Several things! and an Update!*

[Dakotawyatt]

Well. Had my novel all typed out, then LOST IT!:mad: Don't think I can bring myself to do it again, so I will seriously condense this post and add in the pics along the way!

Anyway, almost a year ago, saw this pic: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/Dakotawyatt/roy4.jpg

Laurierace posted it, hoping someone could help out the trainer and get the horse ... well, I did! He is my FIRST horse, and I have done it 100% on my own. In almost a year, I have taken exactly 3 lessons. And that's been in the last 2 months! I've ridden a LOT of horses in my lifetime, and this one's the first one I've ever "done". He is my lifer, my first baby, and I will keep him until he can barely walk, he's so old!:yes: Anyway, we have gone from not able to trot on a loose reing at ALL to trotting with his nose on the ground. He's learned to graze/go out with a buddy/trot/canter on both leads/flying changes on a straightaway/bending/tracking up/breaking at the poll/shoulder-in/turn on the forehand/flinging over a teeny log at a panicked canter-gallop thing to trotting in calmly and confidently to a 2'6 vertical/bounces/placing poles/etc. The first day I went out to the barn, he looked like this while I groomed him: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/Dakotawyatt/CIMG0082.jpg
Now, this is his typical expression: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/Dakotawyatt/CIMG0302.jpg

He went to his first ever show about 2 months ago and got a 4th and 6th over fences our of 12 ... after jumping his FIRST ever course the night before, lol! AND, looking like this when we arrived! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/Dakotawyatt/CIMG0068.jpg My friend rode him for me since I prefer to be the TRAINER and not the RIDER, lol.

This is him before: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/Dakotawyatt/CIMG0202.jpg

And this is him now (well, about a month ago!:yes:) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/Dakotawyatt/CIMG0013.jpg

My ONLY complaint about him is the fact that he was a bit standoffish and hated to be groomed. Just yesterday, I brushed and fussed over him for 45 minutes, and he didn't budge the entire time. Sat in his stall with him for about half an hour and he was the sweetest thing I've ever seen ... booger's got a TON of personality!:winkgrin: So, I'd say we're over the stand offishness ... :yes:

OK, that's the brag! Now for the question! Just got a new saddle, and got one of those awesome anatomical girths with it. A friend told me the way it goes is if the horse rears up, you should be able to read the brand name stamped on the girth. So, is this right? http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/Dakotawyatt/CIMG0230.jpg Sorry about the socks, I was still "trialing" the saddle!

And now for the critique. I'm open and ready for any constructive advice, and just curious if y'all think those front legs may tighten with a bigger jump/more solid jump/what have you. I'm not sure if that's a "I'm maxed out" form, a "I just have 'jumper'" form, or an "I'm bored" form. Opinions welcome.:yes: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/Dakotawyatt/CIMG0248.jpg

Finally, I will end this novel by thanking anyone that managed to get thorough it, and post the pic that literally brought tears to my eyes as I remembered the journey we've been on so far. My 2 LOVES! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/Dakotawyatt/CIMG0253.jpg

**Thanks to all for the words of advice. Decided today to set up a grid, a nice sized square oxer, and ... a 2'9 jump! I haven't jumped 2'9 in ... don't even know when. I've been a pro from the moment I turned 18, but I've done WAY more teaching than I have riding in that time. When I ride, usually it's 6:30 in the morning, and I am completely and utterly alone, so I try to be on the conservative side. Also, since Tiki will often knock poles down ( which I think is just sheer laziness), I wasn't sure if we were maxing out or not. I set up some placing poles, and with my heart in my chest picked up a LOVELY uphill canter to it. He nailed it perfectly. Didn't hesitate, didn't overjump, just hopped right over! I was SO exhilirated! Wish I had pics so I could see if he was jumping better, but he sure FELT good! Thanks again for the encouraging words, it gave me some confidence today.:winkgrin:**
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/Dakotawyatt/7-21-09-2.jpg

[MadHuntMom]

Great story and success! Not sure about the girth. I Just enjoyed your story and lots of pics! :):)

[Whimsically Smart]

That is such a cute horse! I love your story, reminds me of when I got my 4 yo TB mare, when I was 12! They are amazing horses aren't they? You've done a great job with him. For the critique, to me it doesn't look like he is maxed out at all, maybe a little bored and saying "lets jump higher mom!" I don't think his form it awful, or unsafe, but hopefully he'll tidy it up a bit for you over some bigger fences. Your last picture just about brought me to tears too! Reminds me of what I can do with my mare (who isn't actually mine anymore.) I sold her to a beginner family and she just did a camp with the youngest of the family who had never ridden before, and didn't even have long enough legs to reach past the flaps! Made me smile everytime I saw the very same mare that at first was bucking me off weekly!

