Training day, Injury, Floods, Colic, Killer Mozzies and flies

Sam and I made it through the training day last month. We managed a Prep and Prelim dressage test. Lets just say it is really lucky that I have a horse that can hold himself together while his rider is having a nervous breakdown! We arrived the day before and camped over night. I was able to ride Sam around the grounds and get a feel for the place and figure out what arenas we were using. The morning of the big day I rose early to give Sam his breakfast and I couldn't see him!!!!! There he was flat out having a snooze - guess I didn't have to worry about him not feeling comfortable!

My first test was the Prelim at 8am. I started to warm up at 7.15am. I wanted to calm myself down and try and get Sam nice and supple. Well I was a mess. My OH came over at 7.50am with my jacket and I decided that I wanted to give up and go home. He was awesome and basically told me to get on Sam and do what I came to do! The judge was running about 20min which of course didn't help the situation! I was so tense that the test was horrible. Poor Sam was extremely tense because of me but we made our trot canter transitions where we were meant to and I was so proud of Sam.

We then had 15min of training with a coach and she was marvellous. Helped calm me down more, helped me relax which of course helped Sam and we went back and had a second go at the test. It was much better. More supple and free. I had about a 30min break before our next test which was the Prep test. By this stage Sam was starting to tire so I took him back to the float to have a rest, drink and quick snack.

Our Prep was good but this time we were the opposite from tense we were flat. I think we were both tired and it was starting to warm up. I didn't take the opportunity to use the coach on hand. I wanted to save some of Sam's energy for the final test. I decided to put spurs on to see if that helped. WE DID IT!!!!!! Please find a some footage of our last test here. I was extremely happy with this test. I thought we were pretty good! So it was a fantastic weekend. I learnt that Sam holds it together extremely well while I am having a nervous breakdown, he works well with other horses, a 40min warm up will probably be suffice!


After a very good lesson the other week Sam injured himself yet again. We have been having a lot of rain lately and Sam must have been walking very close to the back of the stables. When the stables were being built one of the holes was dug in the wrong spot so they filled it up and dug it in the right spot. Due to all the rain the ground is soaked, it can not hold anymore water. Sam sunk in the hole that had been filled. As he pulled it out the top of his hoof has caught on the corrugated iron
Off to the vet to make sure all was ok. I had to keep it bandaged for about 10 days. During those 10 days The Rock and Wagga Wagga flooded. So Sam was stabled for about a week. By that stage I had a very grumpy horse on my hands who I had to turn out during the day or my stables weren't going to survive. (Sam loves his stable when he can come and go as he pleases, not to be locked in day after day after day!) I was able to keep the bandage on during the day which was lucky. He wasn't lame at all during this time but in the beginning didn't want to stand with all his weight on it, he would rest that hoof a lot.

We are on top of a hill so our place doesn't flood, but The Rock didn't fair so well. We had floods in 2010 where many people in our little town had their homes damaged. This was meant to be once in 100 year flood, and in 2012 it happened again but worse.
This photo was at the bottom of our road.
At this stage it was still rising. The creek that is flooding is behind those trees in the distance the township itself is on the other side of those trees. Luckily it went down that night and we were able to get out and get into Wagga Wagga but many residents in Wagga Wagga were effected as well.

The day we were flooded in, little Poppy had impaction colic. I rang the vet who advised just to watch her. She was spasming a few times through out the day where she would just sit down and look at her belly. I took her for a small walk around lunch time which picked up her spirits which was nice to see. By the evening still nothing had passed through but she had her appetite back. I found an old timers solution for impaction colic - feed epsom salt. So I gave Poppy a very small feed of white chaff and added a teaspoon of Epsom Salt to it. She ate it all and by 1am she had left me a nice little parcel of manure! I was so happy! I hate seeing your horse in pain and being able to do nothing. Since then I have heard that quite a few horses came down with colic the week of the floods.

Now we are dealing with monster mosquitoes that are huge and bite hard. During the day the flies are driving the horses nuts. They are really biting as well. There seems to be a shortage of citronella oil concentrate. I can not track any down anywhere and normal human aeroguard is not helping combat the flies.

Listen to your pony!

