Friday June 27 2008
Only a short ride, we got rained out. Tried out the new bit today as well; a french link egg butt. It is quite big and heavy, the bars are quite thick but he didnt seem to mind it in his mouth much, he didnt fiddle with it.
I have him walking around with his nose on the ground like a western horse, stretching nicely and rounding his back up. Only problem with that now is that I cant pick up a contact and steer him properly. As soon as I try to pick up a contact, he drags his head down to the ground and pulls the reins through my hands and Im not sure if I should hold a firm contact and stop him from doing it as he gets antsy about a hard contact. I can steer him better with my legs so I am using this at the moment and just using soft steering with the reins. He still isnt sharp enough off the leg going forward either. Although he is nice and forward going when he does get moving. I dont have to nag at him when he does get going which is good I suppose.
He doesnt feel like he is silly enough to shy, spook, buck or bolt at the moment. I think he is just bored and getting sour. We need to find some more interesting schooling exercises and start hacking down the road. I need someone home to be able to hack out the first couple of times though.
Things to work on: picking up a contact, sharp off the leg, steering.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Solo Ride
Thursday June 26 2008
Today I geared up Drummer and got on him on my own. No one home but I am so easy with him now that I just dont mind. Probably not the safest but its a nice calm warm day and Drum looked pretty relaxed.
He is very forward now when we do get going and has a bit more go than whoa which I dont mind so much. He is a bit dull to the leg at the moment. I really have to be firm and then he's like, oh ok, off we go!! He is getting much better with steering but still tends to be nappy towards the gearing up area, so I make sure I dismount somewhere completely random every ride.
Today we got two really good trots on each rein around the paddock and I cantered him down the end of the paddock for one whole side. I really like his canter! He is also getting very light on the forehand, I can feel him lifting up which is fantastic. Still has his head in the air like an ay-rab but he does come down onto the bit often as well. I worry a little bit when he does because I think hes putting his head down to buck! So it will take some time to get used to it all.
I jumped off and moved some poles around which Drum followed and then walked over while I was setting up more. Good on him! And then we set up a wee jump about 30cm along the fence line and I clambered back on and we went over the poles, jump and did some more trotting before finishing up.
I cant tell if he is stretching long and low or if he is just trying to pull the reins out of my hand and have no contact, even though I have a very light contact. Need Mandy on the ground to keep an eye on us. We have a new bit, french link egg butt, coming in the mail and I hope this is much softer and he likes it more than the snaffle he is in currently.
He had a bath afterwards and it was berluddy freezing! He didnt seem to mind though, enjoyed being massaged and is grazing on the lawn while he dries [and hopefully doesnt roll]. I am just heading out to supervise him now.
Things to work on: long and low, steering, sharp off the leg, forward trot, canter.
Today I geared up Drummer and got on him on my own. No one home but I am so easy with him now that I just dont mind. Probably not the safest but its a nice calm warm day and Drum looked pretty relaxed.
He is very forward now when we do get going and has a bit more go than whoa which I dont mind so much. He is a bit dull to the leg at the moment. I really have to be firm and then he's like, oh ok, off we go!! He is getting much better with steering but still tends to be nappy towards the gearing up area, so I make sure I dismount somewhere completely random every ride.
Today we got two really good trots on each rein around the paddock and I cantered him down the end of the paddock for one whole side. I really like his canter! He is also getting very light on the forehand, I can feel him lifting up which is fantastic. Still has his head in the air like an ay-rab but he does come down onto the bit often as well. I worry a little bit when he does because I think hes putting his head down to buck! So it will take some time to get used to it all.
I jumped off and moved some poles around which Drum followed and then walked over while I was setting up more. Good on him! And then we set up a wee jump about 30cm along the fence line and I clambered back on and we went over the poles, jump and did some more trotting before finishing up.
I cant tell if he is stretching long and low or if he is just trying to pull the reins out of my hand and have no contact, even though I have a very light contact. Need Mandy on the ground to keep an eye on us. We have a new bit, french link egg butt, coming in the mail and I hope this is much softer and he likes it more than the snaffle he is in currently.
He had a bath afterwards and it was berluddy freezing! He didnt seem to mind though, enjoyed being massaged and is grazing on the lawn while he dries [and hopefully doesnt roll]. I am just heading out to supervise him now.
Things to work on: long and low, steering, sharp off the leg, forward trot, canter.
Lunge Work
Wednesday June 25 2008
It was much too windy to get on Drum today even if someone was home. He was dancing around on the end of the rope even when I was grooming him. I geared him up and walked him down the farm to one of the big paddocks and lunged him.
