Baby Greenie Support Group now open: Share Your Pain!

[Bumpkin]

Thank you Merry!! haha

But I still want to try a "Real" Fish Taco, not one of those fried fish stick Taco Time ones. haha /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Hey this is the 500th Entry on this thread!! woohoo /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[This message was edited by Bumpkin on Oct. 22, 2001 at 11:48 AM.]

[dmj]

hehe. Love the Alydar comparison! Mine does that too. I find that it helps me count strides sometimes. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif. 1 snort = 1 stride.

Trey gives his best Monica Seles impersonation when he makes a big effort over a jump. Very cute.

*Go Bruins*

[LaurieB]

Do you mean that kind of snort thing that some horses do with every canter stride? I LOVE THAT! I always wanted a horse that does that. (Yeah, I know, I'm weird /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif)

I saw a jumper at this weekend's show that did that--and trust me, if I live to be a hundred I will never have a jumper--but I heard the sound from ringside and had to stop and watch. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[LittleWitch]

My greenie is the world's most vocal horse. He usually squeals when I ask him to canter. In the first canter in a flat class I saw the judge turn around to see what that racket was (I'm sure she expected to see me beating him). He also squeals right before he is going to be naughty (great for getting the judges attention at just the wrong moment). People have asked me if he is in heat.

When we are in the warm up ring he is so excited and distracted, so his squeals come out sounding like squeal-groan-squeal (sounds like a dying pig).

He also sighs more than any horse I have ever met. When I take him out of his pasture he lets out a big, resigned sigh, like I am such an inconvenience to him. I expect that he will start rolling his eyes at me next. Then when we are walking home after working he lets out another sign, like he can't believe how hard I expect him to work.

[Beezer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bumpkin:
Tell me Beezer, does Tigger change the minute he sees Merry come in the ring and talk, or coach you?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

He does, Bumpkin!! It's like, "oooooohhhhhh nooooooo, the 'mean' Merry lady is here!" /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif Merry always tells me I'm too nice. Which I probably am. But it's often more a case of, "I'm not allowed to take hold so he doesn't learn to pull," so then Merry gets after me for not using my hands. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Those kinda things. I get so focused on NOT screwing my baby up that sometimes it's just better/easier to get off and say, "You do it."

Which is probably why I'm going to have/make Merry show him this weekend when he makes his "debut." While I'd love to, I also really, really want him to have a positive experience. And she is just so much better at it than I am.

(But I DO have to share this funny moment from a recent school. Tiggs is drifting left; I know he is drifting left, I can feel him, so am using my left leg to push him back over. But Merry is yelling, "Right leg! RIGHT LEG!!" So, only wanting to do the right thing for my boy and knowing that Merry knows best, I take my left leg off and use my right leg. We about took out the left standard. /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif I pull up, look back at her and say, "You know, he was going LEFT, so why are you telling me to use my RIGHT leg?" I get the giggle, the sheepish grin. "I got confused," she says. "I meant your right hand." SIGH. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif )

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[wanderlust]

I think I am technically in Menlo Park... Rancho Viejo. Right next to the Training Center. My baby and I are recent (8 months ago) transplants from the East Coast. Which barn are you at?

[wtywmn4]

Ah the weekend show-a-thon /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif . Beezer you will just have to keep us apprised.

Okay, you got me, what the dickens is the little purring sound???? Mine lets me pick a great rythem, sounding like Alydar. Thankfully, we aren't even close to that warp speed!! However, I can relate to asking with a retort of flattened ears and then an okay, what-ever (say that in an Eyore tone and you have it). He's really a gem sometimes.

[SquishTheBunny]

Hello all!

I have been a lurker on the baby green thread for a few months now and finally I have a reason to post. No, I havent gotten a new horsie. I have had my baby for just under 2 years now. However, I just recently backed him and (being the pyschic I am), I can forsee many baby green issues! Hooray! Gotta love issues.

So far things have been going great. Ive only been on him I think 3 times but we have learned the halt and walk. He is still VERY young so thats pretty much all we will be doing for the next year. (He's getting the wintr off).

So now finally, here is my question.

After having maybe 2 hours under saddle, then having 5 months off, how much will they remember?? Will I have to start again from basics or will he remember how to walk and halt? We dont have an indoor arena and I beleive in giving him the winter of to be a baby...

Also, any advice would be muchly apreciatd! Thanks!!!

[Bumpkin]

Well Wty it is not a "little" purring, but a nice even fairly loud sound. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif
I always loved it at the track, and especially if it was a horse I was riding because that meant they were relaxed. Which I normally wasn't haha /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

So when my beloved Elliot does it, I like to think he is happy and relaxed and it does make counting easier, just as long as he doesn't lengthen his stride too much. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Justice]

I think we may be related. Are you a chestnut? Me too. We are obviously long lost brothers, and I think our mothers might be related as well. If you think your person is confused, get this:

My mom likes to walk, canter, walk. I mean, no sooner am I cantering, then she's asking me to walk and as soon as I'm walking it's time to canter. Walk, canter, walk, canter, walk. . .well. . .you get my point. How the heck is a little guy supposed to stretch out and get into my proper peanut-rolling position if there is the chance that I may be asked to walk at any minute? Doesn't she know that I only have a year to get ready for Congress???

-Justice

[Bertie]

My husband/trainer decided to take my sweet mare off the depo because "she won't go into heat at this time of year". HA! No one told HER that - the formerly "sweet" mare is now the b*#ch from hell. I'm sooo sore. Tried to ride her "through it" the past few days but she only worked up. The only one who's moving slowly now is ME. It's back to the basics for both of us.
Purrrring??? Yes she does something like that, only when she does it now it's more like a GRRROWL. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

RedOctober, take it slow in the spring when you start back. It'll come back to him. Continue handling/grooming him through the winter so he stays used to being handled.

"Always speak your mind, but ride a fast horse" -- Texas Bix Bender

[Lord Helpus]

I used to call it "high blowing" -- and I had a filly that did it. It made it really easy to find the spots because she kept the rhythm for me, and it was sort of neat.

I only wish Mikey did that, but at least his groaning has lessened to about the first 2 minutes of the "hard stuff". Its like a 4 year old kid whining "AWWWWWWWWWWW Mom, do I really have to? AWWWWWWW Mom, Can't I watch TV instead?"

He has begun to realize that groaning won't get him out of the hard work, but being good will get him lots of praise and 3 horse cookies when he gets back to the barn.

And on Sunday we jumped a 3' course. With oxers. And Mom missed to the oxer bigtime and Mikey saved our behinds! And then cantered right around and without batting an eye jumped it again perfectly. I love a horse you can lie to and who doesn't resent it. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Boy, is he a nice ammy horse in the making. Anyone looking for one? He is a steal!

[Bumpkin]

Better email Pam!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Pocket Pony]

I'm at Portola Farms, one exit down the freeway from you. Welcome to the Bay Area - don't you love it here already?

Where are you from on the East Coast?

"Oh Mickey you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey! Hey Mickey!"

[Merry]

So, someone else's baby greenie squeals like a pig when they canter? The Barbie Cow ALWAYS does this scenario: You tack her up, lead her into the arena for either a lunge or a turn-out, and she just begins squealing in anticipation of being allowed to "go". So I persecute her by making her stand for oh, three or four minutes. Every few seconds she just emits this squeal. But I just stand there until I decide it's time for her to exercise. This is just such a lovely, endearing habit... /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Dry Clean Only]

Oh Merry sounds like Barbie has you trained!!
I can hear her now-"Hmmm... The more noise I make the bigger break I get from working!"

/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[LuckyMe]

<<Anyone else with a groaning horse who has solved this problem? >>

I worked with a mare this summer who used to do that! We never figured out what it was, we did have her examined by a vet just to rule out any sort of physical cause or discomfort. She was a quirky little thing and this was just one of her many odd traits!

I love reading this thread, especially as I have a coming three year old who is nearly ready to be stared under saddle! Seems like there's loads of fun things I have to look forward to! /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

A quick question for you all, what sort of bit did you start your greenies in? I have gotten all sorts of different recommendations, from rubber mullenmouths to french links to plain old eggbutts. any ideas?

[Quinn]

French Link, French Link, French Link.......

But that's only my opinion. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[wanderlust]

I'm originally from a little town in Northeast Mass... then school in Pittsburgh, a short stint consulting in Cleveland, and here I am, slaving away for Corporate America. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

The weather is fantastic, the people and food are great, the traffic and cost of real estate are less-than-stellar (to put it mildly). I'm also not a fan of how they keep horses out here... I fail to understand why people think it ok to feed just hay twice a day and not turn out their horses. Nevermind what the few turnouts available look like (not just where I'm at, but most barns in the area)... but I digress. I've lucked into a couple of great trainers, and my baby is coming along smashingly. Well, he was until I gave him a day off out of the kindness of my heart, and he's regressed to the point he was at 2 months ago. /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif He was such a punk last night that I just got off and gave him a "time out" (by longeing him in side reins until he was pooped). Silly boy. He'll learn eventually.

[Merry]

Pam/Lord Helpus: By the way, kudos on your budding ammy horse! Why is it we all have to hit 40 before we realize that a horse's disposition is the most important factor?

Lucky Me: The absolute first bit ours wear is a white mullen mouth "happy mouth" bit. It doesn't bang on their teeth and they can mouth it, so it's not intimidating. But that's changed to a French link, loose ring snaffle when we start bitting up with side reins and long-lining. A French link is looser, and just allows the baby to feel comfortable with the bit.

Today, the Barbie Cow was a joy to ride! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif Yes, we had one squeal erupt before I let her start trotting on the line. But otherwise, she was good. Of course, I'd also tacked her up and left her tied-up to the sycamore tree for 15 minutes before I started lungeing her. I believe at the farm they referred to it as "the patience pole". /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Running Box Score:
Barbie 9 Merry 14

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Lord Helpus]

I lived in Woodside for 17 years and trained at what is now Portola Farms when it was Willow Tree with Butch and Lu Thomas. Then at Four Winds Farm in Woodside with John French.

Who is at Portola Farms now? Isn't John - Boy there as a private trainer? And who else? I miss the Bay area, but not the prices, nor the lack of turn out. My 3 boys live in a 5 acre field full of lush grass for 12 hours a day (nights in summer, days in winter). It would be hard for me to go back to dirt runs ever again...

As my trainer said, when a horse argued with me during a lesson, "Just explain him that, for one hour a day of doing what you want, he gets to live here for the other 23 hours, in absolute horse heaven." /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif [So I kicked him in the ribs with no guilt. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif ]

[Merry]

But Pam, how do I kick Hammie in the ribs when he's already scraping my leg and spur against the rail of the arena? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[RumoursFollow]

I just bought a 2 year old today. Oi. It doesnt steer yet.

Any elementary advice on how to make him steer extra fabulous?

Hes 2 years old, a dun paint, and his name is Cisco. Hes been under saddle about 2 months. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

------------------------------
Yeehaw- Formerly RF
COTH BB Resident Cowgirl
"She's gone country.. look at them boots, shes gone country.. back to her roots, shes gone country, a new kind of suit.. SHES GONE COUNTRY!! HERE SHE COMES!!! :P

[Beezer]

Hitch up that new trailer to your fancy truck. We leave at dawn to steal Yeehaw's horse!

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[LuckyMe]

Yeehaw aka RumoursFollow... YOU REALLY HAVE GONE WESTERN!!!!

Your paint looks lovely, I'm guessing he's gonna stay a western pony? or do you have other plans for him? what's his breeding?

Merry and Quinn...Thanks for the replies! I would like to see her in a french link eventually, a little bit nicer than a plain old snaffle. I'll give the happy mouth rubber mullenmouth a try, I've heard its easier for them to start with.

Thanks again!

[Bumpkin]

Is he going to be Western, or English? /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

[Bertie]

There's no way you and Merry can make it to SC from California before I get there. He's such a cutie!!!

Yeehaw, he looks like he's made to be a hunter!

Pam, I'm so very happy that your greenie is doing wonderfully. Yes I'm very very happy for you. Not the least bit envious or anything. Just very happy for you. /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif But if you ever find yourself getting bored with him (I've heard that can happen when they're too well-behaved, although I wouldn't know from personal experience)I know of a lovely and challenging mare that would be willing to trade stalls with your guy! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

"Always speak your mind, but ride a fast horse" -- Texas Bix Bender

[RumoursFollow]

LuckyMe- I know nothing about Paint breeding but I heard I was supposed to be excited about the fact that his grandsire is Smooth N Easy? I dont know. I dont have his papers yet- he ships here on friday.


As for plans for the little bugger- at this point I see his future as being a breed show horse... which is something Ive never done before in respect to doing both english and western. I did AQHA shows for a while as a kid but just the english parts. I dont have any plans to show any time in the recent future- so who knows. Basically all he knows how to do is be sat on. I figure I should teach him to walk trot (jog) canter (lope) like a civilized horse before I decide his future.

I did ride him when I tried him and trotted him... honestly when I saw him lunge I did not think he would make a western horse, he has a HUGE gorgeous A show hack winning trot and a lovely canter. When I got on him- he jogs beautifully... and although I didnt canter him under tack I get the impression that he will lope as well. Hes just a very versatile horse.

As much as I can say I dont have any immediate plans to show him or jumping, if I said that was definetly the case I'd probably be lying to you. Atleast we're far away from being ready for that.

For the time being I will be riding him english because I dont have a western saddle.. but when I get one I will probably do a good bit of western stuff too. I've been showing a LOT at A shows for a long time and I'm ready for a break. I figured getting a real paint horse (my hunter is a fake paint lol) would be a good change- something different to do for a while.

here's a pic of him trotting... the angle is bad.. but you can see his trot is pretty impressive. /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif and I was trying to get him to jog at this point, but he really knows absolutely nothing and he didnt understand what the heck I wanted from him.

------------------------------
Yeehaw- Formerly RF
COTH BB Resident Cowgirl
"She's gone country.. look at them boots, shes gone country.. back to her roots, shes gone country, a new kind of suit.. SHES GONE COUNTRY!! HERE SHE COMES!!! :P

[LaurieB]

YeeHaw, your new horse is adorable!

Lucky Me, my young horse also goes in a french link (Dee) which she appears to really like.

[Pocket Pony]

Here's the Bay Area barn scoop:

Portola Farms is run by Glenn and Nancy Atkinson. The trainers there are Vickie Montgomery (jumpers), Carrie Atkinson (h/j/eq), Cindy Brooks and LesAnn O'Sullivan of Northern Run (hunters), Jan Pearce (h/j), DeeDee Kramer (Arabs) and Lynn Irving (hunters). It gets pretty crowded in the winter, but when there's no rain, we're all able to spread out and have space. We've got the lovely field out back to ride in, and there are 9 turnouts out there (new in the past few years). Yeah, I agree. When I lvied in Mass., our horses were turned out together in a huge field and were out all day. Here, they're turned out for two hours or so per day and in a sand pipe corral at that. Not ideal by any stretch of the imagination.

Butch and Lu are at the Portola Valley Training center which is right on 280 (don't know how long you've been gone from here, but it has really been built up and it is actually quite crowded at that facility). John French is also there with his two clients and many horses. Larry Mayfield is at the training center, as are a few other trainers.

It is so lovely here that I would hate to ever leave, but I could only give Mickey the kind of life he truly deserves by either winning lotto or moving somewhere where land is a lot cheaper. I'd love to have him at home on lots of acreage to move around and graze on...

"Oh Mickey you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey! Hey Mickey!"

[Bumpkin]

Where is the hard hat in your photo young lady??? /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_redface.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Merry]

DATELINE, OCTOBER 24: (AP Wire Services) A local horsewoman going by the name of "Yeehaw" has just reported that her young paint horse has been kidnapped by two blond women in a Dodge Ram pickup truck and new horse trailer. Both vehicles bore Calif. license plates... /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Meshach]

and I'm going to kill it. but I *need* to be part of the Baby Green Support Group.

My four year old TB has been bad, bad, bad lately. He is in the horrible teen-ager stage, a juvenile delinquent. My trainer this morning said we have a "discipline problem". He has decided that he doesn't want to work anymore, and gets royally pissed off when I ask. This morning's goal was simply to GO STRAIGHT. He can do this, don't let him fool you. He is quite capable, he just doesn't wanna.

We get kicking out, we get tail swishing, head in the air, bucking, etc. And only two months ago, we got firsts in our two dressage classes where the judge said "he is a wonderful horse, he just wants to please you". Where has my sweet boy gone? Who replaced him with Evil Meshach?

The past five weeks I have been involved with my sick dog and Meshach didn't get ridden much, he enjoyed a life of leisure. Well, unfortunately for him, he will be seeing a *lot* more of me from now on.

[wtywmn4]

HA! Wty beat you all! While you were chattin it up, wty was hauling a-- down the road to go snatch Cisco!

Yeehah, he really is nice. No kidding.....Looks like you will enjoy playing and showing this guy..

Meshach, we don't go silently into this good nite. So hey, welcome!

[LuckyMe]

Meshach... just a thought... have you had him thoroughly examined by a vet? Sounds like he is experiencing some sort of physical discomfort. I'd have his back and hind end looked at, and perhaps his teeth as well.... can't hurt....

horses just don't suddenly go bad. there's generally and underlying issue, and seeing as he was doing so well before, I'd think it was more than him just "acting up".

good luck, keep us posted. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[LaurieB]

Meshach, I second the recommendation for having your vet take a look, but after you've tried that...

Whenever I begin to get complacent with Tess on the ground--letting her get away with little things that don't seem like a big deal to me, but that my trainer would jump on immediately--I find that the change carries over to her under saddle work. I've finally come to the conclusion that it's really important that she respect me everywhere, all the time. Just a thought, especially since you said the time you spend with your horse has been different recently.

[Meshach]

Thank you! I have thought of that, I will also check his saddle fit again and maybe he needs to get his teeth floated again. That certainly can't hurt. His saddle was checked by a saddle fitter about two months ago and his teeth were floated last February. I also was thinking of getting him a massage.

My trainer is very very quick to think about pain being the issue when there's a behavior problem (which is a good thing!) but she didn't feel that in this case he was uncomfortable.

Reason is, he was fine and wonderful when we were out of sight of the herd (unfortunately, the only place to ride is in the pasture where he's turned out 24/7) but when we were trotting by where they were hanging out, that's when the problems occurred. Going away, he was straight and forward and soft, going right by them and towards the barn (they were on the left munching grass) the battle began.

On Saturday when I rode, I do believe that I pushed him too much. Trot was nice and forward no problems there. Then cantering, once or twice around fine (very small ring). Third time around, buck and swap to wrong lead. I think he had had enough. Problem was I felt I had to end on somewhat of a good note, a small glimmer. But he kept on bucking and switching, escalating into very mad horse. Finally, I got one nice stride and hopped off.

I normallly ride him about a half an hour but the last couple of riding times, I have been asking a bit more of him. We went to a show two weekends ago and while the judge liked him, she said he must move more forward or this is going to become a habit. One of our comments were "barely trotting" and "shove him in front of your leg!". So, this has been somewhat of a switch with him, while I still only ride around 30-45 minutes, I'm not just putzing around the field any more, we are working more.

