Tale of Two Rides

I have tried really hard, since I first brought Ashke home, to do the right thing, where he is concerned. Vet care, dentals, barefoot hoof care, proper nutrition, BoT products, proper saddle, a plethora of bits: we have spared no expense. I think I am fairly knowledgeable, and if I don't know something, I have no problem reaching out and asking for help. For the most part, I think I have accomplished a great thing: Ashke is healthy, living in a safe place, well cared for and has a job he enjoys. That's why, when I mess up and it effects him, I feel really bad.

Saturday, at the end of our ride, he was dry and mostly cool, considering it was 75 and he is still somewhat shaggy. J and I debated the necessity of putting the BoT fleece cooler on him for the trailer ride home. We opted not to, since it was so warm. My gut was telling me I should, but then I second guessed myself and left it off. It was the wrong decision. When I unloaded Ashke at the barn, he was stiff and his back was so tight I could see the tension in his muscles. I put some Sore No More on the area, which he really did not want me to touch, and promised him I would be back the next day.

Random cuteness to break up the text.

On Sunday, I took Ashke to the round pen and let him move around for a bit. He rolled on both sides a couple of times, walked in circles, trotted some, and then attempted a canter. He was short-striding and sore at the trot and short-striding and cross-cantering at the canter when moving to the left (pushing off with the right hip). I didn't push it. Instead I walked him over and rinsed the urine off of him (all over his right side), squeegeed him dry and put him in his BoT fleece cooler. I gave him a pretty good massage on his right hip (he was twisted into a pretzel letting me know his hip was sore) and gave him 2 grams of Bute.

Monday morning I stopped by on my way to work to pull the BoT off of him and to check his hip. His back was warm and loose and he was non-reactive to my testing his back for soreness. I fed him his mash and told him I would see him on Tuesday.

Tuesday night, I went into the indoor (the weather was awesome and I expected the jump lesson to happen in the outdoor arena) and set up a small course with 5 slalom poles, a low jump, an L shaped corridor with the bell, a pole for sidepassing, two barrels and the quintain for my lance work. Then I hurried in and got Ashke ready in record time. I got back into the arena with my garroucha by 5:20.

Ashke walked around the outside of the arena for several loops, listening to my horse and feeling him move. He was loose and relaxed, swinging through his back, and watching the obstacles with pricked ears. There was no spooking or paying attention to anything else. We started with the corridor and we worked out how to make the turn (seems counter-intuitive to move your horse's head to make a backwards turn, but it works) and he stopped next to the bell regardless of the direction we were moving in.

We then worked on the sidepass pole. I think, in hindsight, I need to walk him up, position him so the pole is at my stirrup, pause and then step sideways. He starts moving sideways before he is positioned, which means his front feet are too close to the pole. You are supposed to walk through at an angle, which allows the horse to cross front and back as they step without hitting the pole. We went in both directions a couple of times. I know that next time I will take a moment and make him stop, when he is in position, before moving over the pole.

We practice the jump in both directions and I figured out that if I look forward instead of at the jump, we do much better. He hit the pole a couple of times, but he recognized his mistake and corrected it the next time through. I would say I helped him with that, but really all I did was point him at the jump and got out of his way. He managed to make it over without hitting anything at a canter in both directions.


We did the barrels and the slalom poles. We kind of struggled with those two obstacles, because the last time we had worked them, I was asking Ashke to bend very tightly around the pole or barrel and this time I wanted to work them like we would for a show. He was confused. I was confused. The slalom was way too tight to do at anything faster than a trot, and I felt very dissatisfied when we were done. Although, I did repurpose it and completed a sidepass between the poles just for kicks and grins. Plus, we also went around the barrels backwards, for practice.

 Nuno Matos Clinic

We picked up the lance and carried around the arena several times in each direction at a trot and a canter. I lifted the ring off the standard a couple of times, but couldn't really do the obstacle at speed, since I don't have open barrels to put the pole into at either end of the arena. Or even one open barrel. I discovered that it doesn't work to lean it against the fence or wall. It is angled the wrong way.

After we had worked all of the obstacles individually, I mentally set up a course and ran through it a couple of times. The slalom was the only thing that really didn't work well. Ashke tried hard and did pretty good, although I am struggling to get some bend. He had a couple of missteps, but for the most part, didn't have any issues with his hip.

Tonight, when I got there, he was waiting for me. Our weather today went from rain to heavy snow to sunshine all in the day. Swear we had two inches of snow on the ground at 1 pm and it was gone by the time I got off work. Ashke had been out in the rain for some of the day, and in his stall the rest. He was warm and dry when I got there. I spent some time grooming him, trying to make a dent in the flying white hair that is his existence right now. I had put a bunch of cookies in my pocket and we spent a half hour or so playing the begging game. When I went to put his exercise boots on, he kept offering to bow, which earned him a treat, but didn't really give me what I needed. Finally, we were ready and headed for the indoor arena.

