Okay, let's be real here. I'm just excited to be on a regular schedule for lessons.
I moved Gwyn to her new facility on Monday. We can call it a facility loosely because I found the one damn place in all of Snohomish and King County with minimal fancy shit that was actually near where I live and didn't cost upwards of 800/month. New boarding place is literally a pasture, some shelter and they feed hay in the winter and make sure water doesn't freeze. It's perfect. I can store my trailer there and that's my tack room. There is a tack room for boarders but eehhhh, it's not big and if I'm lessoning frequently, it just makes sense to keep everything in the trailer.
ANYWAY
Lesson! This was at L's house in the Tolt Highlands near Carnation. She found a turnkey equestrian property. She teaches lessons and it's just this gorgeous house/barn (house on top, barn below) with a pasture paradise track, arena and pastures. She also does endurance with Cortney!
"These are way fancier digs than where I stayed the past couple days..." - Gwyn
I packed up Gwyn after she gallivanted around the hay field (grrrr, MARE) and was still on time because I was operating under the "it will take an hour" mindset and it did not take an hour! Win! I'd previously been to the farm to pick strawberries with Trudy and my kids so I was generally familiar with how to get there.
It was a lot of twisty road up into the foothills but it's a lovely secluded little farm.
*boop*
Looking fancy shmancy. I finally got rein stops
Despite that, Cortney and Jim were late. I think if it were anyone but Jim, I'd be upset. But he's coming from his primary job and traffic is a bitch out here.
Right away I was remembering the feel of my rein aids and how that helped Gwyn bend. We had warmed up in the walk while we waited for Jim and he started us off on the rail in the arena (small dressage court sized) doing shoulder in down the long sides in the trot. Slowing and controlling my posting was super key. Once I got a good tempo and steady slow trot, Gwyn's head dropped and she bent around my leg and reached into contact. It was fantastic. If I started to lose her I'd do a 10m circle and she'd come back to me.
I want to try this solo now in the field and see if I can recreate it.
I take pictures when we stand around to discuss the theory of what we're working on.
L is on her morgan on the left.
We also had to go around in 2 point, maintaining our good trot and shoulder in. I did pilates yesterday. I am SORE today, haha. But I'm feeling so positive about the fitness I'm improving in myself for the sake of Gwyn.
We took turns cantering since the arena wasn't that big and we each had slightly different things to focus on in this gait and each of the horses had different needs. My focus was making sure that when I asked, it was from that good trot, and not the giraffe trot. Gwyn threw SEVERAL bucks each time I cued for canter. Third time on her good side I got a decent depart that we held together a little bit before it got discombobulated. Then we switched directions. Immediately she was way more tense and it took a lot of work to just regain that relaxation. She was anticipating the canter cue and bucking and crow hopping before I even put leg on. We didn't push it. I need to get the chiro out to see her.
And then we did JOMPIES! My last jumping lesson was when I school X-country in 2018. Jim is big into the idea of everything is dressage and dressage is for everything. And of course we had our educational bit about how there are only 2 types of jumps. Vertical jumps, where you want the horse to give you height, and liverpools, where you want the horse to stretch out and give you a broader parabola without as steep a curve in the jump. We basically worked on the liverpool style and asking for that length.
The jump started as an oxer set of x-rails. L and I needed to add leg to get the impulsion. Cortney was tasked with slowing her mare down because she was frogging her way through it and not gathering herself up appropriately. Then Jim moved it to be a straight oxer.
Again in the jumping my goal was to collect her up and keep a smooth, relaxed trot going into the turn toward the jump
Cortney did get video, of our second to last attempt where I got majorly left behind. Our final attempt was much much improved. I'm really pleased. We'll be back at L's next week. The lesson day is fluid due to Cortney's endurance schedule. Thankfully I can be fluid too.
And yesterday Saffron got moved to Cortney's house. I've been getting updates from Cortney and it seems like she's settling in well.
Splendid came to escort Saffron. She's a good girl and Kaylee was tasked with bringing her down to the barn.
Reign and Amira are intrigued
Saffron is unsure though...
