We rocked it.

After a week of trying to come to grips with a right hind that did not want to work so hard and focusing on straightness we made some serious break through. His right hind was working just fine this evening and straightness was not an issue. I had a FABULOUS ride. We worked on the finer points of the ride. Tuning Blu to my queues for transitions by sitting a bit taller signaling a transition was so very easy for him. He obviously knew this in a past life and was waiting for me to catch up. I need to focus on this for every transition we do. We also worked on the single change of lead. My biggest challenge is staying in the moment so the next moment can follow. My inclination is to be way ahead in the ride and it does not help the present. It allows Blu to take charge and that is not necessarily a good thing. I got it and it was wonderful. We worked at the canter on a 10m circle -- canter to walk to canter then a simple change and the work in the opposite direction. If we can do it on a 10 m circle, the changes in the test are a real piece of cake. Our changes tonight were perfect. We then went off and worked on some canter half pass to a leg yield and counter canter. All was excellent. I need to keep my inside leg on him in the half pass and not let him take over. Another challenge to work on. Linda got on the end because I wanted her to feel how spectacular he felt to me. She schooled the flying lead changes and I could not get over how much they have improved. She then did some of the medium and extended gates with him and he was terrific! She thought we may have to accept some 6s in these gates but she really thinks that after tonight if ridden right he could get 9s... wow. We have lots of work to do but I can feel and see such progression in both of us. It is really coming together. How did I get so lucky?

always something to do...

It has been a week of horse housekeeping. Here is what I have accomplished:

1. Have the vet out to check Blu's back. Findings: he is chiropractically in good shape but his back is sore - not too bad though. He had a bit of shock wave therapy and the vet declared he has looked younger at every visit. Whew... We also talked about showing and the impact of stress... I will be putting Blu on Gastrogard on the days he is off showing. At $35/ tube this is just another expense...
2. Got his Coggins and spring shots scheduled. The vet actually came today to do Coggins and strangles. He will get his spring shots later in the month.
3. Call to the USDF - thank God I saved my tests and copies of my membership cards. First, they did not have the tests and second they did not have proof of my membership. Well, I got that all straightened out. The good news is that they recorded my first level scores. The sad news is that I did not have proof or earning my second level score so I am going to have to repeat meaning I have two second level scores to earn. I am just grateful I did not have to start from scratch.
4. Saddle fitting is completed. After scheduling a saddle fitting visit for this past Saturday only to have it moved to today at noon, then to 4pm today and then at the last minute a cancelled, I was able to convince the saddle fitter to come this evening. The saddle fitter was amazed at how much muscle he developed in his back. She said she had never seen such a dramatic improvement in a horse of his age. She gave me props for the work I have been doing to put him back at the top of his game. Yay!!!! While I did not get home until close to 8:30 pm, my saddle fits his back once again and I am sitting in the correct position.

I finalized all of this and kept my more than full time job going. I am exhausted and by the end of the day so was Blu. He tried to stand patiently but he was such a nudge. I could not get him back to his stall fast enough! It was all a bit too much for both of us.

So there is some sunshine at the end of this day. His scratches is almost gone! The Silversulfadine ointment with dexamethasone has done the trick. I will continue to slather this thick ointment on his right hind ankle for the next couple of days just to be sure but we are in a good place. Tomorrow we can focus on the ride and cleaning the tack that I totally ignored today. Again, yet something else to do... while I am living a life long dream, Blu is certainly continuing his charmed life. Such a good boy...

Slowly we prepare...

Blu's back has been a bit sore... what could it be? Instead of trying to guess, let's call Dr. Liz. So the good doctor came for a barn visit yesterday and ooohhhh'd and ahhhhh'd over how wonderful the big boy looks. She was so impressed with his topline saying he was regressing in years. She could have said nothing better. She agreed that his back was sore but not bad and chiropractically he was in good shape. So after a little shock wave we talked about another issue that has cropped up... SCRATCHES... uggggggghhhh.

I noticed Blu's right hind was stocking up so probing fingers discovered the nasty little crusty fungus and went to work trying to crumble it away. He did not take huge offense to my probing but did let me know he did not care for it much. So I cleaned it, dried it and applied some Micro-Tek. While it had improved it was still there and he held some mild swelling in his ankle. Dr. Liz gave me some SSD with dexamethasone to slather on his ankle. She warned me that I would have to be vigilant and if he continued to hold fluid in his ankle then he would have to be wrapped every evening since as an older horse he would be prone to developing lymphangitis. DOUBLE UGGGGGGHHHHH. He is such a good boy and would be great to wrap, it is just getting it done when I am not to the barn that becomes a problem. There always seems to be something to worry about...

