Life With a Horse

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-22T10:47:00.000-08:00

The First Flying Changes

2011-10-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking that I'd like to school Ears on his flying changes for a while now - but had not broached the subject with him because he wasn't round, balanced and collected enough in his canter to do it well.

Then last week, after a period of canter work, I decided to see if he would offer the changes. I worked him on simple changes on a figure eight for a couple of days - then added a pole at the center, where the two circles meet. I then cantered him over the pole keeping him on either the left lead or right lead circle.

After he was settled over the pole at the canter while staying on the same lead, I started to ask for the change. He didn't offer it immediately, but, by the end of the session he did produce two very nice flying changes (one on each lead) - they were straight, balanced and calm.

He is far from being confirmed in the changes - but it was a nice moment in our training when he offered them.

Ride for Life - Dancing Horse Challenge

2011-06-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

As a member of the Potomac Valley Dressage Association Board (PVDA) I recently volunteered to coordinate the lighting and sound for the PVDA's Ride For Life Dancing Horse Challenge. The event is a fund raiser for Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation Breast Center and was held at the Prince George's County Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Md. Not only was it my first time helping out with the Dancing Horse Challenge, it was my first time attending the event.

It was just a fun couple of days - saw some old friends who were there to ride in the dressage competition, helped put on what turned out to be a great show on Saturday night - and got to see some really beautiful horses.

The rehersal for the Dancing Horse Challenge on Saturday night was quite enjoyable - despite a few minor hiccups - but that's why it is called a rehersal. By the time of the show on Saturday, everyone was on the same page and the actual show went off without a problem before an enthusiastic crowd.

At the end of the day, it was a great event put together by some good people for a great cause - and you can't beat that combination.

Riding Parabola

2011-05-27T07:12:00.000-07:00

I’ve recently had the opportunity, thanks to the generosity of he rowner Janet Martinez, to ride a beautiful Lusitano mare called Parabola. I’ve ridden her twice in lessons with Jean Paul Paré and have to say she’s an absolute pleasure to ride.

The Lusitano is a Portuguese breed that is related to the Andalusian – both breeds are known as Iberian horses. In fact, they were at one time considered the same breed. The breeds developed when the Muslims invaded the Iberian peninsular in 711 AD and crossed their barb horses with the local horses – the result was a breed that was well suited for both war and bull fighting.

In 1966 the Portuguese and Spanish stud books split, the Spanish breed maintained the Andalusian name, while the Portuguese adopted the name Lusitano – the ancient Roman name for Portugal.

She is a very different ride from my own horse Aries – and demands real discipline in your position and application of the aids to get the best out of her. It’s always good to sit on a horse like that as it really sharpens up your riding. She may not be as big as some of the dressage horses that many people like, but that in no way detracts from her talents.

Horse Trading

2011-03-28T04:39:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I remember enjoying as a kid when I was learning how to ride was playing various games on horse back - these varied from musical horse (yes, it was a lot like musical chairs) to capture the flag (this involved something akin to a cavalry charge).

As I've grown older and become more serious about my riding, the games have gone away - and in some respects that's shame. Riding with a group of friends was really a lot of fun.

One thing we used to do all the time as well was to trade horses - we spent most of the time riding a particular horse, but towards the end of a ride, everyone would change horses. Although the games have gone, I still quite enjoy trading horses. The opportunities to do so are less frequent now, but last week Cousin and Black Jack and myself and Ears did just that - it always seems to keep the mood light and provides an opportunity for a few laughs.

Horse trading - highly recomended!

The Road Back

2011-02-02T10:16:00.000-08:00

Ears working in the walk.

LAST YEAR (2010)
The last time Ears had an issue with his hind end it was in February of 2010. I called the vet out to do a lameness check and there was a slight lameness that we weren't able to identify the exact cause of. He passed all his flexion tests with no reaction at all - though, one thing that was apparent was a slight dragging of the hind legs in the flight portion (moving forwards) of the stride when he was under saddle. At the time, the vet thought that it was possible that the issue was muscle related. Ears was obviously struggling with the level of work and we thought that a short program of bute combined with a longer program of muscle relaxant (methocarbamol) might help him bridge the issue he was having and step up to higher quality work. Prior to the vet visit, we had tested him on bute alone, and that had little effect.