I swear he looked around when we walked in, didn't see any obstacles, and decided he didn't want to play.

We started by walking four laps in one direction, changing on the diagonal, and then four in the other direction. Then we did the same at the trot. He was spooky and jumpy. I was a little frustrated, since he didn't look at anything sideways the night before. When we moved to the canter he started to act up. I think, in retrospect, he was anticipating pain, but I could be wrong. He hadn't been sore the night before, and he hadn't seemed sore when I was riding him at the trot and walk. He refused to pick up the left lead canter, however, and hold it for a circuit of the arena. Plus, he kept violently shying and pogo-sticking at the end of the arena with the tarp covered panel. I had finally had enough.

I grabbed the dressage whip I had brought with me and we had a serious "come to Jesus" moment. He figured out really quick that I was not going to tolerate the going-sideways-instead-of-forward BS he was trying to sell me. And the canter five steps, cross-canter two steps, throw my head straight up in the air and stop business came to a quick end. I would not have argued with him that way, (and he got a couple of smacks from the whip, too) if I thought he was truly hurting. He had shown no signs of it, he just didn't want to make the effort of doing what I was asking. Two minutes later, I had a much better horse. (He did throw in a buck during one of our transitions, but I ignored it.)

We rode the WE Level 2 dressage test and I could not get him to bend. I thought about what CS said in our lesson about the bit not bending or moving independently in his mouth and him maybe having trouble with understanding what I was asking. I stopped and changed bits to the Myler Level 2 shank bit. It made a huge difference. Although, the speed control isn't as good as the bit I have been riding him in, the Myler allows me to ask him to bend a little bit and he does, without falling in. It will give us a place to start to work on the things he needs to be better at if we are going to compete in WE.

After the test, we did walk pirouettes in both directions. CS told me to play with the reins just a touch before we start the pirouette, and he has gotten so good that he starts the pirouette when I jiggle the reins that way. He has it absolutely nailed going counter-clockwise, but struggles more when moving clockwise. He has to both pivot and step and push off with his right leg when moving clockwise. We just need more practice.

We finished up with some leg yields. I used the dressage whip to tap his hip to get him to move better in the direction of the rail. He did pretty good. Obviously, much better in one direction than the other. More things to work on. It felt like he was crossing, but without mirrors or a person on the ground, I'm not sure. Maybe I can get J to take some pics for me.

Going forward, my plan is to ride in the arena and work on my stuff during the week (at least two rides) and then do a long ride on the weekend. If I can, I will squeeze a ride in on Sunday and maybe one on Friday night. I really want to be working him five days a week and the more lateral work we can do the stronger that leg can become.

I set up the blue war bridle with his grazing bit for the trail and I put the Myler on the other biothane bridle I have, to use for WE. The issues I've had with the Myler in the past were mostly on trail, and we have progressed a lot since then, so I am hoping this is a good compromise. I left him snuggled into his BoT for the night. No precip, so he should be nice and comfy in it. And I don't want his back and hip to tighten up.

Last ride until Sunday.

Oak Grove

LJ and Amaar met us at Spring Gulch at about 10 on Saturday, the day after the Equinox. We were late because for the first time in over a year, I had to use the come-a-long to get Ashke on the trailer. And before that, I must not have fastened the halter correctly, because he pulled back and it fell off. He trotted away to investigate the barn yard, while I ran in to collect a couple of peppermints to entice him back. Once the halter was in place and secured, he refused to move toward the trailer. Telling him we were trail riding and not going to the Expo did not help. Once the come-a-long was on, he walked right in. I didn't even have to use it. (He loaded right away on the way home, though.)

At Spring Gulch, LJ was already saddled and working Amaar on the lunge line. The boys like each other, so she parked Amaar next to Ashke while I set about getting him ready to go. I groomed, put on the easyboots, exercise boots and then saddled him. I pulled the face part of his war bridle off (I need to shave his bridle path again and didn't want to mess with it) and slipped the bridle on. It only took 30 minutes or so. Ashke seemed really happy to have the easyboots on and walked right out.

We crossed Highlands Ranch Parkway about a block from the light at Santa Fe, since I was very nervous about walking Amaar across that intersection with the speed limit on Santa Fe being 55. We weren't sure how he would handle it. Ashke slipped and extended his left front leg as he stepped off the sidewalk onto the road. He walked out okay and it didn't seem to bother him after, but I was glad I had the leg wraps on.

J has a new green mint helmet, which she accessorized by adding bright yellow stickers on it (she's going for the ugliest helmet ever). She paired that incredible concept with an orange jersey. It was hard to miss her.

