We jumped stuff! (Media Dump)

After a bit of time off through the holidays, I finally got on Bailey last night. I probably owed her and Foxie both some time on the lunge (we got a substantial amount of rain that iced over a good portion of the farm - I didn't look in their paddock, but I'm assuming the same is true there) but time was short, and I had hubby along... so we set up a few quick fences and I took the opportunity to try out my new Total Saddle Fit jump girth over fences.

Predictably, Bailey was a hot little chili pepper. And while there was definitely some bucking, head tossing and lots of zooms, it all seemed to be "feel good, must dance" related, rather than naughty. Hubs thinks I'm a bit crazy to differentiate between the two, but it's hard to get mad at a stir crazy horse for being athletic, IMO. Bailey's hard to get mad at in general.

We warmed up quickly and my good intentions of getting her round and listening were kind of side tracked by the fact that I finally had someone there to video, and I probably hurried way too much. As a result, the dragon horse jumped like the dragon she is, and my half halts were not as effective as they usually are. However, I was pleased because Bailey was jumping out of her skin, and was being very happy/bold/forward to the fences rather than chipping to the base like she was the last time.

Seeing the pictures and video made me even happier, because despite not paying any attention to my equitation beyond making sure I was actually releasing (steering and not running over my videographer with my excitedly dancing red horse post fence was my priority, and I was half frozen), my leg was steady and we look pretty good, all things considered!

Now that we've established that we can jump inside, what are your favorite (preferably quick/easy) jump excercises for the indoor arena? We don't have as much space as we did at our previous barn, so I'm going to have to find some new exercises! 

Bailey and the Indoor 2016

I realized while riding yesterday that while our flatwork training may not look all that different to folks on the ground, Bailey has made huge strides in the last year. Maybe it was the barn change, and maybe it was finally getting old enough to brain, but BB is really riding like a grown up horse.

This time last year, we were struggling with major "the number you have dialed is not in service" problems with contact. Bailey would tune me out, grab the bit, get looky and braced and then explode the minute something sensory set her off. She was super distractable, and I was so focused on keeping her packaged that I did a lot of riding around with what I now realize is false contact and getting overly fixated on keeping her head down.

As much as I love these pictures, she's still behind the vertical, albeit the test in the lower photo had plenty of non-behind-the-vertical moments, as well, and that ride was the product of several weeks of dressage boot camp, and after that... we kind of lost our mojo. I don't have any images from last winter, or from this year at all, but I can tell you... it hasn't looked like this:

Proof we weren't totally behind the bit all of the time. 

 It took riding in the Micklem the other week to really make me realize that, but even when she takes a good contact, it's not a confident contact. She gets flustered when asked to weight the bit, and a lot of the time, her tongue comes out as a result - almost like she goes "with all of this contact and bit and stuff, there's no room for my tongue". We've been working on it since then, and the picture is slowly coming together (though it's been hard to tell, since the mirrors are fogged over from cold).

Last night Bailey did a number of surprising things; she didn't jump sideways, throw her head up or even pop her shoulder when the BO came through a door with some horses. This is a huge improvement, even from a few weeks ago. When she did find something worthy of looking at (in this case, some very scary frost on the wall), she turned her head, and then I was able to close my leg, and the bend reasserted itself and we moved on. Transitions were calmer, and more through, instead of the back-jarring house of cards collapsing that they had been. Transitions were also prompt, and while she still used my hands as an e-bake sometimes, I'll take hanging on me over sucking back, at this point.

I received my 14mm bridoon in the mail the other day, and I'm looking forward to getting it on a bridle to test out my tongue theory. I need to get into the habit of videoing my rides, too, since I'm still waiting to not feel super poor so I can take some more lessons. Now that I've got my dressage saddle back, I think we can get into our flatwork that much more and come out next spring that much stronger and more correct. It's so strange to still be working on something so basic, while also knowing that my horse has a pretty much confirmed and lovely leg yield, shoulder in and that we're productively schooling haunches in, walk-to-canter transitions and even a little walking half pass.

Why are the basics so hard? Do they ever stop being hard?

