Last night had some good and bad moments. Overall he wasn't that bad--fairly good in the connection and he's getting better about straightness now that I haven't been forgetting that it's a thing. He's gotten a fun habit of leaning on my inside leg on the far side of a circle or corner--by far side I mean side that is furthest from the barn. Obviously he's just cutting in some because barn = life. It's not a huge thing and it's certainly not an unusual thing. He only barely does it. But annoying.
I think I'm going to try to set up some cones or poles to play with some square exercises. I'll most likely also spiral in and leg yield out because it's a real winner as well. I like that four cones can be a square or a circle depending on what you need. Not having to set-up a bunch of crap is always a win. I am also going to experiment with dropping him down a gait (or two) on the far corner. I can make him do it at the walk. I can usually make him do it at the trot. I cannot make him do it at the canter. I think if I just drop him down a couple times he'll understand it in "easier" gaits and hopefully it'll translate.
I've just been having more meh rides than great rides on Mort lately. We'll have good and bad (and obviously I focus on the bad because my mind is my enemy) moments. We'll work through some stuff. It just isn't coming as easy as it was a couple months ago. I'm certain it's a combination of colder weather and not being as consistent with our rides. I've been riding about as often, but we've had a lot more rides with less dressage focus. It's not a bad thing as I wanted to give him a bit of a break after our show. I think it just means I need to be a little slower bringing him back than I wanted to.
It's so much more mental for him (and me) than it is physical at this point. Slow and steady. Soft hands. Encourage a longer neck. Aka--more basics less second level. I get it dressage gods; it's not supposed to be easy.
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Monday, October 30, 2017
Weekend Recap
Mort and I had a fairly good weekend. Friday blew in with a 40 degree drop in temperatures. The wind was biting and the sky was cloudy. In spite of this, Mort and I were going for a ride. We started in the indoor for the beginning of our walk warm-up. It was significantly less windy in there so it gave us a chance to get the blood flowing before heading out into the wind. We did some more walking out there--focusing a lot on getting better leg yields.
Our trot work slowly improved throughout the rough week last week and he was fairly good on Friday. We did a lot of changes of direction and leg yields; I really tried to focus on straightening him out before asking for a new bend. He was a touch more animated than normal and still sorta stiff to the left, but it was cold and I really do think he was doing his best to listen.
I threw in some canter work. I tried to focus on some counter canter and some square turns to really get him more even in the reins. Straightness has definitely been the name of the game lately. We did a few canter sets each direction before letting him have a long rein walk break. I think he was finally really warm and starting to think. I decided to work on our walk/canter transitions since he was so happy and forward thinking.
He's really starting to get these. We're not really show-ready; especially since second one asks for so many in a row in the three loop serpentine, but they're happening. He struggles more with the right lead than the left. He picks it up and almost gets stuck in a shuffle for a stride before he really gets going in a canter. He is very good at going from right lead to left lead with not much walking in between.
He was feeling so good with that that one of the times that I was on the right lead and we were counter-cantering on a straight side, I switched my seat bones and lightly asked for a flying change. I honestly just wanted to see what he did. He felt uphill and light and definitely was giving me a good quality canter. He swapped over with absolutely zero drama. He wavered a bit but mostly stayed straight. I was very happy with him. I admit that I'm not sure I could get it to happen again so easily, but it's good to know he listens to my seat (and that I haven't forgotten to use it sometimes). I don't plan on really putting his changes on until next winter, but every once in a while it'll be fun to throw one in.
We did a few more walk/canter and a little more counter canter because I don't want a horse to have auto changes out of the counter canter. I know one change won't do it to him but I'm going to really, really make sure that he knows to wait for me. I also finally got a good left lead canter to trot transition. He'd been tense in these all day and finally relaxed into it--which I immediately rewarded with some stretchy trot. Two strides of happy left bend after canter definitely warranted the end of the hard work. We did some more stretchy trot. I've been touching on haunches-in at the walk in every ride, so we played with those some too. He's getting them now, but he does still think that they're pretty hard (which they are). We did our final cool-down walking inside out of the wind before fully calling it a day.
Saturday was even frostier than Friday, but with much less wind. I opted for a bareback ride to help keep me cozy. We started out with a walk along the fence line wrapped in a cooler. The pasture horses were all running around so Mort was a bit bouncy, but he stayed under control for me. We mainly worked in the trot and he was really good. When I did canter his trot after was amazing and bouncy in the best sort of way. He was really good and just flowing through transitions in bend and gait like it was second nature.
After a particularly good trot set all of the horses started bolting from the back of their turnouts toward us so I just opted to hop off and call it a day. He wouldn't have taken off, but he would have required some more work to get him back to me, and since he had been good so far I didn't think it was necessary.
He got Sunday off because I had other life things to do. Hopefully he's good today for our lesson in spite of it. The weather is crappy and misty (again) so we may be stuck inside anyway.
Our trot work slowly improved throughout the rough week last week and he was fairly good on Friday. We did a lot of changes of direction and leg yields; I really tried to focus on straightening him out before asking for a new bend. He was a touch more animated than normal and still sorta stiff to the left, but it was cold and I really do think he was doing his best to listen.
I threw in some canter work. I tried to focus on some counter canter and some square turns to really get him more even in the reins. Straightness has definitely been the name of the game lately. We did a few canter sets each direction before letting him have a long rein walk break. I think he was finally really warm and starting to think. I decided to work on our walk/canter transitions since he was so happy and forward thinking.
He's really starting to get these. We're not really show-ready; especially since second one asks for so many in a row in the three loop serpentine, but they're happening. He struggles more with the right lead than the left. He picks it up and almost gets stuck in a shuffle for a stride before he really gets going in a canter. He is very good at going from right lead to left lead with not much walking in between.
He was feeling so good with that that one of the times that I was on the right lead and we were counter-cantering on a straight side, I switched my seat bones and lightly asked for a flying change. I honestly just wanted to see what he did. He felt uphill and light and definitely was giving me a good quality canter. He swapped over with absolutely zero drama. He wavered a bit but mostly stayed straight. I was very happy with him. I admit that I'm not sure I could get it to happen again so easily, but it's good to know he listens to my seat (and that I haven't forgotten to use it sometimes). I don't plan on really putting his changes on until next winter, but every once in a while it'll be fun to throw one in.