He was much more interested in some cows over on the next farm so I doubt he learnt anything but he did get plenty of exercise. He had a superb forward trot on each rein and cantered nicely on each rein as well. He threw in a few bucks at the wind but was otherwise easy enough to work.
The saddle flaps and saddle pad were blowing around in the wind and slapping his sides which made him jumpy but he soon got used to it and ignored it.
An otherwise uneventful day.
It was much too windy to get on Drum today even if someone was home. He was dancing around on the end of the rope even when I was grooming him. I geared him up and walked him down the farm to one of the big paddocks and lunged him.
He was much more interested in some cows over on the next farm so I doubt he learnt anything but he did get plenty of exercise. He had a superb forward trot on each rein and cantered nicely on each rein as well. He threw in a few bucks at the wind but was otherwise easy enough to work.
The saddle flaps and saddle pad were blowing around in the wind and slapping his sides which made him jumpy but he soon got used to it and ignored it.
An otherwise uneventful day.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Day Off
Tuesday June 24 2008
Im supposed to be studying but have hardly touched it. One more exam and then back to work, hopefully for good.
Didnt ride today. Took covers off everyone and then had to put them all back on for a storm coming through. Drum of course, rolled as I was gathering up covers. When there was a break in the weather, I took Drum and Jethro [dog] out for a walk.
No problems walking him out in hand. Went past some dairy cows and the horses at the dairy farm hooned but Drum pretty much ignored them.
Ziek, Mandy's wee guy, spent the day in the paddock with Drum in case the storm got a bit much and he could huddle up down the paddock with Drum. Also they were hooning earlier and I had a trillion divits to stomp back in and I thought theyd settle if I put them out together. They did.
So reasonably uneventful today.
Im supposed to be studying but have hardly touched it. One more exam and then back to work, hopefully for good.
Didnt ride today. Took covers off everyone and then had to put them all back on for a storm coming through. Drum of course, rolled as I was gathering up covers. When there was a break in the weather, I took Drum and Jethro [dog] out for a walk.
No problems walking him out in hand. Went past some dairy cows and the horses at the dairy farm hooned but Drum pretty much ignored them.
Ziek, Mandy's wee guy, spent the day in the paddock with Drum in case the storm got a bit much and he could huddle up down the paddock with Drum. Also they were hooning earlier and I had a trillion divits to stomp back in and I thought theyd settle if I put them out together. They did.
So reasonably uneventful today.
We Cantered!
Monday June 23 2008
Today I almost didnt ride because Im lazy. Spent the majority of the day not studying, but lying around on the floor of Mandy's new house. Lol. But when we finally left I did ride and it was pretty good! Exciting and unusual.
Mandy instructed us on some long, low work and Drum picked the idea up really quickly. He was dropping down when I picked up a contact after only a few goes. We changed reins often so he didnt get one sided.
Then we moved out onto a big circle around the paddock and I was asking for a really big trot down the sides of the paddock and then shortening on the corners. This was slightly difficult as Drum was drifting off the fence and is still particularly hard to steer. He leg yields away from Mandy nicely now though which is awesome. Coming around on his good rein, we even got a few strides of canter in!! Yay!! It was such a nice collected canter too - I am so happy about it! *big grin*
Then something unusual started happening. We couldnt work out if it was a sneaky evasion tactic, because Drummer is a pretty smart horse, or if he was sore somewhere - he wasnt lame and we couldnt pin point any sore areas. Anyway it started when we were halted. Then he would stop and do it, or try it during walk and even in trot. He would flex his nose right back to my left toe. Only to my left toe. And I would have a completely slack rein and he would just hold his nose by my toe. Weird. He is super flexible and supple because I have done lots of flexing, hind and fore quarter yielding but this was just odd. There was no pressure so he was doing it on his own. Hmm.
So tomorrow Im not going to ride but will give him a full body massage and then walk and trot him out inhand for a break from ridden work. Ill keep an eye out for soreness anywhere and next time we ride Ill flex to my right toe and then start work with no more flexing and see if he does it the other way, or his normal way, or not at all. It was odd.
Things for us to practice: steering, long low work, extended and collected trot, few strides of canter on each rein.
Today I almost didnt ride because Im lazy. Spent the majority of the day not studying, but lying around on the floor of Mandy's new house. Lol. But when we finally left I did ride and it was pretty good! Exciting and unusual.
Mandy instructed us on some long, low work and Drum picked the idea up really quickly. He was dropping down when I picked up a contact after only a few goes. We changed reins often so he didnt get one sided.
