Well hewwo!

It's been a while! I haven't had much to update at all since the last one. Benny went lame two days after that last post, when a case of scratches on three legs got particularly bad, so we've been battling that for a few weeks. He is finally sound and back to work, and I am taking him to a local dressage show next month, where we will continue to do our thing as ambassador for western dressage. If I can get my butt to sit down in the western saddle at the canter. His aunt The Dressage Queen visited from Florida last week, and he was predictably grumpy about having to work, but at least he got a beautiful halter out of the deal!

He can accept anything as long as he looks fabulous.

Except the scary ball that moves with a mind of its own and therefore is a threat to Bennykind.

He is definitely not planning climbing under that...at least, not while I'm sitting there.

Having him around all day has been wonderful, though. I missed him so much when he was at my friends' place. I have to hear that happy voice repeatedly throughout the day, or something just isn't right in my world. Sometimes I think he likes having me around, too.

Miss Mare is doing all right, too. I can't say I've been riding her enough! I'll get on her in the morning and see where we are (besides up for sale on equine.com as of last night :(  ) I think I've given up on her mane; it keeps switching directions and turned back into a long fluffy afro after I pulled it the last time, so WHATEVER, girlfriend, be a hot mess! I really enjoyed having my friend The Dressage Queen get on her; it was great to see the mare look so wonderful and get closer to her potential with a competent rider on her.

 

Although TDQ did yelp the first strides of canter.

The stride this little gal has just amazes me.

I think I'm going to copy and paste my own face onto this one, okay?

Hopefully I'll have a more worthwhile and verbose update soon!

Back to Work, Benjamin

So my new boss and I went and picked Benny up last Sunday and brought him to the barn. He loaded and travelled pretty well; there was a little crying with Zaki, especially since Zaki acted sort of happy to be shot of him and ran off into the sunset once Ben was shut into the trailer. Poor Ben.

Bye bye, buddy...

He is already behaving himself so much better. At first he was calling and looking around when he was in the barn, but I've ridden him four times since he got here and today he was absolutely quiet and chilled out. He wants to hurry away from me at the gate to go to his new buddies; he's teamed up with a big paint named Lamb, but at least he isn't neurotic about it, and he can work without falling apart. After a couple of days, I can canter him on the buckle again. He still needs to work on not falling shoulder-first through corners, but I believe that to be a symptom of years of teaching beginners. Ditto accepting the bit. I am so happy to have him nearby all day again. It feels complete now.

Beyond that, I feel much too lazy to write anything else, so here's some pictures from today's ride! Thank you Boyfrand for the great pictures!

We are just oh so silly

bah shoulder. I HAVE been working on it, I swear!

Very cheerful about this extending the trot thing...

Doop de doop de doop

WHOA, A JUMP!

bah me

Snuck a "big" jump in on him, hee hee!

Not so lucky on the second fence, ah hahaha

Oh chicken pants

So cute

Getting our confidence back and chilling out

The end!



Oh Epiphany

I apologize to my followers for not posting in a while! Boyfriend and I have been pretty busy; a couple weekends ago, we went out to cut the grass and weed whack, but the battery in the mower was dead, so I decided I wanted to prune the devil holly bushes in the front flower bed while we waited for it to charge...which turned into cutting them and the tree in the front yard down, which meant we had to pull the stumps out, clear the stupid, slippery pebbles out of the flower bed (I mean, wtf would you even put them there?), and commence redoing the entire thing. So, we went from stabby holly bushes in stupid slippery pebbles and a tree that encouraged spider webs in our faces to no tree, tiger lillies, asiatic lillies, and lantana plants in pretty red non-hazardous mulch, and a cute little pond!

We are so excited about the change! We worked very hard on it, and of course we chose to do everything right in the middle of the 105* heat wave. But I would say it's worth it.

As you can imagine, with the heat wave and all the overhaul in the front yard, I haven't been riding much. At least, not my own horses on my own time. I have sort of decided not to ride Benny again until he moves out to the barn; the frustration is just not worth it, and I don't want to give him a chance to enforce his sudden bad habits. I am hoping to move him next Monday, perhaps before then. Hopefully his baby-sitters will understand and his buddy won't be too upset...I did mention it to the woman a couple weeks ago, and told her it's nothing to do with them or the care he's receiving; I just can't allow him to behave the way he is under saddle and I think he needs the structure an actual stable provides, as well as a large herd that he would actually prefer to be separated from.

He looks pretty good, though!