We did a few more walk/canter and a little more counter canter because I don't want a horse to have auto changes out of the counter canter. I know one change won't do it to him but I'm going to really, really make sure that he knows to wait for me. I also finally got a good left lead canter to trot transition. He'd been tense in these all day and finally relaxed into it--which I immediately rewarded with some stretchy trot. Two strides of happy left bend after canter definitely warranted the end of the hard work. We did some more stretchy trot. I've been touching on haunches-in at the walk in every ride, so we played with those some too. He's getting them now, but he does still think that they're pretty hard (which they are). We did our final cool-down walking inside out of the wind before fully calling it a day.
Saturday was even frostier than Friday, but with much less wind. I opted for a bareback ride to help keep me cozy. We started out with a walk along the fence line wrapped in a cooler. The pasture horses were all running around so Mort was a bit bouncy, but he stayed under control for me. We mainly worked in the trot and he was really good. When I did canter his trot after was amazing and bouncy in the best sort of way. He was really good and just flowing through transitions in bend and gait like it was second nature.
After a particularly good trot set all of the horses started bolting from the back of their turnouts toward us so I just opted to hop off and call it a day. He wouldn't have taken off, but he would have required some more work to get him back to me, and since he had been good so far I didn't think it was necessary.
He got Sunday off because I had other life things to do. Hopefully he's good today for our lesson in spite of it. The weather is crappy and misty (again) so we may be stuck inside anyway.
Friday, October 27, 2017
Unorganized Thoughts
Yesterday was a gorgeous day. We had that perfect sunny and 75 with a breeze. That breeze was blowing in cold temperatures for today, but I chose to ignore that fact. After helping with some barn chores and grooming a somewhat muddy Mort it was time to get going.
He started a bit behind my leg. Even in his loose rein walk he was pokey. Since we've been struggling a lot with straightness I wanted to play a lot with leg yield in a stair step pattern. Essentially, I'd ask for leg yield for a couple strides then straighten for a couple strides, then leg yield again and so on. He started off very sticky and tense so I did my best to reward the small efforts. It's sometimes (oftentimes) hard for me to drop my expectations to match the ride but Mort is teaching me that if I do that at the beginning of the ride and just slowly chip away at things we'll end those rides better than we would have if I rode like a drill sergeant.
With our straightness struggles we've been having more issues with uneven contact and head tilting. I did my absolute best to almost ignore his head and just focus on what his legs were doing. I definitely have the tendency to get too busy with my hands trying to fix the symptom instead of the underlying problem. He kept trying to bend left instead of cross his hind legs for me while asking for him to move off my left leg. It wasn't a bad answer since we've been working on bend so much lately, but apparently I broke the sideways while doing that. We'll have to spend a few more rides working on those leg yields.
After getting some mediocre (but mostly relaxed and non-explosive) work at the walk and trot I started adding walk/trot/walk transitions into our lateral work. I'd sometimes ask within the leg yield and sometimes I'd ask at the beginning or end to let him go forward for a stride or three before asking to yield again. He did a lot better in the upward transitions than in the down. There is still a part of him who thinks "legs on" means forward. I think I've let him train me (for the worse in this case) on that too.
I got two awesome canter transitions and cantered about a circle each direction. The canter was decent and our walk and trot were still meh, so I left the canter for another day. I threw in lots of figure eights and some shoulder-in off the rail in our walk/trot work as well. By the end of the ride he had improved a lot. Still not our best day but I was glad we could work through some things and the ride mostly got better and better as we went. Small victories.
I'm not sure why, but the days when it feels like he's reverted back so far in our training really frustrate me as a human. I know logically that horse training is not a linear progression. I know we have to enjoy the journey. I know bad days will happen and that I need to brush them off. I know this is something I really need to work on as a rider. Yet, I still find myself getting frustrated on some of these days (like on Tuesday).
After a really bad, frustrating ride I always ride the next ride better. I come out with the slowest and most methodical approach. I can ignore the "bad" stuff and just work on improving it. In spite of this, there are still days where I accidentally allow myself to get frustrated. I need to look at the bad days as a learning opportunity because they usually highlight our problem areas wonderfully. I can't skip over something that is just OK. Hopefully the more aware I get the less I will let frustration into my rides; I'm sure Mort feels the same way.
This is probably my biggest struggle as a rider; I'm crooked and have uneven hands but frustration only makes it all worse. Got to fix my problem and then work on any remaining symptoms.
He started a bit behind my leg. Even in his loose rein walk he was pokey. Since we've been struggling a lot with straightness I wanted to play a lot with leg yield in a stair step pattern. Essentially, I'd ask for leg yield for a couple strides then straighten for a couple strides, then leg yield again and so on. He started off very sticky and tense so I did my best to reward the small efforts. It's sometimes (oftentimes) hard for me to drop my expectations to match the ride but Mort is teaching me that if I do that at the beginning of the ride and just slowly chip away at things we'll end those rides better than we would have if I rode like a drill sergeant.
With our straightness struggles we've been having more issues with uneven contact and head tilting. I did my absolute best to almost ignore his head and just focus on what his legs were doing. I definitely have the tendency to get too busy with my hands trying to fix the symptom instead of the underlying problem. He kept trying to bend left instead of cross his hind legs for me while asking for him to move off my left leg. It wasn't a bad answer since we've been working on bend so much lately, but apparently I broke the sideways while doing that. We'll have to spend a few more rides working on those leg yields.
After getting some mediocre (but mostly relaxed and non-explosive) work at the walk and trot I started adding walk/trot/walk transitions into our lateral work. I'd sometimes ask within the leg yield and sometimes I'd ask at the beginning or end to let him go forward for a stride or three before asking to yield again. He did a lot better in the upward transitions than in the down. There is still a part of him who thinks "legs on" means forward. I think I've let him train me (for the worse in this case) on that too.
I got two awesome canter transitions and cantered about a circle each direction. The canter was decent and our walk and trot were still meh, so I left the canter for another day. I threw in lots of figure eights and some shoulder-in off the rail in our walk/trot work as well. By the end of the ride he had improved a lot. Still not our best day but I was glad we could work through some things and the ride mostly got better and better as we went. Small victories.
I'm not sure why, but the days when it feels like he's reverted back so far in our training really frustrate me as a human. I know logically that horse training is not a linear progression. I know we have to enjoy the journey. I know bad days will happen and that I need to brush them off. I know this is something I really need to work on as a rider. Yet, I still find myself getting frustrated on some of these days (like on Tuesday).
After a really bad, frustrating ride I always ride the next ride better. I come out with the slowest and most methodical approach. I can ignore the "bad" stuff and just work on improving it. In spite of this, there are still days where I accidentally allow myself to get frustrated. I need to look at the bad days as a learning opportunity because they usually highlight our problem areas wonderfully. I can't skip over something that is just OK. Hopefully the more aware I get the less I will let frustration into my rides; I'm sure Mort feels the same way.
