End of the Year Trail Ride

This year has been a roller coaster in many ways so I suppose it is fitting that the Roller Coaster Hills should be my last ride of 2011. My friend Sharon and I headed out this afternoon and although it was windy, it was not cold! Not even cold enough to wear my gloves! WooHoo--I love it! The trails out in those hills are quite rocky. There are short, steep hills, one after the other for a couple of miles. We bushwhacked our way through the cedars and sagebrush and rocks in a few places. Flyboy was very good, not spooky at all, but not confident enough to take the lead willingly. Still, I was pleased as this was his first trail ride in about a month! He was feeling the rocks on the way back, so when we hit the gravel road leading to the trailer, I hopped off and walked the last quarter mile or so. It was mostly a walk ride because of all the rocks, but we did get in a few long trots.

I trailered both horses to Sharon's and left Keno in the pasture while we rode. I know I can't baby Flyboy forever, but I am hoping to help him relax in the trailer again by keeping another horse nearby. He has anxiety about trailering, for sure, but he was pretty good about it today. He loads well, but stresses when the slant is closed. Keno doesn't mind being a babysitter, so that works for now.

50 Degree Riding!

Unheard of warm weather for this time of year and I am loving it! But that was not the best part of the afternoon--my ride on Flyboy was! He was fabulous!

We started by trailering to the arena. Keno came along too, as I was planning on giving him a good workout also. However, he is definitely sore on his right hind. I have been hoping I was imagining the little things I was seeing this past week, but he is short-striding at the trot and he stumbled when stepping his hind end up into the trailer--very uncharacteristic of him. Needless to say, I did not ride him. I think I'll call the chiropractor to check him out. I hope it's nothing serious! Keno ended up standing at the rail watching Flyboy show off his stuff.

I worked Fly on the ground a little bit before saddling him. He had not been ridden in two weeks so I was a little unsure of what his mind-set would be, but the ground work seems to help him pay attention to me and think about what we are doing. He was a little high headed to start with, gawking at the people out jogging with their dog; the big yellow tractor going by was exciting, and not one, but two trains blew by. Nonetheless I kept him working and Fly responded well.

I saddled him with the new saddle (which I LOVE) and the new Grandeur saddle pad. Under saddle Fly was very forward, soft and bent, and relaxed. His ears were much more forward which I think indicates he is happy; when he keeps them back he is worried and unsure of himself or uncomfortable. He never pins his ears, but he is pretty expressive with them, and I am learning to read him better. His trot was energetic and his canter was wonderful. He was very happy to canter in both directions which I think means he must be comfortable with the new saddle pad; we were having so many saddle issues before, but they seem to be resolved. (Knocking on wood here, people!)

Circles, serpentines, trot poles, halts, rein backs, etc., and walk, trot, and canter. It was great. Fly kept offering to canter, even when I was asking for a trot, but he was not running away with me or rushing, he just liked cantering! I liked it, too! Tomorrow's trail ride should be a fun change for us both.

Play Time

I had less than an hour to play with the horses this evening so we did a little ground work and played around with a couple of obstacles. Flyboy is very clever. This was an easy one! This horse also has a very nice jump if I wanted to take him that direction. He jumps BIG but seems relaxed and he makes it look totally effortless.

Fly did have a little feisty attitude going today. I think he needs to get out on a good ride. I think when we get to start putting on some serious miles a lot of the little issues will just dissolve. I just have to make sure he is going to trailer calmly and nicely. Trailering well is rather critical in my opinion! Tomorrow we will trailer again and go for a trail ride or at least get to the arena, I hope. We are supposed to get a small storm and I am waiting for a guy to let me know when he can haul a load of pea gravel for me (hopefully before the storm!) But I will fit my horse time in around those things!

Blocker Tie Ring At Work

We have been enjoying such incredible weather this week! I spent three hours outside with the horses this afternoon in a light jacket. Crazy for this time of year, but I will never complain--I hope the whole winter is like this!

Flyboy got more practice with his "thinking cap" head bumper. He wore it for all his ground work: following a feel practice, leading, backing, squeeze game, lunging transition practice, etc. He is pretty comfortable with it at this point. I attached a small ring and clip to the poll strap to keep it from falling forward over his face again, so even if he shakes his head it stays securely in place. 

This morning I bought 24' of braided nylon rope so I have a longer lead/lunge rope. I tied it directly to his halter so there is no hardware to break. I have been using the Blocker ring for a couple of months now, but I never actually instigated a spook to teach him not to pull back. This video is one of many that shows the method of training recommended to teach a horse to yield to poll pressure and come forward to get the release. The fact that they can go backward helps to control the trapped/panicky feeling, but the poll pressure remains until they quit pulling. 

I pulled my truck and trailer into my arena so we had good footing to work on. I then spent about an hour doing this with Fly. I used my stick with the flag, then added a plastic bag. I then used an empty dog food sack and a blanket. I am sure the neighbors were entertained by my jumping around and waving things in the air! But by the end of the hour Fly was standing steady through all of it. The first few spooks were big pull-backs. I'm sure he thought I was bonkers, but funny enough, he kept coming to me for support and security. You would think he would be afraid of me, but he was not. Every time he pulled back I just brought him forward again and repeated the whole thing. Eventually he quit pulling back at all, and I then secured the rope on a tighter setting on the ring. Now it took more effort to pull the rope through, but he knew to come forward off the rope very quickly.

I gave Fly lots of reassurances and breaks for "licking and chewing time". He seemed to be getting it. I finally left him tied with a hay net while I went in to grab some lunch. When I came back out 30 minutes later he was standing quietly just as I left him. I loaded both horses and took them down to the arena to run and play, and when they had had their fun, I tied Flyboy to a secure post (with the ring on the tighter setting) and left him in the arena while I took Keno back to the trailer and trimmed his feet while Fly stood quietly on his own.

I will try to give him a buddy to trailer with as much as possible for a while to help bring his comfort level back to where it was before his freak-out incidents. I know it will help him, but eventually he has to trailer alone, too. We will take it slowly for now.  

Got My Thinking Cap On

My blog silence has been due to a dark cloud of horse-related depression. Last Saturday I headed out to trim four horses at my friend's ranch. A good opportunity (or so it seemed at the time) to trailer Flyboy somewhere new and let him practice standing tied to the trailer. He needs this kind of practice, but it kind of backfired on me. Fly loaded into the trailer just fine. I closed the slant panel (newly repaired, remember?) and went around to the outside and tied him. I already learned my lesson about not tying him when he tried to turn around and panicked and ended up with stitches, right? So I tied him to prevent him from trying to turn around. When he tried to swing his head around and realized he was tied, he pulled back creating a panic situation for himself. Since he had nowhere to go, he went up. Once he settled somewhat from his wicked scramble, I drove the ten miles to the ranch. I unloaded him and noticed a couple of drops of blood on his face. He had a 2" gash high on his forehead just under his fetlock. It was not bleeding badly, but was wide open. Ouch. This time it looked like it would heal without stitches. I trimmed sixteen hooves and trailered him home loose--no closed slant panel. Which is damaged again, too. Sigh. I doctored Fly as best I could and left it to heal.

So no riding or trailering for him this week. I was too frustrated to even write about it for a while. I rode Keno, taught two lessons on him, and played a bit with Fly at home. Today I introduced Flyboy to a head bumper. I told him it was his thinking cap. He wasn't thrilled at first, but I rubbed his head, neck, ears, eyes, and face with it until he let me stick his ears in it and snap it in place.

