An Explanation

UK's blog will be back. I apologize for the lack of updates. I was a bit busy having a baby.

UK and Jakob

Jump day for UK!

UK had a great deal of fun today. My friend, Sabrina, jumped him around for me. A veteran of the jumper circuit I knew he'd be in good hands. She was a bit worried as she hadn't done anything other then crossrails in quite a long time (cowboy mounted shooting is her current thing). I wasn't worried though, as Sabrina rides  her horses very well.

She started out jumping 2'3" mostly to warm up and get a feel for him. She jumped ahead a few times but eventually started to get a feel for mister booger. I'd set up a line with two verticals, a stand alone plank vertical, barrels on one diagonal, oxer on the other diagonal, and the brush roll in the middle of the ring.

One of their warm-up jumps. 

UK was a rockstar. Even when Sabrina jumped ahead, or if she dropped him a little bit (her leg kept slipping  because he's narrow and her stirrups were a bit long), UK would compensate to the best of his ability and just do his job; just like I trained him to. The above picture is a good example, Sabrina jumped ahead and UK adjusted and still jumped it clear. 

On their way to the next jump in the line.

So this photo was taken seconds after the previous one. Sabrina recovered and UK locked on to the next jump and they did it beautifully. 

Look at those knees!!!

After they'd jumped everything once or twice I put everything up to 2'9" so UK would actually put in some effort (he gets bored with anything smaller then 2'6"ish as he's gotten a bit cocky). More adjustments ensued, and I gave Sabrina some tips to get what she wanted out of him. 

Brush jump.

Roll back turn to the oxer.

Got a bit deep to the barrels, oops!

Brush off the other lead. 

The more they jumped the better they got. UK went nice and forward and as a result he did two flying changes!!!!!!! I was practically jumping up and down with joy as a result, as I've only just started teaching them to him. 

So much improvement!

I'd flatted him twice this week in preparation, making sure to work on balance and straightness, and then popped him over a few jumps the night before. It's one thing to jump him around myself, but with no one to take pictures or video I have no way of seeing just how well we're doing. So it was nice to see him go around so well for someone else. It's a good feeling to know that 2 years of hard work are paying off!

And now for video of the last set of jumps they did. Sabrina and I wanted him to do the line one last time, then she just threw jumps at him (listen for her "think fast!" as she decides to suddenly do a bending line). 

UK will get at least a couple of days off as a reward, and as I have work all day tomorrow, and then stuff to do Monday.

Spring Update

My apologies for not updating in awhile. My personal life has been very hectic, and it's impacted my availability to update the blog.

UK's been good. The weather was extremely dry and windy for a good few weeks, causing a fire watch to be in effect. The ring was a dust bowl, so we stuck with trail riding for awhile. UK has been getting much braver on the trail, acting more mature then in the past. His cool-as-a-cucumber attitude about bridges has proven to be very helpful, as he doesn't mind leading over them when other horses are unsure.

We also been doing flatwork in the ring, and started getting him ready for flying changes. UK isn't sure how he feels about them, but he's trying to understand what's being asked of him.

It's been raining a lot lately, which is a good thing. It's kept me from riding (I also got a nasty cold/sore throat thing last week), so UK's had it easy past week or so, just doing some lunging instead of under saddle work.

I'm hoping to get back to it this coming week!

I think spring may actually be here... Shocking!

It was beautiful today!

Hard to believe just last week we had single digit temperatures! Oh New England and it's ever changing weather!

The Wednesday after that last entry, I jumped UK again and used him to help Stef learn how to relax and let jumps come to her. UK was very patient while she worked on her position while trotting crossrails. I jumped him over verticals, and we did more simple changes. Even though we got some awesome weather after that, I didn't get to ride. I had a nasty cold/flu thing that I preceded to battle for two weeks straight. I managed to lunge UK on one of the better days, but other then that he had a little vacation.

Then this week I rode him more, doing flatwork on the barn's dirt driveway (ring was a lake, and the field wasn't much better), as it's a gradual hill. Lots of trot work! UK then tried to get me to take him on a trail ride by heading to the trail head while we were walking out on the road. I would have loved to, but I had other places to be. Damn normal life getting in the way of my riding time!

