We've had a lot of "I'm baaack" moments this winter, only to be further delayed by yet another snowstorm. Or frozen mud. Nevertheless, the last two days we have trudged through about 1' of snow (up to our knees) just to get to the indoor and ride. The snow isn't even the worst part (even though it makes your thighs burrrnnn), but the ice on the driveway (which is about a mile long) is terrible and we have a lot of "alternate paths" that we have to find. By the time we actually get to the indoor, I'm physically exhausted but with Katie's encouragement I've been pressing through. Yesterday was a very encouraging ride...have diagnosed my problem with unsteady contact to the fact that my hands are WAY too high and far out in front of me for a green horse seeking contact. This has been my biggest position flaw for a long time...I have a tendency to lean forward and collapse my shoulders, and my elbows are in front of me and not nearly as elastic as they should be. So yesterday, on a 40 meter circle, we did loads of transitions and I gave myself an outloud "lesson" to remind myself of my flaws...and he brought his back up and streeetched...it was beautiful!
Today was a little bit harder on my part...I worked out last night (more on that in a second) and was really sore and stiff today...so naturally my body reverted back to its old standby, what I will refer to as the "tippy rider"...so naturally I panicked when things weren't going right. Well, I keep working at it and Aidyn was patient and we finally got some great stretchy moments at the end of the ride. :)
Got back to the barn and found that his cracked heels situation has gotten worse...now we have crud all over his ankles and heels. Gross. I curried as much off as possible and covered him in Vasoline (which is also on his blanket rubs...all five hundred of them)...went to the tack store and got a jar of cracked heel creme. Should have done that weeks ago before it got this bad...grrr...poor kid.
So that brings me to the workout plan...aka get fit enough to ride racehorses again in a month. And be better for Aidyn. Anyone who knows my track record knows I have a horrible time keeping up with my workout plans....so feel free to drop any motivational tips you have. Basically, it's looking like this:
Monday: Cardio
Tuesday: Weights
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Cardio and Weights
Friday: Cardio
Saturday: Weights
Sunday: Off
I've started out doing 1.5 miles running on the treadmill and doing 60 reps of 10 lb weights...(30 each arm). Also incorporated reverse crunches today...managed 20...thank you Katie for the idea!
As for Aidyn's "to-do list":
1. Responsiveness to aids. When I ask you for a walk, you don't just kind of shuffle along..you WALK. As forward as I ask you to. When I say halt, you halt. When I ask for a trot, you do it! No slacking off, mister lazy pants!
2. Turning...him likes to bulge his shoulder. ;) Both directions. Must concentrate on not losing the energy in a turn and keeping his body as straight as possible with the outside and leading inside rein.
3. Haunches drift inside both directions...usually on a specific end of the arena. Today it was mainly on the far end of the arena, tracking right. When this happens, ask him to step left into my outside rein, and then go forward.
4. Start incorporating canter work next week (Thursday?).
*Phew*. It's nice to be busy again!
God Bless,
Ry
Friday, February 19, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
He's BACK!
Finally, maybe, we're on the right track..again!
We have made an important decision to stay at our current barn instead of moving across the street...for several reasons. First of all, we can't beat the care the boys are receiving right now. Everyone at the barn is completely wonderful, and go out of their way routinely to make sure Aidyn gets all of his feed and supplements, and all of his hay, as well. Plus, if anything is ever amiss we can trust them to call immediately. Secondly, Aidyn is happy. He's like a different horse and to subject him to another move with new horses to meet and a new herd to settle into, plus a new feeding schedule and different hay...just not worth it to me. Besides, the hack isn't really THAT bad. For instance, we did it today in a foot of snow. :D
First things first. Aidyn is now on Chondrogen EQ for joint maintenance. He's a big horse, and his joints have already been stressed on the track...and since I am planning on eventing him, I figured we should start preventing joint problems now. My pocketbook cried about it but he's more important than me eating out. He seems to like it, and I forgot how amazing it smells!
Aidyn got his new shoes on yesterday...K said they looked wonderful and gave me some suggestions for a "sealant" to put on the nail holes to keep his feet nice and dry in this wet weather. I had been concerned about that since he has 4 white feet, so one day this week I will have to make the trip to Stockhoff's to get some sealant.
And...we finally got back in the saddle today! Had to walk through the foot of snow previously mentioned, which was a workout for both us and the boys. Finally got to the indoor and had a nice, if short, ride. Aidyn was quite quick and "rushy" in his trot today...partly due to feeling good, I'm sure. Definitely need to concentrate on finding a rhythm in his trot now that we have established the forward button. He was great to the right and was very flexible...did not canter him as we were sharing the ring with a beginner lesson and a fresh pony...but it was a positive first ride back.
Tried smearing Vaseline on his heels to protect them from the snow and mud that is chapping them a bit...hopefully that will work...if not I may have to get some cracked heel formula from Dr. J!
