Tag Archives: lesson

Ranger Recap: Proof in video

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Thanks to a wide range of circumstances, my Thursday lesson was pushed back to Saturday this week.

It was really pretty earlier in the week…

It was all fine. Thursday would have meant that I got to ride with snow falling off the roof of the indoor which is always fun. Plus my neck/back was killing me for some odd reason… Who knows. I’m a walking disaster. Regardless, I find it really odd to ride during the day these days. Anyway, it all meant that Michele! came out and served at videographer once she navigated around Amish buggies… That’s the problem with Saturdays…

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My lesson started with a pokey, blockheaded Ranger. Evidently he’s been a little difficult over the last week. So, during our initial w/t flat work, we did a lot of trot/halt/back transitions until I finally got him off of his front end and on to his butt. We also did a lot of tiny circles at the trot and worked on not falling in. Finally we got some square halts where it didn’t feel like Ranger was going to try and drag me onto the ground (it was that kind of a day to start out… He’s got a BIG HEAD). Somewhere around this point, Michele showed up.

At the canter, the focus was mostly forward down the long sides and making Ranger collect use his butt in the corners. Then, to start off to the right, we circled and I failed to realize that with the new course, the jumps were on the long side and proceeded to almost crash into a fence. BUT, we managed not to and didn’t lose our canter. It was just not pretty. Take 2 was nicer. Then on the other side of the ring, tiny circles at the canter were the goal. I should have know this was a clue for things to come. Left lead was uneventful… Just a circle or two…

Our warm up exercise was…evil. It was a figure eight exercise over a cross rail. Thankfully I do NOT have a video of it. Basically, we cantered left lead over this cross rail, then landed turned right and cantered right lead (TIGHT TURN) over the cross rail, landed, cantered left lead again over it. I think we did it 3 times? I mean, it went fine, I just didn’t like the exercise.

From here, we did the same cross rail (cantering in left lead), but instead of  turning back to the cross rail, we instead went to the outside line against the rail). First time through I kind of lacked the power I needed and we did an ugly 7. The second jump was the EVIL death jump that has the invisible spikes… YES they are there and they pop out at you when you go over it thank you very much. But, the second time through, I actually rode the damn thing and we got the 6. My issue the first time was I was still in the holding mindset from the tight turn to get back to the cross rail (we had to turn at the first jump of the line) rather than a going mode to make the line.

Next we worked on our inside single which wasn’t an issue at all. This was the only place that I could feel Ranger occasionally want to get strong but a tiny lift was all he needed. From the single we continued to the cross rail bending to the second jump in the outside line (AKA the death jump). It was fine. No issue at all. We only put the 3 together once?

Finally we ended with our course that took me a few times to get right. We started we the outside single which first time we proceeded to take a rail down. Next we came around to the inside line in a 6. I got the simple change late though the turn, while hard (it’s one of those you have to wait for it turns, but I turn late so those work for me), wasn’t an issue. That said, I let Ranger pull me a bit and we sort of sucked in the line and got in tight to the out of the line…

Take 2 was better spots, but Ranger was severely distracted. His BFF Elliot walked in and instead of picking up his feet, he was focused on Elliot. So we took out a bunch of rails. Because, idiot.

Take 3 was FINALLY the course we wanted. We added on to it by continuing to our outside line and then continuing to our inside single.

Anyway, we called it a day from there. The bad news was Ranger had to do double duty and will have to do double duty on Thursdays from now on. Sucks for him. AND I’ll lose my Thursday zen tack up time. But, hopefully come summer the kid riding him before me will find another time to ride and I can find my zen time again.

Catching up (and partial Ranger Recap)

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I’ve been dealing with lots of migraines of the last week or 2. LOTS. To the point that I barely made it to work half of last week and barely made it to my lesson on Thursday and barely remember my lesson. There was also a Nor’easter and then melting and some classes I had to teach and stupid horses and a farrier appointment. And rather than do a photo dump and a separate Ranger Recap, I’m just sort of going to…I don’t know, try and remember last week?

