Mindful Practice

Butterball and I seem to have FINALLY had a breakthrough at the canter. The departs are 90% touch-and-go to quote JV. Then once in the gait, the focus is on straightness first, suppleness second, and sit third. Before I ever ask for the canter, we do a TON of trot-walk-trot transitions. Through those transitions he has to stay soft and moving elastically forward the whole time. If his shoulders start to go weird places I check my hands first and then use a forward leg aid to move the shoulders back in line. The walk-canter transitions are usually there too. 

"Absolutely exhausting" - Butterball

By only being allowed to canter for a tiny bit, we transition back to trot before the balance is lost (usually), which I think has been really useful. We've started playing with leg yields in the canter as well. I had the realization that I have a much easier time leg yielding off the rail than I do from the quarter line or center line trot or canter. Hm. Must be that I pull with my inside hand, overdo the neck bend, and then ruin the leg yield that way. 

Itching his face? Or checking out the remnants of alfalfa cubes... 

I programmed a series of timers on my phone. We walk for 10 minutes; trot and walk for 8; walk for 2 some loose rein some with contact; trot, walk, and canter for 8; walk for 2; trot and walk for another 3; and then end with 10 minutes loose rein walk. Honestly it's a LOT for both of us. By the last 3 minute work session we're both pretty beat, mentally and physically. Within the trot and walk there's lots of forward and back, finally starting to think about a little bit of sit and collection in the back, not just slower. And all this carrying himself and only using light aids is transitioning over to the little bits of canter. Riding other horses was SO useful for my canter work on him. I shouldn't have to do that much work. And like the walk, the less I do, the more swingy and forward he is. 

Even when hot and sweaty he's still adorable 

Moving on to baby practice... Charlie has been going through a new, pushy phase as of late. His filly pasture mate has always been a bit... pushy... but Charlie is experimenting with shoving me with his butt and shoulders too. I started using Warwick Schiller's creating energy to drive him away. Not directed at him, but just tapping a hand on my leg or jumping lightly up and down. He immediately vacates my space and then kind of eyes me. After a second he'll generally come back towards me but stop at an appropriate distance. This gets rewarded with scritches. 

SO CUTE

He also tried opting out of picking up his hind feet one day recently. I was persistent though and he eventually gave him and then repeated the right response twice. Good boy. 

Doing a little hanging out with no asks before his "training" that day. That little bottom lip spot kills me. 

My friend came out and took some pictures the other day, I'll be sharing those soon. He thought she was a little suspicious with her focus on him with her camera and definitely wanted to leave when I had him on the lead. He got kind of antsy, but was very respectful of the fact that he was attached to me still. I was really, really proud of him for keeping it together and trying so hard. 

Not that it's all perfect LOL. But he does seem to really truly understand yielding to pressure.

Ermagerd

They can graze without looking *quite* this dramatic, but since when would Maddie opt for low drama  

WW: Golden Things

 

Picturesque pony pre-tredding

I miss Pico. Dolce and Umbra wanted to eat the chickies 

World's best cat

She was the sweetest, most gentle cat 

Butters got a massage and quite enjoyed it. We got trapped in the barn during a rainstorm right after. 

Walking and walking, best view ever 

He got new BOT brushing boots from his auntie... maybe they're doing something for the tendon? 

July Wrap Up

 

	Butterball (and friends)
Training rides
Lessons
Hacks	1 hand walk
Flat rides	9
Cavaletti or jumps @ home
Conditioning rides	4 Aquatred sessions
XC school	HENRY @ Rocking Horse and Majestic
Shows

The highlights of this month included good news at Butterball's recheck ultrasound and cross country with Henry at Majestic and Rocking Horse. 

Butterball got the okay to go for 30-40 minute rides every other day with 15-18 minutes of trot per ride and a few strides of canter in straight lines. While he thinks this is a TON of work, and to be fair it is 1000 degrees, it has given me an opportunity to be very mindful and deliberate about every stride of walk and trot. We've worked on our rein backs and leg yields as well. He has been a VERY good boy. 