And of course, a huge problem is me. I feel my leg isn't as steady as it was (although not so bad that it would warrent the reaction I have been getting). I have a longe lesson scheduled with a trainer on a different horse so that I can concentrate on myself.

And LaurieB I think you're on to something, I haven't been down as much lately (but that will change now) and I need to work on the respect thing more. I completely agree that it carries over to undersaddle work. While a part of me would love to hand him over to my trainer and say "here, you fix him" /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif I know that's not going to fly for him respecting and listening to me.

[This message was edited by Meshach on Oct. 24, 2001 at 02:17 PM.]

[RumoursFollow]

Bumpkin- Long story on the hat thing... starting with how Id decided 2 days before to go try horses and being that there are no tack stores close to me, I was hoping actually to just watch the owner ride him. (Much to my suprise she came out of her house wearing shorts and sandals.. oi)Anyway I wasnt excited to be on him w/o a helmet and dont plan to again. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Merry and Beezer- you two are crazy!! haha. But actually you are welcome to go to GA to pick him up as long as you bring him to SC! Seems we're having some trouble getting him up here. Shippers... *sigh* /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Now that hes definetly coming, I have to decide on a show name. His APHA name (Ciscos Quixote Kid) just doesnt work for me. Argh!

As it stands, he will arrive on Saturday afternoon. Hopefully I'll be able to enlighten yall with details of our first ride on Sunday evening! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

I bought him a happy mouth loose ring to start with. In the picture below you can see what hes been going in.. what western people call a "training snaffle" ? Anyway- it looks like a modified elevator but I'm thinking theres no way a 2 year old needs that much bit. We shall see.

This is the last picture I'm going to post... I promise! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

------------------------------
Yeehaw- Formerly RF
COTH BB Resident Cowgirl
"She's gone country.. look at them boots, shes gone country.. back to her roots, shes gone country, a new kind of suit.. SHES GONE COUNTRY!! HERE SHE COMES!!! :P

[Chef Jade]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> horses just don't suddenly go bad <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ummm...you haven't met Jade, yet, have you...

Fortunately her mutinous behaviour rarely lasts for more than one day, and is usually attributable to an action that was totally offensive (i.e. not letting her complete her meal prior to riding, her not being the first one fed, her not being the first one ridden, her having a shaving in her otherwise perfectly coifed 'do... uh...you get the picture.) /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[wanderlust]

My 5-year old is experiencing the same thing. Went from being incredibly soft, round and forward and turned into the spawn of satan, seemingly overnight.

Yesterday I was feeling a bit under the weather, so my dressage trainer rode him for my lesson. For about 10 minutes. Then she got off and told me not to do anything but walk him until the chiropracter can come back out. And that the way I sit off to the left is because he that is where he wants me to sit and is forcing me there, not because I'm crooked (thank gosh... I've never had anyone tell me I sat anywhere but right in the middle of the saddle until my jumping lesson last week).

I feel pretty bad about lunging him into the dirt for being a stinker when he couldn't help but be a stinker...

And there goes another $175 down the drain.

[Bumpkin]

Mesach, been there with Elliot. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif
Just part of growing up. After the Chiros, three different kinds, Vets, teeth floated, sheath cleaned, saddle fitter, custom saddle and wavey girth....enough was enough and I let the trainer take care of it.

Balance is Elliot's biggest problem, low in front. Along with the fact that I revel in his slowness, and we get to plodding along and not being in front of the leg.
Like I said before, our love for each other is out of us both being LAZY!! haha /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

I wish I was as wise as my trainer, I could give you all sorts of good advise.
Because in the 5 months I have been with her, Elliot and I have improved so much.

There are all sorts of things that with work made it possible for us to stop the swishing tail, the kicking out, the head in my lap attitude.
It makes me teary eyed thinking about how nice things are going now, which can only mean I have jinxed us and the winter is going to be HECK!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif haha

Seriously, many of the things I have read here for you to do are what we did.

Now for RF aka Yeehaw!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif
My concern is out of my friendship for you and being a Mother.
I know you will wear your helmet, forever more dear. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Bumpkin]

Elliot had me sitting to the right all the time /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif
I was constantly adjusting the saddle.

Every lesson several times I would be told I was riding to the right toooo much!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

Finally my trainer one day apologized thinking it was ME all the time. It is actually Elliot being much smarter than I give him credit for.
He makes everyone ride him on his right.
Again Balance, Balance, Balance, move him on. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[LaurieB]

Just another thought about those "overnight" behavior changes with greenies. When we switched from night turn-out to day turn-out last month, Tess went into a huge behavior spasm for a couple of weeks.

Everyone else in my barn who had problems said their horses were reacting to the cooler weather (which obviously can also be a factor) but I know my mare. Sometimes it's the little things that really bug them and it can drive you crazy trying to figure out what it is this time. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Beezer]

But it was necessary, because he's starting to canter itsy bitsy fences, and that is best done in the daylight at this point. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif His human mom uses her nighttime rides for such things as collections/extensions/transitions/cantering poles on the ground ... you know, the boring stuff. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

Merry says it went very well (though she did comment on how "boing-y" his canter is these days; I had to remind her that we've been working on being round and that that's what Tiggers do best: They bounce! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif ). That is, it *was* going well right up until Grumpy Old Dad decided that NOW would be the perfect time to change the flat tire on the farm pickup. Never mind that it had been flat for a good 24 hours; never mind that Merry was riding a baby. Out comes the jack, the bouncing new tire; then the hubcap got flung like a Frisbee (or so I'm told) and Rocky-the-steak-knife-wielding Labrador ran off with it.... /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Needless to say, Merry had a few, uh, VERY QUICK turns on the Tig-Meister as he spooked turning toward a jump. And then spooked again. Finally, they managed to get through the turn and over the jump a couple of times without further spooking, though Tiggs was reportedly a little tense about the possibility of that whole flying hubcap scene repeating itself. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

Tigger's note to Justice: I think we MUST be related! I, too, am a red horse ... I have just a little bit of a white star and two hind sock-ettes. I think that was disappointing to my human mom, because my dad is a pinto and my sainted horse mom is this cool, cool chocolate-y chestnut with a big white face, three high stockings and a flaxen-and-silver mane and tail. But I explained to my human mom that I think personality and disposition and, yes, CHARACTER are soooo much more important than all that white. Besides, this way, I save her a lot of grooming time. But I'm not sure she entirely bought it ... she still has a severe case of pinto envy. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[Merry]

What?!?!? Other folks have days when their normally compliant baby decides to be the, let's see, someone referred to them as "the spawn of Satan"? /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

Push the button, push the button, push the button... /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[wanderlust]

I did use the term "spawn of satan". I can't think of any other way to describe an animal that throws in spook after temper tantrum after spook after spook. How this horse has not dumped me a hundred times (nevermind not a single time) is quite beyond me. Because that is most certainly his intention.

/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif

[TrickOfTheTrade]

Just had to share the great lesson I had today with Trick!!! I have been working a lot on turning and circles lately and now I feel like I can actually turn my horse. We did a lot of circle--take the first fence in a line---circle in the middle of the line--take the 2nd fence--circle--rollback into the rail and do it all over again. I actually mannaged to get the middle circle today, which I have been having a lot of problems with lately.
We have been going to a lot of little schooling shows lately to help me get over the fear of jumping the greenie at shows.
We will be going to Show Park in December for the whole weekend and I hope to get a lot done at that show.
More later!!

[Merry]

Oh, Showpark is THE BEST showgrounds for a baby. The stalls are extremely secure and solid. None of that moveable, flimsy canvas or plywood stuff that is so not baby proof! And you've got plenty of room to lunge and warm-up. Plus, there are real washracks! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Duffy]

I jumped my guy for the first time in...hmmm...you don't want to know how long it's been! He was fabulous - even stayed quiet and soft after the jumps. All this with Auntie Em winds outside!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

I needed this - have to admit!!!!

[FirstCry]

Congrats Duffy. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Speaking of winds, has anyone seen Pooh fly by? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Member of the Baby Greenie Support Group of North America

"GOD BLESS AMERICA"

[wanderlust]

You are from Mass, too? Where?

And let me ask you... how do you cope with the horrible way that horses are kept out here? I keep trying to rationalize that because top trainers keep very, very expensive horses in such a manner, it is ok for mine. And because I really like my trainers, who are in residence at my barn, it is ok. And because the arenas are lit (and I usually work late), it is ok. But it isn't. And I have this nagging feeling that the intermittent unsoundness (nevermind many of the behavioral issues) is due to standing in a stall 23 hours a day. I feel like I'm not doing right by him... that he should be outside with lots of space to move around *all day long*, like he was when we lived on the east coast, not for an hour or two in a small pipe corral with nothing but dirt to eat.

And for those of you who have never been out here(the bay area), this is the case at 99% of the medium-size and large farms you go to. It is not unique to the property that I am at. But it sure is frustrating...

[Beezer]

For those of us who've spent our horsie lives in urbanized California, what you describe is what we've lived. Always.

It's just a whole 'nother way of having horses. Land is too expensive and the people too plentiful for there to be much in the way of space for the critters (just ask the coyotes, mountain lions and black bears /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif ).

In the end, you adjust. So do the horses. As one racehorse person once put it (and I know I am misquoting here), "I have no doubt that European racehorses have a much more 'normal' and scenic life that U.S. racehorses. But we do what we can to make life the best we can for them."

Same goes with the West Coast versus East Coast realities of horsekeeping. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[Pocket Pony]

I was born in Boston, lived in Cambridge, Beverly Farms, Swampscott (then moved to Germany / Florida / California), and Wayland.

I struggle with the horse-keeping situation out here, but Mickey's different than your horse in that I don't think he's ever known any different. He has it better now than where he came from (So. Cal) where he didn't have green grass to eat, turnout to hang out & move around during the day (but he did have an in/out stall that was probably 14 x 28 or so?), or someone who paid as much attention to him as I do. So I think he's happy. According to my animal communicator, he says he has no complaints (unlike the other horses who complain a lot)! ;-)

I try to provide as much variety in his day as I can and that's how I cope with it. He does get turned out in the morning, and during the good weather, I turn him out after I ride so he can cool down - or I take him for a mini trail ride or graze for awhile so that he can just be outside. When I don't ride, I put him in a paddock to just hang out and visit with the other horses (they can't touch each other, but I know he flirts with all the mares!). I like to keep him outside of his stall as much as I can, which isn't nearly enough...

If you can't get to the barn anyways and don't mind him being far away from you, you might check out barns on the coast....the Newells have a place in Pescadero with (I would imagine) lots of land and I'm sure their horses are out a lot.

"Oh Mickey you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey! Hey Mickey!"

[Bumpkin]

Elliot and I had a lesson today also.

Lots of figure eight cantering and lead changes,(atleast we tried), then the figure eight with jumps, yipeee, but he was a tad bit stronger than normal.

/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[LuckyMe]

<<Ummm...you haven't met Jade, yet, have you...

Fortunately her mutinous behaviour rarely lasts for more than one day, and is usually attributable to an action that was totally offensive (i.e. not letting her complete her
meal prior to riding, her not being the first one fed, her not being the first one ridden, her having a shaving in her otherwise perfectly coifed 'do... uh...you get the picture.) >>

Chef...

No, I haven't met Jade, but I've followed her story here on the board! Have to say the above behavior sounds quite a bit like my chestnut mare as well! Quite the princess I must say, my first mare after a streak of geldings. She thinks the world just *revolves* around her!

[Lord Helpus]

Master Tally, I feel you pain. Both Warren and his evil twin are turned out for the fall while I get the Mikester jumping courses and ready to go to a show. But Warren is a real challenge, since you never know which twin is going to show up on any given day....

And speaking of the Mikester, I finally enlisted a friend to take a picture of him. He is camera shy and kept trying to walk away, but we got a 1/2 good one from only 1/2 a roll. (Front legs are technically backwards, but you cant have everything...) Think he needs to go on a diet? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif A conformation horse he ain't, but he has that sassy "I can do anything I want to do" attitude.

[Lord Helpus]

With one picture left on the roll, I decided we should have a family shot. Mikey (aka "The Mouth") decided he should nibble on the dog. The dog decided she wanted to get the hell away from Mikey (is that a pathetic expression on her face, or what?), so I decided I would pinch Mikey on the lip to make him stop biting the dog. And a fun time was had by all... /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Anyway, as you can see, at least it was a nice day and we still have good weather (until this weekend when we are expecting snow flurries). This is my front paddock and barn and half my house. All members of the Baby Greenie Support Group are welcome to use my guest room should they ever be in Lexington. (And their poor deprived California horses can graze in the pastures.....) /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

PS I am 5'10" and Mikey is 16.2, lest you all think we are both very little people. Only Shelbie is a little personage.

[This message was edited by Lord Helpus on Oct. 26, 2001 at 09:02 AM.]

[RumoursFollow]

Great pics LH- What a beautiful horse and what a gorgeous farm!!!

------------------------------
Yeehaw- Formerly RF
COTH BB Resident Cowgirl
"She's gone country.. look at them boots, shes gone country.. back to her roots, shes gone country, a new kind of suit.. SHES GONE COUNTRY!! HERE SHE COMES!!! :P

[LaurieB]

And yes, Shelbie does look put upon. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif Your farm is absolutely beautiful.

While you're in a picture posting mood, whatever happened to Sophie Moose and Kimmie? (I hope I have those names right.) Since I love "small" mares, I've been waiting for a Kimmie update.

[Chef Jade]

LH - You better watch out or we may take you up on your offer! How lovely it looks there. After b*tching about maybe having to move to Cincinnati with Mr. Chef I started thinking...well KY wouldn't be SOOOO bad!

Lucky Me - Jade is my first "attempt" at owning a mare...and a chestnut to boot! My trainer already said "NO MORE MARES!" after having to put up with her BS. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

But she certainly keeps things interesting! And I love her to death.

[Merry]

"Hmmm...." Merry muses, looking through her collection of maps, "I wonder if I have a Thomas Guide Book for the highways and byways of Lexington." /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Note to Beezer: Me thinks we should make another trip to Kentucky!

I turned Hammie out to play yesterday and he ran around like Secretariat in the Belmont, so of course, he trotted back to his stall a nickel's worth off again in that left hind! /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif I don't know what to do. The vet, who has proclaimed there is nothing seriously wrong with Hammie other than a slight pulled muscle, is just, well, doing this at my histrionics: /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Here's my procedure: 1. Rest horse; get him unsore and sound. 2. Since not allowed to lunge horse, get on and get A)nearly pitched off when departing into canter, and B)intermittently feel like I'm riding an exploding giraffe when he spies something that sets him off. Yup, that'll win a hack class. 3. Give up, turn-out young horse, watch him buck and play, and cross fingers he doesn't re-pull muscle. 4. Stare at entry form for final show of year and wonder whether I should enter or just catch ride my friends' horses... something I HAD SWORN I WAS RETIRED FROM DOING FOR THE REST OF MY NATURAL LIFE!

I need tranquilizers. For me, not the horse! /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Duffy]

Oye, Merry! It's a conspiracy, plain and simple! These guys are just too smart. I just KNOW mine will start limping the day (or hours) after I wire the rest of the money... /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Pam - I WANT your place!!! We had a show schedule meeting the other night and KY WAS discussed as an option to our regular grind... hmmmmm ... ponder, ponder, ponder... /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Lord Helpus]

Thanks for asking about Kimmie and Sophie Moose (and, yes, those are the right names.)

Ever since I fell off in July and ended up in the hospital, I have been having lots of weird problems with arm and leg weakness and other strange symptoms. MS was the original diagnosis and, thank God, it has pretty much been ruled out. So we are treating each symptom one by one. But it has made it really hard for me to keep to a full riding schedule -- I can ride one, lunge one, per day and then I am too tired to do more. That is why Warren has been put away for the winter so I can get Mikey going and get him sold.

The 3 girls totally have been forgotten -- so much so, that I have just had to realize that I cannot cope with so many horses and have entered them in a breeding stock auction in December. For some reason, the auction didn't want Warren, Bear or the Mikester... /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

So, if anyone is interested in Kimmie for a good price (she will not bring much at auction, since her TB pedigree is not fashionable), but her jump is incredible, just let me know, or come to the auction and bid....

PS You do NOT want Sophie Moose, the poor darlin' -- she trots up to a jump, throws her head up and sideways, closes her eyes, throws her front legs straight out in front of her, squats down behind and bunny hops over the jump..... When she lands in a standing still position, she opens her eyes and turns to look at me as if to say "Did I do good, Ma?" /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif God Love Her.... I am doubled over laughing and do not have the heart to tell her that it is the most incredible method of "jumping" I have ever laid eyes on.

[Merry]

Well, Pam, I've often heard (and used) the expression, "That horse jumps like a stag." But so, in Sophie's case, she jumps, well, like a moose? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif Hey, at least she JUMPS! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

I'm so glad they've ruled out MS. Could it be something like fibromyalgia? I hope you're not in chronic pain.

I swear, there are days when I just stare at my paddock boots and think, "You've got to be joking. Can I just stay home and do laundry?" My husband is always saying, "You're always so tired. There must be something wrong with you."

Like, duh! /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Besides the fact that I spent about a decade with various tubes hanging in and out of my body, and going in and out of surgeries, I have the constant drain of Baby-Greenitis. The most blessed day of my life was when my mother finally agreed to stop breeding warmbloods!

Note to Duffy: We have a saying around horse town out here. "Eventually, they all go lame. Just some sooner than others."

[Beezer]

OK, so fine. I have this rep for magically attracting every "iffy" horse within a 50-mile radius. So the one I bred (Tigger) has, uh, "issues." So, OK, the time I was supposed to borrow my trainer's horse for a medal finals (uh, because my horse was, uh, lame) and THAT horse went lame ... that does NOT mean that Hammie's problem is my fault.

And you know, I really don't appreciate it that the first question outta the vet's mouth when Merry called him was, "Have you been letting your sister ride your horse?" /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[LaurieB]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Beezer:

And you know, I really don't appreciate it that the first question outta the vet's mouth when Merry called him was, "Have you been letting your sister ride your horse?" /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Beezer, LOL! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

LH, thanks for the update. Any chance you might have Lyme Disease? First time I had it I was diagnosed as having carpal tunnel syndrome; by the third time, I was able to diagnose myself. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif It shows up with an amazingly wide range of symptoms (some of them like those you've described) and doctors in areas where it isn't common seem not to think of it very often.

Lame horses: I hate to sound like Pollyanna, especially since anyone who knows me in person would be happy to tell you that I am the glass-half-empty type but after spending nearly three decades with no horses in my life, I have to say that any day with a lame horse is ten times better than a day with no horse at all. Even when you have to miss a show. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif I am just so grateful to have Tess and be riding again.

