Here Comes The Thunder.

It is funny how much you don’t realize how important riding is to you.

I remember a few months ago I had a couple weeks where the thought of bundling up, freezing my cheeks off and heading to the barn had my mind searching for excuses. “The floor needs vacuuming”,  “the dog needs to go for a long walk”, “oh I just showered, I don’t want to shower again”, etc.

Now, in this bracket of horse-less-ness I am begging for rides. Mostly on my friend’s horse Thunder.


Thunder, as some of you know from my stint in eventing with him, is a tried and true middle aged guy. Likely some sort of appendix though he rides like a powerful thoroughbred who has been around the block a few times, enough to know that ‘I do not work unless you hold yourself up there lady’.


Thunder is one of the simplest and hardest rides at the same time. Children, babies even, can pony ride on him, but to get him working. You work. Hard.

This is actually pretty perfect for me right now. I am leaning more towards my dressage side lately and purely improving my position and how it influences the horse. Thunder is like having a coach between your thighs, unless you hold your core, let your lower leg hang with a strong thigh you ain’t gettin’ nothin’ outta this guy.
I am sure he talks like this too of course. With an old man twang.


Last week I picked up a ride on him, it was freezing so I rode bareback. Nearly slipping off the entire time until I relaxed my hip, held my core and draped my leg. Something I struggle with in my jumping saddle.
Solo is animated in his gaits yet smooth and not experienced enough to ‘tell’ me when I forget to remind myself to ride. Ie. he happily wiggle wormed his body to make it work.

Thunder says pick your shit up and ride like you have been doing this more than 5 minutes.

The moment I actually think a slight half halt every stride or two Thunder instantly softens, brings his back up and drops his neck. More or less telling me, ‘hallelujah you  can ride’.

These mini half halts do wonders for his lightness up front as well. Where was once a heavy contact is all of a sudden a ‘good feeling’ weight if that makes any sense.


His transitions are also an accentuated picture of how well I am holding myself and riding. If I am not on point he dives, completely unexpectedly.... I mean that. You think you can feel a change coming.... I though I could too before this guy.


Overall this guy is a true teacher in every sense. While I have a few tricks under my belt that I could teach him, he has many refinements that he could teach me. Many of which I have grown lax with riding all these baby horses.
Awesome!

A Brief Interlude.

In the last nine years I have really never been horseless for more than a few days. It has now only been a month erm well.... less than a week, pardon me, since Solo left to head out on a 30 day trial with his new owner/s.

Solo and I had our last ride Sunday, enjoying the break in the deep freeze. I worked mainly on myself, holding my legs off, ‘pizza slice’ style to help my leg drape a little more, engage my core a bit tighter and keep my calves off Solo’s barrel to help him understand a bit clearer when leg means something.
A little tidbit I actually learned from the dressage coach  that took Solo into their program.


All stemmed from Solo being a little lax off my leg and it made incredible difference in the pressure I required after just a few rides.


Anyhow it has felt like eons since I have smelled the sweet scent of horse, not counting the stale horse smell that permeates through my car. Hehehe.

I have lots of options as far as catch rides but it isn’t the same.


So what does a horse Addict do when horseless?


SHOP.


For a new Bridle, check!

For a new Saddle, almost check! Another day of bidding.... come on baby!


And then a new saddle requires a new girth, new leathers and of course new saddle pads because the other forty I have just won’t cut it.


Here we are, five days in ... another 21 to go!

Back to Square Numero Uno; The New Long Face Of The Blog.

So you are dying to ask me....

'So Kaila what is next?' 

'Who will be your new fitness trainer... sorry I mean equine steed?'

'Who will you ride now?'

'What will you do...'

Yes, yes, yes. So many questions, such adoring fans I have. 

_______________________________

In actually reality, only a select few know my plans right now and what is coming in the next fortnight. 

Most of which are silent blog readers, ie. friends and family since I avoid Facebook and other means of social media with this one exception, the blog I pick up when convienient but other stalk others posts silently, hehehee.

Honestly, the only way those who know me keep up with the Jones' is by reading this blog. 

"Hi, My name is Kaila, I am a hermit and I am addicted to horses."

While I cannot fully expose the happenings, I shall lend a teaser to everyone. You know a trailer of what is to come.

So let's see.... what hints shall I divulge.

- I said I would Never own another grey. The world works mysteriously, never say never. Soak up the luxury of dirt coloured horse while I can.

- I have gone back to the drawing board, so we return to 'Go'.

- I am now much poorer. Is it inflation? How have horse prices skyrocketed in the last three years?

- I had a psychic tell me last year that when she looked at me she saw traces of royalty and something about dancing (totally not kidding... weird but I get it now)

- Mmm I have done a total 180* in terms of what I normally would buy. This time I am doing it right in terms of functionallity for me and not all about glitter. 

Though, with Solo all that glittered WAS in fact gold. Erm... Red dun, whatever!

- This horse is more like Paloma than Solo in terms of breed, though not like either of them either.

- The breed.... is uncommon though famous and was also banned from being exported out of their country of origin until the 60's.

- I will be able to crack out my box of pink and purple once again, mwahaha!

- True connoisseurs might murder me for keeping a short tidy pulled mane.

- Conformationally, this horse is again totally different from what I have owned. 

