I actually think she lopes much better in the round pen, then the arena. I would usually only use one end of the arena to lope anyways. But I feel like her lope is more controlled in the round pen. This time of year I usually start out lunging her. She has a tendency to want to buck a lot on the lunge line. When riding she will crow hop from time to time at the lope, but the last couple times I have ridden her she hasn't done that, which is quite surprising. After a few good rides on her, I don't typically lunge her first. She is the kind of horse that I can just get on and ride. I am pretty lucky that way. Fritzy must be lunged before I ride her. Not because she is hot, but more so because she hardly gets ridden, and of course because of my confidence issues with her, which I am hoping for those fears to quickly go away this summer!
After lunging we work on circles and bending. Then we work on that nice, slow and soon to be very consistent jog.
Since my goal is to get her to lope slower, I spent a lot of time loping. I think we went around the round pen at least 25 times each direction. I could tell she was getting tired and she would try to break every now and then. But we loped until she slowed it down. I saw Clinton Anderson do this at his clinic. He says by doing this the horse is learning that it is his choice to slow down, and not the rider that is constantly nit picking at his mouth to get him to slow down. I rather like that concept. I have really only just started this technique a couple weeks ago. So we will see how it works.
I have also been working on turn on the forehand and haunches. She isn't crossing her legs properly when she does them, but we are getting there.
Brandy did really well. This weekend we are hoping to go on our first trail ride of the year!
On to other news: I was really looking forward to riding after I get home from work this year. I usually get home by 5:30 and since I am already in my jeans and boots I can go straight out and get one of my horses to ride. But my OH got a promotion at work (YEAH) and he will be working the night shift (YUCK) for the next 4 months. Which means he won't be able to feed the horses at 3:30. So what that means is now I will be feeding at 5:30-5:45ish, and if I want to ride, the horse that gets pulled out won't get much of a chance to eat. So I will have a very grumpy horse to deal with. I could wait a little while after they have been fed, but then I will be grumpy and most likely I will have lost all my motivation to ride after a very long day of hard work. Believe me, I know the minute I sit on the couch or come inside, I will not go back outside. So, this is what I have to work on: I have to find that motivation from somewhere. Because nothing is going to change with my OH's job and I have to get my horses worked. Hopefully I can just buck up and do it. So what if my back hurts and I am totally exhausted, right? The horses themselves should be motivation enough! I need to keep telling myself that!
26 comments:
I have been saying that on the loping/cantering thing forever! Most people canter for like 4 or 5 minutes and they consider their horses worked. I like to canter until the horse slows to the speed I want. Then I push them a little further before letting them quit for a wile.
The thing is you gotta keep up with it through the horses whole riding career. Thats where people have issues. Canter like this every time you ride if you can.
The reason her lope is slower in the round pen is because theres not as much room for extension likely. I know Indigo is the same.
Time is the kicker isn't it ? I am like you ,if I don't keep moving I will quit .Once I am in and sat down It takes a lot to get me back out. You will figure it out , is your sister around more in the summer evenings? Congrats to your OH on the promotion
I'm with ya! It's hard to get motivated to go outside when you're tired, have limited time, and the weather stinks.
I have adopted Clinton's thinking as far as loping as well. I hate being on my horse's face, so I let him do his thing, and occasionally give him reminders, but for the most part he doesn't want to be a speed demon. And if he does? Well, we just get form point A to point B a little faster. No harm, no foul.
Great pics! And I think Clinton's idea is bang on! The only time it can really work against you is when you have a horse with crazy endurance... sometimes they outlast the rider.
You know I was reading this thing on ulcers about how it isnt natural for a horse to work with an empty stomach and having some food (not full but some) isnt a bad thing... maybe you could tie the horses up with a hanging bag of a little hay... then (while they are eating a little) you could go set up their supper, pick or whatever and while you are tacking and brushing they can have a bite before going to work. So long as you warm up and cool down well having a little meal before and after a work isnt always a bad thing (depends on the horse).
