A Bunch of Stuff

Please send your positive energy over to my blogger friend Living the Dream.  He had a bad fall off of his lovely Canadian horse and is currently recovering from broken ribs and a bruised kidney.  Ouch!!  Another example of how important it is to wear a helmet (yes, he was wearing one)!

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An old timer passed away on Tuesday.  Chance, a lovely Paint, was one of the original school horses purchased by LA's family.  He performed his duties with pleasure and was the favourite of many, including a friend of mine who remembers riding him 25 years ago!   He was retired from his job a few years ago and enjoyed hanging out with the herd, where his pleasant personality put him in the lower half of the herd hierarchy.  If you were out on the trails, he would mosey over and say hi, maybe even walk with you a bit and then turn back.  He survived yet another winter; he was a bit underweight, but his summer coat had come in nicely.  This past weekend, boarders and staff noticed a change in him.  Instead of staying with the herd, he hung around the turnout area, close to the barn.  He kept the staff company when they were bringing horses in or putting them out.  He was a little more social.  He came up to some and allowed them to stroke and pet him, something that he usually didn't do.  On Tuesday morning, LA called in the old timers for their morning mush.  While the others chowed down, Chance came up to LA and put his head into her chest.  LA stroked him for a while and then he ate a little of his breakfast.  LA decided to keep an eye on him throughout the day, but by late morning, Chance was once again standing at the gate looking towards the barn.  LA walked over to him and as she started to check him, he collapsed.  Within a couple of minutes, he was gone; quick, painless and on his own terms.  LA was devastated, but comforted that he went as he did, with her at his side.  LA estimates he was at least 36 years old; she's not sure how old he was when he came to them.  I believe he had made up his mind that it was time and he was saying good-bye to everyone over the last few days.  RIP Chance.  You will be missed.

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We have some new boarders/horses that arrived last weekend.  One is a quarter horse, the other is a Clyde-cross, Marty.  Marty is actually a little bigger than Stu and right now is trying to figure out his place in the herd.  The new guys were put out with the other horses on Saturday.  Sunday, I was out on the trails with DH's Mom and a couple of other boarders.  There was a neigh from across the field, and then this huge horse appeared and came trotting towards us - head up, ears up, chest puffed out - making a bee-line right to Gem and I!  My heart started to race. Gem's head and ears were up, too, looking at Marty.  Imagine 1500 lbs coming at you.  I had visions of these two horses deciding to duke it out with me in the middle.  I turned Gem around and went back to my group, and as Marty was trying to come up to Gem from behind I just kept Gem moving, around and around.  There was some yelling, and Marty was eventually moved off by my body guards riding buddies and we continued our ride.  After I calmed down,  DH's Mom commented that I actually held it together pretty well, I didn't scream like a girl, and Gem behaved himself.   :-)

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A few of us purchased Cashel Leg Guards for our horses.  These are mesh socks that allow for air circulation, but prevent bot flies from landing and laying eggs on your horse's legs.  They are quite sturdy and the quality is good; worth the $40.00 I would say.  You remove them when you ride.  I put them on Gem for the first time on Tuesday, after lesson.  DH's Mom inspected to make sure they weren't too loose or too tight.  Yesterday I emailed a fellow boarder asking if she would mind checking Gem's guards when she was at the barn.  She emailed be back saying that he had removed both.  There are four sturdy velcro closures on each sock, for cripes sakes!!  When I replied, "No way!", her response was what do you expect from a horse that can open his own stall door.  She has a point.  She kindly put them back on for me.  I got a text this morning from one of the ladies who works at the barn saying that he took them off again last night (he has night turnout) and she retrieved them from the small field and put them on his blanket rack.   Sigh.

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Last June.

My Niece came for a visit the long Victoria Day weekend.  Our usual routine on Sundays is to go to the barn; we groom, I ride for a bit and then she gets on Gem and rides for a bit.  While we were tacking up, I was chatting with a boarder who had just come in from the trails.  As she started untacking her horse, she asked if My Niece would like to ride her horse instead of sharing Gem.  Yes!  So, we actually got to ride together, which was amazing.  For someone who has only had 8-10 lessons over a winter, two years ago, I was amazed at how well she managed on this horse.  Walk, jog, lope - no problem!   She was beautiful.   It was a joy to watch her and I admit, I was a bit envious of her youth and how effortless she made it look. 

* * * *

My lesson on Tuesday was really good.  I actually was able to lope half the front paddock (did I mention how big that paddock is???) a number of times, consistently, without Gem breaking down to a trot and without me collapsing from exhaustion.  My butt was in the saddle most of the time, but I know my hands are still not quiet.  If I ride one-handed, my seat is better, perhaps because my free arm keeps me balanced???  However, I have problems steering when it comes to circles.  If I use two reins, my steering is better.  So for now, I am going to concentrate on keeping my butt in the saddle, using two reins.  Once I have the butt thing down pat, I will then start focusing on steering one-handed.  LA complimented me on the lesson saying that I had now raised the bar, so she was going to push me into the next level of training; I was ready.  Yikes!  :-)  


The weather is going to be awful the next few days.  Cold, rainy and blustery.  I am still planning on getting some riding in, though!  Have a great weekend everybody and ride safely!