Once it was on he seemed to forget about it. We played some ground games with an old tire, a couple of barrels, ground poles, etc. He likes this kind of work and was doing great until he shook his head really hard and the bumper fell forward over his face. He spooked big, then wheeled around to face me, stood stock still looking at me like, "Help! Get this thing off me!" I unsnapped it, rubbed him with it again, and reattached it. I'll have to get a clip to snap it to the top of his halter behind his ears so that doesn't happen again!

I also gave Fly a full body massage which he seemed to enjoy. He started yawning after ten minutes and must have yawned six or eight times in a row. Good releases! Or maybe he was just sleepy since we were relaxing in the warm sun. Yes, warm! It was 4 degrees when I went out to do chores this morning, but the sun felt great this afternoon!

This horse has got to learn to yield to pressure when he panics. He does well on a lead rope with games, etc, but it's different when he is tied. The Blocker ring works somewhat, but he has learned that if he just leans into it and walks away he can pull the rope through. I use it of course when I have to tie him, but it's not truly teaching him to yield. I do have some other ideas, though, and Marleen (trainer) is coming down next week with some ideas of her own. I like so many things about this horse; I really want to help him get over this so he will be safe and useful and fun!

Good things about Flyboy:
1.    His canter. Wow.
2.    His flexibility.
3.    His forward stride.
4.    His curiosity.
5.    His willingness.
6.    He is super smart.
7.    He is kind.

Things that need work:
1.    His confidence.
2.    Tying.
3.    Trailering (related to the things above).

I'm Back!

I received a phone call last Thursday afternoon from my daughter. She said, "Mom, it's time." So into the truck I jumped and headed down the road. Five hours later and no broken speed limits to speak of (at least not very broken), I arrived, and three hours after that, their son was born! I have been there all week, helping out and enjoying the tiny new addition to the family. I was glad I had a reliable chore girl to take care of my horses and dogs. I use her regularly; she does a good job, so I don't stress too much about being away for a week!

Now, I realize my last post was a vent. I admit I was frustrated, but it was just a vent. Flyboy is young in his education and I don't expect it to all be totally smooth sailing. I am not giving up on him; we just have work to do and training holes to fill. We have time. He is young. I have ideas. I have patience. And I have a good trainer/mentor.

I got home late last night, had to be at work early this morning, and had a 2:00 o'clock work party to attend. But since I get off work at noon, I figured I had time to get my two boys down to the arena to let them blow off a little steam. Did they ever! Flyboy flew! Around and around the arena he and Keno ran. Fly can really turn on the juice when he wants to!

I saddled him a few minutes later using the new Grandeur Suspension saddle pad that conveniently arrived yesterday afternoon. It looks to be a good fit with the Black Forest Shasta. It seems like a very high quality pad. I am hoping (desperately!) that it won't cause any rubs on Flyboy. I will be relieved if our saddle fit issues are over! I like the saddle very much so I hope this pad will help it work for Fly. I only rode him half an hour so a better test will be performed tomorrow. I'm hoping to get out on a trail ride since we are still enjoying a mild winter with none of that cold wet frozen stuff making mud everywhere!

Trailer loading today was a complete non-issue. Fly just got in the trailer like a normal horse. Keno went in behind him. Hmmmm. Maybe more about that later, but for today at least--calm seas and smooth sailing!

Trailer Drama (Again. Sigh.)

Well, I officially just don't get it. I'm frustrated with trying so hard not to get frustrated over the trailer drama I had today with Flyboy. We had a one o'clock vet appointment to get his stitches removed. The vet's office is forty minutes from here. At ten to twelve I haltered Fly and played a few ground games with him including the "following the feel" exercises we have been doing. I then asked him to step into the trailer. He did not want to. I sent him in, praised him when he did put two feet inside. Within very short order he became fractious and obstinate. He reared. He backed up. He crowded into me. I just don't get it.

I did not rush him. I don't think I was unfair. I tried sending him in as well as leading him in. Forty minutes later I gave up and opened up the slant panel. I was able to get him in and quickly close the door. He "paced" back and forth a bit, and I could feel him moving around as I drove. Needless to say, we were late for our appointment.

At the vet's we also had a little drama. I warned them that Fly panics if he feels trapped, but the vet wanted to try to remove the stitches without tranquilizing him, so he wrapped the lead around the bottom bar of the front stocks gate. Sure enough, Fly pulled against the pressure and reared up, getting one front leg over the top bar of the stocks and the other in between the two top bars on the side gate! Luckily once he figured out that he was stuck he quit panicking and they were able to open the gate enough to get him free. It took about thirty seconds to remove all the stitches once he had a shot of tranquilizer. And of course, drugged, he loaded like a champ for the drive home.

Today I am tired of the drama. I know most days have been far better, but the problem still exists. He does not give to pressure. That is the very root of the problem. I want to get it solved so we can get on with other aspects of training.

Cold

I'm f-f-freezing. My friends and I decided to wait a day or two till the weather warms a bit to start our soccer training. We were worried that the balls would crack since the high temperature is 23 degrees. Too cold to let the horses get very sweaty, for sure. My two guys are standing in the sun trying to soak one more degree out of it. I will let them have the day off!

Follow, Follow, Follow

I just spent a couple of hours at the indoor arena with the horses. Flyboy got an hour's worth of practice standing tied to the rail. He was perfectly relaxed and probably bored. Unfortunately no other horses were there. Again. Both my horses need the excitement of seeing other activities in progress! I love having the place to myself, but I do understand the value of working in a crowd! Ropers or barrel racers have the arena booked this evening, so if I can drag myself back out in the cold, maybe I'll take Fly down again. Or maybe we'll see if anyone is there tomorrow.....

I then spent some time in the round pen with Flyboy. And we practiced "following the feel," leading from a "feel" (I got tons of exercise jogging and turning all over the place!), and yielding in all directions. I am also working hard on getting him to lower his head when asked. He will drop his head a little (I am very quick on the release) but if he feels trapped at all he will jerk his head up again. I think working on getting him to give to pressure might help with the pulling back issues we have had. It's not like it's been a huge problem, but I have seen him do it a couple of times, so I don't trust him not to pull back. Flyboy has to tie reliably and safely if he wants to be a good endurance horse.

In any case, I feel like he is making good progress. He's an interesting horse, and while there are a few holes in his education, we are working on filling them. I am encouraged, and I still think he's going to Fly down the trail eventually!

Following A Feel

Today I got a great lesson in "following a feel." Flyboy did, too, but I think I may have learned the most. Marleen did a wonderful job helping me to see what it means for a horse to follow a feel rather than to be driven into it. I really think this was a timely lesson for me. Fly does not always follow a feel which is why he tends to pull back against pressure at times. I will be working on this with him a bunch these next few weeks. This is a difficult concept to describe in words. It's about feel. About energy. About bring down the energy. About letting Fly figure out the right thing, and about "making the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult but not impossible."

After a short session on the ground, I saddled up and we worked on very similar things from his back-- following a feel. He actually did quite well and showed marked improvement even within our short lesson. He did show resistance again going to the right a few times; something is bothering him and I need to get that figured out. Saddle or pad or soreness somewhere? I'm not sure, but since I know my saddle pad situation with the treeless saddle is not ideal, I'll start there and see what I can get fixed up for him. I also need to get longer reins--more like dig them out as I'm sure there are some lurking around here somewhere.

The cool thing about this lesson is that it put Fly into a frame of mind to load in the trailer without any of the significant anxiety I have seen the last few days due to the incident we experienced a week ago. (I'm sure this has to do with the frame of mind I was in, as well.) I sent him into the trailer, let him come out again, sent him in, let him back out, sent him in, asked him to stay in, backed him out, sent him in and closed the slant panel. He was quiet throughout, calm, relaxed, and did not fidget. I tied his lead from the outside just in case he tried to turn his head, but he showed no sign of unease. Wow. Wow. 


