You may have guessed this what with the complete lack of posting and all, but I've decided to take an official hiatus from blogging until the new year.
I am trying very hard to shepherd what remaining mental energy I have into riding my horse and getting through the holidays. I am one of those sad-around-holidays people and it seems to get a bit worse every year.
So I am coping by making sure I get lots of barn time, deliberately taking things off my to do list, and consuming every possible Star Wars media that I can. (Because I am also That Person.)
Tris is doing ok, not great, but he is back under saddle as I try to find a program that works for both of us.
I do have ideas to blog about and just need to not have it on my mind for a bit. I also need a working computer at home, which is currently not a thing in my life (after sending it in for some upgrades all of my drivers got wiped which...kind of makes it inoperable. so it is back there getting fixed, hopefully.)
In the meantime, I'm still doing some posting on my FB page, so if you want some updates you should find us there until January.
Bel Joeor: Life + Horses
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Next Steps (Literally): Investigating OsPhos & Other Biophosphonate Drugs
Bad news first: Tristan is still lame.
From there, it's actually mostly good news.
He was first off last Monday/Tuesday. He got one gram of bute am + pm through Friday afternoon, and then on Monday I put him on the longe line.
He was definitely not comfortable but a) he worked out of most of it and b) it was much better.
I asked the barn manager to watch him with me, and her observations matched my own: he was acting almost like he had a stone bruise. That RF was short and sort of stabby, like he didn't want it to rest on the ground for long.
He was much, much more willing to move forward than he was at this point last week, offering up a canter to the right several times when he flat-out refused last week.
So what's next?
First step: one month of Previcox, an anti-inflammatory that will be much better on his stomach than bute would. That will help ease overall osteoarthritis symptoms and anything more specific going on in that RF. I'll keep checking in to see how he goes.
My hunch, based what he presented yesterday, taking into account his history and the way he looked? I think he's showing some soreness in his foot from the ongoing RF problems, because that foot is (apparently) always going to be more sensitive and weaker to any kind of problem. It's always going to be thrushy, always going to trend toward abscesses, and always going to show sole bruises immediately. I think it's some kind of sole bruise.
However, I also think he's got some ongoing arthritis issues in both his hocks and that coffin/fetlock. He is on monthly Pentosan injections, and that has helped with his overall fluidity in terms of the cartilage, ligaments, and tendons, but I think we also need to add something to help with inflammation.
Again, if he were younger and in full work, we'd start joint injections. He's not and he's not. I said this to the barn manager last night, and she raised a new possibility.
OsPhos is a new drug specifically marketed for the treatment of navicular. It basically helps joints and bones that are remodeling due to arthritis or abnormality. It has a really promising research outlook, and works in similar ways to Tildren, a drug that's been on the market for a bit longer.
For my purposes, the benefits are thusly: it is a system-wide joint support that is not quite as powerful as an intra-articular joint injection would be but at the same time tackles more joints at one time. It is delivered IM, and costs between $200-$300 a dose. (As opposed to $1,000 a dose for Tildren, and $500/joint for injections). Perhaps most importantly, our local best lameness vet is very familiar with it and has used it on several of the schoolhorses in the barn to excellent effect.
That said: it has drawbacks. Some of them are not so great. Because it's such a new drug, there are some serious concerns about longterm consequences.
The most legitimate concern seems to me to be the question of how, exactly, biophosphonate drugs like OsPhos (and Tildren) remodel bone. They work by basically killing the things that remodel bone, preventing bad changes from happening - but also good changes from happening. Bone remodels throughout its entire life. Stopping that from happening prevents bony changes, but it also prevents the kind of bone density growth that's important in strengthening. Do they create truly good, new, strong bone, or do they just make x-rays look better?
These are drugs that have been available for humans for some time now, and on the 10 year outlook there are reports of necrotic bone (particularly in the skull and jaw) and dramatically lower bone density. There are also reports of spontaneous fracture.There's lots on the COTH forums; here's one good thread.
On the one hand: that is scary as shit.
On the other hand: Tristan is in light dressage work and he is 20. He is not jumping or otherwise putting sport horse stress on his bones. Would helping him be more comfortable and keeping him in light work to keep him healthy be worth the tradeoff?
