Today the round pen was in use so we lunged in the big arena. I've been out of practice so it was a good review. I had to correct his wrong leads and that was new for me. We worked more on collection at the walk and mostly at the jog. Koda did really good (me too!). We started the jog transition in collection and he did really well at that too.
Next we moved onto the lope. Our transitions and turns were much better--Sammy was even impressed! :) He definitely moves better and is more comfortable going towards the right. Going to the left he seems a bit more stiff and bumpy. Overall really good lesson.
I need to work on my confidence when there is "traffic." It always gets me nervous when too many people are in the arena, especially if they are riding in the same area as me. I'll figure it out.
We had a few more minutes left and Sammy made a "gate" out of rope and two jump pole ends. Koda didn't want to move his hind end over so Sammy got on him for a few minutes and got after him pretty good. We still need to practice but it was better after she schooled him a bit. I have to remember baby steps!
Overall I felt really good! After we finished we went back to his stall and I tried to get him to mouth/pick up a small orange cone. But he just wanted to push it over like the ball. We will just keep practicing...
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Pigs and 5
He loves rolling in the snow and mud!
After that we went over to one of the turnout pens and did more with the ball. I didn't c/r until he had pushed the ball at least 5 times. So fun watching him think about it! I need to think about how I can give him signals to push the ball forward and to the left/right.
I got a few small orange cones today and will work on him picking them up this week. I love training my boy. Tomorrow is my lesson with Sammy and I'm looking forward to practicing more with collection. :)
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Practice
Today we had a good warm up in the round pen. Koda watched, listened and then I worked on his back up with a click/treat. After that I decided to stay in the round pen and work on collection and loping. I think we did pretty good.
I moved to the big arena and worked on collection where he usually gets unfocused and it worked great. I'll have to ask Sammy what to do when he collects and then lowers his head too much and starts to turn. I have a hard time getting him out of that.
Afterwards we worked on some turns and then cooled off. At the end I took him to turn-out and tried to get him to touch and then "mouth" a water bottle. The ultimate goal will be for him to pick it up and then I will teach him how to pick things up when I am riding. :) It was a good practice day!
I moved to the big arena and worked on collection where he usually gets unfocused and it worked great. I'll have to ask Sammy what to do when he collects and then lowers his head too much and starts to turn. I have a hard time getting him out of that.
Afterwards we worked on some turns and then cooled off. At the end I took him to turn-out and tried to get him to touch and then "mouth" a water bottle. The ultimate goal will be for him to pick it up and then I will teach him how to pick things up when I am riding. :) It was a good practice day!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
January 2012
It's been warm enough in January (!!!) that I gave him a little bath (washed tail and legs) and did some spot cleaning on the rest of him. Drying off while desensitizing by the piggies.
Collection
"Collection is a state of balanced energy. A horse that is collected will have a dropped croup, engaged hindquarters, flexed abdominals, arched spine, and elevated head and neck, and a flexed poll. When a horse works in collected gaits, he is working at the same tempo as the working gait but he will have a shorter, more elevated stride and will cover less ground than a working gait."
-Cherry Hill
We learned collection today! At first Koda was full of energy in the round pen and lacking some manners. Sammy (my trainer) jumped in and let him know what was expected. I hope I can be half as good as her someday.
Since our last lesson was terrible, I was apprehensive how we would do today. Sammy told me we were going to learn collection and I was excited to do something different. Koda learned pretty quickly what I wanted. We did it at the walk and the trot, then worked a little on the lope. All together a good day!
Monday I didn't ride or play, Tuesday we played with the ball and Wednesday we practiced "scary places" clicker training. It's been a good horse week!
-Cherry Hill
We learned collection today! At first Koda was full of energy in the round pen and lacking some manners. Sammy (my trainer) jumped in and let him know what was expected. I hope I can be half as good as her someday.