J leading the way on the downhill. LJ and Amaar just in front of us. We practiced being second a lot on this ride. We also practiced pogostick cantering, very collected trotting, and very collected canter. 

That gave J time to take pictures of us.

It was a spectacular day.

Such a great country to ride through.

 We did some cantering.

And rode through the oak groves.

Long road home.

We worked on Ashke maintaining a safe distance from Amaar when following.

And some final cantering. The horses were pretty sweaty, so we walked them home.

Can't wait to ride this in the full bloom of spring.

A closer look at the ravishing ensemble.

And a close encounter by my spirit animal.

Equinox

I gave Ashke four days off of work after the Expo. One, I really didn't feel like climbing back in the saddle and two, I am exhausted. I don't get exhausted, but I did last weekend. I think it was more the mental strain of doing something completely new and the underlying stress of leaving my horse in a strange place for three nights that did me in. I hope that by this time next year, traveling for shows will be second nature and I won't be so stressed.

Tonight, however, was night five since the Expo and I wanted to ride.

I booted Ashke on the fronts and will boot all four hooves tomorrow for our ride. He was a little tender on the RF, which I believe is a direct reaction to losing the flares he had. At least his feet will fit in the boots now. I rode out Van Bibber Park. When I got to the soccer fields I looked left and saw this:

Oooooo. New places to ride.

 The footing was good, even though there were scary back yards and stuff.

A little spot of wild between two subdivisions

There was a visitor from space who had a bright pink laser ray.

After riding around the bit of wild, I went back down and rode around the soccer fields, making Ashke do circles around the blue trash barrels that were put out. Can someone explain to me why the 12 and 13 year old boys need to yell "Unicorn" at us and then chase us on their bikes and skateboards, waving things in the air. Ashke is not fond of that behavior. Nor does he like little yip dogs who charge him. He will go after them. 

After we rode around the soccer fields, we headed back. He was sweaty after our canter sets, so I walked him the final three miles to the barn. He was mostly dry by the time we got there. I untacked and through him in the stall with his mash.

 Sorry for the blur but I was trying to dodge the mash face

Rocky Mountain Horse Expo: Wrap Up

I am very happy with how the Expo went for us. I was stressed before hand pretty badly, with an upset stomach and interrupted sleep. I had no idea how Ashke would handle being off property, how he would handle being in front of an audience, whether he would eat and drink like a good boy. When we unloaded him on Thursday, he called and called. All of the other horses there were doing the same thing and I was worried he would completely stress himself out. But he didn't. He settled and handled the environment like a trooper.

So, I wanted to recap the good and the better and the best parts of what I learned about my horse this weekend.

1. ASHKE TRAVELS WELL
This was the third time I have taken Ashke off property for a show type environment. The first time was the Spring is Flung Working Equitation clinic and schooling show that TJ put on last June. At that environment, Ashke was stressed and anxious, although he took to working the obstacles very well. At that point we were still trying to figure out our bit situation and I fluctuated between the Myler shank bit and the Raised Rockin' S bit. Neither were really working for us at that show. To compound that, I was stressed and nervous, which made Ashke nervous.

The second time we went off property for a clinic was the Nuno Matos clinic in July. That time, Ashke actually spent the night at a strange barn so we didn't have to haul back and forth. He hung out in a small pen with food and water, waiting for our hour one-on-one session with Nuno. That session was very intense. I was sweat-covered and exhausted at the end. Again, Ashke handled the environment fairly well, but we were still working out what bit was going to work the best for us and I bounced between the Myler shank and the Myler snaffle. Neither were a relaxing bit. Ashke worked better on the second day of the clinic than the first, mostly because I think his overall anxiety had diminished. It didn't hurt that we didn't canter as much the second day because he was sore on his haunches.

This time, Ashke settled right in once he recognized I wasn't planning on selling him. I took him out and walked him around, letting him see and smell and sniff. I bathed him and then covered him with the BOT cooler to keep him back loose. I spent time just hanging out with him, in no rush to go any where. J and I spent several hours sitting in front of the stall, just being close by for him to smell and hear and interact with. By Friday morning he was pretty chill. He was happy to see me and interested in what was going on, but the frantic calling and movement was gone. He spent the weekend in a small stall, eating well, drinking well, and being interested in what was going on around him. I couldn't have asked for a better response than that.

The way he responded to being off property and the way in which he took care of himself, I have fewer worries or concerns about trying our first LD this year. Horses all around us were wrought with anxiety: one Lusitano had colic concerns, a Paint QH horse had a runny nose and cough, the Gypsy Cob broke out in hives (be careful of treatments utilizing essential oils), others were just out of sorts. Ashke was chill. It's the best word to describe him.