'Til next time--
--Ry
We have made an important decision to stay at our current barn instead of moving across the street...for several reasons. First of all, we can't beat the care the boys are receiving right now. Everyone at the barn is completely wonderful, and go out of their way routinely to make sure Aidyn gets all of his feed and supplements, and all of his hay, as well. Plus, if anything is ever amiss we can trust them to call immediately. Secondly, Aidyn is happy. He's like a different horse and to subject him to another move with new horses to meet and a new herd to settle into, plus a new feeding schedule and different hay...just not worth it to me. Besides, the hack isn't really THAT bad. For instance, we did it today in a foot of snow. :D
First things first. Aidyn is now on Chondrogen EQ for joint maintenance. He's a big horse, and his joints have already been stressed on the track...and since I am planning on eventing him, I figured we should start preventing joint problems now. My pocketbook cried about it but he's more important than me eating out. He seems to like it, and I forgot how amazing it smells!
Aidyn got his new shoes on yesterday...K said they looked wonderful and gave me some suggestions for a "sealant" to put on the nail holes to keep his feet nice and dry in this wet weather. I had been concerned about that since he has 4 white feet, so one day this week I will have to make the trip to Stockhoff's to get some sealant.
And...we finally got back in the saddle today! Had to walk through the foot of snow previously mentioned, which was a workout for both us and the boys. Finally got to the indoor and had a nice, if short, ride. Aidyn was quite quick and "rushy" in his trot today...partly due to feeling good, I'm sure. Definitely need to concentrate on finding a rhythm in his trot now that we have established the forward button. He was great to the right and was very flexible...did not canter him as we were sharing the ring with a beginner lesson and a fresh pony...but it was a positive first ride back.
Tried smearing Vaseline on his heels to protect them from the snow and mud that is chapping them a bit...hopefully that will work...if not I may have to get some cracked heel formula from Dr. J!
'Til next time--
--Ry
Monday, February 1, 2010
Kids and Horses
Aidyn has recently started showing clear signs that he is not actually a horse, but rather a bratty 3 y/o child.
Since we started pasture boarding, he is turned out in a huge field with Jay, Helix, Smoke, Stormy, Jamie, and Lady Di. Before what I will call the "transformation", he was happy to see me and always stood for me to catch him. Since the transformation, he has become one of THEM. He now does what the herd tells him to do. Which is, namely, run away from Mommy as fast as you can.
This behavior has persisted for several days now, but today was the worst. Katie and I trudged out to change blankets. Jay was caught fairly easily, led in, and fixed up. On the way back to the pasture to grab Aidyn, we noticed a buffalo-like creature galloping up the huge steep hill in the mud. Well, that buffalo-like creature was, you guessed it, Aidyn.
We walked all the way up the hill. This hill is seriously like a mile long and really, really steep. Even our rain boots couldn't get traction on the slippery mud. When we finally reached the top, halter in hand and peppermint at the ready, we were virtually attacked by Stormy and Helix...Helix because she wanted the candy and Stormy because he rules all creation. We finally got to Aidyn, who was ready to take off AGAIN until he heard the crinkling of the peppermint wrapper. Ah ha, caught! Until he refused to come DOWN the hill so I could fix his blankets.
My horse has become very similar to a child after a few days at school. He has decided that his new "friends" know better than his mother does, and he is going to run from me to gain their approval. Hahaha. Okay, I'm done laughing.
Big Jerk. Maybe he just likes to watch me struggling in the mud.
Since we started pasture boarding, he is turned out in a huge field with Jay, Helix, Smoke, Stormy, Jamie, and Lady Di. Before what I will call the "transformation", he was happy to see me and always stood for me to catch him. Since the transformation, he has become one of THEM. He now does what the herd tells him to do. Which is, namely, run away from Mommy as fast as you can.
This behavior has persisted for several days now, but today was the worst. Katie and I trudged out to change blankets. Jay was caught fairly easily, led in, and fixed up. On the way back to the pasture to grab Aidyn, we noticed a buffalo-like creature galloping up the huge steep hill in the mud. Well, that buffalo-like creature was, you guessed it, Aidyn.
We walked all the way up the hill. This hill is seriously like a mile long and really, really steep. Even our rain boots couldn't get traction on the slippery mud. When we finally reached the top, halter in hand and peppermint at the ready, we were virtually attacked by Stormy and Helix...Helix because she wanted the candy and Stormy because he rules all creation. We finally got to Aidyn, who was ready to take off AGAIN until he heard the crinkling of the peppermint wrapper. Ah ha, caught! Until he refused to come DOWN the hill so I could fix his blankets.
My horse has become very similar to a child after a few days at school. He has decided that his new "friends" know better than his mother does, and he is going to run from me to gain their approval. Hahaha. Okay, I'm done laughing.
Big Jerk. Maybe he just likes to watch me struggling in the mud.
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