Tooey is doing all right, too. I hadn't ridden her a whole lot for a couple weeks, but since I've sort of decided to go ahead and sell her if she'll sell, I dragged my sister out last Monday morning to get some updated videos and photos...and it randomly stormed badly enough that I never left the indoor and gave up on getting anything done since her poor brain was too distracted by the storm and the farrier half parked in the ring to think about balancing or, you know, listening to her rider. So I had my sister throw her big ball in for us and we kicked it around for a bit and called it quits.

She even kicks it around by herself sometimes.

So yesterday after fishing, I brought Boyfriend to the barn with me and asked him to take some video and photos. She was a hyper turkey! I can't blame her at all, but seriously? I took her out in the grass ring to wear her down a bit on the hill, and she focused a bit better after that... until I tried to work on trotting a 15' vertical, which she absolutely bolted after every time. To be fair, I've barely jumped her since we moved, but before we did move, she seemed to have a good grasp of "don't build during jumps." Not so much now, I guess. We did have a couple of good lines eventually, after one small semi-bucking fit, one episode of nearly bolting into my boss and the horse she was riding, and a few...okay, several moments of jumping like a wrecking ball, but, ya know...these things happen. Right? Yeah...

I rode her again today because it wasn't too hot after work, and she was so much better. After looking at the photos and especially the videos Boyfriend took yesterday, I couldn't believe the state my hands and arms have gotten into! I don't know when I started riding with rigid arms and broken wrists with my hands in my lap; I know I've been doing it for a while, but I never feel like I am. So today I tried to exaggerate bend in my elbows and a straight wrist. Actually, I tried to over-bend my wrists so that eventually a straight wrist will feel natural, and she was so much more relaxed and round. Her trot was so springy and driven after a bit of a good warm up! I wish I had video of today's ride instead of yesterday's. As far as her canter goes, I've realized that almost immediately after I got her, I decided there was no way I could ride her canter nicely and gave up on it, and threw my body away every single time I've cantered her since...well, no more. I've started thinking about the inside of my foot in my stirrup while I ride, which seems to help a bit on keeping the insides of my legs on her instead of turning out and having daylight between my knee and the flaps. It's not perfect yet, but it's allowing me to open my hips and relax more, and I feel like the more I do it the better it will get. That is, as long as I DO have her. I've contacted her old owner to see if she'd like her back, but she doesn't have the space. She said she'll help me find her a good home, but I think I'm going to wait through August before I push it. That'll give me a little more time to work on both of us, and it'll be easier with both of my horses out there.

Now, doesn't this look a bit better?

Ignore the crazy 'do, I'm trying to get her wild Indian woman mohawk to lay down.

And for anyone bored enough...there is some actual riding in there. Be gentle; I've already discussed the hands, and I should go ahead and mention the floppy legs and wiggleworm spine I've got going on...

 Video!

So Much for Happy Retirement

Remember how excited I was to move Benny to my friends' place, where he could be semi-retired, and restore the old lady's confidence in riding, take care of her like he did his baby beginner kids?

Remember my sweet lesson horse that those baby beginner kids could ride, do anything on, take to shows, and he was always so wonderful?

Remember him? Because I do. Two months later, and we have:

A neurotic horse that I absolutely cannot ride.

Oh, I am sure that if I wanted to ride him IN the pasture with his best friend, we might be fine...as long as new best friend was within direct eyesight. I understand that for the past eight years, Ben has pretty much been with the same group of horses and has only been moved once in that time frame, and he was probably pretty insecure when we moved him. Perhaps we should have waited until he settled in of his own accord before we let him have a buddy. Whatever it is, he is a rotten mess. The whole time I'm on him, he throws his shoulder and neck in the direction of where he wants to be, and when making a corner in that general vicinity, he will throw his head and try to snatch the reins away as he shoves his shoulder blade out. The first time I tried to ride him away from Zaki, he went ten feet, propped his front legs and tried to buck. He hasn't tried that one again, but the head slinging, shoulder throwing, angry neck arching behind the vertical, and general rotten attitude are driving me nuts. I'd like to say that I don't know this horse, but I do. I just haven't seen him in eight years.

He is being a lovely house guest for the old couple taking care of him. He's a gentle, friendly and polite fellow and always enjoys attention and being told he is handsome, which they do a lot of. I love having him so close to my house, and they are taking great care of him. But he is ruining this for himself. Which ties into my next decision.

