Not to much to update here to be honest. I've been a bit quiet after Puhinui HT.
First off Pencil has had a pretty nasty virus, and I concluded I should NOT have run him at Puhinui, I knew it, but had entered on the basis of cost sharing with a friend and didn't want to let her down.
So he had close to 6 weeks to recover from that, I had the vet up nearing the end of April to consider using a drug that opens the lungs up to help prevent him coughing so I could continue working him, and maybe finish off the last two HT's of the season. I had entered. But low and behold - banned substance, and the withholding period was to long, so I scrapped that idea and just had him to the Chiro, pulled his shoes, did a few light hacks up the road, and have now turned him out.
I went in for surgery (Rotator cuff) on the 1st May, and I'm still in a sling now. I'm counting down the days to start riding. Being that it will be the worst of winter hitting as soon as I can ride, I decided (and I can't help myself) to still work Pencil in any manner I can. Hand walking was going to be easy with one hand, brought a halter I can get on with one hand and off I toddled. Until day 4 a bird flew out at him, he spun around into e, pushing me down a small drain where i suffered a dignity loss, a rope burn on my good arm, and radiating searing pain in my shoulder. **** me that hurt. So I left that for a week now, I'm not risking that again.
So I've fallen back to clicker training Pencil loves it. He will go to a target up to 5m away and return. I've had to read up a bit on where to go next with it, as I'm not confident in myself in this. The new book I read also had me go back a few steps and change a few things around. The ultimate thing I took from the book though is my lack of praising him - and likely his lack of understanding of what is praise. This has been addressed with the clicker easily. When he hits the jackpot, the tone, pitch and words I have been keeping the same, so he now (i Think) understands praise (YAY).
Fast forward to being 4 weeks post surgery and I'm starting to get antsy. So I put a "round pen" of tape and standard up in the paddock to free lunge. What makes me think that he "gets praise" is that I have been using a de gouge (through a halter type bridle not the bit), to have him travel more rounded. He has been doing so, but only travels the way i would like near the end of the session... so couple my new "tool" for praise, and free lunging I start using this as soon as he travels remotely how I would like, forward wither lifted, he lowered (not worrying about bend for now) and BINGO, within a 5 odd minute period he is travelling this way more and more often. Each time he goes there he gets praise, if he sustained it for a while, break and rest, recover. As the jackpot. Ended the session very happy indeed. Going to go repeat the lesson today. The goal is to have him move this way with no equipment on him (so easy).
I've charged the camera to do some show and tell in next few days. This has taken a long time one handed. Apologies for typo's
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Puhinui Horse Trial 8/9 March
A 5.5 hour drive, and off to Puhinui Pencil and I go in the truck with Megs.
I was in two minds whether to go, with the cough from the lesson the day before, and how shitty I was feeling after the lesson I had. But some cool friends made me see the lesson for what it was. Passed on the note re Pencils cold and putting him in with another horse in the truck, and got the ok anyway, so off we went.
Dresage: It was OK. Literally just OK.
He was coughing a lot in warmup, and had a small meltdown over leaving the other horse behind. I had some really nice moments in the warmup, and some bloody terrible ones. About to enter into the arena, when the bell had gone... and low and behold- the tounge goes. On Jutta's advice, I had dropped the bit a hole, so some small 5m circles in walk at the entrance, and SOMEHOW, he put his tounge back - MONKEY. I didn't know if I was allowed to adjust my tack before going in once the bell rings.
So the OK test, was reflected in my very average mark 56.5% result. Very fair for the test I rode. My arena craft went out the window as I was trying to stay VERY soft in the hand and let him go around very softly lovely, rather than pushing into the corners and keeping him balance through leg/hand and risking another tounge flipping.
