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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"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 Fancy Ramsbottom

4/14/09 Out for a hack in the field. The footing was much improved so we had a fair amount of lope work. She was a little tight in her neck at first, but came around nicely and seemed to enjoy herself. Cookies.

4/10/09 Hacked through the woods and then out to the road. While in the woods we came across a moderate downed branch. She thought that would be a good place to turn around, but I suggested she should go over it. Short discussion and she went over it. Then we had a nice canter for about a half a mile and she did fine.

4/9/09 Out for a hack with a fair amount of walking due to the wet footing. She did excellently. We did manage to have a pair of canters wherein she was polite and enjoyed herself.

3/20/09 A bit of an east wind, which often makes horses squirelly, so I wasn't overly suprised when she did a minor bolt the first time we cantered. About 20 strides later she managed to do a lovely straight-legged buck, then we continued to canter and she was fine. On another canter she had to somewhat adjust her stride to avoid a gopher hole and managed to buck slightly while doing that. Spring and a young horse's thoughts turn to hyjinx. After those minor blips, we had several other canters which were fabulous.

3/19/09 Lovely day, so out for a hack. We went over to the 13th street barn and out in the field. The usual target shooting was going on, but a louder and closer gun was being fired to the east. She was fine with it, but I was suspect, so we retired to the arena where she performed well.

3/6/09 Another lovely day so more work out in the big world. We went to the 13th Street barn and around the big field, which a fair amount of canter work. She did excellently.

3/4/09 Lovely day so out for a trail hack. We had a nice canter in the alfalfa field and she was a little tight at first, but came around nicely. Flushed a bird right from under her feet and she was unimipressed. Good girl.

2/27/09 Warmed up with some walk and trot work in the arena and then a fair amount of canter work, which went well. What a delight she is.

2/24/09 Lovely day, almost tempted to go out on a trail hack, but the occasional ice is as bad as real ice. We worked in the indoor in all three gaits, which went well, then on to some sidepassing and turns on the haunches, which went well. Good girl.

2/18/09 Sory for missing some rides in here. I have been busy with other things, but that seems to be settling down now, thank goodness. I really enjoy working with Fancy. She must have missed me too, because she was just lovely today. We rode in the indoor with some other western horses and she had a very nice warmup, lovely jog and a quite balanced lope. She was great. Cookies.

1/29/09 Rode in the indoor, and after a walk and trot warmup, did a fair amount of work in lope. She was quite good and I had her going over a pole on the ground in canter to help her develop some adjustment of stride in canter. Did very well.

1/20/09 I looked at the scrape you had described on her mane, and it looks to me like it is a typical pasture scrape, somebody got a little fresh with their teeth when they were playing. The new hair is already starting to grow in. I rode her in the indoor and she was excellent. I'm not real fond of the new footing, but it she likes it a lot. It helps to slow her jog down and makes her work a little more from behind in canter. Did some sidepass and turn on the hindquarters and she did excellently.

1/5/09 She was quite the pill today. After a walk warm up, and dealing with the open east door which revealed the terrifying water wagon, we did some trot work, which was pretty ragged. Moved on to canter to let her get some of her energy out and she managed to buck once in both directions. Lots of horses are a little sassy now, since they can't move around in their paddocks because of the ice. When they get in the good footing of the arena, they understandably take advantage of it. Not a big deal and she did do some nice work at the end. Cookies.

1/2/09 Much work in walk to warmup, since they haven't been able to move much outside on the ice. Then some very nice trot work and some canter work in which we worked on appropriate bending. Then a warm down with leg yield and turn on the hindquarters. She did excellently. Cookies.

12/29/08 With ice, cold and whatnot, Fancy has had some time off, but back at it today. I rode her in the indoor where there were small jumps set up. I dropped the poles on the ground and asked her to walk over them. When she had done that well, we trotted over them, and when she was comfortable with that, we cantered over them. I let her pick her own spot to take off from, and she made a fair number of unbalanced choices at first, but I stayed out of her way and asked her to continue. She eventually figured out how to adjust her stride so that the fences came up in easy stride for her. This is an excellent skill for a horse to have. For a warm down, we did lateral work, including leg yield, sidepass and turn on the hindquarters. Very good.

12/18/08 She was a little fresh today, despite being outside for the day. She managed a few hyjinx in the first few minutes, just minor comments on the need to be polite, no big deal. Her jog work was nice right off the bat. Her canter work was tight, but we worked through it with various exercises. We did some sidepassing and turns on the hindquarters which went well. Very good girl.