This is probably my biggest struggle as a rider; I'm crooked and have uneven hands but frustration only makes it all worse. Got to fix my problem and then work on any remaining symptoms.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Purple Breeches
I haven't bought new schooling breeches in a minute. Two weeks ago I hand-sewed the crotch seam of a pair of old Pipers. I'm not sure how long that my handiwork will hold up (I am not known for my sewing). I had to order a set of replacement clipper blades and Smartpak has that thing where if you spend enough money you get free shipping. And I've been wanting to try their Mid-Rise Pipers since they came out. Do I really need more reasons? This is definitely when I envy the tack whores and their ability to justify purchases with much less effort.
Anyway, I bought a pair of the Piper Mid-Rise. They're purple. They came in last night and I'm in love already. Obviously I have yet to try them on a horse but does that really matter when purple breeches are involved? So pretty.
In other news Mort and I got to ride outside last night (in the terrible wind). I was excited to be out there but Mort was less than pleased to be put back to some real work. Cold + two weeks of light riding = a rough ride. Hopefully we worked through some stuff (like sometimes stopping is an option) so that tomorrow's ride will be better. It's at least supposed to be warm and sunny so that won't hurt.
Anyway, I bought a pair of the Piper Mid-Rise. They're purple. They came in last night and I'm in love already. Obviously I have yet to try them on a horse but does that really matter when purple breeches are involved? So pretty.
In other news Mort and I got to ride outside last night (in the terrible wind). I was excited to be out there but Mort was less than pleased to be put back to some real work. Cold + two weeks of light riding = a rough ride. Hopefully we worked through some stuff (like sometimes stopping is an option) so that tomorrow's ride will be better. It's at least supposed to be warm and sunny so that won't hurt.
Monday, October 23, 2017
Rainy Days and Motivation
It's been a slow week. I got on Mort a few times and we worked a lot on straightness and relaxing. Nothing too exciting after his time off, but important none-the-less. I had some non-horse plans Friday so he enjoyed a day off (well I assume he enjoyed it). Saturday was supposed to be the last warm day for a while so Mort got a bath and a trace clip.
Sunday brought in the sort of rainy and cool weather that makes me want to stay on the couch all day. Alas, instead of that I put a pot of chili on the stove and headed to the barn. I'm glad I did, because we got enough rain that the ponies were all stuck inside for the day. The good news is that Mort stayed clean after his bath at least. If he'd been outside he would have for sure turned into a mud demon.
After a quick brushing I hopped on him bareback and we took a walk along the gravel road. It was almost misty, but luckily my timing let us take a decent walk. There is a house that always has loose dogs that we have to turn around at, which is super annoying, but other than that Mort and I enjoyed a relaxing walk. I spent a few minutes in the indoor getting him to connect and straighten between my aids at the walk and called it a day.
Mort and I have had a fairly unfocused couple of weeks. He definitely does better in regular work as far as our dressage goes, but I am happy to have a horse I can hop on bareback on a cool day and trust him to take care of us. Hopefully the weather will dry out some so we can get back to work outside soon.
There is a schooling show next weekend at one of our favorite venues. I'm on the fence right now as to whether I'm going or not. Mort hasn't had a lot of dressage work lately so I don't feel good making the jump to second level like I was considering trying a month or so ago. This definitely isn't the end of the world and putting in another show at first level won't be bad for us either. I am well aware that I still don't have him figured out in a show environment. I need to look into when the entries are due I guess!
Sunday brought in the sort of rainy and cool weather that makes me want to stay on the couch all day. Alas, instead of that I put a pot of chili on the stove and headed to the barn. I'm glad I did, because we got enough rain that the ponies were all stuck inside for the day. The good news is that Mort stayed clean after his bath at least. If he'd been outside he would have for sure turned into a mud demon.
After a quick brushing I hopped on him bareback and we took a walk along the gravel road. It was almost misty, but luckily my timing let us take a decent walk. There is a house that always has loose dogs that we have to turn around at, which is super annoying, but other than that Mort and I enjoyed a relaxing walk. I spent a few minutes in the indoor getting him to connect and straighten between my aids at the walk and called it a day.
Mort and I have had a fairly unfocused couple of weeks. He definitely does better in regular work as far as our dressage goes, but I am happy to have a horse I can hop on bareback on a cool day and trust him to take care of us. Hopefully the weather will dry out some so we can get back to work outside soon.
There is a schooling show next weekend at one of our favorite venues. I'm on the fence right now as to whether I'm going or not. Mort hasn't had a lot of dressage work lately so I don't feel good making the jump to second level like I was considering trying a month or so ago. This definitely isn't the end of the world and putting in another show at first level won't be bad for us either. I am well aware that I still don't have him figured out in a show environment. I need to look into when the entries are due I guess!
Questions for a Potential Boarding Barn
Throughout my time blogging I've read of several other bloggers who have had to find new barns--either for moving, changing priorities, or they just don't like where they were. There are a lot of reasons people change, and it's not usually a fun process. You may forget to ask important questions, only to realize later that you're going to have to compromise or move (again). I've tried to come up with a list of important questions.
- What is included in board and what is the cost?
- Blanketing/Fans
- Holding for vet/farrier
- Getting dressed for turnout (bell boots/fly masks/etc.)
- Extras (clipping, bathing, grooming, etc.)
- Feeding
- Schedule/How many times per day
- Grain type/amount
- Hay type/amount/storage
- Turnout
- Schedule
- Fencing
- Number of horses in group
- Mares/geldings
- Plan for horses who don't fit the mold
- Need a different amount of turnout time
- Don't get along with others
- Only go outside when it's 72 and sunny with a slight breeze--they need to have an idea of what to do with the oddballs
- Run-in sheds/bad weather options
- Water heaters in winter
- Stalls
- Size
- Flooring
- Bedding type
- Amount
- Extra costs for extra bedding
- Number of stalls
- How many are boarders
- Personal horses
- How many empty
- Ventilation
- Open fronts/windows/etc.
- Amenities
- Space for tack/equipment
- Security
- Heat/AC
- Bathroom
- Wash rack
- Hot and cold water
- Arena
- Indoor/outdoor
- Size
- Footing
- Maintenance (frequency of dragging/watering/etc.)
- Lights
- Trails/hacking areas
- Farrier
- Idea of cost
- Who (if you're moving locally)
- Hot or cold shoeing
- Specialty shoeing if applicable
- Can you bring in an outside person?
- Vet Services
- Regular vet
- How far from barn
- Imaging offered?
- Specialties?
