One definition of extrapolate from Merriam-Webster is thus: to predict by projecting past experience or known data
Yesterday I took Pony for a trail ride on the BLM. We haven't been out there since last year before the water was turned off. There's an "inside track" trail between two irrigation ditches that I can do that is about a 45- to 60-minute ride. If I cross one of the ditches, the world of trails opens up to thousands of acres and there's more to explore than I can comfortably do with my back/hip issues. I regularly take Mac on the other side of the ditches and there are loops of various lengths that give me different options depending on how long I want to be out (2 hours is about my max). I really want to get Pony over there because it is good conditioning, it is nice for a different change of scenery, and well, I just want to! BUT! Pony will not cross the ditch when the water is running.
Since the water isn't on yet, I thought it would be a great time to take her over there and cross the dry ditch and explore other areas.
Pony and I went down the main trail and came to the "water crossing" spot - it is flatter and more open than other areas on the ditch, so no ditch-jumping is required. Pony took a look at it, put her nose down, snorted, and planted her pony feet. She was not going near the ditch! I thought it very interesting, as she seemed to extrapolate that she wouldn't want to cross there because she remembers there being water there and for some reason she thought that was A Bad Thing. I turned her away and reapproached a couple times, but she was not interested. I remembered back to the Bryan Neubert clinic of last year where one of his mottos was to get the thing done but let them do it their way. Usually I wouldn't get off during a ride if something was going hairy, but I thought that this time maybe Pony needed a little extra help from me, so I got off.
I took the reins over Pony's head and walked forward so I was standing IN the ditch. She put her nose down, sniffed, took a bite of grass, and tentatively took a step in . . . and then both feet . . . and then she walked through and out the other side. Much praise was given to Pony, although she did let me know she expected a cookie on the other side and I wasn't smart enough to bring any with me.
I had walked her through the ditch back and forth maybe 8-10 times until she comfortably just walked right through. Then I got on and did it under saddle a few times and she was great.
We continued down the main trail to the next spot that I use for water crossing (there's a nice big loop between the two crossings on the "other" side of the ditch). This crossing spot is flatter and wider and the ground is different. Where the first crossing has a sandy bottom, this one has a flat lava rock bottom. I didn't get off for this one, just encouraged her, gave her the reins, and grabbed my pommel just in case. No problem. She did put her head down, but she didn't try to turn away or back up - she was just cautious in her first few steps. We went back and forth a couple times on that one, too. Lots and lots of praise!
There's one more water crossing that if I can get her over, it will allow me access from a different trail-entry point in the summer when part of the area is closed off for cattle grazing. That ditch is steeper and so I thought it best to get off and lead her over it, first, so she can see me stepping down into it and then walking out of it (in one direction the edge it is steeper than the other). I stepped down into it and walked out and she came right behind me. We went back and forth over that one a couple times and then I got on and we went back the easy way to the main trail. She was great!
It was time to go home so we did some trotting and cantering on the main trail to get back. As we were enjoying ourselves, I had this wonderful thought/feeling go through me. *I* did this. For better or worse, *I* have been the one to train Pony, the one to introduce her to the trails, the one to help her understand trail manners (for example, jigging on the way home is NOT allowed - you may walk with purpose, but you may not jig or get yourself wound up and lose your brain), the one to show her the cows on the trail and to let her stand and look and see and soak in what's going on. I have tried to give my Pony Girl good experiences and some well-rounded basics so far so that we can trailer out to dressage or jumping lessons, go out of state for a cowboy clinic, bring a cowboy to my house, trailer out for her first dressage show, ride out of the arena, go for trail rides, see cows, etc.
It was a very happy and gratifying feeling.
I think I'll go out again today to solidify the ditch crossings we did yesterday.
I hope that she can extrapolate what she figured out about the ditch to apply it to when there's water in it. After all, if she did the reverse and was hesitant with no water, she must be smart enough to figure that when there is water, it is still safe to cross!
Pony Power!
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
The WIND!
Holy moly cow! It sure does get windy here sometimes. It will come and go so quickly that you don't have time to change your plans. On Saturday morning, the wind whipped up early, but then died down by the time I wanted to ride. Then whipped up again! I rode Mac and he was very good. First time I've trotted him since having the winter off and despite flipping over a fence about a month ago (had a vet/chiro visit since), he felt very good and swingy through his back. Something may be a little tweaked behind, though, so we won't do much until the next vet/chiro visit.
