Soooo , miss Kezy has been going out for longer walks! Why? Because she needs it something bad! If I feed at all late, she throws a fit and runs all over her paddock, sometimes I don't even have to feed late for her to do that!
So I made the executive decition (isn't it great being the excutive of our own little barn?!) that Kezi either needs to get out more or be turned out with Lucy. Since turning her out with Lucy still seems like a scary proposition, I opted for taking her out for more walks!
I have been rewarded by seeing both her front feet chip a little on the rocks (really common where I live) which I liked seeing because it means that she is putting equal wieght on both legs when walking. Then this morning she did a little hop rear to face me and came down on her bad leg while holding her good leg up! Then when she was eating she was resting her good leg rather then her bad leg! Its all so very exciting!
So now the plan is for lots of walks down the local trail, a few up and down the road and some parelli sessions, which might include some lunging but I don't know about that yet. I would like to start walking her saddled up, but even though the Marciante fits her I might see if Lucy's old dressage saddle fits her and use that since I would feel better about her jumping around with that saddle on rather then my new pretty saddle! I might also do some long lining down the trail, but I would feel better if I had her behaving on the lunge first before doing that!
Right now riding isn't in the plan, but I have a feeling its one of those things that will just happen. Like one day when I am getting ready to go for a walk with her I will grab my helmet and hop on half way down the trail.
We shall see what happens, I am still very careful with her.
Friday, July 31, 2009
When do we train vrs. condition?
My advice is to train before your horse runs you over running away from the very scary bridge.
Unfortunitly I did not follow that advice! Not that she really ran me over, but just bumped against me, which even that she is well trained enough to know not to do. So I have decided that it is time to get her over this whole bridge thing, she is eight after all, she should be used to them by now!
So on Sunday (the day I tried my new saddle out, yes I did get it!) rather then heading off on a long conditioning ride up into Big Basin, I decided to end my ride at my bridge (that I have been getting off to walk her over) and just work her over the bridge for a while.
First I worked on her going over it without my getting off, she came really close to going over but she got so worked up that I held her back and didn't allow her to go over since I was concerned about what she might do that freaked out on the bridge. Once I decided that she was at least willing to consider going over I got off and walked her back and forth over it about six times. Then I got back on and rode her over it about four times.
She did great! She was much calmer about it after that.
In the end we did get some conditioning in when we decided to trot up most of the hill! We trotted about a third of the way up then power walked the rest of the way. I was very pleased because she is getting closer to being able to trot up the whole thing ( which will bring her back to the level of fitness she was at before she got sick).
So I need to remember that sometimes I need to train vrs. condition.
I might as well put todays ride into this post as well. It was fairly uneventful other then being my first real ride in my new saddle! Very exciting! Oh something kinda cool did happen. Lucy and I heard a tree fall. I don't know why its so cool, but I found it to be really cool!
I think I have hit upon our current conditioning regime. I don't really have one but was following one without realising it!
So currently our rides are roughly about 10 miles long, so they can be anywhere from 8 to 11 miles. We are riding from home so about 3/4 to 2/3 is walking. We walk down our road, then up Gazos into Big Basin then we do off and on trot for a couple miles (generally not more then 4) then we ride back possibly doing some trot up my road. So all in all we only do about 2 to 3 miles of trotting. So over the last couple of weeks I have been uping the langth and duration of trotting but not the over all langth of ride. I have to not only condition her body slowly, but I am also conditioning her mind to trotting for long periods of time.
So far its working well and I am very pleased!
I think once we start trotting almost all of the flat I will up our langth of ride to 15 miles (with some 10 milers still added in) and have medium langth walks inbetween longer trots.
I need to start cantering her more so she gets used to it so we can do interval training down the road.
Unfortunitly I did not follow that advice! Not that she really ran me over, but just bumped against me, which even that she is well trained enough to know not to do. So I have decided that it is time to get her over this whole bridge thing, she is eight after all, she should be used to them by now!
