Training Log for Sangha Hladky

3/15/08 Kate had another lesson and then took Sangha home. It was great to see Kate and I was sorry to see both of them leave.

3/14/08 Kate came out and had a lesson on her, which went well.

3/13/08 Rode in the indoor, worked on bending and staying on the aids. She was a little full of it starting out, but got better and better on the aids as we went on.

3/10/08 Took her for a slow hack to let her stretch out her hunting muscles. Also did some pasture dressage. She did very well.

3/7-8 Hunted at Coal Valley Joint Meet. She was a star and we all had a wonderful time. Tonight I am editing the Buck Davidson video and will have some pictures from the joint meet soon. Must sleep now though. :-)

3/6/08 Warmed up in the arena and then took her for a hack in the woods. Jay rode her in the Buck Davidson clinic over the weekend and they did very well. I will have some video to post when I get it edited soon. Anyway, today I took her on a hack to decompress. That was a lot of ringwork over the weekend. She started out a little tight, but came around nicely. We moved about 50 deer in the woods. It was like moving cattle!

2/28/08 Jay arrived to the arena with Sangha as I was just leaving it to take my horse out and get another one. He warmed up by himself and by the time I got back with my second horse he was happily cantering along. I rode my second horse while he worked Sangha and they were doing well. Then he decided to put a pole on the ground in the middle of the arena and canter circles with the pole as part of the circle. By that time I was mostly done with my horse so I helped him directly. He did very well and by the end they were doing lead changes over the pole in a figure 8. Very nice!

2/27/08 Jay rode Sangha. We did much the same exercise as yesterday and it went even a little better than the success we had then.

2/26/08 Jay rode Sangha in preparation for taking him in the Buck Davidson clinic this weekend. The organizer had indicated that there was some room yet in the clinic. I emailed her to let her know Jay wants a spot, but haven't heard back from her yet. I think they will get in. Jay and Sangha warmed up slowly, which I think is a key with her. The did a lot of walk flexibility work while I was riding another horse. I tried not to hang over them, but I was watching out of the corner of my eye and they were getting on well and she was breathing and paying attention. When I was done with my horse, I worked with Jay and Sangha. They started with trot work, which was slightly hurried at first, but we worked on outside half halt and spiral in and out on a circle and things came together nicely. Then we went on to the same exercises in canter and it went swimmingly. I was sorry that, because I didn't know this morning that he was coming out this afternoon, I didn't have my camera to share it with you. There were some really nice moments. We closed with a warmdown in walk legyield. She was quite pleased with herself and Jay had an enjoyable time.

2/22/08 Warm enough to go out for a hack. We had a bit of discussion about standing politely for mounting, partly because she was distracted by all the dear in the nearby woods. We went for a hack in the woods where she figured out that there was no other horse to follow and she would just have to put on her Big Mare Pants and deal with it, which she did. Then out into the big field for some trot and canter work, focusing on staying soft in her poll. She did very well and we both had a lot of fun.

2/20/08 Had a few days off due to the storm and subsequent cold. She was quite ready to go today and was a bit of a pill, actually. But she came around in due time and by the end I was doing the making as much noise as I can with my dressage whip on the walls routine and she was dutifully ignoring it.

2/16/08 Hunting at Grand River. The weather was very nice and the footing was good. It was a very small field with Jay, Stacey Roberts and me making it up entirely. We hunted for three hours and Jay was our brave field master. He and Sangha led over hill, dale, creek crossing and jump without a hair out of place on either of them. The hounds worked really well and put something to ground late in the hunt. We had a few short spurts, but no long runs, which is ok sometimes. A good time was had by all. It was a truly lovely day.

Here is a picture where we tried to get all artsy, but what we got was "really far away" looking. :-)

Here Jay and Sangha are striking a pose with Ken and the hounds. Showboats.

Here they are walking behind as Ken and the hounds work.

2/14/08 We are hunting on Sunday, so Jay came out to have a lesson on Sangha and to get back in practice, and/or make himself sore before Sunday. ;-) They started out with some walk work which went well, the trot work was a little tense, but we worked through that with getting him to breathe and use an outside half halt. That was fixed, so on to canter, which was quite a fright the first few minutes. Just tight. I convinced Jay to do the spiral in and spiral out exercise which always helps, and sure enough. They had it together in lovely relaxation in a few minutes. Very nice!