Down Under

When I first started lessons it was at an English barn.  I had a heck of a time trying to keep my balance, but I didn't know any better. I purchased my own Courbette all-purpose saddle because I couldn't handle the school saddles.   Eventually, through STA, I found LA and her Western barn.  When Gem and I became partners and took lessons with LA, I continued using my Courbette.  It was not a good mix for building my confidence.  I was nervous of Gem's height, I pitched forwarded on his neck when he did his big stop, I was terrified to go on trail rides because I felt exposed.  LA saw my dilemma and let me use her Bill Cook Reining saddle.  Having a horn and pommel was just what I needed.  :-) 

I eventually bought the saddle off of her.  It wasn't the perfect fit for Gem or me, but it was OK.   The bars were actually a little wide for him  (believe it or not, Quarter Horses seem to be stockier than him), so to prevent the gullet/pommel from collapsing on his withers, I had to use risers under the bars to level the saddle out.  The solutions actually worked out quite well.  He never had any soreness after our rides.  For me the saddle was just a tad to small in the seat.  Coupled with the fact that the cantle on a reining saddle tilts a little further back (because you lean back when you are doing those sliding stops!), I was always fidgeting to get comfortable. 

Western Saddle

Now, I am not sure how much my Courbette all-purpose weighs - probably ~20 lbs.  I found out recently that my Bill Cook weighs 32 lbs.  It has always been a bit of a challenge to get the saddle on Gem.  Initially, I couldn't swing it up on him because apparently I was weak as a kitten and couldn't get the height required; I always ended up slamming the saddle into his side.  Fortunately for me, Gem never lost his temper during these feeble attempts.  Being a master improviser, I purchased a little one-step stool and tried to step on the stool as I swung the saddle.  Extremely bad idea; little stools can move and cause you to body slam your horse and almost drop the saddle.  The solution?  I lift the saddle straight up over my head (apparently I now have the strength of 10 men) and place it gently on Gem's back.  However, I use the little stool to step up and adjust the placement of the saddle and risers.  It may take 3 or 4 adjustments to get the saddle position right.  Putting the saddle on Gem is the longest part of our tacking up.  I was contemplating starting to use my Courbette again because of the lightness of it, but I wasn't quite ready to give up the horn when it came to trail riding.  :-)

Enter the Australian Stock Saddle.  I started thinking about getting an Aussie last fall.  It seems to be the best of both worlds.  It's like an English saddle but with a horn!  There are leathers instead of fenders, but with western-type stirrups.  There's no pommel, but poleys (knee pads) keep your legs secure and in place.  The seat is deep and helps support your back.  And most models are lighter than a Western saddle!!!!

You can get some absolutely gorgeous Aussies that weigh in at about 30 lbs. and cost about $4,000.00.  I am not looking for that kind of heaviness or cost.   After speaking to people at two different equestrian shops, I think I am going to start out with a synthetic model which will weigh less than 20 lbs and come in under $500.00.  The brand names recommended were Kimberly, Cordura and Outback Saddlery.  If anyone out there has any experience with Aussies (the saddle, I mean!), I would sure like to get some feedback!!!

The Sounds of Silence

The first winter Gem spent at LA's, he was turned out with 3 other geldings. A lovely 15.2hh horse named S. was one of his turnout mates. I first introduced you to sweet S. when he and Gem made an escape attempt. S. was purchased by LA the same summer Gem and I came to her place. He's a very different looking horse; a light orangy brown with a wide white blaze down his face. LA purchased him from a reputable trainer, with the hope that S. would become a good lesson horse so that she could start semi-retiring some of her older teachers. At first, he was pretty good with having different riders on him. He liked working and looked beautiful doing it. He was not fussy with being in the arena however; he tolerated it because he's the kind of horse that wants to please.

After he wintered with The Boys, he was turned out with the herd. Over time, S. seemed to loose his spark. Out in the herd, he was relegated to the lower portion of the hierarchy. He lost weight. He was covered in horse bites. If you were walking out in the fields or trail riding, he would join you. He looked depressed. This picture pretty much says it all for me. S. is on the far right..the horse without a rider.

Do you think that some horses need a human?? I think S. did. He really needed to belong to someone. I think he needed to be loved.

Our arena is like the picture below. Even though the roof is rounded, snow still accumulates on the very top and when it breaks off and slides down the sides of the area, it is very loud.


In addition to the loud train-like noise as the snow slides down, there is also the visual from the inside of the arena. Many horses have spooked as they came down the length of the arena and had a batch of snow break off and slide down beside them.



The winter of 2010/11 was not great for S. He was still being used in lessons regularly. He was actually a very polite horse, willing to please. Unfortunately, he became a victim of the sliding snow monster + inexperienced rider. Instead of the students helping him through his anxiety, they made it worse by becoming anxious themselves. It became so bad, that S. was having a hard time being in the arena at all; he was always waiting for the sliding snow monster to appear. His confidence continued to diminish. A shadow or a funny noise would set him off. He started having a reputation as a spooky horse. LA had to rethink about S. being a school horse. She leased him for a month in the summer, to see if having one rider would make a difference to him. It did, but the girl who leased him was not interested in purchasing him.

In the fall of 2011, a student of LA's purchased S. He had been taking lessons for about 18 months and was ready to make a commitment. It was a match made in heaven. Shawn had been using S. in lesson, knew of his confidence issues and had experienced some of S.'s meltdowns. He still wanted S. and with LA's help has been working on his spookiness. Now, it's been a challenge. Shawn has been dumped a couple of times when S. spooked. But Shawn has a lot of patience and he loves this darn horse. He has been out at the barn almost every night since he and S. became partners. The transformation has been amazing. S. looks happier, has put on weight, he has fewer bite marks, and he seems taller! :-) Shawn has spent a small fortune on the perfect-fitting saddle, the perfect bridle, the perfect halter....you get the idea. :-) Having a human has helped with S.'s confidence....Jean has been spending a lot of time out in the fields with Stu and the herd and she says that S. has moved up in the rankings and even has a couple of "girlfriends"! S. has blossomed.