That said, I hope Hammie gets well soon! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Merry]

Thanks for the good wishes. And no, despite the fact that I have offered Hammie to Beezer for a few rides or spins around a show ring, she continues to decline said offer. Gee, I wonder why? /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

Actually, I wasn't going to ride him today, but my morbid sense of curiosity got the best of me and he was totally sound and so high that I ended up hacking the poop out of him. And he was still sound. Which leads me to believe: A)He always looks like he did yesterday, I just had never scrutinized him or B)he's toying with my fragile emotions. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Then I rode the Barbie Cow. She was very good, and I might add, quite adjustable at the canter to her crossrails and our little flower boxes. Why? Because she's a dull cow with a one-speed canter, that's why! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif I guess it has its benefits. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Box Score:
Barbie 14 Merry 23

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Bumpkin]

Pam I hope you are feeling better soon!!!

I wish we could do some shows in KY just so we could stay with you.

Maybe if Mallory and I make it to the Upperville show to visit friends this summer we can make a side trip to the KHP!

/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Janet]

came through today.

Belle decided she only had two canter speeds- full run and up-and-down-in-place like a merry go round horse.

I wanted to do some of the exercises from the GM clinic, but it took me the whole time to get the "canter over rails in a circle", and I decided to quit while I was ahead.

[Duffy]

Yes, Janet - that front did come in like a whirlwind, didn't it!!!

I'm so sorry about ya'll's (word? /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif )illnesses, Pam and Merry. /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif When I think about my little aches and pains...

Pam, I hope they figure out SOON what is wrong with you so that some active treatment can start.

Merry, I'm sorry that you still feel the affects from your sickness, even though, if I recall from another thread, you are on medication?

Can you imagine our lives withour our horses and other pets? I sure can't. Lame or not, you're right!!!

[RumoursFollow]

Pam- /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif Hope you find out whats up so you can feel better soon!

No kidding about that cold front- I opened my door this morning wearing shortsleeves and regretted it very much!

Unfortunately I still do not have a horse to try to throw me off with the weather change. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif I still have not managed to get the people to agree on a time to go and get him. Saturday changed to Sunday... I'm just hoping we can manage to stick to the sunday plan. -sigh- I was hoping to get in a weekend ride. But, that wont be happening! Atleast all his tack will be here first. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

------------------------------
Yeehaw- Formerly RF
COTH BB Resident Cowgirl
"She's gone country.. look at them boots, shes gone country.. back to her roots, shes gone country, a new kind of suit.. SHES GONE COUNTRY!! HERE SHE COMES!!! :P

[JRG]

With the cold he was a little up tonight. Once I found were my legs were I thought I would do a little jumping. We have been working on getting me out of my saddle and foward- galloping to the fences. Not out of control but foward and getting the striding. In effect riding the stride and forgetting about what the jump is.

I had my ring crew with me(my husband), and we started out small and worked up from there. I was so proud of him. He was soft and foward and felt so good. Sorry for the gloating, it was just one of those nights where everything was clicking. Tomorrow we will probably be back to 2". Love the greenies.

[Bertie]

OK guys, what do you think about a horse that works UP after the first 15 minutes. I need suggestions! She starts out like a superstar - quiet, relaxed and balanced. Even in this wind. I can use all the leg I want on her and she seems to like it. Her first couple of canters are great but then her attitude changes. She winds up, builds, leans on the bit, sometimes feels like she's about to run-off. She shoots off my leg as if it's electrically charged /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

I can usually get her to re-relax at the trot, using changes of direction, serpentines, etc. But cantering is another story. oh, and she roots with her head, even at the walk. Like we'll be walking along on a soft rein, and I take both reins in one hand to give her a pat and she YANKS down almost snapping my neck in half. OWWW /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif

She has a small mouth and a low palate. I've been using a Myler triple barrel mullen mouth with no port. Before that it was a small eggbutt. Both with a drop noseband because she gets her tongue over the bit otherwise /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

When she was on depo-provera she was much better. She recently went back on it so I've got my fingers crossed for improvement within a few days. But still, I just don't understand why she wants to be soooo good at the beginning and then gets sooooo difficult. /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif Any thoughts?


Pam, I hope you figure out what's wrong. I went through a similar ordeal last spring. Email me if you want to talk about it.

[Dee]

Yee-Haw, tell us about the new horse! Did you get a reining horse? Congrats! /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

[Lord Helpus]

Bertie,

With a horse like that, I do all my canter work first. It is not written in the Tabula Rosa that one must trot before cantering, just tradition.


Or, if possible, I wold ride every day and only ride for 20 minutes. Get off before the horse can build. That way you can end on a positive note and reward, instead of feeling like you are always getting into a fight.

Also, try to get in the lesson of the day before the building starts and then get off and lunge to finish off the energy level so the next day is not worse ~~~ anything to avoid daily fights which create a bad attitude about coming out to the ring and working.

Warren used to root really badly, especially at the walk. I would just plant my hands FIRLMY on my thighs and let him snap himself in the mouth (he was too smart to root in draw reins, so we had to go this route, but it worked in only several weeks of doing it).

He was especially bad walking back to the barn, when he was eager to get there, but I would not let him jig, so I knew when to expect the rooting and could plant my hands.

PS I will email you ~~~ thanks for the offer.

Pam

[Lord Helpus]

I did not know you had been sick. Am I the only one on this thread who did not know? Apologies and virtual flowers are on their way.

Are we representative of the older members of this BB as a whole, or is it the masochist in us that make us ride greenies when sick? Hope you are all better now.

Yur sis,

Pam

[Bertie]

Thanks Pam. You're so right. I've got to forget about tradition and get right into the lesson with this horse. Short and sweet.

Funny you should mention lunging after working. I've thought about doing that too, but then I decided against it when I figured people at the barn would think I've gone totally bonkers /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif The crazy woman is lunging her horse AFTER riding it /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

And thanks for the tip for bracing against the inevitable root. I bet your "hands on thighs" method will help. I was bracing my knuckles against her withers, but that didn't work very well. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Sounds like you've been there done that with this type /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[hifi]

I just read your original post for the first time. I need to be right here. I had an experience. We are cantering along, la-de-da, winning the class and boom "What is that over there, I think it is scary" buck buck rear run run run. there goes the prise I was about to win.

If you can't beat 'em, try harder. And God Bless America my home sweet home!

[Merry]

Well, just to clear things up, in the words of one of my beloved American authors, Mark Twain, "The reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated." /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

I'm totally over the hump of my maladies. I'm just forever plagued with after effects I've learned to live with. Let's just say I'll never have a weight problem, because food refuses to stay within my body for an extended period of time, fish tacos or not. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

But back to the topic at hand: Why Pam, darlink, are you suggesting to Bertie that her horse needs an occasional M.R.L.? (Mid Ride Lunge). I can't believe we're developing our own dictionary!

Hammie seems to be soooo sound that yesterday, when we were hitching up the trailer to take Tigger to his first show (more, I'm sure on that later /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif ) he went bonkers! Hammie has started doing this every time the trailer gets hitched. So I had no choice but to turn him out, and he ran and ran... You get the idea. But he was sound. And his shoes stayed on. So I think I'll jump him today, after I go to church and pray he stays that way.

I often wonder if I'm the only one who considers filling out the little prayer request cards with things like, "My horse won't do a smooth right-to-left flying change."

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[DMK]

Bertie, I second what Lord Helpus suggested, especially the part about getting the canter work done early. As she said, nothing wrong with it, and - unrelated- it's actually pretty much the only way to go with a back sore horse.

Your rides described about every ride every had on a TB - don't know if that is what your mare is, but I swear, their motor just gets past "idle" after about 20 minutes!

Also, sometimes the lunge-after-the-ride method is a good thing (but sounds wierd, I know!) Last week when I was riding my greenie I could tell he was trying very hard to be a good boy when all he really wanted to do was go completely ape$hit /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif After about 15 minutes of trot work that was ranging between a 4 and a 7 at any given moment (I was aiming for an 8, it was amazing he hadn't delivered a 2 /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif ), I got off and threw him on the lunge line. Sure 'nuff, he went COMPLETELY ape$hit for about 5 minutes, then we actually finished with some nice canter work on the line. No way we ever would have done that if I stayed on and frayed his last nerve.

Greenie update - we did our first flower boxes! He never even peeked at them /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif And I finally saw a quick video of his trot X work (got 2 fences before battery died), and boy am I excited... He really rocks back on his hocks and is way rounder than I thought. He just may be one of those "stylish reachers" if the video is anything to judge by. That and he may rub a lot of hoof polish off on his nose... /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Bertie]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
He just may be one of those "stylish reachers" if the video is anything to judge by. That and he may rub a lot of hoof polish off on his nose...
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I can't wait to see pics of him jumping!

DMK, my mare's a Trakhener -- she's got plenty of TB in her. But unlike most normal TB's she has NO BOTTOM after she hits overdrive. I've made the mistake of trying to outlast her on a few occasions and learned my lesson. I even tried a mid-ride lunge once long ago. She was a saint on the line but still a little demon when I got back on /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

HOWEVER today she was great. The early work method agreed with her very very well /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif I think the depo-provera may have taken effect too because she didn't build at all. I could even sneak some little jumps and flying changes in without setting her off. When we were done and walking around, one of the kid's horses was acting up, and she rode it over near us to calm it down because my Lola was so mellow! Ah, it's days like this that keep us coming back for more /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[This message was edited by Bertie on Oct. 29, 2001 at 12:29 AM.]

[Lord Helpus]

Merry, I have never heard of a prayer request card, but I think that asking for clean lead changes is entirely acceptable. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

I tend to take Josephine, my 1970 Chevy dump truck to the manure removal place on Sunday mornings because, being in her golden years, she only toodles along at about 40 and the speed limit is 55 on the Paris Pike. On Sundays, it is just me and Josie and a lot of God fearing Bible belt church goers out on the road. They are on their way to pray, while I am in Josie, prayin' away "Dear Lord, Please let Josephine get to Creech and back before _________ [list most recent problem here] breaks".

He must hear me, since the 'phine and I have never stalled out on the side of the road, yet. Whatta girl! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Merry]

First off, DMK, congrats on your baby's apparent jumping style. How exciting! Wait, though, until Beezer posts about how Tigger confronted the flower boxes at his first horse show. Sheez, like we have freakin' flower boxes all over the place at home. What was his problem in the first class? We have red geraniums and the show had only yellow mums? /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Bertie: Your Trakehner mare looks lovely. I had to laugh. She sounds/acts/looks like Hammie's mom, also a Trakehner! What are your mare's bloodlines?

Pam, Pam, Pam...LOL, your Josephine sounds right up there with El Ranchito's dearly departed "Mr. Haney truck", so named because it began to resemble Mr. Haney's junkyard truck on the old series Green Acres! At least it wasn't as bad as my girlfriend's Ford. Her husband christened it "The Sanford and Son Truck". /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

As for prayer request cards, they're stuck in the back of the church bulletin. Usually you just ask for, oh, more selfless things, like, "Please say a prayer for my ailing grandmother, Esther." Me, I'm thinkin', I could use some divine intervention on that right to left lead change coming out of a line... /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Bertie]

Gee Merry, I don't know her breeding. Maybe she's Hammie's auntie. She needs Divine intervention for the right to left swap too /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Bumpkin]

I need help with the left to right across the diagonal /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

Elliot is fine with the trainer, but I think I am still sending a mixed message.

So, haha, Elliot is most likely sending prayers that I would give him the correct messages on that left to right lead change /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[LaurieB]

DMK, we'd like some pictures, please! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Bertie, your Lola is beautiful. By the way, my mare is on depoprovara from about March until November and it seems to make a big difference. Tess doesn't get wild without it, but she does tend to be very distracted. Hey Mom, I have lots more interesting things to think about than what you want. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

She also, interestingly enough, seems to get "cramps" without it, the only horse I've ever seen who was too uncomfortable to be ridden 1-2 days a month. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif She's only five though and I'm hoping we'll be able to cut back as she matures.

[Bumpkin]

Mr Elliot is such a Steady Eddie!!

He willing packs his mom around and doesn't think about those "Marish" ways, even though he is kind of marish looking and acting in his stall /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Whenever I wish I had a mare to breed I will remember everyone who has "Marish" mares!! haha /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[Merry]

Lead changes across the diagonal are not a problem for Hammie. There's enough of a visual clue, like, "Hey dummy, see the arena rail? We're about to intersect with it, and it appears to be curving to the LEFT." /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Our problem is coming out of a 5 or 6 stride line down the outside rail, and then having about 30 feet to get rebalanced, get a change and THEN turn left before we hit the rail. I'm slowly perfecting this. It requires quite a touch of athleticism. I believe barrel racing will be a cinch. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Bumpkin]

Well we do have our problems with that one too!!

Again I know it is all ME!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif

When that happens we do a small circle, more than once until he changes, in most cases we are fine in front and off in back.

So most of the time I feel Elliot is thinking, "oh sh*t" down shifts into a quick trot and changes and knows mom is happy.

But I don't want to do the downshift trot step change, we have to learn to make the change in that canter dear Elliot.... /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[LaurieB]

Well yes, I do have a mare (actually I've always had mares, what can I say? I try to buy geldings but somehow they just never come home with me /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif ) but I have to say that I got majorly lucky where lead changes are concerned. Because I'm am not great--all right, I'm terrible--at teaching them and fortunately flying changes are simply something that makes sense to Tess. As in, of course you want me on the inside lead, let me just go ahead and fix that for you. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

The only time she misses is when I'm doing something really stupid like leaning way up over her shoulder to see if she has it or letting her stare at a runaway horse outside the ring. /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif Otherwise, as long as I manage to stay out of her way, she just swaps. Even better, if she jumps the same course twice in a row, she'll simply land them all the second time.

Ahhh...only one of many reasons that I adore my greenie. /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

[wendy]

I've been lurking in this topic for awhile. Whenever my attention-deficited baby gives me problems (pretty much every day) I come here and find I am not alone. Bertie, my horse also gets "hot" 20 minutes into every ride! I thought it was just my crazy boy. Lunging before riding definitely a no-no. I have, however, found that reversing the order of a normal ride to really help. Instead of walk-trot-canter-bronco bucking followed by horse racing and airs above the ground-skip jumping yet again- quit in frustration, we now do brief walk-canter-jump-trot-walk, and try to keep each session under 30 minutes. If I want to do a longer session, I take a break after 20 minutes and go out and hack around for 10 minutes, then return to the arena and continue work.
My silly horse has to check every flower-box for edibility before he will jump over them. This applies to any box that has been moved more than a centimeter since the last time he checked.

[Bumpkin]

AHHHH /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
They do take good care of us.

Thats why I love my Elliot so much!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

My trainer told me that yesterday when he saved me over a little fence. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Chef Jade]

Well yesterday I am all set for ride #4 on my new young thing. I have heard about his being a challenge to get on, and admittedly it has always been a three party affair when I have gotten on. Well yesterday there was no one in sight to give me a hand so I decide to attempt the feat by myself - after all, how bad can he really be? I have hit a moving target before.

I walk him up next to the fence and he promptly swings his butt around so I can't reach. THis happens several times (that smart a$$) so I try to mount from the ground. I was avoiding this method at all costs considering he is about 17 hands and growing by the minute. I lower my stirrup to the bottom hole, hoist my leg up and as soon as I put any weight on it, away he goes - at a gallop! I aborted quickly and yanked him back. He then proceeded to spin to face me and rear straight up.


So there went the idea of riding. I am going to need an entire posse everytime I ride my horse!

So any suggestions as to how to begin to teach him to stand still while mounting? I am a big fan of bribing with cookies... /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Pocket Pony]

I'm always a big fan of bribing, but it is hard with the mounting thing....as soon as I would give the bribe for standing still and then move back by the saddle, out would swing the butt.

I've only gone through this twice with Mickey. One time was when I had the brilliant idea to ride him bareback and in a halter just to go out grazing. He didn't get it and would swing that butt away or walk forward every time. I tried each of the different mounting blocks (count: 4), I tried getting on in the aisleway of the barn by standing on tackboxes (yes, I tried in all four sections of the barn), to no avail.

So then I thought "well, it must be the halter - he just doesn't get it", because I had ridden him bareback (albeit with a pad) last year and got right on. So I put on his bridle thinking that would solve the problem. Nope. I had many people offering to help. No thank you - I'll get this on my own. Well, an hour later I still had made no progress so I finally called my friend over to help me, but even then it took some work.
Once I got on, I realized how uncomfortable he is bareback (high, high, long sloping withers) and promptly got off after walking once around the barn.

More recently, he did the same thing with his saddle. Don't know what got up his bum that day, but he would either walk forward or swing the butt out.

So that time I made it much less appealing for him to do that than to stand still. "Oh, Mickey - I understand - you want to walk around in little circles? Ok, no problem", and I'd make him circle around and around and around me. "You want to walk forward? Well I think you should walk backwards instead" back, back, back we go. It took about 5 tries before he decided my idea was better than his.

"Oh Mickey you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey! Hey Mickey!"

[Lord Helpus]

Bertie, I LOVE your horse. Also, love that barn. What gorgeous stone work. Where is it?

Chef, re: mounting: Since I get babies off the track that have never been mounted from the ground (they have always had legs up as they walk around), and I live alone, my solution is the 3 step, step ladder. The wooden kind, not aluminum, so if they get caught in it, they will not slice themselves...

We go to a corner of the ring and I place the baby diagonally across the corner so it is hard for him (but not impossible, so he doesn't feel trapped) to go forward or back. I then put my step ladder down near him. If he moves away, I move the ladder. Sometimes the ladder gets moved 10 - 12 times before I even get close to leaning over his back. But, no matter, I just keep on talking to him and moving the ladder -- proving to him that he cannot escape it by swinging away.

Do NOT attempt to put your foot in the stirrup at this stage -- you can get severely injured if he freaks and bolts! Once you are able to lean over his back, pat him all up and down and make a huge fuss and then back off and start again. And yet again.

Only when he stands still and relaxed for the ladder being put in place and you climbing up the ladder and standing over him should you attempt to put weight in the stirrup. But even now, keep 2/3rds of your weight on the top of the ladder and be prepared to abort mounting if he does not stay relaxed.

Time taken now will pay off down the road. You need to change his bad mounting habits NOW or you will have a monster of a problem to deal with for the rest of his riding life.

Don't even try to mount him from a fixed mounting block or fence without help. You absolutely cannot win and every time you try and lose, you are reinforcing his "Neener, neener, I don't have to do that if I don't want to, and you can't make me" attitude...

[Chef Jade]

Thanks for the tips, LH. He seems to have missed some VERY important lessons when he was originally started. My current trainers are none too happy about it because he is now their (more like my) problem to fix.

The plan is to get him going solidly U/S, and then take him out of training for the winter and spend plenty of time on the ground work.

I so far have taught him what "whoa" means and that when I say it, I REALLY mean it!

