I'm using Beka's latest question in her blog hop celebrating Archie's imminent birthday to delve even further into anthropomorphic fantasy land. lol
Self-Actualized.
Assuming that your horse has absolutely everything he needs (food, bedding, a warm stall, plenty of blankets, and a pasture mate he neither humps, maims nor gets abused by), what does your horse need to be the best version of himself?
I initially struggled to think of an answer to this question. Like, all Isabel really wants is food - but that's a given in this hypothetical scenario (and in reality too, if we're being honest). And she's already a confident and independent creature who seems incredibly comfortable in and accepting of the environment around her (changeable tho that environment may be). What else could Isabel possibly need reach her fullest potential?
Then I remembered - oh yea, she's a princess. She needs attendants. Minions to fan her with palm fronds (she's a desert horse, remember?) and admire and worship her and keep her tiara polished, all while hand-feeding her the very best quality treats and feed and hay while she reclines in opulence.
B and I took the horses over to FV earlier this week to school. Hauling out so often is exhausting and it sucks paying an arena fee every ride... but there are benefits too. For instance, we got to the barn around 3:00, and were pulling out of the driveway with a packed trailer and two groomed horses at 3:35. And all done without feeling hurried (it helped that the trailer was already hooked up).
Me thinks this bodes well for show season!
And naturally the newest trial saddle had to come along for the ride too :)
There were lessons going on at FV when we got there - which kind of surprised us, but the trainer was cool with us riding around. She had also moved all the jumps to set up new and twisty courses. This was not the standard side-diagonal-side we have come to expect, no no. There were all sorts of crazy things going on. And with the exception of an X and two 2'-ish fences, everything was set between 2'3"-2'9".
The above four fences kind of zig-zagged through the center - with the red brick wall fence serving as the in jump to a three-stride line. The purple fence in the foreground was 2' and served as a warm up fence.
In any case, my attention was focused on the saddle and our flat work. Isabel did not disappoint (and neither did the saddle, for that matter). It kind of amazes me the improvement in our contact just in the last two-ish weeks. Like something has 'clicked.'
Isabel was soft and responsive and not particularly fussy. I like it!!! And when we moved on to jumping, she stayed in this really lovely gear. It was almost like you could just put her onto a certain pace or rhythm, and she'd stay there until you asked for something different. I was feeling pretty unsure about the height of most of the jumps set up, so we just started over an X before moving on to the small brick wall below, and the purple jump a few pics back. Isabel felt fantastic tho - taking all the jumps in stride and on a light contact.
Plus I figured out pretty quickly that this trial saddle is AWESOME - and much to my own surprise, I started going for the bigger jumps too. And it felt GREAT! I felt super secure in the saddle, even when Isabel got serious air over some of the 'lookier' fences.
There was one bobble at the yellow oxer below - we approached on the right lead from a 90-degree turn off the rail with either a forward 3 or balancing 4 strides to the fence (you can see the approach in the zig-zag pic above). The first time I didn't see a spot and Izzy stopped. Can't really blame her - tough approach to a big fence with zero piloting... But it was nbd, we just circled and jumped it twice before moving on.
All in all, I was THRILLED with the ride. I'm not exactly sure what's different, but latelyour rides have all been super positive. Feels good man, feels good :)
The plan for last Sunday was to haul out to FV - our new routine. But we started thinking - the last two outings with the horses (our lesson at OF the day prior, and schooling earlier in the week at FV) were really productive with both horses working hard and well. So we said what the hell, let's take a break and hit the trails instead.
The weather was nice enough, and there wasn't too much snow on the ground - so why not? Plus, a couple other barn mates were on hand to make it a nice group ride.
It was a much needed break for Isabel. She's been handling the traveling really well... but hauling out three times a week has to be taking a toll on her. It will be SUCH a relief when the weather turns and we can ride at home again... but as it is, this was my first time riding at Isabel's barn in 2015 -- and our last ride was just on the trails too....
Isabel usually leads the pack, as she uses her biggest walk on the trails. But there was a TWH out with us, plus Wick was a touch excited, so those two pulled ahead while Isabel picked her way through the ice and mud in a very un-rushed manner. She was even patient enough to wait up for the slower QH bringing up the rear.