S. proudly takes Shawn out on the trails, showing off his human to his herd mates. He is a gentleman when they are riding outside and his incidents of spooking out on the trails has been reduced tremendously. Yay, S.! Yay, Shawn! However, there is still the sliding snow monster......

I joined the Saturday lesson with Shawn and S. this past weekend. With the mild temperatures, the sliding snow off the arena roof was non-stop. I knew S.'s history with sliding snow and in my mind, I was preparing to see Shawn eat dirt. Gem and I walked/jogged beside Shawn and S. during warm up. I couldn't believe how calm S. was! Did I mention that the sliding snow was non-stop??! I complimented Shawn on how well-behaved S. was considering the circumstances. His reply: "Ear plugs."

Ear plugs?? WTH??? I didn't know that ear plugs for horses existed! Shawn was at a clinic recently and the trainer recommended them for S. when he saw S. spook due to sliding snow. I could not believe the difference the ear plugs made!! There was no anxiety in S.'s (or Shawn'!) face or body. S. could still see the snow falling, but because he couldn't hear the loud train-like noise, he was fine. To me, this is nothing short of a miracle. Shawn beamed though the whole lesson. S. was focused and performed every task without hesitation. It was absolutely wonderful to watch. Something so simple has been life altering.

I am so happy that S. has found his human and Shawn has found his forever horse. It's a bonus that Shawn was told about the ear plugs so that he can continue working on S.'s confidence without the sliding snow monster interrupting. Seeing how happy S. is makes me smile. I see great things in S.'s future. It's going to be fun watching their relationship grow.

Bling!

About a month ago while visiting ltd's blog, I noticed that his beautiful Canadian Horse, L, had on a lovely "necklace". ltd explained that L wears the necklace when they go out on the trails; the bells lets critters know that ltd and his gorgeous girl are coming through. Of course, I had to have one for my boy. :-) I asked ltd where he got it from and he pointed me to Zephyr Equine Gifts.

I immediately went to Zephyr's site. These "necklaces" are actually Rhythm Beads. As a training aid, it helps to remove distracting noises that might potentially spook a horse. In addition, the rhythm provides a focus on gaits and assists the coordination of rider movements. The soft jingle can also help calm a nervous horse or rider. As a safety aid, it lets hunters and wildlife know where you are. It appears that the Rhythm Beads may have started out as part of Native American culture, worn to protect both rider and horse from evil spirits and to provide courage. In a way, they continue to do that. :-)

My communication with Zephyr Equine Gifts couldn't have been more pleasant and helpful. Not only did I order one for my beautiful boy, I also ordered two extra Rhythm Beads as gifts. They arrived last week. The bells have a nice sound and the beads used are lovely and bright in colour.

There are tassels on back order that will complete the look. :-)

Of course, when I saw the pewter wolf pendant, I had to have it. :-)

Here's one of the gift Rhythm Beads....the bells are slightly larger on these.

I like the detail on the accent beads.

Gem had his on when we went for a trail ride on Sunday. There were chuckles and snorts when I led Gem out of the barn and into the front paddock. While Rhythm Beads are gaining in popularity in other riding disciplines, it appears that the reining community (at least here) hasn't really been exposed to them. What they feel is appropriate on a horse is very traditional and I guess putting "jewelry" on a horse is just not "cowboy". I explained to my two riding buddies the safety benefits and the calming aspects of the bells. They have experienced deer or wild turkeys spooking their horses out on the trails and they agreed that the bells made sense as a warning.

So out we went with the soft jingle adding to the ambiance of the trail ride. No one complained about them and I think they did have a calming effect for me. Gem wasn't bothered by the bells and didn't mind having something around his neck. So, beauty, music, calmness and safety...seems like a good combo to me. Of course, I will be a trendsetter at my barn.....once again ..... :-)

Back-Seat Driver

Back when there was snow on the ground (not that long ago for some of us!!), I carried a sleigh bell in my coat pocket. Every time Gem would trot, you could hear its musical jingle. It was just loud enough to be heard and add some seasonal ambiance, but not too loud to be annoying. LA liked the sound and commented how it made her smile.

After a mention of the bell during one of our lessons, our conversation snow balled (pardon the pun!) into talking about the Canadian Horse and how versatile the breed is. It is a tough and hardy horse and was used for everything from pulling logs, farming, carriages and pleasure riding. The Canadian Horse is one of the strongest breeds and "has more power per hundred pounds of body weight than horses of any other breed" according to the Canadian Horse Breeders Association. Well, it certainly feels like that to me when Gem is resisting my request!! :-)

LA: He looks like black velvet against the white snow. I could see him pulling a sleigh with bells on the harness.
Me: Yeah, I could so see that!
LA: He's from GL's breeding farm, isn't he?
Me: Yes. Cool, eh?
LA: I am sure Gem would be started to pleasure drive if he came from GL's.
Me: (eyes widening) Really????
LA: You should find out.
Me: I could sit in a little red sleigh....it would have to be a red sleigh to match Gem's black coat....with a black and red checked blanket across my lap and maybe ear muffs...no! my mohair beret! I would wear my "Marlboro Man" coat with gloves and go up and down the road waving at people as we go by and .....
LA: Whoa!! Wait a minute!!! Slow down! First, you need to find out if he can drive before you start planning your sleighing outfit and accessories!
Me: Of course! (to myself) Geez, that LA sure knows how to be a joy sucker....