But I did leave the barn yesterady asking, "What the hell did I get myself into?" /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Bumpkin]

Elliot is great to get on, he stands and waits for his mommy /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

But yesterday after getting him exactly half clipped it was time for my lesson on him.
I checked the girth, as he does like to blow a bit, and when I got on the saddle slipped a tad bit too much /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

Haha /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif I forgot I had put alot of Show Sheen on him to clip him and getting that saddle to stay in place was funny!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Bertie]

Thanks for the nice comments about Lola /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

LaurieB, I just knew we took her off the depo provera a couple of months too soon! September was definitely too early for the last dose /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Do you notice a difference in Tess after you take her off it?

Wendy, I feel your pain. But heck, this sort of thing is what keeps horses so interesting, right? /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif There must be a name for horses that need to school before they warm-up /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

LH, the place is in Rhode Island. There's a stone house too, attached to the barn which is so nice during these long cold winters. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Merry]

So Pam, if I leave a bucket of paint and a brush out, can you swab the eaves of the barn while you're on your ladder? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Mine are always broke out in a western saddle, so I have plenty of stirrup length to clamber up on. But I must say, another thing that works is placing your big horse in between an alley way of straw bales.

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[LaurieB]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bertie:

LaurieB, I just knew we took her off the depo provera a couple of months too soon! September was definitely too early for the last dose /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Do you notice a difference in Tess after you take her off it?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Last year, I, too, stopped too early. Tess was only four at the time and September through November was a bit of an adventure. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif This year--the second that I've had her--I have a better idea what I'm doing. Since the depo shots "even out" her hormones while she's cycling and since I'm trying to keep her on the shots until she stops cycling for the year, I don't expect to see much of see a difference.

At least that's what I'm hoping for. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Beezer]

Said to the accompaniment of stomping feet, as any good mother would do in defense of her child.

OK, so we had that little upset over the warm-up ring being next to a big berm, an enclosed bull pen (so he could *hear* the horses in there but he couldn't *see* them /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif ) and barns with a shedrow that horses kept appearing and disappearing into. But we got over that ... albeit after he galloped, oh, about three-eighths. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif He finally took this deep, shuddering breath and was like, OK, I can handle this. Then he dropped down on the bit and acted like the real, at-home Tigger.

Unfortunately, he seemed to have left his jump at home. The first time up to the little X with trot poles, he acted like he'd never seen a jump before in his life -- zigzagged, then just ... stopped. CLUELESS. Took about half a dozen times before he went, "OOOOOOOHHHHHHH, you want me to jump it." Then he tried so hard that Merry said, "Why do I feel like I am being jumped out of the tack?" "Because," answered Beezer (from the safety of terra firma /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif ), "you are. He's clearing the standard."

Merry wanted to just leave it there, to let the little one just be successful in the warm-up ring. Beezer guilted her: "If it were Hammie, you'd make him go in the show ring."

So in they went. Poor Tiggs, he had NO CLUE what was expected. But he went past the announcer's booth, past the spectators under the tent, past QHSM ... and went dead in the water at the first fence. Flowers, doncha know. And even though he's jumped flowers at home, they were not THESE flowers. So Merry, deciding that Tiggers have to go forward before they can jump, bypassed the first fence and went on to the second. The lightbulb went on: "OOOOOHHHHHH, you want me to jump." And off they went.

His second class was much, much improved. He even cantered out of a line (unintentionally on Merry's part, but he was feeling very brave). He even got a prize! (OK, so it was just crossrails, but he made his mother very proud. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif ) Then he did the hack, behaving himself very well indeed and got another prize. (The cutest thing was when they all lined up in the hack; Tig walked up between horses and stood, but he just kept craning his neck and looking at the other horses, like he was saying, "PSSST ... anyone know why we're just standing here? Anyone? Anyone at all?")

As further evidence of how much better he got as he went, when we first got there, he was wigged by the announcer talking over the loudspeaker and wouldn't walk on the gravel at the washracks. Before we left, the gravel was no problem and he was barely cocking an ear at the loudspeaker.

Even Merry had to admit that he was much, much better than Hammie at his first show -- Tiggers have no scary corners, by the way -- and that he finished up very well. /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

Can you tell I'm a proud horse mom??!?! /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[Bumpkin]

Give Tigger a big pat and a carrot from Cousin Elliot and Auntie Bumpkin!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Justice]

Sounds like a perfect first horse show experience, what a superstar! I'm especially impressed that he was so good in the hack, he's not used to being in such large groups, is he? And I am truly hoping his show name is Tigger because I love it. Scrum-diddly-umptious, as Tigger would say.

Had Justice been standing next to Tigger at the end of the hack, he could have shared a valuable insight that he has learned in his first season of showing. After 2 jumping classes and a flat class, it is only fair that a poddy break is provided. After all, they are kindergartners, and can only go at the most inopportune of times. This is why I pray harder than others that my horse is in the top three of the hack. If they don't call his name right at the beginning his attitude seems to be "piss off." Literally. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[LaurieB]

It sounds like a great first show. I had to laugh when you described Tigger's reaction to lining up in the hack. Tess was much the same in the beginning. Hmmm, this must be the Social Hour portion of our day. Let me see if I can reach around and touch a few noses, maybe get a squeal going... /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Greenies are so much fun.

[Duffy]

Awwwwe!!! How great that show sounds for Tigger! Merry and Beezer are the best team, from what I can tell! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[DMK]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by LaurieB:
DMK, we'd like some pictures, please! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Did I brag on my greenie's jumping style? That will teach me... Somebody must have swapped him out for another horse, because I did NOT recognize that creature who landed in a heap on the other side of the X last night!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Green Beans, where the only consistancy is inconsistancy...

Beezer, I loved your Tale of Tigger! He sounds like my kind of horse /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Bumpkin]

Horses Make A Liar Out Of You Everytime!!!

hahaha /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[Merry]

Yes, Tigger (show name: "Hot Sauce") was quite good... finally. I admit I had my doubts. You see, I'm a firm believer that as long as you can gallop forward, you're kind of out of harm's way. But Tigger wouldn't go ANYWHERE in the warm-up ring. There was a lot of movement underneath me, but it wasn't headed in any direction! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif So, how fast can Merry dismount from an explosive situation? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

I made Beezer lead him around the warm-up arena, then I did the Pat Day running mount alongside the horse, got up in a two-point, and galloped for about 3 minutes. Then we were in business. I swear, I am soooo getting too old for this nonsense. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

As for the pee party at shows: Hammie will only pee in a stall. So if we're at a one-day show I have to beg, borrow or steal a stall for ten minutes so he can pee. Otherwise, I end up with an incredibly grumpy, uncomfortable horse. You can't jump or hack, you know, with a full bladder!

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Lord Helpus]

LOL --- re peeing -- Mikey had to pee SO badly at his last (and first) show 3 weeks ago. They had stalls for rent ($25) but I did not rent one. He would stand outside and stretch out and drop down, but nary a drop of pee. So I finally decided to sneak into a freshly bedded stall and, if caught, it would be a $25 pee...

Well the Mikester was so intent on all the DE-licious smells in the stall that we stood in there for 15 minutes and he totally forgot he had to go... He sniffed, he pawed, he whinnied at the horses next to him. But pee? Nah. So the poor guy had to hold it until we got home.

And, I agree that I love these greenies. Their brains can only hold so much information at one time. They learn something new and other things go flying out their ears. Yesterday, Mikey's new trick (of which his Mom is very proud) was to come down from a canter to a trot and to balance himself back onto his hocks at a slow trot without me having to hold up his front end. Until now, he has been like a kid running downhill and I have been his brakes.

I decided yesterday that enough was enough and he had to learn to be his own brakes, so I surprised him and refused to touch his mouth on downward transitions, just voice and weight aids. First couple of times, we racked on and circled at a very fast speed until he could organize himself, but he caught on SO quickly that I was so proud of him! After only 10 minutes we were doing downward transitions like the big guys, canter, then right into a balanced, slow trot.

LOTS of pats and "Good Miksters!" He arched his neck and actually preened, he was so proud of his new trick. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif So we moved on to figure-8'ing over a little jump to work on landing on both leads. Well, the Mikester has now forgotten how to land softly and come back into a rhythmic canter..... /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif He knew how to do it last week..... But, suddenly, he... just... couldn't... do... it... yesterday...

Ah, greenies. I sure do love 'em. Riding made horses is SO boring, isn't it?

[Pocket Pony]

Well, now that we have been blessed in Northern California with some rain, I've got two schooling dilemmas: to school outside in the rain (or even a drizzle), or to school inside where it doesn't rain, but where scary things happen, including maneuvering around up to 15 horses at any given time.

Yesterday I decided to work on the rain thing, since I'm thinking I'd rather be out in a light rain than in with a bunch of reckless kids careening around the indoor arena (and the footing in there absolutely sucks).

Well, yesterday's weather at the time of my ride couldn't be classified as rain. Heck, I don't know if it was even a drizzle. But Mickey felt the atmospheric pressure change and was convinced that he was being bombarded by pellets hitting his face. I .... just....can't....take....it....must....get....away ....from....the....pelting....forces.... he'd bop his head up and down, try to bury his head between his knees, try to snake around the arena in nothing that resembled a straight line....all to get away from it.

Well, once we started cantering, he seemed to get over it a bit and we actually ended up with really nice canter work. Go figure. I think I'm going to have to torture him in the rain some more. I may even turn him out in it (and of course play with him) so he can get used to it and desensitized.

"Oh Mickey you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey! Hey Mickey!"

[wanderlust]

The chiropracter/acupuncturist came yesterday... nothing out of line, but definitely a pulled groin muscle. So after being stuck with some needles, he is good to go back to work.

Except that even standing in the cross-ties (where he is usually on his best behavior), he was a stark-raving lunatic. My trainer walked by, said "Oh yeah, he's feeling it. This is bucking weather. You may want to put off riding until tomorrow." I whole-heartedly agreed.

splendid- I also need to make the choice between getting wet, or crappy footing in the covered arena. I choose getting wet every time. But boy does he ever hate it! Its like a thousand flies landing on him all at once... /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

For those of you who didn't catch my cross-post on the thread about Indio costs, I think Tally and I may be putting in an appearance... the cantering and jumping is pretty good. Of course, the trotting, well, not-so-pretty. But there's plenty of time between now and February... right?

[Pocket Pony]

Do you use Nancy for your chiro/acupuncture? If so, she's who I use and she's just the best. I'm waiting to find out if she can come see Mickey this week or next.

"Oh Mickey you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey! Hey Mickey!"

[wtywmn4]

No rain whinage!

We so need it. If I saw one more dust devil cruising thru the parking lot, well......Plus now my horse is beginning to like puddles. Not near as scarey as a blue liverpool...

Congrats Tigger, now Merry you deserve alot of that too /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif Plus just think, if Beezer hadn't been a QHSM's in training and pushed you into the ring, you would never have found out how much fun Tigs is. Have to say, he was pretty darn good. Walking past the announcers booth, all those lovely things to spook at, he finished up really well! So next show is when???? Tigs ready for Indio? /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

[Merry]

I don't believe Tigger will be heading off to another show in the near future. He'd probably suffer a psychotic break.

Ah, the rain... We do need enough to knock down the dust. How about 1/4 inch? Can we order just that much? /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

Okay, here's my forgetfulness problem with the Barbster: She absolutely cannot canter straight going to the right. I have it fixed at the walk, sitting trot and working trot. She moves off my leg nicely. But man, at the canter, she hollows out and throws her shoulder in and her haunches out. Right now I correct it by lots of downward transitions, fixing it at the sitting trot, then going back to the canter until it falls apart, then back to the sitting trot... /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif

Is there any hope, or will the Barbie Cow forever go like the Barbie Crab? I swear, sometimes I don't know which half of the horse I'm riding. The rear end is trying to pass up the front end! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Beezer]

Thanks, everyone. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif He really is a good boy.

Every time I start to get frustrated with something we haven't "mastered" yet, I make myself stop and realize how far he HAS come. And then I remind myself that we have all the time in the world and there is no pressure to get anywhere, any time. Given his lifetime of medical woes, I've had many, many moments where I just accepted the fact that he was going to be a really cute pet. And now he's gone to his first show! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

I have this absolutely darling picture of him on one of the first days of his life. He was a preemie; his mom almost died shortly before he was born; I spent endless hours agonizing over both of them. He is standing nose-to-nose with his mom and looks like this itsy-bitsy teeny-tiny stuffed child's toy next to her ... he doesn't even look real. I remember thinking that there was no way that he'd ever be big enough for anyone to ride!

And now, he's a pleasingly plump (oh, SHUT UP, Merry! /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif ), 16.1-plus-hand, cute-as-a-button "kid." I never thought I'd get this kinda kick out of working with a greenie (I'm much better with the "difficult" adults). And I know that he's never going to be a world-beater. But I have to say, I'm sure blessed with him! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[Chef Jade]

How 'bout posting that cute pic for all of us to see?

[wanderlust]

Yes, I use Nancy. She's fantastic. He loved her the first time she came out... didn't like her so much yesterday. Couldn't understand why she would dare to poke at his back when it hurt!

I had to laugh... someone hacked down from the training center to see one of the trainers, saw him standing in the crossties, and said "he's adorable... how old is he?" And before I could say anything, Nancy said "5... going on 2." So well put... she just missed the part about the ADD. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[LaurieB]

Beezer, where's that picture? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Bertie]

Please please post the baby picture of Tigger!

You all must be so proud of him. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[jreventer]

mery i understand your pain with the barbie cow...am going through the same thing with my three yr old qh...she decided the canter to the right was just impossible-oh she'll do a beautiful lead change left to right, but ask her to pick up that right lead and those haunches go out and that shoulder comes in-ack!
we have mastered it with lots of strengthening exercises-hill work, transistions everytime she went crooked, trot poles...so now the little witch decides when she has had enough of this straight work she'll do just as she pleases-this means when she is set up perfectly for the canter transition she picks up the right lead-oh but in mid air she switches back the wrong lead(left)-ack! now what to do...the miseries of greenies and stubborn mares:)
although when she does decide to pissy i find i have more luck letting her do as she wants and praying real hard her right leg lands in front:)

"There are times when you can trust a horse, time when you can't, and times when you have to."

[Merry]

Thanks for sharing your pain, JrEventer! Yes, I'm sticking with the continual downward transitions and fixing, then back to the canter for a while. I actually had her come to a dead stop once, mad that I kept correcting her, and REAR! Like, "Hello!" That is sooooo not allowed!

This behavior, of course, resulted in a MRL: Mid-ride Lunge, whereby she was reminded to always go forward. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[jreventer]

well, i will say i am lucky that this mare gets the idea of forward and never has to lunged-all in all she's a great greenie but that canter...now my four yr old on the other hand has been banned to lunge work and ground driving till his attitude straightens-i finally got tired of riding a bucking bronco every time...

"There are times when you can trust a horse, time when you can't, and times when you have to."

[RumoursFollow]

How did we ever let this get to the 2nd page??

I figure its time for a Cisco update.

I rode him today for the third time. I'll just quickly chronicle all of our rides for you. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Monday- Got on and decided to just show him around. Didnt have the western saddle yet so I rode him english. We walked and walked around the ring until we calmed down. Then we did some steering. He was pretty good, but when he didnt want to go where I was telling him he would shake his head and try to halt. We worked through it pretty good I think... considering major ring distractions include the fact that BOTH pastures back up to the ring.. and since Cisco was the new horse they all were hovering around the ring wall trying to get at him! LOL

Wednesday- The western saddle had come so I decided to try it. WOW.. am I glad that I did. It was lesson day at the barn, and we had our first experience with another horse in the ring. we were fine when they were walking and trotting, but the first time we cantered we lept into the air like a flying lipizzaner... very classy. So we spent that entire ride just trying to calm down. We only got about 15 minutes before they started to jump, and I figured I'd rather live than try to keep him in the ring for that! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Thursday- Rode western again... in beginning of twilight... and again, the only thing I could do was just try to get him to relax. He'll put his head down and totally relax 3/4ths of the way around the ring and then FREAK OUT for the other 1/4th. At one point he proved to me that he will be a grand prix jumper by leaping six feet (straight up) into the air... we eventually made it around the ring without trying to buck me off or anything, so I quit with that.. because it was getting dark and hed had enough.

He just gets so frustrated!! When he did his leaping tonight I'd been on him for a while and he was being SO good but I just wanted him to walk by that end of the ring ONE MORE TIME and he just blew up. Am I asking him to do too much? I mean... 30 minutes of walking around the ring without breaking into a panic jog or trying to dump me doesnt seem like alot. I ask him for NOTHING else. No trot, no bending, nothing. Just to steer and be calm. I cant fathom that I'm going too fast.. hes GREAT on the lounge line... knows all the voice commands and everything. I figure the logical thing to do is to be sitting on his back. Am I rushing it??

I know hes not in any pain... I just had him vetted a week ago when I bought him.

------------------------------
Yeehaw- Formerly RF
COTH BB Resident Cowgirl
"She's gone country.. look at them boots, shes gone country.. back to her roots, shes gone country, a new kind of suit.. SHES GONE COUNTRY!! HERE SHE COMES!!! :P

[JRG]

Baby steps is the only way I can describe it. (The add crack, I was only kidding about) When I was at that stage with my guy, what I found was to get to the point of being productive and then let it go untill tomorrow.

From what I understand your horse is pretty young so 30 min of walking doesn't sound like much to you, but to him it may be a lifetime. He may not be able to handle that long just yet. Once you are at the point where you are thinking "one more time"...stop there. Chances are your baby was thinking that a little earlier. Good luck and have fun.

As for my guy, did the clip job the other day and I am so thankful. It is really warm up here right now. This year instead of doing a full body clip, I left his legs and a patch on his back for the saddle. He is much happier then the full we did last year. He just couldn't stand the short hairs under the saddle or we have gotten past that stage.....one way or the other I am not knocking it. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[jreventer]

Baby steps are very important:)
If I am correct your baby is two right? Well, start out very slow-start with five minutes of walking and if he is good quit, ten the next day ten minutes, etc...go slow. with my two yr olds I rarely rode them more then 15 minutes except when I started to tral ride them and then we started out with ten, then fifteen, then twenty minutes-
they are like a young kid their attention span is very small

"There are times when you can trust a horse, time when you can't, and times when you have to."

[LaurieB]

I, too, have fallen prey to the idea that Tess, who sometimes picks nonsensical things to spook at, must continue working until the issue is fully resolved to my satisfaction, passing by said item as many times as I want. However, as my trainer pointed out, insisting that everything be exactly right, right now, can lead to further resistance. With a young one, it's much better sometimes to settle for good enough and leave the ring while you're both still happy, rather than going for that last time around.

[Bumpkin]

When you have a Baby do you ride it slowly as suggested, 15 to 20 min a day making it more and more each day?

Or do you ride them for X amount of time and then turn them out for a year or whatever?

I read so many different theories.

With the TB's at the track they raced lightly for the 2 year old year then were turned out all winter to be brought back in March of the following year.

Now with Elliot he was broke at 3 and then turned out for a year and brought back for a month of retraining and then sent to his owner's H/J trainer.
Not showing until he was 5.