Megan daughter video'd for me (thankyou!) so here is my very average test... its a little wobbly :)
Showjumping I went to straight after the Dressage, I didn't walk the course (normal practice for me). Pencil didn't need much of a warmup, and there were about 10 down to go infront of me, so I put my name down. He took a couple of rails in the warmup, on the upright... not sure why, but he was pulling a little bit, and did leave it be with his cold (he was coughing again and the dust got pretty bad). Short and sweet. The round went ok, took one rail - but rubbed a few others. The one rail was MY fault, 100%. I came around the turn, so we were off, and didn't make a decision fast enough on what to do about it, so I kinda held, then went for it. I think if I had just waited for the fence to come to me, it would have been fine.
Video'd again (yay)...
XC day... this was interesting, as I heemed and hawed all night, and ALL day about riding or not. Was it fair, was it going to make his cough/cold worse... (there were green bogies over night). It wasn't a tough course at all, very easy full of simple logs and roll tops. So do I/don't I.... well I did, then almost regretted it when I fell of at the warm up fence. Pencil put in a dirty stop when he caught sight of his girlfriend to the left and weeee down I went. Held on to the bastard though, I wasn't going to be chasing him all over the show. Did the next ones nicely. Thanks for that buddy.
No normal photo's my battery died, but they weren't that exciting anyway. Had a almost stop at fence one (expected of course), and a few looks at the different ground coverings.... and then rocked on. Clear over all the fences, but 6.4 time penalties, I was just cruising him along with the cold thing and not worried about the time at all.
Eventful drive home, truck's alternator must have gone, and we died about a hour away from home. THANKYOU FIL, who came with 2 charge 12v batteries that got us home a couple hours later.
17th Place at the end of the day, with 28 riders in my class. A very Average result LOL. Got to fix that dressage.
Two more horse trials for the season for us, and heap of lessons/training to be done. 4 weeks to the next one, and I really want to improve the dressage by then.
I was in two minds whether to go, with the cough from the lesson the day before, and how shitty I was feeling after the lesson I had. But some cool friends made me see the lesson for what it was. Passed on the note re Pencils cold and putting him in with another horse in the truck, and got the ok anyway, so off we went.
Dresage: It was OK. Literally just OK.
He was coughing a lot in warmup, and had a small meltdown over leaving the other horse behind. I had some really nice moments in the warmup, and some bloody terrible ones. About to enter into the arena, when the bell had gone... and low and behold- the tounge goes. On Jutta's advice, I had dropped the bit a hole, so some small 5m circles in walk at the entrance, and SOMEHOW, he put his tounge back - MONKEY. I didn't know if I was allowed to adjust my tack before going in once the bell rings.
So the OK test, was reflected in my very average mark 56.5% result. Very fair for the test I rode. My arena craft went out the window as I was trying to stay VERY soft in the hand and let him go around very softly lovely, rather than pushing into the corners and keeping him balance through leg/hand and risking another tounge flipping.
Megan daughter video'd for me (thankyou!) so here is my very average test... its a little wobbly :)
Showjumping I went to straight after the Dressage, I didn't walk the course (normal practice for me). Pencil didn't need much of a warmup, and there were about 10 down to go infront of me, so I put my name down. He took a couple of rails in the warmup, on the upright... not sure why, but he was pulling a little bit, and did leave it be with his cold (he was coughing again and the dust got pretty bad). Short and sweet. The round went ok, took one rail - but rubbed a few others. The one rail was MY fault, 100%. I came around the turn, so we were off, and didn't make a decision fast enough on what to do about it, so I kinda held, then went for it. I think if I had just waited for the fence to come to me, it would have been fine.
Video'd again (yay)...
XC day... this was interesting, as I heemed and hawed all night, and ALL day about riding or not. Was it fair, was it going to make his cough/cold worse... (there were green bogies over night). It wasn't a tough course at all, very easy full of simple logs and roll tops. So do I/don't I.... well I did, then almost regretted it when I fell of at the warm up fence. Pencil put in a dirty stop when he caught sight of his girlfriend to the left and weeee down I went. Held on to the bastard though, I wasn't going to be chasing him all over the show. Did the next ones nicely. Thanks for that buddy.
No normal photo's my battery died, but they weren't that exciting anyway. Had a almost stop at fence one (expected of course), and a few looks at the different ground coverings.... and then rocked on. Clear over all the fences, but 6.4 time penalties, I was just cruising him along with the cold thing and not worried about the time at all.