2. ASHKE LOVES HIS JOB
I am so impressed with my horse. There was a moment on Friday morning, where we had been riding in the warm up arena and went to walk into the big arena. We were two or three steps through the tunnel when Ashke saw the obstacles being set up. He stopped and looked at the obstacles, looked around the arena, and went back to the obstacles. I swear to God I could hear him think "oh. That's why we are here." I could feel the knowledge flow through his body and settle into his bones. From that moment on, there was no stress or worry present in him. He was chill and relaxed and ready to try whatever I asked of him.

I know Ashke loves to trail ride. He makes that known every time he steps off the trailer into some wide open lot with a trail leading away. He never fusses and is always eager to set off exploring whatever trail we are riding. He is calm and focused and intent on the trail and loves looking at every thing. He reacts with eagerness when we hit a new spot he hasn't done before and loves to move along looking at every thing around him. I know I will always have an eager, willing partner on trail.

That said, I think Ashke loves Working Equitation just as much as a trail ride. Exercises that are a pain or difficult become easier when we do them around obstacles. He works hard to figure out what I am asking him to do and I know he's going to memorize the obstacles if I'm not careful. For instance, he knows we always turn to the right first, so is willing to pick up the right lead when I ask for a canter, because that positions him the best. I know he loves the speed test the best, but also really enjoys the diversity and challenge of the multitude of obstacles we do. He is smart and curious and Working Equitation addresses those qualities in the best of ways.

I think smart horses get bored riding in circles. I know my horse does. He hates it. However, if I set up a couple of bending poles or barrels, or the bell or bring out the garroucha, then riding in circles suddenly has a purpose and my horse is much more willing to try for me. Working Equitation is a thinking horse's game. He is figuring it out.

3. ASHKE HAS SO MUCH TRY
 My horse tried so hard to do what I asked him to do this weekend, even when he wasn't sure what I wanted him to do. He works his mouth like a little kid sticking his tongue out to help make throw. (I still stick my tongue out when working on something difficult.) There were many obstacles we had never tried before this weekend, and he was willing to step up and try each one.He was focused and fairly calm in the warm up pen. He got into the spirit of playing follow the leader with CS and C O. I think he would love to do more of that.

There was a moment on Saturday, when it was just me at the barn, and I went into Ashke's stall. I started using my fingernails to scratch the itchy spots on him. He turned his head and moved my hand to where he was especially itchy and I accommodated his request. That's how we roll. He asks and I respond. I ask and he responds. This flows into every thing we do together. I really want a horse that wants to try for me, that tries because he likes what we are doing and who tries for love of me.

He is also the same horse pretty much every time I go to ride him. He behaved the same way at the Expo as he does in the arena at the barn. In fact, he was less spooky at the Expo then he has been in the indoor at SQA. In the warm up area he offered a smooth fast walk and was willing to demonstrate his walk pirouette (1/4 turns) despite the traffic we were dealing with. His canter was smooth and he was less rushy to the right than he has ever been. He really was an absolute Rock Star.

4. NOT AFRAID TO CANTER
Several months ago, I made the statement that this would be the winter of canter. It has been and it has wrought some changes.

When I was a kid, riding the canter was second nature. I rode bareback at a canter probably 80% of the time. Queenie had high bony withers and her trot was awful, but she had a wonderfully smooth running-walk gait and a smooth canter, so those were our go to gaits. I rode as if we were one creature, connected at the waist, and my legs were fused to her body.  She could canter or gallop, turn and spin, slide stop, cut cattle, you name it, and I could ride it. Without thought. As if I was part of her.

I have been longing for that relaxed, deep seat to find it's way through years of non-riding, child bearing, child birth and wrecked back. It was incredibly painful to canter when I first started riding again, and that was made worse by the physical issues Ashke was also dealing with. I have spent a lot of time in the past three years cantering while holding onto the saddle or an O-Shit-Strap. My body just could not remember how to stay in the middle of the horse, move with him, react to his reactions and not wait for my brain to catch up (trust me, if you have to wait for your brain to say, "stay on", it's too darn late). It's been a struggle and I have just had to trust that if I kept at it, my body would finally catch up.

Sometime in the past month, things have changed. I am finally feeling confident in my ability to ride out a spook or maintain a good seat at the canter. Even when he tried to duck his head and buck and rear on Thursday, my reaction was amusement, mostly because my seat didn't move. I wasn't sliding or feeling off balance. The only time I came close to losing my seat was during the clinic when we were practicing jumping. I dropped a stirrup and it took half the arena to get it back, with Ashke in full flight and me hollering whoa while I laughed out loud at my horse. 