- Chiro/Acupuncture/Massage/etc.
- Emergency vet
- Distance
- Surgery practice
- Dental
- Required vaccinations and frequency
- De-worming schedule/type
- Barn Rules
- Riding during lessons
- Dog friendly
- Barn hours/closed any days
- Allow outside instructors
- Discipline-specific barn
- Staff
- Does someone live on site
- Experienced staff or teenagers
- Who handles the horses
- What is your experience?
- Do you offer lessons? Cost?
- Do you offer full or partial training? Cost?
I think I've got most things covered that are important to me, but I'm sure there are a few other questions out there that others would find necessary. Remember that if you're moving to a new area not to fall in love with the first barn you try. The horse world is all about building connections and relationships, and you may find a perfect fit six months after you move. Network with local tack shops/feed stores; get to know the local farriers and vets.
Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself and your horse. Just because something may be the norm in your new area doesn't mean you have to accept it if you don't want to. As a dressage rider I want a good base and a couple inches of fluffy footing in my arena but a western rider may prefer something a good bit deeper. Neither is necessarily wrong, but it will become an issue if I board at a reining barn. In all honesty, no barn may be 100% perfect, and some compromise is expected, but there is a barn out there where you and your horse can be happy. Happy searching!
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Perfect Fall Day
We've finally got a long stretch of that perfect fall weather. Cool, crisp mornings followed by sunny afternoons. It's perfect. Since Mort had so much time off last week I decided to ease him back into things yesterday with a ride along the gravel road.
He, Emma and I trekked out. The weather was wonderful and it was a fun and relaxing ride. We did have a run-in with some crazy dogs (and children) that Mort found upsetting, but no problems other than that. I spent a few minutes at the end of our ride playing with some baby lateral work at the walk. I just wanted to let him work on contact and think about dressage for a little bit before he got put away.
Emma and I enjoyed an easy 3-mile run when we got home. We had leftovers, so there wasn't any cooking to do. It was a good evening enjoying the weather and relaxing. If only every day worked out so well. I need to clip Mort this week sometime. We're supposed to hit the mid-seventies in the afternoons and I prefer to clip him when it's a bit warmer. I'm going back and forth on what type of clip I'll do on him this year. Our first year I just did a small bib/chaser clip. Last year I did a full blanket clip. I may just do a trace clip or a bigger chaser clip this year. We'll find out once I start clipping I guess!
He, Emma and I trekked out. The weather was wonderful and it was a fun and relaxing ride. We did have a run-in with some crazy dogs (and children) that Mort found upsetting, but no problems other than that. I spent a few minutes at the end of our ride playing with some baby lateral work at the walk. I just wanted to let him work on contact and think about dressage for a little bit before he got put away.
Emma and I enjoyed an easy 3-mile run when we got home. We had leftovers, so there wasn't any cooking to do. It was a good evening enjoying the weather and relaxing. If only every day worked out so well. I need to clip Mort this week sometime. We're supposed to hit the mid-seventies in the afternoons and I prefer to clip him when it's a bit warmer. I'm going back and forth on what type of clip I'll do on him this year. Our first year I just did a small bib/chaser clip. Last year I did a full blanket clip. I may just do a trace clip or a bigger chaser clip this year. We'll find out once I start clipping I guess!
Monday, October 16, 2017
My Non-Horsey Weekend
Mort had the easiest week ever last week. He got Monday off due to the show and all that. It rained Tuesday and Wednesday so the ponies were stuck inside. I hopped on him bareback for an easy ride Tuesday and let him run around in the indoor then lunged him on Wednesday. My sister, Jess, was on her way down from Chicago so I quickly rushed home to clean my darn house.
I took a half day on Thursday (and took all of Friday off) and spent time hanging with the sister. She did hop on him Friday afternoon for a walk about the property and he was a perfect pony. She met Mort about a month or so after I first got him and was really surprised at how much he has relaxed and become such a calm boy. Always good news coming from a person who hasn't seen him in a while.
Jess and I killed our half marathon on Saturday. It was fairly warm and humid, but we ran every step. Emma even joined us at mile three to run the next ten miles. I think she had it in her to run the whole thing, but I was worried all of the crowds at the beginning would be stressful for her. According to Steven, when we ran off and left her that was stressful too. She got lots of compliments and came in first dog place (only pup running). After our run we grabbed some local brews and a slice of pizza in downtown Columbia. After a shower and a nap at home we spent time grilling, eating, and enjoying conversation.
Sunday morning started with no alarms and sleeping in. It was wonderful as Steven and I haven't gotten a chance to do that in a couple of weekends. We spent the morning eating breakfast at the local bakery and just relaxing. It was a very non-horse weekend but I'm sure Mort enjoyed his time off and I get to check off another year's goal. Spending time with family is never a bad thing.
I took a half day on Thursday (and took all of Friday off) and spent time hanging with the sister. She did hop on him Friday afternoon for a walk about the property and he was a perfect pony. She met Mort about a month or so after I first got him and was really surprised at how much he has relaxed and become such a calm boy. Always good news coming from a person who hasn't seen him in a while.
Jess and I killed our half marathon on Saturday. It was fairly warm and humid, but we ran every step. Emma even joined us at mile three to run the next ten miles. I think she had it in her to run the whole thing, but I was worried all of the crowds at the beginning would be stressful for her. According to Steven, when we ran off and left her that was stressful too. She got lots of compliments and came in first dog place (only pup running). After our run we grabbed some local brews and a slice of pizza in downtown Columbia. After a shower and a nap at home we spent time grilling, eating, and enjoying conversation.
Sunday morning started with no alarms and sleeping in. It was wonderful as Steven and I haven't gotten a chance to do that in a couple of weekends. We spent the morning eating breakfast at the local bakery and just relaxing. It was a very non-horse weekend but I'm sure Mort enjoyed his time off and I get to check off another year's goal. Spending time with family is never a bad thing.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
SLADS Day Two
Another early morning, this time colder. Mort seemed fine again today, though he did a touch more dancing when it came to braiding. We got another breakfast from Panera and spent some time watching the morning rides. I didn't ride until 9:44. It was fun watching the other rides and explaining stuff to Steven. I think he picked up on a lot this weekend.
Anyway, we got all dressed and tacked up for me to get on a little after 9:00. I was thinking of using a similar warm-up to the one I used Saturday afternoon. If you'll remember, I did admit that Mort just came out of his stall ready to go and I wasn't sure whether it was really my warm-up that got him going well or not. It wasn't my warm-up. Mort was an unhappy camper. He was touchy with that left rein and didn't give me much relaxation over the topline. I did a lot of our regular stuff and got him going OK. He'd stay steady for me until I asked for something new, but then came back for the most part. The left lead canter never really got where I wanted and our transitions were wild but the warm-up isn't the time or place to school the crap out of something.