So, I immediately contacted GL and sure enough he starts all of his horses under saddle and for pleasure driving. How cool is that?!!! Wow! Gem is trained to pull a cart! When I asked what I could do to re-familiarize Gem, GL suggested that I contact the local driving club and attend a clinic. He told me that it wouldn't take long to get Gem used to a harness, but the most important thing was that I would have to "put the miles on". I did contact the local group, but no one got back to me. :-( The thought of Gem pulling a sleigh melted with the snow.

I had my 2nd anniversary lunch with STA a couple of weeks ago. During our sometimes loud, boisterous, belly-laugh 5-hour luncheon, I mentioned Gem being trained to drive. STA immediately mentioned Brenda, the mother of one of the girls that has a horse boarded at LA's. Brenda has minis and has trained all of them to pleasure drive and competes with them!! What a stroke of luck.

Brenda happened to be at the stables on Sunday and I asked her for some hints on how to re-familiarize Gem with driving. One thing led to another, and she has offered to bring out some equipment that we can use on Gem!!! Cool, eh? I know what you are thinking....minis, Gem....how could any of her equipment fit at 1300 lb. horse. Well, apparently we will be starting with really long reins attached to a bridle and running on either side of Gem's body with one person leading and the other walking behind him and steering him, using verbal commands, to reacquaint Gem with the concept. Initially, there were a lot of raised eyebrows from some of the other boarders when I used verbal commands with Gem (walk, wait, back, stand, whoa, come), but now I am glad I stuck with it! I think it will be quite easy to re-introduce "Gee" (right) and "Haw" (left) to him.

There's more! Brenda's best friend and neighbour has four Canadians that she competes with!! Brenda has offered to introduce me. Sadly, this friend may have to downsize soon. This may be an opportunity for me because she may be willing to part with some equipment that is already fit to a Canadian horse. :-) Gem + driving was meant to be, I think. What a great option to keep His Smartness on the ball and engaged. I will definitely keep you guys updated. You never know..... he and I may have driving or sleighing in our future!!

My Husband rolled his eyes when I told him about the potential additional equipment - in fact, he said "wouldn't it be cheaper just to buy a snowboard and have Gem pull you??" Ha, ha,...funny man....ha, ha. But, the way I look at it is that it may be an absolutely required expense to keep Gem happy and bored-free. Right? Right?....Work with me here...!

What was I thinking....?

Getting dressed....

Shannon over at It's Quarters for Me was commenting on her Western saddle recently. I started to think about how completely intimidated I was when I first started using a Western saddle. I started out English, so a Western saddle seemed so bulky to me and awkward to handle. Actually, it still does. I admit that I am Western saddle challenged. :-) Once I am in it, though, I love it!! I thought I would share how I get tacked up. Once Gem is saddled up using LA's technique, I have no worries about the saddle slipping or sliding. It's me that I have to worry about slipping and sliding. :-)

Here's my usual routine :

• I take my 75 lb. saddle from the rack in the tack room, making sure that I scrap my knuckles on the door frame as I walk through the door, carry it down the barn aisle, which I estimate to be about a mile long, making sure the metal stirrups smash against my legs leaving bruises and place it on the rack at Gem's stall.

Hello. Are we going to play?

Open the latch and let me out.

• I put Gem in the cross-ties. After a good brush and hoof cleaning, I put the under pad and saddle blanket on him.

• I hook the right stirrup on to horn, flip the girth over the seat and carry the 75 lb. saddle (OK! OK! it's only ~25 lbs) from the saddle rack over to Gem, banging the left metal stirrup against shins as I go, causing additional bruises.

• I lift saddle basically up over my head (Gem is 16.0hh) and gently place it on my beautiful boy's back. Most Western riders simply swing the saddle up and on their horses. I tried that once. I slammed the saddle into Gem, and the bounce-back slammed me into the stall door. Yep, that left a mark.

After I recover from carefully lifting and placing the saddle down on Gem's back, I step up on my little stepping stool and adjust the saddle pad and position of the saddle - you don't want it too high on his withers, but you don't want it too far back either. I also smooth down Gem's hair under the saddle pad. You may be asking yourself, "Why doesn't she just step up on the stepping stool and place the saddle from there?" I tried that once and as I tried to manipulate the saddle, I lost my footing and stumbled off of the stepping stool and ripped one of my nails as I stopped the saddle from slipping out of my hands. Obviously, I cannot manage my balance and a 75 lb. saddle at the same time.

• 

• After the saddle is in a comfortable position, I feed the leather strap through the cinch buckle and then through the strap's loop.

• Once the strap has been fed through twice, using the strength of ten mice, I slowly start to tighten it. In the beginning, this was a high risk area for me to pinch my fingers. I am better at this now.
  

• When the straps seem snug, I place the buckle hook through one of the holes in the strap and pull the straps towards me to tighten and engage the hook.

• I feed the rest of the strap through the little strap holder on the saddle.

Are we done yet???

• I don my helmet and put the bridle on Gem. After I walk Gem to the arena, I repeat the tightening process. At this point, Gem usually looks at me and says it's tight enough. Oh, sure. I have fallen for this in the past, but I am smarter now. Yep, it only takes a couple of times of the saddle slipping while getting on to teach me that I need to check the girth prior to mounting! By the time I have tightened the girth, another 4 inches is added to the length of the excess strap.