We cantered a lot this weekend. In the big arena carrying a 13' pole. Between obstacles. To get back in line. In the warm up pen. He was so good. And now that his canter has gotten better and I have gotten better at sitting it, we can work on slowing down and collecting him. He will piaffe when excited. I just have to figure out how to channel that when I am riding him. And I am excited to figure out how to do canter pirouettes. With the garroucha pole.

Oh. And full seat breeches are the absolute best!!

5. THINGS TO WORK ON
Ashke and I have some things to work on, which actually has me at least as excited to do arena work as I am to do trail riding, which is saying something. We found some opportunities to improve that I can address. So, in no particular order, I want to work on the following items:

• I would like to get Ashke strong enough that he will respond to my requests without throwing his head in the air. He's not doing this in response to my hands, but in reaction to how difficult it is for him to move his body. And I have not been as good at requesting him to keep his nose down. I'm not talking about him dropping his head to his knees, but that rather he flex some at the poll, with his nose down. This is especially important when I am riding him with one hand.
• We need additional work on positioning correctly at the obstacle. He needs to step over the pole so that it is positioned under my boot, not closer to his front legs. He also needs to step up to the post on the gate, so the post is even with my leg and not the front of his shoulder.
• He needs to learn to pause and stand when we are working the obstacles, regardless of how fast we approach and leave. I think using cookies or peppermints to reward the standing still part will help make it really important in his mind. 
• I need to carry the garroucha around more. And teach Ashke how to dance with it. There is a DVD for $40 that I would love to order (if I was made of money) but since I have other things on my wish list that I am saving for, it will have to wait. I can work on the things I've seen, practicing turns and spins and lateral work with the pole. It should be fun.
• We need to learn to jump one puny little 24" jump without me being thrown out of the saddle. And without Ashke leaping like a deer.
• We need a lot more backing. Backing in patterns, in narrow pole lanes, and in circles. 
• I need to save money to buy a Spanish outfit (El Sueno Espanol), which will need to include shirt, pants, boots, jacket, vest and bridle for me to show in. Thankfully, I probably will not need it this year, but it is something I am saving for.

So finally, I want to acknowledge the help and guidance and support and friendship of the three women I rode with this weekend. Thanks to CS for getting me the information, reminding me of the things I had forgotten, for checking on Ashke after I had left and for being so positive and up for the entire weekend. Time spent with you and C O, watching you ride, listening to your guidance, laughing and teasing during the clinics and playing follow the leader was such a gift. Thanks to AM (and happy birthday) for being so positive and encouraging, for having a smile even when her horse melted down, and for forgiving my blunder with the garroucha poles. I loved talking with you about your horses and your passion. And special thanks for taking time out of your weekend to cross swords with my son. And thanks to TJ for the clinics and the knowledge and the direction and for being positive and encouraging over that four days. Thanks for the food and the snacks and letting us hang in your aisle. Thanks for the quiet moments we had to talk and for your direction in and out of the clinics. I had such a great time and came away inspired by all three of you.

Rocky Mountain Horse Expo: Sunday

Sunday, I actually slept until almost seven. It was good and I was feeling somewhat refreshed when I got out of the shower. J got up shortly after, we packed lunch and then headed for the barn. We picked out Ashke's stall, got him fresh water and refilled his hay bucket. And he got an extra mash feed in the morning. He was looking tired and I wanted to make sure he was getting food in his belly.

J and I wandered around with him for a bit, but the warm up arena was filled with a round pen set up for the Colt Starting Finale (I know now why Mark Rashid was not popular at that event. He doesn't work horses that way.) We went outside and turned him loose in the round pen for a bit. Then when the horse that was working in the big arena left, we turned him loose in there.

He had his tail flagged up so high it was floating over his back. I have never seen him do that before.

Straighter up than this. He kept flat out running. I think he was a little stall crazy.

Stepping up under himself on the corner. 

Only Unicorns can levitate, you know.

I think my favorite part of this pic is the muscle over his shoulder.

 

So happy to be able to move at liberty.

Then our joy got brought to a sudden halt by the obnoxious Western Princesses that showed up and asked in a really snotty way if they could please use the arena. There is a real bias in the west in favor of the QH and against all other breeds, but especially the Arabian. I've heard cowboys call them mutts, which has to be one of the funniest things I've ever heard if it didn't piss me off so much. (Have you seen the 13th Warrior?) So, our playtime was cut short and I walked the boy back to his stall. He was pretty sweaty, which really wasn't a surprise considering it broke 80 on Sunday.

He got a good drink at his stall and set about tacking him up. We were set to ride at 2 pm in the Event Center and this time, there wasn't anything else in there. I rode Ashke in the warm up pen and AM joined me after her class on Tai Chi, which she really enjoyed and if they offer it next year, I would love to take. There were only the two of us when the class started, but I knew CS and SN were in a class in another building that ended at 2. Sure enough, they showed up pretty quick and AM left to take Rosa back to her stall. Rosa had gone from a relaxed, happy mare to a stressed out, unhappy mare when we walked in that arena. I really think it was the sound of the lights.