He's still splish splashing once a week too and loves going to the clinic for his session and to say hi to all his favorite friends. This horse is such a ham. He does seem to wish they'd just fill the treadmill and let him hang out in the water, but he accepts walking too. 

Charlie is doing a whole lot of growing. He had his first trim the fourth week in July and was reportedly (mostly) a very good boy. 

Peekaboo between Maddie's legs

He's shedding baby fur and his socks/stockings are becoming so much more crisp

What diz? 

He's a bit rude to his mother sometimes; she puts up with it. The other mare in the field does not tolerate pushiness, so it is probably a good mix. 

It's been a week or so since we did a proper session of leading and feet and such. But I keep arriving when they've just gotten their hay which is a pretty unfair/unproductive time to try to work on things. Somehow I think he'll survive though. 

August will be more of the same. To try to slim pony pants down I've added in a 30 minute hand walk on most of the off days from riding. It's honestly fun to mosey around the neighborhood with him, he's happy to be out exploring and taking in the sights. I've picked up some extra shifts to compensate for the baby horse decision. Better to be working more while it is horrendously sticky and hot outside. 

Butterball gets his final recheck ultrasound (aka the insurance coverage runs out) at the end of August. Hopefully we'll be given the okay to do more cantering at that point. The tendon looks better and better. I can still feel the spot, but if I weren't hyperaware of it, it would be hard to notice these days. 

Henry Adventures

There's only so much I can write about walking and trotting, so how about a cross country adventure? 

Henry and I got to go to Rocking Horse on Saturday. We arrived a few minutes after 8:30 and (mostly) beat the crowds. We still didn't beat the heat, but let's be honest, that's not really a thing in July in central Florida.

As per usual, Henry was a delight. He eyed the coffin like riveted ditch under the upper level trakehner while we warmed up, and I promised him we definitely would NOT be jumping it. Once we were warmed up, we looped across the acres Rocking Horse has to offer and popped a few fences in each area. Henry is potentially the most fun I've had cross country since Zinger. If you ride him anywhere close to appropriately, he is willing and steady.

Pardon the ridiculous background music I put to the video. Avoiding copyright issues.. 

I did mess up twice on our last loop out. We were headed slightly downhill to a fence with a sandy takeoff. He'd been generous with taking the longer spot a few times already, but when I let him lengthen the last 5-6 strides past the appropriate distance to either a cruddy chip or a long spot/big effort, he declined. I repeated the mistake before I wised up and decided if I couldn't ride better I'd at least change the circumstances to make it easier. We picked up the BN size fence on the reverse (uphill) approach, circled around and did the N fence that had been causing me problems uphill, and then called it good. I could definitely feel Henry going "Silly kid, I think she needs to learn something" as he opted to not bail me out and then nodding with satisfaction when I got it right. 

Best boy headed home, Ft Presto ears

He has the easiest, steadiest canter out cross country. He's happy to go a bit more forward or just lope steadily, but really requires very little input from his pilot to maintain set speed and direction. It's a nice change from Ben who did a lot of sideways, Goggles who would've gotten there but was green, and Butterball who doesn't necessarily see the point or joy in a nice long canter-gallop. The joy of a good thoroughbred out for a canter or gallop cross country is truly unmatched. 

Still Here, Still Sweating

Life with horses has been trucking along. I went out of town for a week so Butterball did his aquapacing still thanks to Ms. GY, but had the rest of the week off. Now we're back to our "30-40 minute rides with 15-18 minutes of trotting, NOT all at the same time". Focus and awareness are still the name of the game and our last ride included a couple of really nice canter transitions. 

Living his best fat pony life

Poor kid, these rides, done at non-ideal times of day since this seems to be the season for me working until 12 - 3 AM consistently, are leaving him looking like he's run the Derby. Thoroughbred with base level of fitness he is not. I am going to check in with his vet to see if we can add a walk only ride or hand walk every other day. He seriously needs to lose weight. 