I did some stretchy trot and a couple trot/walk/trot transitions while we trotted around the outside of the court before the bell. The idea in my head was that they would relax him and help me have a good half-halt. It was a hopeful thought. Our trot work actually wasn't that bad. He definitely didn't ever give me his topline well but he did stay with me for the most part. We had reasonable scores for the most part other than his lengthens and stretchy (let's not talk about coefficients). His walk work is usually a good spot for us and he did pull a 7 for that free walk. I can almost always count on Mort to give me a good free walk.
Our canter work left a lot to be desired. Like maybe a semblance of relaxing or giving or being something other than a solid board. Test two starts with the left lead canter at A followed by a 15-meter circle on the long side. He started as a giraffe. I thought that he'd come back to me on the circle. I spent some time lifting my hands in the half-halt then letting go a bit to let him feel like he could stretch down. I tried not lengthening and adding too much. I then tried lengthening a little to see if that could un-stick him. Eventually I realized that I was just along for the ride. I kept trying little half-halts and releases to no avail. Our right lead canter was better, but by then I was so nervous to ask for much expression so we just stuck with mediocre scores.
We pulled a 54.8% in that test. It was definitely deserved. As much as I wasn't happy with the ride, it could have been much worse. He did all of the things I asked, he just said that he couldn't do them and relax at the same time. I don't know if he was cold, sore, tired, too energetic from being inside, or whatever else, but it's good to know I haven't found the magic routine to make him a relaxed Mort at shows....yet.
Mort and I had a while to recover from that ride. I didn't ride until 1:36 that afternoon so we spent some time relaxing and eating. I got on about 1:00 and got the same Mort that I had Saturday afternoon. He still had some tension issues, but getting him to connect and change was just so much easier from the moment that I got on. Good boy, but I am frustrated to not really knowing how to get him to relax and let go for me. Just still something to keep on working on.
Our second ride of the day went really well. We got a 64.8%. He did get away from me a couple times but I was able to get him right back--quite the opposite from the morning. Our trot work was good and he did really well on his leg yields. I think he finally learned what centerlines were all about this weekend. We've struggled with them in the past--wavering and having poor halts. This weekend he was straight and ready to halt (Test Three on Saturday he actually halted too early because we halt at G and he was confused). I can't wait for him to figure out those trot extensions on the diagonals.
Overall my boy was good this weekend. I think every experience was a good one as I never let his tension escalate into a fight. If he wasn't good I just quietly tried again. Hopefully all of these experiences will lead to a Mort who can relax and have happy rides more and more often.
Anyway, we got all dressed and tacked up for me to get on a little after 9:00. I was thinking of using a similar warm-up to the one I used Saturday afternoon. If you'll remember, I did admit that Mort just came out of his stall ready to go and I wasn't sure whether it was really my warm-up that got him going well or not. It wasn't my warm-up. Mort was an unhappy camper. He was touchy with that left rein and didn't give me much relaxation over the topline. I did a lot of our regular stuff and got him going OK. He'd stay steady for me until I asked for something new, but then came back for the most part. The left lead canter never really got where I wanted and our transitions were wild but the warm-up isn't the time or place to school the crap out of something.
I did some stretchy trot and a couple trot/walk/trot transitions while we trotted around the outside of the court before the bell. The idea in my head was that they would relax him and help me have a good half-halt. It was a hopeful thought. Our trot work actually wasn't that bad. He definitely didn't ever give me his topline well but he did stay with me for the most part. We had reasonable scores for the most part other than his lengthens and stretchy (let's not talk about coefficients). His walk work is usually a good spot for us and he did pull a 7 for that free walk. I can almost always count on Mort to give me a good free walk.
Our canter work left a lot to be desired. Like maybe a semblance of relaxing or giving or being something other than a solid board. Test two starts with the left lead canter at A followed by a 15-meter circle on the long side. He started as a giraffe. I thought that he'd come back to me on the circle. I spent some time lifting my hands in the half-halt then letting go a bit to let him feel like he could stretch down. I tried not lengthening and adding too much. I then tried lengthening a little to see if that could un-stick him. Eventually I realized that I was just along for the ride. I kept trying little half-halts and releases to no avail. Our right lead canter was better, but by then I was so nervous to ask for much expression so we just stuck with mediocre scores.
We pulled a 54.8% in that test. It was definitely deserved. As much as I wasn't happy with the ride, it could have been much worse. He did all of the things I asked, he just said that he couldn't do them and relax at the same time. I don't know if he was cold, sore, tired, too energetic from being inside, or whatever else, but it's good to know I haven't found the magic routine to make him a relaxed Mort at shows....yet.
Mort and I had a while to recover from that ride. I didn't ride until 1:36 that afternoon so we spent some time relaxing and eating. I got on about 1:00 and got the same Mort that I had Saturday afternoon. He still had some tension issues, but getting him to connect and change was just so much easier from the moment that I got on. Good boy, but I am frustrated to not really knowing how to get him to relax and let go for me. Just still something to keep on working on.
Our second ride of the day went really well. We got a 64.8%. He did get away from me a couple times but I was able to get him right back--quite the opposite from the morning. Our trot work was good and he did really well on his leg yields. I think he finally learned what centerlines were all about this weekend. We've struggled with them in the past--wavering and having poor halts. This weekend he was straight and ready to halt (Test Three on Saturday he actually halted too early because we halt at G and he was confused). I can't wait for him to figure out those trot extensions on the diagonals.
Overall my boy was good this weekend. I think every experience was a good one as I never let his tension escalate into a fight. If he wasn't good I just quietly tried again. Hopefully all of these experiences will lead to a Mort who can relax and have happy rides more and more often.
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
SLADS Day One
Steven, Emma, and I woke up dark and early Saturday to head to the NEC. My first ride time wasn't until 9:31, but I had never braided Mort before (and hadn't braided in a couple years), and I wanted to give us plenty of time for all of the morning's activities. I shouldn't have worried; we had everything accomplished by about 7:00. So we took a trip to Panera for breakfast bagels and relaxed sitting in front of Mort's stall for a while. Eventually it was time to get dressed and tacked and head to warm-up.