Monday Catch Up

One day I'll get on the rockin year recap post train... Until then, here's what's been going on in #feralredhorse world.  It was really cold the last week, and it was so cold yesterday that the horses got left inside. I stepped away to see if I could find Foxie some more hay and heard a crash:

I walked back around the corner to find the above piglet, being a pig. Before it got way too cold to function, I also rode my horses (Wednesday). I lunged them before, because they just stand around outside and don't move, so we end up with shenanigans as they stretch and play. Bailey turned it up a notch, though:

My horse is such a special animal, guys.

On the holidays front, I appear to be drowning my bored winter sorrows in horse stuff. While I still need to pick up the faux Micklem I'm getting in trade from a friend, I've been making up for the lack of it by buying other stuff. I got a new bit (14 mm is really different from 16 mm, guys. Totally) and some FANTASTIC new breeches in the mail from Smartpak recently, thanks in part to Amanda from Bel Joeor since I won an amazing gift card from her clipping contest. I got the Smartpak Piper with Silicone full seat, and guys... I love them. Review to come once I've ridden in them, but I spent an evening prancing around in them because they fit like a glove and that's amazing in of itself.

Other than the bit and breeches, I also finally jumped on the #BLING train around Black Friday thanks to Amelia and Dark Jewel Designs. She's been amazingly patient as I tried to figure out what I want, and I can't WAIT to get my lovely browbands in the mail:

LOOK AT THESE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

I already have more plans in the works for a black/brown pearl strand to match my Visions, and will probably reprise a few of the other red/green designs, because I can't get enough of the Christmas colors. I know I'm getting some very special horsey gifts from my family, as well, and it makes me so very happy. I already have neglected to mention my birthday presents from my wonderful hubby, my beloved Ariat Braemar boots (I know, I need to review them...), OneK Skull Cap (reviewed!) and Centaur Fox boot bag. He clearly knows the way to my heart.

Tonight, because the world has made a climb back above 0, I plan to ride both mares. I might jump Bailey again, depending on how windy the walk to the upper barn is. Otherwise, I got my Vision Dressage back from the fitter friend who did a lot of flocking work, and I'm interested to see how much she could do with it. Warmer temps mean  that I might actually get some photos and video to break up my wall of text posts, too! 

10 Questions for December

Thanks to L Williams for breaking up my boring blog with a fun hop!

Does your horse need shoes?

Currently, neither of the mares wear shoes. Fox might benefit from them, but the farrier agrees with her usual work load and age, it doesn't really make sense to shoe her, and would be hard on her already damaged legs to do so.

Enjoy a photo of the chunk to break up a wall of text. 

What do you think of the barefoot vs shoes debate? 

I think you should do what is best for your horse. They're individuals, and while I love barefoot because it's cost effective, I think shoes have a time and a place, and they aren't a bad thing.

Favorite season for riding? 

FALL. It has the best temps, the horses tend to be happy, and especially in the early fall, you can still ride outside because the world isn't a dark dreary place... yet.

Fall rides make for shadow photos

How many shows do you think you’ve gone to? 

Um. Good question. Let's lay things down:

Arabians: 2, though they were at the barn so I don't know if that counts.. I'm counting home schooling shows.

Mary's: Fall shows x 5, Scott County Fair x 2

Wyndem/RRS: 3

Otter Creek Spring - Fox

Roebke's Run Summer - Fox

Roebke's Run Fall - Fox

Dakota: 6

Carriage House - Foxie

Roebke's Summer - Bails

Steepleview HT - Bails

Roebke's Fall - Bails

Otter Creek Spring - Bails

Roebke's Summer - Bails

Bailey says being a dressage horse might actually be fun.

Do you consider yourself a good rider? 

I don't like that term. I'd like to think I'm relatively proficient at the basics, and sometimes ok at other stuff.

If anything, I'm sticky.

How experienced do you think someone needs to be to own a horse? 

I think the jump from lessons/riding to owning is huge. There's a learning curve you don't even realize until you sign the check, even if you've been leasing. I think you definitely need to have taken lessons on the basics, and would strongly encourage leasing/working at the barn first. Even after a summer of barn work and leasing, buying Foxie was a huge learning curve for me. 

Have you ever gotten into a fight with your trainer?
Yep. And I got snubbed/ignored/death stared at while at shows by her and her posse until she moved to another state. I am guessing I will be left alone now that she's gone.

