Beautiful Appendix Quarter Horse Doing FEI Level Work

Brittany and Spiderman ride at the barn where Rogo is. I thought you might enjoy this video, as it's an Appendix quarter horse who does beautiful work at the FEI level. Brittany has trained him under Sue Fraser since Training Level. I hope she achieves her dream.
Riders in our province of NS have to travel thousands of miles to compete to get on a national Juniors or Young Riders team, so needless to say, not many make it.

A Massage For Rogo, and Second Level Is 'Hatching' :)

Poor Rogo hasn't been getting his due, either in writing or riding (by me). I don't want to miss this part of his development, so I better get it down.
We've been having some great rides lately, as second level gaits begin to emerge. I haven't ridden above first level before, so it's all new to me, as it is to Rogo. I'm filled with wonder and awe at seeing new gaits and movements begin to appear, almost as if by magic. I sometimes think I get how a horse is trained to walk, trot, canter. Turn, halt and rein back. What is truly amazing is the way the training can just keep growing, and growing and growing. I wouldn't trade this experience for a higher level horse any day. Participating in his development isn't to be missed. I wonder if this gets old to trainers who've trained many horses, or if it always maintains a trace of magic?
Here are some of the things that have come up recently, and the observations I'd make about them:

Rogo Gets His First Massage

Rogo had a two hour deep body massage, from a well known therapist, Allen, who flew in from Alberta (the full name escapes me - this was done at Sue Fraser's barn where he's in training and I wasn't there when it happened). I was cynical going in, but now I'm a believer. Although Rogo had been going well and wasn't overtly sore anywhere, Allen diagnosed that the right side of Rogo's back was sore. He said either the saddle wasn't right or I was really weighting the right side too much. Well, that struck a chord. As I mentioned in the past, I have something on the ball of my right foot called Morton's Neuroma. It's an incredibly painful 'ball' of nerves (currently the pain is under control thanks to a cortisone injection). To make a long story short I do weight my right stirrup far too much, and I think it's caused Rogo a sore back and me a sore foot. I'm very good a disguising this to the naked eye though - if you look at me I look nicely straight in the saddle. I know this from mirrors and also because various very good instructors don't mention to me to stop weighting the right foot. As a matter of fact, it's never come up in a lesson from anyone, despite the fact I literally bear down on it at times (I'll realize I'm doing it when the pain in the ball of my foot on the stirrup gets unbearable). The weighting doesn't translate to leaning. I'm very good at putting my weight solidly into my right seat bone and down into my stirrup, while sitting perfectly straight :).
The good news? After the treatment Rogo was beautifully forward (he's been forward again for a while, but this was even better). Also, he's been difficult to get into the outside rein when doing should in on the right rein, but after the treatment he was much improved. This still needs lots of practice to be 'perfect', but it is coming. Another improvement was suppleness / ease of bending on the left rein (he's always bent more easily to the right). I'm thinking that if I'm weighting the right side most of the time, then he gets conflicting messages when making a turn on the left rein - the reins are saying go left, the inside leg is even 'on' in the sense I lay it against his side, but the outside seat bone and stirrup are weighted, saying turn right. This would explain a lot of issues we've had.
One last observation about our post treatment ride - the 10 m canter circles were wonderful. By turning my body and looking where I was going, and with Sue constantly reminding me to stay off my right stirrup, he'd do lovely 10 m circles almost from just my seat and legs. 

OMG, I Think This Is Collection
On one recent ride, we were practicing 10 m canter circles, and as we came off the circle and onto the wall to continue down the long side I mentally prepared for him to try to surge ahead. He always gets stronger as he straightens for the long side and I waited for this to happen, but it didn't. I know I'll look back on this and cringe with embarrassment, and wish I hadn't written it, but I want to be honest too in remembering this experience - I didn't know what was happening. He lightly stayed in exactly the same tempo, with the exact same small length of stride, as he'd had on the 10 m circle. I was thinking "should I kick him forward", "why is Sue saying very good when we seem to be stalling", and so on. Pushing him forward didn't seem to be the thing to do, because it wasn't laboured. It was slower than I'm used to on a straight line, and the strides were small, but it was light and easy and bouncing - no pushing required. Dare I say it? I was almost to the end of the arena when I thought "OMG, we're doing a collected canter!". Of course he's been able to lengthen and shorten in the canter for a while now, but that's not the same. Now he's learning to use his hind quarters, and developing the strength to use them, and it's a beautiful thing :). To do this I need to remember to quietly and consistently continue my light half halts, in time with his rhythm, as we come out of the circle.