12/12/08 Still pretty icy out so I rode her in the indoor. We did a lot of walk warm up work and then I introduced her to the little walk over "bridge" trail object that was in the arena. She wanted to be crooked to it so I simply got off and showed her it was ok by walking across it myself. Then she went without a problem in hand and then I got on and rode her over it and she was great. Then we did a fair amount of canter work with circling, asking her to bend to the inside with her neck and let go in ther rib cage. We had goo success there in the end. Very good. Finished off the one bucket of cookies.

12/9/08 I had a lot of time to burn before a lesson so we had a nice warm up in the arena and then did some job and canter work. We focused on her moving her rib cage out so that she bent correctly around the corner. It was a new concept and she accepted it quite nicely when she understood. Good Fancy girl. Cookies.

12/3/08 Less than 25 degrees and breezy, but some sunshine made it cheery. Out for a hack. We walked out to the large pasture and then a bit into it where she let out an "I feel good" small buck. I growled at her, but I had to giggle a little, it was so good-natured and just an expression of enjoyment. After a bit we picked up a canter and loped around the field, at one point moving right along with two deer and she had no problem with it. Then a walk and canter around the field where she also let out another buck, but again, not a big or malicious one. She got over herself quickly and made her continue to canter after it so that she wouldn't accidently associate bucking with getting out of working. She recovered quickly, back to work and was delightful the rest of the ride.

11/2/08 Another fairly nice late November day. Not much wind and temps in the 40s. We tacked up and went out for trail hack. After a walk warm up we had a nice canter around the outside of the hayfield. She was a little tight to the left at times and even mentioned that she could buck, but I mentioned that she really didn't need to and she opted out. After that it was smooth sailing. We went for another canter around the big pasture and then a walk in the woods. Very good.

11/24/08 A bit breezy out, but not a bad temperature, so out for a trail ride we went. After a walk warm up, we went for some longer canter work. I asked her to carry herself a litlte more and she was able to do that in an improved manner. It is really coming along. As we were cantering along, we passed by a hawk on a fence post. It finally flew up when we were just feet from it and she only minorly shied and kept cantering. Very good! We had a trot warm down at the end which went very well. Good young lady.

11/19/08 Went for a hack with Fancy, though the wind was just starting to pick up from the NW. She was relaxed and went very well. We went over to the 13th street stable where she whinnied to all the other horses, but got over it. Then we had a nice canter around the big hay field, then a walk break then some trot and canter around the big pasture. Then a hack in the woods. She was delightful.

11/14/08 Raining out so I rode her in the indoor. After a nice walk warm up, we went on to trot work, some leg yielding and a fair amount of canter work, including circle work to help her with her balance. Went very well.

11/10/08 I rode her in the arena on a day when it was raining and miserable and they didn't get to go outside. Poor dears, I hate it when they are in boxes all day. She was excellent, despite the fact that there were two people lunging their horses and a wee tiny child on a big horsie sort of bobbling around the arena. We did a lot of trotand canter work and sidepassing and backing. Event sidepassed to the wall to reach the clock which was incorrect, changed the time and re-hung it while she patiently waited. Very good girl.

11/3/08 Took Fancy out for a longish trail ride in the beautiful weather. After a walk warm up we did a fair amount of cantering where she did well. We worked on neck reining exercises too.

10/27/08 I brought her in and brushed her and tacked her up. I chuckled when I saw that you had bought more Nicker Makers because I did too. No sweat here, I am sure I can find a willing horse to eat the ones I have. ;-) We went out on a hack to the 13th street barn, then a nice canter in the hayfield, a walk around the woods and another canter in the hay field. She was a little bright in the first canter, buth the breeze and the 39 degree temps explains that pretty easily. She was polite, though, just felt pretty good, she said. Her canter work is a little fussin in the bridle and we'll continue to work on that.

10/22/08 Raining and windy outside so I guessed the horses would be in their stalls all day, so I went out to ride Fancy to give her a break from being in a box. She was delighted. We worked in the indoor arena with a long walk warm up since she had been forced not to move much all morning. Then we did some trot work and a fair amount of canter work, which started out a little lively and stiff, but finished quite acceptably. She enjoyed herself.