The combined program of bute and methocarbanol worked wonders and Ears' gait improved and he was able to move onto a good year of work. The total program lasted about five weeks.

THIS YEAR (2011)
We've put Ears back on the same program this year as a result of his recent left hind issues. He started getting the bute and Methocarbomal on the morning of February 2, 2011. He will get two grams of bute twice a day for seven days and then one gram of bute once a day for seven days. He will also be getting ten tabs of Methorcarbamol twice day for 25 days.

Journal
February 2: Started on the two grams of bute perday and the 20 tabs of Methocarbamol.

February 6: Rode him for the first time since he went on the meds. Walk and trot for 20 minutes - just asking him to stretch over his topline. He was far more even behind. No dragging the left hind toe on the walk - and much less in the trot. Will wait until the bute goes from two grams a day to one gram before testing his stride out again.

February 12: 20 minute walk-trot ride. Ears felt very even behind. A bit rushed and short at times. Was a bit tense and excited with the cool weather and lack of regular work. Short one upwards transition on the left rein - but overall improved from previous week. He's down to one gram of bute every day.

February 21: 20 minute walk, trot and canter ride. Ears felt even - though a hint of stiffness to the left. Not sure if this is just his natural stiffness on that rein appearing as he hasn't been ridden a great deal in the last month, or whether it's a vesitige of the issue with his left hind. However, much improved over the last three weeks. Added a little bit of canter in the ride and he felt pretty good on both reins. He is just on twenty tabs of the methocarbamol now.

February 27: 20 minute walk, trot and canter ride. Started off stiff and a bit uneven in the trot to the left - particularly in the first five minutes when I kept him on a loose rein. Felt good in the canter on both reins and seemed to warm up out of the stiffness. Kept him moving forwards and didn't balance him back on his hind end too much. Today should be the last day on the Methocarbamol.

March 12: 30 minute walk, trot, canter ride. A little stiff to the left to begin, but didn't feel uneven. Good in walk, trot and canter as ride progressed. Very fresh.

March 13: 30 minute, walk trot, canter ride. Still a little stiff to beging with. Light ride.

The Meds
Phenylbutazone - or bute - is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to deal with inflammatory conditions associated with the musculoskeletal system in horses. Methocarbamol is a muscle relaxant. It works by blocking nerve impulses (or pain sensations) that are sent to the brain. It has no direct effect on the muscle.

Given the similarities with the problem(slight dragging of the left hind toe) Ears is having this time around, we are trying him on a similar program. I'm going to give him a period of time off - both to rest and let the muscle relaxant take effect. I will periodically get on him to test if the bute and the methocarbonal are having an affect. If he is going well with the methocarbamol (once the program of bute is complete), I'll bring him back into work.

Hind End Frustration

2011-01-29T16:06:00.000-08:00

Well, after a period of good work with Ears that lasted through much of 2010, things have gone south over the last week. When he is worked, he is moderately uneven behind. Jean Paul Pare came out to help me evaluate his gait. It's easy to feel something out of the ordinary, but it helps to have a practiced eye on the ground to see how the legs move through their cycle.

While the cause is still an unknown, Ears is not tracking up with his left hind as he usually does - and he is dragging the toe a bit.

I feel it the most when he is in a left rein trot. This is the third winter out of four with an issue cropping up - last year, we put him on a muscle relaxant for a month and that cleared things up. He was then able to do some very good work over the spring, summer and fall.

I'll have a call into the vet on Monday to get their take on it.

Tea and Training!

2011-01-26T05:48:00.000-08:00

I was going to save this for early February, but since it is such a miserable day out, I thought people might want to read about hot cups of tea - so here it is.