Anyway, this blog is about Pony in all her Princess Fancy Pants-itude.
So after I rode Mac, I rode Pony. On one hand I didn't want to because it was chilly and windy and, well, who wants to ride in the wind? On the other hand, it is a training opportunity that needs to be taken advantage of. If we're going to live here and show here, chances are that it will be windy any time we are showing, so best to suck it up.
Pony was a little spooky - but for her that means giving something the hairy eyeball and maybe taking a side-step or two. She was SO GOOD! Really, better than one should be able to hope for or expect in a 4-year-old riding outside in the arena that has no fence or walls.
Surprisingly, my hip wasn't hugely in pain afterward. Not that it was completely pain-free, but it wasn't the depth of pain that I would have expected. I have/had decided that for now my jump saddle is the only saddle I can comfortably ride in, so I rode both Mac and Pony in it and it was the right decision.
Sunday I rode again but this time I did just the trail track out back. I did, however, set up a jump! First I set it up as four trot poles, which she went through beautifully in each direction. Then I set up a cross rail with a trot pole going into it and then maybe seven or so strides after that was just a ground pole.
First time I totally jumped ahead. Second time we were crooked. Third time was better. Fourth time was great on both our parts, so I called it a day after that.
We've got our first jumping lesson of the season coming up in a couple weeks, so I wanted to get some jumps out of the way so we'd feel confident going into the lesson. Pony was a rock star champion, though, and I'm feeling good about our upcoming lessons - AND plans for shows this year!
Anyway, this blog is about Pony in all her Princess Fancy Pants-itude.
So after I rode Mac, I rode Pony. On one hand I didn't want to because it was chilly and windy and, well, who wants to ride in the wind? On the other hand, it is a training opportunity that needs to be taken advantage of. If we're going to live here and show here, chances are that it will be windy any time we are showing, so best to suck it up.
Pony was a little spooky - but for her that means giving something the hairy eyeball and maybe taking a side-step or two. She was SO GOOD! Really, better than one should be able to hope for or expect in a 4-year-old riding outside in the arena that has no fence or walls.
Surprisingly, my hip wasn't hugely in pain afterward. Not that it was completely pain-free, but it wasn't the depth of pain that I would have expected. I have/had decided that for now my jump saddle is the only saddle I can comfortably ride in, so I rode both Mac and Pony in it and it was the right decision.
Sunday I rode again but this time I did just the trail track out back. I did, however, set up a jump! First I set it up as four trot poles, which she went through beautifully in each direction. Then I set up a cross rail with a trot pole going into it and then maybe seven or so strides after that was just a ground pole.
First time I totally jumped ahead. Second time we were crooked. Third time was better. Fourth time was great on both our parts, so I called it a day after that.
We've got our first jumping lesson of the season coming up in a couple weeks, so I wanted to get some jumps out of the way so we'd feel confident going into the lesson. Pony was a rock star champion, though, and I'm feeling good about our upcoming lessons - AND plans for shows this year!
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
We rode over a tarp!
No pictures or video, but we did it! Going to the left she is better and we walked over it. Going to the right she's a bit hesitant, but she did it at a bit of a trot. Regardless, we did it!
And the weather has cleared up enough that we are able to ride in the outdoor arena, yay!
Tomorrow is body work day, lucky girl! <3
And the weather has cleared up enough that we are able to ride in the outdoor arena, yay!
Tomorrow is body work day, lucky girl! <3
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Discretion is the better part of valor
On Thursday I rode Princess Fancy Pants in the arena and it was a nice enough day that I decided to go for a walk out back on our little trails. Pony always wants to go to the back gate of the arena because she'd rather be outside. So at the end of our short ride of walking and trotting and a little canter, we went to the gate and opened it and went to check out the trails. There was still a lot of snow on them and it was the crunchy-on-top snow that you walk on and then sink into. We made it around the loop but I decided I wouldn't be doing any actual work out there just yet.