On the other other hand, at least some of his lameness issues in that RF are due to bone remodeling, so the biophosphonates would help in that way. But they're also due to a lack of bone in that area, ie the carved-out portion of his coffin bone from the infection. So they might help one problem and worsen another.
I also don't see any good outlook on how many times a horse has to be dosed before the problems crop up - or before they are sound. "It depends" is always the answer.
There's also the possibility, mentioned by a few people, of doing a regional perfusion of the problematic limb with Tildren. That would localize the treatment to the problematic RF, but it would also do nothing for his hocks and any other overall osteoarthritis he's dealing with.
Anyway.
Lots to think about.
Has anyone out there used Tildren or similar drugs?
From there, it's actually mostly good news.
He was first off last Monday/Tuesday. He got one gram of bute am + pm through Friday afternoon, and then on Monday I put him on the longe line.
He was definitely not comfortable but a) he worked out of most of it and b) it was much better.
I asked the barn manager to watch him with me, and her observations matched my own: he was acting almost like he had a stone bruise. That RF was short and sort of stabby, like he didn't want it to rest on the ground for long.
He was much, much more willing to move forward than he was at this point last week, offering up a canter to the right several times when he flat-out refused last week.
So what's next?
First step: one month of Previcox, an anti-inflammatory that will be much better on his stomach than bute would. That will help ease overall osteoarthritis symptoms and anything more specific going on in that RF. I'll keep checking in to see how he goes.
My hunch, based what he presented yesterday, taking into account his history and the way he looked? I think he's showing some soreness in his foot from the ongoing RF problems, because that foot is (apparently) always going to be more sensitive and weaker to any kind of problem. It's always going to be thrushy, always going to trend toward abscesses, and always going to show sole bruises immediately. I think it's some kind of sole bruise.
However, I also think he's got some ongoing arthritis issues in both his hocks and that coffin/fetlock. He is on monthly Pentosan injections, and that has helped with his overall fluidity in terms of the cartilage, ligaments, and tendons, but I think we also need to add something to help with inflammation.
Again, if he were younger and in full work, we'd start joint injections. He's not and he's not. I said this to the barn manager last night, and she raised a new possibility.
OsPhos is a new drug specifically marketed for the treatment of navicular. It basically helps joints and bones that are remodeling due to arthritis or abnormality. It has a really promising research outlook, and works in similar ways to Tildren, a drug that's been on the market for a bit longer.
For my purposes, the benefits are thusly: it is a system-wide joint support that is not quite as powerful as an intra-articular joint injection would be but at the same time tackles more joints at one time. It is delivered IM, and costs between $200-$300 a dose. (As opposed to $1,000 a dose for Tildren, and $500/joint for injections). Perhaps most importantly, our local best lameness vet is very familiar with it and has used it on several of the schoolhorses in the barn to excellent effect.
That said: it has drawbacks. Some of them are not so great. Because it's such a new drug, there are some serious concerns about longterm consequences.
The most legitimate concern seems to me to be the question of how, exactly, biophosphonate drugs like OsPhos (and Tildren) remodel bone. They work by basically killing the things that remodel bone, preventing bad changes from happening - but also good changes from happening. Bone remodels throughout its entire life. Stopping that from happening prevents bony changes, but it also prevents the kind of bone density growth that's important in strengthening. Do they create truly good, new, strong bone, or do they just make x-rays look better?
These are drugs that have been available for humans for some time now, and on the 10 year outlook there are reports of necrotic bone (particularly in the skull and jaw) and dramatically lower bone density. There are also reports of spontaneous fracture.There's lots on the COTH forums; here's one good thread.
On the one hand: that is scary as shit.
On the other hand: Tristan is in light dressage work and he is 20. He is not jumping or otherwise putting sport horse stress on his bones. Would helping him be more comfortable and keeping him in light work to keep him healthy be worth the tradeoff?
On the other other hand, at least some of his lameness issues in that RF are due to bone remodeling, so the biophosphonates would help in that way. But they're also due to a lack of bone in that area, ie the carved-out portion of his coffin bone from the infection. So they might help one problem and worsen another.
I also don't see any good outlook on how many times a horse has to be dosed before the problems crop up - or before they are sound. "It depends" is always the answer.
There's also the possibility, mentioned by a few people, of doing a regional perfusion of the problematic limb with Tildren. That would localize the treatment to the problematic RF, but it would also do nothing for his hocks and any other overall osteoarthritis he's dealing with.