I wanted about 35-40 minutes of warm-up. I spent about ten minutes walking both on a loose rein and working on some lateral work. Our warm-up was much the same as the warm-up I've been doing in my everyday riding. Of course there was some traffic that we had to plan around that we don't in our regular life, but with it being such a small show the whole weekend wasn't bad at all on that aspect. He felt OK. He wasn't 100% steady in the contact. He was really touchy about the left rein in our left lead canter. But he also wasn't terrible and he had a half-halt. They were ready for me a little early and I went for it.
I definitely struggled with connection in this test. He was a bit tense and wanted to lift and retract that neck. I did nothing. Well, that's not entirely true but I somehow forgot that sometimes lifting my hands was a thing. I did a lot of half-halts and booted him around a couple of times. I did some more half-halts and forgot to release my hands after them. It wasn't a terrible test by any means. We got a 62.12%. We did all of the things; we just did all of the things with tension.
I had a plan for the second warm-up to be a touch shorter and a little more demanding. When I say demanding, I definitely don't mean demanding from me. Mort doesn't do well being forced into anything. But if I make the work more demanding he often comes around to a better connection on his own. That was my goal this time.
We started the same with a lot of walk and I could tell that he was working better already in spite of it being no different from the morning's warm-up thus far. We started with a lot of lateral work and changes of direction in the trot. I didn't spend too much time there before asking for canter. Almost immediately I asked for counter canter. He gave it to me really well. He was working so much better in the contact and was better moving off of my aids. However, I honestly don't think it was the changed warm-up. I think he just came out of the stall that way because he started well pretty much immediately and the beginning of our warm-up was the same in the walk. I'm not sure if the warmer temperatures did it, or if he just had to have the edge taken off in the morning's ride, but he felt a lot better in any case.
First Three went so much smoother. I was burned a bit from our morning ride being so tense so I kept our lengthens ultra conservative. Looking back, I wish that I hadn't because he stayed with me really well throughout the entire test. We had a couple of transitions that were touchy but he'd immediately come right back to work for me. We ended up with a 65.44% and I was really happy with him. He was just really pleasant to ride. Good boy for sure.
I felt confident going into Sunday thinking that we had overcome some of our tension issues since the second test was so much easier than the first (cue dramatic foreshadowing). We spent the afternoon relaxing and took Mort on a long walk with lots of grazing. After his dinner we left him with all of the hay and water and went home to do laundry and sleep to come back at it again the next day.
I wanted about 35-40 minutes of warm-up. I spent about ten minutes walking both on a loose rein and working on some lateral work. Our warm-up was much the same as the warm-up I've been doing in my everyday riding. Of course there was some traffic that we had to plan around that we don't in our regular life, but with it being such a small show the whole weekend wasn't bad at all on that aspect. He felt OK. He wasn't 100% steady in the contact. He was really touchy about the left rein in our left lead canter. But he also wasn't terrible and he had a half-halt. They were ready for me a little early and I went for it.
I definitely struggled with connection in this test. He was a bit tense and wanted to lift and retract that neck. I did nothing. Well, that's not entirely true but I somehow forgot that sometimes lifting my hands was a thing. I did a lot of half-halts and booted him around a couple of times. I did some more half-halts and forgot to release my hands after them. It wasn't a terrible test by any means. We got a 62.12%. We did all of the things; we just did all of the things with tension.
I had a plan for the second warm-up to be a touch shorter and a little more demanding. When I say demanding, I definitely don't mean demanding from me. Mort doesn't do well being forced into anything. But if I make the work more demanding he often comes around to a better connection on his own. That was my goal this time.
We started the same with a lot of walk and I could tell that he was working better already in spite of it being no different from the morning's warm-up thus far. We started with a lot of lateral work and changes of direction in the trot. I didn't spend too much time there before asking for canter. Almost immediately I asked for counter canter. He gave it to me really well. He was working so much better in the contact and was better moving off of my aids. However, I honestly don't think it was the changed warm-up. I think he just came out of the stall that way because he started well pretty much immediately and the beginning of our warm-up was the same in the walk. I'm not sure if the warmer temperatures did it, or if he just had to have the edge taken off in the morning's ride, but he felt a lot better in any case.
First Three went so much smoother. I was burned a bit from our morning ride being so tense so I kept our lengthens ultra conservative. Looking back, I wish that I hadn't because he stayed with me really well throughout the entire test. We had a couple of transitions that were touchy but he'd immediately come right back to work for me. We ended up with a 65.44% and I was really happy with him. He was just really pleasant to ride. Good boy for sure.
I felt confident going into Sunday thinking that we had overcome some of our tension issues since the second test was so much easier than the first (cue dramatic foreshadowing). We spent the afternoon relaxing and took Mort on a long walk with lots of grazing. After his dinner we left him with all of the hay and water and went home to do laundry and sleep to come back at it again the next day.
Monday, October 9, 2017
Musings After a Horse Show
Ah, the Monday after a horse show. It's a time to reflect and reassess. It's a time where I spend way too much time looking at pictures and watching videos instead of doing laundry and putting horse show things away. It's a time when I can really realize how lucky I am to be able to ride and show dressage. I can appreciate how awesome my horse is even when he's not perfect. So let's reflect on how lucky I am.
Let me start by thanking my support team. I had friends and family show up to support me in person and in spirit. You all are amazing and appreciated beyond measure. Grace, you were an amazing groom and photographer and I cannot wait to share some of those pictures. Steven earned some major husband points by being with me literally every step of the way from Friday morning helping me bathe Mort and load the trailer, to Sunday evening making me dinner because I was too tired. He's officially joined the ranks of Horse Show Husbands.
Now let's talk about Mort. I couldn't be more proud of how he handled the weekend. He always travels well, but this was our first trip for a full weekend. He wasn't spooky about anything and I could have trusted Steven to hand walk, bathe, groom, etc. He took everything in stride and was a happy, albeit sometimes bored, camper. Thank you racehorse world for creating good travelers.
I'm not going to lie and say we put down perfect tests all weekend. We sometimes struggle with tension at home, so finding it had followed us to the show was no surprise. I'll do a full recap this week, but it's safe to say that both show mornings started out with some tension and trouble connecting him back-to-front. Both afternoons showed dramatic improvements in scores and relaxation in spite of being technically harder tests. Saturday we went from a 62% to a 65% and Sunday we went from a 56% to a 64%. Both afternoons I left the arena proud and satisfied.
Mort's afternoon rides were a real pleasure. I lost him a couple of times but each time he came back to me. This is tremendous for us--especially in a show environment. He stayed connected and listened to my half-halts. I could lift him up to bring him back then release a bit to help him relax. If I can find that horse more and more often we'll really be able to start laying down some fun tests. I'm proud of being the one who has trained him thus far. In spite of all of our shortcomings we're learning to have fun together at home and at shows.