I really don’t remember most of my lesson. In between migraine from hell and the death migraine? One of those migraines had me crying the pain was so bad… It was not a good week…

Anyway, our lesson consisted of a whole lot of bending lines and turns and no media. For some reason, my trainer realized that I was directionally challenged (migraine side effect) and actually walked our bending lines and roll backs for us–without it, I wouldn’t have made it. That said, without images, graphs, and charts, I really cannot say more. But, from what I remember, it was a surprisingly good lesson. The first time through was typically about learning the lines/space, the second time through was perfecting it. We worked on asking for the lead, but using our space and not leading/crowding the jumps in the air. Honestly, after the first time, everything was easy.

 

Friday, my farrier came out. In sprite of the mud, we managed to get everyone trimmed. Batty MIGHT be working on a abscess (he was on and off gimpy leading up to Friday and then completely comfortable on Friday), but with the mud, it wasn’t close enough to do anything about. So, we’re just watching it but he’s comfy again so… Who knows… But if he does go lame on his left front, I’ll know why…

Meanwhile, my Subi’s starting to struggle a bit. Last winter he did something to his right stifle and that was sort of my call to retire him completely. His arthritis has been acting up more anyway and this winter it’s gotten a bit worse. He’s 21 and has been mostly sound until last winter. He’s had issues with getting his feet done stemming back before I bought him (long story simplified to bad farrier but barn farrier threw a rasp at his head when he reacted to a when stung by a horse fly. He was done with drugs for years until 2009 when I started working with my current farrier. We were able to get him from drugs to 4 shoes without anything in 1 visit — took forever but it was just fear. To him being a relatively easy horse in a year. 2 years later the horse with the worst feet was barefoot and sound and simple to do). Now, he’s a bit of a challenge to do behind because it hurts. He’s achy on the left hind and then acts up a bit, but the right hind really hurts. He grinds his teeth and it just hurts. He tries to take his leg back and doesn’t try to be bad, but lets us know it hurts. I forgot to give him bute beforehand (and he’s figured out the bute stud muffin trick so I need a new way to poison him). Poor guy.

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Wearing his brother’s clothing because… it’s what I had laying around… 

And then there is this guy. James Tiberius Harper Horsie. Aka Jiminy. Tiny Terror. According to the farrier, his weight is fine (I trust the farrier more than the vet in this instance. My vet tends not to complain when he’s a little fatter…). He’s a problem though. He wants to be part of the action. Any action. In your face. Pay attention to me.

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One of these things do not belong… 

When he’s not destroying property, at least he likes to be groomed?

We call this look the Albert Einstein

Now he just needs it to warm up so he can have a job. Maybe we’ll take on long lining this summer. If I could leave Subi alone, I’d pony Jiminy off Batt. But, alas, his main job is baby-babysitter… And property destroyer. And little pain in the ass. And being utterly cute.

Ranger Recap: Control.

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This week needs a do-over. Or maybe this week just needs to have never happened. But, a quick recap to the week basically could be summed up in a few words: stress, soul selling, chaos, and storms. Oh, and Dr. Seuss. How do people NOT know that Friday was Dr. Seuss’s Birthday? I’m seriously ashamed. I’m more ashamed that I work in a library and people STILL didn’t know that (yes, academia, but still…).

 

Anyway, I carried much of the week’s tension in to my lesson with Ranger on Thursday. And a headache too. So our flatwork semi sucked. Especially the canter as I was carrying so much tension in my shoulders… Shocking, I know. I wasn’t quite able to fix it, but sometimes you just can’t. Second direction was a little better but…

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Overworked, underfed. Poor, abused pony. 

We ended up doing a semi private this week so I didn’t actually get to do too much which was fine. And it was Ranger’s second lesson of the day and he wasn’t feeling it either. But, what we did, we did well, so there is that?