I have homework: get longer reins, change/fix the saddle pad, expose him to different situations (i.e. get him down to the arena when other riders/ropers are there), and bring a couple of old tires to my next lesson. (I have plans for Monday to begin our equine soccer fun with a couple of friends so that should help with the new situations exposure.)

A Big Mountain

Well, Flyboy got to climb his mountain today--the mountain he needed yesterday! A couple of friends and I rode a few miles up a dirt road in the canyon this sunny, lovely, warm-for-the-end-of-November afternoon! It was a great ride even though Fly and Janie got "stuck" when they first spotted Tammy and Joker way up ahead. They could not figure out why Tammy was off her horse and walking--something about that just couldn't be right, so neither horse wanted go closer. It took a few minutes to convince Flyboy that it was just a person and they were OK. Once we got close enough, Fly let out a big sigh, "Oh yeah, I know them!" I wonder if horses get embarrassed.

We rode all the way up, up, up to the cattle tank on top. Fly was good boy, but it was a workout! Long winter coat + unseasonably warm weather + big mountain = hot, sweaty horse. I got off and walked part of the way down to give him a break. We met my husband hiking up the road as we headed back to the trailer. He was not nearly as scary looking as Tammy and Joker. Go figure!

I am going to have to spend some time doing some trailer-loading practice with Fly again. He is quite upset about the incident last week. He needs to regroup and start from the beginning. He needs to gain confidence all over again. Today he travelled loose. Hopefully Marleen can help me tomorrow at my lesson; I just needed an extra hand today.

But I did get my slant panel fixed already. A great handy-man here in town repaired the slant panel and even the old dents in the fender! I dropped the trailer off at his house yesterday afternoon and picked it up when I got off work this morning. You sure can't beat that! Thanks, Jack!

Spook and Spin

Owie is healing, eye draining a bit.

Flyboy went back to work today, and boy, does he need some work! He needs a big mountain to climb. This guy was quite full of himself today despite his recent injuries. (His head traumas are actually healing quickly and don't seem to be bothering him much, thank goodness.)

We headed out to Dog Valley this afternoon--solo, since it's not like I could invite a friend to come along until my trailer slant panel gets fixed, but Flyboy loaded into the trailer and traveled loose, since the panel is tied open for now. Fly has not been out on a trail ride for a couple of weeks and he hasn't been solo for even longer, so I pretty much knew what to expect and wore my crash vest as a precaution. I also carried my SPOT Tracker as always, in addition to my cell phone.

I saddled up with the new treeless saddle and Equipedic

pad with the extra foam inserts. I attached the breast collar, too. In order to bridle him with the least amount of disturbance to his sutures, I unbuckled the headstall before asking him to take the bit. It worked like a charm. No bumping any sore spots at all! We headed out on what in my mind should now be a familiar trail to Flyboy.

Well, familiar or not, he was on the lookout for the bogey man again. Thought he found him once, too, when he decided to do a quick spook and spin (with the intention of skedaddling back the way we came!) But I interrupted his plans quickly enough and stuck to the new saddle pretty well, and we carried on. But you know, where there is one bogey man, there are usually more, so he was looking behind every cedar tree and sagebrush. We headed up the Sugarloaf Hill to give him something else to think about. Something like millions of rocks and some steeper terrain. That did the trick. He settled a little by the time we made it to the top.

Coming down the trail was very interesting. Fly has never been comfortable going downhill with me before--always stiff legged and jolting and hesitant--obviously uncomfortable. I assumed it was because of the saddle not fitting well, and my assumption was absolutely correct, because today he went just as powerfully down the hill as he did on the way up! He flowed down the hill! Yay! Nothing was blocking his shoulders so he could move freely. And he definitely did.

Fairly even sweat marks

We climbed a couple of other hills, stepped over a few logs, bushwhacked through the sagebrush, and had a couple of good trot stretches. He felt great, even though he was still looking for that illusive bogey man. He powered over all kinds of terrain--no boots today, and he was very forward. He only got a little sticky a few times when he thought he saw something, but with a little encouragement he carried on. An hour and a half total, and he worked up a medium sweat with his winter coat.

I am very comfortable in the new saddle. I would like to see a bit more wither clearance without having to have so much padding in the saddle pad. I may have to invest in a new pad--something like the Grandeur Vario or equivalent, but I have a couple of other things I can try first. I would have to say Flyboy seemed comfortable in it today based on his forwardness. He did duck his head and root on the reins quite a bit, but that is not new behavior. (We are working on solving that issue, too.)

Some rubbing over the loin from the pad

Fly's Eyes

Luckily Flyboy's eyes are no longer very swollen. I know the one deep cut over his left eye is still pretty sore since he won't let me touch it. He is still sensitive about the top of his head, too, poor guy. But he's been pretty active and even ran out to the fence to greet Keno when we returned from our ride, so overall, he is healing and will hopefully be back to work under saddle by Monday.

I have been playing with saddle pad options for the new Black Forest Shasta saddle. Right now I have added 3/4"' closed cell foam inserts to the original memory foam inserts in my Equipedic pad. (This pad has had hard use for four years, so I know the original foam can't be in great shape.) This combo seemed to work pretty well for Keno today--it kept the gullet off his high withers for a short ride. He could probably use shims since he has such a steep wither to shoulder slope! Although he feels much wider in this saddle than in my treed English saddle, I am quite comfortable, and the saddle feels very stable.

Trailer Disaster

Oh, man. This was not supposed to happen.

My husband and I headed up the canyon this afternoon--he would hike and I would ride Flyboy for an hour or so. He wanted exercise, and I wanted to try the new saddle again. But it was not to be. Two miles up the highway the trailer suddenly started rocking and jerking and I knew Flyboy was in trouble. He was thrashing about like crazy. I pulled off onto a side road to check on him, but looking through the window, I could see blood running down his face and in his eye. We turned around and headed back immediately. I was afraid of what I would see when I unloaded him. I knew his face was bleeding, but what else? The way he scrambled, I knew it could be serious. I said a prayer and pulled up to the barn.

We unloaded Fly and I held my breath as I checked him out. He had a deep cut above his eye that was bleeding badly. He had scuffed hair on both hips, but no broken skin. A few strands of forelock hung loose on his face. I tried to check his poll, but he was too upset to let me look. He was breathing hard and every couple of minutes he would swing his head at an angle to the side and sort of stagger sideways. My husband tried to help me wash the cut above Fly's eye, but it obviously hurt him too much to let us touch it.

I decided the vet was needed; although the cut was not more than an inch wide, it was very deep. I called to let them know I was on the way. The slant partition was badly damaged in the scramble so I had to tie it open all the way. It will have to be replaced. Fly would have to travel loose anyway, since I didn't dare to tie him or close him in tight. He was obviously stunned and traveling loose would be safer. A good friend met me at the freeway exit and rode with me.

The vet was waiting. Fly was very brave about going inside with all the lights and people. I led him into the stocks and the vet administered a tranquilizer. He was then able to get a close look at the damage. I held my breath. After palpating the facial bones and adding dye to the eyes to check the corneas, he determined Fly had no facial fractures and no damage to the actual eye. Both eyes were good. OK. Breathe again. The cut was deep and would have to be stitched. He also had a nasty trauma laceration on his poll and another cut near his other eye that was deep, too. All would have to be stitched, but should heal up fine. No other serious damage could be found. Legs were good, shoulders, back, barrel, all good. Whew.

