Just a quick one today - I'm due to eat.
I rode both days in the weekend, and today.
Sat, was a short quick walk down the road, back into front paddock. Trotted around the outskirts twice, cantered half a paddock. Came in did enough schooling on the 30m circle to have him going well and called it quits. I had been working all day at the Pony Club and was stuffed by the end of it, as well as riding near sundown.
Sunday - another quick ride, had places to go/people to see. BUT I did clip him, it isn't a good job I can say that right now. He wasn't the cleanest underneath all that hair, and I was doing it by my self - so every time I positioned the front leg forwards to get in under his elbow he would walk forward - so there are some long bits down there. Not insane enough to be putting my head down low to see what I'm doing under his belly/between his back legs - so that got left as well. A few run marks from the clippers in a few places and you have one rough looking job - good thing he had just started loosing the winter coat last week and the new coat should be through and hiding the bad job. For the ride a brisk trit trot around the paddock and slightly longer canter work. He is looking good under that hair i might add - a little lacking in top line but rounder than I expected - YAY.
Today's ride - long warm up because I was going to start some lateral work at trot - still really shouldn't be doing to much yet - however I do have some people coming to look at Turbo to buy him in a week or so... anyway warm up - little trot, big trot. Its what I call it anyway, then same in canter.
Funny story - coming back from canter to trot - who knows what it was - but I was off falling to the ground - will elaborate tomorrow.
Clambered back on - SI in walk, then in trot and haunches in at trot - long walk around paddock and called it quits.
Busting my guts for dinner... argh!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Doing it wrong
Another ride today - super stoked that I've managed to ride despite the weather.
HOWEVER: I know I'm doing it wrong and its not in my plan, but sometime life just doesn't work right. I wanted to do at least 10 days of just walking - a working walk, but just walking none the less.
The purpose behind walking when you bring a horse back into work is to prevent injury down the line - its the "hardening" period. Basically turbo is a soft squidgy lax animal right now.. pasture puff - like me. The walking is supposed to allow the horses body to become accustomed to work, the tendons/ligaments to tighten and harden while remaining flexible. All good things can only come of bringing a horse into work slowly.
We had another wee yeehaww moment and well as per yesterday we worked. Big open circles, minimal bend, but insisting on working properly over his back although not "up" more out and over. Roughly 15 Min's of trotting with one break, and then we had a wee little canter once around our big circle (its about 1/3 of the 10 acre paddock) on both reins, a walking lap around the outskirts of the paddock on no contact before heading back to the shed (about a 3 min walk from the paddock). So I'm not doing the walking thing much. I am hoping that because he was really fit when he was turned out, he has kept some of his fitness (appears so for all intents and purposes at this point) and I'm not doing to much damage by skipping the walking.
I'm also going to acquire a electro-acupuncture machine for me, but that I also hope to use on Turbo. The physio has used a similar model on him before with some success. I think with a more conservative longer/lower intensity of the machine will a) prevent the poor boy from almost falling over and b) gain better/longer last results. So I'm off to google the acupoints of the equine and the human. Then to write out that training plan so I can try stick to it - beacuse I know that once I've had another canter or two - I'll be asking Turbo to work that little bit harder because while I'm riding i don't think to much about it and I probably shouldn't.
Oh - one last point to make from todays ride. I re-watched the video's I posted yesterday, bingo got something right. I was sore between my shoulder blades after riding, and today I wasn't because I kept reminding myself to keep the ear/shoulder alignment - funny thing (or not so funny) I wasn't having to think about the elbow/hand so much....
HOWEVER: I know I'm doing it wrong and its not in my plan, but sometime life just doesn't work right. I wanted to do at least 10 days of just walking - a working walk, but just walking none the less.
The purpose behind walking when you bring a horse back into work is to prevent injury down the line - its the "hardening" period. Basically turbo is a soft squidgy lax animal right now.. pasture puff - like me. The walking is supposed to allow the horses body to become accustomed to work, the tendons/ligaments to tighten and harden while remaining flexible. All good things can only come of bringing a horse into work slowly.