We started out basically working on an exercise for adjustment. We cantered in to the outside line which is a 6 for us, in a holding 7 and then continued around to do it in a 6 and then came back around to do it in a 7. The first time in, the 7 was actually there and it wasn’t an issue and with a little hold Ranger collected and easily fit in the 7 and there you go. Coming back around, we lengthened, and came it nicely, got the 6 life was easy and happy. However, continuing around, attempt 3, was not as successful. We came in with the right pace that we needed for the 7, but when I asked Ranger to hold for the 7, he interpreted my hand for a cue to trot, unlike take 1 so we ended up trotting in the middle at a pace for a stride or 2 before cantering what would have been a 7. Turns out, with Ranger, I need to remember that I can’t pull back on him most of the time, but I have to remember my “tug tug” method with him (a lift up of sorts) to get him off of his front end so he can collect. So, picking back up the canter, collecting the stride, I tugged coming in and immediately upon landing and what do you know?! The 7 was simple and easy… Go figure… These things are always easy when your heavy horse isn’t heavy… shocking.

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“Are you calling me heavy? Are you saying I have a big head?”

We next changed direction and cantered into our inside single boxes from the wrong direction (got to love jumping jumps backwards…) and then continued around to the OTHER outside line where we were to jump the line in a slow, holding 8, continue around, and then jump the line in a forward 7, and then back around in a holding 8. Having actually learned from the previous line, we accomplished this the first time with zero issues at all and it was easy and called it a day there. It was unexpected to all when my trainer says “you did that much fast than I anticipated.” Well, I can ride when I remember how… Plus, my old trainer, when she remembered how to teach, loved this exercise and we spent insane numbers of hours adjusting strides. I think I only ever did the horse show strides at horse shows… All Subi and I ever did was stride adjustment exercises and drove ourselves insane… When she remembered to teach. And then I left.

So we spent the remaining time just watching. I was offered the opportunity to jump something else if I really wanted, but, it was one of those, my jumping was so on, and my day was so off, I just didn’t want to push it. So I just sat and watched. Ranger didn’t appreciate it. He wanted BACK TO BARN FOR TREATS. Whatever Ranger. So I got a lesson in watching for the remaining time.

The many face of Ranger need many treats

Yesterday was the storm of storms. At least in terms of wind. We didn’t actually end up with accumulating snow just lots of wind, power outages, and gross-ness. Horses survived (spend the night tucked in the shed–this morning they’re out playing halter tag), my property survived, and all that. My power was out most of the time I was at work, but came back on once I got home (yay!). Driving home was fun though. Especially the big hill near Fair Hill — our half ton truck was being toss around. I can’t imaging what it would have been like in a car. Today, lost of damage around, but we’re unscathed. Some trees down in the woods, but since most of the big ones are down, I’m hoping I can convince my husband to let me fence it in for the horses…

Plus there was this fun train derailment about 3 miles from me…

Ranger Recap: I hate one strides…

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The weather here has been completely gross. And I have zero media. I didn’t even remember to take a picture of Ranger. So, I’ll just throw in random pictures of my muddy beasts to break up text….

Rain is for naps, right?

We’ve gone from cold and rainy to 70 degrees to 40s and rainy again to finally not rainy but not sunny. I’ve had a headache for 5 days now. My lesson on Thursday was cancelled and we rescheduled for Saturday and it rained because all it does is rain. Yay. Rain. But, Ranger.

We started out with some nice trotting and evidently my right heal was particularly nice. Who knows why? We spent some time circling to get a certain pinto off his shoulder but otherwise our trot work was unremarkable. Cantering was fine as well. Leads were easy and we had some really lovely circles and thinking ahead we canter a really nice small circle in his bad direction where I planned ahead (go me!) and got OFF HIS SHOULDER!

Instead of starting off with an easy single, we started off with the new devil line (course change) which was the inside line, the stupid one stride. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it before, but I HATE ONE STRIDES. HATE THEM, HATE THEM, HATE THEM! I always struggled with them back with Subi due to his massive stride length. So, inadvertently we’d end up getting a half stride or turn it into a bounce… Oops. Yeah. So I’d hold too much coming in and it would suck. Anyway, irrationally, I’m freaked out by one strides.