Antibiotics, Bute, and Neosporin for five days. Bute for the massive headache and certain body aches Flyboy must have. Antibiotics and Neosporin to ward off infection. My poor boy. I am grateful it wasn't worse.

Flyboy had been doing so well with the trailer; it has been a non-issue for several weeks! I don't know what happened today, but I think he must have tried to turn around and then got into trouble and panicked. There are pictures below if you are brave enough to look.

He's gonna look like a prize fighter tomorrow.

OK, The New Saddle Is Here!

The new Black Forest Shasta arrived today! It was shipped two-day priority, but still took three days. And I had to chase down the mailman and ask him to hand it over since I could not wait another hour till he got to our street! He didn't believe me that the box contained a saddle--it wasn't heavy enough he said! I unpacked the saddle and was so happy it is not heavy! Woohoo! I loaded the horses and headed to the arena with my fingers crossed to try it out.

I rode Keno first. I know him and his gaits so well it's easier to feel what's what with a new saddle on him. He felt wide. He is wide, of course, but after multiple mounts/dismounts to adjust/readjust stirrup length and saddle placement, we got everything right and I was comfortable. (Mounting a 15.3H horse from the ground is a stretch, but this saddle was completely and totally stable. Not even a millimeter of slippage which is actually more than I can say for my treed Stubben!) I think Keno was comfortable as well, although I believe I had the saddle too far forward on both horses. (More on that in a minute.) I only rode him for a few minutes, then hopped off to try it on Flyboy.

Other than adding the breast collar, I used the same saddle and Equipedic pad on Fly. Even the same girth amazingly enough, although it was like five holes up on the billets! He is not the bulk that Keno is that's for sure!

Oh, wow. Comfy, comfy, comfy! I felt totally with him--not sitting on him, but with him. As I warmed him up, Fly blew ten or twelve times, which I took as a good sign. He moved out willingly, and after making a few adjustments to get myself settled, we worked on the circle at the trot for 10 minutes or so. My husband came down and shot some video and took a few photos.

However.... when I asked Fly to canter, I met resistance! That was a new thing; this guy likes to canter. But to the right, he broke to a trot several times. He bulged out his shoulder toward the gate as we passed, tossed his head, and was just generally resistant. Hmmm. To the left he was better and kept the canter. I didn't have a lot of time today, so I'll need to ride again and see if I can figure it out. But check out these photos:

Maybe my still-green Flyboy wasn't mentally warmed up? Maybe he needs a trail ride and a break from arena circles? Maybe his rider's position was not right? Maybe something about this saddle was bugging him? Bingo. This evening I called Vic, the owner of the Black Forest Saddle company to talk about a few questions I had. I asked about wither clearance, since there was not much at all on either horse. (Treeless saddles don't need the same amount of clearance as a treed saddle, but they do need some, of course.) We talked about saddle placement and determined that I had the saddle too far forward. I emailed him a couple of photos including the one at the top of this post, and he said I should definitely move it back. (I am used to my Aussie saddle, which has to go very forward.) Hopefully tomorrow I will get a chance to try it again. I want this saddle to work for Fly! I can already tell it will work for me, but it has to work for him, too, of course. Vic also suggested I may need to change the foam inserts in my Equipedic pad to a closed cell foam that would provide more stability. We'll see. I'll play around and see what works.

As far as the saddle goes, I am impressed with the quality; the leather is nice and soft and I felt very secure and stable in the "grippy" seat. The size is right for me. The weight is definitely right for me at around 15 piece-of-cake-to-pack-around pounds! I love it and will see what I can do to help Fly love it, too!

Bob Marshall Sports Saddle

Near gale force winds made it impossible to ride anywhere but in the indoor arena today. Just getting the horses loaded and unloaded in the wind was an adventure! However, all was quiet and calm inside, and of course I was the only one down there. I only have my friend's saddle on loan for today and tomorrow so I had to try it out!

The Bob Marshall Sports Saddle is a treeless leather saddle. This one is an endurance model belonging to a good friend who has logged over 20,000 miles with the American Endurance Ride Conference. I assume most of those miles were done in this saddle. It has been modified by a saddle maker to have a cutback pommel.

I rode Keno first and after struggling with the western cinch for ages, finally mounted from the ground with a loose cinch. No slipping amazingly enough even though Keno is 15.3H. I tightened the cinch from the saddle with a bit of a struggle. Keno immediately moved out very well--forward, big trot, relaxed. The arena footing is too deep and hadn't been worked today; usually Keno is sluggish and less motivated when it's hard going. Today he seemed willing and happier. Hmm. He also felt quite wide, which he is, but I am used to a saddle with much more twist. I don't know what size the saddle is, but it may be too small for me; the front of my thighs bumped the sides of the pommel when I was posting. Not a problem in the arena maybe, but not good on a long ride.

My friend Tammy stopped by the arena and actually showed me how to do up a western cinch. Well, duh. OK, now that was much easier! It's been a while since I have used a cinch, I guess!

Flyboy also went well in this saddle, although I think something was bugging him a little. He was soft and very forward, but he swished his tail every so often like he was agitated. He hasn't done that much before. I do think the length of the Bob Marshall is too long for him. He has a short back and the saddle pad rubbed across his loin a bit. Other than that, he seemed comfortable. I was very comfortable on him. He's not nearly so wide as Keno, so I was in a more familiar position. We rode walk, trot, and canter. No slipping, mounted from the ground, and I felt quite secure. I also felt like it put me in a very good position. I am very impressed with the saddle! Too bad they are out of my price range for now.

The good news is I have purchased a different saddle already and it will arrive on Monday! After days of research and study, I bought a Black Forest Shasta. It's also treeless, but has a built-in gullet, takes a regular dressage girth (one I know how to use!) and weighs less than 15 pounds. I have been quite impressed with the online reviews. I will give a report on that saddle next week. I am hoping one saddle will work for Flyboy, Keno, and me. Fingers crossed and waiting!

Lesson Time Again

I have got to get a better photo!

Fly and I had a fabulous lesson with Marleen today. We really worked on getting him bending and softening, and me being clearer and getting a quicker response to aids. We worked on me keeping my focus (and therefore my horse's) and not paying attention to distractions, and today was a good day for that! Our normally quiet outdoor arena was quite a busy place today--dump trucks, a riding lawn mower, horse trailers, a passing horse, and semi trucks crossing the parking lot! Lots of distractions to ignore! I am going to have to practice because it doesn't come naturally to me. But Flyboy did great--only one or two small spooks and right back to work.

Marleen also suggested I get Fly down to the arena when there are activities going on. Usually around our little cowboy town that means jackpot ropings, high school rodeo practices, etc. I can just tie him at the rail and hang out for an hour or so. That will help him and it will definitely help me, I think. Nine times out of ten I ride alone at the arena in the afternoons, so I guess I better start mixing it up even though I love having the place to myself!

We had a few glorious moments during this lesson. When Fly softened, he really softened and his movement felt different. Using different muscles to carry himself properly was hard work!  He started stretching down, too. At one point his canter was like flying: his shoulders came up, he was coming under himself from behind and it was the coolest thing ever! We mostly got short "glimpses" of things to come, but when we can sustain that movement it is going to be awesome! His muscling will change and he's going to look buff.

I have decided I just can't ride in the new Aussie saddle. It has to go back. I'm sad since I have enjoyed the Longreach so much and thought another Aussie saddle would feel the same. Sigh.... The search goes on. I am looking at a couple of treeless saddles again. I used to have a Freeform, but sold it to help pay some vet bills. I am going to ride in a Bob Marshall Sports Saddle over the weekend (borrowed from a generous friend.) I am seriously considering a Black Forest Shasta as well. I want my boy to be comfy and enjoy his job. Of course, I want to be comfy, too!