Eventful drive home, truck's alternator must have gone, and we died about a hour away from home. THANKYOU FIL, who came with 2 charge 12v batteries that got us home a couple hours later.
17th Place at the end of the day, with 28 riders in my class. A very Average result LOL. Got to fix that dressage.
Two more horse trials for the season for us, and heap of lessons/training to be done. 4 weeks to the next one, and I really want to improve the dressage by then.
Lesson with Someone DIFFERENT
Well first off, I thought Pencil had been going ok. I know there is some root issues that HAVE to be addressed... I mean you aren't covered in the basics if your horse still flips his tounge over the bit. Maybe I should have had this "fixed" sooner, but for everyone I've had lessons with, has noted it, but got on with the lesson and other things anyway.
So a lesson with Jutta.... I got in last minute for one. I was a little nervous (that seems to be a theme). But what made it worse was Pencil was coughing a lot. Hymmm
So I get befuddled with lefts and rights and other things... and this lady had me confused straight away. If she asked what my issues were in how the horse goes, I could have said straight away. But I got confused. On the positive side - I wasn't TOLD what my issues were, I was questioned about my horses way of going (and felt pleased) that I got the answer straight away. I told her what I was having issues with, and why I thought so. Comes back to Pencil not being straight.... Yep, ok. I get that. But I'm not sure where on the scale of straightness she is talking in relation to Pencil is. I know its all interchangeable... but I haven't been really concerned about it as much as I have as getting him on the aids. Straightness is one under collection... he ain't near that collection right now.
What I did really like, is being yelled at (its a theme again) and sworn at, that I'm not staying balanced through his rough moments. YAY someone sees it, IRL and while I'm riding. And gets ME before they go to the horse - and the being pulled out of the saddle thing (ee my ears after that happening from the coughing).
So the lesson was all round really good. I did feel a bit dismayed when I was trying to address the tounge flipping and got told - its all you. When I go to my next lesson, I'm going to have no flash on, and a loose cavesson and see what happens when she rides... heck I can't ride up the road on no contact without him flipping the tounge. So while I understand what and why she said as much (I am after all the rider all the time, and he still does it so yes it is my fault), I wish that she had taken what I was trying to say on board a little more. But I will be going back for lessons (and a bruised ego), because its the first lesson I've EVER had - where I was the issue. Not something the horse was doing. YAY.
So a lesson with Jutta.... I got in last minute for one. I was a little nervous (that seems to be a theme). But what made it worse was Pencil was coughing a lot. Hymmm
So I get befuddled with lefts and rights and other things... and this lady had me confused straight away. If she asked what my issues were in how the horse goes, I could have said straight away. But I got confused. On the positive side - I wasn't TOLD what my issues were, I was questioned about my horses way of going (and felt pleased) that I got the answer straight away. I told her what I was having issues with, and why I thought so. Comes back to Pencil not being straight.... Yep, ok. I get that. But I'm not sure where on the scale of straightness she is talking in relation to Pencil is. I know its all interchangeable... but I haven't been really concerned about it as much as I have as getting him on the aids. Straightness is one under collection... he ain't near that collection right now.
What I did really like, is being yelled at (its a theme again) and sworn at, that I'm not staying balanced through his rough moments. YAY someone sees it, IRL and while I'm riding. And gets ME before they go to the horse - and the being pulled out of the saddle thing (ee my ears after that happening from the coughing).
So the lesson was all round really good. I did feel a bit dismayed when I was trying to address the tounge flipping and got told - its all you. When I go to my next lesson, I'm going to have no flash on, and a loose cavesson and see what happens when she rides... heck I can't ride up the road on no contact without him flipping the tounge. So while I understand what and why she said as much (I am after all the rider all the time, and he still does it so yes it is my fault), I wish that she had taken what I was trying to say on board a little more. But I will be going back for lessons (and a bruised ego), because its the first lesson I've EVER had - where I was the issue. Not something the horse was doing. YAY.
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