I keep wanting to write, but I feel like I have nothing to really say, at this point.
From the farm perspective, things are getting done. Lots of things, like the hay barn extension and the stalls. There is still plenty to do, but I'm not loving that all of these accomplishments are being lost on me. From the personal perspective, I think I'm exhausted. It probably doesn't help that I sleep in 4 hour blocks with a puppy potty break at 1 in the morning every single day. And it doesn't help that my husband is both intensely unhappy and intensely bad at handling emotions. He's a hot head, and says things he doesn't mean, but they weigh heavily on my heart as of late.
But this blog isn't to talk about personal things, though emotions contort and color my perspective constantly... this blog is to talk about horses.
Foxie continues to be gentle and continues to seem just a little more elderly than I want to let her be. She is physically comfortable, it seems, but clings to her sisters and (I suspect) is allowing herself to be bullied off of the hay - or just isn't taking initiative like she used to. She is a little slim, for my taste, and I'm anxious to get her fed back up so I can feel better about her going into the winter.
Bailey has been good, for all that she is embarrassingly out of shape again. It's so strange to realize that 4 years ago today, I was riding her at the boarding barn for the first time. Our first ride since I tried her at the trainer's. We've been working on dressage; flying changes still elude her almost completely, but her canter is improving, and we're working our way back to being in shape. I noticed some joint clicking before I turned them out for the last few weeks, and its kind of making me realize... she's 8. The "baby" isn't a baby anymore, and she can do so much... I just need to find the time to devote to her to bring her along. It's hard to motivate myself when I know competition season is mostly over, and that we're going to struggle to ride this winter without an indoor. But we will keep whittling away - if anything, I want to get her out for one more thing, be it XC schooling, or something else, before the snow flies.
Arya has been doing ground work, pure and simple. We had some problems, and my more experienced friend (and soon to be boarder - yay I'll have someone to video and take pics again!) J opened up some new perspectives for me last weekend. Since then, Arya and I have been communicating much better. She still challenges me, but she toes the line more quickly and doesn't seem to not know what I am asking. Our sessions have gotten shorter, because we don't have to fight as much, so I've also been putting her on a real lunge line and letting her canter and trot. I throw her over a pole every once in a while, and I'm hoping that I'm making her tired. We also spend time at the mounting block (it's a stool, but same difference) standing and walking around it. I've also been laying over her back trying to teach her she can stand at a mounting block, feel weight, and stand.
I haven't swung a leg over her yet, though we've been slowly marching towards that goal. First, we lunged in a surcingle with clanging stirrups attached, and yesterday, she wore tack. I probably need to next make it a habit to wear full tack and be lunged/worked with. And then I need to get on her again.
From the farm perspective, things are getting done. Lots of things, like the hay barn extension and the stalls. There is still plenty to do, but I'm not loving that all of these accomplishments are being lost on me. From the personal perspective, I think I'm exhausted. It probably doesn't help that I sleep in 4 hour blocks with a puppy potty break at 1 in the morning every single day. And it doesn't help that my husband is both intensely unhappy and intensely bad at handling emotions. He's a hot head, and says things he doesn't mean, but they weigh heavily on my heart as of late.
But this blog isn't to talk about personal things, though emotions contort and color my perspective constantly... this blog is to talk about horses.
Foxie continues to be gentle and continues to seem just a little more elderly than I want to let her be. She is physically comfortable, it seems, but clings to her sisters and (I suspect) is allowing herself to be bullied off of the hay - or just isn't taking initiative like she used to. She is a little slim, for my taste, and I'm anxious to get her fed back up so I can feel better about her going into the winter.
Bailey has been good, for all that she is embarrassingly out of shape again. It's so strange to realize that 4 years ago today, I was riding her at the boarding barn for the first time. Our first ride since I tried her at the trainer's. We've been working on dressage; flying changes still elude her almost completely, but her canter is improving, and we're working our way back to being in shape. I noticed some joint clicking before I turned them out for the last few weeks, and its kind of making me realize... she's 8. The "baby" isn't a baby anymore, and she can do so much... I just need to find the time to devote to her to bring her along. It's hard to motivate myself when I know competition season is mostly over, and that we're going to struggle to ride this winter without an indoor. But we will keep whittling away - if anything, I want to get her out for one more thing, be it XC schooling, or something else, before the snow flies.
Arya has been doing ground work, pure and simple. We had some problems, and my more experienced friend (and soon to be boarder - yay I'll have someone to video and take pics again!) J opened up some new perspectives for me last weekend. Since then, Arya and I have been communicating much better. She still challenges me, but she toes the line more quickly and doesn't seem to not know what I am asking. Our sessions have gotten shorter, because we don't have to fight as much, so I've also been putting her on a real lunge line and letting her canter and trot. I throw her over a pole every once in a while, and I'm hoping that I'm making her tired. We also spend time at the mounting block (it's a stool, but same difference) standing and walking around it. I've also been laying over her back trying to teach her she can stand at a mounting block, feel weight, and stand.
I haven't swung a leg over her yet, though we've been slowly marching towards that goal. First, we lunged in a surcingle with clanging stirrups attached, and yesterday, she wore tack. I probably need to next make it a habit to wear full tack and be lunged/worked with. And then I need to get on her again.
Ugh I'm sorry, that sounds frustrating and not fun at all about Arya. Whenever I feel a little lost or helpless or unsure of how to fix a problem, getting professional is always my step #1. it made a world of difference in getting my ottb started! Good luck!
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