Today, as I'd forgotten my cell phone (which I will not trail ride without), I tacked UK up english and took him in the ring. I'd set up two verticals, one on each diagonal, a single barrel as a skinny jump with nothing on the sides, and there was a crossrail on the outside line. We warmed up and started by trotting the crossrail, which the red horse insisted on actually jumping because he was so excited. He was a very feisty pony! At least it was happy feisty, and not rebellious feisty!

We did the crossrail at the trot the other way, and then cantered one of the verticals. Then we did the barrel at the trot, and he never even considered running out! So I gave him major praise and we didn't do it again. Next was our other vertical, which had some shadows in front of it. UK decided to jump those too, which made the thing about three feet wide, and he jumped it like it was 3'6". Boy does he have a rocket pack for a rear end! I stayed with him, granted a bit behind the motion, but I stayed on and didn't hit his mouth or anything, despite the serious airtime I had! UK then realized he'd oopsed a bit, and got a little nervous. I calmed him down, and assured him it was okay, and we went back and did it again, this time jumping it's actual 2'3" height.

I made us a simple course, and we were doing great, until UK decided that rather then stopping at it's end we should really keep going and do them all again. He'd been so good lately that I've been jumping him without a standing martingale. Well, after some irritated head tossing because he didn't want to stop, I think we'll be bringing it back for awhile.

Well his freshness meant no more courses, and that we'd wrap things up by jumping a jump and halting in a straight line, relaxing, walking, and then we'd do another jump. He found this hugely unfair but eventually got the idea.

Overall I was rather pleased, as even when he was frisky, he'd still settle down and keep a consistent pace to each jump, only getting fast after landing, which is an easy fix. I think we'll do more halting, and then work up to lines where we halt in the middle to teach him to wait. We'll do either flatwork, lunging, or a trailride tomorrow or Tuesday, depending on how my non-horse things go.  

We jumped!

The last few days of warm and sunny weather thawed our outdoor ring to the point that it'd gotten a bit muddy. However, muddy meant the ground wasn't frozen solid for once! So instead of riding western and trail riding like we usually would do, I tacked Mister Yuke up english and set up a couple jumps in the ring. 

We'd been doing a lot of bareback work (for my benefit, as bareback is even more of a workout then no-stirrups) with collecting and extending, circles, bending, etc. So I didn't bother doing a lot of flatting before getting to work (also, I have low energy reserves because I'm sick. Again.). UK and I haven't jumped since the beginning of December, so I wasn't entirely sure how he'd react. Would he get excited? Or would he stop? I had no idea, and he's never had that long of a break before. 

Well, all my worrying was for nothing. UK was excellent. First we trotted a little crossrail, and he popped over it nice and neatly. We did it again, cantering away after landing, doing some canter work on the right lead, simple change across the diagonal and then back to trot to do the crossrail off the left. After we cantered the crossrail off the left, we did some canter work that direction and then another simple change back across the diagonal. We walked half the ring then we trotted the vertical (2ft or 2'3" ish), then we cantered it, then the same thing the other direction. As soon as we landed after cantering the vertical one last time, we walked, halted, and I hopped off, so we could walk out together. 

When UK is truly excellent I get off quickly, praise him, and loosen his girth right away, so he learns that doing his job right the first time means we finish quicker and he has to work less. This approach has really worked for him, as it makes it very clear that he won't be forced to do the same thing over and over again (which is why he used to be miserable doing western pleasure). 

It was so nice to get to ride my horse over some jumps again! I love jumping so much, and it's even more enjoyable when my horse loves it too!

February is for trail riding!

Well... this winter has been anything but usual. Temps have been hitting 50 on and off for weeks, with occasional days of severe temperature drops and rain/snow, but it always return to partly cloudy and unseasonably warm. All this nice weather (which I abhor, FYI, because I love real winter) has made it so UK and I have been out on the trails quite a bit. Whether we go out with some friends, or by ourselves, we've had some great rides.