Sorry to hijack your post.... :sadsmile:

[shawneeAcres]

CUte horse and not a BAD jump, just looks like he needs more. i.e. work on some ascending oxers, things bit more interesting than poles, flower boxes, panels etc. I think there is a lot more jump in there. Also using take off and landing poles should help to sharpen his form up. I think he could be quite a nice 3' horse, maybe more with proper work, keep it up he is a nice looking guy

[Dakotawyatt]

Thank y'all so much. I was thinking about how far we've come as I was sitting in the corner of his stall yesterday and watched him pick up a jolly ball and bang it against the wall of his stall, lol!:lol: He literally didn't know how to GRAZE when I got him because he was a turf horse; he would stand there and try to go back in his stall. When he was turned out with a buddy for the first time, he just ran and ran and ran ... Now he's graduated to the "big boy" pasture and goes out with 5 other geldings during the night. I just love my horse, and I'm so happy to have found him. My barn owner has a 45 year old mare she got when she was like ... 7. Tiki is 6 now, and I would be perfectly happy to celebrate his 45th birthday someday.:yes: Got our first show together coming up soon; his 2nd altogether and my first in 13 years. We'll play in the hopeful jumpers and the green hunters ... should be fun!!!

[rabicon]

Congrats!! Nice looking horse. Maybe do some grids to tighten him up and also work on some oxers and some higher jumps. Is that you riding him? Your a nice rider yourself ;) Good luck.

[NEHunter]

Wonderful story! I am so happy for you.

[Dakotawyatt]

Thank you! Rabicon, yup, that's me!:D I'm proud to say that all the jumping pics taken that day show me in a similar position ... huge accomplishment since I used to have a real jumping ahead problem. Hopefully though, I've worked on myself just as much as I have my horse over the past 'almost' year.;)

[klmck63]

Cute horse!

The girth looks right to me. The 'u' shape should be there to allow room for his elbows. If you put it on backwards then it pushes into the elbows and looks wrong!

[Dakotawyatt]

Thank you! Heck, Herm Sprenger bits have arrows pointing the right way in the mouth ... you'd think the girth would have SOME indication of the way it goes, lol. He seemed comfortable the way it is in the pic, and the saddle didn't move.:)

[Long Spot]

What a charming story! Loved the pics as it went along. What wonderful things you've done with this guy. He looks very happy and very healthy.

Agree with others on the grids suggestion. He looks quite capable, as do you! A lovely pair.

And lastly, your last picture brought tears to my eyes. How far he's come, huh? So happy for you and he.

[Dakotawyatt]

Thank you so much Long Spot.

See the bottom of my first post for an update from this morning!:D

[jetsmom]

Lovely story! Aren't TB's great????

I'd say that the jump isn't large enough to make him need to use himself. Grids, large "X'"s (really high on each end), jumps w/filler/flowers, and oxers will help.

[beesknees]

wonderful story :) He's a handsome boy and it seems you two are a perfect match. I'm curious, what kind of saddle did you get?

[Dakotawyatt]

wonderful story :) He's a handsome boy and it seems you two are a perfect match. I'm curious, what kind of saddle did you get?

Thanks so much! Beesknees, it's a BdH special. LOVE it! First saddle I found in 8 months to fit my shark withered boy.:yes:

[ddashaq]

Lovely horse! You have obviously put a lot of work into him.:)

[relocatedTXjumpr]

You know he can go higher!! Having ridden this horse...he is super athletic and very brave. He gives new things a good look all while going forward...you can feel him figure out what he's supposed to do.

I know he'll be a super star at the show!

[Quinn]

Lucky, lucky horse and lucky YOU. Bravo! Can't wait to read updates. You just look fabulous together.

http://community.webshots.com/user/ballyduff

[rabicon]

Congrats. What are you going to do with him? Are you showing him anywhere?

[Dakotawyatt]

Love, love, love my boy! Rabicon, we're going to go to the GA Intl. Horse Park and do a local show there. Planning to do a 2'3 hopeful jumper class, and the 2' Green Hunter division. This will be MY first show in about ... 12 years.

[dab]

He's definitely a keeper :)

You have the girth right -- I notice it has D-rings -- I find it easier to just think about having the D-rings towards the horse's head --