Butterball's Special Skin/2025 Gear Post

One form or another of this post has been relatively annual starting back in 2022, continuing in 2023, and then including Butterball in 2024 with a spring update to include his saddles. Overall though, there haven't been a lot of changes since our spring update. So this post is mostly focused on a weird skin issue. 

Nothing has changed in the saddle department, we LOVE the Patrick dressage saddle and Westhill and Son jump saddle. 

Dressage saddle in action

Jump saddle in motion

And I did upgrade to some very reasonably priced tall boots for shows to go with our brown tack. Moretta Gianna tall boots from Red Post. 

And at some point over the summer I gave up on replacing his double jointed happy mouth as he chomped little cracks into it. And I haven't really felt the need to put him in the full cheek Neue Schule that we started in. He now jumps and flats in the same borrowed double jointed KK that Ben wore. 

Now for the main point of this post, Butterball gets large skin crusts from certain leather contacting his skin, namely the crown piece of bridles and girths. I've tried very carefully sponging those areas after each ride, I've tried equiderma, I've tried intensive currying. None of it seems to help and the equiderma definitely made it worse. It does seem to be worse the hairier he is.  

You can kinda see the crusties peeking through the fur at his girth area

Mid-clip, poor irritated pink skin getting exposed

The girth was a relatively easy remedy once someone suggested it- switch to this nice mohair girth: 

It is soft, doesn't cause big, painful skin flakes, and is very easy to clean by hosing off and then letting air dry. I do use his fancy leather LeMieux girth for shows, especially cross country because he genuinely needs a stud girth. But his skin seems able to deal with a couple of uses without getting too mad.

Knees to nose and hooves to girth! 

The bridle has been an interesting journey though. At some point over the summer there was an accidental treading on the reins of his Antares. Instead of the reins snapping, the buttery soft Antares broke at a cheek piece. I struck out on finding repair or just a crownpiece available for purchase, so that is retired. RIP most expensive bridle I've ever purchased.

                                                    

But, silver lining that bridle seemed to cause him the same skin problem as every other nice bridle. I continue to want to put him in something fancy for his adorable head/face. But we've now tried two different monocrown bridles: the Kavalkade Ivy and the Shockemoehle Equitus Delta. Both seem to give him the same skin flakes across the crownpiece/poll area. 

Kavalkade Ivy 

Shockemoehle

I like the Shockemoehle better for the looks, but did read that having the bit attached to the same piece as the noseband can lead to extra instability for the bit because the attachment moves any time the noseband does. In sir chomps a lot, this seems like a legitimate concern. 

The only bridle that doesn't bother his skin? His plain 'ole non-monocrown-Black Oak schooling bridle that his owner gave to me when I bought him. 

Plain 'ole brown snaffle bridle in action

So there's the simple and cheap answer it seems. I have tried cleaning the other bridles with just water, with saddle soap, conditioning, not conditioning etc. And based on this happening only at his poll area and sternum area, it must have something to do with pressure + leather. Not an allergy to the leather or something on it. Which leaves me wondering if fancy monocrown bridles aren't actually as horse friendly as all the advertising says if the plain non-monocrown snaffle bridle doesn't cause this issue... 

WW: The Little Moments

I loved the early morning light in this one silhouetting his adorable face and ears

Herro?? Where did you go? 

Love this barn and this pony 

He POWER walked to see his fave mini mule 
The strand of electric fence makes all three of us sad

Cows power walking to see him 

The end of a canter set at the beautiful Sweet Dixie 

Fine Tuning

Butterball and I went back to PW's for a completely undocumented lesson on Friday. EM is out of town through Butterball's and my trip to Kentucky, so it made sense to reconnect with PW. He very graciously fit us in at the end of the day after being at WEC with other students for most of the day. I was on overnights Monday through Thursday, so I napped for a few hours and then loaded up the pony. 

When we started, I was a bit concerned that Butterball was as tired as I was. Wednesday we had gone to Sweet Dixie for more canter sets, and he was pretty darn worn out from the get go. Probably due to running stadium and XC at Stable View on Sunday and then hauling seven hours home. Our first two 6 minute sets were not at the prescribed 400 mpm, closer to 380. But we picked it up for the last one. 

Trot for 15 minutes, 3 x 6 min canter sets, walk for 30 minutes
The complete drop off in pace is when I stopped and took off his bridle to let him take a nice long drink. 