Since our last lesson was terrible, I was apprehensive how we would do today. Sammy told me we were going to learn collection and I was excited to do something different. Koda learned pretty quickly what I wanted. We did it at the walk and the trot, then worked a little on the lope. All together a good day!
Monday I didn't ride or play, Tuesday we played with the ball and Wednesday we practiced "scary places" clicker training. It's been a good horse week!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
A Good Day
Worked last night but was determined to get up early today and ride. Sundays are always pretty empty at the barn and I like having the place to myself!
As soon as I drove up a guy pulled up behind me and said his little girl wanted to feed some carrots to the horses. Aww... I had a moment where I remembered being that age in love with horses. I walked them around and showed them the pigs too. If they would have come into the barn I would have given her a ride. So cute.
Koda was good today. For something different, I decided to ride bareback with the halter in the indoor arena and he did pretty good! I had to redirect him to stand still so I could mount about 8 times but after that we did good. Just enjoyed being on him, practiced some turns and even did a good job sitting the trot bareback! a GOOD day. :)
As soon as I drove up a guy pulled up behind me and said his little girl wanted to feed some carrots to the horses. Aww... I had a moment where I remembered being that age in love with horses. I walked them around and showed them the pigs too. If they would have come into the barn I would have given her a ride. So cute.
Koda was good today. For something different, I decided to ride bareback with the halter in the indoor arena and he did pretty good! I had to redirect him to stand still so I could mount about 8 times but after that we did good. Just enjoyed being on him, practiced some turns and even did a good job sitting the trot bareback! a GOOD day. :)
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Cold and Rainy
It's been raining all day today...I was already feeling depressed and this doesn't help! I just went to visit Koda about an hour ago. He's all wet but happy. Gave him his grain and noticed that he might be getting a little chubby? I'm not sure. I will have to ask Sammy this week.
The last few days have been ok. Yesterday was nice so we rode outside. Practiced standing by the fence (parallel to the fence) turns, flexing, sitting the trot and loping. I can't seem to stick my butt to the saddle in the lope. I need a lot more work and sometimes it's so frustrating!! I did concentrate on my hand position and did better with that. I need a lot more work on using my legs in the trot and canter. I feel off balance and like if I use my legs he will just speed up...
After riding we played with the ball and he started to push it on his own. It's fun playing games like this!
The day before I went later in the evening hoping it wouldn't be busy, but it was. There were 3-7 horses in the arena and I get stressed and Koda gets stressed. I was tired and emotional anyway (didn't sleep good) so it was basically a waste of time. He couldn't concentrate, spooked at the cows, didn't want to sit still, etc.
Someday I might be a good rider...
The last few days have been ok. Yesterday was nice so we rode outside. Practiced standing by the fence (parallel to the fence) turns, flexing, sitting the trot and loping. I can't seem to stick my butt to the saddle in the lope. I need a lot more work and sometimes it's so frustrating!! I did concentrate on my hand position and did better with that. I need a lot more work on using my legs in the trot and canter. I feel off balance and like if I use my legs he will just speed up...
After riding we played with the ball and he started to push it on his own. It's fun playing games like this!
The day before I went later in the evening hoping it wouldn't be busy, but it was. There were 3-7 horses in the arena and I get stressed and Koda gets stressed. I was tired and emotional anyway (didn't sleep good) so it was basically a waste of time. He couldn't concentrate, spooked at the cows, didn't want to sit still, etc.
Someday I might be a good rider...
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The Worst Lesson
I don't know where it went wrong, but today's lesson was awful. Koda forgot how to backup, didn't pay attention to cues, couldn't hold still and was just a terd. I was frustrated, started to cry because I got so flustered. My trainer said she'd get on him or I could stay on and "win." Darn her. Of course when you put it like that I had to suck it up and finish on a good note. I still didn't feel good about the lesson but I keep hearing that just like little kids, you have good and bad days with horses. Next!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Where it All Began
One of the first rides I can remember...