The Potomac Valley Dressage Association (PVDA) will be holding its Tea for Training in early March. Having only recently been elected to the Board, I was mildly confused at a recent meeting when other Board members were referring to "T for Training" - what an odd name for an event I thought as I wracked my brain for a "T" reference in the sport. Over the course of the meeting, it slowly dawned on me that the "T" might actually be "Tea." Loving a nice cup of tea, I thought this is an event worth getting excited about - hence this short note.

Tea for Training is an opportunity for people who would like to volunteer at PVDA shows to learn about the various roles they can play. If you have ever wanted to learn how to set up a dressage ring, be a show manager or secretary, or scribe for a judge - Tea for Training offers you the opportunity to learn what the job entails. Tea for Training takes place at Stone Brook Farm on 6 March from 9am to 2 pm.

After the courses, participants get to enjoy a traditional afternoon high tea with soup sandwiches and other refreshments. And who doesn't enjoy a well brewed cup of tea! I will have to enquire at the next Board meeting as to the skill set of the person making the tea - and the types of tea that might be used. Rest assured, I will guide them towards PG Tips or perhaps Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire Tea - though Yorkshire Tea is not for the faint of heart!

If you are at all interested, you can visit PVDA's web site for more details.

Old Photos - Old Horses

2011-01-24T05:41:00.000-08:00

In my last blog I talked about coming across a photo of Ears that I snapped last spring. That got me thinking about old photos and old horses that I have known through the years.

The first horse whose name I remember was a little Anglo-Arab named Dommage. He was my first lesson horse when we lived in Paris. His name means what a shame or pity in French. Dommage was one of those kind little souls that every rider hopes for in their first lesson. I would bounce quite happily around the ring with the instructor yelling at me in French - a language of which I had very little understanding. I would have to wait until I passed the gallery end of the ring where my father would pass on his best translation of why the instructor was so exasperated with my riding. Through it all Dommage took very good care of me. The other horse I remember from Paris was called Ploof. Every riding facility has a character like him - he was big, round and gray with perhaps too much cart horse in him. Ploof spent much of his life ignoring the children unfortunate enough to ride him in their lessons. If he wanted to stand in the middle of the ring, that is where he would stand, and no amount of tears could get him back on the rail!

The horse in the photo is Little Sweeper - the first horse I remember from my riding time in America. One of the things that makes me smile about this photo is the helmet. A helmet that takes me back to Paris. After a period of time spent harrassing my parents for riding lessons, they finally agreed - but they did have one stipulation. I would have to save my pocket money so I could buy a helmet. Once the helmet had been purchased they would pay for the lessons. Throughout my youth - and in fact, well into my twenties - I believed that I had been compelled to save my money for an entire year before being able to afford the helmet. Years later, I pointed out the injustice of this enforced fiscal discipline to my parents. My mother stopped reading her book, put down her cup of tea, looked me in the eye and informed me that I had saved my money for a total of two weeks before they purchased the helmet and signed me up for my first lesson. They still have that helmet in their downstairs closet!

After high school, I spent a year at the Yorkshire Riding Center in the North of England. A number of horses jump to mind from my time there: Double Two, Odd Bod, Peppercorn, Tanarg, Sailor, Pinocchio, and Wiley Trout. Pinocchio and Wiley Trout both represented Great Britain in the 1984 Olympics. I had the pleasure of grooming Pinocchio my last three months at the center. Wiley Trout was an intimidating character - and with my time at the center being my first real day-to-day experience with horses, I found myself giving him a fairly wide birth. There was also a group of Shetland ponies at the center who were used for weekend lessons. One animal seemed to have a grudge against the world - Bobby Warthog. He made a career out of terrorizing children who were sent into his pen to tack him up. Bobby Warthog was - despite his diminutive size - an even more intimidating character than Wiley Trout.

These are some of the horses that played an important role in my early years. Thinking about them brings back a lot of wonderful memories - and a few painful ones. Peppercorn was perhaps the first horse I didn't want to say goodbye to when my time in Yorkshire came to an end - he was a big, unatheltic black horse who was one of three horses I was assigned to take care of. I had grown quite fond of his gentle nature. Sailor, on the other hand, was a horse who managed to throw me off on a regular basis. He once got me off three times in a single lesson. That day ended with my wrist broken in two places.