Then we moved out onto a big circle around the paddock and I was asking for a really big trot down the sides of the paddock and then shortening on the corners. This was slightly difficult as Drum was drifting off the fence and is still particularly hard to steer. He leg yields away from Mandy nicely now though which is awesome. Coming around on his good rein, we even got a few strides of canter in!! Yay!! It was such a nice collected canter too - I am so happy about it! *big grin*
Then something unusual started happening. We couldnt work out if it was a sneaky evasion tactic, because Drummer is a pretty smart horse, or if he was sore somewhere - he wasnt lame and we couldnt pin point any sore areas. Anyway it started when we were halted. Then he would stop and do it, or try it during walk and even in trot. He would flex his nose right back to my left toe. Only to my left toe. And I would have a completely slack rein and he would just hold his nose by my toe. Weird. He is super flexible and supple because I have done lots of flexing, hind and fore quarter yielding but this was just odd. There was no pressure so he was doing it on his own. Hmm.
So tomorrow Im not going to ride but will give him a full body massage and then walk and trot him out inhand for a break from ridden work. Ill keep an eye out for soreness anywhere and next time we ride Ill flex to my right toe and then start work with no more flexing and see if he does it the other way, or his normal way, or not at all. It was odd.
Things for us to practice: steering, long low work, extended and collected trot, few strides of canter on each rein.
Friday, June 20, 2008
First Ride On Our Own
Saturday June 21 2008
Today I tacked up Drum and went for a ride around the paddock on my own. Mum hung around in the yard in case I needed a hand but Drum is so cruisy that it just felt natural to be out there riding him. We stopped to talk to Mum a couple of times and he was nappy about going out around the paddock again, as Ive mentioned previously, we'll fix this with practice.
I dont feel nervous at all about riding him anymore. When I was getting ready to mount up I was thinking about being nervous, and usually that would have been enough to stop me getting on but I just thought, hey, I can do this now. I know I can because Im a good enough rider and Drum is such a dude! Up I got and off I went. Even when he was nappy, I was just determined to get a good ride I growled at him and told him I was serious about him behaving. He isnt fussed about being told to pull his head in. We are getting to the point where he will trot as soon as I ask him and today he really jumped forward into a trot, I clutched the reins and slowed him down but realised as soon as I did it, that he wasnt being a prat, he was doing as I asked! So I praised him and just went with the flow.
He was a bit unenthusiastic today so I was having to really really ask him for a forward walk and our trotting with pathetic but we did enough to get a bit of a sweat on - both of us! We are still working out our steering but its not a huge issue. We changed reins plenty of times and did some firgure eights. Twice we did some nice leg yielding. I also remembered to look up, woohoo, and gave him plenty of rein. We did around 50minutes today and although it wasnt really exciting and something new, we still got some practice in and it was positive.
Things we need to work on: getting a good forward trot, working out our steering.
Today I tacked up Drum and went for a ride around the paddock on my own. Mum hung around in the yard in case I needed a hand but Drum is so cruisy that it just felt natural to be out there riding him. We stopped to talk to Mum a couple of times and he was nappy about going out around the paddock again, as Ive mentioned previously, we'll fix this with practice.
I dont feel nervous at all about riding him anymore. When I was getting ready to mount up I was thinking about being nervous, and usually that would have been enough to stop me getting on but I just thought, hey, I can do this now. I know I can because Im a good enough rider and Drum is such a dude! Up I got and off I went. Even when he was nappy, I was just determined to get a good ride I growled at him and told him I was serious about him behaving. He isnt fussed about being told to pull his head in. We are getting to the point where he will trot as soon as I ask him and today he really jumped forward into a trot, I clutched the reins and slowed him down but realised as soon as I did it, that he wasnt being a prat, he was doing as I asked! So I praised him and just went with the flow.
He was a bit unenthusiastic today so I was having to really really ask him for a forward walk and our trotting with pathetic but we did enough to get a bit of a sweat on - both of us! We are still working out our steering but its not a huge issue. We changed reins plenty of times and did some firgure eights. Twice we did some nice leg yielding. I also remembered to look up, woohoo, and gave him plenty of rein. We did around 50minutes today and although it wasnt really exciting and something new, we still got some practice in and it was positive.
Things we need to work on: getting a good forward trot, working out our steering.
Fourth Ride
Friday June 20 2008
No one was home and a man friend *grin* Shawn, was coming over on his way home from work. I had to ride before he got there so I didnt embarrass myself! I rang Mum, I txtd Mandy, I was going to tack up and get on. Someone better get home! They both got home at the same time so I didnt get to get on early and get some riding out of the way.