I waited until it was twilight last night to ride due to the heat. I could Sam wasn't into the whole training thing but we have our training day next weekend so we still need to practice. We started out with a lot of walk, long and low, stretching, moving the shoulders and hindquarters, I was trying to help supple him up a little more being that he wasn't in the mood. Up into trot and the groaning started! Sam was actually groaning! We did a few quick walk/trot transitions to help wake him up - nope more groaning!

I decided not to push the point and we went out for a hack in the reserve. That perked him up. Sam trotted out nicely, very forward but listening, I got him to stretch his back and his little ears were forward and he was having a great time. We hacked out for about 40min and when we got home I popped back onto the arena to make sure it helped. Yep he was still lovely and forward and we did two canter transitions both directions. They were great so i left it there.

I felt there was no need to push him in the arena. He worked well out on the trail and did as asked in the arena at the end. I think he also appreciated the fact that we finished there.

So listen to your pony!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By George I think We've Got It!

By George I think We've Got It!

Sam and I have been working on transitions, flexion and canter transitions. I have been riding! When I saw that I mean I am not just sitting on board and hoping for the best I have been riding and thinking about what we are doing.

With the training day coming up I have been practicing parts of the tests. Usually I canter after I have him really soft and round and forward on a 20m circle and if need be doing a 10m circle and cantering from that - helps with the flexion and bend. But today we practiced canter in the corner. He did really well! To the right he wasn't quite as rigid and stiff and to the left he didn't leap anywhere near as high - as long as I really tried to keep him relaxed.

Things are falling into place and for the first time in my riding life I can feel the improvement and I feel like I am doing an OK job!!!!! It does help that I have a wonderful pony!!!!!

Tomorrow was/is better!!!!

After a good nights sleep and some thinking into my riding and what I am asking for from Sam I woke this morning ready to ride again. Sam wasn't very impressed that we were going to work before breakfast but today was/is meant to be another scorcher and I wanted to beat the heat.

First I lunged. I am not a fan of artificial aids but I remembered something that I used many years ago on Jackie and it certainly helped us then so I figured I would try it on Sam but on the lunge first. The name of the piece of equipment - I do not know. It is all elastic that basically goes from the bottom of the girth up between the front legs through the rings of the snaffle and around the poll. It is all one piece. I hope this makes sense. Anyway basically the idea is that when they put their heads in the air they feel pressure and need to lower it again to release the pressure. Sam figured it out on the lunge pretty quickly and his transitions from walk - trot - canter and back down again were all a lot smoother once he figured it out. I would not use this equipment often as I do not want him to learn that he could in fact lean against the elastic and pressure.

I then went and saddled him and asked for long and low and stretching walk straight away. Got it! Moved into the trot and the first transition wasn't too bad - no big leap. Still tension in the neck area but his head didn't come up as high and his first stride was from behind, Yes! He stayed pretty good in the trot in a prelim frame, soft, round, forward off my leg. I was on the left rein and I took sitting trot and he accepted this. I made the circle a little smaller and asked for a little more bend than normal and asked for canter - WAHOO no leaping into it! The left rein has generally been our really big leap into it rein. Now don't get me wrong they certainly weren't going to get an 8 in the dressage ring but compared to what we have been getting for the past few months - yes bloody fantastic. Another interesting point - I didn't put my lower leg so far back.

(Trot - canter transitions have been my bug bare nearly my whole riding life. I have no idea why but I have always pretty much well just sat there, given the aid and hoped for the best. Hoping like hell the horse didn't buck. Has a horse ever done this too me - yes but it certainly was never huge and I have always been able to ride through it. I don't know why I have always been so scared of these transitions. This time I really concentrated on what my body was doing and what I was asking for and RIDING the transition and look what happened!)

So we cantered a circle transitioned down to trot and did it again, and again it was good! and then AGAIN it was good! I changed the rein and tried to the right. On this rein he usually would stick his head out straight and stiffly canter off. Once again I took up sitting trot and put him on a slightly smaller circle, asking for a little more bend than usual. Give and take, give and take on that inside rein, inside calf on and off with the rein. Outside leg on slightly behind the girth and boom we were in canter. No where near the amount of stiffness that there usually is. We continued to canter for a circle then back to trot to try again. Again it was better and the 3rd time it was better!!!!!! I had to stop there, I figured he gave me 3 fantastic transitions on both reins - lets not push the matter and wreck what we got.