Putting all that aside, I begin the preparations for a bronze medal show season. I called the USDF after finding they had not recorded all my scores. Very helpful that I kept all of them since 1999!!! This has to be the longest medal in the making. Having goals is important even if your anticipated timeline is exceeded by a decade.

Show season looms

I can feel it creeping up... that feeling that I will not be ready. Everyday I do something to prepare for show season. Whether it be checking my memory on 2-1 or 3-1 or practicing the hard parts of the test -- clean changes, counter canter, simple change... omg straightness. How hard can straightness be? Apparently very hard tonight. During our lesson we were made to live in shoulder in going to the right. I just could not get out of my own way.

After breaking a sweat -- both of us not just me -- and trying repeatedly we got some good moments. I was a bit frustrated and Blu was patiently waiting for me to get it right. He did test me though. I would get his shoulder and then he would swing his haunches out. I would straighten them and he would stiffen in his neck. ARGHHHH.... Then I just laughed and off we went to another exercise.

So lots of work to do and more tomorrow. Hmmmm what will tomorrow bring? I have to chase down some missing scores with USDF. Good thing I kept all those tests that were signed by the show secretary. I would hate to have to repeat any of them. I promised Blu tonight that as soon as I had my second and third level scores this season we would stop showing... We would just have to start preparing for next season... 4th level and PSG!!!

God my body hurts after that butt whoopin' Love that boy though!

The next ride

A few days off for me but right back in the saddle the day I arrived home. He was such a happy boy -- grateful to be taken out of his paddock and primped. He gratefully nuzzled the peppermint cookies out of my hand and kept looking for more as we approached the barn... he always knows there is more.

My standard grooming / tack up routine includes me running my hands all over his body feeling for bumps, scratches the occasional burr or scurfy patch. All was in order except for his back. Right where the cantle sits on his back he was ouchy to touch. I rubbed him with liniment and we went off to work. He needed some encouragement so we went off to canter early in the ride and that seemed to kick him into gear.

I think the back soreness may be due to his saddle needing restuffing. I have called on the saddle fitter and hope to have a date for re-fitting shortly. I am also going to call Dr. Liz and ask her advice on how to proceed. For now I will work him lightly and tend to his sore spots before and after the ride.

Lunchtime Treat

Business travel will take me out of town for a good portion of this week so I wanted to make sure I got a ride in today. A break cleared mid-day, my prayers were answered and off to the barn I went. I whirled into the parking lot and practically sprinted out to the paddock -- not a second to waste. I calculated that if I could keep my commute and prep time down to a minimum, this would give me a full hour in the saddle. I had to be back for a 2pm meeting... So Blu was quite happy to see me coming right up to the gate for the bribe, I mean snack, I had in my pocket. I explained to him the haste with which I dispatched him and he was fine as long as there was the occasional treat.

He was fresh today. Of course gale force winds blew across Sawyer Hill stirring all the ponies into a frenzy. He spooked at every door and every strange noise he heard. I decided to just pick up the reins and go to work because walking on a long rein was an invitation to anarchy. So we did our walk warm up on the bit and did lots of lateral work, bending and transitions walk/ halt. He got the message quickly. Have I said lately just how smart this horse is?

He was really strong but I just love when he comes out that way. It gives me a lot to work with. By the end of the ride I even had a little piaffe and it was not an evasion tactic. He was honest into the bridle and through his back. He was yet once again magnificent. We did a walk through of 2-1 and if I did not know better I think he knows the darn thing... Was he checking out the new tests on the USEF website???

So I go off to the frozen tundra of MN with a smile on my face and a warm spot in my heart. May my memories keep me in comfort as I sit through all day meetings and long for my next ride.

Raising the Bar

Blu has come such a long way -- from a very lame horse with an aching back to being sound and strong and ready for collection. Every week I see a positive change in him. Every week he provides me with more of a challenge -- good challenge. This is where the education really begins.

Conformationally we are all challenged and Blu is no exception. The true secret to life is learning to rise above these challenges and making the most of the ride. Blu is built a bit croup high thus automatically putting him on his shoulders. The good news is that as he builds strength in his hind end and back he is able to lift and free his shoulders. To build the strength he needs to rock back and work from the hind end. It is a tough cycle to break but we are slowly chipping away at it. He has moments of brilliance in his trot work. His canter is already there. My trainer thinks he most definitely will be able to do this work. When I do get him off his shoulder and working from behind his trot grows into this beautiful gait. We both rise above our challenges - his conformation and my innate adult respond to hold too long.

As I have said before, every day is a lesson and gains are made. I will have to work very hard in this growth phase to really develop Blu and myself as a team. Time in the saddle is the best I can do and getting back to riding five times per week is essential to making this break through.