Lesson Recap: Smitty’s first jump lesson

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Britt

Smitty is getting edjumacated this week!

Last night we did our first jump lesson, which focused on a pole exercise to get his brain engaged and allowed me to work on using the outside aids to make turns and find an appropriate rhythm.

A lot of the evening was of the get-to-know-you variety, so we started over a basic ground pole and added more as we went along, ending up with three poles in a row and 4 options for single rails so that I could continuously change direction and create patterns over the poles as he needed.

This exercise not only got him thinking, but it engaged my brain too, and was really helpful in helping us both relax (but mostly me).

A main objective was asking him to lower his poll and use his back over the rails, and for me to use the turns to establish bend and use my outside rein and inside leg. I also worked on keeping my hands low and trying not to get too short with my reins. I can see that I need to be quieter with my leg, but that is a work in progress for certain.

We eventually built up to going over the three ground poles followed by a cross rail. Smitty basically just cantered over, so I got the added responsibility of “creating flight” by squeezing on takeoff and encouraging him to jump. Guide rails were also placed on the ground to help with straightness and the jump.

Next time less jumping ahead though, OK self?

Overall it was a good lesson and allowed me to conquer some demons that I had trouble with even the night before. I have the feeling that Hurricane Matthew is going to impeded any other jumping lessons before next weekend, but it was good to get at least one under our belt before the show!

Lesson Recap: Dressage Lesson Numero Dos

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Britt

October is officially a big month for Smitty, and last night was the first of several lessons planned before his first show. Sorry in advance for no new media, and for this being a brain dump so I can remember all the things next time.

We rode out in the outdoor ring, which I have been avoiding since my confidence took a hit last month and I’ve been sticking to the more enclosed covered arena. But I want to power through some of my anxieties, and for me that means having an instructor there to get me out of my head and focusing on the saddle. Speaking of saddles by the way, the Amerigo Vega monoflap is officially the winner of the trial period, and though it was odd to have a dressage lesson in jump tack, I’m grateful to finally have a saddle that fits my gangly boy.

Winner winner chicken dinner!

We started our lesson by warming up with a forward walk, and getting me to focus on staying relaxed until I trusted that I could really lengthen my reins to a semi-free walk length and allow him to telescope his neck out- a main focus for the next hour. Once I was able to do so without crabbing up, we introduced transitions between medium walk and free walk. I haven’t yet attempted medium walk, as we were focusing on the forward motion of the walk primarily, but it was a relief to see that he seemed to understand the concept fairly readily. For now though, we don’t want to keep him in medium walk for more than a few strides, since it’s hard for him to hold at this stage.

Just trying to break up walls of text here…

Moving into the trot, again the focus was on transitions. We started asking that the walk to trot transition be from back-to-front, meaning that the push was coming from behind. Again because of the baby status, that meant that it was a small effort, a few small steps before moving into the proper forward, working trot. I now realize that I have been holding my reins too short, and I need to focus on keeping them long enough that he can reach out with his neck at all times. If he comes up in the poll or above the bit, I am allowed to widen my hands to keep the contact with his mouth, but not allowed to shorten the reins in response. Then when he lowers his neck and stretches out again I can slowly bring my hands back together. And if Smitty were to become resistant, or attempt to dive down into the contact and drag me along, it is my job to ride with a strong core and back and lower leg. Then I don’t run the risk as much of being pulled over the handlebars and I can trust in myself to stay balanced should anything happen. Similarly, I need to stay strong and balanced into the downward transitions and keep him marching, instead of going splat into the walk or trot like he wants to do.

Probably ~~our~~ my biggest challenge during the lesson was keeping myself loose and pushing him through any distractions. The outdoor ring is horrible for this, being surrounded on two sides by a trailer park, a third side by a neighborhood under construction, and the last side by a spooky hay barn. I feel like I am constantly watching to see if dogs are going to pop out, or cars, or trailers, or deer… you get the picture. So when one of the neighborhood residents closest to the arena started up his Harley Davidson, and preceded to let it warm up for 5 minutes just out of sight, I nearly lost my shit. Riding can be so much of a mental game, and truthfully, last night I had some fail moments. While Smitty handled it quite beautifully for a youngster, I was a tense mess until the motorcycle left the area and confined us to the furthest end of the arena, clutching my neck strap for dear life. Now looking back on it, I realize that I really need to push through and find some trust in Smitty, or fate, or what have you, and not lose my game face any time the atmosphere becomes challenging. Because as Eliza reminded me, you can’t control the weather, or the atmosphere, or even the footing sometimes, but you can always control or focus on your line, or your tempo, or your bend when those things become annoyances, and that it’s best to just keep riding through.

We found a really good note to end things on, cantering in both directions, and Eliza praised us for our progress with the quality of our canter departs and for the overall picture. It was a good lesson for reminding me of the positives and for getting an outside perspective on myself and my abilities as well as how Smitty actually is a very good baby and that it’s going to take time for us to develop a partnership. Tonight, we squeeze in a jump lesson with a new-to-me trainer. Hopefully I can build on some of this retrospective mental mojo and get some good points to boot!