Describe your dream horse. 
I think I own my dream horse; talented, personable, quirky. Some day in the future I'd love to own something Irish, but I'm not picky on looks or anything. Mostly I just dream of horses who are fun to ride - and luckily I own two!
.

One of these derps is derpier than the other. Also one is shorter and wider. Hah.

Does anyone in your family ride? 
Hubs was learning before his knee surgery, and as we turn into surgery #3 I am hoping he will be able to be back in the saddle one day. Other than that, my family ended up on a horse occasionally on vacations but I wouldn't call that "riding".

If you could ride any horse in the world, which one would it be? why? 
Holy. I would really be hard put between riding a talented dressage horse like, say, Valegro, and getting to sit on something crazy and complex but a total machine XC.... Lets stick with Valegro, for simplicity. 

Winter Has Come

If I was whining about being cold before, I was wrong.

This is today. Note the "Feels like".

This is the rest of this week:

Not even considering "feels like" and windchill, it's going to get fucking cold. I broke down and put Foxie in her heavy last night, and am just trying to not think about the "what ifs" like "what if she sweats and soaks her blanket". I'll check on her tomorrow, and hopefully she will be warm and comfortable with no signs of sweat. Bailey, I'm less worried about. Since she wears Foxie's old heavy, which isn't really all that heavy since it's been in service almost 10 years now. I'm almost wondering if her new Weatherbeeta Original medium would be warmer than the old, tattered thing.

PRECIOUS.

We've spent the last few weeks hanging out in the dressage saddle, but now that the fitter is working on it when she can (hey, free doesn't always mean fast, but still. It's free.) we've been rocking the jump saddle on the flat and even jumped last Wednesday. I set up one super exciting fence, a 2'6 (maybe) single vertical with the very scary pony panel, simply because it was the most accessible jump I could find. I don't know if it's the continued issue of the ponies (and now the pigs, we have a pony fence AND a pig fence these days) having eyeballs, or if it was just TOO EXCITING and she couldn't even, but Bailey acted like she didn't quite know how to jump. It was awkward, I was never quite right with the motion, and we were constantly disagreeing about distances. I get not wanting to take a flier when there is a ceiling vs outside, but she definitely was keen, but not quite... on her game.

At one point, we differed on our distances enough that I managed to whap my chin on her neck, and bruised it. We did finally (kind of) get our jumping shit together, but clearly... it's probably time to work some jumping back into our routine. I realized after that she hasn't really jumped since our late fall XC schooling in October - so long ago! Hopefully that jump school knocked enough dust off that we can jump in front of someone besides barn friend J without totally embarrassing ourselves.

My next ride was my birthday ride, and I stuck to flatwork with both girls. Bailey got dressed up, because I'm a mean mom and think she looks super cute in my XC colors:

She did some nice collection/extension work and while she was very wild at the canter, I can't quite blame her; we went from mud to frozen solid in less than 24 hours when it got cold, leaving the paddocks a nasty rutted mess. I'm hoping we got enough snow to at least pad their feet a little bit, but it's still not exactly comfortable to walk on, much less run and play. Foxie was similarly boisterous, and actually gave me a real, live buck instead of her usual back-humping-tail-wringing mess. They both managed to burn off some energy and I was happy to play and pamper and not be rushed too much.

Now that we're truly into the winter doledrums, I think it's time to start making ride plans and start working towards the spring... Might as well be an optimist!

Blog Hop: Virtual Tour De Barn

This is all covered in snow right now, but grassy views are much more pleasant.

Thanks to L. Williams and others who are bringing back this hop, it's time to take a tour of our lovely barn. Those of you who have been with us for a while will remember that Fox, Bails and I moved to our current facility in Hugo, MN from a barn south of the cities. We moved in part because board was going up at the current facility, but also because a friend was moving there, and they had a lot of amenities for a very reasonable price. Let's go down the list:

A - The heated barn, where my horses live in the poor kid stalls with slanted roofs, which is awesome and cheaper. 12x12 stalls with auto waterers, and a small indoor arena off the back. They hold a lot of lessons in this barn, and there's almost always someone around, be it the barn's population of teenage girls or other boarders. The circle is where my girls' paddock is; they go out together instead of in the big mare's paddock with the rest of the horses because Foxie is a wimp and gets bullied.