So yesterday I get the grand idea that it is time to ride outside and since the arena footing is still covered in snow that I'd head out front to the pastures. There is a big-enough workable area without snow on it, and the footing is firm but not too hard. Perfect, right!? We did a little warm up in the covered arena and pony was good for some walk, trot, and a little canter, so I decided to head out to the pasture. We had some nice forward trot and found a path through the trees and with room for some nice straight lines. Everything seemed to be going well and then pony tried to pull some tricks. Squeal! Leap! Sort of buck! Leap again! Twist the body! Nope, Pony, nopenopenope! Put her back to work and a little more squealing and antics. Nope! Shut that down! Back to work! We did some more walk and trot and transitions and circles and when she was relaxed enough I called it a day and decided to not push my luck.
I decided that everyone needed a good run-around so I opened up the pasture that is in front of the barn (horses can access it through the sacrifice area if I open up the gate). So I let Mac out. Put Paddy out. They do not want to leave the paddock. Get them out of the paddock and close the gate. But they don't want to leave the sacrifice area. WTF? I go out into the pasture and stand there calling Mac and he slowly tip-toed his way down there and then he and Paddy went into the pasture. I went back up to the paddocks and let Pony out and she galloped off to join them and then everyone had a grand run-around, just as I'd hoped. I only left them out there for 20-30 minutes while I set up dinner and then brought everyone back in.
Today I thought I might want to ride out front again, but when doing ground work in the covered arena, the wind kicked up, a cold front moved in, and I decided that discretion is the better part of valor so I'd play it safe and ride inside. I did bring out the video camera today and set it up (not a good angle, I realized after viewing the videos) to watch my ride. Of course I don't look as good as I think I do! LOL! I got some MDC stirrups and switched them from my dressage saddle to my jumping saddle, and should have put them up a hole, but I just went with them feeling a little long. It really shows how much my left leg goes out in front of me. This is something that my old eventing trainer would point out to me, especially over jumps, but after my hip-pain issues, I think it is just an unconscious thing I do because that is the most comfortable position for my hip.
We of course did a walk warm-up, but that is boring (and half the time is off-camera) so I cut that out of the video. Here's a video where we do some trot poles:
Then we worked on transitions:
And finally we finished with some canter work - just a little bit in each direction:
I don't often canter in the covered arena because I feel like there's just not that much space in there to work on going as forward as I'd like. But I was happy with this canter work - I'd say it was her best ever in here - she's feeling much more balanced and like she can handle it, so I'll have to do it more often!
I feel like she'll be ready for lessons soon, I'm so looking forward to it!
So yesterday I get the grand idea that it is time to ride outside and since the arena footing is still covered in snow that I'd head out front to the pastures. There is a big-enough workable area without snow on it, and the footing is firm but not too hard. Perfect, right!? We did a little warm up in the covered arena and pony was good for some walk, trot, and a little canter, so I decided to head out to the pasture. We had some nice forward trot and found a path through the trees and with room for some nice straight lines. Everything seemed to be going well and then pony tried to pull some tricks. Squeal! Leap! Sort of buck! Leap again! Twist the body! Nope, Pony, nopenopenope! Put her back to work and a little more squealing and antics. Nope! Shut that down! Back to work! We did some more walk and trot and transitions and circles and when she was relaxed enough I called it a day and decided to not push my luck.
I decided that everyone needed a good run-around so I opened up the pasture that is in front of the barn (horses can access it through the sacrifice area if I open up the gate). So I let Mac out. Put Paddy out. They do not want to leave the paddock. Get them out of the paddock and close the gate. But they don't want to leave the sacrifice area. WTF? I go out into the pasture and stand there calling Mac and he slowly tip-toed his way down there and then he and Paddy went into the pasture. I went back up to the paddocks and let Pony out and she galloped off to join them and then everyone had a grand run-around, just as I'd hoped. I only left them out there for 20-30 minutes while I set up dinner and then brought everyone back in.
Today I thought I might want to ride out front again, but when doing ground work in the covered arena, the wind kicked up, a cold front moved in, and I decided that discretion is the better part of valor so I'd play it safe and ride inside. I did bring out the video camera today and set it up (not a good angle, I realized after viewing the videos) to watch my ride. Of course I don't look as good as I think I do! LOL! I got some MDC stirrups and switched them from my dressage saddle to my jumping saddle, and should have put them up a hole, but I just went with them feeling a little long. It really shows how much my left leg goes out in front of me. This is something that my old eventing trainer would point out to me, especially over jumps, but after my hip-pain issues, I think it is just an unconscious thing I do because that is the most comfortable position for my hip.