I think I will have to dig into some of the boxes at the back of my closet, and see if I can find some more old photos.

Friends and Acquaintances

2011-01-21T05:33:00.000-08:00

I was looking through some photos that I had taken of Ears last April and this shot caught me eye. There were other shots that had better lighting and more color - but this one reminded me why I have loved horses since I was a child.

I had taken my camera into the field and sat down so I could get some eye-level shots while he grazed on the spring grass. Being the rangy thoroughbred he is, he tends to lose weight over the winter and I wanted to catch some shots of him enjoying the spring grass. Being the curious type, he couldn't resist grazing his way across the field to check out what I was up to.

He has his moments when I am riding him, that I find certain aspects of his personality a bit frustrating - but this photo - I think - captures some of those things I love about him: his kind eye, his intelligence, and his awareness and curiosity with his surroundings.

On a sad note, one of the horses that was a real fixture at Merry Acres had to be put down earlier this week. Bailey - a 14-year old Irish sport horse - had to be euthanized after colic surgery. He also had a kind eye and a gentle tempermant - and some real quality.

I've always thought of the horses who have come and gone in my life as being friends and acquaintances as much anything - coming across this photo and the passing of a horse who left his mark on people at the farm has reinforced that belief.

Winter Riding With Ears

2011-01-09T14:04:00.000-08:00

Well, after taking the holidays off to enjoy some time with friends, family and horses, I thought it was about time I put pen to paper again and posted another entry.

I always quite enjoy when January arrives. I don't mind riding in the cold, though I could certainly do without the snow when it comes (despite the great photos you can take). Having a good ride early on a crisp winter morning does take some beating. December was an uneven month in terms of training Ears, but since Christmas I've been able to put him back on a regular schedule with some encouraging results.

Have been really focusing on strengthening his right hind leg this last couple of weeks and it has resulted in some improved work. With the increased engagement of the right hind he's offering improved trot work - especially to the right where he's working more honestly over his topline.

Over the last few months, with his increased engagement and balance I've been able to up the anti a bit in terms of his lateral work adding some renvers and travers - and even the other day getting a hint of half passe out of him (both right and left). The challenge with him remains the amount of time it takes him to warm up and offer the really quality work - he's not a horse that comes through early in the ride. There's a balance between his working well in the training sessions and the degree of his resistance early in subsequent rides. Sometimes I have to make sure that I don't get too rigid in my own training schedule with him and give him some time off to recover.

2010 was a very good year for Ears - it started off with some real questions about whether he could come through and do some of the work I was asking him to do. It was, however, a year of steady progess and hopefully provided a solid foundation to push on in 2011.

Cross Training

2010-11-03T05:39:00.000-07:00

Ears has been a bit behind the leg in the first 10-to-15 minutes of his training sessions latley and although he warms up out it, I have been thinking of ways to free him up earlier in the ride.

The solution: some trotting poles and small jumps. The jumps are not particularly big, as Ears is a green jumper due to my not having jumped him much, but he does seem to enjoy it. The goal is to free his mind a bit and get him to open up and be more expansive in his movement earlier in the ride - and then build on that later in the training session.

After starting two rides with the jumps, the effects have been fairly dramatic. His trot work in bigger and more powerful and the canter work in more supple and collected earlier in the ride. I've even been able to ask him for shoulder-in in the canter and have him hold it on both reins - a first for him.

I used to jump a lot, but in recent years I've gotten away from it, enjoying the technical challenges of flat work instead. The last couple of rides have reminded me how fun it can be to pop a horse over a few fences - and reminded me about the benefits it can have my flat work as well.

Training Session with Ears

2010-08-09T15:34:00.000-07:00

This post is actually more for myself - to remember some points from today's training session with Jean Paul Pare and Ears.

Today was the first time I've ridden Ears is spurs - we wanted to test them out as he was offering a rounder walk at the start of the ride. As he was offering more - we thought it might be a good time to ask for even more. Ears - somewhat suprisingly - accepted the spurs without too much fuss.