So what is adviseable?
/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

Merry!!???
What do you do with your babies?

[Chef Jade]

Talking about Baby Steps...

Last night at the barn the big lesson for Dekster was standing next to the mounting block. I could make it up to the 2nd stair before he freaked. The whole time I was feeding him carrots. The lesson ended not necessarily with his best effort at remaining still (I think he should be the new commercial for Energizer) but when I ran out of carrots.

/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

But I later saw the groom for the trainer I am working with (she tacks him up for the trainer during the week) and she said how much better he was leading! YEAH! Small victories is what it is all about, I guess.

So I am proud I taught him SOMETHING - even if it is just leading.

LOL! I'll reiterate - I am finally learning the TRUE meaning of BABY green. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Merry]

Oh geez, don't consider me the Grand Poohbah of babies! But I can tell you what we've done for 15 years. First, Beezer gets bitten, stepped on and run over as she leads them around, teaches them to "pony" on the trail, and does all the yearling stuff with them. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

We introduce them to the basics of bit, saddle, lungeing, etc. in the late summer of their 2 yr. old year. Then they hang out all winter and after they're broke in the spring as "real" 3 yr. olds, I'd say I ride them 3 to 4 days a week. I try to do simple, 10-15 minute rides. In the beginning, things go very slowly because it's just repeating lessons. It's not so much how long you spend on their back, but how sophisticated your schooling sessions are. Some are very smart (Hammie) and progress quickly. Others (i.e. Barbie) are mentally inadequate and take forever. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

But I so agree with LaurieB. Sometimes you have to pick just one little thing to go back to and be successful on, and then quit. There's always tomorrow!

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[wendy]

now my baby has decided that in the indoor, he can only jump over jumps in the direction away from the in-gate. If you try to jump over the EXACT SAME JUMP, five seconds later, in the opposite direction, he just can't do it. Crash through it, stop dead, run out, anything except leave the ground.

[Duffy]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by wendy:
now my baby has decided that in the indoor, he can only jump over jumps in the direction away from the in-gate. If you try to jump over the EXACT SAME JUMP, five seconds later, in the opposite direction, he just can't do it. Crash through it, stop dead, run out, anything except leave the ground.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wendy, now that's a weird one. You'd think he'd
want to jump going towards the in-gate. At what time did you ride him? Were the sun shadows looking spooky around the jump going in that direction?

Riley, at certain times during the day, wouldn't even go NEAR one whole side of the arena, because of the way the sun was coming through some slats... /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

My daughter's pony sometimes jumps the rays of late afternoon sunlight, thinking they're a pole or something? Other times, she just takes it as an excuse to drop her shoulder, spook, buck and take off! /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

What does your horse do with other jumps set to and away from the in-gate? This is making me quite curious!

I also believe in the practice that you can't expect a long attention span. I like the "when you're thinking 'just one more time', it's probably beyond his span" (not direct quote - sorry - but think it's close? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif ). Also, believe in the going back to things the baby is comfortable, in hopes that he DOES still remember them and you're not opening up a whole nuther can of worms!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

On a positive note, my trainer actually let me trot in/canter out of a line yesterday!!! Cheap thrills! LOLOL /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[LaurieB]

Today Tess and I had a perfect lesson. Sigh. Really perfect. How often does that happen? (well to us, almost never. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif )

When the time came to jump the course, I swear all I did was pick up the reins and steer. Tess was light, responsive, listening to my slightest cue, and jumping with her knees up to her ears. I pulled up after the last fence wearing a grin as wide as Texas. My trainer looked at me and said, "Well she was perfect, I'm thrilled, and you made a couple of small mistakes. But I don't see why she and I should have to do it again just so you can fix stuff you know how to do better." /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

This means all the more to me because it was two years ago this week that I got Tess. And one year ago this week that I took her to a show where we made utter fools of ourselves, barely managing to trot in and canter out of the lines, only semi-under-control in the warm-up ring, racing like a Whippet in the flat class. /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

At the time, I had seriously begun to wonder if I'd taken on more than I was capable of handling. So for everyone else who reads this thread and wonders whether there ever will be light at the end of the tunnel, I'm here to tell you that there is. And it's shining like a friggin' beacon down in Atlanta today. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Beezer]

Yippee, LaurieB! Yippee, Tess! You go, girls!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[Bumpkin]

Congratulations!!!
Don't you love lessons like that?

They may be a bit shorter, but the adrenaline and memory of them lasts for days.

Sounds like a lesson to go home and falling asleep dreaming about!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Merry]

Well, my lesson yesterday on Hammie wasn't quite as glorious. He was very quiet and calm, so I didn't even lunge him. He hacked beautifully. But the jumping followed a sort of bell curve.

We trotted a few jumps nicely. Then he woke up, so our cantering over jumps was a tad exciting. Then he spied a new pinto next door (Could it be the long-lost Lovely Spot?) and actually cranked his head around to the side to stare at it over the top of a jump! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif Then he got in trouble for galloping off after an oxer. So next I had 4 or 5 lovely trips... "our peak". Next I got pissy horse, who sucked back behind the bit on the long approach to the oxer. And finally, the, "I'm tired and bored, so I'll just slop over the panel like a wet towel." Ah, the joys of Hammie.

My trainer says, "You know, his whole problem is his attitude."

No, REALLY?!?! /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Beezer]

Best not to attempt to teach Tigger a new gymnastic exercise at the same time that Grumpy Old Dad and his "crew" decide that NOW would be a fine time to a) work on the arena fence; b) drag out the ladder from an empty stall so the garage door could be fixed; c) throw a car cover over the freshly washed farm truck parked beside the ring; d) all of the above. /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

So, ask me: How did it go with Tigger on Saturday? Go ahead, ask me. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[Pocket Pony]

Well, at least you can recognize that you have the option of not schooling at that time of the barn work.

At our barn, I swear the owner chooses the MOST inappropriate times to do his a) chainsawing next to the indoor arena when the footing is so crappy anywhere else that you've got no where else to ride and it is prime riding time, or b) welding next to the arena where sparks fly and lessons are going on and it is so busy that there is nowhere else to ride despite there being three other arenas, or c) dumping gravel in the back of the property next to the arena that has been designated as my trainer's, or d) any combination of or all of the above!

Jeesh!

"Oh Mickey you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey! Hey Mickey!"

[LaurieB]

Beezer, I'm beginning to see a pattern here. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Maybe your father needs to get a job. You know, a little something to keep him busy away from home a couple of hours a day?

Or conversely, maybe he needs to take up riding so he would understand. Just think, you and Merry could teach him. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[This message was edited by LaurieB on Nov. 05, 2001 at 04:55 PM.]

[Merry]

Actually, it was quite a day! LOL, I'm sure Beezer noticed that I was finished riding Hammie before the fence work began. It was just one distraction after another while Beezer was riding. I believe the unveiling of the car cover was the crowning glory.

And our dad get a part-time job? Why, then how will he have time to email bad jokes, surf the Internet, and watch CNN and yell at the commentators? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[SquishTheBunny]

Hey all!

Should you worry when your baby green isnt acing baby green at all???

My horsie isnt quite 3 yet, but I have been on him abut 3 times just for about 5 minutes of walk. Not rushing anything but wanted to sit on him a few times before the snow decded to dump down on us.

He has had a few months of long lining, lunging, tacked up etc. Anyway...a few days ago I got on him for the 3rd or4th time and he was perfect! He just knew how to steer (I never asked him for that before, I was just lead around). He knew how to halt and *shock* he knew to go forward when I put my leg on.

Want to hear somehting even more shocking? I put my leg on a bit hader because he was slowing down and he started to jog!!!!!!!

MY theory is...Aliens from some distant planet came down and broke him for me. Does that sound plausable???

This has kinda ruined all the plans for me. I promised myself that I would get on him a few times before the snow, teach him to walk/halt/steer etc. and then give him the winter off and start again in the spring.

BUT this just SUCKS! Since he already knows how o walk/steer/halt, I have no reason to continueriding him!!!!!!! I think he knew my plan and decided he would rather spend the day eating grss or hay.

Has anyone else had their baby green act so...um...not how you would have expected???? /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

[Merry]

Absolutely! I would say Beezer's Tigger was the all-time easiest horse I ever broke & started. Liesl, a Trakehner filly we raised, was a close second. I think I was cantering her the third time I was on her back. A couple of the TB's we raised for the track were very easy, too. All of which makes me wonder why, in my "old age" I am acursed with two clowns like Hammie (my trainer's latest comment was, "He's so unimpressed with the jumps that he just goofs off half the time") and the Barbie Cow (who every 2 or 3 rides throws what my mother describes as a temper tantrum).

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[wendy]

yes, the one-way away from the in gate jumping thing was really weird. It was full dark outside and we had the lights on, so I really couldn't think of any reason for not jumping in one direction. Decided to hack out all weekend and school flatwork for several days before trying jumping again. The trail riding was great, my horse was a dream. You'd have thought he had spent twenty years hauling people around on trails. Gave him monday off. Then this morning he was so bad I was ready to sell him for dog meat. Except towards the end of the session he suddenly buckled down and spent ten minutes as the incredible responsive well-behaved horse with jaw-droppingly beautiful gaits that I know and love. Perhaps he has multiple personality disorder as well as ADD and hyperactivity????

[Beezer]

Even Merry says so! /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

And proving that this human mother knows her horse son, last night when I arrived for my "usual" 8 p.m. ride, it was to find him right up on his toes. It was foggy, a little hint of a chill. He was practically dancing when I walked up.

"Hm," I said as I tried to get a halter on the bobbing head, "you look like a 4-year-old in need of some playtime." Let's just say that his "bouncing" out to the ring was about the last time his feet were remotely near the ground for the next 20 minutes or so. /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[LaurieB]

well, one thing among many, actually, but it will do for a start. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

When does a horse stop being green? At what stage of development do you figure that he/she knows enough to no longer be regarded as a beginner? After one successful year of showing? After two? After everything stops looking new to them? After the "surprise factor" mostly dies down?

Obviously there are horses that seem somewhat green their whole lives. Tess snickers rudely in the background. At what stage of accomplishment would you stop calling your horse a greenie?

Inquiring minds want to know. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[jreventer]

red october-sounds like you were blessed with one of those sane minded green beans...really it all depends on the horse as to how easy they are to break...my gelding was a dream to break-picked up on everything-then when he turned four he decided it was time to be a real green bean...
i have a qh mare who has been an absolute dream to break...caught on to everything right away inlcuding flying leads and jumping...
i have another pony who took months to figure out w,t,stop, turn
they were all started the same way just different minds...

as fas as when they will cease to be green-well that all matters on the horse-my qh mare ceased being green around three-sure she makes mistakes and has a long way to go but she isn't "green"...however, my four yr old will probably be green for a long time as he thinks life is more fun when he can play green bean tricks:)

"There are times when you can trust a horse, time when you can't, and times when you have to."

[Merry]

You mean when do you stop making excuses for their behavior by saying, "Oh, it's a greenie," and just acknowledge, "It's an obnoxious creature, ain't it?" /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

It used to be just two years of greendom. Now we can "officially" extend it four years: baby green, pre-green, first and second year green. But I'd say at the end of two years of showing, you pretty much have what you're going to get. Which, for me, is a frightening prospect. In other words, next year had better be danged impressive! /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Peggy]

As a wise man once said, "no amount of training will change the essential character of the horse."

My horse could buck like a bronc at 5 and still can at 16. He still bites too. He is definitely mellower in certain aspects, but is still obnoxious. Maybe ths is why he was in the HorseTrader for a relatively cheap price, instead of at a fancy HJ barn when I got him?

[wanderlust]

Oh, more drama with the baby... his pulled groin is still bugging him, so he has officially earned a winter vacation in the sunny central valley, starting next week. Argghhh. Maybe 2 months in a field will fix whatever it is that is broken.

So Splendid, a question for you... do you know anyone in the PV/Woodside area with a smaller, private barn that actually has "real" turnout? I've heard of people who board hacking distance from CTETA, but am not sure where. I'm ready to sacrifice the convenience of a covered arena and lights for the health and wellness of my boy...

[dcm]

Okay, I'm going to intrude, but I am invisible, so my post will disappear before anyone can read it.

I thought I'd share with you the first month of my dtr riding her new greenie (#1 is not much challenge lately). He's a 4 yr old ottb, last raced June 2001. We bought him in August and my dtr has just been working on him gaining weight and bonding. He's a grandson of Buckpasser and a great grandson of Alydar. I posted his picture recently for some critiques and got some good advice for my dtr to work on his hind end. Anyway, its kind of long, but since my posts disappear, well, here goes (I cut and pasted this from JB's board so I would not have to type 2x's):

From my stand point watching outside the arena, everything looks to be progressing even if it has been difficult.

Shadow is not Rio (greenie #1). No easy going, "what do you want me to do now, mom?" type of guy. More of a "I don' wanna, I don' wanna, well, okay I'll do it if we have to and you make me, but...I don' wanna, I don' wanna". He's too cute and too readable. He'll be going fine, then a skip and a hop, then fine again.

He is going real well to the left at walk/trot once he settles down and decides he has to work. They always start to the left. But going right...what a workout for my dtr! It's mostly a fight to keep him going that way with him trying to turn around and go back to the left. Got some nice sidepasses out of it, too! Lots of inside leg and an open outside rein and eventually, she will get a nice couple of laps around. To accomplish this, they have to do some circles to the right several times until he settles, then go down the line. Sometimes he will stop completely and just dance with his front legs, kind of like a small rear (not more than about 4 to 6 inches off the ground) since he sets back on his hind end.

And, he has finally stopped bucking when she mounts. Not to worry, it was only a couple of quick hops of defiance because he did not want to work. Maybe soon he will stand still until she is completely in the saddle. When he has done at least one nice walk and one nice trot to the right, she will then make him stand perfectly still for about 10 secs before she gets off. He likes to drift towards the gate when he thinks they are done, so she will not let him face the gate or get near the gate when they are done. He usually dances around for a few seconds, then settles.

The couple of times I have walked him in the ring for her, he will eyeball the outgate and when we pass it he will walk in front of me and walk sideways facing the gate. He never steps on me or pushes me, but he is definately telling me which way he thinks we need to go. I usually make him circle until we are facing the other way and then continue.

My dtr is getting some assistance from another boarder, a German lady who just graduated from MSU and works as an equine vet assistant. She is a dressage rider who moved here with her American husband. She bought and trained an ottb for herself when she first got here from Germany, so she is familiar with everything Shadow is doing to my dtr. This lady gave her what you guys might call a "gadget" **gasp** that goes over Shadow's head, through the rings of his bit and hooks on his girth. Sorry, I don't know what it is called, I'm not privy to that stuff since I'm just the mom. Since he was pulling against the reins, this makes him pull against himself and he relaxes sooner. He will even reach for the bit once he gets settled, unless of course you are going to the right. She suggested this gadget **gasp** one evening after watching Shadow spend more time tugging against my dtr than he was listening to her.

Despite all this, he really is fun to watch. He is all legs. Everyone here at the barn agrees he will grow some more, probably one big growth spurt, then he will be done. He is also so lovable. He is starting to respond to the calm and cool supps, although he still gets nervous if he is in the cross ties too long.

Well, thanks for letting me share. I have as much fun watching my dtr with this darling guy probably as much as she is having riding him.

Member - Baby Greenie Support Group, HorseShowMom Clique, and Midwest Clique

[Merry]

I'm guessing you're referring to a chambon? When the horse elevates, the chambon exerts pressure on the horse's poll. As the horse stretches down to the bit, the pressure is released. Hammie gets an occasional lunge in his own chambon. (Pronounced "Sham-bo").

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Lord Helpus]

Hey guys, Just checking into my favorite thread -- could not stand to see it on page three!

Don't have anything to add re baby greenies -- I seem to have this mystery problem in legs and arms -- numbness and weakness. Makes riding impossible. Cannot post once around on the old man Bear 'cuz legs are too weak. Can harly climb stairs and cannot carry things. Even have trouble driving (holding steering wheel with arm outstretched -- have to alternate arms and let the other one rest).

Been seeing lots of Doctors. Back to Neurologist on Tues. for a wicked test called a Needle EMG (anyone out there had one? How bad is it really? I have to have it on both arms and both legs... Dr. Sadist has not prescribed any tranquilizer -- I sure want some. Any input from the crowd out there?), then off to either a back doctor or a Neurosurgeon, depending on what level we think the problem is in my back.

It was probably exacerbated by the fall last July, originated by breaking my neck 12 years ago. So I am guessing it is probably nerve root compression in my neck. /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif Will know more in a week or so.

But, that is where I have been for the last couple of weeks (Sitting in doctor's waiting rooms, reading old issues of Mother's Day magazines). Horses have been turned out for the winter.

Only scary part is that some doctor will tell me that, if I ever fall again I might never get up... Now that will be a big decision... Ride v. wheelchair... Non horse people think I am crazy that I even would think twice about making such a decision, but you guys will understand, I am sure.

I guess I could always teach. I enjoy it and have been taught by the best, so I certainly know a lot -- probably would make a better teacher than rider at this point in my life. Problem is, I don't like bratty little kids, are there any other kind?

Pam

[Bertie]

aw Pam, /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

At least it sounds like you're getting close to knowing what the problem is. Once you know for sure, maybe there will be treatment options? Damn, life is always handing out these roadblocks isn't it?

Teaching is a great idea. I bet you'd love it and be great at it. Yeah some kids are no fun to teach, but not all of them. There are some that will be a blast to help. And don't forget about adult students! You know first hand that they can be the best /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif One of the trainers at our barn would love to have only adults to teach. They're much less pressurized and doing it purely for the fun and love of it.

[Duffy]

Awww, Pam! I'm so sorry you're going through this. It must be so scary. /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

I decided to "vacate the premises", somewhat voluntarily, yesterday off my guy. (Hey, Merry and Beezer! Can I call him "Ken-Cow"???) The ring had been emptied of jumps earlier in the week and I'd been so proud of him. Will and Riley, (two previous lease horses), would have totally freaked at a ring void of jumps!!! Yesterday, my daughter and I were riding together, along with another child from our barn, when two fellow boarders commenced the re-building of the new course. Imagine Ken-Cow's reaction to jumps walking by themselves and then just standing there all by their lonesome's???

Suffice to say, his eyes got as big as platters, he grew at least a couple of hands, and his heart was pounding like I couldn't believe. He still hadn't totally blown yet, but I knew it was coming...I truly didn't want my daughter to see her mother catapulted across the arena, (not that I wanted to land on the ground either, mind you), so I decided to get off. My son only got on once after seeing me have a bad crash. I tend to doubt whether it would have had the same affect on my daughter! /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif But, it just plain wasn't worth the risk of that, or of hurting myself, or of him getting loose and one of the children being hurt. Ok, so I'm a wussy chicken too... /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif It's been almost two years since he got me off twice in one session and I still remember it. I consider myself lucky that I didn't get hurt then... /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

Anyway, I just wanted to get that off my chest. Hopefully, now that the ring will look "normal" again, he won't remember the moving jumps! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif (I had been sooo proud of myself, when last weekend, Ken-Cow did a mighty leap through the air when we were cantering and I didn't panic. I had just kicked him and kept cantering. Oh well, maybe I should start a new thread of wussy chickens who have greenies? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif )

Pam, I will be thinking good thoughts for you, big time!!!

