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. 

Fun and Games

This evening I took the horses to the outdoor arena to let them run and play. They did!

I actually ended up saddling Flyboy and rode for half an hour or so. I had been wanting to try a rope halter/bitless bridle on him to see if he likes it. It is a cross-under type bitless bridle, sort of a Dr. Cook's type idea, but it can also be used as a side pull. I used to ride Gypsy in it occasionally. This was Fly's first ride in it, but I don't think I liked it on him. I don't feel like he is really getting a release when he softens. The cross-under chin "straps" are the same rope the halter is made of, and I don't thinks the rope slips back through the rings easily or quickly enough to give a good release. Fly was OK in it, I had good brakes, I think, but he didn't follow my feel at all and was somewhat resistant. I put the regular bridle with the full cheek snaffle I usually ride him in on, and we repeated the exercises. MUCH better--softer and bendy. I hope to move him to a bitless bridle eventually, because it's just easier for endurance. I'll play with this one again, but I wasn't too impressed.

I will probably head to the arena again tomorrow to ride both horses. Fly needs an easy day, because on Thursday we are planning a ride to the Red Rock Pasture! My very favorite trail--and it should be beautiful! The deer hunt starts this Saturday, and it would be risky to ride down there next week. This will be a big ride for Flyboy. It a fairly tough mountain trail with a few really technical parts, lots of creek crossings, and a long climb back out. I promised him I would get off and walk some of the time to give him a break! He's gonna join the big boys if he does well on this one!

Fall Bliss Continues!

This afternoon Fly and I headed out on a tough new-to-him trail with Sharon and her wonderful horse, Mikey. We trailered out to the west mountains and headed up through a narrow rocky canyon, climbing up into the hills. Flyboy was 4xEasyboot Gloves, thank goodness, since there were rocks everywhere. Looking at the hills from a distance, they appear to be soft golden green, covered with long pale grass. Well, let me tell you, what you can't see from a distance is that the grass is hiding millions of bowling ball sized rocks that lie in wait to trip the next passing horse. We carefully maneuvered over the rocks and between silver bleached dead cedars.

We climbed quite high and Fly was suitably impressed with the view it seemed. And it was impressive on this sunny fall day! After a little convincing he took the lead and moved out in front! Happily, for the most part! I was proud of him for that! Today was his best lead-horse day so far. Mikey took over again once we headed back down, but Fly has shown he can do it!

Our descent was a cross-country, pick-your-way-carefully, steep meander across the saddle, down the hill and back to the trail. The trail then turned into the "LONG STEEP HILL FROM YOU-KNOW-WHERE." Covered with rocks and quite steep. And long. Needless to say, we took our sweet, slow time, giving the horses a chance to rest and regroup several times on the way down. Fly was not appreciative of that trail, and I don't blame him! But he was such a good boy and quite careful and obedient.

He did feel ouchy, though, which really should not be the case where he was booted on all fours. I am thinking about the thrush thing again. The other day, Fly was standing out in back of the barn with Keno, and I noticed he was leaning forward. (Meaning his chest and neck pushed forward, standing with his legs not vertically under him, but rather behind the vertical if that makes sense.) Basically he was carrying his weight on his toes and was reluctant to bear weight on his heels. This can be caused by several things, but in his case, where he has always been barefoot, doesn't have contracted or under-run heels, or too-high heels/bars, I think thrush is a reasonable thing to look at, even if he is in a clean sand/pea gravel environment. His frogs have been flaky and shedding, but are not black, mushy, or stinky, so I certainly don't think it's any kind of severe infection, but sore nonetheless. I will get aggressive and get it healed up. We need those toe first landings and confident strides!

Once again, Fly has shown his level-headedness, willingness, and heart as he took on the challenges of this tough trail. He has never seen terrain like he's seen the last four weeks, and he is totally handling everything that comes his way. He is a good boy.

Mountain Trails Again! (Who would have thought?)

Amazingly the Ponderosa Trail has dried out enough to get around the six mile loop without sliding off the mountain! Yay! I was hoping against hope to get back up there but I honestly figured the snow and rain would have messed it up in for the year. Glad I was wrong!

Flyboy crossed the river like a pro-boy and attacked the mountain like a real trooper. The sticky-but-not-too-slidey mud-covered trail did not slow him down. He just dug in and climbed. There were three of us today and Fly was happy in the back or middle, but wasn't keen on leading out again. At least we know what we need to work on. His confidence is growing, though. I can tell a big difference in his relaxation and forwardness. I am sure he will continue to progress and will take the lead eventually. He doesn't mind getting left behind, and he doesn't crowd the horse in front of him. He is no groupie, and that makes me happy!