I think Drum and I are going good enough now that we can ride around the paddock on our own without anyone supervising, just as long as someone is home and knows them Im out riding. I thought that as Drum and I plodded around the paddock and Mandy was messing around in the yard with her trailer of new hay. I didnt feel worried at all. It just felt normal, like when I used to have a hoon around with Flow when I didnt have time to hack out.
Drum was working nicely in the paddock, he was stepping out and listening to what I was asking. I practiced turning him with my seat and it worked with only the smallest leg and rein aids so that is really great. I had set up an 'arena' earlier, I paced out about 40 x 20 and marked the corners with pickets and poles so we had something to turn 'in'. We put a big road cone up one long side that was off the fence so we had a bit of an invisible line to work along. I think I'll divide each ride evenly between riding the whole paddock, and doing some work in the 'arena'. Its a bit small and we dont have our balance sorted yet so if we do a few circles in the paddock, then come into the arena and do some more collected work, then back out into the paddock, should stop us getting bored and help us work into the more 'defined' stuff.
As soon as Mandy came out to the paddock, Drum got quite nappy and difficult. He kept wanting to go back to her and it was frustrating. Mandy growled and stomped so she was less 'nice' to go cuddle up to but Drum still proved difficult. It is important that we work through this problem, there are going to be people standing on the ground when Im riding all the time, something that cant be avoided. But we will have some days when Im riding alone and other days when someone comes to the paddock and we can work on staying away from them. The days we are alone will be good to polish all the normal simple stuff, so when someone is there, Drum and I understand each other and the aids better so we will be able to overcome this difficulty more easily.
We only managed a couple of short trots on each rein, although they were nice forward going trots, before Shawn turned up. Mandy got on and had a play with Drum and then I lunged him very briefly on each rein at canter so we could see how he held up. He was fine. A bit of a plonker, bucking a couple of times when he slipped [I hope he doesnt slip when Im on him! haha] but he worked very nicely. We also 'jumped' [tripped] over a low 'jump' Mandy had set up. Silly Drum.
So although we didnt do much new stuff today, we still managed to get on and have a wee play, I mean, practice... Its so much fun!
No one was home and a man friend *grin* Shawn, was coming over on his way home from work. I had to ride before he got there so I didnt embarrass myself! I rang Mum, I txtd Mandy, I was going to tack up and get on. Someone better get home! They both got home at the same time so I didnt get to get on early and get some riding out of the way.
I think Drum and I are going good enough now that we can ride around the paddock on our own without anyone supervising, just as long as someone is home and knows them Im out riding. I thought that as Drum and I plodded around the paddock and Mandy was messing around in the yard with her trailer of new hay. I didnt feel worried at all. It just felt normal, like when I used to have a hoon around with Flow when I didnt have time to hack out.
Drum was working nicely in the paddock, he was stepping out and listening to what I was asking. I practiced turning him with my seat and it worked with only the smallest leg and rein aids so that is really great. I had set up an 'arena' earlier, I paced out about 40 x 20 and marked the corners with pickets and poles so we had something to turn 'in'. We put a big road cone up one long side that was off the fence so we had a bit of an invisible line to work along. I think I'll divide each ride evenly between riding the whole paddock, and doing some work in the 'arena'. Its a bit small and we dont have our balance sorted yet so if we do a few circles in the paddock, then come into the arena and do some more collected work, then back out into the paddock, should stop us getting bored and help us work into the more 'defined' stuff.
As soon as Mandy came out to the paddock, Drum got quite nappy and difficult. He kept wanting to go back to her and it was frustrating. Mandy growled and stomped so she was less 'nice' to go cuddle up to but Drum still proved difficult. It is important that we work through this problem, there are going to be people standing on the ground when Im riding all the time, something that cant be avoided. But we will have some days when Im riding alone and other days when someone comes to the paddock and we can work on staying away from them. The days we are alone will be good to polish all the normal simple stuff, so when someone is there, Drum and I understand each other and the aids better so we will be able to overcome this difficulty more easily.
We only managed a couple of short trots on each rein, although they were nice forward going trots, before Shawn turned up. Mandy got on and had a play with Drum and then I lunged him very briefly on each rein at canter so we could see how he held up. He was fine. A bit of a plonker, bucking a couple of times when he slipped [I hope he doesnt slip when Im on him! haha] but he worked very nicely. We also 'jumped' [tripped] over a low 'jump' Mandy had set up. Silly Drum.