By the way, the new slow feeders are working out well, especially for Keno. Fly tries picking up the metal gridwall with his teeth, but so far he can't get it out of the wooden box!

Out With The Boys

Sunny and warm!!

It's hard to believe it's the middle of November with temperatures in the mid fifties! I totally love it! I rode Keno and ponied Flyboy out in the west hills for an hour of trotting. With occasional shoulder yanking going on. Grrrr! Keno was feeling quite good, and Fly was, too, but sometimes he would hang back a little and my poor shoulder took a beating. He got the hang of it though (no pun intended!), and Keno quit shooting bossy glares at Flyboy, and we all trotted happily along.

I got back to the trailer and decided my shoulder and arm hadn't had enough so I pulled out my rasp and did a quick touch-up on all eight feet. The sunshine was just so nice and the sky so blue and I just could have stayed out there all day.....

Eventually I did make it home and got started on my new feeder project. (Yet another version of a slow feeder--I am perpetually experimenting to find the perfect feeding system!) I have seen a couple of these online, and just had to have one of course! The feeder seems to work quite well on Day One, but time and hungry horses will tell. I will update my opinions on this system again in a few days. I hope it is Keno-proof. And I know Flyboy can't beat up in this gridwall like he does the small mesh hay nets. Hopefully it will allow for "grazing" around the clock.

The new saddle arrived in The Big Brown Van this evening! I'm tempted to go try it out in the dark. It looks beautiful, but I must say it looks rather wide in the seat like the Master Campdraft I tried a couple of weeks ago. I hope, I hope, I hope the twist is narrow enough and it will suit both Flyboy and me!

Can't you just feel that sunshine?

C-c-cold Canyon Ride

OK, so I have brave friends after all! I didn't coerce, bribe or threaten. I just called and suggested a ride up in the canyon and three of them showed up! The horses were all feeling good and energetic with the cold. My dog Duke was excited, too, since he hadn't been on a ride with me for a couple of weeks. Flyboy was very good. We were saddled and ready to ride before everyone else arrived, but he was relaxed as we schooled a few circles and figure eights while they saddled up.

Flyboy was wearing Easyboot Gloves on his fronts, and for the first time I wonder if they really are a good fit. I haven't had any boot failures, but he was definitely not walking out the way he should have. It felt like he was short-striding on his left front. Or at least not giving me a heel-first landing. I know the saddle fit is poor (the new saddle is on the way), and that could have affected his way of going, too. But at the end of the ride I removed his boots and his heel bulbs were rubbed a bit on both feet. Hmmmmm. Boots, saddle, heels, frogs...? More investigation is needed. At times he trotted out strongly and rhythmically, but at other times he was cautious and short. Hmmmm.

Over all Fly was great, he even led out a bit, although it is his very clear preference to stay in second place. He's very funny about it, but that's where he will put himself if he's allowed to choose. He will lag behind and stay relaxed, too as the picture shows. I got off and walked for a long stretch on the way back. Good exercise for me and maybe a little relief if something was bothering him.

Keno was a lesson horse today, and will be again tomorrow, so Flyboy will hang out at the arena with us and watch Keno do circles. Hopefully I will be able to ride him for a few minutes, too. If he's sore or short in the arena, I will know it's not the boots. He felt great down there yesterday, so I don't think it could be anything too serious. Perhaps I should actually measure him to check his boot fit; it could provide a clue...

Fly With Me (at the arena again, sigh.)

Relaxed after his workout, watching Keno and me.

It's cold and windy today, but it's the wind that makes it hard to be outside. I can handle cold temperatures by dressing for it: layers upon layers, and polar fleece socks. (They're the best!) But an icy wind is just plain miserable, so we headed to our "private" county arena again. The ground had just been worked, and we had it all to ourselves again. I don't know where the other horse enthusiasts are hanging out, but not down here. For fifty bucks a year I have a pretty sweet deal--three outdoor arenas and one indoor, usually all to myself. I totally prefer riding out on trails, but I'm grateful for a dry, wind-free arena when the trails are not so good.

Flyboy was great today. We did just a little bit of ground work and then saddled up. He was very forward, and quite soft and bendable on the circles. His trot felt good. I tried to keep my position correct because it influences him so dramatically. Of all the horses I have ridden, he is the most sensitive. Even more than my Arab mare, Riyah, which is pretty hard to believe. But just a tiny change in my body changes (helps) him. He seems quite willing to listen and try, and just lengthening or stretching my outside leg and ribcage, or "hugging" him softly with my legs, or keeping my hips/shoulders in line with the circle makes a big difference.

Marleen asked me to start asking for a rein-back every time I ask him to halt, and to start by lifting my reins. She said eventually he would learn that just the lift meant back up. Well, he has already figured that out! He is definitely smart.

Cantering Fly is like flying--seriously, he has an incredibly soft and easy canter. The steering is getting better, but still has lots of room for improvement. Although I love his canter, we worked mostly in trot today, and we practiced steering and staying straight on a straight line. That is the hardest! He is totally wiggly on a straight course; that's where the "leg hugging" came into play. He needs lots of help and support to stay straight. I worked him on the rail for a while, too, and that seemed to help.

Well, as much fun as I have had at the arena, I am ready for a trail ride. Tomorrow I will try to find a friend brave enough to head out into the cold. If not, I'll Fly solo!

Let's Play!

What a cold, windy, snowy day! I didn't try to ride, but just played with the horses here at home instead. We played with the tarp, which Flyboy stomps and paws to death, and we played with the ball--same intent! Fly walks and trots over the tarp quite well but is somewhat unsure of having it on him or up above him. I rubbed him with it and laid it on him like a blanket. He was wary, but tolerated it all without moving his feet. I used a lot of "approach and retreat" and that seemed to help him. He actually did better than Keno did with all the tarp play. Fly really does go after the ball, bumping and pawing at it. (Keno runs from it unless I keep him on the lead rope close to me.) It will be fun when we start our equine soccer games.

I also set up a low jump to send Fly over. He trotted very enthusiastically over it. He has a powerful jump, but obviously didn't think this 12" pole was worthy of a real effort! I need to get a photo of him going over a proper jump; his scope totally surprised me!

Flyboy's attitude showed up a little while on the lunge line--mostly just the "it's cold and I'm frisky" attitude. So we worked on all the seven games--yielding in every direction, going sideways, backing through the gate, and going through a very narrow "squeeze" forward and backward. I kept him quite busy for forty-five minutes. Flyboy has made tons of progress in the month and a half I have had him, and I can't wait to see what the next few months bring.

It's awkward taking pictures with a cell phone camera in one gloved hand while lunging a frisky horse in the cold wind with the other. It's a funny picture, but please appreciate the degree of difficulty by which it was obtained!

Duplicated Results and Why A Mustang, Anyway?

Even though it was a gorgeous sunny day, if a little cold, I headed back to the indoor barn to see if my lesson results could be duplicated. No problems! I had the arena to myself again, and Fly and I did some ground work, and then I rode him for half an hour. It was great; he was quite easy and soft to the left as well as the right. I stretched my rib cage and kept my shoulders and hips on the circle. He still tried throwing his shoulder out and veering out of the circle a few times trotting to the right, but I held him steady fairly well with my outside rein and leg. Walk, trot, and canter--all was much improved!

I have had several people ask me why I chose a mustang for an endurance project. I can honestly say I didn't head out to look for a mustang, it just kind of happened. I lost my young Arab mare who I absolutely loved due to a freak injury in August, and a month later I knew I had to start looking for a new horse. Keno didn't like being alone, and I ride more than he wants to go; he wanted someone to share the load, and I need to plug the hole in my heart.