I'm Down to Riding Once A Week :(
This is the least I've ever ridden since I came back to riding seven years ago. The facility we're building is taking so much time, I can only get down for a lesson once a week (it's 1.5 hours each way). Until now Rogo had only been ridden a handful of times by anyone but me. Now he's in training with Sue. It will be good for him, but I miss him like crazy. It will be worth it in the end though, because when the facility is finished he'll move there and I'll be with him all the time. This was the only way to get a a good indoor and good lessons close to home.

And that's a good segue into my next post. I want to update you on the facility and the events we have booked already for this summer. I hope you won't think I'm going commercial on my personal riding blog. Almost all my readers are too far away to attend our events anyway. I just want to tell you about the facility and what's happening, because it's strongly tied to this blog and also because I've come to feel I 'know' many of you who I comment back and forth with and I want to tell you about it.

A final note - I got several spam comments after my last post. If it happens this time too I'll have to initiate comment moderation, but never the hated word verification! I wonder why spam filtering isn't working...

What Makes Horses Addictive?

I think about this all the time, so wanted to write about it, but every sentence, phrase and word I attempt to write sounds like a tired cliche. The questions, about myself and others, come easily:

1. What drives us to take on a responsibility that requires us to go into -15 or colder weather, several times a day, sometimes for weeks on end, to feed horses, make warm mashes, and clean stalls, even when we can't ride because of the cold?
2. Why would a sane person, when so fortunate as to retire at 50 (potentially enjoying many years of riding), risk it all and work like a dog to be able to have even more horses and more horse activities?
3. Why do young mothers (and fathers) go to the barn night after night -  taking lessons, training horses, spending money that's needed for many other things, tired out after a long day's work, and with many other activities clamouring for their attention?
4. Why do we (often daily) work to the point of shaking with exhaustion and tie up ALL of our money, for those elusive moments in the saddle when it all clicks?
5. Why do we keep riding when we go through periods of such fear that even thinking about riding makes us throw up?
6. Why does a physician ride a gorgeous 17 hand five year old, when her doctor has told her if she falls he won't be able to put her back together?
7. Why, instead of a relaxing vacation, do we pack up trailers and go to (what can be) the stressful world of a horse show? 
8. Why do we get back on our horse 3 days after breaking ribs in a fall, barely able to catch a breath because of the pain, when our doctor has told us to wait 4 to 6 weeks?
9. Why are we smiling as we shovel shit?

It does seem to me that there are similarities to addictions, as we sacrifice so much for our fleeting fix, but I have no idea how this works.
I don't have any answers to the questions I pose, I just have an awareness of a happiness that would be emptiness without the horses. These phrases come to mind when I think about what horses give me:

• A soaring, transcending joy
• A deeply, all encompassing, loving peacefulness 
• A communion with another species that I experience as spiritual

I told you it would sound like tired cliches. I'll keep trying...

 

It's Cold, No Really, It's COLD!

For the first time since I came back to riding seven years ago I took the week off from riding. I may have taken a day off here or there from cold, but never a week. I'll ride when it's -20 C. Either I'm getting old or turning into a wimp. Hmmm, maybe both... Just so I don't sound too callous, my -20 rides have been in an arena, bareback and mostly walking.
I don't ever remember this happening before, but Savanah and Dan (our two horses we have at home) won't drink. I know cold reduces horses' desire to drink, but they have heated buckets and they were barely touching them. Doug came up with the idea of pouring a gallon of warm water over just a handful of bran, and the Appaloosa loved it! He hovered that water like a shop vac. Savanah, the draft cross, kept smacking it with her lips and getting frustrated, but now she's learned to drink it down to get to the bran at the bottom. So that's what we're doing four times a day - a gallon of warm water on a handful of bran. So far so good, but I can see why they call this colic weather.
On a completely different topic, our indoor arena frame is up and the roof is on. Here are a few pictures:

Doug, just as the building is getting started. Treeline Project Management from here in Nova Scotia is the contractor. We've managed to use all local companies so far!

And me!

I stood back by the road trying to get it all in - it's 220' long.

I had Mom up to see the arena.

   Okay, now the roof is on and Doug and his brother Greg have taken over. Here's Greg building the kick wall (with his adorable Levi).

Two days ago we had a site meeting with our engineers and it was around -18. We weren't long heading into the work camp, seeking the comforts of the wood stove.

And here's a video on Facebook of putting up trusses.

Back at ya when I have some riding news to report. Stay warm everyone!

Several Firsts

Well I've had a week of wonderful firsts. I'll start with the subject of my blog, and one of my favorite subjects, Rogo.