So, there you have it. Some people like their girths really tight. I have seen some riders tighten theirs until there is almost no clearance between the gullet and the withers. I am no expert, but to me, that defeats the purpose of having a gullet. Gem's is tight, but I personally don't want it so tight he's uncomfortable. So, as I am tightening his girth, I think of a bra. Yep, a bra. You see, I know how uncomfortable it is to wear a super duper sports bra, so I can relate to how irritating it can be having something tight around your chest. However, I also understand that you have to have a snug fit to ensure that nothing really moves around. So.....I guess Gem can thank my sports bra for his comfort. :-)

What was I thinking....?

The Monsters under the Bed...

We had a horrible storm blow through our province on the weekend. We were visiting some family members at a lakefront cottage. I thought of my boy and wondered how he was reacting to the thunder. The lightening show Sunday night was spectacular. After the storm cleared, it left behind beautiful temperatures and blue skies. The remnants of the gale force winds have provided a lovely breeze. The last couple of days is what summer should be like.

I arrived for my lesson on Tuesday half hoping that we would take advantage of the gorgeous weather and go out on the trails. As I grabbed my helmet from the trunk of my car, I looked at my vest and grabbed it too. Yes, I bought one. I bought a "racer" vest. The regular vest was too long in the front and would have caught on the horn of my saddle. As I walked up from my car, LA came out of the arena and confirmed we were hitting the trails.

My heart rate increased and once again I visited the bathroom 3 times before I even got on Gem!! But, it was like magic when I put on that vest. It was like I had put on my Confidence! I almost felt... well....invincible! I stood up straight, puffed out my chest, donned my helmet and sunglasses and walked with purpose out of the barn with my trusty steed.

My ensemble turned a few heads. DH's mom said that all I needed was a side arm and my look would be complete. Sigh. As I jogged Gem around the paddock, another boarder asked if Gem and I were in training for a SWAT team. Sigh. What do these earthlings know? They obviously don't understand that they are looking at Super Wolfie!

Gem picked up on my new persona, too. When LA opened the gate, Gem did not strain on the bit, he did not show any impatience. He calmly walked through and then stood while my other two classmates walked through the gate. Yay!

A trail ride is pretty basic for most people. But for me, it's an opportunity for the monsters lurking in the shadows to grab Gem's leg causing him to deposit me on the ground in a quick and painful manner. Our local monsters include wild turkeys, fox, deer, coyotes and Canada geese. I have seen wild turkeys fly out of the trees (geez, they are big birds!) and make the horses stampede away from the watering tub. Deer have bounded away suddenly, causing the herd to run. But it doesn't take a largish critter to spook a horse. Many years ago, STA and her horse fell down a small ravine because a quail flew up in front of them, causing her horse to rear and fall backwards. Yes, a 1 lb. bird took down a 1,000 lb. animal. Both survived the fall. The horse had some bruises. STA sustained back injuries which she fully recovered from. But, her fear paralysed her and she did not ride for almost a year. The main reason I wanted to ride was to be able to go out on the trails to observe wildlife.....so it's sort of weird that I am now nervous of the main thing that drew me into riding in the first place.

I worked at sitting deep in the saddle, using the "potato" technique. Instead of leaving the reins loose, I kept some light contact on them, but still allowed enough length to let Gem look and navigate the stony areas. I used a very subtle see-saw movement with the reins when he started to rush up the butt of LA's horse and he immediately responded and backed off. I recognized his apprehension as we came up to muddy spots (he doesn't like mud!) and worked at calming myself (cleansing breaths) and him down (eeeeasy, good boy) instead stiffening up and hanging on to the reins for dear life. It worked! My Confidence and I coaxed him through.

After we were on the trails for a while, LA suggested I try jogging Gem to the opening of the next field. I have never gone faster than a walk on a trail ride, so I resisted at first, but then agreed to try. Gem listened to my cue and we did an evenly paced jog across the field! I jogged a couple of more times in different fields. It felt great! Gem enjoyed it, too. The last time I asked him to jog, I felt him power up for loping - he does this head flip thing before he lopes - and I was able to gently pull back and make him refocus and do a jog. Yay!! This vest has AMAZING powers!!

Gem is not a spooker, thank goodness. It's a characteristic of his breed. He's curious, but he's not scared - not even when wild turkey monsters swarmed the trees in his field! But Gem is not as used to these trails as the school horses are, so some things are new to him. The first monsters we came upon were the dastardly sparrows. :-) They fluttered around us as we stomped through the trails. Gem was interested, but not disturbed. Squirrel monsters made several appearances running and jumping overhead, with no reaction from the group. The swishing branch monsters were a constant, and Gem took care of a few of these by just grabbing them in his mouth and shaking his head and either breaking the branch or ending up with a mouthful of leaves. "Drop it! Drop it, you maniac!" My classmates, rolling their eyes, reminded me that he was not a dog so my commands wouldn't make a difference, but I am not buying it. I think he understood exactly what I was saying.

As we were walking along the stone wall that separates LA's property from a golf course, the golfer-monster made a sudden appearance right beside us (well, his voice did) on the other side of the wall and Gem did a very LARGE two-jumps-to-the-left move that caught everyone off guard. It was quite a big movement, but my butt was firmly planted in the saddle and I moved with Gem and other than loosing one stirrup, my first spook wasn't bad. Super Wolfie!

When the ride was finished, I felt elated. I think Gem did, too. He was having a "good" day (will expand in another post) and was amazing. Wearing my Confidence helped me relax and focus on Gem's movements and at the same time enjoy my surroundings. Rest assured, blogger friends, that I will continue to use my newly acquired powers for good and not evil. Monsters are no match for Super Wolfie and her trusty steed!!!

