In like a lion, out like a lamb

Don't you love these little weather idioms? The only one I actually like is: "A dry March and wet May, fill barns and bays with corn and hay." Not so much an idiom, but a lovely little rhyme that fills my heart...and lessens my pocketbook. But what can you do? But FINALLY, the weather has broke and the ground has dried, which can only mean one thing: back to work for Dino (and I). HA, a little rhyme. :P

We started back to work yesterday morning and it couldn't have gone better. I have to say, I had very little hope of getting anything accomplished, but Dino proved me wrong, and re-enforced the theory that horses do in fact have wonderful memories, by remembering his lessons from last year. For one, Dino walked when asked and did very little jigging. It wasn't until I made a conscious mental note he was walking that he started jigging (murphy...), but came back as soon as I asked him. So yay!

This was a very simple work/lesson, no need to over due it on the first day and risk injury. So we walked for 10 minutes in one direction, long and low, and then trotted for two minutes before changing direction and repeating. We ended on a high note when Dino halted when asked. Again, yay!

One might think: why are you so excited for something so trivial? Au contraire. Nothing is ever trivial when it comes to horses and their training, or this case reconditioning. Nothing is worse than a suspensory or tendon injury in a horse, I know...her name is Angel.

Shortly after I got Angel in April 1997, she suffered an injury to her superficial digital flexor tendon, that's the tendon below the skin and lies against the canon bone from the back of the knee to the fetlock. Angel's injury occurred just below the knee with the tendon fibres tearing. How this happened, I don't know. She could have overstretched the tendon while jumping, i.e., landing after a jumping forcing her fetlock down; she could have been overworked that day, when a horse is fatigued everything in them is fatigued and fatigued tendons loose their elasticity making them more susceptible to strain and injury; or she simply just was not in good enough condition for the workload and therefore her tendons and ligaments where not strong enough to handle the increased stress. In the end, Angel was injured and originally out a couple of months, which didn't work and she ended up being out of commission for 18 months.

So the lesson for the moment: 1)make sure your horse is properly protected from leg injuries, nothing beats a good polo wrap (IF you know how to apply them) if not good work boots that protect their legs. 2)if your horse is tired, what are you gaining by forcing them to continue working? NOTHING. So stop it! I am a big fan of walk breaks, frequent walk breaks. 3)gradually work up to a fitness level. Have a thought out plan on how you are going to get your horse and you back into shape, and have patience. It takes a lot of time to get a horse back into even a moderate workload after being off for the season or from an injury.

Of course I have a plan, I've been fretting over it for weeks now, just chopping at the bit to get back into the ring. Will the plan actually work? Well, that's a totally different question. But hopefully, weather permitting, he will be worked, no more, than 5 days a week and at least 3 days a week.

Week 1: work up to walking 20 minutes with two sets of 2 minute trots
Week 2: work up to walking 30 minutes with two sets of 5 minute trots
Week 3: same as above, add in large serpentines to prepare for flexion and suppleness
Week 4: walking 45 minutes with two sets of 15 minute trots, continue with serpentines adding in loops
Week 5: same as above, add in leg-yields
Week 6: same as above, increase trot time to two sets of 20 minute trots
Week 7: same as above, add two sets of 5 minute canters
Week 8: increase walking to 60 minutes, two sets of 20 minute trots, two sets of 10 minute canters
Week 9: walking 60 minutes, 30 minutes continuous trotting with direction change, two sets of 15 minute canters (if needed)
Week 10: same as above, start asking for impulsion

In the beginning it is not important to use my corners, I will instead work on an oval shape as Dino will be stiff. As the weeks go by and his fitness level increases, going into the corner and becoming supple will be asked. Working on downward transitions are important, especially coming off the canter.

GOAL: first horse show on June 18 and FDCTA camp, July 6-9. Between week 10 and the horse show four weeks later, will allow time to work on the test. I have not yet decided on what level we will show at, Intro or Training Level. Anyone who rides a horse should be able to show at Intro, it is only a walk and trot test with 9 - 13 'movements'. The idea is the horse should be ridden in a light and steady contact. Training Level is walk-trot-canter and has 13 - 16 'movements'. The goal here is show the horse is supple, moves freely, maintains a steady rhythm and accepts contact with the bit. I would feel better with Intro, but in all honesty, I should show at Training Level. We shall see.

After camp I hope to show Dino two more times, so it will make for three shows plus camp this year for us. I'd say that is very feasible, however, nothing is more important than having everything be a positive experience for Dino. At any time we can take several steps back and when we do, we will just regroup and try again!