We had another wee yeehaww moment and well as per yesterday we worked. Big open circles, minimal bend, but insisting on working properly over his back although not "up" more out and over. Roughly 15 Min's of trotting with one break, and then we had a wee little canter once around our big circle (its about 1/3 of the 10 acre paddock) on both reins, a walking lap around the outskirts of the paddock on no contact before heading back to the shed (about a 3 min walk from the paddock). So I'm not doing the walking thing much. I am hoping that because he was really fit when he was turned out, he has kept some of his fitness (appears so for all intents and purposes at this point) and I'm not doing to much damage by skipping the walking.
I'm also going to acquire a electro-acupuncture machine for me, but that I also hope to use on Turbo. The physio has used a similar model on him before with some success. I think with a more conservative longer/lower intensity of the machine will a) prevent the poor boy from almost falling over and b) gain better/longer last results. So I'm off to google the acupoints of the equine and the human. Then to write out that training plan so I can try stick to it - beacuse I know that once I've had another canter or two - I'll be asking Turbo to work that little bit harder because while I'm riding i don't think to much about it and I probably shouldn't.
Oh - one last point to make from todays ride. I re-watched the video's I posted yesterday, bingo got something right. I was sore between my shoulder blades after riding, and today I wasn't because I kept reminding myself to keep the ear/shoulder alignment - funny thing (or not so funny) I wasn't having to think about the elbow/hand so much....
Thursday, August 19, 2010
A New Era
I've called today's blog a new era because - that's what it kinda is.
I've got a pretty bad back, its one of the reasons that I haven't ridden this winter (I normally do the winter dressage series). A herniated disk on the last joint before the tail bone. So as you can imagine it has quite a large effect on my riding - particularily as the pain defers to the front of my hips. I'm in for a Epidural Steroid Injection next week to try get some pain relief and then work on strengthening my back. Most exercise aggravates it, or causes it to spasm and give me tingly toes on calves - never mind the pinch through the bum cheek. So yesterday - my normal physio was away and as always a new set of eyes sees new things - not only that she is qualified in acupuncture. So three needles later, a swear word or two which quote "I know I've hit the spot when I get sworn at" I had a searing cramp through my lower back/hip/groin area. Low and behold - today I felt like a million bucks - and well so did Turbo.
So because of this great feeling - I'm heading back for more, and I rode in a saddle today.
Today's ride was going to be short sweet and succinct... a 15 min power walk, followed by 2 x 3 min trots, and a short burst of canter in the large paddock. However when the back lifted, the ears pointed and the snort came out all my plans went out the window.
I had only been on a mere minute, walked out into the paddock (its about 10 acres), and a house is being built near the front of it, which I had to go around to get to where I wanted to ride.
The person digging the footings of the house through a wad of dirt into the air and low and behold Turbo had his excuse, the bum tucked under and exploded - a quick 1,2 smack had him shooting forwards enthusiastically of which I then asked him to whoa, and he scuttled backwards before I even thought uh oh we had some propping and then what I call the rock and roll horse.
Bum goes up, head goes up, spin sideways, take 2 steps around and start all over again.
So knowing my horse work began. Work settles him quicker than anything. So off we head with a few more spurts farts and warble wobbles in the quickest route around the house to the "flat area" 30m circle started and off we go. Long short long short long short at a trot round and round we go. I must say some good movement out of the extra energy - a bit quick but a nice swinging back, popping active hocks and lovely forwards free movement. A few hard checks every now and then when the back lifted, the canter started and back to the trot we go. One more spazz attack on the way back past the evil man throwing dirt and ride over.
What i find funny about today's ride - Sunday I was out in the paddock planting some golden elms for some shade for twerp and I THREW dirt AT him ON his cover.... would he budge a foot... heck no. And today... well you would have thought he had never seen a man with a shovel.