2/13/08 Up to 19 degrees! Woohoo, heat wave! Tacked up and rode in the indoor. Started with walk work to warm up, then some shoulder in and leg yield in walk, focusing on her not over-reacting to leg aids (by stepping tight and short and dropping her back), encouraging her to step under and through and lifting her back. It is a paradigm shift for her, but she is getting on board. Canter work was good, occasionally quite good. At the end of the day, for warmdown, we walked around the rail of the arena and I took the dressage whip and banged it on every wall, the gate, the posts, the steel, the barrels, everything until, after a few times around, she didn't react at all. Very good. Much praise and cookies.

2/8/08 Kate came out for a lesson and they both did excellently. I saddled up Turner and we all enjoyed a delightful trailride on a lovely sunny winter day. Thank you!

2/7/08 A really funny moment when I was getting on. The radio was on NPR and they must have been between movements of the symphony as it had been silent for about a minute while we walked in to the arena. Right at the moment I was about to swing a leg over, the next movement started and we both jumped. It worked out fine and I had a good chuckle. She was not quite as amused. She was a bit of a pill today and we had a discussion about moving off my leg when asked, regardless of what she might perceive as scary. We came to a nice agreement and had some nice work in the end.

2/4/08 Took her for a nice long slow trailride to let her stretch out her muscles which are probably a little sore from the hunt, though you wouldn't have known it that day to watch her. She looked great today too and we had a nice time.

2/2/08 Jay hunted her at Grand River. She was just fabulous and had a big grin on her face the whole time. I would show you in pictures, but my camera battery was not up to the task. Drat. Still a great time was had by all!

1/31/08 Brought her in and tacked up and rode in the indoor. She was very good about letting go in her neck, even when being led. I got on and we started with some nice walk work, then on to canter, which was really quite good. It takes maintenance, but she is starting to actually breathe (what? why do that?) in canter. The trot work was quite nice. We'll keep at this so that she starts to habitually relax rather than having to be reminded. Then we'll have the spiral of increasing relaxation going, and it tends to self feed. Woohoo.

1/29/08 Cold front came through with a vengeance. When I went out to check them at noon it was 6 degrees with a NW wind ramping up. Sangha was in her heavy blanket in the run in looking out at me, perfectly comfortable. I went and fed her cookies and she mentioned how wimpy thoroughbreds are and wondered when Mother Nature would bring on the real cold. Fed her some cookies and told her what a beautiful girl she is. The barn manager said he was going to bring them in a little early today, and I think they will all like that plan.

1/27/08 Sangha and Jay went hunting! Sangha was delightful to load and hauled well. She munched most of her hay bag on the way to the hunt and refused water before the hunt, too interested in surroudings. She was a perfect lady at the pre-hunt gathering.

The footing was surprisingly good and Jay and Sangha had a big time.

They played Lewis and Clark spotting for indians.

And Sangha kept good watch on the hounds like any good hunt horse.

It was a very good day. Thank you!

1/24/08 Out for a hack with Jay and Sangha. I was on Graham. Sangha was quite good when Graham shied at something before we mounted and she managed to deal with the skittering deer. Jan and she got along famously. There was one moment when she was shying at an overturned watertank and they had a discussion, but it was quiet and she figured it out. It was great to get outside, even if the east wind was a bit damp, but we were desperate enough to endure it with grins.

1/22/08 Jay was out. After I warmed Sangha up, (and she had her best work to date, I think she likes Jay) he got on and did some nice walk work. Trot was a bit of a train wreck as she was a bit nervous, probably partly because he was the same because he was a bit rusty. After a few minutes, he got his mojo going and she settled down and followed suit. The trot work became really quite nice. I wished I'd brought my camera. Wah. Canter work started out a little gnarly, but came around more quickly than the trot had and by the end they both were happy and breathing. They could have done an acceptable dressage test methinks. Tomorrow is supposed to be colder than a wet bathing suit. If that holds true, she'll have the day off tomorrow.

1/21/08 Brought her in and fed apples and carrots. Yum. Worked in the indoor with a walk warm up with very nice stretching. Then on to some trot work, with less shying than usual and passing more quickly. Canter work was improved, but still tight. Moving in the right direction though, and I especially like her general expression, which is less concerned, and the manner in which she is allowing herself to be led--with her neck down and relaxed in her body. Wonderful. I talked to Sandy about the less than adequate hay we saw in the feeders Sunday and she noted that she didn't like it either and it was the last of that batch, which was just a few bales of one rack. Having seen the general quality of the hay around the place I believe her.

1/17/08 Some very nice work today. She is figuring out that she has a leader and she can relax. That is not to say that we didn't have a few skittish moments, but she is getting better. I credit this partly to a complete lack of reaction to it. I think that she shies a little and then is afraid she is going to get punished so she has a secondary fright reaction. Today she really shied pretty hard at the door which creaked in the wind quite loudly just as we were passing it. I completely ignored it and she got over it in less than a second. As the day went on she started to under-react to dirt being thrown against the wall and making noise. Next on the list is to get out the wacky natural horsemanship flag and do that whole thing with her. Poor dear, her confidence is not what it could be. Part of that is genetics, but a large part of it is handling that pre-dates you, Kate.