So although we didnt do much new stuff today, we still managed to get on and have a wee play, I mean, practice... Its so much fun!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Windy Birthday Ride
Wednesday June 18 2008
Its my 20th birthday today! Mandy came out and help me and Drum have a ride. It was pretty windy and I was a bit nervous about getting on, Drum gets the wind up his bum and is a bit jumpy.
But I got on anyway because I knew I could do it. Mandy lead us around to start with but we really didn't need it so she set us free and I rode Drum around her in one corner of the paddock. Because of the wind, I think I had a bit too much contact, subconsciously expecting Drum to be naughty. I think it may have caused a few minor problems with our ride today but nothing major went wrong so it still ended up being a success.
We flexed both ways a couple of times and did lots of rein changes. He was a bit nappy towards Mandy but I was firm with him and kept him out and away. We went over a pole and between hay bales. He was quite difficult around the hay bales - cmon Lexy, FOOD!
Mandy jumped on after me and had a wee ride - she loved it. How can you not love Drum? Haha. She got a good forward walk and did some trotting, and did the pole and bales as well.
We got plenty of photos but my computer is a bit of a prat in regards to uploading them. Here is one of me riding today.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Picking Up The Pace
Monday June 16 2008
My second real ride on Drum today. Mandy came out to give us a hand but we left the leadrope off this time. I mounted up and off we went. No messing around this time. Im feeling confident about my ability to ride Drum and that he is a no dirt horse.
Mandy walked around with us again to start with and we did quite a long trot with her, round the paddock and then a rein change. After that Mandy left us to it and off we went. Lots of practice looking up instead of at Drum. Thanks for reminding me Mandy ;)
Drum and I were out on a reasonably big circle around Mandy. I asked him to stay away from her and listen to me. He uses people on the ground as a bit of a comfort blanket so it is good knowing that I can make him go away from them without fuss. We managed some pretty straight lines, woohoo, and halting is no problem. We changed reins past Mandy, with a little bit o nappiness as he tried to stick by her but we got past when I told him I was serious.
Then I pulled up and told Mandy I was going to call it a day. No, she said, you can trot some more. And I did. And it was infectious. The more I trotted, the more I wanted to trot more! I wanted a good forward going, impulsive trot. I kept asking. We did it different ways. We got our direction sorted out. It was so good!
I am stoked after todays ride. I feel like I could go out and ride him on my own. I can see the hunt field now! Haha, maybe not tomorrow... But we'll get there.
My second real ride on Drum today. Mandy came out to give us a hand but we left the leadrope off this time. I mounted up and off we went. No messing around this time. Im feeling confident about my ability to ride Drum and that he is a no dirt horse.
Mandy walked around with us again to start with and we did quite a long trot with her, round the paddock and then a rein change. After that Mandy left us to it and off we went. Lots of practice looking up instead of at Drum. Thanks for reminding me Mandy ;)
Drum and I were out on a reasonably big circle around Mandy. I asked him to stay away from her and listen to me. He uses people on the ground as a bit of a comfort blanket so it is good knowing that I can make him go away from them without fuss. We managed some pretty straight lines, woohoo, and halting is no problem. We changed reins past Mandy, with a little bit o nappiness as he tried to stick by her but we got past when I told him I was serious.
Then I pulled up and told Mandy I was going to call it a day. No, she said, you can trot some more. And I did. And it was infectious. The more I trotted, the more I wanted to trot more! I wanted a good forward going, impulsive trot. I kept asking. We did it different ways. We got our direction sorted out. It was so good!
I am stoked after todays ride. I feel like I could go out and ride him on my own. I can see the hunt field now! Haha, maybe not tomorrow... But we'll get there.
First Real Ride
Saturday June 14 2008
My mate Mandy came out and she txtd me when she was on her way telling, not asking, no, but telling me to get the saddle out because I was going to ride Drum. I do as Im told.
We tack up and normally I feel quite nervous about having a sit on Drum. Mum held him for me the day before and I got the shakes standing on the mounting block [upturned feed bin] but didnt spend my usual half hour thinking about getting on - I was on within a few minutes. Anyway, back to Saturday. Mandy had him on the lead and I leant over him a couple of times before standing in one stirrup and... mounted. I sat for a while and practiced breathing and chatted with Mandy.
Mandy would wander away a few steps and Id ask Drum to walk after her. We went around the paddock a few times and changed reins. Coming along the back fence of Drum's paddock, the cows suddenly came running up behind us and Drum spooked and thought about running forwards, but I sat back and pulled him up, Mandy kept a hold on him and everything was fine. Drum got over it pretty quick, and so did I! It happened so fast and I was so busy chatting with Mandy that I didnt really worry about it too much. Off we went again, a few more loops and then we had a wee trot. Woohoo, my first trot on Drummer.