Let’s Discuss: Your First Show

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Britt

With Smitty’s competition debut looming in the oh-so near future, I’m trying to get together a mental game plan. But the first time out, it’s hard to make a plan at all, since pretty much everything is going to be a gamble as to how he will take it in. I do know a couple things that I hope will help though- he doesn’t seem to get attached to other horses, and based on our one off-property adventure so far, I think he will take in a new venue fairly well.

But how will he handle masses of horses? Loud speaker systems? Horses galloping cross country, bikes, scooters, cars, dogs, etc? All of this is a total unknown. But the only way to find out is to try!

Foster’s first show was a smaller occasion, a local dressage show with a distinctly casual air. He handled it beautifully, winning first and second in his Intro tests (video below). It was a rousing success, and I can only hope for the same with Smitty, even if our goal is just to stay in the tack.

I chose the Carolina Horse Park because I’m very familiar with it, and because it allows us the get there the day before and expose him to the grounds, the arenas, etc all while slowly increasing the number of people around (rather than arriving at a show in full swing). Hopefully by introducing these elements the day before, riding the day of the show will be less of an ordeal. We’ll find out when we get there if a bigger venue for his first show was a big mistake, but I’m hoping the both of us will put on our game faces and get it done.

What was your horse’s first show? Was it a success, a disaster, or somewhere in the middle? Why did you choose that particular competition as a debut? If you have a baby horse, what is your plan for introducing them to the show scene?

First show in the books

Posted on September 29, 2016 by Britt

The entry has been sent, the hotel is booked, and just like that our first show is on the calendar.

I’ll be taking Smitty to my favorite venue, the Carolina Horse Park. We’ll get there on a Saturday, and the game plan is to walk Smitty around the facility as the chaos intensifies, and school him in one of the dressage arenas (which will be his first time in a sandbox). Then Sunday, we’ll compete in the Green as Grass combined training division.

Green as Grass is the lowest division offered at most of the local horse shows, and the dressage test is Intro Test A and the jumping is set to 18″.

My hope is that by getting there a day early, we will have plenty of time to show Smitty the grounds and introduce him to the atmosphere of a show in the easiest way possible. By doing GaG, I’m keeping the expectations low– this is not about ribbons in any way shape or form. This is about staying in the ring and hopefully giving a baby a positive experience.

It’s only a couple weeks away- guess I need to start learning my test!

Saddles for Trial: First Impressions of the Stubben Excalibur

Posted on September 28, 2016 by Britt

Like the Amerigo monoflap, the Stubben Excalibur is an attractive saddle. The leather has a tougher feel, not nearly as soft as the calf leather on the Amerigo, but of a quality that was made to last. This saddle also has been properly maintained, and looks to be in almost new condition.

Sitting on Smitty’s naked back, the saddle seems well balanced front to back, with plenty of wither clearance. It did seem a little tight around the shoulders, but not in a conclusive way, so I hopped aboard.

My first impression was that while still close contact, that there was more under my leg than in the Amerigo, likely to the saddle’s more solid construction- it’s built like a tank. It is comfortable though, and my leg hung in the right place. However, when we started trotting, Smitty went hollow and unwilling to more forward. I ran my hand under the front of the saddle, and sure enough, the saddle was super tight just under the knee block.

The problem spot highlighted

Considering his grumpiness, I decided not to press the issue, and sadly put the saddle in my car to begin its trip home. Thank goodness for trials, is all I will say!

Tonight I go back to the Amerigo, and will hopefully not be a nervous nelly and actually give the thing a proper test ride. Saddle shopping… ugh!

Saddles for Trial: First Impressions of the Amerigo Vega Monoflap

Posted on September 27, 2016 by Britt

Yesterday was basically Christmas at the house on a hill. The poor mailman brought not just one but two hunks of gorgeous leather to my door, and my spirits sailed as I opened each box and inhaled that beautiful leather aroma. Here, hopefully, is a saddle that will end my shopping woes.

I decided to test ride the Amerigo monoflap first because, quite frankly, it’s beautiful, and it happens to be the cheaper of the two. The calfskin leather is supple and squishy, and though it’s in an obviously used state, the saddle appears well taken care of.

Setting it on Smitty’s back, the saddle provides enough wither clearance, and I like the way it fits his shoulder- no pinching or tightness to my [untrained] eye. There was a slight rock to it from front to back, but not enough so as to be unrideable with a wool pad underneath.

On the lunge a bit of this bounce was still evident, but Smitty seemed to not be bothered and so I hopped aboard.

Smitty: Does this saddle make my butt look big?