1/16/08 We had a very nice ride today. She was mostly relaxed and had the best canter work to date. She needs help relaxing and I figured out a few keys over the last few days. One is the technique that I have been talking about, that when I am on the ground, she has to stay loose, forward and down in her neck. The second key is to get on and have her stand still on a slack rein until she takes a breath. It took a while today, but she did. Then to stop occasionally and repeat that process. She needs help relaxing. (I have a theory that horses who don't get enough praise early in their career just view being ridden as a series of yes/no questions and they are only told when they are wrong. Makes them very anxious, as it would anybody.) Then we walked long and low in a slow rhythm and then did the same thing in trot. Canter work was nice, not stretchy yet, but she is coming unlocked in her body. Yay.

1/15/08 Yay, remembered the saddle today. Pretty cold out, but not as cold as it will get later this week, so in the tack we go. We warmed up with some walk work, which went well. Then on to canter work to let her get some energy off. She did very well in canter and I asked her for frequent transitions. When she halted, I would praise her and then wait for a few seconds until she took a breath. This seemed to really help her relax. We ended with trot work, working on staying relaxed and steady in the gate and doing some flexibility. Very good.

1/14/08 Drat! I forgot the saddle in the basement, where it was being oiled. I still have the Wintec at the barn though. Tacked up and rode in the arena and she was a bit up at first (as most of the horses were today, maybe the cold...) She came around nicely and produced some nice trot and canter work. Getting better at letting go in her neck and listening and relaxing. She's a good girl. Cookies.

1/11/08 Oiled the saddle and rode in it again today. She is figuring it out that it is my job to keep her safe and her job to follow me. She is starting to let go in her poll and not be distracted by everything, but it isn't hardwired yet. All that said, she had some lovely work in all gaits today and was delightful. I oiled the saddle, girth and leathers tonight again and they just drank it up. Pretty amazing. It is a lovely saddle and the saddle pad is fabulous.

1/10/08 Rode in the new saddle and girth. It must be magic because she seemed to understand today what we have been discussing the last few rides--that it is not her job to scan the horizon for threats and she should relax her poll. She did actually quite well and finished off her carrots (which had been supplemented with cookies to make them last a while!).

1/7/08 I had a lone barrel lying in the middle of the arena and she had a moderate tiz about cantering near it. So she got to leg yield toward and away from it in trot and shoulder in past it until cantering past it was the easiest of the evils. Had some nice work in canter, though we are still negotiating who decides pace. Took a hack around the property to cool down, which was very nice for both of us. We saw 42 deer.

1/6/08 Much much better today. Still had a few moments of discussion, since I opened up both ends of the arena and she was thinking that was her ticket to peer out them and get distracted each time by, but she figured out that she should stay with me, and produced some nice work.

1/3/08 Had a little Come to Jesus session. After warmup, we did some canter work and she was having a meltdown about the doors that were slightly and intermittently creaking in the wind. I'd bet money that she has heard that for hours on end in a stall somewhere and slept right through it. We did a lot of trot and canter work and when she decided to jump into the bridle, get tight and skitter about, she got to stop, back up a step or two and stand on a slack rein. I was not high on her list of really fun people for about 20 minutes today. She figured it out pretty quickly, though, and by the end, produced some nice work.

12/31/07 I have a new working student who is starting from square one, working on grooming, picking up feet etc. We groomed Sangha together and Sangha was patient and, I think, somewhat amused. Then we did parts of the horse with Sangha as the model, which she found really just goofy of us. After tacking up (more amusement for Sangha), we worked in the indoor. Did a lot of canter work after walk and trot warm up with leg yields and shoulder in. It all went well. Good girl, and she was polite for Billie to lead out to the pasture too.

12/29/07 Rode her outside and spotted no less than 22 deer. She was a lot more settled today and we were able to do some nice work in all three gaits. Yay.

