ABC's of Straightness

Today was dressage lesson day at the barn and seeing that there is a spot open as most people opt out on cold(er) days I decided to seize the opportunity. 

Shelley (coach), noticed that Solo has a much larger stride than his size and strength will balance at the moment. So when I ask him to be forward, we end up warbling all over the joint. Best way to describe it, really. Thus, the name for the game in this lesson was the ABC's of straightness. Nothing too advanced, keep it simple, don't jump to 'XYZ' until the other 23 letters are down pat.

To the left, Solo feels super balanced and flexible, right...Eh it feels like we are hanging off a cliff if we get beyond a slow trot. Shoulder falls in, outside becomes hollow, and I feel like I am spiraling down. My thoughts to fix, more leg but get that shoulder back in line. Ie inside leg, inside rein at the neck, open outside rein providing a place to 'go', and a 30m circle. No?

While I thought it worked, Shelley actually explained that Solo doesn't understand the inside leg yet or passive rein aids and the circle just gave him what he wants, fall in and less forward since he doesn't have the haunch power to thrust yet.

Makes sense.

Shelley's solution; leg only means forward right now, give direction with rein, soften the rein by asking for forward and make two corners in the arena not four. 

Ie. Cut the first corner 3/4 down the long side ask for direction towards wall slightly just enough to offset the shoulder in a way Solo understands, leg on coming out of the corner. Effectively, we are now as good as 'straight', properly engaging the haunches.

The path of the entire arena ends up looking like an oval sliced in half. 

Second exercise, use the first cornering the short end, turning early for room to 'steer over', turn down 3/4 line, steer to wall, leg on at the same time.

Shelley explained that while unconventional, this is baby talk for the purpose of bend. Teaching bend later but using its benefits now.

Did it help? The test. Asking for canter depart right, which is normally a hot mess of unbalance and shoulder popping. 

Today, instant right lead and balanced depart. Woot!

January Thaw Walkabout

Sunday I decided I needed some barn time. It was just one of those days and I could use a pony snuggle.
Solo has been phenomenal in our rides, a little sass, but hey I'd rather get to know his limits at home than at a show or off premise. Plus, it helps me get to know his in and outs let's call them.
Rather than subject him to another ride, which he will be doing the rest of his life, I decided to go for a walk. Like walking the dog, but... A big one.
I grabbed Solo out of the paddock, the entire place is a flooded, muddy mess. I decided to use it and pulled up my rubber boots and waded through the river which is moving pretty quickly right now but only just under knee high. Solo normally doesn't care about the river but thought it was a different beast today.
He baulked but jumped through it after a bit of pressure. I wanted him to relax a bit more before I left it, so I pushed again and he walked up and down the side hoping I would give in. Thankfully I had a long line!
We never made it through that spot again until later on but I allowed an effort of putting his knees in and standing calmly. We proceeded out into the field, found a shallower, gradual spot to the river and walked in and down. Good boy! Though, based on his bowels he wasn't totally cool with it but did as asked.
I swear this guy is so hard to read sometimes! Quarter horse brain, combined with thoroughbred digestion haha.

On our walk we came across a couple of the little 'cross country' type jumps and I walked over them. Solo a little skeptical of them decided to LEEP with knees to chin. Sign of things to come?! Cute! I am going to die...But cute!
We crossed the road, something that took me ages to do with Pal, entered the field across the road passing huge tarped bales, odd farm equipment and many things I thought were a bit funky. I carefully watched Solo in the corner of my eye. He didn't even blink and no poo! Things must be cool!
The fields were a mudpie! Never the less, these boots are made for walkin! We kept to the edge running along the road. Traffic sailed by, no reaction. Hopefully that remains! Hallelujah.
We trekked back home after a short photo shoot showcasing Solo's boredom.

Back home all the horses had a case of spring fever. Bucking and dart farting. Solo stayed cucumber so I took him in for a good roll in the sand to dry off some of the muck on his legs.
Not complaining! I totally want to bank on this January spring.