10/20/08 Took Fancy for a nice hack around the fields with a walk warmup and then a fair amount of canter work, with a lot of transitions. She is getting more balanced and sure-footed, which comes with confidence. No suggestion of bucking today and she was really quite good.

10/16/08 Took her out on a trail ride in the light drizzle. She was quite polite, but also quite willing to go. We went to the 13th street barn and then a hack around the alfalfa field. We had several canters, the first of which included a humping back and a threaten to buck, though she did not follow through, probably partly because I did a few canter transitions as she mentioned it. She is a little more locked in her neck than I would like in canter, but she does come around. She had been in the muddy paddock all day, so after our ride, I took her out and grazed her on some of the best grass on the property, which she very much enjoyed.

10/15/08 I think I forgot to enter two rides in the early part of October, but my oversight is your horse's experiential gain and a perk to your pocketbook. I took her out on the trail today after the morning rain. She was very relaxed and happy to be out, especially since they were kept in all morning. Good to get her out in the sunshine. We had a long walk warm up and then did a fair amount of slow canter in the alfalfa field. During a walk break between canters, she stepped in a hole and went to her knees on the soft ground. She quickly recovered and it was probably a good and cheap lesson about taking care of where she puts her feet. During the second canter session she saw fit to suggest bucking by humping up her back, however she did not follow through when I requested that she go forward instead of humping up. She was great after that. She earned her cookies.

9/29/08 Took her out for a hack with a friend. She lead and followed and did well. I was actually a little surprised that when she led she was a little spooked by the rustle of the rider behind her at first, but she got over it admirably. I had to get off at one point to see if a downed limb was going to be passable. She waited patiently and allowed me to mount while she stood still. Very good.

9/22/08 Went out for a long hack with another horse and rider. Through the woods and down the road about a mile and back. Encounter crossing through a ditch, traffic and parked tractors. Stopped and talked with a farmer in a truck. She was a little tender when on the gravel, but if kept on the shoulder did fine. She did very well and earned lots of cookies.

9/18/08 She was just done with the farrier when I arrived. He said she was not happy about picking up her back legs. We'll have to watch that and see how it continues or not. Went out in the hayfield and did a fair amount of transition and canter work, which went pretty well. She needs to relax and let the rhythm carry her, but it is coming.

9/15/08 Took Fancy out for a trail ride. After a warmup, we did a fair amount of cantering in the hay field. She was a little tight in her back, suggesting she could buck, but never did, and she got better as she went. She got her tongue over the bit twice, indicated by her sticking it out in an attempt to get it back under the bit. I got off and lifted the bit to help. I may move the bit up to see if that helps. That is the first time I have seen her do that. Then into the woods. While there, she started stompling her right front leg with each step because she had some stickers on it. After the fourth stomp I got off and removed the stickers. She's quite the Princess and the Pea! :-)

8/28/08 Had a lovely trail ride. Did some refresh on neck reining out in the open. She was excellent. Such a good mare.

8/27/08 Took her out for a hack along the construction site with some trucks moving around. She was interested, but not overwhelmed. She had two very slight spooks and they were exactly one stride a piece. She was delightful the rest of the time.

8/25/08 Went out for a trail ride and she was very good. She even put up with the hay baler going by. She did have a few shys at a deer and a flapping canvas, but that is understandable and she recovered well.

8/20/08 Took her out for a hack. She had some things to shy at, including a burned out spot where either an alien landed her spaceship or there was a campfire. Fancy shied at it, but didn't vacate the premises, which is great. She gets to be suspicious of stuff like that, but can't be a drama queen. She did great. Went out in the pasture and she had some more things to shy at (deer jumping out, a tractor) and she did shy, but they were one quick step and then she relaxed again. She is heading in the right direction.

8/18/08 Warmed her up in the arena and then went out for a hack. She was a little wobbly on the trail (when she has more experience, straight on the path will be the order of the day) but she was quite delighted to go and behaved herself well.

8/12/08 I rode her on the trail in the evening and she was near perfect.

8/11/08 Trail ride. She was very good on the way out and in canter in the big pasture. On the walk on the way home, she had one shy and short bolt, but got over herself reasonably quickly.

8/9/08 Out on a trail ride. We went past and between the spreader and pickup truck that were abandoned in the pasture. She was dubious, but proceeded with reassurance. Excellent. The rest of the ride was fine.