It ended up being a longer ride than anticipated too - as we started with lots and lots of loops near the barn, expecting the water crossings leading to longer trails to be frozen over (and thus very skerry for the horses). But the horses impressed us by crunching through the ice with zero problems. So away we marched through the woods and over hill and dale.
I'm really glad we did this. Isabel is just such a phenomenal trail horse these days and can mostly be left entirely to her own devices during the ride. And I know she appreciates those breaks from my constant micromanagement and picking... It's a struggle finding the right balance tho. Sundays are usually the only chance for trail rides (it's dark on weeknights and Saturdays are lesson days)... but with such limited riding time I get sucked into the mentality that we need to 'maximize' every minute in the saddle by working. But maybe I need to think in terms of 'optimizing' instead? Isabel will be a happier and more willing horse if she can mix in more 'fun' rides with solid arena work -- and trails are good for conditioning. So, here's to taking more time for the fun stuff too!!
Y'all are probably so sick and tired of reading about my saddle search... I'm kinda sorry - but I'm also kinda bound and determined to document this process, even if it kills me. lol PLUS - that thing everyone said would happen finally happened! I sat in a saddle and felt immediately at home - like, yes THIS is my saddle! Super exciting, right? So, without further ado, allow me to introduce this next trial saddle: Bates Caprilli Close Contact Saddle 17" (came with yellow narrow plate installed and has been converted to wool flocking)
This is the same type saddle as the other Bates I tried - but is in much better condition. That other Bates seemed to work well for Isabel - and I really really *wanted* to like it, but just couldn't get past its poor condition (and unreasonable price tag). Hopefully this one will be the best of both worlds. I especially like the idea of an adjustable tree - meaning this saddle could stay with me through future horses too.
sorry she's so crooked in this pic haha
My first ride in it went super well - it was comfortable for flat work with a longer stirrup, and it was *awesome* for jumping. SO awesome. I felt so secure in this saddle that we even hopped over every jump in the arena, despite most of them being set a bit outside of my height comfort zone (ride details will have to wait for another post).
So I'm pretty excited about this saddle - but I'm also trying to keep my expectations in check. The primary purpose of this whole exercise is to get Isabel a properly fitting saddle. Everything else is secondary. I'm a little worried that this saddle will be too long for Isabel's back and will therefore try to keep a lid on it until I can get feedback from the fitter and trainer P.
BUT.... unlike with the Stubben (which got stuffed back into its box the moment we determined the fit wasn't quite right), I like this saddle enough that I'd pay to get it adjusted if necessary. So things are looking promising :)
for your patience in sticking with me through this process, i reward you with this gif of my cat. he is not a smart cat. but i can commiserate about the invisible force field coming between him and his object of desire... poor guy. lol
Saturday was another frigid 20-degree day with a barn full of slept-in stalls needing cleaning. But there was no whining (or even stressing, really) this time around - B and I have the chores drill down to a science now. And that barn has probably never been cleaned faster haha. I guess that's the beauty of routine?
In any case, we headed off to our lesson feeling relaxed with all the time in the world to prep the horses.
the lesson was chock-full of gray ponies
I tried to keep the flat work momentum going from our previous ride - and mostly succeeded. It wasn't *quite* as good (and we were sort of limited in our ability to detach from the rail, given the 7 horses sharing arena space), but the good moments were still very much there and trainer P seemed pleased with the work.
Then it was on to jumping. P had a nice little course set up: singles on each diagonal, a one-stride on one long side, and a swedish oxer on the other. Naturally I didn't take any pics of the course, and my esteemed videographer (of the 13-yr-old variety) didn't catch any rides of the full course (she just got individual jumps, and none of the diagonals)... so you'll just have to take my word for it lol.
my right leg doing its misbehavin' thang
Isabel jumped very nicely. She seemed a little impressed by the oxer, initially - tho after getting an awkward distance or two to it, she gave it a lovely lovely effort. Maybe among the nicest jumping efforts I've ever felt from her. P said she left the ground really well for it - and for once I felt like I could actually close my hip angles a bit and sink in to my legs and seat over the fence.
that's better!
