Catching Up

Sorry to the five people who read my blog!  I definitely got caught up in the wedding/honeymoon and even though I've been back since Tuesday I have been trying to catch up and this is the first time I've been on my computer since about the 12th.  Today I'll give you all a brief catch-up.

Mort enjoyed his time off so much that the day after I was back he developed a small mysterious lump.  While he wasn't actually lame he also wasn't 100%.  So he enjoyed some cold hosing and lots of extra grazing the last few days.  Yesterday when I went out to see him the swelling was all gone, but the lump has sort of spread out.  I know that doesn't make much sense, but you'd just have to feel it.  Luckily his "off-ness" seems to have gone away with the swelling so today I plan on seeing how a light ride will go.  I'll try to update you sooner than two weeks from now!

 The lump

I'm hoping it continues to go away as we are supposed to be starting dressage lessons with Leah and Ruby this week.  I'm really excited to be able to take Mort out and about to more places and get him more and more used to traveling and different arenas.  I also have an ulterior motive of trying on some of the dressage saddles to see which types may fit him well.  The saddle search is becoming pretty real now that the wedding is all over and we might have money again soon (after that credit card bill is taken care of).  With the saddle search becoming more real I need to try to really sell my old one.  So if anyone is looking for a dressage or jumping saddle.....

Enjoy a few honeymoon pictures as an apology as to what took me so long to get back in gear.

Goats fighting in the road

Eilan Donan Castle 

 

 

Cliffs on the Isle of Skye

Sheep

 

Weekend/Mid-week Updates

     Ok, so I am not good with keeping a schedule as to when I post new and exciting (or less than exciting) things.  My life right now is only a bit hectic--what with getting married this Saturday (!), so I haven't had the most free time.  I'm busy, but I of course still find time to go out and play with my pony because he's cute and I won't get to see him for over a week while SO and I gallivanting around on our honeymoon in Scotland.

     Mort got to go on an adventure on Saturday to a friend's arena to test out her new footing--and because field trips with Mort are fun and good for him.  Many of the pictures I feature on this blog come from her so, thank you Leah!! (http://www.dressagebarbie.com/).  She is a wonderful photographer who I am lucky to take advantage of because we're friends.

"I has the whip now treat dispenser" 

     I still cannot get over how calm Mort is when we go to new places.  This farm had scary chickens that required a little bit of 'side-eye', and some snorting happened when her horses came running up from the back of the pasture to check out the newcomers.  But after he had his fill of looking around (maybe 5 minutes) he just wanted to graze.  We walked to the arena and after maybe 30 seconds he thought the footing looked really good...

"This footing is great--it gets all my itchy spots"

     Goofball getting dirty before our photoshoot, but at least he had a good time.  After this we went to tack up.  Mort was pretty good except for being a little more 'looky' than normal (especially at the other horses who got to graze which was so-totally not fair).  His canter was really awesome and he moved off my leg better than normal in the larger arena.  Hopefully we'll get the chance for all sorts of similar, short-distance adventures this summer.  I'm in the process of trying to get some dressage lessons because I'm slowly turning back into a hunt rider with my position and it makes me sad (sorry not sorry h/j riders).  Enjoy the following pictures:

 Someone is still shiny in spite of rolling (and someone else is in full hunter mode)

Tail swish/grump face = "Cantering slow and listening to your leg is hard"

 "Trotting is way easier; let's just do more of this"

 "Ugh, moving off leg pressure again?"

He's so pretty; but my dang position is stupid

     Last night was probably one of the best rides I've had on Mort yet.  He started the ride moving really well off of my leg.  The most exciting part was that I really had the feeling of him totally being there for me.  He was in my hand and it felt like I could shape his body and ask him to move in any direction and it would have been easy.  These are the feelings I am always looking for so it was a wonderful ride.  He even gave me some really good transitions (and some giraffe ones).  We did only a little bit of canter just to work on transitions between the gaits.  I need to start thinking about canter bootcamp....yuck.  I have a bad habit of being too focused on smoothness and relaxation and harmony that sometimes I am not very good at tackling the less fun stuff.  This is another reason I hope we can get some lessons this summer; I need someone to yell at me.  