Fresh as snow flakes and full of beans.
For my own riding - hands still creeping wide, although I feel I did a good job of keeping the elbow soft for most parts, and the legs - well i didn't worry to much about them. Back a little achy today, and def achy in between my shoulder blades so wasn't holding meself right somewhere - I need to go back and watch these video's below.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v281/ryckie/HGS%20position%20videos/
I've got a pretty bad back, its one of the reasons that I haven't ridden this winter (I normally do the winter dressage series). A herniated disk on the last joint before the tail bone. So as you can imagine it has quite a large effect on my riding - particularily as the pain defers to the front of my hips. I'm in for a Epidural Steroid Injection next week to try get some pain relief and then work on strengthening my back. Most exercise aggravates it, or causes it to spasm and give me tingly toes on calves - never mind the pinch through the bum cheek. So yesterday - my normal physio was away and as always a new set of eyes sees new things - not only that she is qualified in acupuncture. So three needles later, a swear word or two which quote "I know I've hit the spot when I get sworn at" I had a searing cramp through my lower back/hip/groin area. Low and behold - today I felt like a million bucks - and well so did Turbo.
So because of this great feeling - I'm heading back for more, and I rode in a saddle today.
Today's ride was going to be short sweet and succinct... a 15 min power walk, followed by 2 x 3 min trots, and a short burst of canter in the large paddock. However when the back lifted, the ears pointed and the snort came out all my plans went out the window.
I had only been on a mere minute, walked out into the paddock (its about 10 acres), and a house is being built near the front of it, which I had to go around to get to where I wanted to ride.
The person digging the footings of the house through a wad of dirt into the air and low and behold Turbo had his excuse, the bum tucked under and exploded - a quick 1,2 smack had him shooting forwards enthusiastically of which I then asked him to whoa, and he scuttled backwards before I even thought uh oh we had some propping and then what I call the rock and roll horse.
Bum goes up, head goes up, spin sideways, take 2 steps around and start all over again.
So knowing my horse work began. Work settles him quicker than anything. So off we head with a few more spurts farts and warble wobbles in the quickest route around the house to the "flat area" 30m circle started and off we go. Long short long short long short at a trot round and round we go. I must say some good movement out of the extra energy - a bit quick but a nice swinging back, popping active hocks and lovely forwards free movement. A few hard checks every now and then when the back lifted, the canter started and back to the trot we go. One more spazz attack on the way back past the evil man throwing dirt and ride over.
What i find funny about today's ride - Sunday I was out in the paddock planting some golden elms for some shade for twerp and I THREW dirt AT him ON his cover.... would he budge a foot... heck no. And today... well you would have thought he had never seen a man with a shovel.
Fresh as snow flakes and full of beans.
For my own riding - hands still creeping wide, although I feel I did a good job of keeping the elbow soft for most parts, and the legs - well i didn't worry to much about them. Back a little achy today, and def achy in between my shoulder blades so wasn't holding meself right somewhere - I need to go back and watch these video's below.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v281/ryckie/HGS%20position%20videos/
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
2010-2011 Season Begins
Well I started this blog some time ago to track my eventing and such.... what happened instead is my grandfather passed away, I decided to sell my horse, competed in my last Horse Trial of the year I could make it to and promptly turned the horse out for the rest of the season until now... so March to August (3 Months).
The beast aka Turbo, turb, porky, lazy bastard, the hairy monster, you ********* hole, twerp and any other name I come up with on a given day is still in my paddock for multiple reasons of which I'm sure I'll cover at some stage.
Given the length of time the boy was off work and living the pasture puff life, I've decided to track and note the process of bring him back into work and what we are doing from here on in.
I still need to draw up some kind of schedule in excel for what I want to do and when, I do it like that because I do fall off the band wagon and lose interest at time (mostly when its pouring with rain and snowing up the mountain and such) so it keeps me on track easily enough.