We used the spurs to help bring Ears around in a turn on the haunches at the walk (a pirouette at the walk if you will) - to get more lateral movement , I used the outside spur further forward. As he turned and rounded he would come closer to a downwards transition to the walk. The inside leg would keep Ears' inside hind stepping up. The size of the circle/pirouette as quite small. At this point, I would ask for trot (with the help of the whip), encouraging him to do the updwards transition and really come over his back. Keeping him on a small circle, I would then weight my inside seat bone, and pick up the canter.

The idea with the spur is to get Ears to understand that when it is applied, it means to engage the hind end more and lift his back to my seat - not to take the application of the spur as a forward aid.

Taking a lesson with Jean Paul is always a bit of an eye opener - using the turn on the haunches to increase engagement and collection is not something new, but with a practiced eye on the ground to help, it really helps to improve the quality of my riding.

More than Just the Horses

2010-08-04T04:15:00.000-07:00

I recently returned to a farm that I had taught at for a number of years to see one of my students ride her horse. Her name is Sam (in the red shirt in the photo) and I have taught her since she was seven years old - she comes out to Merry Acres to take the odd lesson on Ears as the farm where she boards her horse, Berger, has their own group of instructors. Sam is one of my favorite students - despite the hard time she seems to think is her right to give me!

She bought Berger last year and this was my first visit to see her. It was an enjoyable evening see her ride in a clinic taught by Felicia (striking the dramatic pose while teaching in the photo) - a recent university graduate who has returned to Maryland from Colorado for some time before she goes off to med school. I knew Felicia when she was in high school and also rode at the farm - it was the first time in about six years that I'd seen her. I also saw Brittany - another young lady who I used to see every day - but over the past few years have only seen once or twice at shows. It was really good to see how they've grown into remarkable people.

Having horses in your life really is about more than just caring for the animal and learning how to improve your riding - it's also about the people you come into contact and the friends you make.

So thank you Berger!

Getting Together Again

2010-07-29T05:43:00.000-07:00

I've always enjoyed watching other people have a ride on Ears - and this summer has seen the return of Marie. After two years of teaching in the Teach America program, she has found some spare time before heading abroad to teach for year, to get acquainted with Ears again

When I first got Ears, I thought it would be nice to bring him along to a point where other riders could hop on him from time to time and take a lesson. It's also good to see him move from the ground as I spend most of the time in the saddle.

It's a very pleasant way to spend an evening - seeing Marie again and watching two old friends come together for some work in the ring.

Daisy - Our Olympic Prospect

2010-04-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

Daisy is a plump little paint – not the most athletic looking horse you are likely to come across. To look at her, you would think she could be a foot taller and a foot thinner. She spends most of her time out in the field grazing – often refusing to come in at night for dinner. Just the other week, she spent 20 or so minutes galloping around the field to avoid being brought in.

I’ve known Daisy for perhaps six years now and occasionally give Jen, her owner, the odd lesson as she gets ready for a show. Last year we were working on some laterals and encouraging her to pick up he right lead in the canter. Although her canter work isn’t the best, Daisy’s trot can be an absolute pleasure to sit.

We had been working on the shoulder-in for sometime, when suddenly it clicked with both Jen and Daisy. What had been a struggle suddenly came very easily and they could both move from shoulder-in to counter shoulder-in in a stride or two at the trot. With the increased engagement of the hind legs, Daisy started to become quite collected and floated around the ring. This inspired Jen to ask one of my favorite questions ever – “Tim, is this what an Olympic horse feels like?”

This past week, with Jen out of town, Jenny and Kris hopped on her to give her some exercise. I brought my camera along and snapped some photos as she did some great trot work for both Jenny and Kris. The trot was so smooth Kris was heard to exclaim, “Am I in trot?” with real wonder in her voice. After a fun 40 minutes or so, we had all decided that yes, of all the horses at Merry Acres, riding Daisy is the best approximation we have of what it feels like to be on an Olympic horse.