Then Mandy let us go and sat on the feed bin while I practiced very very hard to look up and control Drum at the same time. No worries controlling him but have a bad habit at looking down to see what Im doing. We did some circles and serpentines [we were actually trying to do straight lines but they were wonky so we'll pretend we were doing serpentines] and I did a wee trot on my own!
I had a huuuge grin when I finished. I am so proud of myself and of Drum. It was such a huge step forward for us. And I so appreciate Mandy's help.
My mate Mandy came out and she txtd me when she was on her way telling, not asking, no, but telling me to get the saddle out because I was going to ride Drum. I do as Im told.
We tack up and normally I feel quite nervous about having a sit on Drum. Mum held him for me the day before and I got the shakes standing on the mounting block [upturned feed bin] but didnt spend my usual half hour thinking about getting on - I was on within a few minutes. Anyway, back to Saturday. Mandy had him on the lead and I leant over him a couple of times before standing in one stirrup and... mounted. I sat for a while and practiced breathing and chatted with Mandy.
Mandy would wander away a few steps and Id ask Drum to walk after her. We went around the paddock a few times and changed reins. Coming along the back fence of Drum's paddock, the cows suddenly came running up behind us and Drum spooked and thought about running forwards, but I sat back and pulled him up, Mandy kept a hold on him and everything was fine. Drum got over it pretty quick, and so did I! It happened so fast and I was so busy chatting with Mandy that I didnt really worry about it too much. Off we went again, a few more loops and then we had a wee trot. Woohoo, my first trot on Drummer.
Then Mandy let us go and sat on the feed bin while I practiced very very hard to look up and control Drum at the same time. No worries controlling him but have a bad habit at looking down to see what Im doing. We did some circles and serpentines [we were actually trying to do straight lines but they were wonky so we'll pretend we were doing serpentines] and I did a wee trot on my own!
I had a huuuge grin when I finished. I am so proud of myself and of Drum. It was such a huge step forward for us. And I so appreciate Mandy's help.
Start Of A New Year
We've had a few ups and downs this year. Drum got injured and got staggers quite bad, though I did have a girl riding him quite nicely once a week for a while. I have been busy with uni so didnt get much time with Drum although I did walk him out regularly down the road. Hes almost bombproof out and about now! And Im pretty fit after all that walking and running, trying to give Drum a decent work out.
Waitangi Day, Drum was yarded as he had staggers. I was going to have a sleep in that morning, my first in some time since I had been milking all year. I decided to get up and muck, water and feed Drum and then go back to bed for a lie in. I went out in my pjs. I was almost finished watering him. Drum was prancing around like a plonker, showing off to his Mum when he stumbled and put his foot through the metal gate. Got it caught and then ripped it out. Argh. He whinnied a pathetic whinny and hopped over to me. He'd ripped his fetlock open and needed stitches. Thankfully the vet lived nearby. She came out and
popped 8 stitches in, complementing Drummer's beautiful manners. For a 5yo TB he was the best mannered horse she'd ever worked on and didnt even need to be sedated! He was clipped and stitched without fuss. Here are some shots of his leg. It is completely healed up now.
As I
mentioned earlier I had a girl riding Drum. She didnt ride him for long as she thought he was a bit too much for her to handle, but her help was good and she was kind to Drum, so it was a positive experience for him anyway. Here is the nicest photo I have of him being ridden.
I spent some time riding with Mandy on some local horses. They were awesome horses, lots of fun and I got lots of confidence back from having a good hoon and jump etc on some decent, safe nags. I also got a couple of lessons at a riding school but didnt like the horses and cant afford more lessons with the petrol prices how they are. Hopefully when me and Drum get going nicely, I will get lessons again on him. I cant wait!