[SoEasy]

Jumps that move by themselves are a bad thing ...

Any chance that the people helping them over the fence might have noticed children and green horses in the ring?????

Hope the episode is forgotten (by the horse!) before your next ride!

[JustaLurker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Lord Helpus:

Only scary part is that some doctor will tell me that, if I ever fall again I might never get up... Now that will be a big decision... Ride v. wheelchair... Non horse people think I am crazy that I even would think twice about making such a decision, but you guys will understand, I am sure.

I guess I could always teach. I enjoy it and have been taught by the best, so I certainly know a lot -- probably would make a better teacher than rider at this point in my life. Problem is, I don't like bratty little kids, are there any other kind?

Pam<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Oh Pam, I'm so worried about you.

First, I'm sure your multitude of doctors will get to the root of the problem and will get you back on track. It does sound like pressure on one or more nerves could cetainly be a possibility.

But, please, please listen to them if one tells you that you must quit riding or risk your mobility. This is not something about which to be cavalier as it could completely change the rest of your life and remove all the options you are now pondering - such as teaching either just adults or some combination of adults and juniors.

You're right that you've been taught by the best and perhaps it's time to pass that information on.

You could also stay in the yearling sales and OTTB game, but would need one or more pretty good rider(s) to do the riding for you. They can be had, you know!

Be sure to follow your doctors' instructions AND keep us all posted.

Cheers, Maggi

[Applesauce]

Check out the thread I started in the Off Course forum. It's titles..."HITS Ocala...and I've got the greenie blues"

Me thinks there are a few in here that will be able to relate. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

~Courtney~

[LaurieB]

Oh Pam, you have my sympathies. I'd been wondering where you were, but didn't want to intrude by emailing. I've known two people whose doctors "grounded" them. One accepted the diagnosis, the other didn't and and eventually paid the price.

One was my first trainer, Junie Kulp (this was years ago) who was told that his leg could not take one more break and that the bone was so fragile that any fall would put it at risk. His leg was amputated the next time he came off.

The other was a friend who had landed on her head one too many times playing polo and eventing. She was experiencing black-outs. She now oversees her kids' pony careers.

Please--if it comes to that--try to accept that there are lots of other ways you can enjoy horses without riding them. I'll be sending all good thoughts your way.

[Janet]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Problem is, I don't like bratty little kids, are there any other kind? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well, there are always bitchy adults! /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

I certainly hope you get some conclusive good news soon.

[Merry]

Hey, Pam, I'm so hoping for a positive medical prognosis for you. However, let me point out that the first thing ANY doctor ever seems to say to me is, "You should stop riding horses." It's pretty bad when my freakin' oral surgeon tells me that, LOL! So if you get "bad news" can you seek a second opinion from a sports medicine person? Or if you're told to cut back, you have two other alternatives: 1. Start riding dressage. Debbie McDonald switched to dressage after mulitiple neck vertebrae injuries/surgeries, and look where that got her! 2. Be the next amateur owner hunter guru. You can guide, console and school folks like us!

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Merry]

So Hammie was deemed fit and ready to partake in the San Diego County Championship wingding at Del Mar. I decided to go, even though he's still quite green (i.e. inconsistent) because the arena where I was supposed to be competing was away from the racetrack.

When I arrived, we'd been switched to the other arena next to the track and next to where workers were busy setting up elaborate, enormous Christmas light sculptures. Yes, each year there's this holiday pageant where carloads of people drive around the racetrack and infield gawking at light displays. Apparently this was the time for setting it all up. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Anyway... in Baby Greens I made the cut-off in the first round to come back for the second round, which was an accomplishment, being the only amateur and the fact that the workers were using a hydraulic lift to put up the "tunnel of lights" display just over the rail from the 5-stride line. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif After my second round I eeked out a 10th place ribbon (lovely light blue). /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

The next day in the low amateur adult hunters, I pinned seventh in the first round (74) and got a 78 in the second round to move up to 5th in the "championship". I was thrilled! As Beezer said, "There were flashes of brilliance, then obvious baby green moments." /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Then, just as I pictured a high ribbon in the hack, the resident Standardbred trotters came out for their morning exercise on the racetrack! /infopop/emoticons/icon_redface.gif Hammie just totally lost it! I looked at my trainer, and she just goes, "You might as well ride through it. You paid for the class."

I felt like I was sitting on an exploding giraffe. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Mike Neilsen was the judge. I've judged with him in the past, and my girlfriend was his assistant for years. So I happen to run into him in the show office that night and I said something off-hand like, "Well, I'm crazy enough to be riding a 4 year old in the amateur division," and he smiled and said, "You were doing really well until the sulkies came out." /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

My final class, adult am. hunters "championship" was yesterday morning. Hammie warmed up beautifully. And my first fence and lead change were perfect. But then, as we rounded the turn and spied yet another Standardbred and sulky... well, let's just say I had a line at warp speed, and an oxer that resembled 'Gambler's Choice'. I pulled him up, circled, and had a lovely final line. I believe I distinguished myself by earning the lowest score of the show: a 40 from Arthur Hawkins!

Oh yes... and THAT was the round Queen of Horse Show Moms chose to video tape... /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[LaurieB]

Your "Hammie Reports" are always so entertaining, I don't know what we're going to do when he grows up. Hope for continuing mayhem from Barbie Cow perhaps? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

Tess went to her last show of the season this past weekend, and since I love pictures, here's one of us having some fun.

[Chef Jade]

LaurieB - Your horse is adorable!

Hopefully I'll have some good news to report on our last show of the season this weekend.

Ugh! I am turning into such an amateur! I am already nervous for this show, and even MORE nervous for next year when we will attempt the move up to the A/O's. I used to be so composed and focused. These greenies have made me go bad.

[Bertie]

Tess is LOVELY /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif You must be so proud of her! I love how square her knees are. It looks like bigger fences will be easy for her /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

[LaurieB]

Thanks Chef and Bertie! I am proud of her, mostly because she just tries so hard to figure out what I want her to do. This horse is so much fun which, at my age, is really the only thing that matters. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

We school bigger fences at home and in fact she seems to enjoy them more. She certainly pays more attention. Next year, I'm looking forward to moving up.

[DMK]

What a great pic LaurieB!!!

Rivers went to his first schooling show 2 weeks ago to play around. I was dutifully impressed at how good he was (he didn't kill anyone or anything, although it was pretty close when the leetle pony almost trotted under his belly!!).

Also, he is starting to occassionally be called "RV" (he's as big as one, and here's hoping you can have as much fun with him as an RV /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif ).

Here's a pic extracted from a video we took a few weeks ago. Neato stuff in that there is actual software/hardware to put your analog or digital videos on your PC and edit them. New toys for DMK... scary stuff!!!

[LaurieB]

DMK, RV (love that name /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif ) is adorable! Is that you riding? He looks so sweet and careful. I love the way babies make such a big deal out of such little jumps. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Merry]

Ah, DMK and Laurie, your babies are so lovely! Tess looks like this wonderful ad. am. horse I was admiring this past weekend. "RV" (cute name!) resembles Hammie a little, I must say. I love it when they jump really round over something, as if they're studying it as they go over.

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[DMK]

Yup, Laurie, that is me on him. He is the first horse I have owned that I actually look like a "good fit" (5'8, not such short legs /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif ).

He is pretty amenable, although we had a "discussion" the other day. For the first 90 days I was pretty much just teaching him to maintain a consistant pace at whatever gait we were in (I don't much care about speed within reason, it's rhythm that I teach right from the start), then we started to work on sloooooowing those feet down (they were pretty much slapping the ground pretty frantically - but with about 12" of overstride /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif ). He caught on to those lessons nicely so for the last 14 days we have been working on the beginnings of a *gasp* frame in his trot... (one day he is going to HAVE to cram that big old stride into the accepted numbers!!)

Well even RVs can figure out that this resembles W*O*R*K. And apparently the W word can make one's back a wee bit sore (yep folks, muscles have to be used in order to develop). The RV figured out that if one wanted to avoid the Dreaded Frame and W word one should merely invert ones frame and pick up the pogo stick canter. Until he figured out that as soon as he did that, I put him in a circle, and By God I can make damn sure that at the very least his nose, hips and shoulders are where I want them (as in "not" inverted, just not in a frame - in short a Mexican Standoff with DMK holding the bigger gun /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif ). After about 15 minutes of this game, the poor RV decided that my Trot Frame Plan involved less W*O*R*K than the Canter In A Circle Option, but it was a begrudging victory at most.

He does study the jumps a bit - I do like that feature so far /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif He is built on the forehand though - going to be a task to teach him to carry himself to the jumps. Right now he wants to study them but he tends to throw himself on the forehand in the process!

[JumperEq]

I have a greenie....kinda. She's really not mine, she's a project horse that I work with whenever I darn well feel like it. She's also only kind of a greenie. She hasn't been ridden in 2 years and while she hasn't completely forgotten all of her training, she's quite the challenge. "Tot" is a 8 yr old TB mare. Okay...picture this now, a relatively healthy 8 yr old TB with not near enough turnout time and not being ridden for that length of time. Weee...... /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

I rode her for the first time on Saturday. Otherwise I had just been longeing her to get somewhat into shape and to let do all that excess bucking without me on her back. The ride was fun. I had a short half hour lesson and we even hopped over a crosspole or two at the end. On the flat she was more like, "Okay...this is boring, OOOOH A SHADOW! What's that over there? Maybe if I can turn my head just special I can see it at the right angle...." I started getting her attention better throughout the ride (thank God!). She only bucked a few times, and only one was pissy (yay!). Otherwise she was just doing some "wee, this is fun!" bucks after the jumps. This horse has a serious jump in her, too. My trainer wants me to aim towards Juniors with her next summer, since all we really have to do is remind her of her training. Last time she was shown in Children's & Pre-Greens by my trainer's daughter (yes...Pre-Greens with a 13 yr old, ha). They did really good, too. I believe Reserve in Childrens and Champion in Pre-Green. We'll see how this goes... Oy vey... /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

.:Erin B #2:.
"When you get to the end of all the light you know and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught to fly."

[Merry]

JumperEq, I totally understand what you mean about your horse looking at something else when it jumps. Hammie spied a new pinto next door to my trainer's last week. As we headed to a three-foot vertical, he just started staring at the pinto (thinking, I'm sure, that it was his dearly departed Spot) and kept looking even as he passed. I swear, he was looking behind himself as we left the ground for the jump. And yes, I was trying to pull him up, but he wasn't listening to that, either. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Bumpkin]

I had lessons on Monday and Thursday this week. Mallory had a lesson on him Tuesday.

Mondays lesson he was the highest he has ever been and I had to get off and lunge him. He was so relieved that I did, and let out some squealy bucks and really didn't want to stop sprinting around and around /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
After the lunge we did mostly flat work and he was so wonderful. I cannot really explain what he did, but shoulder ins and extended trotting that felt great. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Thursdays lesson we started out over a cross rail on a circle and worked up to doing a course.
He bowed his neck, started his racehorse purrrrrr and kept a beautiful rhythm, 1,2,1,2,1,2 packing mom around over oxers and lines on the diagonal and 4 stride lines down the sides of the arena. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
Since Elliot and I are so lazy, pushing him on without losing the rhythm was our goal, and we did it!!
When Mom just sat there like a good Ammy with loose reins then Elliot politely went around. When Mom would bounce her bum or start taking the reins, of course we would get in deep or chip.
haha
Days like this make it all seem so worth it. No lugging down, that heavy pull that makes your arms grown about 3", haha.

The jumps were only about 2'6 or maybe 2'9, but they appear so large!! We are slowly working our way up, which is fine for me and Elliot who has a great cocky confidence, and never stops. He may peek at a jump once in awhile. But he goes over.

I love having a trainer who has the "KEY" to my horse!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
Elliot and I adore one another and are a perfect match, but there is no way we would be doing so well without our "Wonderful" trainer who has taken the time to figure out what pushes Elliot's buttons. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[LaurieB]

/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Beezer]

/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif That is so very cool that you are having so much fun. Isn't it great when it all clicks? /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

The other day, I was bragging to Merry about how good Tigger was getting at "packing" his head and staying round. So what happens when she decides to watch? We get the head-up-down-side-to-side-up-down-no-I've-never-gone-on-the-bit-in-my-life-I-don't know-what-you're-talking-about-up-down horse. /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif Merry says, "You want to jump him some today, right?" "Well, yes, but I have to put down this little insurrection first ... we seem to be a little resistant." "Huh," she answers, "I don't know why you say that," doing a good impression of a resistant Tigger. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

But, eventually, he realized that his human mom is playing more and more by Merry's rules (i.e. resistance is futile, you will be assimiliated, you will be supple and adjustable) and, as all good Tiggers should, he "caved" to my requests.

And then he jumped really, really well. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif (OK, so we're still at the beginner stages there ... but now that Hammie is "back burnered" for the winter, Tigger gets concentrated on. /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif )

Oh, and speaking of the Bay Prince, Merry: If you are going to ask your baby sister to put his baked potato suit (that would be his custom-made silver blanket /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif ) on him for you, the LEAST you can do is teach that beast some manners. I mean, really ... the breeze one feels from his teeth snapping closed near your face is incredible. /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[wadino]

What about old made horses who think they are green?

I saw a post on the 32nd page about having good/bad lessons. Well here is my saga with the all great, Stella.

Stella is 16 years old and was raced. She won 4 races (I can believe it). In her past she was also a jump but she jumps so dang well (IMO) that they decided to turn her into a hunter. It took a while to get her to go like a hunter but she finally got it.

She is (was?) such an honest horse that you can (could?) leave a stride out and she will (would?) leave. At a benefit show of the local h/j orginazation there were jump along the rail on the corners. Well the girl that was riding her didn't steer to the center. Stella took that time to RUN OUT. From then on she has it in her mind she can run out. It used to be only at shows.

One night she was running out and did it REALLY dirty and I fell off. About a week or so later I showed at a schooling show at my barn and fell off. She didn't run out that time though. Then I had a lesson this past Tuesday and she ran out and off I came..again.

My lesson that I fell off was horrible. It was dark out and she doesn't like that. It was also chilly and when it's chilly, she GOES GOES GOES. I even had her pelham on and she was pulling me around. We had running out, taking off, scary spots, jumper turns. It's great. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Well if little miss STEEEEEEELLLLLLLAAAAA! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif keeps running out my trainer is going to get on her and if she tries to run out with my trainer...Let's just say she may be a little sore (my horse). /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif Oh yeah she will not be abused but my trainer is alittle /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif better rider than me and can show her who is boss.

My trainer also has LOTS of baby greens. There is my nice looooong post.

...I could be wrong...

Ryan

[Janet]

That is something quite different.

That is a "made" horse who knows EXACTLY how much she can get away with with each rider. I bet she starts of each ride ignoring ALL the aids, and only becomes "sensitive" to the ones she knows will be enforced.

These horse can be a real pain to ride, but they teach you a lot.

I know, I had one as a kid and I have one now. If she knows that you "know what you are doing" and will enforce it, she is incredibly good, but if she finds your weakness, she takes advantage of it un-mercifully.

[Bumpkin]

I think You with Tigger and Moi with Elliot could make a foursome!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

You sound about where we are, they know that voice and now....they know we shall not give in until they do as WE ask.
Of course we ask ever so politely /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[LaurieB]

as opposed to the noisy ones that Tess and I usually contribute to. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

At home, Tess gets lots of turn-out so when we're at a show for 3-4 days the hardest thing for her to put up with is all the unaccustomed in-stall time. It doesn't take long for her to get antsy, so we've evolved a system where I get to the shows early in the morning and take her out to graze and look around, usually for at least an hour, longer of we have the time. At last week's show, one of the photographers snapped this picture while we weren't looking. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[DMK]

Awww, that's a great pic LaurieB! How come those photographers never get a good shot of me? Oh yea, it's 'cause I can break a camera lens!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Merry]

Great photo, Laurie! I love those kind of reflective poses.

And why is it, Beezer, that Hammie never tries to bite me, hmmmm? /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

I'm into being a cowgirl right now, so I have all this newfangled western equipment. Don't worry. I'm using "The Bit O'Gold" with fancy split reins and a loose running martingale that snaps to the cinch of my western saddle. Yeehaw! Tigger was quite good on the trail, but he did do a couple of duck-n-covers. Hammie kind of strutted along, but he didn't spook. The best, though, was Barbie Cow. She even looks cute in western attire. She's perfectly happy to mosey along in cowgirl gear. Swell. Just what I need most: a Hanoverian western trail horse. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Bumpkin]

You must have silver frames filled with gorgeous photos of you two everywhere!!!
Lucky!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Bumpkin]

If Yeehaw and you are going Western, does that mean that Erin is going to have to start a "WESTERN" site? /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Royal Blue]

Well for the first time I can share my greenie pain, literly. Lesson was great, my horse has come so far that even my trainer can't believe how perfect he turned out. We had a wonderful trot, actual transitions (no canter-stop), and our canter was breath taking.

Trotted a 2' gate towards home and cantered out, well it felt great so I just went ahead & took the sencond fence. Trainer was in awe. Then after we did the trot in a couple more times I told her I wanted to canter in. I am a complete chicken (x-touched TB) & usually trainer has to con me into it.

She raises the first to 2'3 & our canter approach is perfect, I of course over shoot turn & those of you who have small greenies know how quickly they can stray of course. Well I straighten him up, of course he is like whatever, we take it beautifully & I totally mess up & weave to the second but he knows thats where we are going so when I do a small correction he oblidges. We got the numbers & a change in the corner.

So now I'm feeling a little cocky. Go to take the first fence again totally unprepared (my specialty). My horse who has a very nice roundness to his jump caught me off guard & I commit cardinal sin & heels go up. I end up gouging poor saint in the sides with the awful longer/thinner spurs that I have been forced to use since lending mine to someone one 2 weeks ago & they have yet to return to the barn. So hop hop - end result me face first in the all weather footing half way down the line.

So there I lay feeling completly stupid being that there are like 20 people out riding & I lay there gasping (wind knocked out) covered in dirt. After about 4 minutes I completly surprised my trainer (she will never be the same) & remounted my horse, dirt/bloody eye and all. I walked him around, of course he had still yet to realize that anything had even happened. Picked up a trot and took the line. I was so proud of myself. Of course I couldn't walk for the rest of the day, I must have landed on my right pelvic area because I can barly walk.

Well even if no one reads this I had to get it out - I was just so proud on how the two of us have grown. Him as an athlete & me as a rider. Sorry if this rambles on or makes no sense pain meds are good things. Well a big pat for my greenie who will soon be loosing that titile & for once I am going to give myself a big pat on the back for finally finding where I had been hiding my courage all this time.