Anyway.
Lots to think about.
Has anyone out there used Tildren or similar drugs?
Sunday, December 13, 2015
House Post: Dining Room Rug
It was getting to the point where the scent buildup was attracting her to come pee even when she wasn't being actively naughty.
So, far earlier than planned, up came the dining room rug this morning.
Aaaand done!
(for those who might be concerned, Arya is undergoing a battery of tests to see whether there is an underlying physical problem or whether she is just acting out in some way)
Saturday, December 12, 2015
Weekly Blog Roundup
Third Annual Deck the Bobby Christmas Pictures from Poor Woman Showing
ahahahahaha. awesome.
Mr. Moose Baby Goes to a George Morris Clinic, Part One & Part Two from Viva Carlos
Great insights & a very cool experience.
Kenai's Rehab: Complete from In Omnia Paratus
Not horse-related but still fascinating and really cool.
When Disappointment Translates Into Anxiety from No Longer Fiction
An all too common situation, written about honestly and bravely.
The Things I Didn't Like Enough to Review from The $900 Facebook Pony
This is interesting to read and is actually I think kind of important in a blogging world in which all of our reviews tend to be positive (or why would we want to go to the effort of reviewing them?).
How 2015 Has Changed My Blog...and What's to Come in 2016 from The Maggie Memoirs
Awesome.
DIY: How to Make DIY Peppermint Treats from DIY Horse Ownership
These look great. I've tried horse treats in the past but never been happy with how they've turned out.
Pony Club from A Enter Spooking
I was a DC for a few years, and have judged many Pony Club events since then. I love it, but it is not without its flaws. This post does a really nice job of laying everything out.
Friday, December 11, 2015
What breed is right for you, and how do you know?
I've been thinking about this one on and off for a few weeks. I think it started with that 25 questions meme that was going on - one of the questions asked people if they would own a "hotter" breed, and mentioned Arabians and Trakehners as examples of that. I saw a lot of people who were frustrated with that characterization.
Andrea at The Reeling recently wrote about her own transition to rescue horses, and her ideas about breeds & breeding. I really liked the way she wrote about her thought process.
Tristan is a BLM mustang, which I describe as an All-American equine mutt. Some people call mustangs a breed, and they get all involved in the DNA typing of various strains, and they come up with clever names for certain types of them. That's really not my thing. Mustangs are typey mutts, as far as I'm concerned. I've seen a lot of them, and there is an overall "look" but there is not anything approaching the standard set of characteristics that you would get from an established breed.
I've known and ridden hundreds of horses from dozens of breeds, and I've known a lot of people who have really strong and clear preferences. A lot of eventers are Thoroughbred people. A lot of dressage riders have their own particular breed of warmblood that they prefer - or they sit on one side or another of the warmblood/Spanish type debate. My current dressage barn has quite a few Lusitanos in training.
I live in Vermont, where there are clearly established Morgan People. They have their own tack, their own show circuits, their own style of riding, their own set of views on horses that are shaped largely - if not entirely, in some cases - by the Morgan horse.
And I have been thinking about dogs, too, and how we pick the dogs that are a fit for us. My family - immediate and extended - are dog people. I grew up with yellow Labs, and my parents will always have them (no matter what my father says about no more new dogs...). My brother has a German Shepherd. My aunt had Golden Retrievers, then herding dogs, Border Collies and Aussies. My mother grew up with a Boxer, Doberman, and Irish Setter. My uncle has always (except for one Irish Setter) had hounds.
My own dog, Arya, is some kind of mutt - she was listed as a Boxer/Lab cross, but probably has hound and maybe some pit bull in there. She is a different type than the more solid, more laid back Labs that I grew up with, but I love that.
I chose my horse because I fell in love with him after working with him for the summer. He was not necessarily the "type" that I usually like. I chose my dog because she does represent a type that I have an affinity for: cheerful, sharp, sweet, and has a general look (medium-sized, short hair, blockier head, athletic & slim body) that I like.
Obviously, we all have a brain type that we like, and obviously every horse (and dog) is an individual. So we all know whether we like a kick ride or a pull ride, a thinking horse or an over-eager horse, on and on.
