The Second One with Good Quotes

"If you have it, you have it for life. It is a disease for which there is no cure. You will go on riding even after they have to haul you onto a comfortable wise old cob, with feet like inverted buckets and a back like a fireside chair."
-- Monica Dickens


"You break your nose, you break a window, you break a promise--all of which prove to be a negative experience, so why would you break a horse? A horse is started on a journey of a lifetime of learning. He is your partner, and once he is broken, you may never be able to fix him."

--Tena Bastian in Tips and Tidbits for the Horse Lover

The One with the Fishes

So apparently I own a fish. Or a duck. I can’t quite decide.

Sunday was brutally HOT. After giving Sudi some recovery time from the show, and since we’d gone on a hunter pace the day before, I decided that we could work on some basic ground skills. IE: Entry into water. When I say so. (Please don’t laugh – that’s rude :-P) Yes I know he’s an Arab, and trust me - I understand, my thoughts went there also.

So to facilitate this feat – I decided to borrow Tammy and her Parelli guru Halara. Halara bounded into the water and then abruptly stopped to splash around and create a wave pool. Sudi, at seeing her enthusiasm, promptly sniffed his way in until I ended up having to unclip his leadline to let him go. I’m telling you, he’s a fish! (Or a duck??)

Kehbir thought Sudi was crazy and totally didn’t understand Halara’s enjoyment out of splashing. It did nothing for him. So he rolled. He rolled until he got his head wet and knew he’d been deceived! At that point, he’d had enough and bounded out of the pond.

Sudi and Halara had a most agreeable time, and decided they would make a future play date as well.

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

The One with the Bestest Ponies Ever

I had a fabulous weekend. TRULY fabulous. In light of the fact that I was still very tearfully morning the loss of "Teddy," I am relieved to be blessed with such success as what we experienced in Savannah. My usual show nerves were shot, and I was basically determined to just have a good weekend with my horse.

I took off from work on Friday so that Tammy and I could have the horses unloaded and briefly ridden that evening before the show. Our very mature, very fabulous 14 year old friend, affectionately known as Jazzy, came along for moral support, videography, and basic grooming help. We were more than thrilled for the help! And I have to say Jazzy is one of the best grooms I've ever experienced! (Besides my fantastic mom, of course)

Our trip down to Savannah was pretty uneventful, although I was sure it was going to start pouring down rain at any instant. The weather held out, however, and was perfectly delightful for our afternoon hack. Tammy and I were able to take Willa and Sudi around the grounds and around the scary judge’s booth for the morning's dressage rounds.

I managed to school Sudi over a small cross bar and 18" veritcal, and he even showed Willa a thing or two about the ropes of jumping as well. Although, I have to say Willa was a bit dramatic about the jump and tried a couple times to fall on her face when she thought the jump might bite her. Tammy took it all in stride though, and schooled her excellently.

Friday night lent itself to cooler weather, and we dressed to head downtown to a fancy dinner at The Shrimp Factory. (A coworker of mine had put me in touch with our client contact there and arranged for us to have a nice gift certificate to the restaurant). If you ever head to Savannah, STOP by the Shrimp Factory for dinner. Our evening was simply delightful – could not have asked for a better time!

The latter evening was dampened however by the fact that Tammy's favorite Trakehner mare Bunny was experiencing colic type symptoms, but with lameness. Thankfully my mom was able to be with her while the vet came out for examination. (She didn’t have colic but rather bowed a tendon and severe pain)

On Saturday morning we were able to waken early to get over to Silverthorne stables to braid. I had never braided an entire mane by myself before, and Jazzy had never braided period, so we set to work on Sudi's mane (despite his best attempts to maneuver around us, squish us into walls etc.) Within an hour, he was completely braided and beautiful. Although the braids weren't perfect, I was not terribly worried since it was our first time, it was a schooling show, and Sudi is only three. There's only so much a three year old can take! (or his stressed owner for that matter!)