[This message was edited by Royal Blue on Nov. 18, 2001 at 12:53 AM.]

[Merry]

Oh no, Royal Blue! You landed on your "right pelvic area"? Does that mean that you're now suffering from the dreaded "Inverness Problem"? /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif (sort of an inside BB joke off an earlier thread... but I'm sure you can guess the meaning!) /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Yes, Bumpkin, I think there should be another forum for Westlish riders: those who occasionally stick western garb on their English horses for the dreaded trail ride. Yesterday Hammie went on a around-the-town trip. He was good; just walked really, really fast, as if he was going somewhere important. Although the big bonus was that I talked to the owner of this gorgeous palomino Arab/Quarter horse baby I've been lusting after, and it may be for sale soon! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[RumoursFollow]

I forget to check the thread for a few days and the next thing I know, Merry's riding western! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

I have tried to post a long thing on here FOUR times now and every time it gets erased. So I'm going to try again.

WE CANTERED!!! Cisco and I have been cantering around the ring... hes turned into such a good boy. I really thought he was going ot be a looney tune and hes been awesome. Very exciting. He did try to buck me off when my mother was up here yesterday though! haha. Everyone around me is amazed at how quickly he has progressed. I think I got really lucky with this one!

I have acquired the ride on another greenie... a 6yo Paint Stallion. Oi. The owners decided that it would be "fun" for him to be a performance horse because they love to free jump him and somehow I got elected to ride him. He'd been broken, but he knows nothing. The first 4 times I rode him, he exploded randomly sometime during the ride and tried to buck/twist/whatever me off but miraculously he never succeeded. We're now out of the roundpen, off the leadline, and walking with a little bit of trot! He is SO lazy though. I have to beg him for every step atleast half the time, because he has absolutely no willingness to go forward. Any tips on how to work on that? or will it just come after a while? Yesterday was the first time he'd had to listen to my leg w/o having someone leading him on the line as well.

I'm also riding a pre-green horse for the barn manager. I took him to a show last weekend, and he was so awful. He just got overwhelmed I guess and planted his feet in the warmup area and wouldnt move. I was turning his head around you know and I thoguht I was going to pull him over before he would walk. It was quite the scene. I managed to win every time, and then we put him up for a while and when we got him back out to show him he was pretty good- got some ribbons over fences and all that good stuff. But I really hope I dont have to show him again. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

I think I'm getting another horse as well. We found a horse in OREGON... oh yes... a 3yo Hanoverian x Westphalian that I've fallen in love with and am trying to buy. Hes by the same stallion as my adult hunter (Wertherson) and just has that same lovely brain and all that. So I'm hoping it'll work out. He should be coming home soon! Then I'll have pics.

------------------------------
Yeehaw- Formerly RF
COTH BB Resident Cowgirl
"She's gone country.. look at them boots, shes gone country.. back to her roots, shes gone country, a new kind of suit.. SHES GONE COUNTRY!! HERE SHE COMES!!! :P

[Janet]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> I have to beg him for every step atleast half the time, because he has absolutely no willingness to go forward. Any tips on how to work on that? or will it just come after a while? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

If it were me, I would work on "forward" from the ground first. Get a really good response to the "cluck" or to "walk on" (reinforced by the (dressage) whip form the ground. Then use the voice command along with your leg at first- gradally switching to just leg. It seems he does not yet KNOW what the leg means.

I sounds as if the other horse could use some remedial training in "forward" too.

[RumoursFollow]

he goes forward great with voice commands... because hes so roundpen trained... the point is though that if I'm going to show him hes going to have to learn to go off my leg. On the leadline, we first did "walk" with leg or a cluck and then we moved to just leg which he did on the line but when hes not being led he'll walk off voice command but not off my leg.

------------------------------
Yeehaw- Formerly RF
COTH BB Resident Cowgirl
"She's gone country.. look at them boots, shes gone country.. back to her roots, shes gone country, a new kind of suit.. SHES GONE COUNTRY!! HERE SHE COMES!!! :P

[SquishTheBunny]

I am thinking about buying another! Sigh.

Well before I get on about her, I will tell you that my *very* baby green is doign AMAZING! The umbilical cord (aka lunge line) has been cut and we were stearing on our own. We even left the sacred round pen and went for a walk around the field! Good baby green!

Anyway. I found another. Please stop me. Please. I have no money left! I think I need help. Or another support group. "People who cant stop buying baby greens".

[Janet]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> he'll walk off voice command but not off my leg. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Then you just need a transition period. Use your leg. If he doesn't respond immediately, use the voice command.

It shouldn't take him long to figure out that the leg means the voice command is coming, and to start to respond to the leg itself, rather than waiting for the voice command.

[Beezer]

I fear my perfect Tigger is regressing! We were going great guns and then the last two rides ... I'm back with the 4-year-old I had about 20 pages ago on this thread. /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

Suddenly, we cannot stay bent in the correct direction when doing the canter depart to the right. We have the correct bend at the sitting trot and the posting trot; we HAD that skill at the canter, but it appears to be have deserted us. /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif And when I try to fix that, I get twisty-head horse! Eventually, I "win," but it's winning ugly.

What happened to my perfect Tigger and when is he going to come back!?!?!?

Paging Merry. Merry to the front desk. A mechanic is needed for Mr. Tigger's tune up....

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[Bumpkin]

Beezer I am off in moments for a lesson.
I hope that Elliot hasn't recieved any messages from Tigger!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

We had a group flat lesson yesterday that went ok, except when we trotted over some poles in two point I could not stop looking down at them!!
It wasn't like we were jumping anything.
haha /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Merry]

Oh sheesh. I get one fixed and I have to get back on another one... /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Again, I say, that young palomino Arab/Quarter horse that lives in the pasture down the street is looking mighty appealing. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[JumperEq]

I'm back and armed with pictures of my (very chubby) semi-greenie! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif (Just in case you missed the entire thread dedicated to them.... /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif )

Anywho, tell me what ya think! She's a very stiff girl so we're learning that bending concept. Fell free to yell at me for my eq. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

.:Erin B #2:.
"When you get to the end of all the light you know and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught to fly."

[JumperEq]

A semi-bending moment....

.:Erin B #2:.
"When you get to the end of all the light you know and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught to fly."

[JumperEq]

Happy Tot. She tends to be quite a mare sometimes.

.:Erin B #2:.
"When you get to the end of all the light you know and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught to fly."

[JumperEq]

We canter, I ride like crap, she evades the bit...what a beautiful moment. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

.:Erin B #2:.
"When you get to the end of all the light you know and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught to fly."

[LaurieB]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Merry:
_Oh sheesh. I get one fixed and I have to get back on another one..._ /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hey Merry, want to come and ride another one in Atlanta? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Okay, so Tess has had the last week mostly off (trail riding and stuff) since being so good at her last show of the season. Today I got on and took her into the ring.

Oh no, said Miss Perfect, you don't understand. I'm still on vacation. Move off your leg? I don't think so. La la la la la. I don't hear anything. You're not talking to me, are you?

So I took the crop out of my back pocket. Tess was not impressed. We've seen you hold that thing before and you never actually seem to use it.

Whack! (all right, tap. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif )

Ow, ow, ow, ow. Such torture of a young horse! It shall henceforth become impossible for me to perform at any gait with my head down. And by the way, how do you like my gallop?

/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[JustaLurker]

Beezer, I presume you realize that today is your one year anniversary of joining the COTH Board -- on November 19, 2000.

Happy anniversary and keep on posting.

Cheers, Maggi

[Merry]

Somehow I find that comforting. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

As for JumperEq, what do you mean your mare is evading the bit? You mean that slightly opened mouth, the white slobber flicking back in your face, and the wrinkled nostrils aren't "normal" or desired? Huh. Maybe I'd better re-evaluate my daily rides on Hammie... /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Bumpkin]

The Awesome Elliot is still perfect.
His rider/mom is still bumbling along!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif

I hope he stays so honest and willing to do whatever for moi. My lesson last night was good because I had to work hard, and bad because I sometimes just don't get it!! Poor Elliot. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[DMK]

Beezer, Tess may not be perfect, but I hear her mother is /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif I have heard about an insurrection in my barn. It appears after hearing about the "tap" incident, my boys want to leave the Wicked Witch of the North(ern part of Fulton County) and head south!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

As for poor RV, he went to his first "show" last weekend and his third outing. We went to a schooling show at Wills Park, and got there late Saturday afternoon while an open show was in full swing. After getting set up, I tacked him up and headed down to the schooling area, which was commandeered by several junior western pleasure QHs (hahahahahahaha - the QH people don't have a CLUE about "junior" horses - I have seen 25 year old hunters that were greener!) RV was stellar though! Could have won a hack class just about anywhere. I started to feel somewhat smug and arrogant about my chances of winning a hack at this local schooling show on Sunday. I should have known better. Smug and arrogant on the topic of horses - particularly greenies - has a way of coming back at you...

Sunday morning, after a dedicated night of alcohol and conversation (gossip), I head out to the show grounds flush with my heady expectations. I tack up RV and head out to the (same) schooling area with plans to "finesse" our flat work. As I head down to the ring, I notice that I will not be sharing it with a few very obedient, slow moving to the point of stationary, reasonably sized QHs (this was expected). Actually, the ring is overrun with small ponies and their somewhat steering-compromised pilots. I fail to heed the danger signals. It might have been the vino or smugness. It's hard to tell at this point.

I enter the schooling area with the ponies. Small, fast, darting, slightly uncontrollable ponies. And from the perspective of a 4 year old, 17'1 hand thoroughbred, apparently they are Carnivorous Ponies. Cannibalistic Ponies. Ponies who would not hesitate to dine on tasty young TB, and as it seems they are not under the control of their pilots, the threat was deemed Clear and Present. It went downhill from there...

As soon as I left the schooling area he calmed down immediately (go figure - it was like a three ring circus outside the schooling area). We made a few forays back into the schooling area when the Pony Creatures left, but as soon as they saw their "prey" enter the Dining Area (formerly known as the schooling area), back in came the ponies (clever things). I went in the hack class anyway, since it was a small class and there were NO ponies in it, but RV was clearly preoccupied with the Pony Threat. I can say on a good note he did not actually leap in the judge's box, but I am pretty sure she had herself surrounded with ponies for protection! /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Beezer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JustaLurker:
Beezer, I presume you realize that today is your one year anniversary of joining the COTH Board -- on November 19, 2000.

Happy anniversary and keep on posting.

Cheers, Maggi<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Doh! I did not realize that! Thank you, Maggi. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Hey Merry the Mechanic: Is my Tigger fixed yet? Is he back to being Mr. Perfect? /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[Keeper]

This topic is soooooo long, so you all must forgive me if you have already covered this question in depth somewhere back on page 10, but what age do you all think it is ok to start jumping? I have a 3 year, 8 month old QH, very solid, good bone, working well under tack and we just started him over fences-- a little crossrail, some ground poles, one or two strides to a little 2' vertical. My trainer and I have talked about doing this type of exercise with him once or twice a week.
Neither one of us is a genius when it comes to knowing how to start young ones, but he had EXCELLLENT, gentle, kind breaking from a wonderful cowboy and has a great attitude. He wants to be your lapdog. We have a trainer in the area who starts a great many young ones, and comes by about once a week to use the indoor ring. She has been helping us make sure we place the poles correctly and use exercises that will help him find his feet. She thinks he's fine to start in this program. But she admits, that as a professional who needs to sell them, she needs to hurry them along more than I might.

Anyway, he's generally ridden 3-4 times a week, 20 to 35 minutes, and doesn't get lunged and we don't use devices of any sort on him (i.e., no martingale, no draw reins. Just good old fashioned slow and steady. He's a love, and I want to keep him sound.

So how much do you all think it is safe to jump him at this time?

Thanks!

[Merry]

DMK... LOL! I soooo "feel your pain" about everything: the sense of superiority that evaporates the next morning, the attack of the killer ponies, the leaping toward the judge's booth, etc., etc. Welcome to my world! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif I always figure I can eek out a high prize in the hacks with Hammie. But then, on the horizon... is it a hot air balloon? A pony? A hawk eating a gopher? Who knows what Hammie sees! /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Keeper: It sounds like you're doing the right thing. I'd just stay at cavaletti, trot poles, crossrails and low verticals forever, until your horse tells you when he's ready to go farther. Hammie progressed really quickly. He's too smart, and very physically talented. (Just watch his contortions). His half-sister, though, is the same age as your horse, and exhibits little talent or interest beyond being a western trail horse at this point. *sigh*
/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[LaurieB]

DMK, was that the Blue Jeans and Chaps show? I wish I'd known you were there! I stopped by for a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon because my trainer was judging the Hunter ring.

Keeper, I agree with Merry that your horse will let you know when he's ready to do more. With my mare we went reeeally slowly because each new step was so darn exciting (young TB mare /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif ). We started jumping her when she turned four and stayed over poles, cross rails and really low stuff for at least six months, but most people move along a lot faster than that.

[JumperEq]

Merry-

I would be a lot better off if that was desirable. Heck...NHS here we come! Oh but wait....back to reality, evading the bit is slightly less than desirable. Drastic... /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

.:Erin B #2:.
"When you get to the end of all the light you know and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught to fly."

[Merry]

Oh JumperEq, don't feel alone. It's no lie that Hammie often looks as if he's conversing with me on course. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Today I rode the Barbie Cow in... an English saddle! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

I must say, there was a definite improvement after 3 or 4 rides in the western attire. She seems to have remembered the importance of going forward at something beyond the pace of a narcoleptic snail. But please, oh please, don't even get me started on how well she did (or didn't) jump over her little weenie fences. Does the nursery rhyme, "the cow jumped over the moon" bring any images to mind? /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[DMK]

Smugness is it's own special reward, isn't it Merry? /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Yes, LaurieB, that was the BJC show indeed! You might have seen us, we were the one towering over everyone walking around between rings /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif Or the one insanely leaping in the air in the schooling ring (I tried to avoid that experience!).

I think I am going to lock him in a small paddock with my ponies... Of course he probably doesn't worry as much about ponies as Ponies With Pilots /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Figjam]

here's handsome william

show name:Rock-A-Bye
Barn Name:William
Last Show season:baby greenies
this show season: childrens and pre-greenies
next show season: hopefully adult ammie owners!
description:16.1hh chestnut gelding. CUTE AS A BUTTON, and an attitude to go along with it.
standings:12th overall after 4 horse shows (not too bad if you ask me)


greenie moments: we are still working on the balancing subject, but last day he gave me 9 perfect lead changes (big accomplishment for us). He will be a star when we learn to perfectly click, but we still have our moments!

well! here the liddle handsome sir is:

/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

-Figjam /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Figjam]

ain't he a star?

-Figjam /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Royal Blue]

Ok I have regained my normal thought process after this weekends fall & re-read my post. I am so sorry for anyone who read it, it made no sense at all.

On to new things. I emailed a copy of this tread to a friend who has just bought a 2 1/2 yr old. He has only been ridden 6 times. But she is one of those lucky people and he is so great. She took him out on a hack around the farm with my trainer & myself Sunday. We went in & out of all the barn areas (we are at a huge training facility with riding horses & standardbreds - 600 horses total when full, on like 180 acres), through the fields, & around the track. He was great, only semi scooted once when this large fuzzy dog came flying out from behind a tree. I think he is gonna be a blast.

[Merry]

Figjam, your horse is so cute! He is trying so hard over that fence. Love his knees! I can't wait to actually braid Hammie like your guy. I think he'll look so handsome. Of course, it may all be for naught, meaning I'll probably end up having a DMK day, LOL! But at least he'll look beautiful.

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[LaurieB]

Figjam, that second picture looks just like a Ralph Lauren ad! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Figjam]

he's only 5, and he and i are both so green, but he is just a doll, and never goes beyond just "looking".

-Figjam /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Beezer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Merry:
Oh JumperEq, don't feel alone. It's no lie that Hammie often looks as if he's conversing with me on course. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Merry, as usual, resorts to understatement when it comes to Hammie's antics. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif "Conversing," Merry dear? Oh is THAT what it's called these days. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[SquishTheBunny]

I am in shock.

I came back from a ride on my greeny (I think maybe by 8th ride ever). I got on him and used a light amount of contact and he started diving for the bit. My trainer told me to give him a little more contact (which is really like a normal horse's loose rein) and he came right down into the bit. For the first few minutes he wasnt concistant, but after only 5 or 6 minutes he was down and stayed down!

This might not be a shock, but Ive only just started riding him. It was only my 3rd time off the lunge line! Im amazed.

I had to brag. New pictures coming sooN!

[DMK]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Merry:
Of course, it may all be for naught, meaning I'll probably end up having a DMK day, LOL! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

A DMK day - Love it!!!!

Poor RV, that he has not figured out how to be a real show horse yet was proved again today...

I am giving him a week off starting today - he's been in fairly intensive training for about 120 days, and he is due for some R&R (mental and physical). Well I bring little snookums in tonight and was brushing him and applying a lot of coat conditioner (I love freshly body shaved horses, don't you?) when I noticed the large flap of skin hanging off his right leg just below the elbow. Foolish boy gouged it rather badly, but really just tore a skin flap so there is no way to stitch it without it dehissing in a few days (I've played this game before - it's called a waste of my money /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif ). It will undoubtedly hurt a lot for a few days.

So anyway, instead of scheduling this litle wound when he was due to go BACK to work, he can recover during his planned vacation!

Is that a sign of an uneducated horse or what? I think I saw Robbie sobbing in his stall - he has a black belt in show avoidance, and I know he has taken RV under his wing.

[Bumpkin]

I had Elliot clipped by a friend a few weeks ago.
What kind of conditioner are you using?

Elliots very glossy and although he is a bay, he is so red that clipped he is a pretty chestnut colour and not the mousie colour that most bays get. I am soooo vainly relieved haha that he came out of the clipping job handsome in colour.

But I would like to know if there is a product out there, other than show sheen, that I could put on him.

Thank You!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[DMK]

OK OK, I answered bumpkin via e-mail before I saw this, but I must shamelessly use this opportunity to get in another post (I am competing against Maddie's mom, you know /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif ).

I normally use Eqyss Premier the rest of the year, but for the first month after clipping I use a conditioner daily, so I use the slightly more economical Miracle Coat conditioner.

As for clipping bays, you are lucky Bumpkin indeed - Robbie is a true blood red bay, so he turns a hideous O-RANJ color, which is only relieved by a smattering of black dapples on his rump and back.

Rivers is a true mahogany bay, and I thought for sure he would get that "reverse doberman" color thing, but he actually stayed true to his color, just a tad darker (whew!)

Clipping a new horse for the first time is like unwrapping a christmas present from a dotty old aunt - you are never quite sure what you are going to get!