It's fun looking at the video stills too and imagining the various obstacles that could fit into the space beneath Isabel... All along I've been nervous about jumping bigger stuff bc my position is so poor... but maybe it works the other way around? Maybe a bigger fence will get a better effort from Isabel, therefore making it easier for me to sit pretty?
That's all food for thought, really, but I left the lesson feeling pretty pleased about things - including the upcoming fix-a-test clinic (provided we can get our entries in before they run out of space!) and our general progress.
The other outcome of the lesson related to the Stubben trial saddle. P actually thought it was fine for me, but did NOT like how it fit Isabel. She saw a lot of movement, even when I just stood up in the saddle.
My opinion of the saddle had improved by the end of the lesson (our second ride in it)... but not enough that I wanted to buy the saddle in the hopes that investments in fitting/adjusting it would make it work better for the horse. So. On to the next one, I guess!
Another day, another schooling trip. I REALLY like FV's arena and the horses have settled into the routine. Well - Isabel was never NOT settled (after all - she's been traveling every week since last April...), but Wick really impresses me. He just goes with the flow!!
I really don't love the drive to this farm tho - twisty, hilly, and NARROW - but still with high traffic volume, esp around 5:30pm when we're heading home (and it's dark out). I always end up with loonnnng lines of cars behind me.... but sorry guys - the ponies are way more important than shaving 5 minutes off the commute!
ANYWHO - I finally watched a couple of the George Morris sessions from earlier this month. In particular - the no-stirrups day with group 2, where GM got on that super resistant mare and turned her around very nicely into being soft and submissive. The mare reminded me slightly of Isabel and I paid close attention as GM explained his methods with her.
So as I rode, his voice ran through my head telling me to 'lift my hands and close my fingers.' When the horse resists I resist. And when she softens, I soften. My big priority was to get my hands OUT of my lap (aided by *shortening* the reins please!!) and 'play' with Isabel like GM did with that mare.
These are obviously not new concepts - and nor was this the first time I heard them. But you know how it is - sometimes a slightly different wording or presentation helps clarify things.... In any case - I also tried to integrate the simplified leg yeilds from last week's lesson, plus the different flat work exercises GM had the riders do in his clinic. This entailed a couple steps here and there of leg yield, some shallow serpentines, and lots of transitions focused on tuning Isabel in to my seat.
And you know what? It was maybe our BEST flat work to date. Sure, Isabel fussed here and there - but when I'd lift my hands and close my fingers (and legs, obvi), she'd just quit it. Like magic.
To the point where she just sorta naturally reached into this soft roundness that WASN'T a result of me pulling her face down. I tested it by letting go of my inside rein for occasional neck scratches - and she stayed perfectly steady. We even had a few steps of what I *think* was an honest-to-god stretchy trot!!! Woo hoo progress!!
The jumping was good too - tho not really in any kind of 'break through' sense. We had 'em set up higher today to practice at actual competition height. Plus, I was riding in the Stubben and wanted to really test it out.
We struggled again with some rhythm issues that leave me wondering if the jumps are maybe just not measured very well?? (tho that sounds like a cop-out, doesn't it haha). And there was one nasty-ish bobble at a square oxer where Isabel took the front rail down with her knees.... helloooooo poultice!
video of the jumping. not perfect (plenty of room for improvement) but I like where we are
(updated - accidentally posted the wrong video first. it's fixed now!)
But I do still feel ok about it all - bc even with squishy distances and some rubs and rails down, neither Isabel nor I lost composure. We just loped around hopping over stuff like nbd.
This is random but I've been meaning to snap pics of these forever to share here. I'm not usually one for the standard motivational-type posters, but there are a few things sprinkled around my apartment to remind me to keep things in perspective.
First up is this little post card from a friend that really REALLY resonates with me. Not sure why - it's a very simple statement... But for whatever reason every time I read this I just think, "YES. Let's." So this is tacked up next to my bathroom mirror.
This little wooden placard is a little more, uh, self explanatory lol. It hangs on my door so I see it every time I leave the house. Always a good reminder, right?
And ok - this one isn't mine, I just spotted it at a neighborhood bar. But yea my barn definitely needs a couple of these posted all over the place haha. What about you - do you have anything like this around your house? Or office or car or wherever you spend a lot of time?