But most of us, however much we say we choose for brain first, have at least some breed preferences. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with those breeds, it just means it doesn't fit our aesthetic or riding choices. And the very fact that there are breeds mean that some characteristics are more common in them than not. While it is misleading to say that all representatives of a certain breed are hot or cold, smart or dumb, you are more likely to get those characteristics because there has been a program of selective breeding to encourage them. That's why we have breeds.
So I am wondering how we get there, as individuals, how we develop preferences for breeds, and how that influences us.
I'll go first. I don't like breeds with lots of hair: Friesians, Gypsy Vanners, some of the drafts, some of the ponies. They do absolutely nothing for me. I don't like the more "delicate" looking breeds: most Arabians, some of the taller/thinner Warmbloods (like Trakehners, usually), breeds like the Akhal Tekes or Marwaris.
My all time favorite breed, the one I will buy from someday, the one whose base characteristics match up with my aesthetic preferences and what I like in a brain, is Morgan. I like them with lots of bone, thick through the body and the neck, short-backed and close-coupled, with a fine but not dainty head. I like a horse that's smarter than I am, that has energy and sensitivity but would like to negotiate, and that has more of an all-around profile than something specific.
Why do I like that? I like the feel of a more solid horse. I like a horse that is quick but not reactive. I like the look of a heavier horse, but not as heavy as a draft. It's a bit tough to really spell out.
So: what do you like? Why? Do you think it's nature or nurture - were you exposed to a lot of that breed in formative years, or have you always loved them from afar? Do you really think you have zero breed preference at all? Why is that?
Andrea at The Reeling recently wrote about her own transition to rescue horses, and her ideas about breeds & breeding. I really liked the way she wrote about her thought process.
Tristan is a BLM mustang, which I describe as an All-American equine mutt. Some people call mustangs a breed, and they get all involved in the DNA typing of various strains, and they come up with clever names for certain types of them. That's really not my thing. Mustangs are typey mutts, as far as I'm concerned. I've seen a lot of them, and there is an overall "look" but there is not anything approaching the standard set of characteristics that you would get from an established breed.
Tristan's BLM mustang freezebrand identification
I've known and ridden hundreds of horses from dozens of breeds, and I've known a lot of people who have really strong and clear preferences. A lot of eventers are Thoroughbred people. A lot of dressage riders have their own particular breed of warmblood that they prefer - or they sit on one side or another of the warmblood/Spanish type debate. My current dressage barn has quite a few Lusitanos in training.
I live in Vermont, where there are clearly established Morgan People. They have their own tack, their own show circuits, their own style of riding, their own set of views on horses that are shaped largely - if not entirely, in some cases - by the Morgan horse.
And I have been thinking about dogs, too, and how we pick the dogs that are a fit for us. My family - immediate and extended - are dog people. I grew up with yellow Labs, and my parents will always have them (no matter what my father says about no more new dogs...). My brother has a German Shepherd. My aunt had Golden Retrievers, then herding dogs, Border Collies and Aussies. My mother grew up with a Boxer, Doberman, and Irish Setter. My uncle has always (except for one Irish Setter) had hounds.
my parents' current dog, Willow, a few years ago
My own dog, Arya, is some kind of mutt - she was listed as a Boxer/Lab cross, but probably has hound and maybe some pit bull in there. She is a different type than the more solid, more laid back Labs that I grew up with, but I love that.
I chose my horse because I fell in love with him after working with him for the summer. He was not necessarily the "type" that I usually like. I chose my dog because she does represent a type that I have an affinity for: cheerful, sharp, sweet, and has a general look (medium-sized, short hair, blockier head, athletic & slim body) that I like.
Obviously, we all have a brain type that we like, and obviously every horse (and dog) is an individual. So we all know whether we like a kick ride or a pull ride, a thinking horse or an over-eager horse, on and on.
But most of us, however much we say we choose for brain first, have at least some breed preferences. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with those breeds, it just means it doesn't fit our aesthetic or riding choices. And the very fact that there are breeds mean that some characteristics are more common in them than not. While it is misleading to say that all representatives of a certain breed are hot or cold, smart or dumb, you are more likely to get those characteristics because there has been a program of selective breeding to encourage them. That's why we have breeds.
So I am wondering how we get there, as individuals, how we develop preferences for breeds, and how that influences us.
