I'm making the change from the snaffle. I've started working Jessie in a Tom Thumb style bit. I think it will help me become a better rider by refining my cues. It's something new and exciting. One of my biggest concerns is where to go after the Tom Thumb.
We also did some team sorting yesterday. I worked on two teams. One was with Ranae and Julie (another Downunder Horsemanship follower) and one was a pickup team with two experienced, competitive gals on very nice horses. We tied for 2nd and had a ride off and won! It was a very interesting experience. I'm getting to publish the podcast with a lot more details, so if you want to listen to the story you can find it on our Facebook page or subscribe in iTunes.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
Second Day of Summer
Well, it's been awhile, but we finally got an evening ride in. Family issues have kept us fairly busy the last couple of weeks. Dad's had a serious ear infection and was hospitalized for 10 days to get iv antibiotics. We busted him outta there but we still have to give him antibiotics every day. He's got ten more days (we hope). He is doing pretty good this week. It's good to have brothers and sisters though, as sis is in town to help, and my younger brother will be here next week.
Ranae got home and gave the guys a flake of hay and by the time I got home and saddled it was 6:30. With the long days we still had plenty of time for a ride. The breeze was blowing and it was a beautiful evening. We were back on our own horses (Check out the DUH Podcast to hear about our horse switch) and it was good. Jessie was riding well. There was stuff blowing around and a number of other horses being ridden and she did good.
We went out and did some loping. I continue to work on steering, going straight when I want her to, and doing a decent circle. It's improving...slightly. The ground we were riding on was extremely hard and I don't know if that was a factor. But, hey, it's what we got so we're going to use it.
We rode for an hour and a half and by the time we got home, put the horses up and ate it was almost bedtime. Ah, but it was so nice to get that ride in...
Ranae got home and gave the guys a flake of hay and by the time I got home and saddled it was 6:30. With the long days we still had plenty of time for a ride. The breeze was blowing and it was a beautiful evening. We were back on our own horses (Check out the DUH Podcast to hear about our horse switch) and it was good. Jessie was riding well. There was stuff blowing around and a number of other horses being ridden and she did good.
We went out and did some loping. I continue to work on steering, going straight when I want her to, and doing a decent circle. It's improving...slightly. The ground we were riding on was extremely hard and I don't know if that was a factor. But, hey, it's what we got so we're going to use it.
We rode for an hour and a half and by the time we got home, put the horses up and ate it was almost bedtime. Ah, but it was so nice to get that ride in...
Monday, May 14, 2012
Our first 10 Miler of the Year
It's in the 90's here already which means the best time to ride is in the morning. Dusty still has issues and Ranae was going to stay home and ride with our friend Susan, so Jessie and I headed for the City Farm on our own.
The City Farm is about 1 1/2 miles away and maybe 3/4 of a mile wide. We rode through it on our way to the home of the woman I bought Jessie from. It was an impromptu thing, and I hadn't called ahead. I was just going to say hi if I saw her working outside. I didn't.
Most of the ride was at a trot. We did a fair amount at the canter when I could find some good footing. Most of the roads were pretty hard. Jessie was on alert most of the ride, although I thought she did well for being out alone so far from home.
The ride stats according to my GPS were 10.77 mi over 2 hours 20 minutes averaging 4.7 mph. That's a good workout for early in the year.
I am hoping to get another early morning workout in this week.
The City Farm is about 1 1/2 miles away and maybe 3/4 of a mile wide. We rode through it on our way to the home of the woman I bought Jessie from. It was an impromptu thing, and I hadn't called ahead. I was just going to say hi if I saw her working outside. I didn't.
Most of the ride was at a trot. We did a fair amount at the canter when I could find some good footing. Most of the roads were pretty hard. Jessie was on alert most of the ride, although I thought she did well for being out alone so far from home.
The ride stats according to my GPS were 10.77 mi over 2 hours 20 minutes averaging 4.7 mph. That's a good workout for early in the year.
I am hoping to get another early morning workout in this week.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
An Early Morning Ride
Got up at 5:30 threw the horses some grub, then went back in the house and played with the dogs. Cleaned the pens and then saddled Jessie for a "ride at daybreak".
I love my work, but that doesn't mean there aren't rocky times and the start of the week wasn't going my way and I knew exactly what was needed to get some perspective back. Jessie was happy to oblige.
It had been quite some time since we went out alone. She moved out willingly. I'm not sure, but her shadow was very long and she kept looking to that side. I wondered if she thought someone was riding with us. I had my ipod on listening to a podcast with the comedian Kevin Nealon. I finally had to change it and listen to music because every time in our long trot he would say something funny and I would laugh, Jessie would stop. So then I would try not to laugh, only that made it worse, cause I'd stiffen up and then relax and she would feel that and stop.
We rode for about an hour and did a lot of transitions, worked on picking up leads, and two-tracking. It was a great morning - a little hazy and mid-60ish. It's likely to be a hectic day at work. Bring it on. I'm ready now.
I love my work, but that doesn't mean there aren't rocky times and the start of the week wasn't going my way and I knew exactly what was needed to get some perspective back. Jessie was happy to oblige.