So on Sunday (the day I tried my new saddle out, yes I did get it!) rather then heading off on a long conditioning ride up into Big Basin, I decided to end my ride at my bridge (that I have been getting off to walk her over) and just work her over the bridge for a while.
First I worked on her going over it without my getting off, she came really close to going over but she got so worked up that I held her back and didn't allow her to go over since I was concerned about what she might do that freaked out on the bridge. Once I decided that she was at least willing to consider going over I got off and walked her back and forth over it about six times. Then I got back on and rode her over it about four times.
She did great! She was much calmer about it after that.
In the end we did get some conditioning in when we decided to trot up most of the hill! We trotted about a third of the way up then power walked the rest of the way. I was very pleased because she is getting closer to being able to trot up the whole thing ( which will bring her back to the level of fitness she was at before she got sick).
So I need to remember that sometimes I need to train vrs. condition.
I might as well put todays ride into this post as well. It was fairly uneventful other then being my first real ride in my new saddle! Very exciting! Oh something kinda cool did happen. Lucy and I heard a tree fall. I don't know why its so cool, but I found it to be really cool!
I think I have hit upon our current conditioning regime. I don't really have one but was following one without realising it!
So currently our rides are roughly about 10 miles long, so they can be anywhere from 8 to 11 miles. We are riding from home so about 3/4 to 2/3 is walking. We walk down our road, then up Gazos into Big Basin then we do off and on trot for a couple miles (generally not more then 4) then we ride back possibly doing some trot up my road. So all in all we only do about 2 to 3 miles of trotting. So over the last couple of weeks I have been uping the langth and duration of trotting but not the over all langth of ride. I have to not only condition her body slowly, but I am also conditioning her mind to trotting for long periods of time.
So far its working well and I am very pleased!
I think once we start trotting almost all of the flat I will up our langth of ride to 15 miles (with some 10 milers still added in) and have medium langth walks inbetween longer trots.
I need to start cantering her more so she gets used to it so we can do interval training down the road.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Have saddle pads become the new saddle?
I truely belive that there are more choices in saddle pads today then saddles. What happened to the saddle pad just being a barrier between the horse and saddle to give a little comfort and protect the saddle from dirt?
It seems like it wasn't that long ago that a western rider would put a blanket folded in half under his saddle and an english rider would put a fitted sheepskin saddle under theirs and that was that!
Now we have ortho, equi, air, and god knows how many "fixer" saddle pads!
We have pads made out of every substance known to man kind, and in every shape, size, thickness and color (exept of course the size for my saddle!), and yet finding the right pad can be a headache and a stomachache!
Oh and lets not forget type! With no slip pads, and half back pads, and baby pads (to keep your saddle pad clean of course!), wither releaf pads, your main pad (why isn't this our only pad?) and theraputic pads ment to save yours and your horses backs, one could concivable have up to 4 pads on their horses backs at once all doing different things!
Ok, so why the sudden annoyance at saddle pads? Because my new saddle (if all works out!) will need one! I keep my saddle pads fairly simple, I have several english square pads, because they will fit under just about everything in a pinch ( like my new endurance saddle, I tested it out with my square pad folded in half under), a couple of fitted pads (one A/P and one dressage) a western pad (square simple LOTS of padding, too much actually) and two cloud nine pads that I would rather ride bareback then use (and we know how I do bareback! haha!).
So now that I need a new pad I am wondering, do I take a trip into saddle pad land and hope that I come back alive, or do I just buy a pretty western blanket and fold it in half and call it good?
The main questions are:
Do I want to go insane trying to find just the right pad? and even insaner wondering if I got the right one?
Do I spend that much on a bit of weird material I have never heard of before? I mean come on, I wont' even spend over a $100 on a pair of boots for myself!