All-in-all it was a great weekend. Mort earned some time off while I try to prep for my half-marathon this Saturday. We may not have been technically perfect and we certainly didn't earn any high-point awards, but I have a fun horse and wonderful friends who make life great and that's what really counts in the long-run.
Let me start by thanking my support team. I had friends and family show up to support me in person and in spirit. You all are amazing and appreciated beyond measure. Grace, you were an amazing groom and photographer and I cannot wait to share some of those pictures. Steven earned some major husband points by being with me literally every step of the way from Friday morning helping me bathe Mort and load the trailer, to Sunday evening making me dinner because I was too tired. He's officially joined the ranks of Horse Show Husbands.
Now let's talk about Mort. I couldn't be more proud of how he handled the weekend. He always travels well, but this was our first trip for a full weekend. He wasn't spooky about anything and I could have trusted Steven to hand walk, bathe, groom, etc. He took everything in stride and was a happy, albeit sometimes bored, camper. Thank you racehorse world for creating good travelers.
I'm not going to lie and say we put down perfect tests all weekend. We sometimes struggle with tension at home, so finding it had followed us to the show was no surprise. I'll do a full recap this week, but it's safe to say that both show mornings started out with some tension and trouble connecting him back-to-front. Both afternoons showed dramatic improvements in scores and relaxation in spite of being technically harder tests. Saturday we went from a 62% to a 65% and Sunday we went from a 56% to a 64%. Both afternoons I left the arena proud and satisfied.
Mort's afternoon rides were a real pleasure. I lost him a couple of times but each time he came back to me. This is tremendous for us--especially in a show environment. He stayed connected and listened to my half-halts. I could lift him up to bring him back then release a bit to help him relax. If I can find that horse more and more often we'll really be able to start laying down some fun tests. I'm proud of being the one who has trained him thus far. In spite of all of our shortcomings we're learning to have fun together at home and at shows.
All-in-all it was a great weekend. Mort earned some time off while I try to prep for my half-marathon this Saturday. We may not have been technically perfect and we certainly didn't earn any high-point awards, but I have a fun horse and wonderful friends who make life great and that's what really counts in the long-run.
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Rainy Days
We're getting some much needed rain in Missouri right now. I can't truly complain as the ground was about as hard as concrete and the grass was about dead. Hopefully this rain can stretch out fall grazing just a little longer. Grass is so much better than hay for Mr. Mort's appetite. But, lots of rain also means lots of mud in Missouri (especially on a new construction barn), so the ponies were left inside yesterday and today. While it's appreciated that BM takes into account all of the mud/shoes/potential injuries in bad footing, it's not ideal. It's what I would have done as well for sure, but it's probably not what the ponies would have picked.
Anyway, with them being inside all day yesterday, Mort's legs were a bit stocky. He's just not used to standing around all day. I did a light lunge with a ton of walk (about ten minutes of it at the end was me just waiting for the rain to let up some so I could walk from the indoor to the barn without taking a shower). His legs were happy by the end. He was quiet and obedient and attentive. He gave me a swingy, stretchy trot almost the entire time. He had a couple of exuberant canter transitions, but they were prompt and correct. In spite of being stuck inside and the loud rain on the roof he was 98% foot perfect.
I spent some time cleaning my bridle after his lunge since it was shorter than riding. I need to figure out when I want to clean his girth and saddle. I may end up doing it at the show depending on when my ride times are. Today I plan on a short work ride with hopefully a good amount of walk. It'll be great if it's not raining and I can take him along the fence line, but we'll just have to see. I'll pack up the trailer with most of the items we'll need this weekend and hopefully not forget anything. I need to fit in a run as well since I'll most likely miss out on my Saturday run. I plan on taking tomorrow off of work so I'll have ample time to run, shower, bathe Mort, and finish any packing that I don't get done tonight.
Anyway, with them being inside all day yesterday, Mort's legs were a bit stocky. He's just not used to standing around all day. I did a light lunge with a ton of walk (about ten minutes of it at the end was me just waiting for the rain to let up some so I could walk from the indoor to the barn without taking a shower). His legs were happy by the end. He was quiet and obedient and attentive. He gave me a swingy, stretchy trot almost the entire time. He had a couple of exuberant canter transitions, but they were prompt and correct. In spite of being stuck inside and the loud rain on the roof he was 98% foot perfect.
I spent some time cleaning my bridle after his lunge since it was shorter than riding. I need to figure out when I want to clean his girth and saddle. I may end up doing it at the show depending on when my ride times are. Today I plan on a short work ride with hopefully a good amount of walk. It'll be great if it's not raining and I can take him along the fence line, but we'll just have to see. I'll pack up the trailer with most of the items we'll need this weekend and hopefully not forget anything. I need to fit in a run as well since I'll most likely miss out on my Saturday run. I plan on taking tomorrow off of work so I'll have ample time to run, shower, bathe Mort, and finish any packing that I don't get done tonight.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Pre-Show Prep
I had another lesson last night. I am really enjoying having a set of educated eyes on the ground to keep Mort and me on the right track. I have been focusing so much on my outside rein while tracking left to keep his shoulder from falling out I've actually been restricting him. I knew that I was feeling something sticky and I kept playing with things to fix it but I hadn't gotten around to fully figuring it out yet. A suggestion to let go more with my outside rein while taking a more consistent feel of the inside (left) enabled Mort to bend really well. He did want to drop some in the front end, but that was fairly fixable. I was so worried about losing his outside shoulder since that has traditionally been the problem that I was actually restricting him with our troubled left bend. Fun stuff--it's always the rider's fault.
We worked a lot on trying to get Mort to keep his feet on the ground a little longer. He likes to use his legs like pogo-sticks. This is efficient for moving quickly like a thoroughbred but not so much the ideal for dressage. We played around with trying to slow him with marginal success. We next tried to stretch his strides while maintaining a slower post and that worked fairly well. Doing some bend/counter-bend loosened the shoulders. He gave me some really fun and light trot with all of this.
Next was getting a canter where he had that hesitation and really folded his hind legs. I think this was easier for me to feel but physically harder for him to accomplish. He broke to trot a couple times to figure it out but we did get some really good moments of this as well. He just needs me to play more and more with it to strengthen that hind end and fully understand what I'm asking. Definitely a winter project to get his gaits more adjustable (also a forever and ever continuing goal).
We touched on 10-meter circles and leg yield. Both rode better in the sitting trot. I imagine I'll ride all of Test 3 sitting (other than stretchy trot) and some of Test 2. With my more supple outside rein the left bend in the 10-meter trot circle was a lot easier to establish.