The class was on reinback obstacles. 

Started easy

Got more difficult and became apparent that we haven't been working on this.

And the corridor we were working on was much narrower than what I have practiced on in the past.

Better the second time, but we need to work on our corner. I need to wrap my head around the concept of turning his head to move his butt. Turn on the haunches, rather than a turn on the forehand. 

The corridor with the bell was fun. I wonder if it would count if Ashke bumped the bell with his nose.

Then came the reinback serpentine through poles.

By this time, Ashke knew what we were doing, but was struggling a little physically with the obstacle. This will be a good one to practice.

Then we did a figure eight barrel reinback around two barrels.

He actually executed this obstacle really well.

Then we worked on the gate obstacle, which is also something we haven't done in a while. J took this picture of us while we were watching TJ work with one of the junior riders who had never worked a gate before. 

Sideways ears = exhausted ponehs

Gate work part one

Second time through the gate.

After the final gate, we headed back to our stalls. Ashke got a bucket of mash and then J and I organized our stuff. We headed out to get the trailer from the trailer parking lot, hooked it up and headed back to park. Instead we got parked in a line of trailers. We left the truck and trailer and headed back to the stall where we completely packed everything. I had the idea that we could load where we were parked, but honestly, it was too darn hot to even seriously consider. So we headed back to the truck. I asked and TJ said the reason they don't want people leaving early is because they needed horses in the barns in case any one came by to look. The expo isn't officially over until 5 pm on Sunday. Finally, about four, they started letting the trailers in to pick up horses.

It took us about fifteen minutes to load everything in the trailer and bring Ashke out. He was a little freaked out about all of the activity. I had to ask him four times to load before he finally walked on the trailer. I was about to grab the come-a-long when he finally stepped on. 

Twenty minutes later we pulled into the barn yard. I got Ashke unloaded, the wraps off his legs and his left over hay into his feed bin. J carried in everything else. Once stuff was organized and put away, we parked the trailer and headed for home. Ashke bolted out of his stall as soon as we put him in there and was still standing in the sunshine looking satisfied when we pulled away.

Rocky Mountain Horse Expo: Saturday

Saturday dawned bright and early for me. I was wide awake at 5:12. And couldn't go back to sleep. I got up and walked the dogs, cleaned the patio, and got myself some breakfast. That was when I had both time and energy to post my Thursday blog. J woke up about 8 and came downstairs. I convinced her to stay home for the early part of the day. I needed to run out to the barn and pick up some more hay (always bring more than you expect to use, since really all your horse has to do is stand and eat).

Plus, I wanted to run by work and grab a package that was waiting for me. I have been watching for a good deal on a mounting block for a while. Schnieders ran a special on a step/tack box for $29.99, down from $69.99. I ordered one in grey and it had been delivered to my office on Thursday. That one step is all I need to be able to mount without dragging my horse over sideways, although I did mount from the ground and from the panel fence in the warm up arena several times over the weekend. It worked perfectly and I love the nifty little grooming box in the bottom. It is going to be perfect for trail rides.

I got back to the house a little after ten, grabbed the coolers and kissed every one goodbye, then headed to the barn. J and T would hang out for a couple of hours and make their way to the barn about 2ish or so. I took Ashke out and hand walked him around outside. A train came by and it was pretty fun to watch the three horses out there trotting in circles around their handlers as the noise of the train ebbed and flowed. There was one woman walking up and down with a completely calm and disinterested horse. I remembered Black Beauty and how the young horses were housed in a field right next to a train to desensitize them to the noise. We did not reach that place over the weekend. Ashke does not like trains.

After the train, I took him up to the round pen and let him frolick in the sunshine for 20 minutes or so. He reared and kicked, tore around like a mad horse and otherwise stretched his legs. I walked him back inside when he was done, and spent another half hour or so washing the green from his legs and hip. He sure looked pretty afterwards.

The classes were running about 30 minutes late, so I started getting Ashke groomed about the time J and T showed up. T said hi to Ashke and then he and J went and wandered around. I got Ashke into the warm up pen about 3:15 and was ambling around when CS and her second-niece (SN) showed up on their horses, plus Stacy, another rider from the WE group on Friday afternoon. We had two grey horses and two bays. We started playing follow the leader (one of my favorite games) with two sets of grey and bays. I followed behind C O and Stacy followed behind Cruizer, and I was laughing to myself as we trotted patterns around the other horses in the warm up arena. It is much more difficult than you might imagine to trot next to a horse and follow a pair fairly closely. It was good practice for Ashke to have to collect his trot enough to maintain his gait while not running up the back of C O.