     After our ride Mort got a hose-off and got to graze in the supervised grazing lot that the barn put up for the summer.  I really love the idea of that grazing lot.  Our ponies will be able to nom on some delicious grass and I'll be able to do other things (like clean my tack if I'm a good kid, but most likely just socialize).  He gets tonight off so that I can do some finalization of wedding stuff and start packing.  I'll go out tomorrow and that will probably be the last ride until after I'm back from the honeymoon.  I'm sure he'll enjoy that break, though he may suffer emotionally with less treats in his life.  

Someone also got a new fly sheet (because his old one was somehow destroyed)

Mort's Training Continues

     The purpose of this post is to bring everyone up-to-date on what I have done with Mr. Mort since his time off due to injury (which will probably get a post someday if any of you enjoy gross pictures).

     As with most OTTBs Mort had a lot of the same traditional issues--crooked, stiff, and not really knowing what leg pressure means other than forward.  Before he got hurt he had gotten really good at turn on the forehand and walking turn on the forehand.  So I decided to pick up from there and make my winter goals with him to get him pretty consistent at moving off my leg aids in at least some fashion and to get him good at stretchy trot. 

 That shiny summer coat means winter is really over

     We moved barns at the end of January and after a couple weeks there Mort really just took that deep breath and relaxed.  He really enjoys Arrowhead Creek Stables' atmosphere (http://www.arrowheadcreek.com/) and has blossomed.  With his extra-wonderful new relaxation he has progressed quickly.  Now stretchy trot is one of his favorite things and I always use it as a tool to get him really moving over his topline at the beginning of a ride and as a reward at the end.  I also really appreciate having it as a good foundation to go back to for some of our rides that are more of a struggle.  As far as moving off of my leg he is getting more and more consistent with that as well.  We now have a pretty reasonable leg yield going both directions and a reasonable shoulder-in on good days.  

     Another very exciting development in his new confidence and relaxation is that he has become a wonderful trail horse.  It's very important to me that horses can ride in and out of arenas.  Trails give us the chance to take a mental break from schooling.  They give us desensitizing opportunities with many different things.  They give us hills for muscles and in the big field we get to have fun with canter and trot repeats.  He really loves going on trails with his lady-friend Ruby and I enjoy Ruby's mom Leah (http://www.dressagebarbie.com/).  He is still a bit lonely when we go on the trails solo, but I think he will learn to love even single horse trail rides.

Hitting the trails

     There was a dressage schooling show in March that one other gal at the barn was going to.  She had an extra spot in her trailer and everyone convinced me that it would be a great first show experience for Mort.  I was a bit nervous and really wanted to make it a fun and relaxing time for him so I just signed up for one intro level test (Intro Test B).  Mort walked around the facility with minimal side-eyes at things so I decided to tack him up and see how it went.  After his first trot around the warm-up I had suspicions that he was actually a show horse and not a racehorse before I got him.  He was absolutely wonderful and we pulled a 67% and a first place at our first show together.  Even more than that he stood tied to the trailer, loaded, tacked, and was just perfect (I think I called everyone I knew to brag about him).  I was beyond proud and happy.

 A shot from our first dressage test

 So proud of him

     A few weeks later there was another dressage schooling show at a nearby facility.  A couple gals from the barn were going again so I hitched a ride for round two.  This time I decided on Intro A and Intro B.  This show wasn't quite as relaxing as our warm-up was outside and it was a very windy day.  Mort was still wonderful, just a bit more "looky" than usual.  That being said, one test we got a 62% and second place and the other test we pulled a 72%.  That 72% ended up earning us Champion Intro and High-Point TIP from the show.  We now call him my secret show horse because he adapted to being a show horse so quickly and easily.