8/8/08 Out for a trail ride in the late morning. Quite the interesting time because the tractor had broken down in the back pasture and they were driving other vehicles out to it, hammering on the tractor, and generally making a ruckus, which she initially found alarming. With some reassurance, she settled quite nicely. We had a nice canter and some time in the woods. She is right on track, just needs more mileage and more things like tractors breaking down to experience. How nice of the barn staff to help with our training program!

8/6/08 Took her out for a trail ride. She saw a deer pop out and did not spin and bolt. This is fabulous. We had a pretty nice canter in the open and her neck reining is nearing very good.

8/4/08 I took her for a trail ride just before it got really hot. She was very good for the first part. However, she took a short bolt when frightened by something, twice. This is a new thing for her, and could be due to her actually hearing something behind her that I did not. She recovered quickly, but for all her goodness, she is still a young horse. At the end of the ride we stood and watched the staff work on a wood project, with much sawing and hammering and such and she was dubious at first, but relaxed nicely at the end.

7/31/08 Repeated the same route as yesterday with less hesitation at the bog. The deer jumped out as if on cue and she only did a shy in place, which is a great response. Then no hesitation over the seasonal creek and a nice canter in the field. She did excellently. Gave her a cool hosing down afterwards.

7/30/08 Tacked up and went out in the field. In the process had to cross a boggy area which she was not about. Just worried, not naughty. She figured it out. Then out to the big pasture. When a deer jumped out of the woods, she took a nice shy and brief canter toward home. She recovered quickly and then we went on to cross the small seasonal creek with only minor hesitation and had a nice canter in the pasture. Good.

7/28/08 Out on a trail ride in the big pasture. A deer popped out and she shied and did a 180 and 3 stride bolt. She recovered quickly and this is not unusual for a young horse. The answer is more miles and more experience. I am happy with how she recovered. She crossed over the seasonal stream with slight hesitation and cantered fairly balanced out in the open, which is great.

7/26/08 Rode in the pasture over the small creek and she was much more settled about it today. Great. Then went on a canter around the pasture, scared up a fawn that flushed late, poor Fancy nearly jumped out of her skin. When I picked up the rein to settle her, she over-reacted and had a jarring moment. This is why I am not terribly fond of curb bits. There is not way to turn down the volume on them. It happened again later when she shied at another deer. We had another nice canter in the field, though, then went in the woods on the trail where she did exceptionally well.

7/25/08 Rode her on the trail and out in the field at a walk, trot and canter. We rode out in the big pasture which has a small seasonal creek which she thought was quite scary at first. It took a few minutes of coaxing, but she went through it, and then we repeated it several times until she was relaxed about it. Much praise.

7/23/08 I rode her in the curb bit with the leather curb strap. This one is much wider than the original, perhaps even too wide, but we'll see. I like to ride in a bit for a week before making any decision. At first blush, I like how she goes in it. I am glad we did all the work we did with a snaffle, because now that we have so much more power (see: physics regarding levers) it is much more important that she understand what is being asked. A curb bit exerts more pressure on the bars of the horse's mouth and also new pressure on their lower jaw and poll. It is a totally different and much stronger action. She did well with it in walk. In trot and canter she showed a marked increase in neck tension. I spent some time showing her how to react to the bit to escape its pressure and she got better. It will take some time for her to be really comfortable, and it is our obligation to be especially mindful during this time. We rode out in the field and all over the place outside. I treated her with long acting fly spray, so if she smells like a citronella candle, you'll know why...

7/21/08 I rode her in the indoor. I note that a new bit has been bought, but the leather curb strap looks remarkably chain-like. I rode her on the snaffle and she did excellently. We are working on neck reining, relaxation and balance in the trot and canter. Afterwards I went to Western Edge and bought a leather curb strap that I will put on the bridle tomorrow.

7/17/08 Rode her and had a meeting with Nile about progress and where we go from here. We're going to stay the course with training, continue to expand her horizons in experience on the trail and to continue to work on neck reining and balance. Perhaps a trip to Brushy Creek for her. Also Nile is going to look into a new mild curb bit with a leather curb strap, a saddle blanket pad or washable saddle blanket and I was sent on a mission for cookies, which is completed. :-)

7/16/08 I took her out for a hack in the woods and then some work in the hay field where we did lots of canter work. She is coming along in canter and her neck reining is on the right path. I hosed her to cool her down when I was done and she thought that was alright.