On the way down through the wet shady side of a meadow we encountered a good-sized black-mud bog. We tried to cross in several places, but there was no good place. It was very wet and deep.We finally had to backtrack and take a little detour to get around it. We still had a few boggy spots to cross, but Fly was cool with the mud and his Easyboot Gloves stayed put. My friend Gail's horse was wearing Old Mac G2's and they also stayed on in the seriously sucky mud. Gotta love the boots!

The rest of the way down was quite rocky and steep. Fly handled himself pretty well. He is learning. He is earning my trust as well and I am starting to feel like he will soon be ready for the Red Rock Pasture Trail. If we don't get up there in the next week or two we will lose the chance for this year. It's a gorgeous trail, one of my favorites, quite technical in places, lots of creek crossings (21 to be exact!), and an eight mile trip. I'm voting we try it next week.

Fly Solo Again!

Check out our view!

What a glorious fall afternoon! Sunny and warm with just a hint of cool breeze--it was great. I had been planning to take Flyboy to the arena for some dressage type work, but decided the trail was calling us instead. The arena will be available all winter--the trails won't. Tough decision, huh? I think not.

All week Fly has been really good with trailer loading. I really think he has finally figured it out. He gets in, steps to the side wall, I close the panel. Done. No big deal. I love it.

Booted boy

Fly and I covered approximately eight miles today. We were on the trail for an hour and forty-five minutes of pure fun.  Flyboy was much more forward today compared to our last solo ride where he was quite "sticky" at times. He never got really stuck today at all. He hesitated a few times, and actually stopped once or twice, but he readily went forward again when asked. That is HUGE progress! We walked, climbed hills, worked on traveling downhill correctly and straight quite a bit, and we trotted some really long stretches. I could not be more pleased with his progress.


This was the first time I have ridden him with all four feet booted in Easyboot Gloves. He went well in them and the only problem we had was when he stumbled and almost lost a boot. I happened to look down to check and he was half-way out so I had to hop off and put it back on. I think he probably stepped on his own foot. Everything I have read about Mustangs talks about how sure footed they are, but I think Fly is still learning how to negotiate his way over rocks, trenches, hills, ruts, etc. with a rider on his back. He's not real klutzy, but he does stumble occasionally. I think he has a little thrush going on, too, which could make him tender or ouchy. His front hoof frogs are flaking/shedding, quite a bit. I will be using Thrush Ninja regularly to get that under control.

Back at the trailer Fly got a good brushing, ate a couple of well-deserved horse cookies, and hung out in the shade for a few minutes with me. He was relaxed and knew he had done well!

The world lost a great soul today. A true Montana cowboy, and as kind a person as you could ever hope to meet passed from this world today. My prayers are with his family. We will miss you, Don.

Reese's Flat (Should Be Called Reese's Steep!)

Fly sporting Easyboot Gloves

Lovely fall weather again--woohoo! My friend Tammy came and picked Fly and me up this afternoon, and we headed to Reese's Flat. Don't ask me why it's called that; it is most definitely not flat! This is a long dirt road that winds up through a narrow canyon to the flats on top (still not flat, though!) I once took my GPS and there is a 1000 foot elevation change in about two miles. Flyboy marched up that long, never-ending hill like a trooper. He was a little jumpy today. (Yes, Flyboy, I know that cougars could leap off the ledge on top of us, but still, we must go forward!) He was looking for the bogey man to start with but soon settled down. It was a beautiful fall day, cool and sunny.

I worked a little on passing Tammy's horse and taking the lead occasionally, Fly is definitely getting better about that, although we have room for progress. No aggression toward Joker at all today, thank goodness. Mostly we just climbed up and up and up, which of course meant that eventually we came down, down, down. Fly seems to handle going uphill easier than downhill. I got off and hiked down to give him a break.

Tomorrow Fly has an appointment with the chiropractor/vet. She will check him out and adjust him as needed.

This afternoon I siliconed the top of my trailer tack room which leaked a lot in last week's rain. Then I worked on enclosing the front gate area of the barn, which really piqued Flyboy's curiosity. He checked out my power tools and got downright nosey at times! I know winter is coming, so I'm trying to get prepared. Maybe I'll be a better sport about nasty weather if I feel ahead of the game. (I seriously doubt it, but it's worth a try.)