 So handsome in our warm-up 

A shot from one of the actual tests

Cleaned up at horse show-round 2

     In the last month I have started having to think about new goals for us which is a wonderful feeling.  So, our official goals for this summer are getting better at our transitions as he has the tendency to get really tight and nervous still (though after about a half stride he relaxes again) and to get our canter relaxed and mold-able.  I do think that both of these are very attainable with lots of time left over for trail riding.

A lovely example of one of our less-than-ideal canter transitions 

Just about a stride or two later--we relax (and I need to sit back gosh darn it)

That's all for now folks!

Meeting Burn The Mortgage

     It is probably well past time you all were introduced to the real main character of this blog:  Burn the Mortgage, aka Mort (and a few other names sometimes you'll hear sometime).

One of the darn cutest baby faces you'll see

     Mort's History:  He was a 2009 foal by Kitten's Joy out of Mortgage the House.  If you're at all interested in Thoroughbred lineage you'll know that Kitten's Joy, who is currently standing at Ramsey Farm in KY, has a stud fee of $100,000.  He also has numerous #1 rankings under his belt as a sire.  Mort had a wonderful start in life and I would love to have another OTTB from this farm.  You can just tell when the farm starts them well or starts them like they're machines.  I am eternally grateful for how Mr. Mort has a brain in his head and fully think that how he was started has a lot to do with this.  .  

Kitten's Joy

    

    Mort sold as a yearling for $18,000 and went to to race from age 2 to age 5.  He earned over $330,000 and had a few stakes race wins under his belt.  He was mainly a turf horse.  If you're extremely interested in his race record: http://www.horseracingnation.com/horse/Burn_The_Mortgage# 

My boy representing Ramsey Farm

     During his 5-year old year he ended up with bilateral medial sesamoid fractures.  For any of you who might not be fully immersed into the horse injury world that means that he fractured little bones in both of his front ankles.  This is of course not good news for any horse, but for Mort it meant retirement.  It was determined that he was not going to stand at stud anywhere so after 8 months of healing time he was gelded and put up for adoption.  

Mort's head shot from New Vocations

     He was delivered to New Vocations in Kentucky April 2015.  I filled out my application in June and started regularly watching their website.  There are always some really awesome horses available and I highly recommend this organization.  Mort is actually the third horse that I have gotten through them.  They are extremely honest and knowledgeable horse people.  Toward the end of June I called and asked about Burn the Mortgage (BTM to them).  The SO and I drove the 8 hours on the 4th of July to check him out.  

     I was extremely impressed with his manners and that they tacked him up without tying him.  He let me rub all over him and touch all of the annoying parts (like ears and under his tail and his sheath area) without too much fuss.  The rider said he was a very uncomplicated ride.  He was a bit awkward and definitely needed to loosen up, but I loved his personality.  They offered to show me a couple other horses that were available, but I was not interested.  I wanted Mort.  I dropped his $500 adoption fee and paid for him to get a health certificate and drove off.  Total time it took was about an hour.

 Me feeding him a carrot right after officially making him mine

     Later that week he was dropped off at the end of the gravel road where I was going to be boarding him.  The big rig wasn't going to fit down that road so the barn owner had her truck and trailer to drive him the last three miles.  Mort hopped off the trailer happily and with minimal sniffing jumped onto the next trailer.  I was impressed with this as well, as he was probably tired of dealing with being in those dang moving boxes.  Unfortunately the truck wouldn't start.  Enter the barn owner calling a friend to bring their truck and trailer over.  Mort hopped off trailer #2 and was on trailer #3 a few minutes later.  Finally he arrived and after a quick look around he just started grazing.  What a good boy.  

 

Right after he got to his new home

Fattening up some

Cute little face

A couple months after I got him

Little cutie rehabbing after an injury (we'll talk about that later)

Winter update picture for New Vocations (let's say my thickness is because of winter clothes)

     In the next several posts I'll bring you all up to date with his training and what we've done since those first couple months.  

     

Weekend Adventures

I will most likely not post on the weekends because when I'm not busy I just want to sit on my couch with the pup and SO and not think.  This means that Mondays (or in this case Tuesday) I will post and talk about what I did.