7/9/08 I rode her out in the newly harvested hay field where we woked in all gaits. She had just the mention of a buck once, but she got over it. Her neck reining is coming along. I was at Theissens and took the liberty of buying a mineral block holder for her stall, anticipating that you might agree that having a mineral block in her stall might be a good idea, to supplement her diet, especially since she is young and in more consistent work. I recommend a Purina Mills 12-12 mineral block that can be bought at Brekke's for about $35. With one horse, it should last several months. If you would like I can pick it up next time I am at Brekke's (probably next week) or you can get it, or you can let me know that you'd rather not. Just let me know at you convenience.

7/2/08 I bought her some long-acting fly spray to help keep the bugs off her this coming muggy weekend. I put it on tonight. She smells like a citronella candle...

7/1/08 Early morning trail ride in the woods. She did very well stepping over branches and even dealt with a few deer. She is becoming more confident. Cross the stream twice. She was worried about it where it was boggy, which is understandable. With encouragement, she went forward.

6/30/08 Rode her in the arena. Her canter is markedly improved after the chirpractic adjustment. Now she is merely unbalanced and that will come along fine.

6/26/08 Took her for a trail ride, first around the field, where she did manage to have one good shy, but it was short-lived, and when she settled quickly she got a reassuring pat. In the woods she did very well. She managed to keep steady when a deer flushed and stepped over some low branches on the ground with only a little goosey step. We crossed a small stream twice. She was dubious, but did cross when pressed, for which she earned much praise.

6/25/08 Took her out on a trail ride in the buggy, hot humid afternoon. Several small animals were skittering about in the tall grass in front of her feet and she reacted very appropriately, acknowledging but not jumping or changing pace. After the trail ride we worked in the arena where she did quite well. I rinsed her with cool water after the ride and hand-grazed her for 15 minutes while she cooled out.

6/23/08 Since she had a week off (at least from my training) I lunged her before I got on. I had put on Jeff's saddle because I had it out from riding his horse. It fits Fancy fine. When we got to canter work, the long latigos on the back of the saddle were lightly tapping her butt, which made her go a little faster, which made them tap a little more, which made her go faster. We did a lot of work in trot and canter on the lunge so that she could get used to it. She got better and better. This is a very important lesson.

6/14/08 Tacked up and rode her in the outdoor, working on canter and neckreining. She did quite well.

6/13/08 Straight out for a trail ride. We walked around the field and then went into the woods. Being in the woods alone can be a little more scary for horses because predators hide in woods, so horses are generally wary at first. She was breathing a littlel rapidly, but with reassurance she soldiered on. We stepped over downed branches and she dealt with the rustling of leaves, which at first made her nervous. By the end I was actively shaking branches as we went by them and she was ok with it. Very good.

6/12/08 Warmed up in the indoor and did work in walk, trot and canter, including working on neck reining. Then went out on a trail ride which went well.

6/8/08 It was pouring rain out so I rode in the indoor. There was another person in there who rode a little close a few times that Fancy did not appreciate, but she managed well. She is starting to get steadier in trot. In canter she had a few bucks, which got her a growl and more work. By the end she was doing quite well. The chiropractor usually comes out to Equine Referral Clinic on Mondays. I am gone the next two Mondays which is why I haven't made an appointment. However, I intend to call tomorrow to get an appointment for following Monday or whenever he is available. Details when I know them.

6/6/08 Rode her in the indoor and she did quite well.

6/4/08 Rode in the indoor in the evening. Did a lot of trot work, which is coming along and some work on neck reining which is also coming along. There was a small "bridge" made of wood set up in the arena. I got off and educated her about it, letting her see it and smell it and step on it. The sound of their hooves on the wood is frightening to a lot of young horses. She was surprised at the noise and skittered across the first time, but she got much praise for trying when she was a little afraid. That is to be commended. We did it several more times until she got more relaxed about it and then walked over it with me in the saddle. We did it several times, none of which were entirely relaxed, but pretty good for the first exposure. Good on her.

6/1/08 Rode her in the outdoor at a walk, trot and canter and did some work on neck reining. She did quite well. Took her for a trailride in the field and a little in the woods. She was suspicious in the woods, but was willing to try. She has a great attitude.

5/28/08 I lunged Fancy today who seemed a little tight to the left, but fine to the right. I think if we keep her in light work, as we have been, she will be fine. Back in the tack tomorrow.