At the Ponderosa pretending this was my horse
photo from horsemanmagazine.com
My grandpa raised Shetland ponies like the one above. I'm not sure what age I was when I first got on a pony, but it was love at first ride. Ever since then, it's been a dream and a passion of mine to own a horse.
My maternal grandparents had horses as well and I always cherished those visits when I got to be around the horses. Can anything compare to the magic and majesty of a horse running proud?
As I grew up I had a neighbor that had horses and I loved to hang out at their barn. At one point I worked at an Arabian barn cleaning stalls in exchange for riding lessons.
Over the years I occasionally went on trail rides and a few times I took lessons. I kept the dream alive but didn't know how or when I would get my own horse.
In 2009 I celebrated after thyroid surgery by going up to the stables at Sundance and doing a lovely trail ride.
After turning 40 in 2010, I decided to take control of my dream by doing what I could--and that meant dressage lessons. I called around to a few places and even thought I might be able to lease a horse. I quickly realized that I didn't have the skills to lease a horse and found the perfect trainer to start with. This is me and Scotty, a beautiful Morgan horse that I rode at my lessons.
This picture was taken (after working night shift with bags under my eyes) at my last lesson--10 days before I bought Koda. I had NO idea!
I loved the lessons and spending time with the horses...but I wanted to have a relationship with a horse that was my own.
After a few months I was talking with a co-worker that mentioned a friend of hers had rescued a horse the previous year. She said he was healthy now and ready to go to a new home. My heart started beating faster. She pulled up some pictures on facebook and told me a little about him. I was intrigued but cautious. I'd never wanted a paint horse before (I was in love with palamino's growing up) but I was open to the possibilities. My friend told me that "green + green = black and blue" and I'm sure that's true. As a "green" horse owner I had to be careful to get a horse that would be broke and gentle enough for me. I didn't want to end up bruised and hurt with a horse that was too much for me.
My friend decided to go ride this horse on a trail ride and was very impressed with him. Gentle, broke, good walk-out and ok to lead or follow. I was excited! Could I financially afford a horse? How much would it cost me per month? What extra expenses would I incur? She offered to go with me the following Sunday to ride in the arena.
That Sunday came and I was optimistic. But I had ridden three other horses and they definitely weren't for me, so I was cautious. When we first arrived we saw him in the field. Was that the horse for me I wondered?
My friend drove up and we talked a bit. I asked the questions I knew and they filled in the blanks. We put a halter on him and he let us pet him and scratch his head. He was sweet! He had a blue eye on his brown side and a brown eye on the white side of his face. We brushed him, saddled him and took him over to the arena.
Lindsy rode him first and showed me what he could do. I got on next, prepared not to like him or the ride but I was pleasantly surprised. He was gentle and felt like just enough horse for me (unlike the last three I tried out). We walked and turned and trotted away. I wasn't experienced enough to lope though.
My husband and son also got on for a ride and then I got back on and we went out on a little trail ride by the stables. I was falling in love...
We gave him a bath, loaded him in the trailer and that was it. I wanted him and decided to make my dream come true. I didn't know how I would make it all work, but I knew with the help and support of my family and friends it would be ok.
I agreed to buy him and two days later I picked him up and took him to his new home....
(before and after pictures)
At the Ponderosa pretending this was my horse
photo from horsemanmagazine.com My grandpa raised Shetland ponies like the one above. I'm not sure what age I was when I first got on a pony, but it was love at first ride. Ever since then, it's been a dream and a passion of mine to own a horse.
My maternal grandparents had horses as well and I always cherished those visits when I got to be around the horses. Can anything compare to the magic and majesty of a horse running proud?
As I grew up I had a neighbor that had horses and I loved to hang out at their barn. At one point I worked at an Arabian barn cleaning stalls in exchange for riding lessons.
Over the years I occasionally went on trail rides and a few times I took lessons. I kept the dream alive but didn't know how or when I would get my own horse.
In 2009 I celebrated after thyroid surgery by going up to the stables at Sundance and doing a lovely trail ride.