On the other hand don't I care enough about my horses back to spend that much on a nice pad that will make her back feel all nice and cool and theraputic? (insert Lucy's comment: Umm it doesn't matter what you put under my saddle, a saddle is saddle and if it fits it fits and if it doesn't fit it doesn't fit, no saddle pad is going to make me feel any better about you strapping a hunk of wood and leather to my back and traversing the countryside.)
Actually Lucy the tree is made out of ralide, whatever that is!
Excuse me while I run from flying hooves!
Ok, back on track, we were talking about my buying a new saddle pad, oh yeah here is what I predict.
I buy a cheepy pad from horse.com or valley vet, probably a wester blanket, use that while I look for the "right" pad, and after weeks of endless searching relise that there is nothing wrong with what I am using and go with that!
Since I have now come to this conclusion one could assume it will spare me hours of researching saddle pads, but no that would make me not horse obsessed and if I wasn't horse obssesed I wouldn't be here talking about this. No, I will spend huge amounts of time researching something I will never buy!
It seems like it wasn't that long ago that a western rider would put a blanket folded in half under his saddle and an english rider would put a fitted sheepskin saddle under theirs and that was that!
Now we have ortho, equi, air, and god knows how many "fixer" saddle pads!
We have pads made out of every substance known to man kind, and in every shape, size, thickness and color (exept of course the size for my saddle!), and yet finding the right pad can be a headache and a stomachache!
Oh and lets not forget type! With no slip pads, and half back pads, and baby pads (to keep your saddle pad clean of course!), wither releaf pads, your main pad (why isn't this our only pad?) and theraputic pads ment to save yours and your horses backs, one could concivable have up to 4 pads on their horses backs at once all doing different things!
Ok, so why the sudden annoyance at saddle pads? Because my new saddle (if all works out!) will need one! I keep my saddle pads fairly simple, I have several english square pads, because they will fit under just about everything in a pinch ( like my new endurance saddle, I tested it out with my square pad folded in half under), a couple of fitted pads (one A/P and one dressage) a western pad (square simple LOTS of padding, too much actually) and two cloud nine pads that I would rather ride bareback then use (and we know how I do bareback! haha!).
So now that I need a new pad I am wondering, do I take a trip into saddle pad land and hope that I come back alive, or do I just buy a pretty western blanket and fold it in half and call it good?
The main questions are:
Do I want to go insane trying to find just the right pad? and even insaner wondering if I got the right one?
Do I spend that much on a bit of weird material I have never heard of before? I mean come on, I wont' even spend over a $100 on a pair of boots for myself!
On the other hand don't I care enough about my horses back to spend that much on a nice pad that will make her back feel all nice and cool and theraputic? (insert Lucy's comment: Umm it doesn't matter what you put under my saddle, a saddle is saddle and if it fits it fits and if it doesn't fit it doesn't fit, no saddle pad is going to make me feel any better about you strapping a hunk of wood and leather to my back and traversing the countryside.)
Actually Lucy the tree is made out of ralide, whatever that is!
Excuse me while I run from flying hooves!
Ok, back on track, we were talking about my buying a new saddle pad, oh yeah here is what I predict.
I buy a cheepy pad from horse.com or valley vet, probably a wester blanket, use that while I look for the "right" pad, and after weeks of endless searching relise that there is nothing wrong with what I am using and go with that!
Since I have now come to this conclusion one could assume it will spare me hours of researching saddle pads, but no that would make me not horse obsessed and if I wasn't horse obssesed I wouldn't be here talking about this. No, I will spend huge amounts of time researching something I will never buy!
Stonewall Vrs. Marciante
And the winner is:
Marciante!!
Maybe.
Well ok here is the story, I picked up a Stonewall Endurance saddle and a Marciate Endurance saddle to try out over the weekend. I really liked the looks of the Stonewall and felt like it was the one I wanted, provided it fit.
Fit: Initially both fit. But the Mariante had a more secure fit I felt. Once I saddled up and got on the Stonewall seemed to be pressing down on her withers. The Marciate felt fine the whole time.