I started looking for an Arab. Arabians are the most popular endurance breed; they are beautiful, people-oriented, athletic horses. I have owned several Arab or Arab crosses and love them. I also was looking for a mare since I have mostly owned mares and thought that's what I wanted. I drove six hours one way to go see the first Arab mare I thought would fit my requirements. Not a chance. She wasn't the one and I knew it almost immediately although I tried to give her a fair trial. The next mare was a possibility, but something about about her just didn't grab me. I responded to half a dozen more ads and drove quite a distance to see a couple of other horses.

I called a trainer friend to tell her I was looking and she encouraged me to come see an unbroke mustang gelding she had in her corral. He was a powerful looking hunk of a horse. She would need at least 30 days to get him going. I liked the look of him, and told her I would think about it. I came home and started reading online about mustangs in general and mustangs in endurance. This became an interesting research project for a few days. Some of what I learned I already knew, but most was new to me. I was fascinated by some of the stories I read. A good friend (a mustang owner herself) suggested I call a mutual acquaintance--an endurance rider who regularly competes on a mustang. I did, and she had lots of good things to say about mustangs of course. She praised their intelligence, loyalty, and endurance. She also told me about a young mustang gelding her trainer husband had just been asked to work with for the second time.

This five year old gelding had returned to the trainer since his owner was having issues with him. The trainer had started this horse last fall, and then he had been used at a therapy center for the next little while. Apparently issues surfaced, and the decision was made to bring him back to the trainer for retraining and then find him a new home. This horse, of course, was Flyboy.

I made a trip to see Fly, taking my mustang-owning friend along since I valued her opinion. I liked Flyboy immediately. I'm not quite sure why, but something about his eye seemed to speak to me. He looked wary, but like he wanted to trust. I liked his build, strong and solid, yet not too big. But mostly it was his eye, dark and bottomless. I rode him briefly in a small round pen. His trot was hard to judge, but felt pretty good. The trainer discouraged me from cantering Fly until he had had a chance to work out any "issues." He invited me to come back the following week.

I went back and brought Fly home. I hadn't been looking for a mustang, but he was the one. The price was right, and I was confident I could carry on his training. I still don't know what issues he had exactly. Nothing serious, surely, since I haven't seen them yet. Yes, he pulls back occasionally, but the Blocker ring seems to have cured that; he hasn't hung back now for a couple of weeks. Mostly the issues I deal with are young horse, inexperienced horse things--things I'd expect with a young, inexperienced horse.

Fly and I get along well. We are making progress. He likes me; he comes to me in the corral or the arena. He is sweet and affectionate, likes attention, and is curious and interested in the things we do. He has a good attitude, and lots of go. We are going to be great partners. He is definitely not what I thought I was looking for--not a mare and not an Arab, but I am SO glad I found him!

Lesson At Last

Flyboy and I had a fabulous lesson this afternoon down at the indoor barn with Marleen Bradford (thanks, Marleen, if you are reading this!) It was great to actually have expert eyes on the ground as I rode. I really needed a few reminders about some basic things on the ground and under saddle.

1. Don't tighten the girth too much too quickly. In other words, tighten it gradually as I finish tacking him up and warm him up with a bit of ground work, then tighten it the rest of the way. (I actually know this already, but need to be more gradual.) Fly actually had a distinct opinion about that today, and Marleen pointed it out to me.

2. I need to get him yielding his front end immediately when I ask. He is slow to respond because I have not been clear enough with my requests. One, two, THREE, FOUR--not one, one, one, two. (Maybe you had to be there to understand that, but suffice it to say that Fly will now understand that I mean what I say, and I'm not waiting till Christmas to get a response!)

3. Ok. Under saddle. Marleen totally fixed the lack of softness I've been struggling with while going to the left on a circle. I have to do what I want him to mirror : i.e. stretch my right rib cage and follow the circle with my hip and shoulders. And eyes! A supporting inside leg helps him stay out on the circle so he doesn't spiral down to the middle. Lifting the inside rein a bit helps, too. We worked a lot on this and made great progress. I hope I can follow through with a repeat tomorrow. It will help me solidify the concept in my mind if I can repeat these exercises on my own.

4. Rein back a couple of steps every time I bring him to a halt.

We worked in walk, trot, and canter for a hour. That hour was tougher for Flyboy than climbing up the Red Rock Pasture trail because he definitely broke a sweat today! So did I! I felt like I had done a big yoga workout! It felt great, to be honest, and Fly worked hard and tried to do what I asked. (He also played a few dominance games!) So we have some things to work on for sure, but Marleen liked the way he moves and said he could look like "a fancy dressage horse." She also said this is a very smart horse and I better work to stay on top of things with him. That might have just been a kind way of saying that this horse might be smarter than I am! (But the fact that I know when to call in reinforcements counts for something, too!)

I know this picture is blurred, but take my word for it. Fly was soft, forward, and round. He blew out lots of tension during this lesson and really got soft in his back. I am in my Longreach endurance saddle and endurance stirrups, which are not really ideal for arena work so I will switch them out for webbers and regular irons for future dressage work. I need to really reach with my heel, which I am not doing here.

Winter Weather!

The weather interfered with the plans for todays lesson. A veritable blizzard hit us mid-morning, knocking out the power and making driving difficult. I called Marleen and suggested we postpone until tomorrow--couldn't see her getting on the freeway today! The horses got a day off, while I packed and shipped the Master Campdraft saddle back to Down Under. They will send a Kimberly Stock Saddle for me to try. Hope it works, because Fly really needs a saddle that fits him! I am also looking at a Bob Marshall Sports Saddle, but I'm not sure how it will fit with his big wither.

Happy Halloween Ride

Looks like the SWAT team showed up!

This has got to be a Halloween for the record books! Lovely, mild sunny weather! Three of us headed up the canyon to ride around the Ponderosa Loop again. Absolutely amazing for this time of year! It's supposed to rain tomorrow, which probably means snow for the mountains, so this was quite likely our last ride up there this year. But it was a good one--Flyboy was excellent; he even led the way for quite a long stretch. He is getting braver and becoming a solid trail horse! The fall colors are gone from the mountain, but crunching through all the leaves was a blast. The bog was drier than the last time we were there, but it was iced over.

My two horses are fascinated, curious, and somewhat terrified of the trick-or-treaters out this evening. It was a hoot watching them trot toward the fence, stand really tall with arched necks, snort, and then bolt for the barn. Curiosity is a strong draw though, because a few minutes later and they were sneaking toward the fence again. Keno flat out refused to approach the fence while I was wearing a witch's hat, though. He just stopped and stared at me. Not even the enticing sound of the plastic Smarties wrapper could convince him to come up to me! (I see a friendly game coming on next week....!)

I am finally going to get a lesson from my friend, Marleen, tomorrow. If Fly and I are going to be arena junkies this winter, we need to get going properly. Dressage type proper is what I mean. I'll definitely write a post about how the lesson went tomorrow.

A bunch of us are planning to start playing equine soccer this winter. Fly will like it I'm sure. And it will be good for Keno, The Big Chicken, too. Seriously. You should have seen him tonight. Even the clown costume had him snorting boogers!

Saddle Sadness

BooHoo. The new saddle doesn't work. It seems to fit Flyboy pretty well, but the seat is way too wide for me. I actually need a fairly narrow twist to be comfortable, and this saddle unfortunately doesn't fit the bill. Dang. I was really hoping it would work since my Down Under Longreach is pretty comfortable for me; I didn't think there would be that much difference. You can actually look at the two saddles side-by-side and see how much wider the seat of the Campdraft is though.