We also had an uncomfortable 30 minutes the other day when I noted that gross, black, goo of smegma + dirt + sweat on the inside of his hind legs. Normally he gets cleaned twice a year when he gets his teeth done. But apparently this summer heat meant we needed a mid-summer cleaning. 

Charlie has continued to be absolutely adorable and mostly the best little egg. He chomped both my wrist and shoe the other day, but continues to learn from these experiences that cause a high-pitched squeak and not repeat *exactly* that method of biting again (shoe was a new one and wrist was while we were leading). He also made me proud when Maddie actually galloped into his hind end while he was on the lead. He remembered he was tethered to me and didn't even try to exit with her as she breezed on by. 

We've practiced leading from both sides now, exciting stuff. I've also kinda sorta introduced the hose by hosing off both mares while the babies creep closer and closer. Also exciting stuff. Not super helpful that neither mare seems to appreciate getting cooled off when it is 500 degrees. C'mon ladies, doesn't this feel good? 

Saturday I get to play with Henny more cross country; we're headed over to Rocking Horse in the morning. I haven't gotten to do much with him lately because by the time I get up it is too hot to do much of anything other than strategically walk and trot in the shade for BB's rehab. Anyways, that's about it as far as goings on, but we're still here, still moving forward. 

Riding with Intention

Butterball and I had an absolutely delightful ride Friday morning. I set timers for each "phase" of the ride: 

• Minutes 0-5: walk, at first on a loose rein then picking up the reins softly. Walk must stay just we active, swinging, and soft. Light brush of a leg aid, no squeezing which seems to just lead to a tense pony. 
• Minutes 6-13: walk and trot. First get a good walk, then trot. Well that sucked, back to walk, light aid must move promptly forward and that keeps the contact much steadier, yay. Big sweeping serpentines. Use walk transitions and my posting to regulate his tempo when he wants to head back to the barn quickly. Hands steady and even, no pulling on the left rein tracking left, use leg to put a bend in his body instead. Right hand steady but firm. A few truly straight lines, using legs and my own body to line him up straight, jeez that's hard. Few strides canter both directions. Posting into the transition, outside leg back but not acting, inside leg softly lifts up. Well what do ya know, he can do transitions just as softly as every other horse, I just can't over ride them. Canter itself for 4-6 strides, long enough he knows that was exactly the right answer, not so long it can fall apart one way or another. 
• Minutes 14-17: walk on a loose rein, is my own seat even? 
• Minutes 18-23: more walk and trot, add in a few halt and rein back steps. Holy cow when did he get so easy in rein back? He's straight and soft, not grabbing the bit and sticking his head in the air. Play with the frame, shorter and longer rein, still keeping both of us so stay and even. Thinking about his shoulders as Emma's notes from Windurra camp emphasized. 
• Minutes 24-30: walk again. Can we halt just from my seat? Yes, cool, can we make it straighter? And no, we don't do that by me completely removing my right seat bone, stop that. 

And that, friends, was a truly lovely and delightful ride. No slips with his hind legs, soft and sensitive because that's how I was riding him. Amazing the way that works. 

My favorite set of little black tipped ears

I don't remember if I've updated, but he's in a level 2 myler (small port) and flash and seems quite happy. Never fear you can still fit 3 fingers vertically under the flash but it prevents major mouth opening moves

"Gimme a second, hydration is super important!" -Butterball

Well done, Butterball

Pony pants had his recheck ultrasound on Monday. On ultrasound, the lesion is healed, hooray! So we're back to aqua pacing and trotting under saddle. But according to histology studies, these injuries take a FULL YEAR to heal completely. Fun stuff ya'll, but still, I'm so happy he's doing as well as he possibly could. 

Don't mind the poo colored water, he had to go! 

He'll have another check at the end of August, just prior to insurance coverage for this injury expiring, then we'll start with canter. His vet did say I could canter "a few strides in straight lines". But that's kinda tricky, y'know? The canter is our weakest gait by far. So will it be beneficial to be able to pick up the canter then need to immediately trot again? Who knows, we've got some time to play with it. 