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Subi says this is how the cool kids wear their halters

So, needless to say, I whined, was told it was fun on Ranger, and to jump it anyway, and because it was Ranger, I jumped it. So we did, it wasn’t lovely but my goal was survival. We then jumped it again where the goal was “to do more than survive” and to steer with 2 hands and not one (we were wiggly) and it was better. Fun? No, but acceptable. Then the jump just kept go up, and up, and up. We did it probably about 8 times until the second fence, was a 3′ oxer. Then we called it a day with the damn one stride. Ranger saved my butt. It was fine. It was acceptable. It wasn’t even bad. Ranger jumped his heart out. I still won’t say it was fun.

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The Fatbatthorse

Then we jumped an inside single around to the one outside line in a going 7. The single was good, but we kind of lost the go after the single and then got an 8… Repeat and got the go and had a lovely line. What can I say, I was exhausted after the damn 1 stride…

From here, Ranger soul mate — his current BFF is Mikey as he no longer sees Forrest at all–left the ring. Ranger had a mini melt down. Despite this, we switched things up and cantered the other inside single around to the other outside line in a 6. We had NO ISSUES with the GO and basically worked on COLLECTION while Ranger tried to GALLOP over the DEATH JUMP (ie: SPIKES) down to the other straw bale jump in the line.

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JimJamBoree

Despite his over enthusiasm, it wasn’t actually a bad line, but we repeated and worked on collection. Ranger was still ANGRY but the line was more collected and we found a happy point at which to end… No hand gallop this time. But, even with our attempts to gallop, it wasn’t out of control just lots of power–we easily fit the strides in and he listened, just a bit too much speed.

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No muscle, overgrown mane, lots and lots of mud, but his weight looks good! Not terrible for a 21 year old retiree

Anyway, I’m sure I have more to say, but… it’s Monday and I’m blanking.

Less work, more play in boxes!

Ranger Recap: Simply the Bestest.

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Don’t tell my boys, but Ranger is the best of the best.

It’s been a rough week work wise, but I dragged myself out to my lesson last night — a lesson that almost didn’t happen as my husband stopped me as I was pulling out of the driveway to ask if I could push my lesson back 15-30 minutes. As the last lesson of the night, no. I either go or cancel (thanks Jiminy for destroying the fence. Michele, you just MIGHT find him tied to your front door).

Thanks to the INSANE weather and the fact that I was running late, I pulled in, and discovered 2 things. 1. there were NO lights on in the indoor meaning we were RIDING OUTSIDE IN FEBRUARY thanks for the 58 degree temperature and 2. Ranger was a mudpit thanks to being turned out blanket/sheetless. Did I mention I was running late? So late in fact the previous lesson came back in before I finished tacking up and my trainer called to see if I was in the barn… Ooops. But, she said I wasn’t actually late…

Got mud?

After a brief foray into discussions about the state of the world (we tend to have these conversations whether or not we should is a different discussion, but I’m a willing participant so…), I started trotting. It was SO COMPLETELY AMAZING TO BE RIDING OUTSIDE I CAN’T EVEN DESCRIBE IT. There were wet spots, but the ring actually has amazing drainage. Ranger wasn’t as thrilled with the kids playing first on the swingset and then basketball, but we later had bigger issues with the cat jumping out at us… I’ll get to that. Nonetheless, he’s Ranger so whatever. We started with a bunch of trotting and circles and all that. With the extra space, it was so much easier to get him off his left shoulder and nothing felt as tight. I love having a FENCE and not walls!!!

There were 2 polls in the ring. 1 in the middle of the ring and 1 down by the in-gate. They are the blue lines in the terribly drawn course map below. After doing tight circles around random jumps to make sure Ranger was actually listen and off his shoulder (damn him and his leaning), we added in those polls, just working on steering straight and getting him to move his body over. And then the cat launched over the pole so we had to avoid him too. Finally, after adding in some halts and backs (damn horse hears trainer say halt and halts… So much for listening to me last night…) we got to canter.