I cooled him down by taking him for a quiet walk down the road and into the reserve, around the dam - watching the little fish catching the insects on the water and having a munch now and again. I think he enjoyed the long relaxed walk home. We were about 40m from the front gate when his back shoe half came off. I was able to pull it off safely and I am glad it happened so close to home. Now I am begging that my farrier can see him tomorrow!!!

So I am hoping that we have started working out that canter transition!!!!!!!!

Sometimes a good nights sleep is all you need!

ARGH!!!!!!

I hate those frustrating rides! I had it all planned to work on transitions today. Halt - walk - trot and back down again. I wanted us to be forward and a little more off the aids than what we usually are. I visualised them in my head and what I would try and do with my body.

It was hot, still and yucky but sometimes it is going to be like that when we compete so I figured we have to be able to work in any weather. Sam was looky and more forward than usual. That will help I figured, nope, we had trouble even staying rhythmical at the trot.

I could feel myself getting worked up and I tried so hard to stay calm and not apply aids harshly. I had to give up. I had to dismount and go for a walk. I did some ground work with Sam - asking him to move his hindquarters, shoulders and to back up. I only did this for about 5min, hoped back on and could feel the difference. While he was still more forward than usual he was listening a lot better. By this stage it was dark and I was unable to get my lights to work for the arena so had to call it quits after about 5mins but I was happy where we ended. He was stretching down at the trot and a lot more rhythmical.

Tomorrow - tomorrow will be better!

Right on track!

So much has been happening!

I'll start from the beginning. I don't really do New Years Resolutions but this year I decided to set myself some goals.

Be more focused with my riding
Try to ride Sam x5 times a week
Attend x2 training days through out the year
Attend x4 dressage competitions through out the year
Have at least 1 lesson a month

So far this month I have had my lesson, entered a dressage training day for next month and I have tried to focus better during my rides. Due to our very hot summer so far I haven't been able to ride x5 times a week. I am generally exhausted by the time I get home from work, we try to have dinner first and then I go out to ride.

Sam is working well and we have started shoulder in. I think I am trying to make it more difficult than it really is but we will get there! I had a saddle fitter come yesterday to check my saddles. My Keiffer fit the best and only required a little more packing at the front. My Anky doesn't fit at all so I will try and move that on. He was very thorougher and explained things well. He also said as politely as possible that Sam is obviously very well looked after and does not need to put on any more weight! I was also concerned that he may be a little sore in his back but he assured me that Sam was fine and he could tell that he has been working correctly with the muscle that is developing along his back - YAY we are finally getting ourselves into gear and working properly!

I also registered myself and Sam with the EA - Equestrian Australia. This is the organisation that helps organise our international events, the Olympic teams etc. I need to be part of this group for insurance when I compete or attend certain training days. Sam also had to be registered and so we had to come up with a competition name, what other name could we have chosen but SUPER SAM!

So we are on track with our training, fitness, health, and I think this year is going to be a good one!!!!!

On another note we have a new addition to our family. Betsy! We met Betsy at our local pound. She had been there since Boxing Day. No history is known, we don't know her name, breed, age, training but we are getting to know her and she us. (We gave her the name Betsy) She came home about 3 weeks ago and has settled in very well. She is only little - 17kgs and is now a very happy dog. He tail doesn't stop wagging! She is a little slow with the horses - has no fear which can be a little bit of a problem but she is slowly learning to stay out of their way.

She was checked by vets before we picked her up and they aged her around 8 years old, no idea on her breed but we are throwing around the idea of beagle, staffy, cocker spaniel. She has certainly been loved in the past so it is a mystery why she ended up in the pound - very sad.

BETSY

Surveying her new home


The face that is constantly looking up at you!!!!


We were a little unsure about getting another dog as we only lost Jack in November last year. I didn't/haven't posted about that yet as I am still not strong enough or ready to share that story. He was part of our family for 13.5 years and we think the best dog ever!!!!

Betsy is a very good girl and we love her already. She gives good cuddles and when her whole body wriggles with excitement you can't help but smile and laugh with her!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

Just getting in early, well only 2 hours really for me but

MERRY CHRISTMAS and I hope 2012 brings you all wonderful horsey times!!!!!!!

Give all your ponies extra hugs and kisses and maybe a few treats extra this Christmas!!!!