Comfort: Here is where I was suprised. The Stonewall was really uncomforitable! The lip on the edge of the seat was highly uncomforitable on my thighs! And the seat its self wasnt' overly nice either. As soon as I sat down in the Marciate I loved it! But When I rode in it I found that after a while the seat gets a bit hard, I would deffinatlly need a seat saver unless I plan on only trotting from now on.
Balance: I didnt' actuallly ride in the Stonewall since my girth was too long, and I didnt' like the fit anyway. But the Mariantes balance was excellent! Very easy to post in.
So yes the Marciante won, but weather I am buying it or not is another matter. I really should decide today since I am taking it back today. Actually, I dont' have to since Loren said that he might be going to Santa Cruz tomorrow. Hmmmmm.....
Marciante!!
Maybe.
Well ok here is the story, I picked up a Stonewall Endurance saddle and a Marciate Endurance saddle to try out over the weekend. I really liked the looks of the Stonewall and felt like it was the one I wanted, provided it fit.
Fit: Initially both fit. But the Mariante had a more secure fit I felt. Once I saddled up and got on the Stonewall seemed to be pressing down on her withers. The Marciate felt fine the whole time.
Comfort: Here is where I was suprised. The Stonewall was really uncomforitable! The lip on the edge of the seat was highly uncomforitable on my thighs! And the seat its self wasnt' overly nice either. As soon as I sat down in the Marciate I loved it! But When I rode in it I found that after a while the seat gets a bit hard, I would deffinatlly need a seat saver unless I plan on only trotting from now on.
Balance: I didnt' actuallly ride in the Stonewall since my girth was too long, and I didnt' like the fit anyway. But the Mariantes balance was excellent! Very easy to post in.
So yes the Marciante won, but weather I am buying it or not is another matter. I really should decide today since I am taking it back today. Actually, I dont' have to since Loren said that he might be going to Santa Cruz tomorrow. Hmmmmm.....
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Two ride updates, home and Wilder
Yes I got to go to Wilder, but I better start with the ride at home first.
I tried out an endurance saddle, Big Horn I think. It was horribly uncomforitable! I used my sweatshirt as a seat saver and even then my butt really hurt, as did my thighs. The seat was just at a bad angle for me.
I rode farther down Gazos then last time, my phone lost signal so I just turned the GPS off, but I did figure out that I went about 4 miles from Sandy Point so it was probably a 10ish mile ride. I went about two miles further down Gazos then my last (bareback!) ride. I trotted Lucy in under the trees, she is learning that we are trotting more and getting used to it. Unfortunitly I can't trot her out in the open because there is usually bedrock which she won't trot on, and I understand. I need to get her boots!
Other then that the ride was pretty uneventful, everything was normal. Oh but it was a beautiful day!
I didn't ride on Sunday, just felt like Lucy and I both needed the day off.
So yesterday I rode with Sarah, Lucy and I both enjoyed riding with her and Reba. Reba looks really good, although a bit underwieght, Sarah agreed. I was suprised that Reba kept up with Lucy and I so well, but we did still outdistance her from time to time. Lucy kept up her normal pace the whole time and deffinatly could have done more! We only went about 8 miles.
We ate up at the top of the loop and Reba and Lucy made friends!
On the way back down I walked for a bit to keep the flies off Lucy, they were relentless! I need to make or buy her a fly mask for riding. I could easily make one of those crochet ones, I can after all crochet quite well!
I rode in my wintec since it fits the best of all my saddles. I must admit I only just feel what Becky was talking about about the saddle being to narrow, but she knows more then me! I do wonder if I should try another gullet size. I feel like if the regular is too narrow I can't go that direction and if the regular wide is pinching at the top I can't go any wider. But maybe I should try before spending more money on a new saddle.
We saw the markings for the Fireworks ride, I so wish I could have gone to it! I would be getting everything ready for it today! Or I would just take the whole day off tomorrow for it, but alas, it did not work out. I am still thinking about shine and shine only or Calero Classic, but feel like I really would have liked to have started with Fireworks.