Majestic Monday

I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend. I was at work, sigh, but have been getting in plenty of horse time when not at work. 

Amanda and I took Bingo and Henny to Majestic last Thursday. They were both absolutely perfect. 

Henry is truly such a joy. He is generous and kind and just so much fun. 

Meanwhile Charlie has been continuing mini leading and otherwise yielding to pressure lessons (stepping over and learning to back up). He's holding his feet up for a few seconds at a time. He's also trying less to climb/lean across my back when I pick up the front feet. 

Best scritches, most llama baby 

Nibbling on Maddie

Hi, I'm Charlie! 

                                             

And Butterball has been walking for 30 minutes every other day. He did LOSE HIS MIND over some randomly tossed Chewy boxes that contained grain bags. He was positive it was a pack of wolves waiting to eat him. 

I should have abandoned ship that day and switched to halter with treats, but hindsight and all that. We eventually made our way past them. They were gone the next day, but I did head out on foot in his halter and with treats just in case there was residual fear, but he was totally fine. 

Generally though our walks are pretty relaxing. We're cycling through neighborhood hack; neighborhood hack with equibands; and walking in the field playing with turning solely off my seat and legs with some shorter and longer strides, halts, and rein backs thrown in. I *think* he's getting better about accepting contact without getting busy in his mouth and stiffening right away. 

There have been some very vivid skies lately. 

Near the Bronson city hall. Looked very old timey

Incredible sunset for my entire 45 minute drive home from work 

Field Trips

Henry and I continue to have a blast (well I'm having a blast, he's happy 90% of the time, the other 10% of the time he's internally shaking his head at me). We played cross country again. 

And then did a couple of stadium rounds a week later. 

He's a different ride from Butterball, but at the same time, the basics of a steady, even stride and having enough canter don't really change. So it's good to still be getting in the mileage there. But it's also just plain fun to go jump around with a willing partner. 

Meanwhile, Butterball got to go on a field trip to the Chi Institute. Ben had gone to their labs several times, but I had not taken Butterball. I was worried that he did not have 4 hours of touching in him. He is a VERY GOOD PONY, but he also has LOTS OF THOUGHTS and does LOTS OF THINGS. Whereas Ben is one of the only horses I know who would have been DELIGHTED to be in the exact same dressage arena every single day of his life. Soooo basically I was worried that we were going to run out of quarters and he was going to become the most annoying, fussy, fidgety pony ever. 

Well, I underestimated my pony-golden-retriever. He had a great time. 

First he inspected their lawn care job and helped out by removing any stray grass blades

His muzzle looks uneven. It was. They worked on it. 

He enjoyed (almost) all the touching and reciprocated by cuddling with every single person

Then he got a nice break and ate some grass

Purposely headed into the long section, full on water buffalo 

Hold on, I can't go back in yet, I'm peeing (and eating)

Definitely would have put himself through the person gate/pass through... definitely a pony 

After his break he got REALLY SLEEPY 

And took a nap

The whole first half was the students reviewing points, but even then he did react to the finger pressure at a few of them. It was very cool to see. 

After the break they did an actual treatment with needles. They decided to work on his qi deficiency (based on his tongue, pulses, and tendon issue). He had many more feelings about his treatment than Ben ever did. He did request that the students slow down at one point when he was hit with a number of points around the feet. It was a good learning moment for them to look at their patient as well. But once the points were in he processed them very quietly. It was the first time that he was still other than when he napped. And after about 5-7 minutes he sorta came to again and had a few big releases and then requested that the needles be removed. 

I took notes on which points they used and added a couple to my dolphin stim treatment plan for him. The TA did some myofascial release on him as well and noted tightness over his left SI area. While she released that myofascial sheet, he had some muscle fasciculations in his left lumbar paraspinal muscles, it all really is connected! The next ride our halts were so much straighter than they have been. 

His new farm is on the way home, so we stopped and did his 30 minute walk there, it was fun to put pony on property for the first time

That grass is for me?