I am the most comfortable riding Fly in my Stubben Siegfried. It has a narrow twist and fits me well, but I'm not sure Flyboy is really happy in it. I rode him in the arena for half an hour in it yesterday and felt like something was bothering him--it's hard to say what, though. Saddle too wide, bored with the arena, wishing he was out on trail instead? I don't know; it was just a feeling I was getting from him. So the saddle search goes on. I wish they could put Aussie poleys on my jumping saddle and make sure it fits Fly. All I want is comfort and security for both of us-- that's not too much to ask is it? But in my price range?

Dream saddle list: (I've ridden miles in these!)

1. Arabian Saddle Company Solstice--(SO comfy!)
2. Orthoflex English Endurance Saddle-(lux!)
3. Freeform Cutback SB Classic--(cushy, cushy)

Reality saddle list:

1. Used, under $500

Sigh.

New Saddle Has Arrived

I took Keno out with a couple of friends to a new trail in the hills east of a neighboring town. Hunters are crawling the canyons right now, so we were covered in orange. We didn't get shot and we had a spectacular ride. Keno was happy to get a turn to go and was energetic and relaxed, of course. I love that boy! I can't wait to go back and explore a little farther--miles of inviting trails and scenic views. The only down side was the very dusty dirt road we had to drive in on!

I am absolutely, completely, totally, 100% blown away. Get this: I ordered a saddle the day before yesterday and it arrived this afternoon! The Down Under Saddlery folks have certainly lived up to their web reviews in the customer service department. They obviously wrote the definition for "fast, friendly service!" Tomorrow we'll see if the saddle itself will live up to its reviews; it is gorgeous. And big. Bigger than my Longreach and certainly heavier although the seat size is supposedly smaller. I sure hope it fits me and Flyboy. If it does, I will have to modify it to remove some of the weight: swap out the thick leathers and very beautiful (but very heavy) brass stirrups for webbers and aluminum endurance stirrups, Wintec dressage girth instead of the very nice (but very heavy) fancy girth. I will post pictures tomorrow. It really is a beautifully made saddle. My fingers are crossed! I will head for the arena in the morning to try out the new ride on both horses. It would be awesome if it actually fits Keno, too. Hope I can sleep tonight..... ;)

Staying Home

Big sigh. OK, fine. Practicality wins out. I am not going to Moab this weekend after all. Several things seemed to be conspiring against me for the trip. But one of the biggest reasons I am staying home is to save the gas money (since I was only going to hang out in camp and not compete anyway) and put it toward my new saddle instead!

I spent an entire afternoon on the taking pictures, emailing pictures, faxing a wither tracing, and talking on the phone to the Down Under Saddlery people. Ricki helped by analyzing Flyboy's size and shape and the fit of my Longreach endurance saddle. It has caused the hair on his back/loin to be rubbed thin. I adjusted the placement of the saddle, readjusted the breast collar, etc, and while that may have helped some, the bottom line was that the saddle is simply too wide for his shoulder.

After a lot of discussion, reading, research, and thought, I have decided to invest in a new saddle. It's another Australian saddle that Ricki from Down Under says will fit Flyboy very well. I got a screaming deal on it, so I hope it fits him and me! I decided on an Aussie saddle again, because that Longreach has kept me safe and secure through some pretty rough spots on both Flyboy and Riyah. Extra security feels good on the greenies!
If it is truly a good fit for us both, then we should be happy to have a good saddle that will last us a long time.

I hope all the endurance riders have a blast this weekend. The Moab canyons ride is my very favorite! I was hoping to see a few friends, too. Ah, well. We'll keep on getting Fly ready for his debut next spring. He still needs lots of riding and tons of good experiences. And arena work. And ground games. And confidence building lessons. Etc, etc, etc! It's all good.

Arena Weather.....Sigh

I wasn't too happy for the fall weather to turn cloudy and quite nippy, but I am very happy about my ride on Flyboy at the arena today. We worked on transitions and bending. Actually he is about the bendiest horse I've ever ridden, but bending the right way at the right time is what needs work! To the right he stays soft and "straight" on the circle at a walk and a trot. To the left seems more difficult for him. He tends to bend "away" from the circle. If I really concentrate on my position (shoulders, hips, and legs) then he gets it just fine. This is making me think that I need to get Marleen down here asap to look at my riding and give me a couple of dressage lessons again!

Fly did great with the Kimberwick bit again. I will go back to the snaffle for arena work eventually, but I want him to really understand the Kimberwick for now. Transitons were great and very responsive. We worked on half halts, too, and had a bit of a breakthrough in his understanding of what I was asking. I swear this is a very smart horse.

We also got out of circle mode and worked on the straight. Now it's one thing to be straight on a circle, but it's a whole different thing to be straight on the straight! He wasn't! We wiggled all over the place. I focused on a point at the end of the arena and tried to ride straight to it. We made some improvement, but it wasn't easy. It's  going to take practice and some dressage work to get that wiggliness under control!

Fly is leg yielding very well to the left. Surprisingly well, really, but going toward the right is a lot more challenging. It's not something we've worked a lot on yet, but I've played around with him out on trail, asking him to step under and move over for a step or two. He is so flexible and "reachy" that I think he could be a good dressage horse.

His canter feels great. It will feel better still when he is straight! It's hard work cantering in the deep sandy arena. Fly actually broke a sweat today! Picking up his left lead is more challenging than getting the right. Is this my position/riding again? Or is this a right handed/left handed thing with him.?

Anyway it was a fun ride and confidence building for me and hopefully for him, too, after Saturday's ride! I am watching the weather station to see what the weather will bring for Moab. I'm still planning to go down if it isn't going to be too cold. I am a terrible camping wimp in very cold weather! (So give me a living quarters trailer with a nice heater and I might buck up, but the back of my truck can get too freezing cold!) ;)

Solo Shenanigans, Saddle Switching, and Sunshine

We had an interesting ride today. Interesting in several ways--some good, some not so good. I took Flyboy out to the west hills today to try out a couple of new ideas in regards to saddles and saddle pads, and also to try the Kimberwick bit out on a real ride. (I tried it on him in the arena yesterday with very good results!)

This morning I borrowed a saddle from my friend, Sharon, in hopes of finding something that fits him better than my super-secure comfy-for-me but too-wide-for-him Aussie Longreach endurance saddle which has rubbed the hair on his back/loin. Sharon loaned me a Wintec English saddle with a medium tree. This afternoon I planned to ride a loop of a couple of miles in that saddle, coming back to the trailer to switch saddles and then ride another loop in my Stubben jumping saddle. I wanted to compare fit and comfort.

It took me a few minutes to tack up. The Wintec didn't look like a good fit from the start. I could see possible pressure point issues with the back of the panels. Instead, I saddled up using my jumping saddle which is a wide tree, but it actually doesn't seem like a bad fit--weird because when I am on Flyboy I feel like I am riding a plank. He feels very narrow! In any case the saddle seemed OK; I used a 1/2" felt protector pad and a thin foam pad that was with Sharon's saddle. He had plenty of wither clearance, too. I used the breast collar of course, since this guy has zero waist and any saddle is going to slide back on him.

English chap

I booted his front feet and bridled him. The Kimberwick is a solid-mouth ported bit with a curb chain that I kept quite loose. It took Flyboy about fifteen minutes to get in sync with me in the arena, so I was ready to try it on trail. I wore my florescent orange vest since today is the opening day of the deer hunt. (It would have to be a pretty dumb hunter to be looking for deer out in these dry, waterless hills, but you never know!) I did not wear my crash vest for the first time on trail with Flyboy. I figured he was so good and steady on his "big boy" ride the other day, I didn't need to worry about it anymore. (After the accident I had on Riyah last year, I just made it my policy to wear it on green horses. That accident hurt!)