What was I thinking....?

Paying for Protection

Last week, LA decided the horses needed a change of scenery and instead of working in the paddock for our usual lesson she suggested a trail ride. It was a beautiful evening; not too warm with a slight breeze, no bugs. My classmates were all over hitting the trails. I objected.

The last time I rode Gem out on the trails, he bucked me off. My fall almost knocked the wind out of me and left me with a lovely bruise where my thigh connected with the horn of my saddle as I flew through the air. I ended up with a compressed rib cage which, for weeks, made it difficult to take a deep breath. LA wanted me to get back out there, so she took me out on the trails about a month later, but she rode Gem and I rode a school horse. Gem acted up a couple of times while she was on him, but she worked him through it. When we finished the trail ride, I rode him in arena for a while. Gem and I have not been out on the trails since.

Trail riding is an important element of the culture at the stables. The trails play a big part in the decision to board at LA's facility; that and the fact that she is a certified instructor. The Arena Gang meet up a couple of times a week. The younger riders go out just about every night. I long to be able to go out and feel safe. I am not there yet.

So, when LA suggested a trail ride the other night, my heart started to pound. I kept voicing my objection, but as she saddled up a school horse, she reassured me, gently, that it would be fine. If I felt really uncomfortable, she said, we would trade horses. She opened the gate from the front paddock and my two classmates happily went through into the small pasture. I was still voicing my objection.....I just had surgery...what if I fall and injure myself?!! LA mounted her horse and told me to walk beside her. Off we went. The voice in my head was saying "Too much space! Too much SPACE!" My heart continued to pound. Gem walked on, unfazed by the drama that was going on in my head.

There was a brief moment when Gem was making me nervous and I asked LA to switch horses. She reassured me that Gem was just being "happy" and was not transitioning into a speed-crazed demon. I started to relax a bit. LA and I chatted as our group walked along the trails and into the woods, and when we came to the "loping field", my classmates were given an opportunity to jog and lope on grass. LA held the side of Gem's bridle, just in case Gem decided that he wanted to lope, too, but he was very well behaved and her precaution was not necessary. I appreciated it, though. :-) We did not go into the field that the herd was in, and I was grateful for that. By the time the ride was over, I felt like a million. I gave LA a hug and thanked her for pushing me through my anxiety.

I have to admit that Gem was quite easy going during our trail ride. I think a few things contributed to his calmness. I have been riding him beside other horses in the arena over the last few months. This type of socialization has helped with correcting his pushiness towards other horses. He's more comfortable with the other horses, he's more comfortable with surroundings and he is more comfortable with me. I also think that having LA ride him once a week has made a difference, as she gives him a good work out and reinforces good behaviour.

Unfortunately, I can't rely on LA to be my trail riding buddy all the time. There are a couple of people who no longer go out on the trails because of falls they have experienced. I don't want to be one of them. I want to get out on the trails because walking is practically the only thing I can do on Gem right now while I continue recovering. I must admit that my recent surgery makes me wary; I am afraid of falling and ripping internal stitches.

So I was thinking about how I can protect myself better, while I am building my skills and confidence. I am considering purchasing an air vest to wear when I am out on the trails. I don't know anyone who has one so I would appreciate any feedback you may have on them if you are familiar with this type of vest. Wearing one will probably turn a few heads at the stables; I think there will be those that might find it interesting and others that will look at it as a sissy garment. It won't be the first time I've been a fashion trend setter! :-) There are a few different models, like this and this and this. My concern would be that they might make me hot...and not in a good way! It's not the greatest look for me, but if it makes me feel safe and help with my confidence, it might be worth looking like the Michelin Man....

What was I thinking....?

Walk this way.....

Apologies for the delay in posting. Work has been taking up a fair amount of my time.

So, I have been wearing my spurs for the last two weeks. I am apparently strap challenged when it came to putting this ensemble together. LA had to do it for me.

I was a bit nervous at first, afraid that I might hurt Gem. LA assured me that Gem would be OK. I just pressed them into his side if he did not respond to my first cue. The first time I used them, I could immediately feel a change in his posture; it was subtle but I noticed it. His ears stood up like he was paying attention. He didn't freak out. What the heck was that? LA coached me on when to use them. However, once the novelty wore off, he started to challenge me ever so slightly. It's going to take time. I need to find the "buttons" and the right pressure. He's a "teenager", always pushing the limits.

Wearing the spurs while on Gem is one thing. Wearing them when I am on the ground is quite another. My lesson are at 6:30 p.m., so this means that I have to change into my riding gear at the office and head out to the stables. It's actually a bit of a rush. So, the first time I wore them, to save time I decided to put the spurs on my boots when I got changed. Driving to the stables with the spurs on my boots was not problem. When I parked the car and started to get out, my right spur caught my left pant leg (I was wearing riding jeans) as I swung my leg out the door. Having my left leg stopped in mid-swing made my upper body tip out the door while my legs remained entangled around the gas pedal. I smashed my arm on the door frame as I stopped myself. I quickly looked around to see if anyone saw my un-cool moves. Whew - no one. I proceeded to the barn and tacked up without incident.