For Florida, this much elevation change is pretty decent

Thursday we took a 45 minute walk hack and then tried out Emma's schooling plan recording, which was the perfect thing for loosening up a tired pony without me having to use my tired brain. 

Walk hack with moos who were very interested in meeting BB

But back to Friday. PW asked how we had been doing. I had seen him once when I came to watch a friend's lesson. I filled him in on our RF at Bouckaert at that point. So on Friday I caught him up to speed on how Stable View had gone and he listened closely and then got to work. The course initially in the ring was set up with a one stride, but he backed it out to a two stride and put in a nice bending line seven stride line to the two. We warmed up with a ground line rolled a foot out from the base of a vertical that he then turned into an oxer. The focus was on landing and GOING. He traded out my roller ball spurs for tiny rowels. I was to land and turn heel in for two strides. I was NOT to shove with my body or seat, just close my leg/spur. We practiced this three or four times and then tried without that aid. Lo and behold, pony galloped boldly forward from the jump. 

Galloping boldly at Stable View, photo by Liz Crawley

There is either something magical about PW's ring and presence or this lesson was the culmination of all of the things we've been working so hard at the past several months. The whole thing was great. Butterball was absolutely jumping out of his skin. I was able to GO forward away from the fences and then keep supporting leg on through the turn to then let him find the distance correctly without shoving him past it. We did a five stride line across the diagonal, turn left to a four stride line down the long side, turn across the diagonal to a single oxer that he jumped the absolute snot out of, right hand turn to a single oxer, seven strides to the two stride. The first time we went through the two stride he took a deep spot in, but I landed and used my leg and he boldly moved up to get the two strides. 

It truly was putting all the pieces together. PW noted that too; he felt like we had continued to improve and progress since he saw us last. Butterball is pretty darn strong and balanced right now. I was coming around turns using EM's feeling of leg yielding him out to the spot and then landing, going, and then smoothly balancing around the next turn. I was mostly up in two point off his back and would just softly sit through the last part of the turn and the approach to the fence. I was occasionally remembering to lengthen the left side of my body. And in response, Butterball felt light, balanced, trustworthy and just downright amazing. 

Sweet Dixie

September Wrap Up

For our weight/muscle picture this month (last compared to July) we have a lesson in allllll the different ways you can stand a horse to make them look all kinds of ways. I took these pics after clipping after a lesson and BB was just kinda done with my games. Which means I never really got him stood up the way I wanted.

Here we demo standing underneath of yourself, although this might be the best shot of the bunch

Vs. parked out behind and with an interesting neck flex with haunches closer to the camera

Neck is held more naturally

Going for a little parked out behind again with haunches further from the camera

And here we get the "seriously, what is the point of the figeting??" face with haunches under again but better lined up with the front legs when it comes to distance from the camera 

"Can I PLEASE go out now?" 

Out, doing scritchies with his bigger buckskin friend

Our feeding plan had a few changes after coming back from Bouckaert Farms and a few days with EM looking too lean. He's eating more alfalfa or T&A in the few hours he spends in the stall AM and PM to eat his grain. I also added in Dac Oil - 2 oz twice a day. And switched him off the SmartCombo Ultimate Pellets because of price increases and his dislike of the supplement. He would leave some of the, very expensive, pellets at the bottom of his feed bucket each morning. He's now getting Optiwize 10-N-1, which he eats readily. 

Also, OMG the conformation pics were September 10th. I clipped him LESS THAN A MONTH AGO. He is ALREADY SO FURRY AGAIN. My favorite and least favorite silly features of BB? Rapid hair growing is least fave; pre-installed I don't pee in horse trailers and will pause to pee before loading up is most fave. 

If I wanted to, I could have a hundred of this same picture; a few feet from the trailer, making sure he gets on with an empty bladder. I'm a bit anal about my trailer and keeping it in working order, so having a horse that doesn't require constantly removing the mats and hosing out the ammonia laced urine that is under the mats/on the frame is absolutely stellar. 

Anyways, on to what we got up to this month: 

	Butterball
Training rides	2- 1 combo lesson/TR and 1 TR of trotting hills
Lessons	7- all jump lessons with EM
Hacks	2- 1 in hand and 1 trail ride (2 hours)
Flat rides	6
Conditioning rides	4- 3 traditional and 1 “water treadmill” in the pond
XC school	0
Shows	2- Majestic Oaks schooling show and Stable View Horse trial

We had a pretty lovely September. The month focused on our stadium rehab. Two training rides with EM and then 7 jump lessons. Throughout the lessons the focus was on a soft, forward flow. There were multiple cavaletti exercises and lots of placing poles. This paid off and we had two successful stadium rounds - Majestic and Stable View. While there is still tons to work on there, those definitely added some confidence to the bank. And our XC run at Stable View was just downright FUN. Galloping the golden pony up a big 'ole hill and feeling him dig in and GO was great. 