After turning 40 in 2010, I decided to take control of my dream by doing what I could--and that meant dressage lessons. I called around to a few places and even thought I might be able to lease a horse. I quickly realized that I didn't have the skills to lease a horse and found the perfect trainer to start with. This is me and Scotty, a beautiful Morgan horse that I rode at my lessons.
This picture was taken (after working night shift with bags under my eyes) at my last lesson--10 days before I bought Koda. I had NO idea! I loved the lessons and spending time with the horses...but I wanted to have a relationship with a horse that was my own.
After a few months I was talking with a co-worker that mentioned a friend of hers had rescued a horse the previous year. She said he was healthy now and ready to go to a new home. My heart started beating faster. She pulled up some pictures on facebook and told me a little about him. I was intrigued but cautious. I'd never wanted a paint horse before (I was in love with palamino's growing up) but I was open to the possibilities. My friend told me that "green + green = black and blue" and I'm sure that's true. As a "green" horse owner I had to be careful to get a horse that would be broke and gentle enough for me. I didn't want to end up bruised and hurt with a horse that was too much for me.
My friend decided to go ride this horse on a trail ride and was very impressed with him. Gentle, broke, good walk-out and ok to lead or follow. I was excited! Could I financially afford a horse? How much would it cost me per month? What extra expenses would I incur? She offered to go with me the following Sunday to ride in the arena.
That Sunday came and I was optimistic. But I had ridden three other horses and they definitely weren't for me, so I was cautious. When we first arrived we saw him in the field. Was that the horse for me I wondered?
My friend drove up and we talked a bit. I asked the questions I knew and they filled in the blanks. We put a halter on him and he let us pet him and scratch his head. He was sweet! He had a blue eye on his brown side and a brown eye on the white side of his face. We brushed him, saddled him and took him over to the arena.
Lindsy rode him first and showed me what he could do. I got on next, prepared not to like him or the ride but I was pleasantly surprised. He was gentle and felt like just enough horse for me (unlike the last three I tried out). We walked and turned and trotted away. I wasn't experienced enough to lope though.
My husband and son also got on for a ride and then I got back on and we went out on a little trail ride by the stables. I was falling in love...
We gave him a bath, loaded him in the trailer and that was it. I wanted him and decided to make my dream come true. I didn't know how I would make it all work, but I knew with the help and support of my family and friends it would be ok.
I agreed to buy him and two days later I picked him up and took him to his new home....
The Day We Met
I met and fell in love with Takoda (Koda) on August 28, 2011...
Next three photos courtesy of Valerie Breeding:
It wasn't in my plans to buy a horse for a while, but when everything falls into place and it feels right, you gotta go with it. After more than 30 years of wanting my own horse, I finally did it! I brought Takoda "home" on Tuesday August 30, 2011. He's a 15 year old roan paint gelding who was malnourished and rescued last November 2010, about 400 pounds underweight. He's now a beautiful, sweet and proud boy and I get to spoil him. :)
Next three photos courtesy of Valerie Breeding:
It wasn't in my plans to buy a horse for a while, but when everything falls into place and it feels right, you gotta go with it. After more than 30 years of wanting my own horse, I finally did it! I brought Takoda "home" on Tuesday August 30, 2011. He's a 15 year old roan paint gelding who was malnourished and rescued last November 2010, about 400 pounds underweight. He's now a beautiful, sweet and proud boy and I get to spoil him. :)
Friday, January 13, 2012
October 2011
At our "first" barn! We've been here since August 30th--getting to know each other, making progress and working through challenges!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
November 2011
We moved to a nice barn on November 4th. It's not the most friendly place but it has a great indoor arena, my tack is inside, two outdoor arenas, a nice indoor/outdoor stall for Koda and it's only 1 mile from my house! I really needed a place closer to my home and I love that aspect of it. Most of the trainers have Arabians that stay inside with a blanket on all day. They don't look happy. Anyway, there's been PLENTY of opportunities for learning and growth, especially the PIGS!
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