After work today I rushed to the feed store to buy more hay for Sam. I buy in bulk so I don't have to go every week. 10 bales lasts him a month. This made me very late in getting out to the paddock so I didn't have time to ride but wanted to do something with Sam so I decided to put him on the lunge. Sam isn't too bad at lunging - he listens reasonably well but we can't use side reins or anything like that because he really plays up with that - sometimes he likes to walk on his hind legs and wave hello at me! :) I am wondering though because we are working on him accepting a contact while being ridden if that will help the lunging - HMMMMM I will keep thinking about that one.
He worked really well. Had a wonderful stretch in the trot - was happy to trot around at times with his head nearly on the ground and really lifting his back. Gotta love that!
I am going to go out early tomorrow morning and try and ride before work. I won't be able to go out tomorrow afternoon and I like to take him out of his paddock everyday.
Sarah gave me the flyer for the next competition. It is in 3 weeks and they have a Prep test. She was good today and really pushed me to enter and you know what I think I will. Even if it is just to get Sam out and working around other horses. I am trying to organise to have next Tuesday off so I will try the lady down the road for a lesson.
This is a link to the test I will be doing.
http://www.equestrian.org.au/site/equestrian/national/downloads/content/attachments/rules/dressage_tests/P3.pdf
I realised I didn't post about Sundays ride. I was very unmotivated so I wasn't planning on doing much but Sam was really trying and giving me some lovely trot work. He was listening to my leg and moving off it a little better at the trot. At walk moving off my leg he is quite good. I still didn't push for anything major but it was a good ride. I love it when he tries!!!!
We also did a bit of float training and he walked on quickly without really playing up but now we have to work on him standing there while I walk out to close it all up. He will stand happily while I get my OH to close up the back but I am trying to get it to the point where I can just load him up and go without anybodies help. I even practiced reversing the float. It scares me (I have no idea why) so i try to practice at any chance I get.
I am feeling a bit pumped tonight and maybe even excited about the comp. Even though it is only 3 weeks away I think Sam and I should be able to achieve it if we really work at it!
I just realised I haven't told you the reason for the title!!!!! When I fed Sam tonight he didn't want a bar of his hay - I JUST BOUGHT 10 BALES OF IT!!!!!! Hopefully he will eat it and not waste it. I really don't want to have to return the hay and try and source some more!
The blog of a worry wort owner and her wonderful horse Sam.
2 comments:
Smell the hay, and take a flake and break it apart with your hands - if it smells at all funny to you - not fresh and clean, or if a fine "dust" (mold spores) floats up, it may be moldy. Color and weight are good indications of quality as well - bad hay will often be heavier than normal and darker in color. Good luck with that!
Good to be practicing with the loading and driving - the backing part is tricky and I still don't much like doing it.
If he's resisting side reins, you may need to loosen them or not use them - he may not yet be ready for that much contact, either due to his confirmation, stage of training or some physical issue he has that makes them uncomfortable. Then again, I may not be the one to say as I almost never use them. Side reins are often misused, and I try to get my horses to the point that they have self-carriage without being constrained.
Good luck - I enjoy reading about your adverntures with Sam!
The hay smells lovely (to me anyway LOL) It is all gone by the the next feed and he has shown me in the past if he really doesn't like something he will go on a hunger strike! o I am pretty sure it is clean and safe to feed it just isn't as good as staright lucerne!
I don't like using side reins much either - I don't lunge all that often probably 2 times a month so I am not too concerned if he doesn't like them. This morning I rode and he was a lot better really wanting to stretch down and accepting a contact for longer periods of time.
Thanks about the blog. I really enjoy doing it - it is like a personal diary, I forget things easily so it is good to be able to go back and refresh myself!
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