"You guys are annoying" - Saffron
Saffron has found a little spot under some trees that she likes. The horses are idiots and don't seem to have figured out that's where she hides. So it's now Saffron's spot. The mares all vye for Saffron's attention. Saffron doesn't give a fuck.
On Sunday I gave Gwyn her first dose of Adequan and then it was just so bloody hot (and my Mom was here) that I didn't do much with Gwyn, but I felt better by telling myself that I was giving Gwyn some time off after her chiro adjustment and letting the adequan start its work.
Last night I went out to lunge. I've got the creeping crud but the weather has been SO NICE that I made myself go. It'll be hot again soon. As per usual, despite feeling like I could fall over and sleep once I was actually out and grooming and lunging I perked up quite a bit. I just grabbed my surcingle (need a new one) and my side reins (also falling apart) and switched out the sidepull for a baucher on my biothane bridle.
Is that a more balanced canter I spy?!
Almost immediately I noticed a difference. Gwyn was offering the canter very willingly and was much steadier and more balanced than she's been. There was clear separation and push in her hind feet placement and no bunny hopping until she sassed me and got too rushed and off balance. I was so paranoid watching the quality of her gaits.
I also had two trot poles but I need to finesse the distance. They were set up and then my 5 year old decided that rearranging my arena was totally an activity she should do while I was otherwise occupied. Oh kids.
I didn't want to overwork her on the 20m circle so we did a little bit and then I took off the surcingle and side reins, reattached the regular reins and hopped on bareback to walk her and cool her out. I worked more on the lateral work, side pass, haunches in, shoulder in and she was great. I'm really loving how I can swing her body around right now. That dressage lesson was just wall breaking with whatever obstacle was in my head in how to achieve it.
"I smell your boot"
Good mare
After riding I hosed her off and fly sprayed her just in time for Eric to come out with Hazel. He wanted to finish moving the hay out of the trailer so that's what we did (because the weather was super conducive to moving bales of hay)
"Okay tiny human, this is how to walk into the trailer"
So hard to see because the bushes and fence are in the way, but we caught sight of a Doe and two fawns!
Once all the hay was gone, Saffron slowly made her way into the trailer to snatch up the leftovers. The last time she was on this trailer was when I brought her home and I just sat and watched her. I really want her to be able to load calmly and have good associations with the trailer so this was excellent! The one thing I read that I feel is really important about donkeys is that they remember. They've got an iron trap of a mind and if you've got a repeat bad association you're pretty much screwed with them ever thinking otherwise about a situation.
I also didn't want to leave them alone with the fence open like this. They are escape artists, these two!
Have a silly video of Saffron hanging out with me and Saffron.
So today was the lameness evaluation at Blue Water Equine Hospital. It's about a half hour away and has some nice facilities (though they need to replace their border fence....) We started with some basic trot outs, then I lunged her so the vet could see the canter. Then she went through and did some flexion tests with more trot outs after each. After the last flexion though, the vet tech went to lunge Gwyn at a trot and the Goober reared her ugly head, ducked and yanked the lunge line and took off. Her tail was flagged, and she basically said "Fuck all y'all, I am done being vetted in, it's time for the endurance ride"
The hospital staff took off after her in their vehicles while I felt helpless and a half mile away she finally deigned to be caught and then they walked back.
Zoomed out, the vet is walking her back.
Walking through the fallow field.
Apparently they had perimeter fencing but it got blown down in one of our windstorms.
Pretending to be sweet.
The vet saw mild lameness and it wasn't consistent with the right hind like trainer Alison had seen. Vet also saw some soreness up front but nothing that couldn't be explained by doing trot outs on gravel. She also said that her hooves were nice and solid (despite the chipping stuff).
Her feet are terrible. The farrier wanted to leave them longer this time and I don't think it was a good idea.
We moved on to x rays. They did her left front, left hock and right hock.
Are you ready for the results?
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Are you sure?
The damn mare has textbook perfect joints. No remodeling, no signs of arthritis. Her bones look beautiful, her joints have lovely spaces in them for synovial fluid. Nothing, nada. Zilch. Vet was laughing and said these are the best joints she's seen lately.