With the new job, money has changed, as well as my own riding needs. The whole point of having a second horse was to have something to ride, since Ben was pretty deeply immersed in the lesson program. Now that he is no longer in that lesson program, and obviously needs to remember who he is, I don't need a second horse anymore. You see where this is going...A local instructor saw me ride Tooey and liked her a lot, and said she would be interested in buying her in a year or so when I was ready to sell. After a few horrible rides on Benny, money changes, and a lack of time for having two horses at two different facilities, I asked the instructor if she would be interested in buying Tooey sooner rather than later. She's a wonderful horsewoman, and if we can schedule a time for her to come try Tooey out, I would love for her to have the mare. At which point, Benny will be coming to my new barn. Not to be put to work as a lesson horse, but he will be put back into pretty solid work by me, and turned out with a large group of horses who will most likely bully him (as he has been his whole life, so he's used to it) and remind him why he loves to be by himself.

*glares*

At any rate, Tooey is being surprisingly wonderful. She's a lot quieter in her stall, although sometimes she does start trying to shout the place down. She's a more settled ride with less crossfiring, and I've even been able to do some trails with her. This barn is getting into doing a lot of obstacle challenges, so she has been introduced to cat tunnels, noodles, loud hula hoops, and a big blue exercise ball.

...which she allows me to throw over and under her, bounce off her body, and she will also kick it around the ring with me riding her bareback. She rather enjoys it, actually; she arches her neck down and tracks it like she's a cow horse.

Even this is okay.

So basically, I think my horses' personalities switched. They are both doing the exact opposite of my expectations. I am so proud of mama mare, and so annoyed with Ben. We will see what happens... 

 

Six Days In

Well, the end of my first week at my new job is here. I'm "off" tomorrow, which means my Sunday working at the old place...perhaps for the last time. I am absolutely beat! The new facility I work at is beautiful, the horses are sweet and gentle, the boarders are very welcoming, and NBL is super friendly. The schedule and atmosphere is a lot different than the old place, and it's taking some getting used to, but I've got a pretty good handle on all of the horses already...just have to hit a groove and figure my day-to-day routine out; so far, I have not had two days that are the same! That is definitely taking some getting used to- I could always count on my little routine at the old place. However, I'm pretty happy there already. It is just such a huge change. I was at the old place for so long...

I'll be moving Tuesday out there tomorrow afternoon when I'm done at the old place. I figure I might as well go ahead and move her, since camps start next week and I'd rather not move her in the middle of all that. I'm hoping she behaves herself; there's a couple pregnant mares in her pasture, and I'd hate for her to hurt anyone. She's never been overly aggressive that I've seen, but it only took her a few days to be the boss mare when she moved here with me. We will see...I wish I had a saddle already! Hopefully I have a buyer for the one I'm selling, though, and can replace it pretty quickly. I don't really feel up to riding her bareback in a new place with so much to look at.

It's really very bittersweet to move her...I truly wanted to wait; I'm not ready to give up the old place just yet, and all the dear people and horses there. Moving her means it's really over, and that that home no longer exists. This really hit home on Thursday (I think it was Thursday; this whole week has bled together) when I stopped by after work to sit on the mare for a minute, and when I was leaving, one of my good friends there looked at me sort of sadly and said, "Well...I guess I'll see you...um...Sunday..." And it hit me: I don't go back there anymore. I go somewhere entirely else. The relationships I have at the old place will always be there, but it isn't my place to be there anymore. And I had to run out of there as quickly as I could, biting down on my tongue so I didn't start bawling my eyes out. That era is over...It helps having gone to a place with such nice people, but the part that helps the most is the girls from the old place are constantly blowing up my phone through their text group (Love you, girls) and I know a piece of that era will never change.

I am not writing this very well. Have I mentioned I'm worn out?

Anyway. I've ridden a few horses out there already; NBL wants me to get to know the schoolies I'll be teaching on, so I've ridden a sweet little paint pony named Shiloh, who is just a super great old guy, a slightly more opinionated gray pony named Asher, a three year-old colt named Midnight who is very sweet, and a Chincoteague pony named Salty, who I will be riding frequently to get him over some green insecurities.

That lower lip is always hangin' loose.

Not gonna lie, our first ride was miserable. I got him to trot down the long side once, and after that, his feet literally froze in the dirt, and nothing I did could get him to move. The next day, I aquainted him with a dressage whip, and the notion that a light tippety tap on the flank meant go forward. And that was all it took; a light tippety tap, with a squeeze and a vocal "trot" command, and now, after three rides, he goes with just the vocal command, and doesn't let his anxiousness and stubbornness freeze his feet. He is a pretty bright fellow and seems to be a quick study. I'm having fun with him!

