Training Aids, Gadgets, and Cheating

I did it, I purchased a gadget. Actually, I purchased two. A De Gauge and a Neck Stretcher. I actually used to have a Chambone, which is essentially a De Gauge without the running attachment. I used it on Frankie for a few weeks a long, long time ago. I didn’t like him in it because 1. he didn’t care and just braced against it and 2. he was too young and imbalanced to benefit from it. Then it was “borrowed”….forever. Since I have been struggling... Read More

Back to Work After a Scare

Frankie got a mini-vacation. His left front leg has had some edema for about a week. He had been completely sound and the swelling would go down after I worked him. In all honesty, I had been ignoring it. Pretending it wasn’t there because I was hoping it would just go away. I really couldn’t deal with a major injury. I know, it doesn’t really make sense. If something is wrong it’s better to address it sooner than later. But, I just couldn’t... Read More

Back to Basics

After a day off, I was hoping Frankie was refreshed and that we could start the week seeing eye to eye. It was hot and humid today, but by the time I got out to ride the temperature had at least gone down even if the air did feel more like a liquid. Outside it was gonna be. I put the Myler loose ring on with the standing martingale. Right away I got a pretty good walk, without even really asking. Knowing we had such difficulty with downward transitions I decided to start from... Read More

Bad rides make the good rides that much better

Today sucked. It was hot out and both me and Frankie were sweating before I even got on. I put draw reins on and used the Myler loose ring I rode in the other day. He was being pretty good. Though he just wasn’t relaxed. It took a forward canter for about 10 minutes before he relaxed. Tired isn’t the kind of relaxed I was looking for. He did get soft and nice so, I decided to take the draw reins off. Bad idea. I don’t know what happened. The upward transitions... Read More

A Terrible Start to a Great Finish

It was hot outside and the sun was shining. I wanted to take advantage of a rainless afternoon and saw a small course set up in the outdoor. I went out and set the jumps. There was four single fences, a line, and a combination (a one to a three). I set one single fence as an X, one at 3′, one at 3’6″, and one at 4′. Then I set the fences in the lines and combination at 4’3″. Since I was planning on jumping, I put the pelham on with the standing... Read More

Crazy Poles

Rain, again. Grrrr. I really didn’t feel like riding inside—it wasn’t raining that hard. I knew if I opted for the outdoor it would start pouring. So I decided to ride inside. Both Frankie and I are going to get bored if we just keep going in circles, so I decided to mix it up a bit. I don’t like jumping in the indoor, so I compromised. I set up a course of poles. Scattered them a bit—made sure they were all at approachable angles. Set two “lines”... Read More

Cheating with Draw Reins & Teeth Grinding

I didn’t feel like riding tonight. It was a long day at work and I was tired and hungry. But, I got out to the barn and felt compelled to get on. I didn’t want to pick a fight and didn’t want Frankie to give me a reason to get grumpy at him. So, I decided to cheat and put draw reins on him. I used the loose ring and we rode outside. At least I knew he would have an easier time moving forward in a bigger space. I don’t know why I did it, but I tightened... Read More

A Squabbling Ride

The rain is back and to the indoor we went. Frankie seemed happy to get out of his stall, but not so happy to walk in the rain to the indoor. We donned our rain gear for the walk, but still managed to get wet. My plan for the day was to work on round gaits, forward gaits, and transitions. I decided to put on the pelham, but with no chain and no curb rein. I know, it would seem to be a regular snaffle, but he is still better in that than a loose ring. Maybe because it provides... Read More

Lazy day…..for me

I had a long day at work and wasn’t in a great mood when I got out to the barn. I don’t like riding when I am in a foul mood. Generally, a foul mood generates a foul ride and Frankie really doesn’t deserve me to take my bad day out on him. Frankie needed to work even if I wasn’t up for the task on his back. I decided to throw some side reins on him for a lunge session. I like seeing him on a lunge line every once in a while anyway. Frankie just is... Read More

Road Trip

We decided to pack up and ship out for some more cross country practice. It was hot, humid, and buggy. My goal was mostly for me. I wanted to jump as many different types of cross country fences as I could. I know Frankie will jump any jump he encounters. But, as a jumper rider; those solid fences still intimidate me sometimes. Even the small ones. We went to a farm I boarded at for a little while in the winter. I remembered them having some scary looking solid fences. The... Read More

Mini-Jumps

It was hot out, humid, thick. I really didn’t feel like riding, and I knew Frankie would feel the same way. Neither one of us likes to work too hard in humid, hot weather. Too bad for both of us; we have work to do. I threw the pelham on him, with the converter, but the chain was set really loose. I also attached a standing martingale to keep his head from flying into the clouds. Frankie knew it was all business—I guess I was just too serious. I went out and put all... Read More

Re-Round

Today was my day to revisit what I had learned in the dressage portion of the clinic. I want that feeling again. Frankie was up for trying, but the loose ring I have just didn’t work as good as what I was riding in at the clinic. It was interesting because I rode him in the pelham at the clinic. When I first got the “feeling” of roundness and him really coming through, I was concerned the lightness I enjoyed was caused by the pelham. He’s always light... Read More

Clinic – Cross Country

So it was off to the cross country portion of the Eric Horgan Clinic. Frankie was in a much better mood for this clinic than the last one. These were private, and Frankie was much more relaxed since there were no other horses that might look at him. Whole session was a blast. We worked on ditches, banks, jumps w/ ditches in front of them, and jumping downhill. Frankie was such a good boy and up for any challenge that was thrown at him. We put a few “courses” together,... Read More

Clinic – We got round

Short trip today for a clinic with Eric Horgan. Today’s ride was going to be in the ring. We worked on the flat for about half an hour and then over fences for the other half. It was fantastic. I felt Frankie be round. Well, honestly I have felt that a handful of times before. Unfortunately, I never really knew if that was “it” or not. So I would continue to “tweak” the gait without ever even knowing what I had. Once we had a consistently good... Read More