December 8 2012 Lesson #14

Hi everyone!!!

This week both of our main riding instructors were gone so we had a sub... We all thought the lesson would be boring because she didnt know us or the horses like the usual but we had an amazing class!!!

We were allowed to warm up on our own using flexion, change of rein, and some leg yielding and turn on the forehand. Then we trotted around the standards and ground poles, changing rein, doing some circles, and watching out for each other. Dandy was pretty insistent on going as fast as possible, especially when I was doing sitting trot without stirrups! And everyone forgot to mention that he is bouncy on top of all of that...

We did some canter to the back of the ride, and the first transition we did was almost perfect. Dandy went on the right lead, and cantered all around the arena nicely, and in control. He isnt as good on the left lead, but we got there, and I was still proud of him.

There were 4 poles (with their standards) set up around the whole arena, and we were allowed to choose and ride our own courses of 5-6 poles. Dandy and I went first, and we did pretty well. Missed a couple of corners because of his speed but over all well. The second time around we messed it up pretty good. We had to take the bending line from one pole to another twice. The first time we did fairly well, and he was under control. The second time something from the viewing area caught his eye, and he shifted quickly and cantered around the pole. After I had asked him to stop and we continued on he tried to dodge the pole again, but we managed to make it over both in the bending line. Despite the fact that he pushed into a gallop over the second one, and galloped 20m circles at the far end the arena :)

He is such a goof sometimes, and I miss Rizzo. But he is a challenge I need and love, and he is a really sweet boy!

Love you Dandy!

Dandy!

These are videos of the horse I am now riding Dandy, This isn't me riding him though!

December 01 2012 Lesson # 13

Hey readers!!!

I am so sorry that I have been missing a lot of posts lately, but i have been uber busy lately. SO im starting here again.

I have recently been riding Rizzo, but this last Saturday I was switched to a Percheron X gelding named Dandy. He is a gorgeous flea bitten grey with HUGE feet! He has great manners in the tie stall, and lifts and holds his feet nicely for picking them out. He is a really tough ride though!

We warmed up on our own with flexion (which Dandy is good at), and some trotting circles etc. We also worked on emergency stops, and leg yielding. Our coach set up a great course with a combination curved jumps. Dandy is a great jumper..... If you can stay on

The first jump we did together was kinda scary! We trotted in on a short rein slowly, and nicely and then Dandy took it upon himself to full out gallop towards the jump, leap over in a perfect bascule, and gallop off afterwards. He is really headstrong over jumps, but used to ironically be a hunter jumper. After the first jump I got used to his craziness and we worked fairly well together, except for the fact that he blew past the second jump in the combination both times we took the course.

Haha he is such a goof, I am riding him for a while lets hope I can figure him out like I figured out the other horses I have rode.

Lesson #9 November 03 2012

Hello everyone! I know I am behind in the lessons, i missed 2 lessons i think. Unfortunately I wont be writing about those. SO I have skipped ahead to the 9th lesson.

This Saturday we did:
-Flexion to the inside and outside (to get the horse round, and supple)
-2 point
-Rising trot on a 20m circle
-Canter on a 20m circle one at a time
-Sitting trot
-Jumping course consisting of 3 cross rails, and a vertical
-Trot no stirrups (rising, sitting, 2 point)


I was so excited this week, it was the first time I jumped a vertical, and Rizzo was loving it! She soared over the jumps. She had a super forward canter, and cleared the vertical by at least 2ft. she was such a good mare this week!

Hope it goes well next week,
Ashley

Lesson #6 October 13 2012

Hi everybody!

What did we do?

-Warm up (forward walk and flexion)
- Rising trot
-Sitting trot with and without stirrups
-Turn on the forehand
-Canter work*

*Rizzo was actually quite well behaved this week, she was really forward at the walk, and trot. We had some difficulty at the canter (everybody has those problems with her). We were changing lead across the diagonal through simple lead changes (Canter trot other lead). First try Rizzo was good at the canter, and she was trying hard but she will not keep cantering no matter what! As soon as we reached a corner she would slow to the trot. But my talented little mare did a flying lead change once! So it was so cute, and sweet of her. She hasn't been taught the turn on the forehand really so we had problems with that until she gave me a quarter turn on the the forehand, she got loads of pats for that one.

Thanks for reading!