Indoor Arena Once More

The rain poured down again all morning. This has been one incredibly soggy week! I am trying to not let the wet weather get to me, and decided I would take the horses down to the fairgrounds to ride regardless. Amazingly enough, I had the entire indoor arena to myself again.

I let the boys run and play for a while, and then I saddled Flyboy. Once again he had a pulling back problem! I need a tie ring to use on him for a while--pulling back is so not good!

I worked with Fly for an hour. We did lots of circles, working on softening, bending, yielding to my leg, and transitions. He is better (more balanced and softer) to the left. To the right, he tends to fall in on his shoulder, and rush the trot. His trot is very easy to sit, so I just focused on staying relaxed and trying to be very clear with my leg and hands. He'll go along soft in the mouth for a half circle or so and then he braces and pulls on the reins. I'm not asking for much, just softness, forwardness, and relaxation. He had some great moments, although he's not consistent yet. That doesn't bother me at all; we're just getting started and it will take time. But the good moments are super encouraging! And he kept trying!

Flyboy moves off my leg so much better now after just a few rides. I can tell he is really starting to understand more and more. We worked on halts, too, because I think he could be hard to stop if he wanted to be. He halts very well for the most part, but I want him to not brace at all, and to halt straight.

I asked Fly to canter for the first time today. Wow! Very, very soft and comfy! We cantered several circles in both directions and he was great! I loved it, and I think he did, too. When I jumped off, I rubbed his face and really loved on him: I think he knew he had done well! I untacked him to let him go roll, but he just stood with his head in my arms for the longest time!

Tired, relaxed boy!

Trailer loading today was a piece of cake! Going and coming home Fly just stepped into the trailer like a pro! He got in first; Keno took the back slot (where he barely fits!) I don't tie Flyboy, since I don't trust him not to pull back, but he rides quietly. Ahhhh. Progress feels good! Hopefully on Monday we can get out on trail again.

Snow, Rain, and the Arrival of Winter

Insane weather for early October!

Wow. We seriously had three inches of snow come down yesterday. And rain the day before. Sheesh--it was too hot to ride last Friday and our high temperature today was 42 degrees. Rather rude of Mother Nature in my opinion, but it does make me grateful to have the county indoor arena just a few blocks away!

On Wednesday afternoon I took both boys down to play at the arena, and we were lucky enough to have it to ourselves so I could turn them loose to run. Flyboy has only seen it once before, so he had a lot of fun charging around in the sand and exploring the corners with Keno. They ran from one end to the other, over and over again. Fly actually was brave enough to kick up his heels at Keno as they raced around like maniacs.

When they had had their fill of freedom, I haltered Flyboy and played ground games with him. He is making lots of progress in the driving game, yielding his forequarters much easier than he did a couple of weeks ago. He is very good at most of the games and I will start adding new variations soon. I did ask him to jump the barrel; he was reluctant, but eventually gave it a try. I should probably bring some trot poles down there again.

I worked with Keno for a few minutes while Fly was tied to the rail. When I headed to the far end to turn off the lights I took Keno with me. Flyboy got anxious and pulled back on the rope. He really pulled but didn't get too panicked and settled back down quickly. That's the first time he's done that although the trainer told me it was a problem. I will order a tie ring and use that in the future. That should help him feel less trapped. He will have to spend time at the rail this winter, so Keno can get his share of work. ;)

Yesterday I wasn't planning on riding, but about after it stopped snowing around two-thirty, I went out to work with Flyboy in the corral. We played for a few minutes, and I took him out to the trailer to work on his loading skills. He got right in, backed halfway out once, got in again and stood with his hip cocked looking at me like, "So where are we headed?" I closed the slant panel and decided I'd better take him somewhere: that was the best he's done with loading! I took him down to play at the arena, and again we were the only ones there.

I turned him loose to play and for the first five minutes he wouldn't leave my side! Once the lights warmed up and came on, he relaxed. (Oh, yeah, I've been here before!) He trotted and cantered around for a while and checked the place out. My neighbor showed up with a couple of horses; that interested Flyboy! We watched them ride till Fly relaxed. I took him out to the trailer, he stepped in, moved over so I could close the slant panel, and away we went. Great trailer progress! Woohoo---hope it holds!

Today it was Keno's turn, though. Fly stayed home alone while I took Keno down to the arena again for a good workout. Hopefully the weather changes back to our balmy fall afternoons, so we can get back out on trail. Otherwise, Fly will be headed for some arena work tomorrow, too! I just can't resign myself to being in the arena everyday this early in the winter!