Cantering is HARD you know? Holy crap. I really need to work on my trot-canter transitions as my walk-canter transitions are better. Right lead was actually OK. We cantered for a bit (serious, HOLY CRAP the amount of canter) and then circled, and then cantered over the damn pole in the middle of the ring. And that is when the stupid cat zig-zagged into the ring in front of us and I got distracted and we didn’t quite hold our canter because CAT. So canter picked up and do it again. And again. CAT zigged in front of us AGAIN and jumped the pole and we chipped the pole. I think the cat then jumped a jump and finally left the ring. AND WE WERE FREE! Then, on take 25, because we were still cantering (ok, it was only the 4th circle), we continued our canter and cantered onto the log jump which is the black line at the bottom of the horrific image below. So, circle the to the pole, canter pole, hold canter to log, keep canter because even though the log jump was perfect, the pole WASN’T and we must repeat. After 3 times, the pole was finally adequate and we got to trot… in order to change direction.

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Really bad course map. Top is by the gate, bottom is far end of the ring by the road. We did NOT jump the triple. Blue are poles. 

And pick up and left lead canter. And then, canter the damn pole. The damn pole was SO MUCH HARDER this way to get a lovely stride to it. With enough leg, I help the canter, but it was a chip. I had too much canter and needed to shorted, but, it was SO MUCH STRUGGLE to pick up the canter from the trot and it took me FOREVER to get the canter. So, once we did, I hesitated to woah at all… And, it turned out, I was to know that from the pole, I was to go to the log so the first time I missed that step. Oops. So repeat. Pole to log. Second time was an improvement though we needed a simple change because, Ranger. Third time was lovelier and finally, WALK!!

(somewhere during this left lead work, it started pouring which sent the kids inside and left me wet, but the rain did end even if I almost dropped my reins once and buffled up the canter…)

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Just a little shower…

After a VERY BRIEF walk, we started with the outside line, trotting in, cantering out in 5. So weird to trot in (though I did some of this when I rode a very angry Ranger Sunday in the indoor and he went from dead to insane when I made him work after his new friend left the indoor and it was pouring and he was ANGRY RANGER). He was lovely. We did this once or twice? Easy and slow. Right lead for those trying to follow along on my ugly graphic (and not the triple).

Then we cantered in left lead to the damn inside line (the pole was gone) — the only really inside line — attempting a going 6. The trick with this line is that we need to stay out close to the gate (which would be up at the top of the picture) before turning to first jump. We had the turn, but not quite the energy the first time. So we had 2 jumps were I stayed back and let Ranger save my butt (but better then jumping ahead). So, needless to say, we repeated. Second time was better, but it still wasn’t fabulous. My turn is actually great, but I just can’t nail the first jump. But, I stayed with the plan this time, landed moved him up, and got the 6 as planned.

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OMG he’s perfect. And sweaty.

Because the line went better, we moved on to a course (because I wasn’t already dead at that point). We started (right lead) cantering down the inside single, turning after the first jump of the outside line). The jump was beyond PERFECT and I was able to keep Ranger up off of his front end (he tried to get heavy, but came up right away with just a little ask from me). We landed, did a super quick simple change and kept the pace which was lovely. This was the missing link for the inside line. We rode the same path to the inside line (but I’m convince I cut the corner a tiny bit which made it easier–I tend to stay out too much even though this line you need to so maybe it was just more pace?) and nailed the first jump. Then we just balanced for the second jump, not needing to override like the time before. Because he was super balanced, we landed right and held our canter to continue to our outside line, cantering in to the 4. He tried to get heavy, though not strong. The first jump was met perfectly, I was able to woah just enough, and the 4 was there and light and no freight training occurred (it would have, but he was listening so well). It was one of the courses where the first words out of my mouth were “Don’t make me do that again!” — He was SO PERFECT!

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Perfection.

We ended cantering up to the big oxer in the inside/middle of the ring. He was good, I was a bit tentative. He took care of me. I should have been a bit more aggressive. The jump was fine. Just not my best. Oh well. We didn’t do it again, which was fine. I was tired, but part of me wishes I’d ridden it better. The spot was better, but I was more passive than I could have been. But, the spot was nice. I just wasn’t 100% confident.

Overall though, best lesson in a long time. I LOVE being outside and needed that so much. Ranger is the best.