5/26/08 Brought her in to brush her and she was resting her left hind consistently. She has a windpuff above her left hind fetlock. I gave her a gram of bute and hosed the leg and gave her the day off. Called Nile and updated him. She should have tomorrow off for sure and we'll play it by ear after that.

5/25/08 Started to ride in the outdoor, but it was quite sloppy. I opened the gate from the saddle and she did quite well with it. We went out for a slow trail ride, much relaxation and walking. She is getting a little more confidence each time and rather enjoyed herself I think. We have only been in the fields and along the woods. Soon it will be time to go into the woods which is significantly scarrier for horses. We need to get her confidence up before we go.

5/23/08 Rode in the outdoor while another person was schooling and jumping. Fancy was a little tight in her back at first, but settled in and then did some nice work.

5/22/08 Warmed up in the arena with a fair amount of trot and canter work which is coming along well. Then out for another trail ride, past the scary bale with confidence. Wonderful that she remembers the lesson from yesterday and learned to not be afraid. Some horses don't relax that quickly. Then out in the far field for some relaxed walking and trotting and getting used to being out in the big world. She didn't whinny once today, which she had done on other trail rides. That is a great sign that she is getting a little more confident. Good girl.

5/21/08 Worked in the indoor in all gaits. She is coming along, but unsure about how to stay relaxed and balanced. Coming along. Then out for a trail ride. We went in the alfalfa field behind the arena where there was a small, net-wrapped hay bale. She was quite alarmed at it and when I asked her to go forward she produced 2 moderate rears, for which she was rewarded a fair amount of work in trot near the bale. With each pass, I had her go a foot closer to the hay bale, praising her for her effort. Then I let her walk and asked her to walk up to it, which she hesitantly did. I give horses a lot of credit for going forward when they are unsure. She did fine. We walked all the way around the hay bale quite well. Then when we left it, she stepped through the tips of a downed branch, surprised herself, and jumped straight up into the air. While some of the reactions are alarming if a person isn't used to them, these are simply young horse antics that will fade with time and experience. There is not a mean bone in this horse's body.

5/16/08 Worked in the arena in all gaits. She is tight, especially to the left in canter, but it will come. Out for a hack in teh big world where she experienced the horses in the 13th street barn, barrels, more soft ground, playground equipment and a huge lawnmower. Some trepidation, but she kept her head on straight. Good girl.

5/15/08 Warmed up in the arena, where she was only slightly tight in her back at first. She came out of it nicely. The back gate was open and she was relaxed, so we went out on our first hack outside the arena. We walked in the back field and near the woods. She was very interested in the construction happening, but kept her head about it. She objected to some swampy ground, but it was just lack of confidence. When I supported her a little more with my leg, she went forward quite willingly and I praise her a lot for doing so when she was unsure. She did quite well.

5/12/08 Rode in the outdoor in the wind. She was quite round in her back for the first 5 minutes out of tension and suggested she might buck. We worked through that and then did a lot of slow trot work and then a fair amount of cantering. She had some moments of discussion about direction occasionally and she is quite green, but it is coming.

5/7/08 Quite muddy in the outdoor, so rode in the indoor. She was mostly relaxed right off the bat. Did some trot work, with some issues in relaxation, but coming along. Lots of canter work. She is becoming more balanced and her halt is great. Upward transition to the left is easier than right. Coming along.

5/5/08 Rode in the outdoor, with a lot of work on transitions and a fair amount of canter work. She is getting more balanced all the time, but she is young and it takes some time. She is getting better in her relationship to the bit. She is feeling less likely to buck all the time. Confidence coming up.

4/30/08 Rode in the indoor when a dressage lesson was going on with two little girls doing all sorts of stuff. Fancy was very good. We did walk, trot and canter work without one moment of buck suggestion. Sidepassing is coming along. Word of warning, if you are cantering and say whoa and just quietly sit still, she will REALLY stop. Handy skill, but could unseat a rider if not prepared. She was very good today.

4/29/08 Rode in the indoor. After a warmup in walk and trot, moved on to canter transitions. The last few times I have ridden her, she has gotten her back up as if to buck when she has had an opinion other than what her rider would like. It takes a few moments to get her through it and she is much better on the other side. She's definitely a young horse in that regard.

4/27/08 Worked her in the outdoor. She was a little distracted, but not too bad. We did a lot of work on transitions in trot and canter and some work on backing, all of which went well. She did throw a minor fit when I asked her to canter past the spot where we had been stopping before. Bucked a few times, but we came to an agreement that forward was a good idea. Did some more canter work and some figures in trot. Coming along.