Lesson #5 October 06 2012

Catching up on the blogs!!!

Here is what we did:

-Warm up
-Forward walk
-Flexion
-Turn on the forehand
-Rising trot
-2 point practice
-Sitting trot without stirrups
-Jumping warm up
-Jumping course (shown below)

 I rode Rizzo again, the first jump we went over (the practice one) was a fail. She dropped her hind feet and knocked the whole jump over, but we found our groove going into the course, and we went through it easy. My 2 point needs work however! Love you Rizzo!

Lesson #4 September 29 2012

I guess I have fallen behind in posts by a week! Oops I will catch up today, while I have the time.

What did we do?

-Warm up

-Rising trot

-Sitting trot

-Beginning leg yields at walk and trot

-Turn on the haunches

-Canter 20m circle

-Jumps!!! *

*The jumps were a gymnastic/ bounce sort of thing. They were tons of fun and a great start to jumping this year.

I was so excited to be put on Rizzo this lesson, and I hope to ride her again. She is a chestnut mare with a blaze, and I have been told she is part paint horse (but doesn't have the coloring). She has been known to give you a work out as she is not forward, she loves to push your patience. Most of the time you need to us the crop behind your leg to get her to go in a forward manner. I was determined to just use leg, and the crop on the shoulder. That's what happened. She was super forward with just that. Lets hope I can work on it next week as well. She is quite talented once you get her going and she will surge over the jumps without touching them if she is asked right. I love her she is my next favorite horse after Bliss!

Lesson #3 September 29 2012

I am sorry I am late with this lesson, I have been fairly busy with school and lost track of time.

Here is what we did:

- Warm up (at walk)
- Flexion at the poll
- Trot (rising, sitting, without stirrups)
- Quarter turn
- 2-point at trot and walk
-Canter: 2point, full seat, 2point, full seat


It was really quite fun, and I rode patches again. I will do a later post on flexion, and horses anatomy. Patches decided to go for a gallop at the canter part so he wore himself out, and I had to get off of him because he was too hot. Silly boy. I hope I can ride a horse soon, I love horses (and ponies).

Lesson #2 (Sept. 15 2012)

This lesson was better than the last lesson more exciting!!!

We:

-Warmed up (arm circles, 2-point)
-Trot
-Turn on the haunches
-Going down Quarter line
-Sitting trot, and 2 point at trot
-Canter large, 20m circle, large, 20m circle


I was so happy we got to canter this week!!!

I rode patches again, and we were brilliant in blue this week. He had a blue halter, boots, and saddle pad, and I had a blue crop. That is so weird LOL Patches was actually pretty high this week, he was harder to control and really forward, I love him!

I volunteer now from 11:30 to 5:00 with my lesson sometime in between, and help with the little kids and tacking up and UN tacking their horses with them. I hope we get to jump soon.

Thanks for reading

Puissance wall!

Hello guys! First off I am sorry about all of the Ads I am looking into them now!!!

Second who has seen the puissance wall jump?

I love to watch it, but I have to close my eyes because of the height of the jumps!!!

Here it is hope you enjoy

Thanks for reading/watching!

Lesson #1 New riding season (Sept. 8 2012)

Hey everyone!!! I am so excited to have over 800 views on my blog!!! Thanks so much, and I hope you enjoy.


I started the fall riding season again! I was hoping to be put on a new horse this season but I am still on Patches, oh well!! I love him a lot anyway. We didn't do much this week only walk and trot but here is what we did:

1) Warm up (arm circles, standing in the stirrups, 2-point)
2)Walk (forward), and halt exactly at letters in the arena
3) Trot
4) Trot to walk to halt transitions
5) Trot to walk transitions
6) Turn on the haunches (down quarter line)

Patches has gained some weight over the summer, so he was really slow. I didn't want to use the crop on him too much but I did a bit to get the forward walk our coach was asking for.

Me an patches were pretty in pink, as his white splotches were died pink for a breast cancer riding thing a couple of weeks ago (and it hasn't faded) I had my pink helmet, and he also had a pink saddle pad and boots!!! :P

I was hoping that we would be able to canter but we apparently had to work our way in slowly LOL

Thanks for reading!!!

Ask, Tell, Demand!

When I am riding we use a system called Ask Tell Demand (which you may be familiar with). It is where you give the horse a chance to learn from its mistakes, and for you to have a fair way to "discipline" the horse.