Yes... Nature... Exciting...

Home is thataway!

Yes... Tuck tape. #jacktheripper strikes again.

You walk me to walk in this? May we skip and say we did? I won't tell!

Ride #14/15: First Dressage Lesson & Baby Sass

Short post today. Time is of the essence! I swear my clock runs ten minutes late all the time.
Ride #14 brought our first dressage lesson! ....If we can call it that yet, lol.
My dressage coach Shelley is my go to person when it comes to well... Everything. She works at a grand prix dressage barn, backing and training all the 2/3 year olds up until sale time at 5/6. Ie. She knows babies! She is also super creative. She doesn't just follow the time tested and true methods, she customizes everything on a per horse basis. Hence why I saught her advice once again. While I am not hmet any speed humps that we were not able to overcome in two rides/ combined with ground work but Solo is polar opposite to Pal. Even from day one with Pal she was lazy minded, unmotivated until pushed or until she got in the game. This made her a super simple baby to work with however this did lead to sensitivity issues later. Not something Solo has trouble with! He is Uber sensitive, constantly tries to figure out what every fraction of movement means and he has a mental limit, where Pal could truck all day!
All in all, in our half hour lesson I spent time explaining Solo to Shelley then went about our 15minute work. Solo is getting pretty good at accepting the bit at the walk but is a bit slow. Something he falls on when his mind is preoccupied. Shelley suggested to keep the relaxation right now but ask for a bit more walk with voice. Solo isn't quite there to recognize more forward versus trot or canter aids. This also keeps up his sensitivity which will be a plus later on.
Shelley also told us to stay out of the corners, ovals were the name of the game. This was because Solo doesn't have the balance for square or bending corners yet. This just ends up killing our forward, not something we want to do right now. So we worked on voice to leg aids coming out of the oval then being quiet before next oval end. It was tougher than it seemed! Right now Solo really bulges to the inside going right, and out going left so Shelley told me to just merely hold a whip straight down his typically bulging shoulder. Don't use it but when he bulges, he will touch it as being Solo he got the message with just this slight pressure.

Ride #15 was shorter and mostly walk since I had ridden the day before and I need to take it easy with him as he is super bum high right now.
I worked on the same techniques as the lesson but also tossed in this pole square at the walk to teach Solo more about hoof awareness.
We also got our first sass! I asked Solo to pick up right lead canter, which is always a bit harder for him, he didn't canter. I rebalanced and asked again in the next oval end... Nothing. So he got a kick because I didn't have my stick...Ops. Solo pissy at to much leg, kicked back, hitting the wall which was the best part, scaring himself not to pull that crap. I gave a firm No! Asked again. Voila. No sass, no delay. Good lad.

I honestly thought the sass was pretty cute. Bad horse momma.

Pole exercise I found online. Pretty cool! I used only the middle square for now but later I will absolutely utilize it!

Through the Looking Glass.