Following My Own Advice - Patience

2010-04-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

This past February, Aries developed a kink in his stride that was particularly apparent when he went to the left in trot. The vet was unable to pinpoint the exact cause of the problem, but we put him on bute for two weeks and course of muscle relaxants for a month.

During the time he was on the medications, I continued to ride him. At the time, it was suggested to me that whatever his attributes, he might be holding me back as a rider and that perhaps it was time to consider getting a more powerful horse. Aries is an off-the-track thoroughbred who I got for $1,500 as a three year old – he does lack some of the natural power of a warmblood – but he is fairly athletic.

There is some truth in it however – over the five years I have been working him, Aries makes fairly steady progress, then reaches a point where he plateaus or even drops off a bit in his work quality – this makes it fairly difficult to push on and do the more advanced work that I’d like to be doing. In that respect, the thought of having a different horse has some appeal.

Then, I consider what Aries does bring to the table – he is athletic and has a sensitive temperament. For five years, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed training him and spending time at the farm just messing around with him. The truth of it is that he is more than just a machine that I invest time and money in in order to reach my own ambitions as a rider. He’s an animal the care of which I have made my responsibility – and he is an equine friend who deserves a long and happy life.

In March, I decided to apply some of my own advice that I give to my students – to be patient. As a rangy thoroughbred, he might not have the natural power of a warmblood – but that doesn’t mean that overtime – with good schooling – I won’t be able to build it.

It’s now mid April, and any vestige of the kink in his stride is gone. I had him re-evaluated over the weekend and he’s making marked progress again – and he gave me some of the best canter work I’ve had with him. The goal now is to build his strength and carrying power – but do it at a pace that suits him. I suspect the times he does plateau, are a result of him being pushed a little too hard a little too fast – and the fault there lies with me, not him.

The time may come where he tops out in the level of work that he is able to do – but that hasn’t happened yet, and if it does, he’s not going anywhere. I’ll just have to find another avenue to reach my goals.

Shooting Your Horse - With a Camera

2010-04-07T05:59:00.000-07:00

I’ve always enjoyed taking photographs of animals – and have traveled to Africa several times to shoot the wildlife there. I don’t consider myself a great photographer, but I have managed to get some good shots over time.

Combining my interest in photography with horses has added an interesting dimension to owning a horse. I periodically will bring my camera out to the farm to take pictures of my friends riding their horses – or even just take some shots of the horses in the field.

There are three basic rules I’ve always followed to getting a good wildlife/horse photo:

(1) Buy a good camera – this is perhaps the most important rule. Today’s digital cameras really take a lot of the work out of getting good pictures – but if you insist on using the camera in your Droid phone, chances are you aren’t going to get very good photos. I use a Nikon D80, but there is a wide range of great digital cameras to choose from.
(2) Find an interesting subject in great location – this may seem obvious, but a lot of times people get it wrong. Horses can be beautiful subjects, but move the horse away from the cinder block wall of the maintenance shed to take the picture – and unless you are doing it for artistic purposes, make sure the sun is behind you and not in front of you when you take the shot- this will ensure the subject is not obscured by shadows.
(3) Get close ups – Animals’ eyes and faces make compelling images. Don’t be afraid to zoom in and get on eye level with your subject. If the horse’s head is down grazing – sit down yourself and then take the shot. In general, it will look better than standing and shooting down at your subject.

It’s always satisfying to get that great shot – whether of your own horse or not. And the great thing about digital photography is that if you don’t like the photos, you can just delete them on the spot and try again.

The Return of an Old Friend

2010-04-05T04:25:00.000-07:00

When I first moved to Merry Acres farm three years ago, I found myself riding with Pam and Indy a great deal. It wasn't by any particular design on my part - they were just on a similar schedule - I'd tack Aries up and go to the indoor, and Pam and Indy would more often than not be there already. It was a always a pleasure to ride with them as they were quiet and controlled as they went about their ride.

This last year, I saw less and less of them - Indy, getting on in years, seemed to have a string of health issues that prevented Pam riding and we had moved in to different barns on the farm.