Here is an example:

When you want the horse to move faster (from walk to trot)

Ask: Give him a light squeeze with you legs

Tell: Give him a kick, and use your voice

Demand: Use an artificial aid (crop, spurs), and your voice


Use demand as the last resort, and if you have to use it, use it lightly first. This is increasing your pressure on the horse to get him to move the way you want.

Try it out!

Chuck Wagon racing! Yay? or Nay?

Chuck wagon racing is an equestrian rodeo event where harnessed horses pull a wagon (and driver) around a barrel and down the track, just like in TB racing whoever crosses the line first wins!



This event is very popularly associated with the Calgary Stampede, and the huge hoards of people it attracts. However it also gets a lot of attention from animal activists. Why? Watch the video below for an idea!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oxTuGMY3hA

Skip to 0:37 to see the crash right away!
3 horses dead, the horse you see fall to the side died from a burst Aorta (burst heart basically)
This created a domino effect. It is so sad to see these horse die. And the worst part it happens almost every year, at tons of events!
So comment on what you think about chuckwagon races, and if they should be allowed or banned!  


Sorry about the white highlighting it will not delete! Comment if you know how to get rid of it!

Working at my stables!

I had fun working at my stables all last week (Monday the 9th - Friday the 13th)

There are camps that go on all summer called the RVC (river valley camps). These camps include games, and most importantly horse lessons the whole week of camp. There were 4 groups of kids ranging from 8-12, and every group rode for 45 mins to an hour every day. That means that the volunteers (what I was doing) had to bring in and take out the horses (to and from paddocks), groom, tack and untack, feed, and lead the horses. The kids were assigned a horse every day, and slowly were taught to ride. I led the following horses: (maybe some others that I have forgotten)

-Scarlet
-Breezy
-Babe
-Murphy
-Cocoa
-Blu

On Friday I wasn't supposed to work, but I decided to go anyway (as I love horse that much). In the first class I was leading Breezy (for a 2nd time), and we had a great lesson! Just before the next lesson was supposed to start, the instructor Lisa came up to me, and asked me to ride Scarlet. She wasn't listening to the kids' leg and wouldn't stay on the rail. She kept drifting. I was soo excited to be able to get on her! She was being such a sweetie, but it was also clear that she was way too full of energy. I took her through the walk, trot, obstacle course lesson. This was to teach her that she was supposed to listen during these types of classes. After the 2nd lesson all of the leaders got to get on the horse they were leading, and trot and canter them around. Since Scarlet wasn't allowed to canter I cantered Breezy, and he decided to be totally crazy. Then we got pizza for lunch!


Over all this experience was great! I hope I might have some extra days to drop in and help out. Even though we got really hot (it reached 42 degrees Celsius) I would do it again in a heartbeat!


Thanks for reading,

Ashley

Leather horse!!!

I know the title sounds weird but I found this leather horse from India in this little thrift store thing near a place I was eating supper tonight, and I found this beautiful leather horse with bridle and saddle!

Monty Roberts "The man who listens to horses"

Who is Monty Roberts?

Monty Roberts is a man who has worked with horses, for almost all of his life. He recognizes body language, and is famous for his "Join up" technique. He has fostered 47 children and 3 of his own. He has gentled over 15,000 horses, and has joined up with a horse in front of the Queen. When he was young he witnessed many "sacking in's" performed by his dad. After studying the mustangs he started join up. He married a woman named Pat, and they have come as far as possible with horses in today's world


What is "Join up"?

This information will be provided in the post after this one




Where can I learn more about Monty Roberts?


Here is the link to his website: http://www.montyroberts.com/ab_about_monty/ju_about/
You can also Google: Monty Roberts horse whisperer

Monty Roberts is also the author of the following books:

The Man Who Listens To Horses**
The Little American Mustang

Horse Sense For People

From My Hands To Yours**

I’m Shy Boy

The Horses In My Life

Ask Monty

**These books also come as a Spanish edition

There is also a wide selection of DVD's by Monty Roberts that can be purchased here: 

http://www.montyroberts.com/montys-store/dvds/

Live courses and events:

Join Monty Roberts in the flesh at one of his Live courses, and see for yourself what he can really do!

http://www.montyroberts.com/ab_about_monty_calendar/see-monty/

Above is his schedule

Helmet cams!