It didn’t help that it was dark, hadn’t ridden in a week thanks to the fat leg (gone, by the way, thank goodness!), and was alone- so I was tense and unable to fully appreciate the saddle. But I did note how close my leg felt to him. Nothing felt immediately out of place, and I didn’t feel like I was swimming in it despite the 18″ seat size.

Tonight I’ll throw on the Stubben Excalibur, and plan to alternate between the two options for the week while I get a good feel for which is the clear winner. Buh bye, money!

Let’s Discuss: Pasture Partners

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Britt

Horses are herd animals, no one will deny this. But since getting Foster in 2011, he and the others I’ve been caretaker of since then, have never been in a field with a “herd” of horses. I realize this is not everyone’s first choice, but for me, I feel that my horse is safer by himself or with one or two buddies, rather than in a large field with a gaggle of horses.

At previous barns, we had a hard time finding a buddy that would stick with Foster. Not that he’s some kind of bully, but that the couple options available (since others were settled in their own field) just didn’t pan out. So he would flit between being pastured alone, or with one buddy (which is his current situation, by the by).

Foster in his paddock | PC: JP

Where I currently board, the setup is more attuned to solo turn out. The majority of the paddocks are too small to accommodate more than one horse, so both Riley and Smitty got (get) a paddock to themselves. Because of the gentlemen that they are, they share their fence lines with other horses, including mares, and I feel like they get plenty of interactive opportunities with the other horses. Based on the scuffs and scrapes Smitty comes in with, it’s obvious that he’s still finding plenty of play time while he’s out. And I get the satisfaction of knowing that serious injuries due to kicking, etc are limited due to his setup.

Smitty in his solo turnout

I certainly understand the “let horses be horses” mentality of large group turnouts, and if that’s your situation, I applaud you. Our farm has limited opportunities for group turnout, and I’m an OCD ninny after dealing with Foster’s issues and injuries, and have okayed myself to bubble wrap my horse in a solo situation.

What is your horse’s turnout situation? Do you mix mares and gelding? Are you limited by your farm’s setup? Or do you have specific preferences that dictate the occupancy limit of a pasture? Has the turnout situation for your horse ever caused problems, or have you noticed certain benefits in your horse based on a change in turnout arrangements?

Saddles for trial

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Britt

I won’t lie, searching for a saddle that both fits Smitty and that I feel secure in has been an absolute chore. Not only does the saddle need to be wool flocked so we can adjust for any likely changes that Smitty’s topline is going to make, but it also has to accommodate his somewhat sizeable withers, and be in the narrow to medium range that is most likely to fit him. Then add in a sprinkle of my own demands, being a 17.5″ – 18″ seat, a monoflap, and hefty knee and thigh blocks.

After searching high and low for a Stubben Zaria that would fit, I’m come up completely blank. But next week I have a couple saddles coming to me for a trial period, and I have high hopes that one will work.

Stubben Excalibur

The first is the predecessor to the Zaria, which is the Stubben Excalibur. It’s a little different looking to my eye, but hopefully shares a lot of the same qualities that I lust over in the Zaria.

Amerigo Vega Monoflap

The second is an older version of the above Vega Monoflap. It checks all the boxes, and while the calf block is not as big, it’s an attractive saddle with an even more attractive price tag.

My hope would be that if one of these guys works out, then I’ll have something that would conceivably get us through the next couple years while Smitty grows (in what direction, who knows), and then I can find a more “permanent” solution.

Now I just need that hot, fat leg to fix itself so I can sit in them!

Smitty’s Family Tree

Posted on September 22, 2016 by Britt

Yesterday I sent off Smitty’s passport to the RPSI registry to officially get transferred into my name. There’s some little thrill of peering through his passport and seeing all these names of horses long ago. Having an inspected warmblood is new to me, and getting to look up his ancestry brings the same sense of wonder that I imagine TB owners get looking up their horse’s racing history. It’s fascinating to consider the purpose and thought that was put into these matches and hopefully see a glimmer of what is to come.

click to enlarge

It was most interesting to me to see that there is some dressage in there, and while I am no bloodline expert- it’s obvious that with Stakkato and Calypso in there that he is also very jumper-bred as well. An eventer lurks in there somewhere, I think!

Smitty’s First Incident

Posted on September 21, 2016 by Britt

Yesterday I got out to the barn, and upon running my hand down one of Smitty’s delicate little legs immediately had a shock. His right hind was swollen and hot. Further investigation showed a really long scrape down the inside of the leg, about 8 inches long.

I threw him on the lunge and if I wanted to nit-pick, I would say he wasn’t stepping quite as under on that hind as the other, and was more sluggish to the right. But not obviously off. So I threw my ice boot on it and waited 30 minutes.

Annoyed with my standing just out of reach

After the half hour, I removed the ice packs, and applied surpass to the leg, avoiding the scrape itself. My hope is to go out again this evening and rinse and repeat the process, assuming it hasn’t gotten noticeably better.

It was bound to happen eventually, so here’s hoping Smitty’s first incident is just a small one.