Sudi and I were the first to do our dressage rounds, and he was a complete hard worker! After a nerve wracking warm up due to his incessant whinnying for Willa, he entered the dressage arena and really focused. Or as much focus as he oculd muster as a three year old. I was even more thrilled when he actually EXTENDED at the walk and reached forward!!! WOW! He ended up with a 57%, placing us in second in the Green Horse Intro A class! (the first time we didn’t come in last! – Hallelujah!). Either way, I was so markedly impressed with his improvement, I couldn’t swipe the smile off my face. I would have been that happy even if we’d come in dead last.

My radiating mood indeed lasted into our next class where Sudi was so amazingly consistent. Although he was avoiding contact in certain areas, he was beginning to bend around his corners and circles – my main goal for the entire event. He came out of that class, Green Horse Intro B, with a 61.5%, putting him in 1st place! (Even above Willa!).

The Judge, Pam Kimbell, was amazing and offered me some really good insights:

• Even as a three year old, he needs to strive for contact. While we’re technically not asking him to be “on the vertical,” contact is essential for rounding.
  


• She also gave me a good thought from Klimke. Riders often ask in dressage “How much?” Klimke’s simple answer is: “Enough to make a difference.” Then we get to reward.

After our thrilling dressage rides, I was more than confidant to take on the Hunter Ring. I took Sudi back to his stall for about an hour break. He planted himself in front of his fan and munched on hay contentedly.

Meanwhile, it took me about an hour to peel off my dressage breaches and put on ones more appropriate for hunters. That was a CHORE - especially when there’s not a single room on the show grounds that has air-conditioning, and it feels like upper 90’s outside.

We made it safely back into the hunter ring for our Baby Green Hunter U/S walk-trot class. There were only four of us, so I knew we’d at least get a ribbon. ;-) My only complaint about the class was the footing. It was horrible. The sand was so thick, I felt like every last step was going to be our last. Sudi was a complete champ though. He went around the ring like he was made to be a hunter. We actually ended up, to my amazement and delight, winning the class. Tammy said that the clincher was our trot to halt transition. I simply laugh at this because halting is one of Sudi’s “rewards.” He LOVES to halt. (Gets us brownie points for our dressage halt scores too!). He would have been content to stay halted and not go get his ribbon too. ;-)

Our last class of the day was the baby green cross-bar class. There were a total of six-seven jumps (I can’t quite remember), and we jumped, or rather trotted happily over, four-five of them GREAT. We had a stop at the number three jump (a simple white cross-bar) because we came into it at a strange angle and he was sure it looked like a horse-eater. After a simple sniff he hopped right over it. I pressed on to the next two jumps with as much forward movement as I could possibly generate in the mile high sand. However, we had another stop at a flower box, where he not only stopped to smell, BUT eat the flowers as well. I gave a more than mild nudge and we hopped successfully over that one as well. While we ended up last in that class, I definitely came out laughing, and Sudi came out thrilled that he was done for the day.

All in all, we had a fantastic time at the show. Tammy came out the Lowest CT Score Champion as well – with a fantastic score of 33!

Now we’re on to bigger and better things: Lessons and auditing a Parelli clinic!

The VERY Sad One with the Loss of the Super Pony

Yesterday marks the very untimely passing of perhaps one of the greatest equine athletes this world has known in years. Theodore O’Connor, known to his family, friends and fans as “Teddy” was humanely euthanized on March 28, 2008.

According to statements from Karen and David O’Connor, Teddy was being ridden when he spooked, threw his rider and then bolted towards the barn. As he approached, he fell and slid into one of the barn doors lacerating all of the tendons in one of his back legs. Three on-scene vets unanimously agreed that there was simply nothing that could be done to save Teddy.

If I am still tearing up at the thought of Teddy’s passing, I cannot begin to imagine the heartache and loss that the O’Connors and Teddy’s owners must be feeling. As one said, he was the “People’s Pony.” Everyone in America was cheering this bravest of brave ponies on as he had just been named to the 2008 Olympic short list.

