Feeling Really Stupid

 

So last we left things off, we were headed to the PC clinic.  First day of the clinic was fine but a tad behind the leg.  Still.  I came out the next day determined to ride forward and got some nice trot work but it was a little pissy.  PC wanted me to ride the same way at the canter and Cruise lost his shit and started dirty bucking.  I stayed on but it was not pleasant.  After a reset at the walk and trot , PC schooled him on the lunge to get him immediately forward.  She never touched him but used her energy and a flag.  He was pretty defiant but folded his tent in under 10 minutes and cantered forward mostly quietly.  Next day started with the same lunging with much less defiance, but still some, and then a walk trot session that was pretty good. 

I was feeling pretty defeated after this clinic.  Why the fuck won't this horse go freely forward?  We've fixed his posture and his balance.  He has a saddle that fits well.  But always always always he is like a car with the parking brake half on.  In hand, on the lunge, under saddle.  From the time he came off the trailer from California.  So frustrating.

Then I started thinking, what else is weird about him?  Well duh, his back feet.  I've asked my farrier about his misshapen frogs and non symmetrical back feet and been told some horses just grow out like that through the trimming cycle.  And I accepted that.

Anyway, long story short, I had LM's barefoot trimmer do a consult on his feet and YES the back feet are a big problem and in his opinion, could very well be causing his reluctance to go forward.  This guy talked me through his asymmetries and explained how it affects his stride, his balance, and stress on his hind joints.  The trimmer was kind of incredulous that Cruise's withers weren't asymmetrical as well because of the severity of the problem.

So...I"m feeling pretty stupid, but there's no point in that.  The trimmer, who used to be a highly esteemed forge farrier and has retired to barefoot trims and glue on shoes, said if it were his horse he would go to hind shoes.  Corrective trimming would help but in his words, shoeing Cruise correctly behind would make a massive change in his comfort immediately.

The hunt for a shoer begins...

Another Way of Thinking About Posture

 

Coach Sando Training has started popping up in my Facebook feed and I'm loving the content.  I especially like THIS reel about how problems with posture are really problems with your ribcage sitting directly over your neutral pelvis.  I tried the fix this morning and had the best ride and specifically the best canters.  Interesting stuff.  For sure,  worth checking out this free and useful content on FB.

New Saddle, a Mild Colic, and an End of Summer Update

 

Things have been ticking along.  I've been riding Cruise 5-6 days a week with auxiliary lunging, in-hand work, and a lesson every week or so.  I feel like we are making real progress on our homework, including swaying in the flexions, a smooth reverse pirouette both ways, improvement in the counter bending, and generally with him being more responsive under saddle.

I still felt like something was missing for both of us though, and decided to test ride an EQ Saddle Science Frankie.  I've had the saddle about a week into a two week trial, and so far everything has been seamless, from measuring him myself, to the shipment and Google Meet video fitting before my initial ride.  So far I am in love.  See a quick shot from my second ride HERE.  I really like how this saddle positions me with my legs more underneath my hips, it's so much easier to sit upright, and Cruise seems to love it.  The flapless thing is really cool and makes it feel closer to riding bareback with all the security of having a tree and stirrups.

In not so great news, Cruise had a mild colic  about 3 weeks ago.  It resolved with oral Banamine and light lunging but confirmed my suspicion that he might be working up some ulcers.  He'd been a little low appetite for him and had dropped some weight after the clinic in July.  I'd been wondering about ulcers and the colic confirmed it in my mind.  He's been on Gut X for a little over 2 weeks and it's been kind of amazing.  Appetite back, gained 50 pounds at least, and dappling out.  Amazing stuff.

Anyway, that's the update for now.  We've got the Pippa clinic in early October to look forward to and hopefully some cooler Fall weather.  What are you and your ponies up to as we head into the season of pumpkin spice and crunchy leaves?

A Few Gems

 

As I was going through my clinic notes from March and July of this year, I found a few gems that I thought you might like.  Enjoy!

Aids to request or to restore but never to maintain.

On using aids-as little as possible, as much as necessary.

Look forward to your future!

Belt buckle to turn-matching the horse's spine.

Transitions make the horse but only PROMPT transitions.

Spinach before sugar.  Ride like a trainer, doing tricky thing, easy thing, tricky thing.  For example, Cruise's harder side is tracking right, so any exercise or figure going right first, then left, then right again.  You'll be shocked by how often you do the opposite during your rides unless you really think about it.

Not just physically on the line of travel but mentally on the line of travel.

Make the horse own the correct posture or position so you aren't constantly filling in holes.

It's the horse's responsibility to maintain whatever energy/speed/tempo you have set.

Of all of these, spinach before sugar is the hardest for me to consistently do.  I'm already seeing big payoffs though, in his way of going being much more symmetrical right and left.  See what I did there?