My ideal weekend

     Mort finally got a new halter this weekend.  He didn't fit my old nylon one that I already had, so when I first got him I bought him a smaller one from some local farm supply store.  It was just shy of being too small.  The regular horse sized was slightly too big and the small horse was almost too small (ugh).  I was making myself be ok with the small one until it started having to fit over his fly mask--it had now become a real problem.  So I broke down and decided on leather.  This is the first time that I will be using a leather halter for day-to-day wearing.  I'm not sure how well I'll like it.  I am worried that I will be a little OCD about cleaning it for a while but then end up neglecting it and it won't last as long as it should.  We'll see I guess.  

Check out that adorable face in his new halter

     Friday was the first time that I was able to ride Mr. Mort since Monday (bad mom alert) so he took the opportunity to remind me that moving off of my leg isn't easy stuff that I can take for granted.  I also realized that it is really time for me to start seriously looking for a dressage saddle.  I keep pulling my feet out of my stirrups because I want a better use of my lower leg than my cross country saddle can really give.  Now I just need to find a good one that fits us both for hopefully around $1,000 (used of course).  I have heard really good things about County saddles fitting TBs well.  I really like the look of the County Fusions, but I would take another style as long as it is comfortable for both of us.  I hate saddle shopping--mainly because I have a hard-to-fit horse and a small budget.  Someday maybe we'll be able to swing a custom (a girl can dream). 

The County Fusion

The County Connection 

     Saturday my dad was coming out with a load of furniture for the new place that SO and I have gotten together.  This meant that the trip out to the barn in the morning was just a grooming (with some overdue mane pulling) and light lunge.  I even convinced the SO to come with me since I had a schedule that I needed to stick to (aka I couldn't get sucked into the time warp that is the barn).  We've decided to start Mort on some beet pulp and extra hay in his stall.  He's just a tad too thin.  I think it's a combination of him being in more steady work (yay nicer weather and a short drive) and him wanting to nibble on the tiniest spring grass instead of eating all of his turnout hay.  Hopefully the beet pulp and extra hay fatten him up.  

     Unfortunately the moving furniture plan wasn't as easy as originally thought.  My dad called about 45 miles away saying that his truck broke down and that he was having a problem finding the part.  Thankfully my SO is very helpful.  So we jumped in the car to head out to help my dad (good news is that I have plenty of help in my life if my car does something stupid).  Fast forward a few hours and several part stores later and we're back on the road.  The day was pretty draining and when we were finally finished with everything around 6:30 the rest of the day was for sitting on the couch and watching a movie.  

This was the picture for about 1.5 hours

     Sunday had some wedding planning final details on the to-do list.  And we cleaned the house (how does it get so messy so quickly?).  When I went out to the barn Mort was disgusting.  He really, really thinks that Missouri mud has some sort of magical qualities that he needs to fully grind into his everything.  So he got a bath.  I decided that fully taking apart my bridle and cleaning/conditioning it was long overdue so I did that while Mort enjoyed sunshine and grass.  

A picture from this past winter showing some of his mud-love (luckily he had a sheet on this day)

     Unfortunately this meant that when I got around to actually riding it was almost dinner time.  Mort was forward and distracted (read: giraffe neck).  Usually putting his nose on the ground in stretchy trot is one of his favorite things but Sunday he said NO.  I took the opportunity of his forward attitude and decided to really try to get a good feel on both sides of his bridle.  Until now we've been very one-sided.  I have had to make it glaringly obvious to him which way I want him to bend and/or turn.  However, we've been working a lot on counter bend lately so when I experimented with finding both sides of his mouth and having him maintain a steady contact he did it really well!  Small wins on otherwise not wonderful rides.  By the end of the ride I got a little bit of stretch over his topline so I called it quits.  Some days you just take what you can get.  

     It's supposed to be cold and rainy this week so I get to look forward to an extremely muddy pony and indoor-only riding.  We'll see how it goes!