We also experimented some with Mort's lengthens. He can get a bit uneven still so we played with me pushing for a few strides and re-adjusting often. I had to make sure that I was getting his hind-end moving before letting go some with my reins all while still trying to keep him uphill. This is fairly difficult for us still, but if I back him down to less than max throttle we're starting to get places. He's started to learn about just flipping his legs and not using his hind-end, which can be fun but it isn't the end goal. More strength and more half-halts.
We essentially spent the lesson touching on some of my problem areas for this weekend. We discussed a sort-of plan for what to play with on Friday in the better footing to see what I can ask for in the tests. I am really looking forward to seeing how we do this weekend. It's a fairly small show (our regionals were last weekend so a lot of people aren't opting to show two weekends in a row), so hopefully that will just add to Mort feeling relaxed and happy. He gets today off. He'll have fairly easy days Wednesday and Thursday where we just touch on things like in our lesson yesterday.
We worked a lot on trying to get Mort to keep his feet on the ground a little longer. He likes to use his legs like pogo-sticks. This is efficient for moving quickly like a thoroughbred but not so much the ideal for dressage. We played around with trying to slow him with marginal success. We next tried to stretch his strides while maintaining a slower post and that worked fairly well. Doing some bend/counter-bend loosened the shoulders. He gave me some really fun and light trot with all of this.
Next was getting a canter where he had that hesitation and really folded his hind legs. I think this was easier for me to feel but physically harder for him to accomplish. He broke to trot a couple times to figure it out but we did get some really good moments of this as well. He just needs me to play more and more with it to strengthen that hind end and fully understand what I'm asking. Definitely a winter project to get his gaits more adjustable (also a forever and ever continuing goal).
We touched on 10-meter circles and leg yield. Both rode better in the sitting trot. I imagine I'll ride all of Test 3 sitting (other than stretchy trot) and some of Test 2. With my more supple outside rein the left bend in the 10-meter trot circle was a lot easier to establish.
We also experimented some with Mort's lengthens. He can get a bit uneven still so we played with me pushing for a few strides and re-adjusting often. I had to make sure that I was getting his hind-end moving before letting go some with my reins all while still trying to keep him uphill. This is fairly difficult for us still, but if I back him down to less than max throttle we're starting to get places. He's started to learn about just flipping his legs and not using his hind-end, which can be fun but it isn't the end goal. More strength and more half-halts.
We essentially spent the lesson touching on some of my problem areas for this weekend. We discussed a sort-of plan for what to play with on Friday in the better footing to see what I can ask for in the tests. I am really looking forward to seeing how we do this weekend. It's a fairly small show (our regionals were last weekend so a lot of people aren't opting to show two weekends in a row), so hopefully that will just add to Mort feeling relaxed and happy. He gets today off. He'll have fairly easy days Wednesday and Thursday where we just touch on things like in our lesson yesterday.
Monday, October 2, 2017
Weekend Re-Cap
Mort and I had a fairly good ride on Friday. It was honestly much the same as Thursday, except that Mort was a lot more relaxed to begin with. We rode about 45 minutes and didn't work on anything particularly new or exciting. I am definitely a human who tries to keep life easy the week or two before a show. Anything that Mort doesn't know now he won't know then. I have been trying to add a few more trot to halt transitions in during each ride just to make them quieter and they're becoming more of a habit for him.
I gave Mort the day off on Saturday. Emma and I did a 6 mile trail run over some rough terrain (maybe too rough as my achilles tendon on my left foot has been complaining ever sense). Steven and I had tickets to Roots 'n Blues 'n BBQ festival so we spent the afternoon and evening eating terribly delicious food, listening to some great artists, and hanging with friends. The weather was perfect and I'm sure Mort didn't mind an extra day just grazing in the pasture.
Sunday was a busy day at the barn; five horses were going to a local Western and Saddleseat show. I was planning on getting to the barn a little after eight and they all were planning on heading out at eight so I just asked BM to throw Mort a flake of hay and leave him inside for me. He was definitely a little upset about being left inside, but only showed it via some dancing in the cross ties. It was chilly, so I opted for a bareback ride.
Mort was definitely ready to do something and gave me a huge walk that felt like it was on the verge of falling into a trot. We spent a lot of time at the walk. Then spent a lot of time doing trot/walk transitions and lateral work. I only did a little canter but made sure he gave me clean transitions--bad canter transitions while bareback are dumb.
I mainly focused on improving his left bend while trying to keep him adjustable in the neck. We've mainly got the left bend = falling out on the right shoulder fixed, but now he's learned that if he retracts his neck and just bends in the neck he can avoid me. It's always fun when ponies come up with new ways to avoid working hard. So I would switch between asking for bend and asking for leg yield. Just about every time he would relax I'd let him stretch his head and neck down for a couple strides to let him know that left bend is easy and happy and totally the best-est. Hopefully we can get the retracted neck bend situation under wraps (and then have him come up with something else for me to figure out).
I gave Mort the day off on Saturday. Emma and I did a 6 mile trail run over some rough terrain (maybe too rough as my achilles tendon on my left foot has been complaining ever sense). Steven and I had tickets to Roots 'n Blues 'n BBQ festival so we spent the afternoon and evening eating terribly delicious food, listening to some great artists, and hanging with friends. The weather was perfect and I'm sure Mort didn't mind an extra day just grazing in the pasture.
Sunday was a busy day at the barn; five horses were going to a local Western and Saddleseat show. I was planning on getting to the barn a little after eight and they all were planning on heading out at eight so I just asked BM to throw Mort a flake of hay and leave him inside for me. He was definitely a little upset about being left inside, but only showed it via some dancing in the cross ties. It was chilly, so I opted for a bareback ride.
Mort was definitely ready to do something and gave me a huge walk that felt like it was on the verge of falling into a trot. We spent a lot of time at the walk. Then spent a lot of time doing trot/walk transitions and lateral work. I only did a little canter but made sure he gave me clean transitions--bad canter transitions while bareback are dumb.
I mainly focused on improving his left bend while trying to keep him adjustable in the neck. We've mainly got the left bend = falling out on the right shoulder fixed, but now he's learned that if he retracts his neck and just bends in the neck he can avoid me. It's always fun when ponies come up with new ways to avoid working hard. So I would switch between asking for bend and asking for leg yield. Just about every time he would relax I'd let him stretch his head and neck down for a couple strides to let him know that left bend is easy and happy and totally the best-est. Hopefully we can get the retracted neck bend situation under wraps (and then have him come up with something else for me to figure out).
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