It (Ohhh you though you would catch me didn't you :P) is deep chested, quite short in the neck, deep sloping shoulder allowing for high degrees of freedom in movement, short through the back and loin, compact though robust haunch with A CRAZY LONG TAIL. 

Sorry .... excitement got me there, cannot wait to have a tail to brush all day long!

- Lastly, it is bred to be quite diverse. Sire is a high level dressage stallion and Dam is a 3* eventer 

OOOHHH Cannot wait to share!

Changing Tides; The Close of a Chapter.

When one door closes...

Yeah, so I dropped off the face of the planet again, I know.

I have been known to get a bit intense with things in life, all at once or nothing at all. Recently I have been studying for yet another exam for my Real Estate Licence, (... and people think that getting into real estate is easy), combined with the Christmas/ New Year... erm... excitement, our real estate team opening our own Brokerage and squeaking in 3-5 rides a week has left me with very little spare time. Oh wait... I forgot work, that too was squeaked in!


Despite my abscence everyone who follows this blog likely knows what a champ Solo has always been and how he has evolved to become the fanciest packer/family type horse I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Shall I brag about this dude again? Haha. No I will spare you all.

This guy has gone from being a killer trail horse in the past year to becoming quite the serious ride. He takes everything so seriously and with 110% effort.

Though, the past eight months when I have really started to get down to business I have started to see a trend. While he loves to please and will work his heart out for me, doing everything I ask with zero qualms, he just didn't seem to be loving the job I was asking him to do.
I mean I should have known trying to turn a HUS bred pleasure horse into an eventer or serious h/j competitor was likening to shoving a square peg into a round hole. But this guy made the shoving so easy, it was more like shoving a square sponge into a round hole. Totally doable yet slightly grating... for both of us.

I have been struggling with keeping him compressed, half halt, half halt, half halt and keeping him interested. He gives his heart truly every single ride, despite the effort it takes to get there, when you get it, oh brother its lovely.
Then when it came to jumping. I got the inckling from the beginning that his heart wasn't really in it. Mind you he did it, never did he question and cute was he ever when he jumped my 'sticks'.
Yet the feeling that I was riding a saintly school horse just 'getting it done...' every time we schooled over fences came up over and over.


He was telling me a long time, I heard, I didn't want to listen. He is a family packer, not a serious competitor.

No, I don't compete a ton. Though, I want to start. Every time I ride, I ride with fierce competitiveness.

Not to mention, Solo gets picked on, HARD! He is often pushed off the hay and eaten alive. He needs single turnout or old timer buddies. He won't fight back, just simply loves the attention then goes and sulks in the corner.



I made the tough decision a couple weeks ago despite everyone telling not to, 'he is one of a kind', 'you will regret this more than ever', 'you can't sell your heart horse', 'that is one amazing horse, don't do it'.....
Yes, I totally hear you all but I dont have the luxury of owning more than one horse and he feels my emotions, I know he does. How is it fair to him that I keep pushing for something he doesn't want?


Anyhow, I had a buttload of interest, a lot of tire kickers, a lot of beginners that weren't sure what they were looking for yet, are not able to offer small turnout (though this was disclosed up front in the ad), people who are just starting to look, a cracker box full of western people after seeing his pedigree. Yes, he is bred for western but isn't, sorry.

Over two weeks over 8 people tried him, his saintly self dealing with all the different people, their different ways and the -20*c temps like no 4 (coming 5) year old horse ever has.

Bundled and trying to move in the -25*c weather

I was suprised to have two therapeutic riding schools travel FAR to come see him. The first group was lovely but wanted a multiple month, unpaid trial. No way. I don't like trials in the first place and I still have to pay board to keep my spot.

When the second called and explained their situation, wanting younger horses who can stay in their program for a long time and also needing a trial I cringed, but listened.
Thankfully they worked with me over the phone for a week prior to coming down and understood where I was coming from.
Still leary they came down and as soon as I met them I knew.

They loved him up, oogled him and watched/listened while I rode and explained where I was, where I want to go and what he is like.
I am picky, this seemed to turn some off as I explained what he needs and that I would not let him go if he got any less. These people loved it!


Afterwards, the one volunteer for the program got on and put him through a couple 'tests' to see what he would do if he had a beginner flopping about. I laughed because everyone is so big and glossy eyed when I say he won't care. He didn't.
When she was happy with him, her mom got on who is clearly a very accomplished dressage rider and amazing with the young ones. I have to say, I though no one else could make Solo go like I could. She schooled me! Within ten minutes he was doing uncoordinated, but clean flying changes and moving around in a lovely frame, all round and fancy like.


We worked out the details together, Solo leaves on Thursday to become a Paradressage horse for their specialized therapeutic program, which looks amazing! Yes, I did some spy work lmao.

They have a 30 day paid trial as agreed upon, standard for their program and due to their policy, not negociable. This ensures the horses are as they say they are... (I read between the lines ie. not drugged :P)


Solo will also be working with the volunteers mother, the above dressage rider, to get further ahead on his training.


I couldn't be more pleased, living out a life of pampering, teaching children and adults with disabilities, being able to be his quarter horsey self in a facility much nicer than anything I could afford.

What more can a horse owner ask for...