CS and SN did a great job of staying next to each other in the pattern, while myself and Stacy had a bit of an issue with maintaining our spacing. I'm not sure if her little bay Andalusian was tired or fractious, or if they just didn't feel comfortable next to Ashke. Anyway, it was fun and gave me some ideas about an act next year for the Mane Event. We shall see if either pan out.

The clinic on Saturday was lateral work, which was a lot of fun. We started with sidepassing over a pole in both directions. Ashke was a little sticky at first moving from left to right and J said his right leg was twisting under him. I need to make sure we are working on this at least a couple of times during our rides in the arena. Then we moved to the L shaped poles for sidepass. This requires a turn on the haunches at one corner (going in one direction) or a turn on the forehand (going the other direction). By this time Ashke was fairly warm and moved easier in both directions. Then TJ added a third pole and made it Z shaped. That requires a turn on the forehand and a turn on the haunches in the same element. Ashke did it really well.


After the pole work, we moved to the lateral work between poles. There were two poles with a cup that was to be moved from one pole to the other. At first the poles were  horse width apart. The cup could be picked up and moved from one to the other while the horse stands quietly. (Standing quietly is not Ashke's forte.) Then as the horse advances, the poles get wider apart. At the final width, we were to canter in and pick up the cup, sidepass to the other pole, set the cup on top and then canter away. Ashke was awesome about cantering up, stopping, moving sideways to the other pole and then the beast would not stand still. He was anticipating the canter away and got fractious. (Have you see Tin Cup? Where Kevin Costner decides he can make the swing and takes like 30 strokes to finally land the ball where he said he could? It was like that, only with the horse.) TJ explained to the audience that Ashke knew he would be asked to canter away and was excited/anxious to get moving and since we were training and not showing, I was doing the right thing in making him stand still. He finally stopped moving his feet and I made a big deal about him holding still, then sent him away at a canter. I have mentioned that he loves the speed round, right?

At that point I think we were all done with moving sideways. TJ asked if we wanted to work on any of it any more and we all didn't answer. Then CS made the suggestion that we work on the jump (which is a legit obstacle) since there were jumps in the arena already. TJ jumped on the idea and headed over to set one up. I glared at CS, who was laughing and trying to tell TJ it was a joke. I got called to try the jump, which was set at 24". We trotted up, Ashke stopped right over the jump, with his head down and ears pointed. I was staring at the jump as well (laugh all you want you hunter/jumper people - we are not jumpers) and then he leaped the jump like a deer. I managed to stay with him and kept my hands forward so I didn't catch his mouth. However, I caught about two feet of air between me and the saddle at the high point of that jump and J said her heart was in her throat. T said he was ready to come rescue me from the dirt of the arena. I didn't feel like I was in danger of coming off, but I did know I had been jumped out of my saddle.

TJ lowered the vertical to a cross rail and everyone took turns. Ashke and I jumped it three or four times, but we never really got better. It is something to work on.

That was the end of our ride on Saturday. Ashke got brushed out, untacked and tucked away with a bucket of carrots and TC Senior. J, T and I made our way over to our favorite food place at the Stock Show and ate hamburgers and fries for dinner. After dinner, we headed back to get seats for the Mane Event. I wanted to be sure to sit in the middle where I could really see the acts, rather than on the end.

The first act was the Dance of the Garroucha. CS, AM and TJ rode with 13' long garroucha poles. It was beautiful and great to watch. AM was riding the garroucha dance for only the second time with Shiloh, her Arabian mare, who had not trained or practiced for the event at all. I thought they all did a great job and it was wonderful to watch. I would love to get good at handling the garroucha and doing all of the patterns with it.

The other part of the event that impressed the hell out of me were the Icelandic ponies. There were eight Icelandic ponies and their riders in a group. They spent their time doing the Tolt, which was impressive enough to watch, but at the very end two of them did the Flying Pace, which propels them at speeds up to 35 mph. It was amazing and I feel madly in love with their furry little selfs.

After the wonderful Mane Event show, we said good night and took ourselves home after making sure the boy was tucked in with yummy treats and plenty of food. He was dozing in a corner when we left. I was so tired I let J drive us home. A shower and I fell into bed face first, asleep before I hit the mattress.

Rocky Mountain Horse Expo: Friday

Friday dawned dark and very early. I pulled my weary body out of bed and got the boy ready for school. J and I packed food for the day, got mashes for the horse, and got the boy to school on time. We headed straight to the Expo after dropping him off and got there at about 7:30 in the morning.

I gave him a flake of alfalfa and set to grooming him. Temps in the area hit 60 on Friday, although it was overcast and relatively cool inside the barn. Ashke was still clean except for a small poo spot on his belly that J made me brush out. I got him groomed and tacked up and headed to the warm up ring by about 8:20 or so.