Vet recommended I give her some Adequan more as a preventative than a full on treatment. Then we did do a chiropractic session. Her SI joint was ALL out of sorts, which would also cause some of the issues we've been having. She's got a muscular butt but it seems her back and core need more work. Vet wants us to come back in 6 weeks for another chiro session but basically gave the go ahead to have me tell the trainer we can be pushed and that it's more behavioral and lack of proper muscling. I have been reading up on Sacroiliac Disease and I'm concerned that's more what we're looking at. Bonus, I don't need to buy any new BOT stuff because I have a rump rug I can use to target her SI already.
She also recommended front shoes as Gwyn's soles were not as thick as she'd like to see (based on xray). And was mildly intrigued/concerned that Gwyn has a yellowish tinge to her skin/mucous membranes. Now that she points it out I can see it but I think it's her normal. There's a spot on her belly she wants me to keep an eye on, one that I've been slathering in swat but it might be a sarcoid and need to be removed.
So now I need to up my ground poles game and find a good place for walking hills. This might be a good excuse to go back to Ortonville Rec Area for some ambling trail rides! LOL. It's what the doctor ordered...
So anyway, that was a hit to the pocket book to find not much, but I'm glad I have baseline images so we can see if any changes do occur.
Also, let it be known that I tried to spoil my critters and let them eat down the ditch grass in our backyard which is hard to mow because it's a seasonal stream and instead they snubbed me and escaped and went for MORE gallivanting up to the neighbor's house and that was adrenaline pumping as I raced to get the ATV to retrieve them. They came back on their own. I have no idea where they escaped as my cobbled together fence was intact.
I suspect they went under. Damned animals. I wish I could completely fence off the property.
Okay phew! I can finally start to plan out my Sunday!
The show is running the higher levels first so I basically don't have a ridiculously early show time. Dressage is at leisurely Noon, and cross country is at 1:48pm.
Hopefully I won't have a work sample come in Saturday which would require a 4 hour Sunday window since I'm on call this weekend. I can fudge things though by making sure any Friday samples are started later, then go in later on Saturday as well and if samples come in I can go in later on Sunday too. I can make it work! (started this post on Thursday, samples did come in today, they were started at 4pm so that's good. I can easily work with that)
On the 16th I got out to ride and school the dressage test. I kept this ride short mainly because I wanted the cantering to be very positive and it was!
Nicely trimmed roached mane
I probably spent as much time moving jumps out of the way as I did riding.
My dated (2011) whinny whidgets test book reminded me of my dressage court and I had the printed out test.
We walked through the test first so I could figure out the pattern of 20m circles because they tend to be mirrored in some way. Then we ran through it twice. I carried a dressage whip with me and I think it really made a difference in helping Gwyn keep the canter. She was almost too slow in her trot but she wasn't giraffing either which was nice. I think as long as we stay in the dressage arena I'll be happy with our efforts. I'm not too concerned about jumping. They'll be tiny, we can trot them all and we've schooled there before. She was fit enough to trot the 15 miles so we'll be fine with way less plus some jumps.
All of that and I have a going away picnic thing for a friend after the show that I need to fit in. I'll likely just be late for that. Of course, early Friday morning I wake up super super sick. I should be fine by Sunday, but oh boy, that's cutting it close. I spent most of today lying in bed with emergency trips to the toilet and my bucket. It was tiring to sit on a folding chair in the garage and watch the kids play before dinner. At least I'm starting to eat solids though, that's a good sign.
Yesterday my new stuff arrived and I'm super excited it got here in time!
I'm a little frustrated that despite providing measurements some stuff is still too big, specifically for Saffron.
A halter that finally fits.
New halter for Saffron. After I took this photo I remembered that I could still adjust the crown so now it fits her better.
The mule bridle is still too large, even on the tighest settings. It can be adjusted with hole punches but still. I PROVIDED MEASUREMENTS. ARGH. I feel like they second guess me because I provided measurements the first time with Gwyn too and things came too small.
I did get new stirrup leathers for endurance so we'll be rocking the purple. My thorowgood leathers will be used for more formal things.
New Kerrits sun shirts in purple!