I didn't necessarily pick Tristan totally blind, as he has lots of things I like:
thick neck, close-coupled, pretty but not delicate head, good boneI'll go first. I don't like breeds with lots of hair: Friesians, Gypsy Vanners, some of the drafts, some of the ponies. They do absolutely nothing for me. I don't like the more "delicate" looking breeds: most Arabians, some of the taller/thinner Warmbloods (like Trakehners, usually), breeds like the Akhal Tekes or Marwaris.
My all time favorite breed, the one I will buy from someday, the one whose base characteristics match up with my aesthetic preferences and what I like in a brain, is Morgan. I like them with lots of bone, thick through the body and the neck, short-backed and close-coupled, with a fine but not dainty head. I like a horse that's smarter than I am, that has energy and sensitivity but would like to negotiate, and that has more of an all-around profile than something specific.
Why do I like that? I like the feel of a more solid horse. I like a horse that is quick but not reactive. I like the look of a heavier horse, but not as heavy as a draft. It's a bit tough to really spell out.
So: what do you like? Why? Do you think it's nature or nurture - were you exposed to a lot of that breed in formative years, or have you always loved them from afar? Do you really think you have zero breed preference at all? Why is that?
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Talking through it
I did not know Irene, as many of you did, nor had I read her blog, through some kind of terrible oversight. I've read posts about her in quiet grief.
I am no stranger to effed-up brain chemistry. I can't imagine that anyone is, in this world. Depression is a disease, and it is ruthless.
If you are in this place, please, please reach out, ok? Doing so is not weakness. It's bravery. You are an extraordinary person, and the world needs you. Don't let your depression tell you otherwise. Depression is a fucking liar.
There are people who are trained to help you, and who want very much to help you, if you feel you are unable to reach out to your regular support group, or if you feel like you don't have one.
Here's just one resource: the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. Call them at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Please, please, please.
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
When is enough, enough and what is too far?
I am somewhere in between deeply morose and utterly pissed off at life right now. Yesterday started with a $373 vet bill for the dog, who has begun peeing everywhere and who got a full barrage of tests to make sure she didn't have a UTI, or a problem with her kidney function, or who even knows. Then problems with my bank, work fuckery, the computer I just got $180 worth of repairs done on refusing to work at ALL because the repair guy wiped the drivers...
It ended with me getting to the barn with plans for 35 minutes of dressage schooling...and Tristan was lame.
Not lame-lame. But...not right. Stepping off his RF a little too fast, not using himself right. Then he wouldn't canter right - Sunday I thought that might be because of my use of the bareback pad. He was deeply reluctant to do it on the longe after I jumped off and put him through his paces. He didn't want to land on that RF.
So I gave him bute in his PM grain, he'll get more today in his AM grain, and we'll see what he looks like tonight. It could be a momentary thing. It could be a more worrying long-term thing. All I know is I've been chasing problems in this foot for 3.5 years now and I am so fucking tired. I just wanted to ride my horse.
I am in a place I have been before, and have been increasingly the last few months. What is the right next step? I can keep chasing things with his foot, and obviously I will do everything I can to keep him happy and comfortable - and he is by no means uncomfortable, he is just not sound enough for work at the moment.
If he were 14, I wouldn't hesitate - we'd inject that coffin joint, and probably his hocks, too. But he's not 14 anymore. He's 20, and he's not in full work, and which path is the best? Basic maintenance and just enough work to keep him stretched out and comfortable, or joint injections and a stepped-up maintenance plan to keep him in work?
I still love riding my horse. I still need that release. I'm not ready to let go of that, but I'm also deeply reluctant to commit to thousands of dollars in maintenance. I don't know what the answer is, but I do know that we're getting closer and closer to decision time.
It ended with me getting to the barn with plans for 35 minutes of dressage schooling...and Tristan was lame.
Not lame-lame. But...not right. Stepping off his RF a little too fast, not using himself right. Then he wouldn't canter right - Sunday I thought that might be because of my use of the bareback pad. He was deeply reluctant to do it on the longe after I jumped off and put him through his paces. He didn't want to land on that RF.
So I gave him bute in his PM grain, he'll get more today in his AM grain, and we'll see what he looks like tonight. It could be a momentary thing. It could be a more worrying long-term thing. All I know is I've been chasing problems in this foot for 3.5 years now and I am so fucking tired. I just wanted to ride my horse.