We even crossed a river Monday before last! It was not planned, however. We went down a different trail-head then usual, only to find the trail we were on was blocked by a large fallen tree that it wouldn't be possible to go over or around. So we had two options, look for another trail, or retrace our steps. We opted for the former, which led us to the river. I knew where we were, as the river crossing would bring us to a trail that led to the main trail we normally rode.

When presented with the river, Dakota forged his way across as he knew home was that way. That was all fine and dandy except for the fact that UK was trembling, not even willing to get his toes wet. The river was about a foot and half deep, with lots of rocks, which was a lot more formidable then any water we'd crossed in the past. After a few minutes of urging, he still couldn't be persuaded to wet his feet, and I suggested to Chrissy that she come back across and we'd take the long way home. Dakota, however, had other ideas. He didn't care if UK was left behind, home was the opposite direction of his terrified comrade.

So suddenly we had two horses on opposite riverbanks, refusing to cross... (it sounds somewhat like the set up for a bad joke.)

A hiker showed up on the top of the hill behind UK and I, which seemed to make him realize that if something terrifying and horse eating were to show up, he'd be safer on the other side of the river with his buddy. Still shaking, he put his feet in the water.

I immediately praised him, and steered him to the break in the steep bank which was diagonally across the river, UK had other ideas. He charged, at a fast walk, sending water everywhere, to the nearest bank, which was two feet above the river and covered with trees. I grabbed mane as he scaled the bank, front feet on dry land, back still in the water. We were almost vertical, to the point that my saddle slid back (thank goodness I never trail ride without a breastplate!), and all I could see were trees and branches. UK hesitated, unsure about what to do with the situation he'd put himself in, I suggested turning and putting those front feet in the river, he did not like that suggestion at all. Instead of the logical solution, he opted for brute force and just shoved himself through the branches and saplings. I held onto mane, ducked my head and said a prayer, hoping he wouldn't slip and dump me in the river. (It's times like these that I desperately wish Jake was still alive so I could pony UK and let him see how these situations should actually be handled.)

We made it, but UK was a little traumatized, so nervous he was still shaking, and didn't want to stand still, or receive a treat. The further we got from the river, the calmer he got. Once sufficiently calmed, his ego began to show and suddenly I was mounted not on regular old UK, but UK the River Conqueror. It's very hard for me not to laugh at him when he gets like this, but manly pride is easily crushed, so I usually manage to restrain myself.

Dakota began to give Chrissy problems when we headed farther up the main trail instead of turning home, so UK got to do more ponying. The spillway didn't even get a glance from UK, who was apparently still the River Conqueror.

We solo trail rode that Friday, and had a good ride despite lots of dog encounters, including a loose dog with no owner in sight. Then on one of the warmer days I broke out the english tack for the first time since December and gave UK a real workout, complete with circles, bending, and lots of transitions work. Then I had Stef get on him, to help her prep for her lesson the next day (Stef has nice light hands, which is why I was certain UK would like her). She went from being extremely nervous to not wanting to get off, as after all his hard work he was just sort of flowing over the field and eager to please.

Stef on UK

Riding UK solo has been a great deal of fun, mostly because just six months ago he wasn't able to handle it. I'm extremely proud of his progress! He's matured so much, finally actually acting his age instead of a greeny. He has confidence in himself now, which has given him the ability to trust me more in stressful situations, and just be happier overall. This happiness has made him look incredible, as he's nothing short of glowingly healthy now, all my extra feed and work having paid off.

Now I'll leave you with two pictures from our last ride. Boy does UK look good tacked western! (Okay, he looks good tacked in anything...)

Groomed to the nines and tacked up.

At the end of our ride UK looks around.

This weather is not helping.

We get some snow, then it rains for a couple days, and then we get more frozen mud. Then things warm up to the low forties and the horses get excited. This pattern has not been good for my health, or anyone else's.

I supposed to join Jean and Chrissy for a trail ride yesterday. Jean was on Rebel, her son, Jake, was on Dakota,  and Chrissy was on Harley. I'd tacked up quick and already warmed UK up with some trot and canter in the driveway, as most of our ride was to be walking for Jake's sake.