I always have to go to the bathroom before we ride. Perhaps it's an age thing combined with the excitement of riding. The port-a-potty is located outside at the end of the front wall of the arena. Cars are usually parked in front of the arena and the port-a-potty. I believe someone with a sick sense of humour designed the port-a-potty. Only a person weighing in at about 98 lbs could use this facility with ease. So, imagine the contortions I go through at my size (I think my hair weighs 98 lbs) with the addition of 5 layers of winter clothing. I manage, but with effort. This particular time, as I started to exit, my spur caught my pant leg again (what the heck?!). I banged around the door frame doing some sort of contorted one-legged dance, pitched forward and came flying out of the booth, door slamming behind me, and bounced off the hood of a car parked in front of the unit. Z.'s father, who was sitting in the car waiting for her, peered over the top of his newspaper, eyes wide. Oh, dear. I smiled at him and continued on my way. Embarrassed, yes. But, I am thankful that I didn't actually tip the port-a-potty over!!!

Later on that evening, after the horses were put away, LA and I were chatting. I leaned my butt against the counter in the sink room and crossed my ankles. Yep, I smashed my spur into my ankle. I'll tell you, I couldn't wait for my vodka soda when I got home that night!

I had bruises all over my arms and legs the next day. My husband asked me how I got them. "From my spurs", I replied. He just shook his head. You know, I wear high heels all day. How is it that I can walk around in them without issue and then turn into some sort of coordination/motion-challenged idiot when you put a 1/2" piece of metal sticking out the back of my heel??? *sigh*

What was I thinking....???

Ups and Downs

We have a new boarder at the stables. He is a 5 year old that stands 17.2hh. Gem is no longer the tallest horse, but I think he's still the biggest. While Dream is very tall, he is slender and actually delicately built compared to Gem's robustness. Dream is 3/4 Thoroughbred and 1/4 Shire. Dream and Gem are both classified black, but Dream is darker with white socks. I think he's darker because he is always under a blanket when he is outside. Dream likes to watch the lessons in the arena...yes, he is so tall that he can look over the wall of his stall into the arena. :-)

Dream's mom is training him in dressage. I had a nice chat with her when they first arrived about the difficulties in finding tack to fit a tall or large horse (she won that contest!). As I was standing next to Dream, I realized just how tall he is. Wow. His mom is about my height (5'7"). How the heck did she get on him?? "Oh, I have a 3-step mounting BLOCK". Really? I had no idea these things existed. The next time I was in the arena, I saw Dream's mounting block. My little 2-step ladder looked very insignificant next to this piece of equipment. :-)

I asked Dream's mom if she ever went out on trail rides. She said that every time she did, she got hurt, so she prefers to ride in enclosed areas. Having fallen off a tall horse myself, I can related. Getting on Gem from the ground was hard enough, so I can't even imagine having to get on Dream from the ground!

I have never been graceful getting on or off a horse (see Mounting and Dismounting). I could measure how bad my mounting and dismounting were by the number of bruises I would have on my arms the day after my lesson. For now I am grateful that I have improved to the point where I don't collapse on Gem's shoulders like I used to do with GM, and that my blue/white stomach and super sports bra are not regularly displayed after I slide down Gem's body when getting off him. I no longer have to worry about tipping over the saddle and doing a head plant on Gem's right side as I kick my left foot out of the stirrup. The days of holding on to the saddle for dear life as my dangling feet look for solid ground when dismounting are no more.

I think that my body is getting used to the motion of mounting and dismounting. My hip joints have opened up to allow for the up and over movement. My teeny tiny core muscles are strengthening. A year ago, I could hardly bend and touch my toes or do any stretches. I now think yoga is in my future! Now my leg clears Gem when I am getting on him. If I have had a hard lesson though and I am tired, I will dust his rump with my right leg during the dismounting process. I have improved quite a bit, but I am looking forward to the day that I can swing myself on or off Gem in one fluid motion, my right leg clearing his body by at least a foot. It will happen!!

The other night, I decided to try out Dream's mounting block. I let Gem look at it and sniff it. For some reason, Gem wasn't fussy on it. Up I stepped. Holy crap. I was actually quite high off the ground; a little scary. But, I could easily step into the stirrup and reach over to the saddle horn. I did not have to haul my bulk up and into the saddle. I just placed myself on Gem's back. So easy. So wonderful.

LA has commented on my improvement getting on and off Gem, which is encouraging. It takes me a sec to get my foot in the stirrup while perched on my ladder, but it's getting easier. As much as the block is super easy and I look so much more dignified getting on Gem when I use it, I think I will continue using my 2-step ladder. I think having to stretch to get my foot in the the stirrup and having to reach and pull myself on to Gem is exercise - every little bit helps, right? Gem's height intimidated me at the beginning, but after 8 months it's beginning to feel more and more natural. Besides, with my track record for falling off during trail rides, I need to continue conditioning my body to bend and stretch so I can reach the stirrups to get back on him from the ground!! :-)

What was I thinking....?

A Little Bit of This....

I get chided a lot from my riding buddies, particularly Jean, that I take too long to tack up. It takes me about 30 minutes start to finish. It takes her about 15 minutes. She rides a school horse who is regularly groomed. Gem is only groomed when I see him, so it's important to take a little more time. I have a routine that I go through and if I miss a step or don't do it to my quality specifications, it bothers me. Hmmm, perhaps I have some sort of obsessive/compulsive disorder. But, I think Gem is worth the attention. For instance, I give Gem a decent brush when I see him, which is two or three times a week. I brush him before I ride him and after. I clean his hooves before and after I ride, also. I take a minute to check him for lumps and bumps and I spend a few minutes loving him (see Breakthrough), so he doesn't feel rushed. He actually likes getting groomed.