4/24/08 Worked in the arena, with a lot of walk warm up while I coached a student and then, after the lesson, I did a lot of trot work, with much bending to help her get her balance developed. Then on to canter work, which is unbalanced, but improving. Very good.

4/23/08 Worked in the indoor. After lunging, did walk trot walk transitions to help her learn to balance. Then on to canter trot canter, with halts and backs in the mix. She said it was a lot of hard work, but she did fine.

4/17/08 I lunged her in the indoor, with a lot of work in canter, after a warmup. I wanted to give her a chance to work on balancing her canter without a rider on her back, as she is quite tight and a bit nervous about canter under saddle. It was quite a bit easier for her to go to the right, but she did improve quite a lot to the left when left to figure it out for herself. When longeing, she likes to lie on the line, so that the longeur can help hold her up. I encouraged her to balance herself today, which at first disappointed her, as it is much easier to let the handler hold her up for her, but she got steadily better.

4/14/08 Warmed up with lungeing and she was pretty relaxed. Got on and the first few moments she was quite tight and suggesting a buck, so we did some flexibility things to get her relaxing. Then on to trot work and stretching down and then a fair amount of canter work. She wants to drop her shoulder in and wobble at canter, but it is coming along.

4/8/08 There was a pony on the lunge line in the arena when we went in, and he was throwing occasional fits of bolting. Fancy was a bit scared of it. After observing a few moments, I got on. Fancy was very tight in her back and suggested she might buck. I asked her to bend and let go in her back, and after a few minutes, she did. We did a lot of trot work, which is unbalanced, but willing. In canter she had some moments of suggesting she would buck and one actual buck. Part of it being a little cheeky, and a lot of it is being a little worried about being unbalanced. She ended up well, with some reasonable canter work. Cookies.

4/7/08 Lunged in the indoor and then got on and rode. She was a little smart at first, suggested she might buck, but came around with some bending work. On to trot which went well, not balanced yet, but these things take time. On to canter which was unbalanced and had a few moments of buck suggestion, but is getting better. I find that when horses get balanced and confident, the bucking thing goes away. It is mostly nerves. She did fine.

4/4/08 Rode in the indoor where there was another horse. We lunged first which went quite well. They were constructing the hut outside and at one point when we were trotting along, a circular saw started, which startled her and she took a short bolt. Also had a moment when one of the flaps on the structure moved in the wind. She did a nice spin and bolt. All in a day's work for a young horse. Just needs to experience more. We're working on it. We also did some more work on sidepass and back. It is coming along.

3/31/08 We worked on lungeing in the indoor. She was a little light on her feet, but probably due to being in her stall all day due to the nasty weather. I got on and we did some work on neck reining, letting go in her poll, sidepassing (left is a little tougher for her) and some canter work. She did very well. Her primary difficulty is that she is unbalanced, but at her age and riding experience level, that is to be expected.

3/25/08 Fancy was in her stall when I got there in the afternoon, so I worked with her first, to give her a break from being in relatively alone. She seemed happy for the attention. I brushed and tacker her up (I used the snaffle) and then lunged her. She was more energetic on the lunge today then yesterday, with a few moments of good-natured sassiness, but she was reminded to stay within the range of polite and she did. I got on and she was a little dead to the leg, but she got over it. We did a lot of neck reining work for warm up, which went well. Then on to trot work and transition work and discussed backing. I got off and showed her from the ground and then asked from the tack and she offered a step. Much praise and then on to something else and then back again for the same exercise. She offered a better step the second time. Much praise. By the end of the session she was calmly backing 4 steps whenever asked. Smart girl. Then did some canter work which is quite unbalanced, but need to start somewhere. Very good.

3/24/08 Met with the Ramsbottoms about Fancy. Tacked up and went to the indoor where Nile lunged her. They did well together. The mare is not as comfortable to the right, but not egregiously so. We can help her with that. We discussed that the curb bit is a little narrow for her face and the option of moving her to a french link snaffle. Nile rode her which went well. I rode her in walk, trot and canter. She is young and reasonably unbalanced and somewhat tense, but a willing and generous participant. She let out a minor buck in canter. We decided that I am going to work with her to help her develop into a relaxed and steady trailriding partner for Nile and I am looking forward to it.

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