I didn't realize but I have a lot of sun shirts. Two long sleeve (teal and purple) and 4 short sleeve (one purple, three white). I think I'll be set! LOL
Most excitingly, I received an email asking for my availability to be a jump judge at WEG in September and I am SO COMMITTING TO IT. Waiting to hear back from the eventing volunteer coordinator. WOOOOOOO That'll be a road trip to Tryon for sure!
Not much media because it was night time, but I took advantage of Hazel falling asleep early (she didn't nap while I was gone yesterday) and escaped to the barn for solo chores.
From the morning. She heard me on the deck and is always VERY attentive to what I'm doing outside :) It's my favorite part of having her in my backyard.
"Hi Mom! I see you! Do you have treats? Oh, you're going back inside? That's a shame..."
Now, Hazel didn't stay asleep but that wasn't my problem, have fun hubby! (They watched Blue Planet II)
Lit by the arena lights
I lunged her first and she was up but not out of control so again I kept it short and hopped on. I worked mostly on myself and being balanced.
I tried to ask for canter and she started snaking back and biting at her girth, both directions. This is infrequent but I did wonder if something was bothering her (for future reference, I used an old purple dover pad and maybe how the girth was laying on it was not comfortable? If it happens again I'll see if that's a common element) she's normally pretty unflappable.
So I pulled the saddle off and hopped back on bareback :D Aside from the shedding horse hair poking through my pants, it was a nice ride. We did about a mile in the arena, working out to 30 minutes of mostly walking but LOTS of transitions and geometry. I wanted myself to be really responsive with contact.
I had treats in my pocket, along with a clicker. Peppermints and ginger snaps. Gwyn now expects a treat every time I say good girl. I've probably said it often enough she associates it more with a treat than the click. On a more positive note, now that I'm carrying pocket treats, she's not walking off with me after I mount up on her.
I want to start clicker training Saffron and the ginger snaps and peppermint candies seem to be the trick. The storebought horse treats weren't interesting to her but she willingly left her alfalfa to get more ginger snaps from me last night. I do need to desensitize her to the click as she flinches a lot if I use it. Poor thing :( What did humans do to you?
Silly donkey did try and eat my saddle while it was hanging out on the gate. She is a curious and nosy thing! I never expected to love her as much as I do.
For just the briefest of moments this weekend, we had warm(er) weather and it was sunny and clear Saturday and Sunday AND I didn't have to go into work. The stars were aligned, y'all.
It was a dead horse kind of day. Pink is Gwyn, flat out, and purple but blending in is Saffron, also down but not totally out.
"Mom, you have treats, right?"
Since shedding season has FINALLY begun (yay spring!) I took my time grooming Gwyn. In anticipation of ramping up some work with her, I also gave her the tracest of clips. My first time ever. No judging. This is where she sweats the most so it should help, especially at our endurance ride in April. I might do more for her in April depending on how much of her coat she's blown out.
After tacking up we took to the still sn*wy and wet arena for a 'what is your energy level like today' lunge.
Pokey pony was pokey. I didn't even bother lunging the other side. I could barely get her to trot without a lunge whip. She was of the "ewwww mom, my feet are splashing cold sand on my belly" opinion and just didn't wanna.
I figured that was a good mindset to have for a toodling kind of ride.
"Please can we be done?"
So I hopped on and we did lots of walking work with bending and walk halt transitions and some trotting but really the arena needed one more day of sun before I felt comfortable doing a lot of trot work in it. I need to go through and salt and drag it before the plants take hold.
I did set this up. We walked over it. Gwyn did not touch the poles. That's pretty big. She's usually very lazy with her feet.
We also did the first exercise from the Jumping Exercises book. I did a few extra stuff using this basic set up like a clover leaf pattern with smaller 10m circles.
So sunny!
Parked out, for her. Gwyn, you are not a Morgan or Saddlebred.
I think she was happy for the attention though. Now that she's shedding I'll be making sure to groom pretty much every day so we can keep the itchies at bay. Saffron won't shed for a while but will suddenly be sleek in July. That donkey is enigmatic. I also pulled blankets from them since the weather seems to be on the up and up with no precipitation forecast for a week.
It'll mean less clean horses but they'll be fine, the woolly beasts.
We got about a mile of work in 30 minutes. So we weren't particularly marching. But it was a rejuvenating, warm ride.