I love seeing how big time riders jump/ ride courses and stuff. I found a way to do that! The helmet cams!!! Here is a sample link of John Anderson and Terrific in the Nexen Derby

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rtgyKQTvwk&feature=related

Comment and tell me how you like it! You can even hear the poles drop, when the horse hits one!

To find more of these videos on youtube search up:

• Helmet cams horses
• GoPro helmet cams and horses (which are mostly better quality)

Hope you enjoy!

SURPRISE!

So I went to my show early, but the horse I was riding was already in the arena. So I ate a freezie! Then another surprise.... We were doing a hunter jumper course instead of a dressage test! Patches decided to be totally hyped up too...

We did a 7 jump course, twice. It was so much fun! I have never done a real course before, or cantered that much, but it was so so so much fun!!!

We placed 3rd, but I was against girls that rode a lot more, and a lot longer than me. I have only been jumping for 7- ish months. Riding is over for a couple of months so hope I get rides in the summer!

Will keep posting :)

Dressage competition

Last week was our last week of actual lessons... It sucks because i missed it for a dance recital that ran the whole day. :(

This week I have a fun dressage show. Last year I won my class, but this year I have a lot more competition. Which is great to challenge me! I am always extremely excited to groom, tack, and ride but comps. are so fun!

I am riding patches, and we are doing the test that i mentioned in the last post. Wish me luck!

Lesson #17

Today i went to riding an hour early to write my written portion of my testing. It was easy because i knew my stuff but there were parts that were in another stable management book i didn't have (thanks mom for buying it for me)!

We warmed up quite fast since we were late getting into the arena, so we did walk, rising trot.Then we did a little canter to the back of the line. Patches was pretty happy about that. Then we did our dressage test for our show in 2 weeks!

A enter at walk
X halt immobility 4 secs.
continue at walk
C track right
M rising trot
A 20m circle rising trot
Between A-K canter right lead
B sitting trot
A walk
Change of rein K-B
M rising trot
C 20m circle rising trot
Between C-H canter left lead
B sitting trot
C rising trot
Change of rein H-X-F
Between F-A walk
A turn down center line
X halt
Leave arena on long rein

I rode patches, and he did awesome. Wuv wu patches!

Lesson #16

We had another week of testing, and this week was better and more exciting then the last. We warmed up slowly (since the horses had their shots this week and were feeling a little sleepy) Then we did some trotting both sitting, and rising. We worked on that, and our instructors asked us some questions about horse care! I have to go early next week to take my level 2 writing part of the test, even though i am in level 3. I haven't taken the test yet!

Questions:
How often does the farrier come? 6-8 weeks
What does your horse eat? Hay, oats, bran mash etc.
Describe a immobile halt? Not moving, all 4 legs equal 
Tell what lead the horse is on

Then we did some canter work:

-Go large
-20 m circle at A
-Go large
-20 m circle at C

Patches was great at this!

I rode patches again, and i am finally getting the hang of putting on his bridle (which has a chain, and cavesson)

Turn on the forehand!

1. Stand against a wall facing one direction
2. Slide your outside leg behind the girth
3. Ask for the horse to step over with his hindquarters by applying pressure with outside leg
4. Keep the pressure until facing the other direction

TIP:

If the horse resists turn its head slightly to the outside, and use your leg aids.

This is pretty much it!

Lesson #15

We are being tested for level 2! YAY! Our lesson wasn't too to exciting though. My stirrup came off of the saddle when i was adjusting it though, guess it was loose. Good thing i wasn't cantering!

We did a lot of sitting trot with and without stirrups
No cantering this lesson (oh well)
Taking our feet out of the stirrups, and then putting them back at trot and walk
Changing rein across the diagonal
Turn on the forehand
Warm up

I rode patches, and he was great! No matter how fast that pony goes at the trot you don't bounce! He also is brilliant remembers dressage tests on his own by watching his friends go!

Here he is:

 14 hh!
Picture from: http://welca.ca/horses

Huge sad face!!!

Sorrrrryyyy everyone, i have seriously been slacking with the posts! I think i missed 3-4 lessons! I dont really remember them since the last was still over a week ago...

