Events

Mondays
Jumping Fun Classes at Canterbrooke, (Ames)

Tuesdays
Riding Communication Classes at The Paddock (Truro) .

May 8-9
Clinic at Catalpa Corner

April 10 and 11
Clinic at Catalpa Corner.

June 4-6
Clinic and Schooling Show Catalpa Corner
(Iowa City)

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Waiver form

"Only way that horses will win is to sit there and spend time with them. Show 'em that you're trying to help 'em. Love 'em. Talk to 'em. Get to know 'em. Now that's what you gotta do. You love 'em and they'll love you, too. People might call me crazy, but that's the way it is."

-Eddie Sweat, groom for Riva Ridge and Secretariat

Training Log for Austin Pepper

Subsequent log entries can be found here.

1/15/10 Did a fair amount of halt work today, just standing still, walking, standing still. Then I started having him stand still while I bumped him with my legs, helping him realize that not every movement by the rider is a signal for him to move his feet. This took a little bit of time, but he eventually did quite well with it. Then we did the same thing in walk, over which he had a certain amount of objection, but he dealt and got better. Then on to some trot work with the same idea. Some canter in both directions and done for the day.

1/13/10 Much improved over yesterday. He started out only slightly tight and got better and better quickly. Some quite acceptable trot work. In canter, he slipped with his inside hind on a urine spot in the arena and it scared him a little. So we went back to trot work and shored that up nicely and advanced it even a little more. Very good.

1/12/10 Worked him with Tracey watching.

12/30/09 Lesson with Tracey. Video of work at end.

12/29/09 Flatwork, with a lot of emphasis on keeping the rhythm in all three gaits. Coming along.

12/28/09 Jay was throwing down lots of hay bales while I was tacking Austin up, and Austin did not approve of Jay's activity. He was pretty frightened, but with some reassurance he got over it nicely. Worked in the arena on bringing the hind feet under and maintaining rhythm in walk and trot. Canter work is improving.

12/23/09 Brought him in and tacked up. Worked on half halts and rhythm in the trot and cantering. Did very well.

12/22/09 While grooming, I checked his sheath to see how clean it might be. Not so much. So I, under protest from him at first, in the form of a few cow kicks, removed the larger chunks of stuff. After just a minute or two he figured out I was not there to harass his "bits" and tolerated it just fine. After the major chunks were removed, I promptly washed my hands! Next mild day we need to do a sheath cleaning. This isn't exactly how I do it, but close enough for rock and roll, so you know what you are in for. Then I tacked up and rode. Unfortunately I could not use the Berney because the girth is approximately 2 inches short. I don't know if you want to return that one or save it for when he might be eventing fit some day soon. He also needs that 6" bit. This one is a little snug. Under saddle we worked on half halts, keeping the rhythm in walk and trot and canter work in both directions. He wants to fall on his forehand and take the rhythm away, but he is getting better.

12/21/09 Brought him in and groomed and tacked up. Very polite. Walked for a bit, then mounted. He is much looser in his body in general, which is wonderful. We worked a lot today on rhythm in walk and trot, which is a little difficult for him to maintain. It improved however and it carried over into his canter work, which was much improved.

12/19/09 Held for chiropractor. Lots of adjusting, most noteably in poll. Scanned in Dr.'s notes and emailed to Tracey. Phone discussion of appointment.

12/17/09 Full disclosure: Yesterday I went to 3G from ISU, changed into my breeches and realized I forgot my paddock boots and half chaps. Penny loafer do not cut it in 20 degree weather, so the horses had to make do with a pet and cookies. But today was better. Tacked him up and worked in hand some where he was very good. Then into the tack from some walk and trot warmup work where we focused on stretching forward and down with his neck and keeping the rhythm in both walk and trot. We interspersed it with work in sidepass, which went well. Then on to some work in canter. Right lead is much easier than left, but they are both coming along.

12/12/09 In hand work was excellent. On to lots of walk lateral work, which he did very well at, but had the usual moments of losing the rhythm or budging over the outside rein as green horses do. He got better and better about it. Did a lot of canter work. He is much happier to the right, where he managed to stay within the outside rein. Very good. Warmed down with more walk lateral work. Very good. He was proud of himself. He and Geordi are pals.

12/11/09 Brought him in and tacked up. Did a lot of work in trot, asking for the start of connection and keeping the rhythm. Some work in canter, where he pushed right through whatever was my outside aid to get to the wall. He is quite dependent on the wall. So we did circles 10' off the wall, which he was not fond of, but figured out eventually. He is much improved on his in hand work!

12/7/09 I was standing in the pasture, talking to the deer hunter in the parking lot. During our conversation, sweet Austin basically came up and put his face in the halter. I brought him in and tacked up. We did some in hand work, during the first few minutes of which, he pretended that we had never talked about it before. Poor dear. He came around quite nicely and by the end was very tuned in. I got on and asked him to stand still while I mounted, which he did. I was carrying a whip, which he was fine with. We did some cowboy circles and it was quite obvious that he is much stiffer to the right. Everything is quite simple to the left for him. We spent quite a bit of time discussing how to yield in the poll and respond to the rein aid by following rather than resisting, including some backing. Then we went on to trot work. When going to the right he takes the rhythm away rather than yielding in his body. It improved in the time we worked. We ended with canter work in both directions. During the canter work, he very much would like to be magnetized to the walls, a source of security. He is pretty unbalanced and unsure in canter. But his attitude is great and it will all come right along. I used the bathrobe to help him cool out. I am going to place an order for another one for myself. I'll order two and if you want one, you can buy it.

12/4/09 More work in hand in the arena. He remembered the lessons from yestrday and built on them today. He is tuning in much better. Yay!

12/3/09 In the morning, he went out in the pasture with Geordi. They were in the run in together like old pals when I arrived. I rode Geordi first and Austin would have liked to come along, but he lounged and waited for his turn. I brought him in and brushed and tacked him. Then we had an in-hand session and he had some difficulty at first, but got on the clue bus about staying soft in his neck and going at my pace. Very good.

12/2/09 Arrived at 3G Farm in the evening and then had a lesson with Tracey up. He was nervous about the mirrors at first, but always sane about it and Tracey did a wonderful job helping him learn about them. Had some very nice trot work and a little canter work. Good start.

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