Howdy!

Compensation

Ralph Waldo Emerson believed that all things are balanced by their opposites. Darkness by light, cold by heat, loss by gain. With that thought, pictures from this past winter (while waiting for the ground to dry).

Dino is always pestering Angel, February 2, 2011.

Angel eating snow, don't know why, February 2, 2011

"You caught me!"

Sancho in a snowstorm, December 13, 2010.

Sancho cantering in the snow, December 13, 2010.

Dino trotting in the snow, December 13, 2010.

Dino being nosy, February 2, 2011

An Empty Corner

My farrier came out this morning to trim everyone's hooves. Dino was first and he had been good all morning with me, so I didn't think much of it. But he kicked at my farrier. Three times. And then charged him when he was back in his stall. He then did the same thing to me, which he hasn't done in about a year. You know, right about now, Dino doesn't have anyone in his corner.

I was thinking about this last night; we've simply gotten use to having two seniors that have been there done that, two seniors who are quiet and don't give much trouble. But, as I reminded my Dad, they weren't always that way.

Angel was a tough horse. I remember just to clip her you'd place her in cross ties, have a chain over her nose, someone would ear twitch her, someone else would hold onto the lip twitch and she'd still be fighting. And man, when she got mad her big brown eyes would just glow red with fury. She was the complete stereotypical (Chestnut mare, beware) package of a chestnut thoroughbred mare with a double swirl; pretty, feisty, head strong, brave, tough, hot, etc.

Riding Angel was an adventure, then AND now. She is the perfect example on why you shouldn't over jump a jumper, instead spend about 95% of the time on the flat and only 5% over jumps. She was nearly impossible to flat, went in a simple egg-butt snaffle - I'd say it was a heavy weight snaffle, very thick. She was always behind the vertical, meaning that she carried her nose just off her chest, kind of like someone who's using too much draw rein. I think I had her atleast a week before I ever cantered her. Boy did she have a stride on her, scared the crap out of me!! An average horse's stride is about 12', Angel's was closer to 14', so it made jumping more difficult. At the end of that first week my trainer at the time, Beth, told me I had the weekend to learn how to canter her...or else! 'Or else' was the silent threat that I was loosing something, probably my stirrups, but I did learn.

When it came to jumping Angel, there was no going back. If the line was a straight forward six strides, I may ask, at the last minute, for seven. Inevitable, we'd chip in which is a big no-no. Angel didn't play that game. If I committed to that six strides, it was six strides. If I tried to see-saw her into seven, she'd make it five. Angel had experience showing in the Level Five classes (3'9" - 4'), she knew more than I. A lot more. So I really needed to let her teach me. She always took care of me and never had a stop in her. No matter the distance I put her at a jump or the angle, she tried. Even if her ears were flat back and her tail swishing angrily.

On the ground, Angel could be sweet as strawberry pie one minute and angry as a hornet the next. She just had no use for people and when you bothered her too much, watch out! Angel took people, including myself, in doses and was truly an independent horse. When I brought Sancho home, we had them in the pasture together. I was holding Sancho and Dad had Angel, we were just letting them touch noses. There was something about the look in Angel's eyes that made me warn Dad, "You better step back..." and that was all I got out because at that very moment, she lunged open mouth for Sancho's jugular! To this day, I don't think she'd care if Sancho or Dino disappeared never to be seen again. She'd probably enjoy the peace and quiet!*lol*

Señor Sancho is a different character all together. You don't find Paso Finos bred like him anymore and if you do, you're shelling out some money. Pasos today, I really don't like. They look very weak in the loin and croup, and appear to become strung out while gaiting. Sancho's just bred so nicely, but maybe I'm just biased. ;) Even at 23, Sancho still has brio, meaning controlled energy or spirit. I must of had Sancho two or three years before he ever walked under-saddle, it was always go-go-go. In hand, Sancho's respectful. Most of the time atleast. He has his 'stupid' moments. But he's a typical Paso; he's got brio, he strives to please, is very willing, responsive, etc. But he still has his moments, those stupid frustrating moments, I just want to rip my hair out moments, moments thinking to myself, muttering to him, screaming/yelling across a field: "I'M GOING TO KIIILLLLL YOOOOUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!! It happens. I can only imagine what my neighbors think...probably why they don't talk to me. Whatever, let them deal with that nut job.

Back to Dino, Dino who is relatively young, feisty, tough, hot, head-strong, athletic, and can test one's patience...

By George, I'VE GOT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! He's Angel and Sancho all rolled into one!

Sh*t. I am soooo screwed.