I will post this lesson up I PROMISE XD

I don't ride bliss anymore because his owner took him back to her barn for the summer. I miss you buddy~
I am now riding a 14hh pony named Patches. Yes he has patches. He is black and white and is a piebald. He is crazier than Bliss and runs like everything although he trips sometimes, and get excited over jumps. Loves dressage too though. He is the smallest horse in the class so far so i kind of want to ride a horse but oh well, happy with him. They are testing us for our level 2 soon (next week or so)

Lesson #14

Sorry for the huge time gap in between posts, but school work and review has been torture!

For this lesson we:

-Warmed up
- Poles
-Rising/ sitting trot
-jump sequences

* I rode bliss at first but then another girl in our class (who was riding a horse named Murphy who doesn't jump) got to ride bliss after i jumped him.

Lesson #13

Yesterday we:

- Warmed up
- Free trot (rising and sitting)
- Jumping in the same formation as last week (except just trotting over poles)
- Free canter (everyone got in a corner except for 1 person, and they got to canter around for 2 or 3 loops of the arena change direction, and do it again.)


*I rode bliss again! But today he was really easy going, and his canter was smooth, and amazing, even calm!

Lesson # 12

Uuuuugghh, I was really sick on friday, but i still went to riding this week. It was totally worth it!

-Warm up (circles, leg yields etc.)
-Turn on the haunches
- Free trot


Then cross rails were set up at around the middle of the arena in an L shape, and we did an exercise where you go one at a time, and trot into the jumps (1st with the poles down), and then halt at the letters you were trotting at (Ex. H and K) to master straightness. Then with the poles up trot in the same formation. Trot into the jump, trot out, and continue without halting.

Here is a picture of the exercise: (sorry not perfectly equal/straight)

I rode Bliss again! <3 Love you bliss!

Riding lesson #12

Yesterday we:

- Warmed up (doing quarter turns, halts etc.)
- Trot (rising, sitting, sitting w/ out stirrups)
- AN exercise where there are cones, and poles, and you go down the quarter line, and over poles, and then do a  quarter turn. We did this at the walk and trot
- Free trot
- Leg yields

This class wasn't as exciting, but we learned lots of valuable stuff!

I rode Bliss! YAY! He was calmer, and better behaved. I also learned he is a Morab (Morgan, Arab)

Lesson #11

Sorry i missed a couple lessons guys, i was busy these last couple weeks.

- Warm up
- Rising trot
-Sitting trot (using bucking strap)
-Sitting trot no stirrups
- Rising trot
-Walk out
-Walked course
- Trot across diagonal H to X (jump cross rail) to F cantering out
- Canter K to X (jump cross rail) to M
-Repeated exercise
-Cool down

I rode a gorgeous gelding named Bliss (he has some Arabian in him), he is flighty, and a bit hot but such a sweetie! He tried to eat me foot! LOL I love him so much, and i know that is the kind of horse i would buy. He is bouncy but not to bad if you have rode Kris a fjord Arabian cross who bounces you up and out!

Lesson #9

Hello horsie people!  We jumped for the 1st time in a while! Because the riding director/coordinator was there to teach.

Lesson 9! WOW it's going fast.

We:

-Walk warm-up pulling ourselves into the saddle
-Rising trot
-Forward rising trot
-Sitting trot (again pulling ourselves to the the saddle to develop our seat)
-Trot poles (ehem... some horses cantered cuz of excitement) then square stop
-Trot pole, then cross rail! then square stop
- Cool down on a long rein


I was riding an arabian mare named COCOA! She is a sweetie but bloats, and is antsy until warmed up, she needs a slow, confident rider who knows what they are doing...

Lesson #8

Sorry everyone! I have not posted in forever!

For lesson #8 we:

- Walked around the arena for 45 minutes warming up, and doing different excersizes. As well as changing our speed, and collection at different sides of the arena.

- Working at a trot: Sitting trot, rising trot and at both changing your speed, and collection at different areas of the arena

-Cantering 1 at a time doing a 20 m circle at C going large 20 m circle going large 20m circle and large, then repeating in the opposite direction, and starting at A.

While doing the walk trot portion of the lesson we reviewed our level 1 aids:

The 5 Natural Aids are:
-Hand
-Eyes
-Voice
-Seat/weight
-Legs

There are also 2 false aids:

-Crop/whip
-Spurs


*I rode spud*