12/28/07 Brought her in and fed cookies (carrots accidently left at home, d'oh!, bring them tomorrow...). Tried on the shiny new saddle, which fits fabulously, as does the saddle pad fit the saddle. However, the girth does not. The billets are just a bit shorter than the other saddle and it is just enough to make it not work. I didn't have another girth at that barn, so I rode in the wintec. She has a 50", she probably needs a 54". For what it is worth, I really like this brand of girth. We rode in the indoor and she was a pill, so after a walk warm up, we went straight to canter. We spend a lot of time discussing relaxing in her poll and also doing transitions from canter to trot to canter to walk, etc. She chose to over-react to some snow sliding off the roof and I came as close as I have come in a while to falling off a horse. After I got straight again, I had to laugh. We went back to work after that and she got better and better. I brought the saddle home because if we are going to start using it on her, it needs to be oiled first, but I want to be sure you are on board with that.

12/21/07 After a warm up, did a lot of canter work and had a break through in helping her let go in her poll in canter. She was having a particularly tight day (impending storm...), so I asked her to do some spiral in and spiral out in canter, with the smallest circle being about 12 m. She commented about how difficult it was, until she finally tried letting go in her neck and then felt how easy it is. Ta da. Then the large circle was easier too. Supposed to storm tomorrow, but if the horses go out in it, the barn will blanket. She doesn't have a blanket on tonight because it will be mild enough, but when temps drop Sunday, she may need a blanket even in her stall. I will go put it on if I can, but if the roads are too nasty, I will call and ask barn management to do it. At any rate, she'll be dandy.

12/19/07 Day two of outside without a blanket. Thirty-seven degrees! Crazy. We went out for a hack, to give her a break from all the drilling I have been doing. We rode with a quarterhorse mare and her owner, who was riding bareback. I thought Sangha would help keep the mare quiet, but it turned out that S noticed every deer within a quarter mile and gave a good shy at 2 of them, the goof. Bareback girl was a good sport and stayed on admirably. "I miss my horsie" picture of the day:

12/17/07 Rode in the great outdoors, while those without borium and snow poppers looked on, aghast. It was fine. We were doing figure 8s in trot, working on relaxing the poll and balancing and then canter figure 8s with simple lead changes between, which she says is haaaaaard because she has to stay balanced and soft in her pole and polite all at the same time. Worse than that, I deftly took her leadrope out of the hands of the delightful teenager who was bringing her in for evening feed. She was not impressed when I tacked her up instead of feeding her. For that, I may not be her favorite person at the moment. She got her precious food at the end and after cooling out.

12/14/07 Eleven degrees at noon. Lovely day for a ride. We did a lot of walking to warm up, and focused on her staying soft in her throatlatch and it was much improved from where we started yesterday. Trot work was a little tougher as she has trouble balancing by herself instead of locking and pushing. But it came around. Her canter work was remarkably improved over yesterday. I swear they process things in the evening after riding and come back the next day and have it figured out. Horses are so cool.

12/13/07 Worked on the flat asking her to let go in her poll. I can see what difficulty you might have had in your lesson with Bill when he was commenting that rhythm is the first building block. It is hard to maintain rhythm when they are locking their poll and wavering in front of and behind the leg. I worked only on getting her to unlock and when we had that, the rhythm started to settle nicely. Very good day. Following is the "I miss my horsie" picture of the day:

12/11/07 Anticipated ice storm not quite as bad as predicted. I went in to work in the afternoon and visited Turner and Sangha on the way home from work. They were in for the day, with nice clean stalls. I fed them treats and played with them a bit.

12/10/07 Eighteen degrees out and overcast, but calm wind. Since she has the snow poppers and the borium, we went out to ride in the big wide open. We worked on her releasing in her poll, which is going pretty well in walk and trot, and in canter we had some good work. I fed her a couple of carrots at the end and turned her out. The barn is doing a good job of acclimating her feed into the program. The remaining hay bale is clearly marked as hers and in front of her stall. She looks great and runs her little gelding band as the benevolent dictator she is. Ice storm coming tonight, so may not get out to see her tomorrow. But no worries, this barn is very well run. I've been impressed with their attention to detail where the horses are concerned.

12/8/07 Visited in the morning before the snow is supposed to fly this afternoon. She was out with Turner (other horse, tb gelding, in training) and Tilt (a friend's tb gelding) and Doc (another friends qh gelding). There was peace in the herd and they were all munching hay. I brought her in, rescued the carrots from the barn aisle (since it was 15 degrees and they were going to freeze, I fed Sangha some and put the rest in the heated tack room for another day). I tacked up and rode in the indoor. We did a lot of flexibility things, working on helping her let go in her poll. Lots of work in walk and trot and she did very well, shoulder in and leg yield. Then on to canter, which is much harder for her to let go in her poll in. But she did, eventually, and I gave her a nice big release, of course, when she did, and she thought that was alright. Did a lot of walk work for warmdown, re-blanketed and back out with her geldings. The blanket that she has is lovely, but not very heavy. However, she seemed quite happy and warm enough.

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