Another time consumer for me is actually getting the equipment to where he is cross-tied. I have to drag my grooming supplies, saddle blankets, saddle and bridle out of the tack room and down to the end of the barn.

I know that you are supposed to warm up the bit before you place it in your horse's mouth. I know this and as I remove the bridle from its peg, I say to myself "don't forget to warm the bit!" But, do you think I remember to warm the bit?? I remember as I am getting ready to put the bridle on him! I frantically put the bit in my hand and give it 5 nano seconds of warming up before Jean asks me if I am ready to go. Gem patiently takes the bit in his mouth and off we go. Bad mommy! Bad mommy!

So the last time I rode Gem, I had a brilliant idea. As soon as I picked the bridle off its peg, I folded it up along with the reins, lifted up my shirts and put the half of the bridle that had the bit attached down my pants. OK, it wasn't "down my pants"! It was placed in the layer between my breeches and my snow pants. I pulled my shirts back down. The waistband of my snow pants held everything securely against my stomach. Cold leather and metal - not a great feeling against your body, even through my winter weight breeches! But, I was quite pleased with myself knowing that Gem was going to have the warmest bit ever.

There was a clinic going on at the stables on this particular day. Everyone was hanging out in the arena. I was alone in the barn except for one clinic participant, who was finishing tacking up. I am not sure if she saw me struggling to put my bridle down my pants. The light is not great at the back of the barn. I was taking advantage of the better light at her end of the barn, so I was facing her while I was stuffing it down. I'm thinking she probably did.

I went back to getting my boy ready for our trail ride. I guess all the movement from grooming made my bridle slip lower and lower from the security of my waistband. By the time I was ready to put the bridle on Gem, it had slipped down my leg and was now hovering around my knee in between the layers of my clothing. Crap. The reins were still poking out the top of my pants. As I mentioned, the lighting is not the best where I cross-tie Gem, so I waddled closer to the front of the barn. I undid the snaps and fly zipper of my snow pants, pulled them down a bit, grabbed the reins and started pulling. Just as the rest of Gem's tack came out of my pants, one of the other clinic participants walked in. I did an about face and headed back to Gem, a very warm bridle and bit in hand, holding the front of my snow pants to stop them from falling down.

Again, I am not sure if this other clinic participant actually saw the bridle coming out of my pants. I suspect she did. This is the conversation I envision between the two clinic participants during lunch break:

First: I saw a rider with her bridle down her pants this morning.
Second: I did too! What's with that?
First: I think she may have been warming her horse's bit.
Second: No kidding! I haven't heard of warming it that way before. Have you?
First: No. But you know, LA is very up-to-date on everything horse related. I wonder if she suggested this method to the rider.
Second: Well, when you think about it, if you stick your bridle down your pants it warms the leather too, making your reins and bridle more flexible.
First: True. You going to ask LA about it?
Second: No way! I don't want her to think that I am an idiot because I don't know about these methods!
First: Agreed. I am going to try it when I get home.
Second: Me, too.

Yeah.....right..... :-)


What was I thinking.....?

Slippery Slope

I was having a hard time with the school saddle. I had been using it for a few months and I had come to the conclusion that it was too small for GM and it was way too small for my butt. It felt like I was sitting on a piece of wood. The Instructor said he could get me a good saddle, but it was going to cost $2,000.00. I decided to take the plunge. I thought that if, down the road, I decided that riding was not for me, I could sell it. When I told my husband what I was doing, his eyebrows rose ever so slightly, but he had the good sense not to say anything. He knew that if he did, I would immediately question his golf membership and golf-related expenses. My order was placed and after 6 weeks of waiting, it finally arrived. It was beautiful!! I was the envy of the barn. I couldn’t believe the difference. It was soooooo comfortable.

GM's tummy was a tad too big for the regular girth that came with the saddle. Unfortunately for GM (or maybe fortunately) they don't make Spanx for horses. Off I went to get an extender. This little device added an extra 5 inches to the girth and hid discretely under the saddle flap. No need for GM to be embarrassed!

I did not want to risk having one of the younger students taking my new saddle out for a spin when I wasn’t there, so I took it home with me after each lesson and stored it in my basement. Carrying it up and down the stairs was a work out for me in the beginning and walking back and forth from the car with it was also taxing. But, over time it became easier. Could it be that I was actually starting to get some flexibility and muscle tone???

My new saddle made me realize how my body was changing....subtle changes, but changes none the less. It occurred to me that I wasn’t dropping the girth as often when I was carrying it back and forth. I wasn't banging my fingers on the gate when I opened and shut it while holding the saddle in my arms. The weight of my new piece of leather used to pitch me forward, causing me to stumbled down the pathway. No longer an issue; my coordination was improving. Eventually, I could easily lift my saddle up and gently place it on GM's back. My saddle measured improvement, but it also highlighted problem areas. After a few months of using my saddle, I noticed that the leather was wearing in certain places from the stirrup straps rubbing against it, an indication that my legs were not as "quiet" as they should be. Having a beautiful expensive saddle did not guarantee that my riding skills would improve.

After I got my saddle, I went out and bought my own grooming supplies - assorted brushes and combs, hoof pick, sponge - and a carrying case to put it all in. I purchased my own red crop, saddle pad and a halter; basic black, of course. I upgraded my boots, bought beautiful insulated riding gloves and a neck warmer. I was now able to carry my saddle AND my grooming supplies back and forth in one go. One day when I was grooming GM, one of the boarders at the stables noticed all of my supplies and my gorgeous saddle and said “Geez, you need your own horse to go with all that stuff!” The seed was planted.

What was I thinking….?