Benny is also doing well; I haven't been able to see him much this week with so much going on, but he and Zaki are pretty good friends now. Hopefully I don't have to work next Friday as I did yesterday, and can ride both of those guys, since they both gave me a hard time last week.

That's it for now...hopefully next time, I'll have something a bit more eloquent! (Have I mentioned I'm tired?)

Oh...and also...

Meet Walter Thaddeus, Esquire.





Every New Beginning Comes from Some Other Beginning's End

(at the risk of sounding like a '90's song)

Yesterday was my day as a full-time employee at the job I've had for almost seven years. Yesterday was the end of being there for the horses and people I have been there for on a day to day basis for almost seven years. Many of those horses and people have already left for new barns, some of which I have been friends with since 2004, and cared for their horses for almost as long. I'm not trying to be depressing, but I have been feeling like I'm slowly disintegrating this week. To those that left: I wish you all the very best and will miss you dearly. To those that are staying: I am so glad you are all staying as a tightly knit group. To all of you: You and your horses will remain in my heart forever, and once I have completely removed myself from there in the next month or so, I will miss you ALL dearly, and never hesitate to call me for anything you might need. You are ALL my family, long-time boarder or new; old or young; student, non-student, all of my own students, family and friends... I love you all, and as a certain wonderful woman and horseperson taught ALL of us: Over it or through it, and ride high.

I promise that's all the tear-jerky stuff. I think.

I start my new job on Monday; an awesome dressage/eventing barn has hired me to teach beginners and do some chores, grooming and exercising, and I'm very excited. I always loved going to shows at this barn with Marco, and am looking forward to using their facilities to get Too in tip top shape when I move her there, hopefully in the next three to four weeks. My new bosslady (NBL from here on out!) is a very sweet woman, a great horseperson, and I am looking forward to working for her. She goes to a lot of shows and does a lot of clinics, which I am fully looking forward to, at least for as long as I have Too. I've decided to definitely sell her in the next year or so, a decision which is made a lot easier since I'm pretty sure I have an awesome home lined up for her; she is technically on layaway right now.

Benny went to his new home on Monday, and I think he and I will have a great time there, once he's settled in. Some friends offered him a place at their private farm, which I am so grateful for. They are enjoying having him around, and say he is being very sweet to them and "quite a gentleman." He wasn't much of a gentleman this morning when we had our first ride there; he exhibited the first spell of buddy sour jackassyness in about seven and a half years, but by the end of the ride, he was focused on me and being pretty good. He is being pastured with what is probably his first ever Arabian buddy, a little flea-bitten gray gelding named Zaki. Zaki could care less about Benny the first couple of days, but now they're pretty good buddies. Which, as today proved, is both good and bad. I'm sure it won't take long for Ben to remember he has much more sense than that.

It is a beautiful little farm.

Making Zaki's aquaintance...

The first day when Zaki was still on the other side of the fence and ignoring him... Benny was not happy with that!

The next day, in the pasture WITH Zaki, and still being ignored.

Pretty good pals, now.

I'm looking forward to finally having MY horse back again. He made me so proud taking care of his little girls, but he has paid his dues and deserves a rest, with his mom occasionally sitting on him and bossing him around. Perhaps when he settles a bit more, he'll be good for the lady babysitter to ride, as Zaki, who is her usual mount, can be a little unpredictable, and as she's a little older, could probably enjoy something more trustworthy.

Which brings me to my next bit: I'll be riding Zaki a lot to try to help get him to where she CAN trust him more. He has been known to spook at a white flower in a tree, and spin and take off minus his human. I rode him today...it was interesting. We put my saddle on him first, and he bucked like a banshee for a few minutes (helloooo, where's my eight second buzzer and applause, people?). When he calmed down, I walked him for a second, dismounted, and we put his normal saddle on. It didn't fit me very well (what saddle does?) and the stirrups were too long on the shortest hole, so we rode in the round pen instead of out in the field, and he eventually settled down. He and I will be doing a lot of circles, serps, and transitions; anything to teach him to focus more on the rider than his surroundings. Riding Benny with him being so upset and distracted over being away from his new buddies at the beginning made me wonder if a lot of Zaki's random spook-and-runs aren't just insecurities, as he's closely bonded with the mare that man babysitter rides. We will see...