I am in a place I have been before, and have been increasingly the last few months. What is the right next step? I can keep chasing things with his foot, and obviously I will do everything I can to keep him happy and comfortable - and he is by no means uncomfortable, he is just not sound enough for work at the moment.
If he were 14, I wouldn't hesitate - we'd inject that coffin joint, and probably his hocks, too. But he's not 14 anymore. He's 20, and he's not in full work, and which path is the best? Basic maintenance and just enough work to keep him stretched out and comfortable, or joint injections and a stepped-up maintenance plan to keep him in work?
I still love riding my horse. I still need that release. I'm not ready to let go of that, but I'm also deeply reluctant to commit to thousands of dollars in maintenance. I don't know what the answer is, but I do know that we're getting closer and closer to decision time.
at least he's cute, right?
Monday, December 7, 2015
More Poles
New and different poles exercise last night, done with a bareback pad and at the walk.
Three poles set up in a fan pattern in the corner, with the fourth about two or three strides away. We did it at the walk, starting with just a big warmup around the ring, getting him a little bit loose and swingy and a bit softer and more bent.
Then we did the two poles on the outside line, which were set up so I could avoid the corner fan, and got him to start lifting his back and really stepping over the poles.
Then we incorporated the fan into it, staying in the middle but still going all the way around the ring. This proved trickier, since a) I hadn't gotten the striding quite right and b) Tris still wasn't really with me yet.
I took a break from this to ask him to canter a bit - not really a lot, or to school it, just to get a bit more jump in his step and to get him thinking a little more forward.
He was reluctant to canter, through, I'm sure some combination of stiffness and my lack of really solid seat with the bareback pad contributed to that. Once he did, he moved much better.
Then we moved to a smaller circle and worked over just the fan of the poles. The nice thing about having them out like that was that I could guide the exercise more specifically. We worked on the inside of the poles, requiring a much tighter stride, and then on the 15m circle we spiraled out and went on the outside of the poles, which meant a bigger stride.
I was really pleased with how the exercise worked out, but not necessarily with how I rode. I just wasn't quite present like I needed to be to handle Tristan's stiffness and unwillingness that day.
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Weekly Blog Roundup
Quick blog roundup this week.
My Grooming Bucket is a TARDIS from The $900 Facebook Pony
We've all been there.
Success and Yet Failure at the Carolina 100 from In Omnia Paratus
Great perspective, great story.
Fabulous from Pony Express
That looks like an obscene amount of fun.
Your Guide to Equestrian Gift Giving from If the Saddle Fits
Really good selection.
Holidy Hound Adventure from Hand Gallop
I laughed really, really hard at this. #sorrynotsorry
Thinking Outside the Box: Senior Management from Equinpilot
I can't get over how clever this is.
Noble Outfitters Giveaway from Breeches & Boat Shoes
Giveaway alert!
My Grooming Bucket is a TARDIS from The $900 Facebook Pony
We've all been there.
Success and Yet Failure at the Carolina 100 from In Omnia Paratus
Great perspective, great story.
Fabulous from Pony Express
That looks like an obscene amount of fun.
Your Guide to Equestrian Gift Giving from If the Saddle Fits
Really good selection.
Holidy Hound Adventure from Hand Gallop
I laughed really, really hard at this. #sorrynotsorry
Thinking Outside the Box: Senior Management from Equinpilot
I can't get over how clever this is.
Noble Outfitters Giveaway from Breeches & Boat Shoes
Giveaway alert!
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Winter Longeing
Though it is a slow start, we are slipping into winter. It's been cold and rainy the last few days, and I have been less than motivated. Mostly I've been either taking care of 8 million things around the house or lying on the couch reading/watching Jessica Jones on Netflix.
I am getting out on and off though, and last night I got home and my husband said "go to the barn. I'll have dinner ready when you get back," which I think was a ploy so he could spend the next three hours playing Assassin's Creed on our new TV, but I'll take it.
So: longeing. I wanted to make it productive rather than simply stretching, so I set up poles in a "circle of death" exercise.