A chilly -15*c selfie at the new property

2016.
While I am not typically much of a trend follower I can't help but think how beneficial looking back into the past year will be when I barely remember what I ate for breakfast. Which is most days ... Well technically I eat the same breakfast every day so that sounds really bad now doesn't it?!
January 2016 started with new pony items like my glorious new half pad, *cuddle*,  and clinic season. I was going through a bit of a thing with Paloma. We could be round and flexible and have zero forward, or we could have forward and be stiff as a board. Paloma holds all her tension in her poll and hip.  Now, this seems like a dream ride since I cheer for just a good transition with Solo but then it was so frustrating! At the point where Paloma was in her training, progress is slow and often goes unnoticed.
February thorough April. Nothing really exciting happened. I continued to struggle with Paloma's tension but she was pretty up most days so this made for less struggling to keep the engine roaring for me.
May to June. Paloma and I had some really good jumping rides. My friend and I trailered to a local barn for a jump school and get the horse over some new scary obstacles. Later in the month Paloma and I did some pretty large gymnastics. The fences looked pretty freaky to me getting up to 3'6 but Pal didn't blink, just figured it out and got the job done safely.
July through September. Paloma and I tried a few new trainers. One ended in a mental meltdown for Paloma over mere turn on the forhands. Scratch that guy out of the picture. We had ridden with him before when Paloma was four. This lesson reminded me why I hadn't been back for four years.
October through November. After a fabulous clinic with a Greg Kuti, a clinician I have been wanting to try out for years! Literally. I decided that Paloma and i, while we have been great together and accomplished a ton, we just were not right together. Paloma did the tasks I put in front of her but she made me struggle for forward every single step. This just doesn't work for me as a jumping mount. And eventing... It is a ton of fun and I will continue to play with it, it just isn't.. me...
End of November through December. Paloma went off with her new loving mom who appreciated her calm, push ride demeanor. And I found my childhood dream horse. Sadly but not sadly in the form of a two year old. I didn't think I wanted to start from stratch again but being me, I want everything a certain way, that's a feat with horses trained by someone else. On the plus side,the young ones are so rewarding and Solo was spoiling me! Though, we shall not mention again his naughty day at bucking me off before I could even swing over.


2017.
Now, 2017. Things are taking another 180* turn, as typically found in DH and my life, and we have tentatively bought 44 acres of land to build our dream home in a few years and a few years after to bring Solo home!
We are super excited. Now, we just have to wait to make sure the well is good to go in March. Fingers crossed!!!!
... This time last year if you asked me if we would be in debt again for another peice of land and be planning a new house, I would have slapped you lol. DH would have probably gone on a rampage!

Goals for Solo in 2017.
- going well w/t/c, no fumbling with the feet, balanced and timely transitions.
- get in a few shows, local and small scale flat and possibly a few cross rails by end of year, but carefully,
- get Solo on the trails and be able to safely leave the property solo. Lol funny.
- end of year, officially start pole and cross rail courses.

Ending the post on a peak of the new pad....Err well pad to be!

Looking in from the road

Up on the bank ridge where the barn and paddock will go in future.

Ride #9/#10; Prologue.

Solo thinking I am rather annoying not allowing him to follow and give armpit cuddles.
I didn't quite realize how bum high he was until I looked at this. Exhibit A as to why I feel 'downhill'.

Ride nine and ten have kind of snuck on me. It is hard to believe, as calm and cool of a character as Solo was/is from the get go, that we would be here at the one month marker. Chapter one in the endless narrative of horse training and ownership.

Today, marks the monthiversary of Solo and my partnership. Not a big accomplishment in the larger scheme of things but I feel this last month has given the two of us a good feel of what the future looks like working together. The prologue if you will.
In the time thus far I have gently nudged Solo in various directions attempting to find his borders. Then still nudge a bit further past those found boundaries just to gauge his reaction and know what I can expect if something does and likely will pop up.
What I found at the perimeter was a horse that mostly thinks before reacting and is more giving to pressure than push past like Paloma was. Not that either is bad, just polar opposites, taking me back to the drawing table to regroup and rehash my theories and planning.
Where Solo becomes still and thinks, Pal would literally test my limits. For the first couple years Paloma and I struggled to find partnership equilibrium. Solo willingly hands me the reins so I have to be very in tune to recognize when he has reached his current brain's comfort zone. If I am not, well, he flees, no fight.

I have also learned a lot about poop.
Solo has a sensitive gut. Concentrated alfalfa cube and custom sweet feed (ie. Sweet feed with vitamins/minerals), are not his friend. This equals liquid gas.
Oh, and he is allergic to penicillin and isn't a fan of dewormers harsh effects on gut flora. You don't want me to explain what happens with poo if a horse is allergic. Picture Niagra falls. Nasty.