1. Rogo - first time forward AND light
This happened in my lesson last Thur., Jan. 3. You may recall I struggled with Rogo from age 4 to 6 to get him forward, before achieving it last winter in my lessons with Sue Fraser. She rightly pointed out we had to get that and contact before we could do anything else. When we did get forward, it often came at the expense of control :), with Rogo sometimes taking off and generaling blowing through my aids. I'd have to use a lot of strength and innumerable half halts to steer him when he was forward.
He lost the forward again in the spring when his shoeing got off and he was off work, followed by the summer heat. We're just getting it back now. Will we keep it through the summer this time? Time will tell.
There was an amazing new development with it last Thur. though - he was sooo forward, but light as a feather. What a wonderful feeling! I've always had to really push him to do his 10 m canter canter circles, but that day he soared around them. I had to fight the urge to grab hold of him to steer, and concentrated on just steering with my seat and legs, with a little bit of rein.What an incredible feeling to have all that energized power springing under you, yet responding to your lightest aid. I was laughing and calling out to Sue how incredible it felt. I couldn't stop going over it in my head for hours, woke up in the night thinking about it and generally felt euphoric for at least a couple of days. I guess this means he's become a grown up? At seven it's time :)

2. First time doing my whole lesson in sitting trot
I did sitting trot with Savanah, but it was much easier with her. She was consistently round and her stride isn't as powerful. I find it so much easier to ride properly, time/ give aids, etc. sitting, but with Rogo it's been a struggle to sit. We do a few minutes at the end of each lesson, but on the forward but light day :) I sat all the trot work except a couple of long side mediums. His shoulder in and travers came more easily, but that was no doubt part of the forward but light phenomena as well.
When I rode the next day we did some good work, but the lightness wasn't what it was the day before. I know it's there now though. He showed me what to work towards.
The issues we need to focus on currently are the left bend and listening to my left leg, and also to keep his shoulder from leaning out on the right rein. We're doing lots of circles and serpentines, and lots of bending. I'm going to return to and keep lots of bending in the walk warm up. It seems to be the right thing for him.

3. First Piaffe
Yes, you read right - piaffe. It happened today, but not with Rogo. I was riding Doug's wonderful draft cross mare Savanah. I lover her SO much. She hadn't been ridden since the fall, with all of the other things we have going on, but I couldn't resist today. There's about 6 inches of snow on the ground and big flakes were floating down through the sunshine. I put her bridle on and off we went for a bareback ride. I love riding her bareback - she's wide and comfortable, and I feel very safe with her. Today she was very happy to be out for a hack - her snorting was so continuous that it sounded like a gigantic cat purring. As we headed for the woods and I realized how excited and energized she was I began to question the wisdom of no saddle :). I trust her though, and tried to come up with some exercises we could do to keep her busy.
It occurred to me that conditions were perfect to ask for piaffe. She passages frequently in the field, so I thought she could do it. I wanted contained energy, so this was a perfect plan :). I've never piaffed, but thought I'd try clucking while holding with my seat and lightly on / off with my hands to match the rhythm I wanted. The first time I asked she did a couple of steps and I was amazed. I asked again and she shook her head - it didn't male sense to her to be asked to go forward but stay in one place, but she tried a couple of steps again. I lavishly praised each try. The third time, a light bulb had come on with her. She knew what I wanted. She tucked her hind quarters, elevated her forehand and swayed from side to side in slow, rhythmical trot steps. Wow! She did eight steps and then I asked for walk. I was so happy and excited! I came home and Mom came out on the steps and said she'd been watching out the window and that Savanah looked like a Lipizzan stallion. Mind you Mom is biased, but not crazy, so I have a witness :) I'm going to see if she'll do it again so I can get some video. 
Doug and I are talking about breeding her and jokingly arguing over which one of us gets her foal. She just upped the ante on that argument :)
Here are a coupld of pictures of her from today, looking decidedly UNlike a Lipizzan stallion:

 I'd like to enter the above in the hairiest chin contest. Can anyone beat it?

My adorably hairy girl. Don't worry Savanah, I don't like shaving my legs in the winter either.

4. First truss up on our arena - here comes Five Fires Equestrian Centre.

 The first truss went up on Jan. 3. I'm pretty excited.

Happy New Year Everyone!