We of course did a walk warm-up, but that is boring (and half the time is off-camera) so I cut that out of the video. Here's a video where we do some trot poles:
Then we worked on transitions:
And finally we finished with some canter work - just a little bit in each direction:
I don't often canter in the covered arena because I feel like there's just not that much space in there to work on going as forward as I'd like. But I was happy with this canter work - I'd say it was her best ever in here - she's feeling much more balanced and like she can handle it, so I'll have to do it more often!
I feel like she'll be ready for lessons soon, I'm so looking forward to it!
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
I had that dream last night . . .
. . . you know the dream. The one where you are at a horse show (or supposed to be going to a horse show) and you are late because you can't (get your hair right under your helmet, find your boots, find your horse, find your bridle, find your saddle, remember what time you ride, remember what ring you are supposed to be in, etc.). I hate those dreams! I was taking Pony to her first show (even though I've already done that) and couldn't get my hair right under my helmet (which isn't too far off because I have a lot of hair!). Then it was somewhere I'd never been before and I didn't know where the arena was. Then I was helping someone else do something. Then it turned out I had Paddy with me, not Pony. Then I figured I had enough time and made it to the arena just as another class was finishing. For some reason I decided to clean everyone's bridles for them (?!) before their next class, but I didn't make a note of which bridle belonged to which person. And it went on and on and on from there - ugh!
When I think about why I had this dream, I'm pretty sure it is because the weather is crappy and I've only done been back to riding for three weeks now, but I'm sick of being stuck inside. And it was so windy yesterday that I opted to not ride (arena is covered but not indoor and the west wind whips right through the arena and makes a lot of dust). My goals are to get Pony out to dressage and h/j shows this year and so I feel like I'm already behind since we just started riding three weeks ago. And I feel like I need to have and keep up with A Plan, even though Pony is only four and we're not going to the Olympics and it really isn't a Big Deal in the grand scheme of things. But I'd like to get going with lessons again in March and that's really just next week so I need to make it happen!
ARGH!
I think I need to take a chill pill!
When I think about why I had this dream, I'm pretty sure it is because the weather is crappy and I've only done been back to riding for three weeks now, but I'm sick of being stuck inside. And it was so windy yesterday that I opted to not ride (arena is covered but not indoor and the west wind whips right through the arena and makes a lot of dust). My goals are to get Pony out to dressage and h/j shows this year and so I feel like I'm already behind since we just started riding three weeks ago. And I feel like I need to have and keep up with A Plan, even though Pony is only four and we're not going to the Olympics and it really isn't a Big Deal in the grand scheme of things. But I'd like to get going with lessons again in March and that's really just next week so I need to make it happen!
ARGH!
I think I need to take a chill pill!
Sunday, February 19, 2017
We rode outside!
Sure, come summertime riding outside will seem like no big deal, but the snow/ice on the ground heretofore has prevented me from even wanting to do any sort of hand walking outside. All I've done riding-wise is 20 minutes or so of mostly walk and trot in the covered arena, with a little canter thrown in for good measure.
Well, yesterday we had intermittent rain, but between the rain it was clear enough to go out. The rain had washed snow away in enough places that I could do a little walk back to the manure pile, a little circle around some trees in the snow, back to the barn, and down the driveway to walk through the puddle that is at the entry to one of the pastures. Pony had fun playing splashy-lips with the puddle before walking through it.
I've been doing some trot poles and yesterday opened up my box of cavaletti blocks to make the middle pole just a little higher. We only did that a couple times, but it was fun nonetheless.
Another thing I've done a couple times is more tarp work. The dreaded tarp!!!! But Pony has been so good! The first time I got her to calmly walk over it going to the left. To the right she'd trot over it, but no balking or explosions or spooking or anything like that. I do bribe her with cookies. Today we did some tarp work again and she calmly walked over it and stopped and stood on it going in each direction so she got Big Cookies for such a job well done.
Of course it snowed this morning so I didn't get to ride outside, but spring is coming - it must be!!!