Maybe do a little reading on how much you can feed before a work... I know some trainers that dont hesitate to pull a horse away from his supper to be worked.
(the ulcer article was about how when the stomach is empty the gastric juices spill up into the upper stomach and burn the stomach lining (creating ulcers). It also talks about how often a lot of health, behavior and other issues are actually a result of untreated ulcers, especially in performance horses... they recommended a bit of feed before a ride.
I agree that loping, loping, loping, and loping, and more loping is truly the way to get that lope relaxed and slow. Brandy is really looking good! She appears to be all shed out and so white now, for reals?
That's always been my dilemma. Get home from work to hungry horses who say, "what, you want to ride?? I want to eat!" and if I do give them a snack and go inside, it gets really hard to drag myself back outside later.
fernvalley~ Yes, my sis will be around probably once during the week soon, now that we have extended daylight! And she will be a big motivation to get out and ride!
Chelsi~ I have actually thought about hanging a hay bag and letting them eat while I groom them and get ready to ride. That would make them a little happier!
The farm I work for works the horses after feeding all the time, but in that business that is kinda what you have to do to get 50+ horses worked in a day. We have never had a problem with the horses by doing that.
Thanks for the ulcer info. Thankfully my horses have never had ulcers. We do have horses with ulcers at the farm. It's probably a little different for them, since they are in full time training and travel to a lot of horse shows!
Val~ Wouldn't it be nice if all the horses could be shed out already? Ha Ha! I body clipped Brandy a few weeks ago. That is why she has no hair and I have to keep her blanketed, so that is why she is so sparkling white!! Except for her tail! It is nasty and needs washed so bad!
I like Chelsi's idea....feed, go inside grab a snack, check blogs, get a Dr. Pepper, then bring out Brandy and let her eat at the hay bag while you groom and tack up. She'd get about 20 mins. or so at least of food, enough to get something in her belly.
Hopefully in May, once I'm done with all my pet-sitting, I can meet up once a week and ride in the evening with you, too. That will help motivate you! :)
Also, I liked Clinton's idea in that article about letting the horse make a mistake before correcting him- so, letting it break from the canter to the trot, then asking again, rather than staying on top of them when you feel them want to break gait.
Lastly, your OH is taking better pictures all the time! Maybe you should get him a Nikon for Xmas next year.... :)
I know you will figure it out even though it will be hard at first. As we get longer days you will have more daylight to work with!
Great post!! I love that you are getting a designated day to work them!! Brandy is just a super sweet girl!! I LOVE how she looks since you clipped her! She looks beautiful!! I agree with the others, sounds like maybe it could work...At least sometimes it could if your not to tired on some days!!
If you feed the horses and then grab a snack yourself and stay in your work clothes neither of you will be grumpy! You can always find something to keep you moving - I seem to find 1000 house chores if I am bored. I don't recommend looking at the computer unless you do it standing up. As soon as I sit down, it is all over!
Great work with Brandy!
Glad to see you getting a chance to enjoy your horses with your hectic work schedule!! As far as your dilemma with working them after you get get home - would it be feasible for your OH to throw them some hay before he leaves for work so they get something to eat before you get home and then after you work whoever you plan to work you can feed them their dinner?
I'd try getting the OH to feed a smaller feed before he goes to work, then work horses when you get home and feed after. Our horses get fed 3Xday (1/4 ration in AM, 1/4 ration in early afternoon, 1/2 ration at night) so they aren't hungry when the after work/school rush to the barn starts. I can't concentrate or do a darn thing right when I'm hungry and so I don't expect my horses to.
Scheduling is such a pain. I'm always telling people that things have to go like clockwork for me or I'll end up making sacrifices I don't want to have to make. I know I'm very fortunate to work from home and have my horses at home so I can work with them on my lunch breaks, when and if I get lunch breaks. When I had young children, I always had jobs that involved caring for other people's children and I literally spent more time raising other people's children than I did raising my own. It all seemed so backwards, so I often left my jobs to focus on my own kids. I'd be happy for a while, and then we'd run out of money, and I'd have to go back to raising other people's kids. You must feel the same sometimes when it comes to your horses.