Onto the actual riding bits.
Ride 9/10 felt quite different, one of my favourite aspects of working with baby horses. One day trying to explain something is like talking to a brick wall, the next day the item explained is now installed and ready for use. Though, I have to be careful not to over utilize what he is offering.
Ride nine was sadly a bit hurried, I spent way too much time grooming and planning his new feed regime that I only had 20 minutes to ride and be leaving. Sorry buddy.
Luckily work is not yet strenuous physically so cool down time is quick.
I had set a single pole on the short end and two trot poles on the long side. I want to instill balance and keep his attention on foot placement early. Something I waited too long with Paloma to do and spent a year encouraging hoof awareness. Not to mention this is a good physical exercise and task for him at this point in life.
I started introducing more pressure with my legs, really insisting to move off my leg not just giving to rein pressure. Asking for a step of leg yeild, step of turn on the haunches or forehand. Generally, letting him know that because I am up there, the body does not need to be a stiff board, he can do all our ground exercises with me upstairs.
Solo was not overly pleased with the confusion I generated but handled it, letting me know with a tail swish or bit chomp that this is very mentally difficult dont-cha-know. At one point, I pushed a little harder and he froze. Refusing to move. Nuh-uh. Sorry boy, always forward no matter what! He got a little cowboy kick and I got a yes m'am.
We did a few serpentines and circles going large or over poles in walk and trot. Picked up a half lap of left lead canter, no problem, balanced and quiet. Had a break and gave right lead a shot. Canter happened but the lead would not clock in no matter the trick I pulled. Though, I only tried about four or five times. It just isn't a big deal at this point. So we called it a day and finished with a lap of trot.

Ride ten. Wow. Remember what I said about button installation happening overnight, or two nights for that matter? This was one of those days.
I set three trot poles on the diagonal. Thinking of maintaining some type of pole in most under saddle sessions. And I bumped up his bit hole thinking it was a bit loose based on his chewing. I'll have to experiment with this.
Today, steering was again better, movement off the leg much more obliging and less cranky, trot stayed more forward and reaching for longer and turn on the haunches and forehand was instantly there. No objection.
Ending on a canter. Left proved no problem. Lovely, easy, rocking. On the forehand but not worrying about this yet. Right? I tried a new trick, bending outside and I didn't chase for immediate canter. Just kept my cool and balance.
It didn't work to get the lead but I did get a couple nice canter departs.
I had noticed through my '100 ways to not get the right lead' literally, that while Solo gave instant canter left, he hesitated right because he was struggling to find his balance, ending up comfortably on the left lead, no matter what I did.
I picked up the dressage whip I had out for my last ditch idea. Solo is sensitive! I didn't know how this would go. I asked again, teeensssyyy tap. Wrong lead, back to trot, prepare again. This time he got a small tap with my outside leg, little more but barely there even still. Right lead instantly!!
I burst out in praise of his genious and my hallelujah since it was getting exhausting and allowed him three quarters of a lap before calling it a day at nearly 17mins. Whoops. Sightly over my 15minute goal time but the work was light and involved alot of walk.

Afterwards Solo and I had a little cuddle fest in the barn isle. I say it's love, he says it's snack time. Now, I think I am going to give him a couple days to horse and possibly ground work this weekend. Genius needs to grow!

'Seriously, we done?'

Solo thinking he is very grown up seeing as he grows a fabulous beard by the age of 2.8y/o.

Hunter Bling and Tossing Our Carrots.

Solo dawning his new bridle.
I chose the removable flash option if in case he requires one later.

My one pet peeve, turned excuse, with getting a new horse is that hardly any of the tack items I have acquired actually fit Solo properly. Thankfully, my saddle has the gullet system and the lack of fill ie. muscling is temporarily fixed with the fabulous shimmable half pad my DH picked up for me last Christmas. But the gorgeous BR girth and Aramas bridle have sadly been uttered useless.

The girth, well it might fit one day, so I am holding out hope but the bridle was both too big and too small at the same time. Not salvageable:-(

That's enough of an excuse if I ever heard one! Bridle shopping y'all!