The fuzzy beast as is his current name got hoiked out of the paddock yesterday for a ride. What brought this on is insane jelousy of looking at current photos of horses america wide on HGS who all look fit and shiny and they are competing. Also that I pre-emptively put my name down for a 2 day SJ course at the end of September.
Do note this beast has had minimal attention and care over winter... he gets a eye over each day at feed time despite the fact its dark as I drive my car along the fence until I find him then turn in to "spot light" him. Weekends he may have got a curious rub under the rug, or a quick unveiling of the rug for a scratch, or a cursory pat on the nose (depending on the weather). He had shoes pulled, and they got a mid break trim, and his twinkle toes were steel plated a couple of weeks ago (it really is to wet for him to not have shoes).
So what I found yesterday under the rug was no surprise at all really - and some people may think its disgusting and negligent - but meh my horse was just a horse for a few months. So the dreaded tail and mane doesn't worry me, the matted coated where some freaking way mud crawled up under the rug to tub a lubs rump and all the rest of the hairy beasties "problems" from his time out were revealed.
The unfortunate thing about yesterdays first ride - I had no time to deal with any of these results of time out. Man did I feel like a slob, I also felt somewhat "hick-ish" or slightly bush/pig pony.
See here I was with this horrid looking beast under my butt who had mud caked all over his face, down his neck, over his rump and a purple surcingle over the saddle blanket (because i did ride bareback or as close to it as possible that I will go) a bridle that had lost its noseband, and me to lazy to drive the extra miles out to my clothes and be dressed appropriate for riding.
Despite all that I took a wonder over the farm, took a look at the new born calves, there is a set of twins (herefords) that are thankfully both feeding. About 20mins all up just walking along the race, 10 minutes of that I asked him to "work".
I have a bit of a policy when riding that if there is contact you work, if there is no contact - move however you may wish sir. Yesterday work consisted of only fowards and focused while using your back.. luckily for me... we were in work time when the ducks flew off the lake... that would have been my butt kissing ground if I had been waltzing past unawares of what my horse was doing below me.
So overall I was quite happy to toodle along for that ride - a long time since I've sat on a horse and it was a pleasure to do so (especially in the sunshine).
Feeling pro-active today I rode again..... opps jumped the gun much(?) in the expectation department.
Another policy of mine HORSES DO NOT EAT while I'm on their back. Don't care whose/what/where/when it just doesn't happen and because of this Turbo isn't a "eater" ever.... until today. I was a bit lost initially wondering what the heck was my pony doing with his nose all the way down there?? We had just toddled up a hill for a bit of exertion... we got to the top and whama HE ATE.. WTF get your butt moving twerp... could I get that pig moving uh no. Kicking was pointless (I felt so pony clubbish) we would go backwards, sideways anyway but his face was still in the grass. I do believe I started to go red about here. I was contemplating getting off now to reprimand that heck out of him and get him back on the race where there is no grass... it must have conveyed to proky that I was pissed.. he started showing signs of moving on (whew I really didn't want to get back on and walk to somewhere to climb on again). A few more whopping pony club kicks and whippeee we are off.
Promptly work began and at least that was a success.. only at a walk we did 5m circles, leg yeild (LY), shoulder in (SI), turno on haunches and forehand, a few halts, rein backs and extended walk. That was workout enough for the day and we toddled off home with a wee little whippee canter and pig root... score 2 for me - I stayed on.
Notes from today:
- must increase sensitivity to leg for lateral movements
- remeber to stop fiddling to much with inside rein
- halts, what are those again?
- a saddle would be nice tomorrow
- clipping must be done pronto (I hate shaggy ponies, and double hate malting ponies)
Last but not least a picture of the beast from April's HT.
The beast aka Turbo, turb, porky, lazy bastard, the hairy monster, you ********* hole, twerp and any other name I come up with on a given day is still in my paddock for multiple reasons of which I'm sure I'll cover at some stage.
Given the length of time the boy was off work and living the pasture puff life, I've decided to track and note the process of bring him back into work and what we are doing from here on in.