We headed out after doing a few circles in the sage brush just to let him get a feel for this bit again and the different saddle. My jumping saddle has been to lots of shows and mini-events with Keno, but these days it is also my trail saddle with him. I have replaced my English irons with a pair of endurance stirrups complete with toe cages. (Sounds odd and to some, even irreverent perhaps, but it is the epitome of comfort, and crossing cultures like that may help bring about world peace.)

Today Fly was looking for the bogey man behind every tree. There weren't any, but he was looking anyway. Maybe it was my neon orange vest, I don't know, but he was pretty hesitant and gawky and jumpy for the first mile or so. After that he seemed to settle down a bit and we trotted the next couple of miles. I had given up on the short loop idea since the other saddle didn't seem to be a good match. I wanted to cover eight to ten miles if he seemed comfortable with this saddle.

At this point I need to mention that for the last couple of weeks I have been planning to take Flyboy to Moab for the endurance ride next week, not to compete, but just to camp and experience the experience basically. However. After the big ride the other day, a couple of friends encouraged me to think about riding in the 25-miler with him. He certainly seems fit enough physically. Sweet temptation! I would love to do the ride! I've only been to one ride this year. It would be so fun! Maybe he could do it? Should we try? As I was riding this afternoon, these thoughts were running around in my head. If I could get in ten solid miles that would help me decide if he could possibly do it.

Well, there's nothing like a few unsettling shenanigans to humbly help me realize that Flyboy is still green and just learning how to be a brave trail horse. About four miles from the trailer Fly suddenly saw the bogey man (I never did, but he obviously did!) He stopped suddenly and started backing up. I tried to reassure him. I asked him to go forward. Fly whirled around! I had two thoughts going through my head. Number one: don't fall off because it will upset Fly. And number two: why didn't I wear my crash vest because I almost came off!  I kept Fly facing the bogey man trail and eventually calmed him down and we carried on. It took a few minutes for him to relax again, but eventually he did.

See that ground? Looks hard, huh?

I realized this most likely would not have happened if another horse was there to give him confidence. But, you know, even if you plan to ride with a buddy at an endurance ride, you may end up alone. Your buddy may get pulled. Or maybe the buddy gets upset by something and freaks out and needs your horse to give him confidence. Flyboy is not prepared to handle twenty-five miles of unknown challenges yet. I mean, seriously. Cedar trees are still scaring him! He just needs to slowly build more confidence in himself and in me. He needs more miles with buddies and without, and more time. He needs to trust my leadership. Physically he may be able to manage twenty-five slow miles, but emotionally and mentally he is not ready to face that, even though we have had some great rides lately. I am sure he is going to be ready eventually. I am going to be patient and stick with my first plan. Go camp at Moab, play, have fun, ride a couple of miles on nearby trails, and come home. Then: carry on until spring helping this guy grow some confidence and skills, so we will be ready to begin.

I read a great article in Endurance News recently. It was called, The Early Years: Bloom, Don't Break, by Stagg Newman and John Crandell III. The article says first, develop the mind, then the body. I am still working on developing Flyboy's mind. I want to do right by him and I'm not going to rush him or over-face him. I will be patient.

Sunshine! 70 degrees. Fantastic riding weather continues! Woohoo!

The Red Rock Pasture

I am still grinning about the incredibly gorgeous and fun ride we had yesterday. It was a spectacular fall morning, sunshine and golden leaves everywhere. And I was riding this amazingly cool horse! Flyboy really proved his mettle today and left me in total awe of his levelheadedness. I am really looking forward to his future as an endurance partner; it’s looking bright and we are going to be a good team!

There were six of us heading out this morning at ten o’clock. Tammy and her horse, Joker, trailered up with me. It took a few minutes to saddle up once we arrived, and I had to rearrange saddle pads again, trying to find a combo that would help my saddle fit Fly’s narrow build a little better. (A couple of weeks ago I fitted my saddle pad with shims in the wither area, and that seemed to work. I discovered a problem though, after my long ride in Dog Valley. The shims lifted the front of the saddle causing pressure points under the cantle on Fly’s loin. The hair had actually been rubbed thin. Needless to say, I removed the shims.) I double padded him today, added water bottles, and my lunch, donned helmet and crash vest, and we were ready.

This trail drops 1600 feet in four miles—all single track mountain terrain, including steep hills, boulders, logs, fallen trees to bushwhack around, side hills, ledges, multiple creek crossings, steep and muddy creek banks, and deep gullies. In effect, this is not a trail for beginners. Not beginner riders, and not beginner horses. It is wilderness country at its best.  Our goal was a tiny cabin, built in the early 1930’s and still used by the occasional hunter. The cabin can’t be seen from the trail, and only those who have been shown the way can find it.

Flyboy was excited by the fact that there were six of us today. He was a little anxious to start with, but within the first mile he settled nicely and followed Sharon’s foxtrotter mare down the trail. It was truly glorious—dark pines accented by golden leafed quakies shimmering in the breeze. Bronzed oaks everywhere. We could not have asked for a prettier day to be out on the trail. We followed the winding trail down the mountainside to meet the creek. We then followed the creek down the canyon to the valley floor.

Fly valiantly handled every question he was presented with. He maneuvered his way over logs and deadfall. He picked his way over boulders on the ledges. He kept his feet under himself while skittering down steep muddy trails to the creek below. He braved his way past cows on the trail (Janey’s confidence rubbed off on him for that, thank goodness), and he nimbly followed the twisty trail all the way down. He wasn’t even sweaty when we arrived at the Red Rock Pasture four miles later. That was totally amazing.

The little cabin was how I remembered it, although it seems to be leaning a little more. Someone had strung a tie line between a couple of trees, so I dismounted and loosened my girth, removed Fly’s bridle, and tied him with a long enough lead that he could reach the grass at his feet. The other riders tied to nearby trees. All six horses were glad for a break.  We sat on logs in front of the cabin and ate our lunches in the cool fall sunshine.

Forty-five minutes later we were in the saddle heading back the way we came. Uphill for the most part this time! Flyboy actually seems to excel on uphill climbs. He felt very strong and even confident climbing up this trail. He drank at the first creek crossing we came to. He drank again at the second and third creek crossings. (Endurance horse material here, people!) He climbed those steep creek banks like nobody’s business, too. He felt stronger with every mile. I was amazed at this boy. When we arrived back at the trailer, he was the only horse not caked with sweat. He was sweaty under his girth and a little under his breast-collar, but that was it. I don’t think he was even very tired. Wow. I am still grinning.

"Hey! I see a cougar over there!"

The biggest issue I had today was feeling like I don’t really have a good whoa in place. He wasn’t really pushy or trying to run away with me or anything like that, but I don’t feel I have a really good emergency stop. If I ask for a straight halt, he sometimes braces against the bit and runs through it. A one rein stop works, of course, but that is useless on a narrow ledgy trail or any trail too narrow to turn around on. I want a better straight halt. Flyboy doesn’t understand half-halts at all, but we are working on that, too. At the rate he is progressing, I think it will come. 

Flyboy was booted on all fours in Easyboot Gloves with Keno’s semi-squashed comfort pads in the fronts. He went very well in them; all four stayed in place through all the rigorous terrain. The pads may have changed the boot fit just enough to rub his heel bulbs a little, though. I will have to experiment and see if that was the problem, or if it was something else. It wasn’t a big deal, but this was only eight miles. It might be different on a twenty-five mile ride.

It was a great day for Flyboy.