Waitangi Day, Drum was yarded as he had staggers. I was going to have a sleep in that morning, my first in some time since I had been milking all year. I decided to get up and muck, water and feed Drum and then go back to bed for a lie in. I went out in my pjs. I was almost finished watering him. Drum was prancing around like a plonker, showing off to his Mum when he stumbled and put his foot through the metal gate. Got it caught and then ripped it out. Argh. He whinnied a pathetic whinny and hopped over to me. He'd ripped his fetlock open and needed stitches. Thankfully the vet lived nearby. She came out and
popped 8 stitches in, complementing Drummer's beautiful manners. For a 5yo TB he was the best mannered horse she'd ever worked on and didnt even need to be sedated! He was clipped and stitched without fuss. Here are some shots of his leg. It is completely healed up now.As I
mentioned earlier I had a girl riding Drum. She didnt ride him for long as she thought he was a bit too much for her to handle, but her help was good and she was kind to Drum, so it was a positive experience for him anyway. Here is the nicest photo I have of him being ridden.I spent some time riding with Mandy on some local horses. They were awesome horses, lots of fun and I got lots of confidence back from having a good hoon and jump etc on some decent, safe nags. I also got a couple of lessons at a riding school but didnt like the horses and cant afford more lessons with the petrol prices how they are. Hopefully when me and Drum get going nicely, I will get lessons again on him. I cant wait!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Two Years Summed Up
I will sum up the first two years with Drum in this post, covering his work, feeding and experiences.
Getting the weight back on Drummer was hard work. His digestive system was pretty shot after having scours. He still isnt particularly well muscled on his front end but is quite fit and with some good long, low work, his top line should improve and muscle him up. I used Mitavite Promite, sugar beet, chaff and copra to fatten him up. He got plenty of excellent quality meadow hay and was on reasonably good grass. Here is a photo of him on my nicely groomed pasture during his first spring here [about 9mths after bringing him home].
Getting the weight back on Drummer was hard work. His digestive system was pretty shot after having scours. He still isnt particularly well muscled on his front end but is quite fit and with some good long, low work, his top line should improve and muscle him up. I used Mitavite Promite, sugar beet, chaff and copra to fatten him up. He got plenty of excellent quality meadow hay and was on reasonably good grass. Here is a photo of him on my nicely groomed pasture during his first spring here [about 9mths after bringing him home].
I started Drummer myself within the first year. Cant pull exact dates from the top of my head but it was a sunny day when I first backed him. My sister told me off for not having a helmet on - oops. She held him while I placed my 'mounting block' [wooden box] beside Drum and clambered up. I had done lots of jumping around him most days I had had him. I leaned over his back a few times and then slipped my leg over and sat on him. No problems! He just stood there looking bored. So from there I got on frequently when there was someone home to hold him. One time Mum was leading us around, Drum decided he wanted to hoon. Of course Mum let go and Drum bucked once, I went up, Drum ran out from under me, and I came down. Landed on my feet though!
I lunged him and worked him 'at liberty' during the first year. I managed to saddle up and ride around our wee home made picadero [Spanish arena, 11ft x 11ft] in front of the house. We had had a break through one day and I was so pleased with him, I gave him a cuddle then started to dismount. He spooked and I half fell, half leapt from him and landed in cow poo. Got it right up my back, but I got back on for a wee walk before finishing up and intentionally dismounting.
At the end of the first year I felt as though I wasnt good enough to carry on with his schooling. I made a huge mistake in my chosing a trainer for him. I thought I was doing the right thing sending him to a Parelli 'natural' horseman. It cost me a fortune and Drummer hated the experience. The horseman beat Drum in front of me one day because he wouldn't bend properly on one rein. Drum kept looking at me, wanting to run to me and I was rooted on the spot. I knew I should yell at the trainer and stop him but I just couldnt move or speak. I was horrified. Drummer bolted away up the hill and the trainer couldnt get near him that I had to go catch him. He came straight to me and tried to hide his face under my arm. I reluctantly handed the leadrope back to the trainer. Drum came home from that trainer a bad loader [I think he thinks I am going to dump him with someone horrible again] and had a munted back which needed heaps of chiro visits to fix. Drum tossed me again soon after and I turned him out for some months, feeling defeated.
To make things worse, I had a bad riding accident on someone elses horse and broke my back and all my ribs. I lost my riding confidence and Drum got no work during his second year with me.
Towards the end of the second year I started groundwork with him again. Lots of lunging, long reining and leading out. Lots and lots of standing by the mounting block while I leaned over him as though we were starting all over again. A local girl kindly took Drum over December and schooled him for me. He seemed very settled where he was and he was close enough for me to visit regularly. I had a good ride on him on his second to last day there. I was stoked! I went out the next day for a short ride and Drum decided that the electric tape we just passed was going to bite his bum so he leapt forward. I grabbed some mane and pulled him up but he mustve got confused as I also clutched hard with my legs in fright and he jumped around on the spot a bit. I gave up trying to stay on and got tossed. Gutted! I caught my breath and got back on which was great. Usually I wouldve chickened out but overcoming that small obstacle was good for me.