Once everyone else was mounted we started to go down the driveway, Jean and Jake in the lead. We didn't get more then twenty feet when Harley spun, bucked, and reared for no good reason (in my opinion he was just pulling some classic TB crap). Chrissy stuck with him, but everytime she touched the reins or tried to move, he'd act up again. Harley was so bad she couldn't get off.

So I put my leg on and marched UK into Harley's face and grabbed his bridle so Chrissy could dismount. Then I grabbed both reins and dragged his badly behaved ass down the driveway, determined not to let him get away with his temper tantrum. I have never used UK to pony before (that two times with Maggie don't really count as I did all the work and Jean was still steering her), but I rode with a keep seat and a firm leg, which told UK we could handle it. Harley was forced to walk and trot up and down the driveway until he settled down. Then Jean said she'd take him in the ring and school him, so I turned UK around and we headed that way. We were doing good until Harley decided to bite UK on the flank after I wouldn't let him charge ahead of us. UK bucked a little bit, but then settled. We successfully handed Harley off to Jean and then went back out into the parking lot.

UK had been nothing but good, so I wasn't about to make him go in the ring with the others. So we went down the driveway (one small fit, as he thought maybe I'd just let him be done), and then up the road pass the trail-head. We climbed up and back down a bank, then turned around and walked home.

So overall it was a win for UK and I as he was forced to do something he'd never really done before and he did just fine.

Tomorrow Chrissy is going to take Dakota and go for a trail ride with us. Here's hoping it goes easier then yesterday! 

Freezing rain, ice, and snow.

Today was damp, cold, and miserable. I cheered myself up by pulling UK away from his hay after taking care of the barn this morning to brush him and switch blankets. UK wasn't terribly thrilled as hanging with his buddy is far more interesting then me putting Thrush Buster on his feet and putting detangler in his tail. But then I went to the car to get my camera and when I returned there were treats in my pocket, suddenly I was much more fun! UK has learned to associate the camera with treats, thus he poses shamelessly knowing that if he's cute enough I'll reward him after snapping some shots.

I took him out to the snowy ring to get him to stretch his legs even though it was misting nasty half frozen stuff. There was ice hidden under the snow in some spots so I let UK stick to a relaxed trot so he'd be able to handle himself if he slipped.

Even though he's a wuss about the cold, he was born up here in the north so he knows the snow won't eat him (unlike a certain TB I used to own who was terrified of untouched snow). He slipped a few times but wasn't overly concerned as it's normal this time of year to encounter ice. 

We did some follow the leader and he tried to eat my camera, hoping that maybe it had turned into a giant banana rounder. No such luck. He's matured a great deal in the last year, he's much braver and has a calmness about him in the ring now that he used to lack. Part of it is because he's learned to trust me a great deal, finally understanding that I will never put him into a position or place that will get him hurt. 

We finished up and I put his blanket on, returning him to LD and the rest of his AM hay. Hopefully the weather will get better soon and we'll be able to go out for a ride. 

Oh! His feet are really starting to improve. By late spring/early summer he should have amazing feet again. Yay for mother nature! 

Sorry for the lack of updates!

The holiday season was a bit of a whirlwind for me, and it ended up with me being pretty darn sick for two weeks starting on New Year's.

Due to the alternating cold snaps and deluges of rain, ring work hasn't really been an option. Once I was able to leave the house without coughing up a lung, we started trail riding at least once a week. He still pulls a couple temper tantrums during the first half mile or so, but they're nothing like the tantrums of a few months ago, let alone the ones from the summer.

All the mud gave his sensitive skin a lot to deal with, and he's only just now starting to recover. His feet are toughening up, slowly but surely. I've had him on Smartpak's SmartHoof pellets since early fall, and by spring his feet should be greatly improved.

We're finally getting some snow (we got some last week but it was followed by two days of rain, yuck), so I hope to be able to do more with him soon.

Until then have a picture of fuzzy ponies!

LD & UK bundled up for the single digit weather.