I just clipped the line onto his halter and focused on getting a consistent forward stride, improving his tracking up, and improving the way he used his body over the poles. We started with five minutes of walk each way, then I moved him to the other half of the ring and let him trot without poles for three minutes each way. His trot has been sticky lately, so I let him jump into canter when he wanted to, buck around a little bit to loosen up when he wanted to, and focused on the end game of a smooth, consistent trot at the end.
Tristan may not have fancy gaits, but when he clicks in, consistency is definitely one of his biggest assets. Given proper support in the form of driving aids and framing he will move those hind legs like a metronome.
Then we moved back over to the poles to work over them in the trot. I watched his legs to see how he was using them, and the muscles of his back, and of his stomach. It was really gratifying to see that he tightened his stomach, lifted his back, raised his tail, and dropped his neck. His ears stayed pricked throughout as he hunted down the next pole. He loves jumping so much, I sometimes think pole work that I leave him to figure out - like longeing over them - is a partial substitute.
Like the consistency of his hind end, he's always been a horse that likes to have a say in figuring out his footwork. When we jumped regularly, I never counted strides. (I know, hunters, I'm sorry, but I am telling it like it is!) I focused on getting him put together, focused on the quality of the gait I was riding, focused on keeping him straight, and let him figure out what he wanted for striding. He would usually flub the first few fences but as I worked harder on getting a better quality horse to present, he would start to get into it and would adjust his own striding as we approached. Every time. If I trusted him, he figured it out.
He started off a little stilted and not quite figuring out his placement. He would get to the pole on the same wonky striding every time, placing his left hind right at the base of the pole, then hitching a little bit awkwardly as he didn't have a good angle to lift his right hind over it. Every single time, his left hind would almost tap the pole, his right hind would have to swing awkwardly, his head would raise, and he would look slightly frustrated.
Then, he started to shorten his stride before the poles one stride out, which resulted in some missteps and kicking the poles. Then he started two strides out, and once he started to figure it out he very quickly had the whole thing figured out and was absolutely nailing the striding, getting the pole perfectly in the middle of his stride and carrying an elevated, more swinging gait through the entire circle.
This happened in about 3 minutes at the trot. When I swapped to the left it took him less than 30 seconds to adjust his striding again and he just sailed through it without any mistakes. I asked him for just two circles at the canter, and he was so into it he would've kept going, though he was a bit tired.
Give me a thinking, figuring-it-out horse any day of the week, you guys. I will put up with an awful lot, but I can't abide stupidity, especially deliberate obtuseness. I have never met a stupid mustang yet. (Obnoxious, opinionated, spooky, deadheaded, yes, but never, ever stupid.)
Total time elapsed was about 25 minutes, but it was a hugely fruitful exercise for both of us.
I am getting out on and off though, and last night I got home and my husband said "go to the barn. I'll have dinner ready when you get back," which I think was a ploy so he could spend the next three hours playing Assassin's Creed on our new TV, but I'll take it.
So: longeing. I wanted to make it productive rather than simply stretching, so I set up poles in a "circle of death" exercise.
I just clipped the line onto his halter and focused on getting a consistent forward stride, improving his tracking up, and improving the way he used his body over the poles. We started with five minutes of walk each way, then I moved him to the other half of the ring and let him trot without poles for three minutes each way. His trot has been sticky lately, so I let him jump into canter when he wanted to, buck around a little bit to loosen up when he wanted to, and focused on the end game of a smooth, consistent trot at the end.
Tristan may not have fancy gaits, but when he clicks in, consistency is definitely one of his biggest assets. Given proper support in the form of driving aids and framing he will move those hind legs like a metronome.
Then we moved back over to the poles to work over them in the trot. I watched his legs to see how he was using them, and the muscles of his back, and of his stomach. It was really gratifying to see that he tightened his stomach, lifted his back, raised his tail, and dropped his neck. His ears stayed pricked throughout as he hunted down the next pole. He loves jumping so much, I sometimes think pole work that I leave him to figure out - like longeing over them - is a partial substitute.