B - this is the second barn, unheated, with 10x12 and 10x10 stalls. In between the two barns is the pasture area where the outside horses live, and there are also some outside-always paddocks between this barn and the road. J's horse lives in this barn, and goes out in the largest paddock, at the bottom left of this image. The horses come in at night during the winter, but generally spend all summer outside except for feeding time. The larger of the two indoor arenas is the main face of this barn (stalls are an L shape around it), which isn't heated or very insulated. It's great, because that means it's generally emptier to ride in this time of year! 

C and D - These areas make up the cross country course, with C being the water complex and also a cool mound up and down between two trees and D being the bank and ditch area. There's a small path in the trees between the two, and  you can also get there via the track. We have questions through Training level, and due to clinicians coming through on a regular basis the fences get moved and improved a lot. 

E - I added this to note the rest of the gallop track, which surrounds one of the many hay fields (the barn makes it's own hay). The track is sandy, but isn't "maintained" like some of the fancy gallop courses. But either way, it's GREAT to have, and both of my horses have gotten to really stretch their legs on it. 

F - This is the outdoor arena. Usually there is some kind of jump course up, but the fences get torn totally down a few times each summer to accommodate the show arena (G) using it as a warmup ring. The footing can be a bit ishy when throughly soaked, but in general, this is one of my main riding areas. The lesson groups usually use the indoors for beginner lessons, and we have a lot of beginners, so I'm often the only rider out there.

G - Show arena. This arena puts on several barrel races and other events every summer, including a Gay Rodeo. I'm not even kidding. We don't get to ride in it normally, but the stands are Very Scary to Bailey, which is good exposure. I occasionally will do a ride in the grass "parking" area just to have a dressage ride on grass, which is nice.

In addition to making their own hay, the barn also has a large herd of ponies for lessons and an equally large herd of lesson horses, who go out on pasture each summer and are rotated around the farm. This somewhat limits the accessibility of the XC, but makes us focus on a variety of activities instead of jumping every single ride. Bailey has gained oodles of confidence over fences since we arrived, and I'm hoping this translates into more successful shows next year!

Tasty Tuesday: Banana Cupcakes!

On the blog front, I have nothing exciting to report. We've been doing flatwork, pretty much exclusively. It's been muddy AF, Bailey has been good (if not *quite* as good as she was in the micklem, but that could be a lack of my total force of will) and winter is finally sauntering in. I had a mildly terrifying moment over the weekend when Bails thought a friend's enthusiastic whip use was for her, not for the horse she was lunging, and she kind of exploded forward, but we settled and survived and I only regretted not putting a tight helmet over my fresh perm for a minute. Last night was pretty unspectacular, with some weird falling out of the canter and spine jarring transitions, but she also did some really nice walk canters and lots of stretching. I'm hoping she just slipped playing in the vile, nasty ass mud and was a bit ouchy. I called it a day earlier than I planned (because my jarred spine was all "nah brah") and ended up de-dreadlocking Bailey's muddy tail and mud knotting it. Here's to hoping it stays in!

To distract from what would be a week+ of flatwork recaps, here's some Tasty Tuesday for you: my secret weapon cupcakes.

From  the stained pages of my mother's church cookbook from Chancellor, South Dakota, enjoy the addictive Banana Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting. This can be made as a cake, and adapts wonderfully to cupcakes - just keep an eye on them in the oven. This works well with less than ripe bananas, ripe bananas, frozen and thawed bananas... it just works. It's a damn good recipe. Enjoy!

Banana Cake

1 ½ cups white sugar                                        2 cups flour

½ cup shortening                                              1 cup mashed ripe banana

2 eggs           1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup sour milk      ½ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp baking soda

Cream sugar and shortening,  add eggs and beat well. Add sour milk (add a little lemon juice to milk to sour) and dry ingredients. Beat smooth. Add banana and vanilla. Blend well. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until cake springs back when pressed in the middle.  Frost with cream cheese frosting.

You can add ½ cup of chopped walnuts to this but I usually don’t . You should also be able to make cupcakes with this recipe, just bake for ~25 to 30 minutes instead. Watch them, as baking time varies by pan type (glass, dark, light) and other variables.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3-4 ounces of cream cheese                       3 cups powdered sugar

½ cup butter or margarine (softened)        1 tsp vanilla

Cream chesse together with soft butter. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Blend in vanilla.