Teddy was truly and inspiration to many and to his sport. This is a tremendous loss for the equine community that will be felt for years.

My prayers and condolences go out to all those who were an integral part of Teddy’s life.

The One with the Missing Pony Pokey

Once upon a time, there was a small, but spunky, little pony named, ironically, Pokey. Pokey was a fuzzy little pinto pony with the creamiest, bushiest mane and tail. Pokey was living a happy pony life at his current farm in the heart of Summerville, SC. There were many, many horses and children to fill his days with lessons, trail rides and grooming sessions.

Unfortunately one day his owner and barn manager got into an irreconcilable argument, and Pokey was moved to a new farm on a road off Highway 61 in Summerville (a very busy road!). This farm was not as much to his liking as it was not as well maintained, some boards were falling apart, and there were no children to spoil him with treats. (Pokey did not realize that his owner was making other plans to move him yet again to her own property – as she was in the process of fencing in her land.)

So Pokey devised a great plan. He would manage to escape and travel the long distance back to his other pony friends and the children who loved him so much. On a cool Wednesday evening Pokey decided it was time to go through with his great escape plans. Finding a board already in the process of collapsing, he threw his entire little pony body weight against it and managed to free himself and the other horses in his field. Freedom never smelled so good – like fresh clover on a sunny day.

So Pokey began his great adventure. His freedom aroused much jealousy from nieghboring horses. Many came running up to the ends of their fields to prance around and whinny to convey their excitement for him. Something like this never happened before. Pokey felt like a movie star.

So onward Pokey trekked and trekked and trekked and trekked. He felt there was almost nothing he couldn’t do.

Meanwhile, the new barn manager convinced he would return to where he was being fed, did not worry. In fact she didn’t even alert his owner of his absence until noon the next day.

Frantic upon hearing of the missing status of her pony, Pokey’s owner began calling everyone she knew that could help. Before long many, many people had hopped on ponies, ATV’s, and helicopters to search through the woods and swamps along Highway 61 for Pokey.

The search continued for two straight days and nights with no avail. Fliers were posted, police were notified, and yet there was still no sign of the pony Pokey. Sorrow and despair began to fill everyone as they came to the notion that perhaps Pokey would never be found. Maybe he was stuck in the swamp; maybe someone had picked him up and decided to keep him. There was just simply no sign of him.

By Saturday evening Pokey’s distressed owner was ready to call off the search. And then…there was a glimmer of hope.

Walking into a gas station to buy a bottle of water, one of the pony searchers was listening to a man at the counter ask about the pony on the posted flyer. He was telling the story of how his elderly father had called him about a pony that had just shown up in his front yard that morning to socialize with his ponies.

Could it be? It was over 15 miles away from the farm that Pokey had left, but how many missing ponies could there be?

Phone numbers were swapped, and a horse trailer was expedited for Pokey's potential retrieval. Excitement began to mount as Pokey’s owner gleefully made the haul to the elderly man’s home. Sure enough, that spunky pony had made it. Over fifteen miles he had traveled, and he was absolutely no worse for the wear. Relieved, she threw her arms around the pony, choking back tears of relief.

Pokey is now temporarily stabled at Traveler’s Crossing where we have determined he shall have a GPS monitor inserted into his halter should he try any of his antics again. However, reacquainted with another family pony and treats, Pokey seems content to stay.

I guess Pokey wasn’t so Pokey after all.

The One With the Pregnancy Tests

So it's official! We have TWO pregnant Trakehner Mares at the barn. WOooHOoo!!! Spirits and hormones are high these days around the barn. I've never been around for mares to foal, so this is definitely exciting!

More info on pedigree to come...

The One With The Light Bulb

One of my greatest delights as a horse owner, trainer and rider is watching my horse finally understand what I am asking him to do and doing it. Such excitement falls over him as he does it, then stops to turn and look at me and say, “Did you see that? Wasn’t that great? Aren’t I the best? And don’t I deserve like five treats for that?” It’s as if a light bulb can literally be seen blinking on until it comes around to its full bright potential.