Sarah won't be going to Santa Rosa this semester so we talked about going camping with the horses sometime this summer. Ellie said that she was talking to Penny about going with her up to Point Rayes, so maybe we will see if we can tag along. Penny and I have been meaning to ride together for years! And Ellie and I haven't riden together for over a year.
I will update on that.
Well anyway here is our ride:
http://maps.google.com/maps/mm?t=p&q=http:%2F%2Fapi.motionxlive.com%2Fmotionx-remote%2Fapi%2Fgps%2Fhost%2F3de1c540-0fe9-4ea5-96c4-692f2331fdee&ie=UTF8&hl=en&ll=36.981592,-122.089648&spn=0.060473,0.108662&z=13
I tried out an endurance saddle, Big Horn I think. It was horribly uncomforitable! I used my sweatshirt as a seat saver and even then my butt really hurt, as did my thighs. The seat was just at a bad angle for me.
I rode farther down Gazos then last time, my phone lost signal so I just turned the GPS off, but I did figure out that I went about 4 miles from Sandy Point so it was probably a 10ish mile ride. I went about two miles further down Gazos then my last (bareback!) ride. I trotted Lucy in under the trees, she is learning that we are trotting more and getting used to it. Unfortunitly I can't trot her out in the open because there is usually bedrock which she won't trot on, and I understand. I need to get her boots!
Other then that the ride was pretty uneventful, everything was normal. Oh but it was a beautiful day!
I didn't ride on Sunday, just felt like Lucy and I both needed the day off.
So yesterday I rode with Sarah, Lucy and I both enjoyed riding with her and Reba. Reba looks really good, although a bit underwieght, Sarah agreed. I was suprised that Reba kept up with Lucy and I so well, but we did still outdistance her from time to time. Lucy kept up her normal pace the whole time and deffinatly could have done more! We only went about 8 miles.
We ate up at the top of the loop and Reba and Lucy made friends!
On the way back down I walked for a bit to keep the flies off Lucy, they were relentless! I need to make or buy her a fly mask for riding. I could easily make one of those crochet ones, I can after all crochet quite well!
I rode in my wintec since it fits the best of all my saddles. I must admit I only just feel what Becky was talking about about the saddle being to narrow, but she knows more then me! I do wonder if I should try another gullet size. I feel like if the regular is too narrow I can't go that direction and if the regular wide is pinching at the top I can't go any wider. But maybe I should try before spending more money on a new saddle.
We saw the markings for the Fireworks ride, I so wish I could have gone to it! I would be getting everything ready for it today! Or I would just take the whole day off tomorrow for it, but alas, it did not work out. I am still thinking about shine and shine only or Calero Classic, but feel like I really would have liked to have started with Fireworks.
Sarah won't be going to Santa Rosa this semester so we talked about going camping with the horses sometime this summer. Ellie said that she was talking to Penny about going with her up to Point Rayes, so maybe we will see if we can tag along. Penny and I have been meaning to ride together for years! And Ellie and I haven't riden together for over a year.
I will update on that.
Well anyway here is our ride:
http://maps.google.com/maps/mm?t=p&q=http:%2F%2Fapi.motionxlive.com%2Fmotionx-remote%2Fapi%2Fgps%2Fhost%2F3de1c540-0fe9-4ea5-96c4-692f2331fdee&ie=UTF8&hl=en&ll=36.981592,-122.089648&spn=0.060473,0.108662&z=13
Monday, July 6, 2009
All the pretty saddles, for sale!
So I finally got all the pictures up of my saddles!
Blue headstall and breastplate. The snaps have a bit of rust on them, and there are a few stains from the rust on the nylon, but they are both in working order. The headstall comes with split reins.
Blue headstall and breastplate. The snaps have a bit of rust on them, and there are a few stains from the rust on the nylon, but they are both in working order. The headstall comes with split reins.