I still need to draw up some kind of schedule in excel for what I want to do and when, I do it like that because I do fall off the band wagon and lose interest at time (mostly when its pouring with rain and snowing up the mountain and such) so it keeps me on track easily enough.
The fuzzy beast as is his current name got hoiked out of the paddock yesterday for a ride. What brought this on is insane jelousy of looking at current photos of horses america wide on HGS who all look fit and shiny and they are competing. Also that I pre-emptively put my name down for a 2 day SJ course at the end of September.
Do note this beast has had minimal attention and care over winter... he gets a eye over each day at feed time despite the fact its dark as I drive my car along the fence until I find him then turn in to "spot light" him. Weekends he may have got a curious rub under the rug, or a quick unveiling of the rug for a scratch, or a cursory pat on the nose (depending on the weather). He had shoes pulled, and they got a mid break trim, and his twinkle toes were steel plated a couple of weeks ago (it really is to wet for him to not have shoes).
So what I found yesterday under the rug was no surprise at all really - and some people may think its disgusting and negligent - but meh my horse was just a horse for a few months. So the dreaded tail and mane doesn't worry me, the matted coated where some freaking way mud crawled up under the rug to tub a lubs rump and all the rest of the hairy beasties "problems" from his time out were revealed.
The unfortunate thing about yesterdays first ride - I had no time to deal with any of these results of time out. Man did I feel like a slob, I also felt somewhat "hick-ish" or slightly bush/pig pony.
See here I was with this horrid looking beast under my butt who had mud caked all over his face, down his neck, over his rump and a purple surcingle over the saddle blanket (because i did ride bareback or as close to it as possible that I will go) a bridle that had lost its noseband, and me to lazy to drive the extra miles out to my clothes and be dressed appropriate for riding.
Despite all that I took a wonder over the farm, took a look at the new born calves, there is a set of twins (herefords) that are thankfully both feeding. About 20mins all up just walking along the race, 10 minutes of that I asked him to "work".
I have a bit of a policy when riding that if there is contact you work, if there is no contact - move however you may wish sir. Yesterday work consisted of only fowards and focused while using your back.. luckily for me... we were in work time when the ducks flew off the lake... that would have been my butt kissing ground if I had been waltzing past unawares of what my horse was doing below me.
So overall I was quite happy to toodle along for that ride - a long time since I've sat on a horse and it was a pleasure to do so (especially in the sunshine).
Feeling pro-active today I rode again..... opps jumped the gun much(?) in the expectation department.
Another policy of mine HORSES DO NOT EAT while I'm on their back. Don't care whose/what/where/when it just doesn't happen and because of this Turbo isn't a "eater" ever.... until today. I was a bit lost initially wondering what the heck was my pony doing with his nose all the way down there?? We had just toddled up a hill for a bit of exertion... we got to the top and whama HE ATE.. WTF get your butt moving twerp... could I get that pig moving uh no. Kicking was pointless (I felt so pony clubbish) we would go backwards, sideways anyway but his face was still in the grass. I do believe I started to go red about here. I was contemplating getting off now to reprimand that heck out of him and get him back on the race where there is no grass... it must have conveyed to proky that I was pissed.. he started showing signs of moving on (whew I really didn't want to get back on and walk to somewhere to climb on again). A few more whopping pony club kicks and whippeee we are off.
Promptly work began and at least that was a success.. only at a walk we did 5m circles, leg yeild (LY), shoulder in (SI), turno on haunches and forehand, a few halts, rein backs and extended walk. That was workout enough for the day and we toddled off home with a wee little whippee canter and pig root... score 2 for me - I stayed on.
Notes from today:
- must increase sensitivity to leg for lateral movements
- remeber to stop fiddling to much with inside rein
- halts, what are those again?
- a saddle would be nice tomorrow
- clipping must be done pronto (I hate shaggy ponies, and double hate malting ponies)
Last but not least a picture of the beast from April's HT.
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