Recently when I was working with Sudi on ground work, I saw this light bulb come on. But let me give you some history as I’ve been very negligent in my blog posting of recent.

After going over some results and judge’s comments from earlier shows this season and doing some research, I began to realize that Sudi was not working his “topline” muscles correctly towards the idea of beginning collection. He simply doesn’t know how to most effectively use the muscles in his back and neck.

To put it in basic terms, when I looked at his form from the poll (the point between the horse’s ears) to his croup (the highest point on his rump), he was in the shape of an upside down rainbow. This is incorrect; he should be in the shape of a normal rainbow to properly learn impulsion from his back end.

To help his development and to teach him how to begin to carry himself correctly, I invested in some side reins. Side reins are basically adjustable leather pieces that connect to the horse’s bit and then drops down to connect to the girth so as to gradually teach the horse to lower his head as he moves. They are meant to primarily be used lunging at the trot as they could potentially damage the walk by making it too short, and they should never be used more than in 10-15 minute intervals – especially if the horse is green and in no way in shape. (As a side note: side reins can be very harmful to the horse if used incorrectly, but I have had much supervision from various members of our barn, and I have also looked into a lot of articles written on side rein work. So no worries – Sudi Man is doing just fine)

After discovering that the side reins I previously used on my Thoroughbred mare Charity (who passed away three Thanksgivings ago) were much too long to be of any useful effect, I came to only one conclusion: I needed to make a trip to the tack store! (Poor me, I know :-P)

Once there, I sadly had to talk myself out of all the new spring line merchandise and head straight for the side reins. Through my research and understanding that both of my boys are still young and impressionable, I knew I wanted leather ones that had some elastic-give on them. Leather is preferable over nylon because it is more prone to break should an accident occur. And the elastic is a little calming as it has some give in case the horse freaks out about being constrained. To my delight, I found exactly what I was looking for and was able to make the purchase at what I considered a fairly reasonable price.

So, back I trudged to the barn to nab my horse and guinea pig him. To my delight Sudi had absolutely no resistance to his beginning work with the side reins. They were actually acting as indirect reins, and he began chewing his bit lowering his head. Everytime he stretched his neck low, I would be sure to praise him. Unfortunately, “Good Boy” is also horse code for “It’s ok to stop now.” We’re gradually getting over this, but I’m convinced he just uses it as an excuse to stop and beg for treats. :-)

For the first few training sessions I left the side reins as long as possible just so that he could get used to them. Three or four sessions later, and I am now able to shorten them and in particular, shorten the inside one to teach him to bend to the inside of the circle. Sudi has been picking all of this up, and I could not be more pleased. I am even delighted to report that when I rode him this past weekend, he was beginning to transfer his lunge work to his riding work. We are by no means finished with the side reins, but I am terribly pleased with our progress.

So, after about 10 minutes of side rein work, I take them off and allow him to stretch and work his way over some small cavaletti sized jumps. To my utter amazement he has now figured out what jumps are, heads for them himself, picks up a canter, jumps correctly and after landing turns in to me with that “light bulb on” expression.

The first time I saw him do it, I was dumbfounded. I really thought someone had been working my horse in my absence. There was no more stopping,snorting and pawing of the jumps (nor munching on the potted, fake flowers!) And believe me, I have repeated this practice on several occasions to see if it was just a fluke. I’m guessing it’s not though, because all of a sudden he is moving forward and seems to actually like jumping!

I’m not sure what clicked on in his head, but I was in utter delight as I saw how proud of himself he was. And I know he knew it too – He made sure I understood that he deserved some treats when I brought him back in the barn. He was whinnying at everyone that walked by his stall.

I guess that just goes to show how much heart some horses have. Remembering these days gives me the hope to make it through the rougher ones when I sometimes feel I am moving backwards and forward is only a glimmer of a thought. For now the lightbulb is still on, and I plan to use as much of the light it provides as possible. However, it’s still good to remember that fuel for the light very well comes from rewards and days off that include one on one time grooming and grazing him.