 

Ashke checking out the warm-up ring.

 Ashke was incredibly relaxed in the warm up ring. He was pretty wound up on Thursday, but had settled down by Friday morning. 

As we started into the large arena, TJ and J were moving objects into the far end, setting up the barrels for our clinic, Ashke saw the barrels and stopped, his ears pricked with interest. I could feel the moment when he realized why we were there. He completely relaxed, still interested, but relaxed. I swear this horse was born and bred to do Working Equitation. He recognized why we were there and what his job was over the weekend.

9 am Working Equitation Class.

 TJ had us start with turns on the haunches to make sure that we could move the haunches the way we wanted them to go.

Then TJ had us work on the barrels. The point of the exercise was to turn as tight to the barrel as the horse could manage. TJ wanted our horses to step up under themselves to make that turn.

We spent that 45 minutes working on turning and moving the haunches out from the barrel. TJ said this was the way to train for the barrels, but in competition we would want equal and symmetric circles with the same kind of bend. Ashke did really well by the end of the ride. I need to work on asking him for bend when I ride in the arena, and plan on using my arena rides to work on our WE stuff. It should be easy to set out a couple of obstacles for us to use each ride. If they are jumping in the arena, then I will practice the jump and the garroucha.

I was pretty tired by the end of our ride. It's a lot of work asking a horse to move a particular way and we were both ready for a rest by the time we were done. I untacked him and gave him a mash in his stall, then J and I wandered around the displays at the Expo hall. Most of the stuff we saw was covered with bling and mostly pink, but it was still fun to wander. 

After we wandered all the way through, we headed back to the Event Center to watch one of the events: Colt Starting Challenge. I guess this is a series of events that culminates with a national event. The premise is each trainer gets a filly or colt between the age of 2.5 and 4 and they have a total of four hours (two hours in a round pen per day) to "break them in". On the third day, each trainer shows the progress they've made with the horse by running through an obstacle course. The winner get $10,000.

Can you say, I hated it? Breaking a horse fast and dirty creates more issues than resolves them. I heard over and over in other clinics that it takes a horse 24 to 48 hours to process through and retain something you've taught them. I've found that to be true. When I have introduced a concept to Ashke and we have done it successfully one or two times, if I drop it and come back to it a couple of days later, he understands what I am asking and does it for me. I can see the learning curve. All this three day challenge does is frighten, confuse, and in some cases, "breaks" a horse. This actually happened on the first day. One of the trainers was tired of his horse bucking under saddle, so he used a cotton rope to cause the horse to buck until it was so tired it was dragging it's right hind leg. J and I couldn't take any more, so we went back to the stall to let TJ know that the classes were running 45 minutes behind.

At 4:15 pm, we were back in the warm up pen. The bay is an Azteca, which is an Andalusian mixed with QH.

The afternoon session on Friday consisted of the garroucha pole and the bridge. The bridge was a fairly easy obstacle and everyone except one of the Junior riders went over it without any issue. TJ had the junior follow CS and I put Ashke right behind him to help pressure him over the bridge. He went over without any hesitation.

AM had a problem with her horse. Rosa, the Azteca, who was completely calm and willing in the warm up pen, was really struggling in the big arena. As she followed C O (Lusitano ridden by CS) over the bridge, something happened and that little mare launched herself a good twenty feet forward and four feet up into the air. She almost landed on C O. AM decided at that point that she needed to leave the clinic. (In retrospect, I really think the humming lights were bothering her. She was calm and responsive right up until she entered that arena, and then she basically lost her shit.) That also meant that AM, who was riding in the Mane Event at seven, had to change mounts at the last moment.

Since the bridge was fairly easy for most of us, we moved onto the garroucha pole. Working the pole is the heart of Working Equitation and frankly is one of the funnest things we get to do. Three of the poles were 13' long and incredibly heavy. You wouldn't think that extra 3' would make such a difference, but it does.

Ashke always turns his head to nuzzle the pole. He's just so curious.

I absolutely love this discipline!

The higher Ashke's head went up, the higher my pole went. When TJ corrected me, and I dropped the pole, Ashke's head dropped too.

At the end of the clinic we tucked Ashke into his stall with another mash and some fresh hay, then went to get something hot to eat for dinner. After dinner we watched the Mane Event from one end of the arena. It was pretty fun and I really thought T would love the different acts. AM did pretty well with riding a horse that had never practiced the act, had never ridden with a garroucha pole and had not been in the big arena prior to her riding her in the Mane Event. I'll share all of my thoughts and videos tomorrow, when I write up our Saturday. I had a much better vantage point to watch the show that night then I did on Friday.

It was 9 pm before we were done. We tucked the boy in and then J and I staggered home and fell into bed.