Today's 630 lesson is cancelled. Just too freaking cold for most sane people to want to drive out, and for the horses to get warm. I am willing to teach at 730 if anyone does want a lesson.
I have also definately added a 530 lesson on Thursday for make up lesson purposes, so if anyone wants to move their time up from 630 to 530 to allow others to ride later, that would be great.
I just came back in from giving them some extra hay, and the horses are all fine; the geldings were mostly in the shelters, but the mares were mostly out and about. Not sure if the barn and hill protects the mares better from the wind, or if they are just tougher/better dressed!
This morning and last night were a little bit of a shock to the system. I figured the worst part for me would be driving the Mule out back to dump the manure...I was right, but mostly because I was so bundled up I couldn't see very well and ran aground on a ridge of ice buried under the drifting snow! The back tires weren't even weight bearing.
Not to sound wimpy, but it IS a pretty long walk back to the barn to get a shovel for ice breaking purposes, so first I tried to lift the Mule off the ice (that was stupid), then I tried to chisel the ice with a screwdriver (less stupid, but not getting me very far very quickly either), before opting to walk back. The geldings watched my approach like I was a monster from the dugout, but once I retrieved the shovel, chipping the Mule free only took 15 minutes or so.
The entire time I am thinking...I wonder which horse I could harness up, slap on the ass, and haul this bloody thing free? (Wiley or Wolfgang were my top two picks)
Anyway, stay warm, keep safe, and know your horses are fine (albeit likely now moving on to fence destruction as is their favourite cold weather past time)
Karen
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Sucky Weather week forcast
Sounds like we are in for some nasty weather this week. The tri-fecta of cold, wind AND snow.
It looks likely that lessons will be cancelled on Wednesday, and possibly on Tuesday. Thursday sounds like an odd weather day, with it going from ridiculously cold, to oddly warm, so I am willing/able to add a 5:30 lesson, and take some extra students in the 7:30 lesson if people want to move their lesson to Thursday (assuming your horse is available to be ridden that day of course!)
Really tired of this up and down weather pattern, although I guess it is better than just staying cold. If you plan to ride your horse or do a lease ride on the really cold days, make SURE you are able to cool and dry the horse completely before turning it out. If I do teach lessons on the coldish days they will be such that they are easy on the horse...which usually means things that are harder on the rider....no stirrups perhaps?
I have the vet(s) booked for a few Fridays in Feb to do dental work and anything else that is needed. Please let me know asap if you want your horse looked at/worked on. If you have a Friday off in Feb, I could likely also use some help!
Vaccinations will be done in March.
Karen
It looks likely that lessons will be cancelled on Wednesday, and possibly on Tuesday. Thursday sounds like an odd weather day, with it going from ridiculously cold, to oddly warm, so I am willing/able to add a 5:30 lesson, and take some extra students in the 7:30 lesson if people want to move their lesson to Thursday (assuming your horse is available to be ridden that day of course!)
Really tired of this up and down weather pattern, although I guess it is better than just staying cold. If you plan to ride your horse or do a lease ride on the really cold days, make SURE you are able to cool and dry the horse completely before turning it out. If I do teach lessons on the coldish days they will be such that they are easy on the horse...which usually means things that are harder on the rider....no stirrups perhaps?
I have the vet(s) booked for a few Fridays in Feb to do dental work and anything else that is needed. Please let me know asap if you want your horse looked at/worked on. If you have a Friday off in Feb, I could likely also use some help!
Vaccinations will be done in March.
Karen
Monday, January 21, 2013
This week in lessons
I was thinking the other day of major hurdles when it comes to riding.
An early hurdle is learning to post the trot...once you learn though, it seems simple and odd that you ever couldn't post the trot.
A more advanced hurdle, one that many pleasure type riders never try to accomplish is what we will be working on this week. This is the hurdle of connection.
Connection can mean many things, but lets take it to mean at the most basic level; that the horse is ready to listen and obey reins and legs without more than a moments hesitation.
The problem is, keeping the horse in a connected state takes work and attention to the horse, although just like posting, once you GET IT, you can't figure out why it was so hard before!
To help with the connection issue, we have two things planned;
1) If you did not take part in the Centered riding clinic, I will want to spend 5 minutes with you either before or after your lesson to do a little exercise to develop a following and compassionate hand. If you did take the clinic, but want to do this again, by all means!
2) We are going to work on the lengthened trot. Not a faster trot. Not a rushed trot. A LENGTHENED trot. This means the horse stretches its poll forward, stretches its back longer, and reaches in longer steps. The rhythm should stay the same.
How do we get a lengthened trot? It is easy. You soften your hands down towards the horse's mouth, and soften your leg aids, and ALLOW IT.
Of course first you have to prepare for it...and this means a horse that is wanting to go slightly faster than you are asking, but not in a rushy way, but in a "at the ready" way. The horse has to already be flexed at the pole, straight through the body, and have a good rhythm. The horse has to be in a calm way, but not super relaxed as you need some tension to get a lengthen. A good lengthened trot is a moderate change...nothing exciting like you see at the Olympics, but you should feel the horse float a bit...kind of like when going over slightly long trot poles.
For the Saturday lessons I did a demo to show what I wanted and meant. I am willing to do this in lessons this week as well if requested.
For jumping we are going to ride lines of different lengths to work on adjustability in the jumping horses.
Karen
An early hurdle is learning to post the trot...once you learn though, it seems simple and odd that you ever couldn't post the trot.
A more advanced hurdle, one that many pleasure type riders never try to accomplish is what we will be working on this week. This is the hurdle of connection.
Connection can mean many things, but lets take it to mean at the most basic level; that the horse is ready to listen and obey reins and legs without more than a moments hesitation.
The problem is, keeping the horse in a connected state takes work and attention to the horse, although just like posting, once you GET IT, you can't figure out why it was so hard before!
To help with the connection issue, we have two things planned;
1) If you did not take part in the Centered riding clinic, I will want to spend 5 minutes with you either before or after your lesson to do a little exercise to develop a following and compassionate hand. If you did take the clinic, but want to do this again, by all means!
2) We are going to work on the lengthened trot. Not a faster trot. Not a rushed trot. A LENGTHENED trot. This means the horse stretches its poll forward, stretches its back longer, and reaches in longer steps. The rhythm should stay the same.
How do we get a lengthened trot? It is easy. You soften your hands down towards the horse's mouth, and soften your leg aids, and ALLOW IT.
Of course first you have to prepare for it...and this means a horse that is wanting to go slightly faster than you are asking, but not in a rushy way, but in a "at the ready" way. The horse has to already be flexed at the pole, straight through the body, and have a good rhythm. The horse has to be in a calm way, but not super relaxed as you need some tension to get a lengthen. A good lengthened trot is a moderate change...nothing exciting like you see at the Olympics, but you should feel the horse float a bit...kind of like when going over slightly long trot poles.
For the Saturday lessons I did a demo to show what I wanted and meant. I am willing to do this in lessons this week as well if requested.
For jumping we are going to ride lines of different lengths to work on adjustability in the jumping horses.
Karen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
