meet up with folks if anyone else is going - comment, email, whatever. (It's harder to recognize me without the Haflinger.)
February was a pretty dull month. Serious slump. Unmotivated. 57 miles, two serious works, just the one where we stayed near 5mph. One incident with the tree. Blogging should step back up as we start actually doing stuff again! I won't bother recapping goals. They didn't happen, or if they did, they just managed to happen by themselves.
March I have higher hopes for.
Mounting practice. It's funny how anxiety is. I used to hop up on giant horses in an English saddle with short stirrups weekly, sometimes daily. That was totally fine. Then I got used to just sliding onto Confetti (who needs stirrups when you're already higher than the horse?).
I tried ground-mounting in a dressage saddle a few years ago. The saddle started to roll. That fear, unfortunately, has stuck. Intellectually, I know the saddle is not going to roll. Emotionally, it still feels like it might. I have a 14hand pony and I'm too afraid to mount from the ground.
So. This month, I want to work on using stirrups to mount. I can use stirrups to mount from low mounting blocks, or high mounting blocks, or fences, or whatever. There's fear about putting all my weight in one stirrup. I want to fix that.
Tied in with that, we're going back to giving treats after mounting. She needs to stand, not walk off, even if I'm anxiety-ridden and not holding her in one place.
Long trots. As was mentioned in the last post, it feels like it should be beneficial to continue our 'trot at any speed as long as possible' training, and gradually amp up the distance. I can already think of ways to add a mile or two to the 8-mile loop.
Rasp hooves weekly. This didn't happen enough in February. It needs to happen in March. It's important to me that we start training in boots again, and to do that effectively, I need to be maintaining the trim between paid farrier visits.
February was a pretty dull month. Serious slump. Unmotivated. 57 miles, two serious works, just the one where we stayed near 5mph. One incident with the tree. Blogging should step back up as we start actually doing stuff again! I won't bother recapping goals. They didn't happen, or if they did, they just managed to happen by themselves.
March I have higher hopes for.
Mounting practice. It's funny how anxiety is. I used to hop up on giant horses in an English saddle with short stirrups weekly, sometimes daily. That was totally fine. Then I got used to just sliding onto Confetti (who needs stirrups when you're already higher than the horse?).
I tried ground-mounting in a dressage saddle a few years ago. The saddle started to roll. That fear, unfortunately, has stuck. Intellectually, I know the saddle is not going to roll. Emotionally, it still feels like it might. I have a 14hand pony and I'm too afraid to mount from the ground.
So. This month, I want to work on using stirrups to mount. I can use stirrups to mount from low mounting blocks, or high mounting blocks, or fences, or whatever. There's fear about putting all my weight in one stirrup. I want to fix that.
Tied in with that, we're going back to giving treats after mounting. She needs to stand, not walk off, even if I'm anxiety-ridden and not holding her in one place.
Long trots. As was mentioned in the last post, it feels like it should be beneficial to continue our 'trot at any speed as long as possible' training, and gradually amp up the distance. I can already think of ways to add a mile or two to the 8-mile loop.
Rasp hooves weekly. This didn't happen enough in February. It needs to happen in March. It's important to me that we start training in boots again, and to do that effectively, I need to be maintaining the trim between paid farrier visits.
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