[Bumpkin]

DMK I am shamelessly going for the big 4000 posts!! haha

So I guess that Elliot must be a Mahogany Bay, haha, although the Blood Bay to Orange is still better than Bay to Mouseie Bay. /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Lord Helpus]

As you all know, I cannot ride, and don't know when (or of) I will be able to. So the girls are going through a breeding stock sale on 12/10. Well, someone gave me the great good idea to take videos of them because there are people like me, looking for hunter/jumper prospects at these sales.

So for the last 2 -3 weeks Sophie Moose and Kimmie have been in intensive daily lunge/jump mode. Kimmie did this alot last year and this is a brush up for her, and she is coming along fabulously. In fact she loves it so much that, as I was raising the jump today, she got impatient and circled and jumped it with me standing right by the standard raising the pole!!! Scared me 1/2 to death. But that is a horse who really likes to jump! She will be able to be video'd jumping a 3'3 - 3'6" oxer and she is awesome.


On to Sophie Moose..... She has a HUGE jump in her. But it doesn't even show up until the jump gets over medium sized. Until then it is a variation on her bunny hop, or perhaps a swimming stroke that vaguely resembles the butterfly. I can't really tell because I usually have to close my eyes before I want to vomit.

But, once the jump gets to 3'+ and the girl starts to J-U-M-P and she is LOOKIN' GOOD! Now I know she is still only 3 (and 3/4) and has never been ridden.... And we have only been doing this for 3 weeks..... This is no kind of training method I would ever recommend or use on a horse I had time to go slowly with. But time is a pressin' so we are forging ahead. And its working until she gets to a bad distance, puts in an awkward jump and scares herself. Then I put the jump back down to a cross rail that she can easily trot, we trot it twice and end for the day.

But today, I put a saddle on her for the first time (she has high withers and I wanted to see if she would look better in it for the flat portion of the video, and she does.) So then we go over to our little jump and she jumps the little warm up X once. Comes around again and absolutely refuses to go near the X again. Rears, spins, flies back...... I am at a loss, because the one thing SM has always had going for her is that she loves to jump. I go to get her and put the rails down to a pile on the ground and we both walk over it 4 times. I ask her to go over it again and she does it once and then gets violent again. I am afraid that she will rear up and go over on my saddle, so I take it off............... Voila! Problem solved. I guess the girth pinched her when she jumped. Once the saddle was off, the old SM returned and I had to pull her away from the jump to change the height. We ended up a tad lower than we usually do, because I was afraid that she might chip in or have a rail and set herself back today, but it was absolutely amazing how she would not trot a pile of rails on the ground with the saddle on, and yet she will jump a 3' high by 3'6" wide oxer with it off.

Love these greenies. I think the Moose has a real future in the jumper ring (the saddle issue just might have to be addressed down the road /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif, but as the jump gets higher she jumps higher and higher over it. At 3'6" she jumps 4'6" over it and still does not appear to be making an effort. At age 3 with a whole 3 weeks of "jumping" training behind her, I can't tell you how impressed I am with my little bunny hopper. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Beezer]

Methinks that whole "saddle issue" might be a weak point in your sales video. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

That is hysterical!

I can see the ad now: "Lovely, tall, attractive TB mare, has a really -- REALLY -- big jump. Suitable for trick riders." /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[Merry]

Truly, I can see the saddle being a distraction to her. Man, she sounds like a "dumblood"! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

I had an imported Dutch mare, "Emily", that could just not accept a martingale or breastplate. It bugged the heck out of her! She would just constantly stamped her front leg or flinch her shoulder muscle, as if she was twitching a fly off of her skin. She never, ever got used to it!

We shall pray that Sophie Moose learns-- eventually-- to "be one with the saddle". /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Quinn]

On one hand, I hesitate to ask this question because inevitably it tends to open up a can of worms. However, from what I have seen on this board, there are many many knowledgeable people and I would like to garner opinions.

I am currently "starting" two, two year olds. Actually, they are 30 and 31 months old. I have always been of the mindset you do the ground work now and do the backing itself when they have hit their 3rd birthday. Contrary to that though are many opinions saying "no harm is done by climbing aboard now."

I have them both working well in the round pen at a walk and trot. They have been saddled and bridled, crosstied etc.

They are both TB/Han and I am genuinely interested in your opinions.

[Merry]

Well, I ain't no professional trainer (our horses will attest to that, LOL!) but in my personal, humble opinion, it won't hurt anything for you to climb aboard in the round pen for several rides just to acclimate them to the idea of carrying a rider on their back and going forward. You can even do it the easy way and have someone stand in the center and give voice commands while you just kind of sit up there. Oh, that I could dream of such a wonderful, easy set-up! /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

But after a couple of rides, I'd stay off their backs and turn them out until the spring of their "real" three year old year. And use your judgment. Some of our WB/TB crosses are very Thoroughbred-like in physical stature and mental maturity; others have been... well, mildly "handicapped". /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Your horses will let you know how quickly you can progress in the spring. But if you do too much riding now, you run the chance of physical injury or making them confused and sour. Again, this is just my opinion. This and $1.15 will get you a fish taco. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Lord Helpus]

Update on the incredible jumping Moose:

I had my trainer out yesterday to look at SM and give me his opinion. Since she, er, does not jump in traditional hunter style (to be charitable), I was having a hard time deciding if she was just flinging herself over these jumps or if she really had some talent.

I alway start low and told him not to watch, because he might lose his lunch, until the jump got to about a 2'9 oxer at least. I have trouble with her because she has my number (weak arms, so she knows I canot reel her in and control speed really well), so Bobby took over once the jump got to a decent height and had a talk with her about listening to him.

In 2 minutes he had her trotting to the base of a 3'3" high by 3'6" wide oxer and just elevating over it. She is not tight with her front end at all, but she also is not even trying at all with her hind end yet. She just sort of still flops over it at this height (clearing it by 12"), even just trotting to the base.

When we were done, I asked him if she might make it as a children's jumper, and he said that he thought she had the potential to be in the big jumper ring!!!!! He LOVED the way she waited to the bottom, the way she did not make an effort, but still cleared it by nearly a foot, that she was so well balanced, even though she had never had a saddle on her (little did he know /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif ) I am so excited!!!

He said that a buyer would want to be able to sit on her and walk, trot and canter, but that she would be saleable before was actually jumping anything of decent size (considering that she is just coming 4).

So, unless the people at the sale lose their marbles and offer me more than I paid for her ($6000), she will come back home and get broke and try to get sold by spring as a jumper prospect for double that.

I have become disenchanted with the hunter ring politics and have thought that I would like to try the jumper ring. If I can ride again, SM might be a horse I could bring along and do that and see if I could enjoy it and get some decent bucks down the line. We can all dream can't we?

Picture of SM attached, in case you all have forgotten what the Mooser looks like.

[LaurieB]

Isn't nice to get some good news for a change? /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

I also think you're very brave for considering a switch to jumpers at... well, I'm just about the same age, so hopefully I can say this--your/our age. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[SquishTheBunny]

I am riding my 2 year old (well, he's nearly 3) but just at the walk. I have had the thumbs up by vets saying that walking them *shouldnt* harm them in any way. Of course there are noguarnatees. They also said walking a 10 year old doesnt have any guarantees. So in other words...go for it. Just dont push them, and let them tell you when they have had enough.

[Merry]

Gotta love that moose! I think she's just gorgeous! I have faith in da' moose... "Go Moose, Go!" /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

As for jumpers, I'd love to do them with Hammie. He certainly has the scope and courage. However, we have one problem: while I have no fear about jumping heights, spreads or combinations, I do not want to make fast, tight turns. Galloping is okay, just no daredevil turns. Unfortunately, I don't think you win anything by just doing a twisty hunter course. /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Lord Helpus]

Bummer, Merry. You would have to remind me of the jump off..... I had these floating visions of us galloping around a 3'6" course with her 16' stride, making wide bee-yoo-tiful turns and cantering down to the next line and winning the blue based on the length of her stride and the excellence of my eye which can (r-i-g-h-t...) always see the perfect spot as I turn the corner so I can come forward, galloping out of the turn....

I guess I rode with Joe and Conrad for too long. No hustle and scurry there, Just good riding and discipline. Made it look easy. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Actually I sold them Fife, because he reminded them of Touch of Class. Maybe Joe can be talked into SM because she will remind him of Mill Pearl...

Now all I have to do is mount her and ride her...

[Peggy]

I took my trainer's advice and am now the proud owner of a 2.5 year-old colt, complete with testicles. These are slated for removal on Wednesday. He hasn't been started yet, so there is a long road ahead. I'll start with basic dressage, but hope to do some jumping eventually. We did free jump him a bit one day and he seemed willing and able.

He's half TB-half Hanoverian, but the Hanoverian side is a quarter TB and at least a quarter Trakener. He's branded as a Rhineland Pfalz-Saur (gotta learn how to spell that). His registered name is Aldebaran which is a star; thus, his barn name is Star (despite the fact that he has a blaze).

He seems to have a great mind and was quieter to lead to the turnout yesterday than my 16-year old (not that he's a good example of proper behavior).

Here's the only picture that I got before the battery died.

[LaurieB]

Paggy, Star is really cute. Good luck with him!

[wtywmn4]

OMG*** Lord Helpus, I can't believe you said that. I was just backing up from looking at SM, muttering about how she looked like Mill Pearl. Deja Vu......doo doo doo do. She is a nice BIG filly. Love her stride! That is so exciting, what great news.

So, to saddle or not to saddle?? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif Ya know, when these lovely little darlings decide that it's not what they want, used to plop an old exercise saddle on them. Seemed to be okay. Found they accepted that better than our regular saddles....

[Chicago]

My greenie is out to pasture as a buddy for someone else's horsey now. It was determined that he's just about permanently useless, because of not-so-great conformation and some neuromuscular type issues.

It's too bad, he was a real sweetie to start. I've included a picture of us...his withers look much more mountainous than they really are. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Now I have to ride 14-year-old-never-been-broke-Arab-pony-scruffy-thing...

Ah well. I gave the gift horse a shot, and it didn't work out. At least he is having fun now.

[Lord Helpus]

I am getting more and more excited about keeping Sophie Moose, so I have started to think of a name for her. Since I have constantly told her that she is a sweet darlin' but not the sharpest knife in the drawer, I thought I would have a private little joke and name her after the sharpest knife in the world.

Turns out that there are several that seem to make a claim along those lines.

One of them is called KYOCERA, it is a ceramic Japanese knife and is supposed to be the sharpest knife made.

Another is SABATIER, a French knife, which is "strongest among all its competitors"

And a third is MONTROSE, the "strongest knife made."

All three are pretty names for a filly don't you think? Any preferences?

[Merry]

Okay... I swear... I was also going to post that Sophie Moose does indeed remind ME of Mill Pearl, LOL! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

Of the 3 names, I like Montrose. You can kind of get "Moose" out of that.

As for Peggy's newly acquired Aldebaran: I've always liked that name. It's a very cute horse. However, I must point out that breed-wise it's bred exactly like Barbie Cow (Hanoverian/TB/Trakehner). Yes, the Barbster, who has apparently found her niche in life: western trail horse. I rode her on the streets again with Beezer yesterday, and up at the equestrian park today. In six months I may have the world's original First Premium, branded reining horse. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Peggy]

Merry - I know of one branded WB bucking horse (they sent it to a cowboy who said that, while he COULD take the buck out, it might be worth more on the rodeo circuit) and another that had natural cow sense (the latter was also Hannoverian--maybe we're onto something here). But, no reining horse.

Wouldn't it be the final irony if I finally bought something that was supposed to be bred for dressage and jumping and I ended up with a reiner/trail horse??

[Bumpkin]

Yes that sounds the best and goes the best with Moose /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[CoolMeadows]

On the subject of bucking greenies... I am the proud owner of a former rodeo bronc! Yes, yes we all do stupid things. But he was just so cute, I couldn't resist! He's a six year old (born on the fourth of July) Welsh Cob/Tb, 16h. Apparently went through 4 cowboys, and then off to the rodeo. I HAD to get him - my first horse, who I still have and do the low A/O jumpers on (used to do the highs) is a Welsh/Tb. So I've had to bail off of the new baby a couple of times (only when getting on - rodeo flashback!) and had to sign a liability release when I dished out that $500 for him, but he has come so far! We've had some nice double clears in the hopeful and schooling jumpers. He has the sweetest personality, he just loves people. Pretty unbelievable attitude considering all that he went through so young, although memory retention is pretty questionable at this point! Ah, the babies are so much fun, two steps forwards, one step back.... I am attempting to attach a picture of him at his very first local show. Yes I know, my position sucks - a tad defensive I believe.

[Lord Helpus]

Ms. Cool,

You sure know how to spend your $500! -- What a cutie -- How did you ever see a jumper inside a bucking horse? That took a lot of vision!

[JumperEq]

LordHelpus- SM is a cutie! Good luck with her! I like the name Montrose best. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Ms Cool-Wow...wanna come help me find a diamond in the rough? More pics??

.:Erin B #2:.
"When you get to the end of all the light you know and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught to fly."

[Merry]

Uh-oh. I guess this means that maybe I should be attending the town's annual PRCA rodeo looking for jumping prospects. /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

I told Beezer that Barbie has a much (emphasize "MUCH") duller temperament than Hammie, and that eventually she could go back to riding her once I made sure Barbie was over her mule-ish explosions. You know, where they're plodding along, slightly evading your aids, and then when you finally go, "Enough!" they blow up and turn inside out in protest?

Beezer goes, "Yeah... Ah, fix that first, okay?" /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[Bumpkin]

One day in retrospect the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.

-Sigmund Freud /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[wtywmn4]

Now Merry, you know those reining horses go for boo-koo bucks. Maybe Barbie cow really has found her nitch??? Have you taught her to neck rein yet? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Montrose great name, and like Merry said easily the Moose can come from that. You know on those days we all seem to have with our babies...Moose woman comes to mind too.

[Beezer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Merry:

I told Beezer that Barbie has a much (emphasize "MUCH") duller temperament than Hammie, and that eventually she could go back to riding her once I made sure Barbie was over her mule-ish explosions. You know, where they're plodding along, slightly evading your aids, and then when you finally go, "Enough!" they blow up and turn inside out in protest?

Beezer goes, "Yeah... Ah, fix that first, okay?" /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Beezer thinks that she makes a very wise and good point here. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif Merry and QHSM have these grand ideas about how Beezer will be showing Barbie Cow while Hammie and Merry continue up the ladder of success. Beezer is not against this, per se; but Beezer does not "do" greenie antics well when they occur while one is on the greenie's back. That is Merry's domain. (Beezer, however, excels at handling itsy-bitsy baby/weanling/yearling greenies and has the bruises to prove it. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif )

But Merry, you forgot to add "best" part of that comment: Beezer's little waving-off hand gesture as she told you to "fix that" little bucking problem ... you know, the royal flick of the wrist bit. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

****Bulletin Board Goddess****

[Duffy]

Wah!!! Duffy wants a Merry so that she, too, can do the royal wave/wrist thing and say "fix it"!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Merry]

Hey now, enough of the Royal Waving Wrist and the command to "Fix it." Like, when do I get to do that? My wrist is ready and waiting.

Oh, and Bumpkin, you just keep coming up with those moments of inspiration. If nothing else, they'll keep us laughing. Your current ditty is right up there with that oft-quoted Olympic adage about, "It's not the winning, it's the struggle," or something along those lines. Yeah, right. Remind me of that when I'm out lungeing at 6:00 am, or galloping around the warm-up ring in a two-point. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

"Friends don't let friends eat fish tacos."

[LittleWitch]

This weekend my sister took my boy hunting for the first time. This was his first away-from-home activity and he handled it really well, thanks to his wonderful connemara tempermant and extensive trail riding experience. He was a little excited at the start but he settled down and they had a lot of fun. They ran with the second flight and jumping was optional so they just skipped the fences that looked too big. Hopefully next time they hunt I can go along and take pictures.

He has grown up so much in the past couple of months that he is almost not a baby greenie anymore. That means that I am going to have to come up with another excuse for his occasional naughty behaviour...

[LuckyMe]

Hello to all you guys.... I love this thread, its fun to read and its always good to know that I'm not the only one out there dealing with "greenie" issues. You guys all seem to be quite a bit better at this greenie thing than I am, wonder if you could help me out?

I've got a two and a half year old filly who I've had since she was weaned. She's always been pretty easy to deal with, could get a bit "pushy" at times but nothing out of the norm. I have handled her exensively, done lots of simple ground work with her.

I got into a riding accident late last spring and so she was turned out for most of the summer, still being handled daily but not really doing much as I was not physically or mentally able to deal with her...besides, a turnout for a baby is a good thing! In september I resumed our 2-3 sessions of ground work a week. Started out fine, but things have gotten progressively worse. I don't have the confidence I had last year-- she knows it and she's got my number...kicking, biting, and now rearing. Her bad behavior escalates every week and tho I do my best to correct it I know I probably just radiate nervousness and fear, which she is undoubtedly picking up on!

I don't know what to do with her anymore. I do get help from friends, etc. and I'm considering sending her for professional training but in all honesty I don't know what I'd do with her when she came back-- I don't know that I'd even be equipped to deal with her then, and I don't have the money to work with a trainer fulltime.

Difficult situation, I think, becuase the problem lies not in her but in me! I'd hate to give her up, its like admitting to everyone that I've lost my nerve, but at the same time I'm not doing her any justice. So when is it time to step back and give up? Are her and I beyond help?

Thanks in advance, hope I didn't intrude too much on your thread!

[LaurieB]

I am most assuredly not the horse training guru here (that would be Merry, DMK, LordHelpus etc. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif ) but I only want to say that if you feel that your filly is beyond your abilities or your confidence level at this point in time, there is certainly no shame in admitting that. If you think sending her on somewhere where she can have professional help would serve both your needs better, then that's a good decision to make.

If there's one thing that working with my own greenie has taught me it's that false bravdo gets you pretty much nowhere. My horse and I both do better when I'm ruthlessly honest about my own capabilities. "Hello trainer? Bring your chaps to our lesson today." /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Just a thought.

[Beezer]

Which is why I know I am very lucky to have Merry. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

The hardest part about growing older has been to admit that I am not as fearless as I was 20 years ago. I ride a desk much more nowadays than I ride a horse; I don't bounce as well; things that never, ever *used* to bother me now get a much healthier dose of respect from me.

Asking for help with your horse is NOTHING to feel ashamed/concerned/belittled about. It simply shows that you are aware of your limitations and want to address them. I'd vote for having a pro work with your horse -- and you. Set a budget ("I can spend XXX before I need to have a serious reevaluation of where we're at") and be realistic about your goals and what you want to do with your horse.

Even at my age, I am still a very competitive rider. But I've also realized that while I can ride -- and generally ride well -- a tough "adult" horse, the babies often do things that frustrate and, yes, intimidate me. And that is a situation bound to get both of us into trouble.

(Actually, that's something I ... and Merry and our coach and several others /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif ... have pondered: How come I can and will ride the adult horses who have a screw loose -- AND ENJOY THEM /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif -- but the greenies make me nervous? Go figure.)

We're thinking good thoughts for you. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

****Bulletin Board Goddess****