After my ride on Sunday, I was taking some pictures of Jack and Ears in their pasture and Pam brought Indy into outdoor ring to ride. It seemed like the issues with Indy's health had been dealt with as the pair cantered quietly around the ring.

It was good to see them both enjoying each other's company on a beautiful Easter Sunday.

Happy Hour at the Farm

2010-04-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

The other night, I went to the farm before meeting some barn friends for happy hour at the local tavern – something of a weekly tradition that has developed over the winter. A decent dinner with a glass of Guiness and good friends is a great way to end the day - though some people may argue about the Guiness, as it is something of an aquired taste.

At the farm, I just wanted to check up on Aries – pick his feet out, give him an apple and shed some of the winter coat out. As I walked into the barn, I noticed that a couple of the stalls where empty. The past winter has been long and cold Maryland – and with over 80” of snow not only put the brakes on riding through much of February, but it also took a toll on the horses. Some have lost weight and all of them found their turn out restriced as deep snow limited their mobility in the fields.

This past week has seen the sun come out and temperatures have finally hit the 70s – and it’s not just me that has noticed.

Aries and two of his friends - Black Jack and Marco - decided that the weather was so nice, and the spring grass so good, that they wanted a night out as well. When it was time to come into the barn for dinner and to sleep, they ran fast and far. When I got out there, they were well off in the field grazing while all the other horses were in their stalls and settling in for the night.

It was nice to see them out in the field enjoying the warm sun and the good grass. Rather than bring him in – I left him out with his friend for the night. After all, he deserves a good happy hour now and then as well!

Money Well Spent

2010-04-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the month again - time to pay the board bill for Aries. Before I purchased him, it was one of the main reasons I didn't have a horse - the prospect of paying $600 plus every month for the forseeable future (and that doesn't take into account the regular farrier bills, training expenses and costs for any vet visits)was a bit daunting.

But once the plunge had been taken, I found that I was looking for other ways to save: I disconnected the cable TV - and three years later, I still don't miss it; I keep the house temperature at 64 during the winter and in summer don't run the airconditioning and find that I am quite comfortable at home; and I don't rent or buy anymore movies and have instead joined the library and been surprised by the large collection of movies and free internet access. While none of these things on their own defray a large amount of the costs of keeping Aries, each savings plays a part.

I've also found that my life has become less cluttered and increasingly healthy as a result. Without cable TV, I find myself less inclined to stay inside, even in bad weather, which means more time at the barn in the fresh air. I'm also more inclined to go for regular runs instead of looking to see what's on TV. Perhaps the biggest savings is in the spring and summer months, when my utlitlity bills drop by upwards of 75% - I also like to think of this as a "greener" way to run my house where I really cut back on energy use.

I suspect other riders have found the same thing - that purchasing a horse has improved their own wellbeing in surprising ways as they strive to give their equine friends a good life.

Training: Solving Problems in the Leg Yield

2010-03-31T06:15:00.000-07:00

I've been riding for 30 years now and am a big fan of doing lateral work with my horse to improve its balance and strength. Over the weekend I was walking into the indoor ring and noticed a rider attempting the leg yield.

The rider enjoys eventing at low levels and schools his horse on a regular basis. From what I've seen of the pair over the last two years, their lateral work is fairly rudimentary and they struggle to get a real connection over the horse's topline. Walking up behind them as they leg yielded to the right, it was apparent that the horse was popping his outside (right) shoulder and just drifting to the right with his neck over bent to the left and not crossing his hind legs at all. This is perhaps the most common problem I see when novice riders first attempt to include lateral work in the schooling program.

The rider was tapping the horse on the left hind leg with the whip with the intent of getting him to cross his left hind in front of his right hind. The horse didn't respond at all.

Before asking for the hind leg to cross over, the rider needed to correct the problem with the horse's neck and shoulder. By straightening the neck - even perhaps counter bending into the direction of the leg yield - the rider would block the horse from drifting out through his leading right shoulder. This would then straighten the horse through his spine, bring the hind end in line with the shoulders and compel the horse to cross his left hind in front of his right hind - and that is where the benefit of the exercise occurs.