Majestic Oaks galloping pic because for once I made the financially sound decision and only bought one Stable View pic in spite of loving multiple XC pics including a galloping one

We also did a lot of conditioning in September and while that back fired a bit and gave him sore feet for a week, it also paid off eventually in that he felt the most fit he ever has for the hilly Stable View cross country run. We have our last two weeks of conditioning coming up - 6 minute canter sets this week and then adding in 2 minute "sprints" at 500 mpm to the final conditioning rides before our novice three day. After the sore feet incident, I have done every canter set at Sweet Dixie. NGL, there are times where this has pushed fun hobby into job to get done. I don't do the canter sets adjacent to jump lessons, so this has put the canter sets on days where I don't particularly have time to haul out, trot and canter, walk, and then haul back before work. So I've been out and loading up the pony at awkward times like 6 AM before work or 3 PM after an overnight shift before heading in to another overnight shift. But really, I am privileged to have a sound, willing horse to be doing with this. AND a job that pays for all this travel and training and has tons of days off and funky enough shift hours on the days I do work that I can squeeze things in on either side.

Multiple people have told me sometimes Kentucky is lovely in October and other times it is 50 degrees and raining the whole week. Honestly, if that's the forecast, I am reserving the right to NOT GO. It rained at Bouckaert Farms and at Stable View, so I'm not a totally fair weather rider/camper. BUT... cold and raining the whole time? I think that would be the opposite of a grand adventure, unfortunately. 

Getting to Kentucky is obviously the big focus this month. EM is now up in PA through the time we go to Hagyard, so I've reconnected with PW to take a few lessons in the next two weeks. Once we come home from Kentucky, Butterball will get a week or two completely off and then have two weeks of trail riding and light rides only before we get back into the swing of things for the start of winter season here in FL. One of these fun trail rides is a trip to a NEW lake with a few friends. 

As far as future-future plans, I looked at my winter-spring work schedule and the show calendar a few days ago. Enough things line up that I'll get to pick and choose shows and not be limited to the one weekend that I am off work. Woohoo! One spring goal is to get back to Bouckaert Farms to run the XC we didn't get to in August. 

Stable View Day 2 - The Jompies

The above conversation about sums up our stadium round. 

The course was nice and loopy with a couple related distances. Five to six was a five. Then there was a two stride oxer to vertical for 7AB. Then eight to nine was a six. We went in and got it done, essentially. I'm back to believing that we're capable, which as another friend said, is 99% of the battle. 

There was A LOT to look at in the ring. Lots of extra jumps. Metal bleachers on one side, the VIP stands on another. A few trucks thrown in by the sponsors for funsies. It was good to have that atmosphere and feel that he is still the same horse. 

We had a 3.5 hour break before XC, so pony pants got hosed and then put back on the trailer to munch hay. He also got half a tube of Pre-Fuel and another dose of outlast. I'd managed to find a slightly closer spot with more horses around us, so his comfort level was better than Saturday. I went and walked XC twice more, getting to watch modified riders gallop around as I was walking. There was lots of great riding and only a couple of hairy moments. 

Insert cookie PLZ 

EM warmed us up for stadium, but then was heading 10 hours north to PA, so hit the road after our round. Which meant we were on our own for XC warm up. They were running a tiny bit ahead so we walked, trotted, went forward and back canter to gallop, and then popped over the warm up fences. He felt great and we were in a good rhythm. Gallop forward, then lightly sit with shoulders up to bring the balance up, leg on but not chasing, and he was good to go, popping over everything out of stride. 

The course took essentially the same route as it had a few years ago when Ben and I ran novice here
There is a bit of downhill then uphill terrain from 4-7. Then between 10 and 11 is a long gallop uphill. Which puts you in the flat top field for 11-18.