My Wintec Endurance Pro, phone ran out of batteries before I got pictures of the gullet. It currently has the medium wide in it and comes with with the regular gullet too.
This is my western saddle. Its very comfy and secure. Currently has to stirrups.
Collegiatte AP saddle. Well used, but could be used for schooling. Very secure, might be good for on the trail.
Crosby Jumping saddle. I love this saddle! Although I think it needs to be reflocked! Its pretty wide and was used on a Warmblood.
Note the tear!
This is all it says about where its from.
This is my Argentina dressage saddle. This has a narrow gullet that will fit a higher withered horse. I rode in this on the trial and it was really comfy!
This is my western saddle. Its very comfy and secure. Currently has to stirrups.
Collegiatte AP saddle. Well used, but could be used for schooling. Very secure, might be good for on the trail.
Crosby Jumping saddle. I love this saddle! Although I think it needs to be reflocked! Its pretty wide and was used on a Warmblood.
Note the tear!
This is all it says about where its from.
This is my Argentina dressage saddle. This has a narrow gullet that will fit a higher withered horse. I rode in this on the trial and it was really comfy!
Thanks!
A week of bareback trail rides...
Now, being only twenty, I had assumed going out bareback while trying to find a properly fitting saddle wouldn't be an issue. I used to ride bareback all the time. I took lessons on huge WB's bareback for crying out loud! And I used to take Lucy out bareback all the time.
But have you ever, perchance riden a ten mile ride up and down hills bareback? Well, in a bareback pad anyway. I rode bareback on Wednesday and even though we only went 3 miles Lucy still sweated and my jeans were drenched and hairy and I was a little grossed out! And belive me, its takes a LOT to gross me out! HA! Aperently once your over 18 things like going totaly bareback just don't suit anymore.
We totally had fun on our Wednesday ride, since it was short and the weather was lovely. I think Lucy was glad not to be going out for a really long ride. I did notice while riding how far back her shoulder comes, I think her shoulder might have a lot of motion to it because of that little bit of TWH in her.
SUNDAY
Yes! The day of reckoning! Can I survive a long bareback ride without hurting me or Lucy? Well I succeeded in one part. Lucy did fine! I however recked me knee. But I will get to that in a bit.
I decided to ride from home, we will be doing this when we ride in Big Basin from now on, she is in good enough shape and the hills are good for her. I did walk her down a lot of my road since she didn't want to leave home.
She had a really good pace going up Gazos. We went down the Gazos trail after Sandy point. We went about two miles out. The last mile or less I got off and ran. I was highly impressed with myself, I usually die running that far. Then I got on, we turned around and trotted back up where I had just run down. I had been a wee bit concerned that I might end up bouncing too much if I trotted for long periods of time. But my abdomins prevailed and absorbed all the bounce. Then burned like hell later! Oh well, Lucy's back wasn't sore so all was fine.
But the bad and good part was that I found out what hurts my knee when riding. It turns out it has nothing to do with going down hill. It has to do with the angle of my hips and knee. Because my legs were pushed wider by Lucy's fairly wide back ( I guess, but Lucy's back isn't really wide) my knee hurt the whole time from the angle.
So now I am not sure if I need a saddle with a wider twist or a narrow twist. I had the knee problem in both my Crosby (sort of a medium twist) and my Wintec which has a very similar twist.
I guess I will have to just try several different saddles out! Great, so now I have another condition on what saddle I get!!!
But now it looks like I wont' be doing Fireworks. Even though I am going to try the stonewall and Marciante endurance saddles, I won't be able to buy anything until I get paid, which might be a while. I also wont' have the money for the entry fee either. So Shine and Shine only might be our first event. We will see.
Lucy did really well though. Once we got off our own mountain she seemed happy to be out on the ride. We only went about 10 miles and I think she could easily handle longer conditioning rides at this point. But I need to stick to 10 miles when trotting her very much.
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