Like the consistency of his hind end, he's always been a horse that likes to have a say in figuring out his footwork. When we jumped regularly, I never counted strides. (I know, hunters, I'm sorry, but I am telling it like it is!) I focused on getting him put together, focused on the quality of the gait I was riding, focused on keeping him straight, and let him figure out what he wanted for striding. He would usually flub the first few fences but as I worked harder on getting a better quality horse to present, he would start to get into it and would adjust his own striding as we approached. Every time. If I trusted him, he figured it out.
midway through figuring it out
He started off a little stilted and not quite figuring out his placement. He would get to the pole on the same wonky striding every time, placing his left hind right at the base of the pole, then hitching a little bit awkwardly as he didn't have a good angle to lift his right hind over it. Every single time, his left hind would almost tap the pole, his right hind would have to swing awkwardly, his head would raise, and he would look slightly frustrated.
Then, he started to shorten his stride before the poles one stride out, which resulted in some missteps and kicking the poles. Then he started two strides out, and once he started to figure it out he very quickly had the whole thing figured out and was absolutely nailing the striding, getting the pole perfectly in the middle of his stride and carrying an elevated, more swinging gait through the entire circle.
This happened in about 3 minutes at the trot. When I swapped to the left it took him less than 30 seconds to adjust his striding again and he just sailed through it without any mistakes. I asked him for just two circles at the canter, and he was so into it he would've kept going, though he was a bit tired.
Give me a thinking, figuring-it-out horse any day of the week, you guys. I will put up with an awful lot, but I can't abide stupidity, especially deliberate obtuseness. I have never met a stupid mustang yet. (Obnoxious, opinionated, spooky, deadheaded, yes, but never, ever stupid.)
Total time elapsed was about 25 minutes, but it was a hugely fruitful exercise for both of us.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Stablekeeping Giveaway Update!
Remember ages ago when I did a giveaway and then my brain dribbled out my ears and I forgot to pick a winner? Yeah. That was awesome of me.
Um, anyway.
The winner of one copy of Stablekeeping by Cherry Hill is...
[insert drumroll here, use your imagination]
Renate!
Renate has a very striking paint horse in her profile pic through Rafflecopter but I can't figure out whether she has a blog. So I'll be sending her book off post haste.
Thanks everyone for participating, that was kind of fun. :)
Um, anyway.
The winner of one copy of Stablekeeping by Cherry Hill is...
[insert drumroll here, use your imagination]
Renate!
Renate has a very striking paint horse in her profile pic through Rafflecopter but I can't figure out whether she has a blog. So I'll be sending her book off post haste.
Thanks everyone for participating, that was kind of fun. :)
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
For Your Consideration: #GivingTuesday at Ever After Mustang Rescue
I've written before about Tristan's rescue, mostly here and here. It remains a place near and dear to my heart because it gave me my best friend, and because it is a place where good people do good work.
Today is Giving Tuesday, as those of us in the nonprofit world know well. The time between Thanksgiving and New Year's is the busiest time of the year for fundraising. People are feeling more generous around the holidays and the more practical among them are looking at their impending tax filings.
So, on this Tuesday after the shopping and spending orgy that was the long weekend, many are considering giving back to their communities.
I will be making a donation to Ever After Mustang Rescue to support their work in rescuing and retraining mustangs.
Here's my twist.
Please comment on this post today with a horse-related nonprofit that you support. Even better, tell me that you've donated to that organization.
For each comment, I will donate an additional $5 to Ever After Mustang Rescue. (Up to a reasonable amount, I do still have a horse.)
So: let me know where you will be supporting with your donations today, or where you have supported in the past. (Last year, I did a roundup of horse-related charities; you can find it here.)
(I did think about making additional donations to the organizations you all support but the logistics started to scramble my brain. Maybe next year.)
Today is Giving Tuesday, as those of us in the nonprofit world know well. The time between Thanksgiving and New Year's is the busiest time of the year for fundraising. People are feeling more generous around the holidays and the more practical among them are looking at their impending tax filings.
So, on this Tuesday after the shopping and spending orgy that was the long weekend, many are considering giving back to their communities.
I will be making a donation to Ever After Mustang Rescue to support their work in rescuing and retraining mustangs.
Here's my twist.
Please comment on this post today with a horse-related nonprofit that you support. Even better, tell me that you've donated to that organization.
For each comment, I will donate an additional $5 to Ever After Mustang Rescue. (Up to a reasonable amount, I do still have a horse.)
So: let me know where you will be supporting with your donations today, or where you have supported in the past. (Last year, I did a roundup of horse-related charities; you can find it here.)
(I did think about making additional donations to the organizations you all support but the logistics started to scramble my brain. Maybe next year.)
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