1- Log and box - After watching 2* and modified riders leave the box, I took a slightly different approach to leaving the box than I have in the past. We trotted in as she hit 2-1-have a great ride. This was much smoother I think and he left the box GOING to the point that I went "oh crap, half halt a tiny bit" so I brought my shoulders up and he pinged on over the first fence. I think it was the best first jump we've had out XC

Number 2 was the hammock tables

Mine. I remembered JT saying it was spooky for people but rode fine for horses. I put his nose on the slightly left hand section and told him to go get it and be brave for me and he did. Jumped it perfectly out of stride. 

3 was slightly uphill, went fine

4- turn downhill to the left hand fence here. He got wiggly and rolling. EM had warned me to sit up and feel like I was shortening his stride to this. I didn't do quite enough of this and he wiggled at the base. 

After 4, he ROLLED downhill around the right hand turn, to the point where I was worried he might slip. I did half-halt pretty strongly when I felt that, which helped, but he needed a second. He rolled along pretty quickly and a little spooky past the woods on our right hand side. 

5- he definitely felt a little squirrely to this. Kind of in a new, unfamiliar way. But that's why we do this, right? It was like his hamster had jumped off the wheel as his feet quickened down the hill and now his brain was going the speed of the runaway hamster and he wasn't used to it. 

6- Friendly enough jump before heading up over the mound and to 7. 

7- Chevron type thing. I did half halt coming down the little hill, but again not quite enough. He's honest so he went, but it wasn't beautiful. 

8- Brush, shared with BN. He did get a little spooky at the shrubs to the right, but I tapped him with the crop on the left. It was probably the sketchiest jump on course for us, but he went. Then I finally got a bit more serious about half-halting until his ears came up. 

9- Friendly enough little jump. Aim towards the tree to the left behind it, get 9 done before you even think about 10. 

10- corner - I picked the point I was going to ride to and we rode to that. He felt great. Then he POWERED up the hill in a way that I didn't quite expect. Ben did the same, but I thought pony pants might have more feels about galloping up a hill. He didn't. EM did warn me to assess the horse I had after the hill once we got to the top field and make sure he wasn't too worn out. 

11- There was a lot to look at behind this. He felt plenty energetic, but wiggled a bit. 

12AB- half coffin. He was a star. Jumped great over both. 

13- Either a bending five or a direct four from the ditch. He JUMPED the ditch but we landed a bit left, so I woahed for the five to the left hand side here

14- Good boy again

15A- water. He actually went a little sideways and alllmost attempted to skirt the water - which funny enough you could go through the flags without actually entering water. We very nearly did that. 

15B- nice log box plenty far enough from the water

16- Step table, again a good boy 

17- Double brush, we practiced our steeple chase feel here a bit and it was fun 

18- Make sure to jump the novice side! 

I did screw up a bit and looked at my watch before 18 and saw 4 something so thought we might be quick. I slowed down for 18 and then was trying to sort out where the finish flags were after we went over 18. They were freaking totems that were huge, but the flags were kinda sorta hard to see AND they were different than they had been for the modified riders I had watched earlier. I slowed down before them, unintentionally, but to the point that the end timer stopped me and told me I could get willful delay penalties for slowing down that much. My penalty was being 3 seconds over time, which was enough to drop us from 5th to 8th in this big division. I had already planned on NOT staying to pick up a ribbon. The twine I kept my ribbons on in my trailer kept falling, so I relocated it and in the process dumped a bunch of ribbons. I realized that with a few exceptions I don't want to start accumulating ribbons again (years of showing schooling dressage shows through college led to quite a collection, of which I have none now and no regrets about that either). Also, see above about huge division. My times were roughly in the middle, so waiting until the division finished AND then through the 30 minute inquiry time was gonna be a no go when we had another 7 hour drive home. 

I was SO HAPPY with him after cross country. It was SUCH a FUN course and we felt really in sync over the whole thing. It was a great prep for Hagyard this month. I iced his legs, let him eat some more Outlast and then take a little mosey around before putting him back on the trailer for the drive home. It was smoother since we were leaving from west of Aiken (as opposed to the farm that is slightly east of Aiken). We spent a tiny bit of time on I-20 to start and then the rest of the time on empty, nicely paved, mostly straight Georgia back roads. The ag inspection station entering Florida was unoccupied. We arrived home at 9 and I dropped him straight in the pasture with his buddies. 

Napping initially

But then awake and digging a hole while I went to refill waters

I did load the poor kid up again the next morning to go get his feet done. I would NOT have blamed him if he said no thanks, but he walked straight up to me and then straight onto the trailer. Thanks buddy, you are the best.