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Just in case you were curious just how gross the weather has been lately… This was Ranger’s field on Sunday… 

 

Ranger Recap: Roll Backs and Batts and the arctic tundra

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So last lesson it was before  EVIL that is daylight savings time. So it was darkish but not dark if you know what I’m saying? This week’s lesson was  DARK. DARK, DARK,  DARK, DARK, DARK! I hate this time of year so much. We have an indoor, but don’t use it until we absolutely need to so we were outside under the lights. In the dark and miserable work that is winter. I mean, it was fine and not that cold, but it was  DARK.

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Biscuit says it’s DARK outside.

Last lesson we worked on bending lines. This week was roll backs. I forgot that I like rollbacks? I mean, I  haven’t actually done roll backs consistently (at the canter) since, well, Subi. And they weren’t our forte. Though we always did really well at the circle of death so maybe we did do well? I actually can’t remember. It’s been too long.

So, in my course drawings last week, I forgot a jump. Rather than try to update that one, I attempted to redo it. It’s still not to scale, but I used paint rather than a sharpie. So, ???

Course

It’s definitely not as special as last week’s art, that’s for sure… But, tough. We started off by cantering in to jump 1 and in the air, opening up my left hand and turning my head to look at jump which yes, was a nice tight turn. We did get the turn, but a certain pinto pony was NOT helping me and landed wrong EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. no matter what  I did. Thank you Ranger. We repeated this a few times just to try and  get the lead and to make sure once I was over the jump, I was steering with 2 hands.

Just breaking text up with pictures

From here, we added on jump 3 and  4. 3 was the straw bales and  4 was the out of the outside line. 3 was fine the first time as and  continued to be OK as long as I went into my corner and the out was decent every time even if I screwed up everything else. I’m realizing I have no issue riding out of problems because, again, I have a weirdly accurate eye. We ended up

Next we added in 5, our brownstone plank jump to our outside single. Again, Ranger is perfect, I saw my distance, it worked. It was easy.

We did end up cantering down to 2 as a single, around to the straw (3), and continuing to 4 because I screwed up my corner and distance to the straw once and the roll back was getting  hard because of the lack of lead, but, that’s a different issue. Jump 4 was lovely even when I screwed up 3. I’m noticing that my 2 point is getting really strong and I’m not grabbing mane half the time (not that I’ve needed to, but habit) because I REALLY  don’t need to? I feeling really tight and secure? I mean, the jumps have be lovely, but now they’re really nice? Pony is perfect.

We ended with an easy outside line. I just sat there and didn’t know what to do. I’m loving the courses. The easy lines are terribly boring now! But, either way, I love this horse!

As always, we ended we with lots of carrots and peppermints before I sent him out to field where Forest and Elliot where waiting anxiously for him… Seriously, the three of them need to get over themselves…

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Friday also started off with the funeral of Nicholaus Nicklebottom, beloved friend who left his mark and bound us together. RIP Nicholaus! The OVERLORD has taken his place. The OVERLORD is NOT NICE. [update: the OVERLORD has gone missing since he started service Friday morning…] Yes, this is what we do at work….

As nice as it was Friday, it was miserable on Friday/Saturday. Windy and FREEZING. Which is why Saturday I had to lead a trail ride at 10am… At 6:30am it was 19*. Wind chill of 11…

So Batty and I headed out to Marsh Creek at 8am in the arctic temperatures and made it there when it was till below freezing. While the sun was out, it didn’t help too much. But, thanks to Mountain Horse Stella Polaris winter boots, 2 pairs of riding pants (I don’t know where my winter riding pants are…), wool socks, base layer shirt, super warm Noble Outfitters cowl fleece thing (I need to review this), down vest, and a down coat, I was pretty warm. Plus, I threw on Subi’s old quarter sheet which was a touch too small, but whatever. We were warm, though for some reason I forgot to put on gloves because I’m an idiot.  Also, it was NOT 30 degrees at 10 am… And the wind chills…

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I was mid sentence when the picture was taken… Batty was mid sleep. His stomach is too big for that quarter… he’s too big for his 52″ girth. He’s just too big right now. 

Regardless Batty was perfect. Because he just is. Even though I barely managed to get his feet clean enough for his boots… But, whatever.

Hopefully paper chase next weekend!