Well, yesterday we had intermittent rain, but between the rain it was clear enough to go out. The rain had washed snow away in enough places that I could do a little walk back to the manure pile, a little circle around some trees in the snow, back to the barn, and down the driveway to walk through the puddle that is at the entry to one of the pastures. Pony had fun playing splashy-lips with the puddle before walking through it.
I've been doing some trot poles and yesterday opened up my box of cavaletti blocks to make the middle pole just a little higher. We only did that a couple times, but it was fun nonetheless.
Another thing I've done a couple times is more tarp work. The dreaded tarp!!!! But Pony has been so good! The first time I got her to calmly walk over it going to the left. To the right she'd trot over it, but no balking or explosions or spooking or anything like that. I do bribe her with cookies. Today we did some tarp work again and she calmly walked over it and stopped and stood on it going in each direction so she got Big Cookies for such a job well done.
Of course it snowed this morning so I didn't get to ride outside, but spring is coming - it must be!!!
Monday, January 30, 2017
Back to work!
Well there's still snow on the ground, but the temperatures have warmed enough that I don't freeze my patootie off when I go to the barn. It has been three months that the horses and I have had off from riding and so it is time to swing a leg over again.
I decided Saturday would be the day. While I'm sure Pony would have been her Perfect Princess Self, I decided to be wise and let her stretch her legs in the arena first with some free lunging for a couple minutes. Then I put on the surcingle and bridle and did a bit of ground driving. She seemed to have her brains about her so I tacked her up and did our usual ground work exercises first and then got on.
And, well, she was perfect. We didn't do much, as we haven't ridden much and I want to leg her up carefully (and since there still snow and ice on the ground, I won't be riding her outside for a while), so just a little walk and trot for 15 minutes or so and then called it a day.
I had ordered some MDC stirrups back in the fall. I was willing to try anything to help my hip and since Riding Warehouse has a 1-year free return policy I had nothing to lose. But I haven't put them on my saddle or tried them until Saturday. I rode Saturday and Sunday and they didn't cause me any problems. So fingers crossed that they work for me and allow me to ride pain-free.
I did get a hip injection maybe 6 weeks ago (for the bursa, not intra-articular) and while that hurt a bit at first, I did get some relief from it. I do think part of the problem might be my foot. I'm going to see a different orthopedic surgeon soon. And if he can't come up with any answers, then, well, I'm on my own I guess. But I'm feeling a lot better, so I'm hopeful.
Yesterday's ride was better than Saturday's. Pony was light and responsive and she felt really good. I'm so looking forward to getting back in the groove with lessons again! I'd like to do some showing this year - both dressage and h/j - so I need to get a regular program going again.
Looking forward to spring, that's for sure!
I decided Saturday would be the day. While I'm sure Pony would have been her Perfect Princess Self, I decided to be wise and let her stretch her legs in the arena first with some free lunging for a couple minutes. Then I put on the surcingle and bridle and did a bit of ground driving. She seemed to have her brains about her so I tacked her up and did our usual ground work exercises first and then got on.
And, well, she was perfect. We didn't do much, as we haven't ridden much and I want to leg her up carefully (and since there still snow and ice on the ground, I won't be riding her outside for a while), so just a little walk and trot for 15 minutes or so and then called it a day.
I had ordered some MDC stirrups back in the fall. I was willing to try anything to help my hip and since Riding Warehouse has a 1-year free return policy I had nothing to lose. But I haven't put them on my saddle or tried them until Saturday. I rode Saturday and Sunday and they didn't cause me any problems. So fingers crossed that they work for me and allow me to ride pain-free.
I did get a hip injection maybe 6 weeks ago (for the bursa, not intra-articular) and while that hurt a bit at first, I did get some relief from it. I do think part of the problem might be my foot. I'm going to see a different orthopedic surgeon soon. And if he can't come up with any answers, then, well, I'm on my own I guess. But I'm feeling a lot better, so I'm hopeful.
Yesterday's ride was better than Saturday's. Pony was light and responsive and she felt really good. I'm so looking forward to getting back in the groove with lessons again! I'd like to do some showing this year - both dressage and h/j - so I need to get a regular program going again.
Looking forward to spring, that's for sure!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)