It had been quite some time since we went out alone. She moved out willingly. I'm not sure, but her shadow was very long and she kept looking to that side. I wondered if she thought someone was riding with us. I had my ipod on listening to a podcast with the comedian Kevin Nealon. I finally had to change it and listen to music because every time in our long trot he would say something funny and I would laugh, Jessie would stop. So then I would try not to laugh, only that made it worse, cause I'd stiffen up and then relax and she would feel that and stop.
We rode for about an hour and did a lot of transitions, worked on picking up leads, and two-tracking. It was a great morning - a little hazy and mid-60ish. It's likely to be a hectic day at work. Bring it on. I'm ready now.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Almost There
We (well, just Jessie and I ) got in two rides this weekend. Let me go back a bit. On Thursday, we had some time for some groundwork. Practiced more of the backing in angles. Not sure why I can't get that one down a little better. She was trying and that was a good thing. We also did a few other exercises like out and back and changing eyes 3. She has those both down to my satisfaction.
Dusty has been off for two weeks now. I think he's had issues in two areas and while we were focused on the front, he strained something in his hind. He got the weekend off. Ranae got to ride Charlie, our neighbor Susan's horse.
Charlie was one of the first horses I worked the method with some 6-7 years ago. It was right after Ranae got Dusty and then hurt her back. I rode Dusty for three or four weeks to keep him in shape and shortly after that Susan banged up her knee and couldn't ride for 6 weeks or so. Charlie and I did a lot of groundwork, and even though I didn't own a horse, I had invested in a stick and string, halter, dvd, and cowboy hat.
Most of our workout sessions were early morning and sometimes we worked in the afternoon. Charlie helped me learn a lot. Because we hadn't ridden him in quite awhile, we started at the beginning with flexing and desensitizing. He picked most of it up quickly. We practiced one rein stops and, when we were certain he could do those, we headed out to our usual haunts.
We did some trotting and Charlie was kinda stuck in high gear. Ranae kept working with him and she did a great job of working on her horsemanship. We kept talking about how easy it is to get in a rut just riding one horse.
Sunday we went out to the river. We're not sure what is going on with the team sorting, but nothing has been scheduled. I wonder if we can find another group. We had a nice long ride around the river. Jessie and I warmed up in their arena. We did quite a bit of loping the first half hour. All in all I think we had about a three hour ride. I rode Charlie for the last half hour or so and Ranae rode Jessie.
Dusty has been off for two weeks now. I think he's had issues in two areas and while we were focused on the front, he strained something in his hind. He got the weekend off. Ranae got to ride Charlie, our neighbor Susan's horse.
Charlie was one of the first horses I worked the method with some 6-7 years ago. It was right after Ranae got Dusty and then hurt her back. I rode Dusty for three or four weeks to keep him in shape and shortly after that Susan banged up her knee and couldn't ride for 6 weeks or so. Charlie and I did a lot of groundwork, and even though I didn't own a horse, I had invested in a stick and string, halter, dvd, and cowboy hat.
Most of our workout sessions were early morning and sometimes we worked in the afternoon. Charlie helped me learn a lot. Because we hadn't ridden him in quite awhile, we started at the beginning with flexing and desensitizing. He picked most of it up quickly. We practiced one rein stops and, when we were certain he could do those, we headed out to our usual haunts.
We did some trotting and Charlie was kinda stuck in high gear. Ranae kept working with him and she did a great job of working on her horsemanship. We kept talking about how easy it is to get in a rut just riding one horse.
Sunday we went out to the river. We're not sure what is going on with the team sorting, but nothing has been scheduled. I wonder if we can find another group. We had a nice long ride around the river. Jessie and I warmed up in their arena. We did quite a bit of loping the first half hour. All in all I think we had about a three hour ride. I rode Charlie for the last half hour or so and Ranae rode Jessie.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Sometimes You Just Feel Like ...
Sometimes it just feels like you're in a vortex. A couple of weeks ago Jessie stepped in a hole while loping and was limping. Ten days ago Max, my 10 year old Aussie did a turn in the yard while playing and tore up his knee, then last weekend Rane's Dusty pulled up lame. What's going on?!?!
Jessie looks like she's back to about 90%, Max is still about 40%, and I'm not sure what's going on with Dusty. I just know I'm watching MY step.
Since we didn't ride much last weekend I watched some of the dvd's and worked on some GW III exercises. We worked on the Out/Back, Backing Angles, and Changing Eyes Stage III. We had a pretty good time, actually. I love groundwork, just wish we had a better place and more time to spend on it.
It was good to dust off the old dvd's too. I've got a couple I haven't even look at yet. If my horse stays healthy, maybe I won't ever get to them.
Jessie looks like she's back to about 90%, Max is still about 40%, and I'm not sure what's going on with Dusty. I just know I'm watching MY step.
Since we didn't ride much last weekend I watched some of the dvd's and worked on some GW III exercises. We worked on the Out/Back, Backing Angles, and Changing Eyes Stage III. We had a pretty good time, actually. I love groundwork, just wish we had a better place and more time to spend on it.
It was good to dust off the old dvd's too. I've got a couple I haven't even look at yet. If my horse stays healthy, maybe I won't ever get to them.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
More Whip Crackin'
We had a nice ride on Sunday. The horses, while not 100%, are much better. I decided to take the Aussie stock whip out with us and "practice". I also took the camera. Do you ever get the feeling you are carrying too much crap? Anyway, it was a fun ride and we took just a little video of the brief whip crackin' session.
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