Dog Valley in the Rain!

The weather was looking rather "iffy" this afternoon as my friend, Tammy, and I headed out to ride in Dog Valley. She came to pick us up since my truck was in the shop! (Yesterday's plans got messed up because of that--but more about yesterday later!)

Dark clouds aside, the temperature was great and the wind kept us cooler than we've been in weeks. Flyboy was relaxed and seemed happy to be out on the trail again. He didn't seem to mind the little bit of rain falling on us. He was content to follow Tammy's horse Joker up the trail, no spooking at "The Rocks" this time at all! Yay! When we got through the hills to the valley floor we picked up a trot; this was the first time he has been asked to keep a sustained trot in company with another horse. He did great! Just an even working trot--not racing down the trail, but not a western pleasure trot, either! Flyboy looked at the sheet metal lying in the sage brush (see Set. 29, Fly Solo) but did not spook this time. Smart boy!

Tammy and I worked together taking turns leading out. Fly didn't want to go in front at first, but he was brave about trying and eventually he trotted out in the lead. We took a different route than his last visit and saw some new territory. He spooked once at a tree limb that was hanging at an unnatural angle. Hmmm. Silly guy.

About halfway into the ride, Flyboy came up alongside Joker and was offering to take the lead. I was excited; this was a great step in the right direction. But as he passed Joker, he swung his hindquarters in and threatened to kick! I was shocked since he has been completely passive toward other horses and even dogs. I pulled him up and dropped behind again. A few minutes later I asked him to pass Joker again. These are two-track trails; there is plenty of room, so he can't feel too crowded, but again he had an aggressive moment and threatened to kick poor Joker. That time I got after him. That is not acceptable behavior. I will carry my crop next time and give him a sharp spank if he thinks about kicking. It's very odd--why he would suddenly try something like that? He's been so tolerant and agreeable so far. And Joker got so anxious!

Anyway, except for those couple of moments, Flyboy did great! We had some long trots and made some great progress toward becoming more confident at leading out. And the weather cleared up and the sun came out. Can't beat that!  I had so much fun I forgot to take any photos, though.

Yesterday: Yesterday I spent 20 minutes playing trailer loading games with Fly. When I finally closed the slant panel, I headed to the fairgrounds arena. As I pulled into the parking lot, my truck started making an awful racket! Great. I ended up going straight to our mechanic with Flyboy still in the trailer. After a quick look, I was advised to go drop off my trailer and bring the truck back--something like the belt bearings were shot.

Flyboy thought he was done for the day since I put him back in the corral, but after riding my bike home from dropping off the truck I tacked him up and rode in my arena at home. I set out some trot poles, a couple of jump standards, and a barrel to play around. We worked on steering (lots of serpentines and figure eights), softening, halting, and lots of transitions using just voice and seat. We also worked on a few turns on the forehand (he had to listen to my leg for those!) and I even introduced him to half-halts. He did really well and stayed fairly relaxed throughout. He changes directions really easily with just my seat and legs! He's very clever over the trot poles. I know it's going to take a while to teach him all this, but I see real potential! He's very smart and seems very willing.

I am hoping for decent weather tomorrow, but they are predicting snow in the mountains! How do you figure that?? It was a hundred degrees only a week ago!!

Hay Tree

I finished the hay tree project and tried it out this afternoon. (Would also work for tether ball!) Both Fly and Keno were quite fascinated! Heehee! It's more of a toy/nibble tree than anything. It really slows down their consumption since the net swings around quite a bit as they nibble. I'm going to make another one to put at the other end of the arena to help create a little movement. These guys are so happy with each other, they are content to stand behind the barn and swish flies all day. The hay trees will add a little excitement for the horses and entertainment for the neighbors!

I played with both horses at home this afternoon. I found out Flyboy can jump! He seemed to like jumping the barrel I sent him over several times. He is getting a little better at the sideways game, too--that seems kind of hard for him. Moving away from pressure is easy if it's his hind hindquarters I want to move, and he is tons better at driving his forequarters away, too. But he is rather insensitive about moving away from pressure on his barrel, or moving sideways. If I press with my finger tips or my stick he doesn't move until I am using tons of pressure. I am very quick to release the second he starts to move, but progress is slow. It will come, I know because I'm convinced he is very smart. He backs well and is great with the squeeze game. Hopefully all these things will help with trailer loading.