After a couple weeks of scoping and researching my options, knowing I need a oversize browband and throat latch, thanks to being a stallion for a couple years, but he also requires cob size cheek/bit pieces and full size noseband. I was left with quite a conundrum.

While I have a few random pieces of bridles kicking around from past horses, it is near impossible to match the dyes and/or stitching. Hmph. This would not do. Hehehe.

I found a couple manufacturers that would allow you to buy the bridle in pieces but in most cases I was paying triple the price and no reins. No way!

Fearing I would end up being stuck with mismatched bridle pieces I nearly gave up hope. Then I stumbled upon a post on COTH about Royal strap goods.

Based out of and sold in India I would not be able to sample the leather and quality before buying but they were very happy to help me custom make my bridle and had a huge array of bridle styles, colours, tones, padding colours and options. I felt like a kid in an online candy stores. Mwahaha.

I ended up selecting a 'hunter's' version of bling bridle. Ie, nothing drastic but different and complimenting. 

I ended up choosing an oak red brown dye to match my saddle, with a monocrown crown piece accented by stubben tan 'orangy brown' padding. The bridle also has white fancy stitching on a square raised brow and noseband, finally accented by white leather piping. *Angels sing* 

I swear this is made with thoughts of red dun horses with chrome. 

The bridle also came with the bonus of choosing reins. I opted for the thin matching rubber grip reins. These feel exemplary! 

At first I cringed at more bulky, unyeilding rubber reins but no! these are soft, pliable and easy to hold! Say what! We will see how many gloves I go through with these puppies.

However, Solo does not feel like he will be heavy on the hands likes Pal so this may not be an issue.

On the Solo note, I closed off 2016 with my eighth ride on senior Solo! 

Yesterday was a snowy rain mix, hovering just at the freezing mark. This made for 'snow zippers' in the arena. Well, that's the sound the snow makes as it slides off the arena coming to a crash when it hits the ground. Giant zippers!

I had a minor second thought that it might not be the best day to ride a very green horse, but the stubborn, just get over it part of me quickly dismissed it with the benefit of a learning for Solo. I am desensitizing right?!

So I tacked up, washed Solo's butt which I have now learned is caused because So loves to poop when he sleeps lying down. Grr. Yellow pee stains traded for chunky poo stains. Not sure what is better..

Then wrapped up his legs with polos since none of my boots fit either and fitted the new bridle, which of course got an oil pampering first.

I tossed Solo on the lunge hoping to feel out how he is with the zippers before I got in the tack. No problems. A few even slid down as he passed. They warranted a little glance but no more so I took my time and hopped aboard.

We practiced a few whoas, back ups and tested out how turn on the haunches/forehand and bending transfers to under saddle from in hand. A little confusion was found with tof and toh but he figured out a couple steps willingly so I let that go for the day.

We then got into a somewhat forward trot for a couple laps, serpentining, large circling and starting to teach Solo to move away from pressure. Using both the leg aid for over and backing up with same sided pressure from the rein and finally wide open rein where I wanted him to 'go'.

As Solo gave a step or two, I gave away the pressure with a scritch, repeated a couple times and moved on. We finished our 15minute ride with a canter each direction.

Solo was very willing and simple to pick up his left lead canter, the easy side and my easy direction. The right well... It was there last ride but today he was unbalanced to the right. After trying to get the lead a few times I settled with asking him to hold the counter canter for a 30m circle. He did. So I finished with a pat and I told Solo, "it'll come!" 

One part I am blessed with Solo is his balance in transitions, never does he 'run' into or out of a transition. Yet while coming out of the canter I gave with the reins to stretch down a zipper came behind us, Solo didn't spook per say but he lost his carrots.

(The carrot bits I bribe him with at the mounting block for 'happy experience') 

Apparently, he has not learned to chew with a bit and had taken a note from the squirrels.

Looking like a fuzzy winter baby.

Bling getting oiled. I got lucky the stitching and leather are beautiful.
Every attention to detail was thought of. Highly recommend!