I Swear To God This Really Happened As I Was Writing My Last Post

I have to share this with you, because I'm sure it was a once in a lifetime experience. It still feels surreal, like one of those things that couldn't really and didn't really happen - yet it did. Was it the magic of Christmas? Something very special was in the air.
As background, Doug and I are continuing with building our horse facility where we'll host equine events, and rent the facility to others wanting to host events.
I was working on my event plan for next spring / summer / fall. We'll start with clinics in the spring and be up to hosting shows later in the summer, when both stall areas are complete (there will be 20 stalls on each side of the arena).
On a whim, I thought "dream big" and I emailed my ultimate classical dressage hero, the world renowned Arthur Kottas, retired First Head Rider of the Spanish Riding School (home of the Lipizzan stallions). He rode there for 40+ years and along with his amazing riding instruction he's also very highly regarded for his in hand work.
This is what happened - as I was sitting here writing my last blog post a couple of hours after emailing him, my phone rang. Yes, you read that correctly - my phone rang. IT WAS ARTHUR KOTTAS CALLING FROM AUSTRIA!!! As I heard the accented voice identifying who it was, my brain wouldn't process it for a moment. When my brain did process it all I could do was stutter. I was fighting hysterical giggling and babbling, but he couldn't have been nicer or more charming. He was on his way to another country (which now escapes me) later in the day, and was calling to offer me his last available weekend of 2013. I couldn't gather my wits to ask the right questions, but he gave me the dates, told me to take my time looking into whether it would work and he'd hold it for me until he heard back, told me the hours he works and number of students he takes, etc. - all the things I'd need to know for planning but couldn't possibly have gotten my head around asking if he hadn't told me.
So there's my story - what happened to me as I wrote my last post. 
Unfortunately the dates are in June - perfect clinic timing, but they conflict with other dressage events here in Nova Scotia. I'm thinking I may have to see if we can get him for 2014 instead, but I haven't completely given up on the idea yet either. I'll need to get back to him asap (he didn't rush me, but it seems rude to wait). Also, Doug is sooo sick with a cold that he can't really get his head around talking to me about it for a day or two - raging fever and inability to breath don't lend themselves to problem solving and planning. Any advice? 
I couldn't / didn't include this story in my last post, even though I ws in the middle of writing it, because I needed to process what happened. My mind just kind of went blank and I could barely wrap up what I was writing about.
I'm hoping all of you have a great Christmas - lots of love, food, drink, family and especially horse time. Sending you warm thoughts from here in Nova Scotia...

Another Cindy Ishoy Clinic

And various other updates...

Second Cindy Clinic of Fall 2012
I love Cindy's clinic's and this was no exception. I was a little slow off the mark though. Rogo tends to cold bloodedness and he needs a good warm up. We only had the indoor, so we didn't have much of a warm up before getting right to work. We'd just had three of the best lessons performance wise that we'd ever had leading up to the clinic, with our regular teacher Sue Fraser, and I'm going to back up and start my post with those.
Sue has been training horses for 40+ years and it shows - she's incredibly knowledgeable/experienced and intuitive (and I consider this the highest form of thought) when it comes to knowing what each individual horse needs. Rogo had been lugging on me and exhausting me within five minutes of mounting - no bend, no give, pull, pull, pull. After watching this for a couple of lessons she had us do very lengthy walk warm ups, with big exaggerated bends at every corner, on the tangents of circles and on serpentines. Rogo became a new horse! It was hard to believe - he became this lovely, supple, soft, pliable, did I say supple horse that was a pure pleasure to ride. If you want to try this, just stay in a nice marching walk and do 20 m circles and serpentines with strong bends (inside leg to outside rein) at every turn and / or tangent point. When this is working well go to trot, then to canter, repeating the exercise and it should stay the same. Voila - lovely, supple horse going willingly into your hands and forward.
After these great rides I went into the Cindy clinic and didn't have more than a turn or two around the arena at the walk before we went to work at the trot - you can guess what happened. Head in the air, and a jagged egg shape for a 20 m trot circle. This was my fault - I should have gone in sooner and walked around as the other lesson was finishing up. The next day we did this and it was soooo much better. We worked on strengthening our basics and did lots of trot / canter / trot transitions. Rogo finds it harder (probably the truth is that I find it harder) to canter from trot than walk, so we worked on this. Cindy pointed out that trot canter is a great exercise for strengthening the hind quarters and getting the horse to bring the hind legs under. We did the transitions repeatedly on a 20 m circle and they really improved as we worked on them. I worked on staying completely relaxed, preparing him with a half halt, shoulder fore and then aid.
Cindy also made me sharpen up my precision - I hadn't even realized I was slipping to the right when crossing the diagonal.
She was a complete star again about giving each of us extra time, even though it was cold in the barn. She is so generous with her time and knowledge. She's also a kind person who pushes each of us, but never makes us feel bad or nervous. I can't say enough good about her as a clinician who can help improve your ride.
Back to the present - we're working on lots and lots of leg yield from the wall in, and then straight before the end of the arena. This gets him listening to each leg. It's a great exercises and one we really need. Rogo does it better in canter than trot. For some reason his exercises in canter seems to come to him more easily than in trot.
He is finally just beginning to get more forward again. It left when his shoeing got off last May and is just getting good again now. Could it be the temperature?
Okay, that's it for now. I'll be lucky if anyone is reading this anymore I've been such a slacker of a blogger. All I can say is that the facility construction and travelling so far for lessons is taking all my time. Oh yeah, I also just finished my Equine Business Management course from Guelph which also took a lot of time. Those are my excuses and I'm sticking to them.