You look really good on Brandy! She's all shed out and a beauty. That's exactly how we got Slick to slow down in our round pen......lope, lope, lope. Last night our trainer took him outside since it was a gorgeous evening. He was faster and more distracted out in the pasture, lots of things going on but that's how they learn to settle in. You just have to ride a lot. Slick had the trainer, me and a 13 yr. old girl riding him last night and he was tired! He performed just the same for the young girl as he did for me and the trainer! She really enjoyed him seeing how a horse should move off your leg with just a slight touch. Fun to watch and see all of our hard work paying off.
Well, since your OH won't be home, maybe you'll want to be out there more for the company. ;) I agree with the suggestions to feed in a feed bag while you tack up. Good idea. Or, is there anyway you could put a roundbale out for the horse you're going to ride? They could eat all day and be ready to go anytime.
Lately I have been cantering Lilly for much longer than I ever have befoee. And do you know what? After cantering and cantering and cantering, do you know what she does when we stop? She starts licking and chewing and yawns and her ears are up like she is the happiest mare ever. EVEN THOUGH I have dragged her away from her friends and the hay! All of the things you just wrote about are things I struggle with over and over. Argh! You and Brandy sure do look great in your photos!
I work beyond full time (at least 60 hours a week), and usually get home sometime in the 6:00 hour. My horses are always worked before supper, and I don't have any attitudes to deal with. If you were to move feed time back in order to ride first, they would eventually get use to the routine...no dinner until after the work is done. It works great for me!
Can I ask why you use a martingale on Brandy?
Since I've done my fair share of training horses for western pleasure, I've spent a lot of time working on slowing things down. The absolute best method I have found is to constantly stop. So, for example, I will ask my horse to pick up a lope; as soon as they get to be faster than I want, I ask him/her to stop and back. We then pick up a lope again, and continue the process.
From this they learn a couple of things... First your departures become AWESOME. And second, they slow down anticipating that they will be asked to stop. This works for the trot and lope, and keeps you from hanging onto their face - in an attempt to slow down. The more you hang on them, the more they learn to brace against you!
Good luck!
Brandy looks really pretty! i am glad you found some time to ride. Trying to fit things into a schedule is so hard. Mine is so difficult since my hours are never the same, and days off are always different. I think with the nice weather coming, we will all be happier!!! Hugs!
I have the same problem: arriving home at dinner times. Except I'm not only tired, but hungry myself. And I absolutely agree that if I stop, it's all over! Unfortunately, I have to change to ride.
Loved all the photos! Brandy looks gorgeous after her recent clipping. Wow! Makes me want to clip Apache, but it's still to cold here at night. I can't wait to se what she'll look like when she's all shed out, though.
You guys look great working together. I have no new advice as the tips you;ve gotten already all sound very helpful. I hope something works well for you so you can fit in some riding after work :)
~Lisa
I think the lope is just one of those things that requires lots of work. Five minutes a day doesn't cut it. The horse is just getting warmed up and you're quitting. Makes no sense.
We spend lots of time loping too.
Brandy is beautiful and your pictures are great. Nice progress. I have a hard time finding motivation after a long day of work too. Sometimes it is a matter of pure perseverance. But I find that takes some of the joy away. It's a dilemma I have yet to solve. I hope you find a good solution. Congrats to you OH on his promotion.
Brandy looks great, and you look great on her!n I had to laugh when you said "Sunday is horse day.." -- Isn't EVERY day horse day for you????
It is really tough to ride after working all day. I'm usually so hungry for dinner but like you said, if I go inside and do anything besides change my clothes, I'm done for.
My horse has no lope speed. I'd love to work on balancing his canter but worry that he's so out of shape from the winter that I can't make him canter for very long. I wonder if he would naturally slow down if I just kept him at the canter. I might have to try that.
I love that to picture of you. Good luck with the motivation. :)
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