That brings us to the end of the first two years, almost exactly to the day. It was a slow two years but good things take time. It was also a very frustrating two years, not just in regards to Drum either so was probably good that neither of us had too much pressure to do stuff together and hopefully that means our relationship stayed reasonably untainted.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
When We Met
My old boss offered a 3yo colt to me one day after I had finished with the broodmares. I was hesitant; I was a one horse woman, but thought having a young horse to work on would be a good project. I had to ask my parents if I could get him and they would be against having an unhandled, ungelded colt on the property. I knew I could convince them otherwise. It was a piece of cake. I told them I would do some work with him and sell him on, make some pocket money. He wouldn't be here for long.
He was paddocked up a lane which wasn't used as much. Sometimes when we were moving mares around the farm, we could see two horses galloping under the pines over the back of the paddocks and we knew this was the colts. My sister and I could see a handsome young horse standing by the gate when we were going up and down the main farm lane each day. We walked down and few times and picked grass to feed to him. He was a strapping young man and liked the attention. My boss had said he was friendly and wouldn't be too difficult to work with after he was gelded. His name was Elmo and his paddock mate hid down the far end of the paddock. My boss asked if I had been to meet him yet and I said yes, I had met Elmo. My boss said oh no, it wasn't Elmo I was getting, it was the other and he was unnamed.
So we rushed off to meet the 'real' one. We entered the paddock and Elmo suddenly became quite intimidating. We shooed him off and edged our way around the paddock to meet a skinny, sick, sorry, sad wee bay Thoroughbred. Elmo wouldn't let him near the water trough or grass, he chased him into the corner and attacked him. Normally we would be careful about approaching strange, unrestrained horses but we went straight to this boy and picked grass for him and untangled his mane and tail, pushing his forelock out of his eyes, which were sunken and dull. We visited him daily, bringing him food and protecting him from Elmo.
The vet came and gelded him a few weeks later and we managed to get him into his own paddock while Elmo was sedated from his gelding. His shealth got infected and he had to go on a course of antibiotics which didn't help with his weight gain. He was very dopey for some time and leading him was difficult. He swayed and stumbled all over the place but we got him to the crush a few times to worm him and wash all the scours out of his tails and off his legs. We lead him home on the 28th December 2005. At one stage his reared up in fright at some yearlings running up the fence line and got away. He ran back down the road, up the farm lane and back to his old paddock. When my sister and I had caught up, he was coming back up the lane looking for us. Our second attempt was successful, my sister following us with the quad bike, urging him forward.
I named him Drummer, after Christina's gift hunter in the book Flambards. One day Drummer and I would ride to the hounds. He was never going to be anyone else's.
He was paddocked up a lane which wasn't used as much. Sometimes when we were moving mares around the farm, we could see two horses galloping under the pines over the back of the paddocks and we knew this was the colts. My sister and I could see a handsome young horse standing by the gate when we were going up and down the main farm lane each day. We walked down and few times and picked grass to feed to him. He was a strapping young man and liked the attention. My boss had said he was friendly and wouldn't be too difficult to work with after he was gelded. His name was Elmo and his paddock mate hid down the far end of the paddock. My boss asked if I had been to meet him yet and I said yes, I had met Elmo. My boss said oh no, it wasn't Elmo I was getting, it was the other and he was unnamed.
So we rushed off to meet the 'real' one. We entered the paddock and Elmo suddenly became quite intimidating. We shooed him off and edged our way around the paddock to meet a skinny, sick, sorry, sad wee bay Thoroughbred. Elmo wouldn't let him near the water trough or grass, he chased him into the corner and attacked him. Normally we would be careful about approaching strange, unrestrained horses but we went straight to this boy and picked grass for him and untangled his mane and tail, pushing his forelock out of his eyes, which were sunken and dull. We visited him daily, bringing him food and protecting him from Elmo.
The vet came and gelded him a few weeks later and we managed to get him into his own paddock while Elmo was sedated from his gelding. His shealth got infected and he had to go on a course of antibiotics which didn't help with his weight gain. He was very dopey for some time and leading him was difficult. He swayed and stumbled all over the place but we got him to the crush a few times to worm him and wash all the scours out of his tails and off his legs. We lead him home on the 28th December 2005. At one stage his reared up in fright at some yearlings running up the fence line and got away. He ran back down the road, up the farm lane and back to his old paddock. When my sister and I had caught up, he was coming back up the lane looking for us. Our second attempt was successful, my sister following us with the quad bike, urging him forward.
I named him Drummer, after Christina's gift hunter in the book Flambards. One day Drummer and I would ride to the hounds. He was never going to be anyone else's.
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