We're not dead!!!

Oh.My.Goodness. Time keeps doing what it does and I keep saying, "I've got to update my dressage blog" but the update needed has grown so big and cumbersome that the block of time needed seems exorbitant given all the other stuff I need and want to do and and....     Well.     Deep breath.     Here we are.

Since this is, in effect, my training journal, I want to document what we've been doing (as best I can remember at my advancing age), so fair warning: A lot has happened since the 2022 State Fair!

Even though we made it through that State Fair Battle of the Breeds class together vs. parting company, Stella and I were representatives for dressage in dress and tack only. She is by nature quick, tense, and reactive, and nothing I tried was making much of a difference in helping her become calm, relaxed, and forward – in other words, a dressage partner. In the fall of 2021 Suzan had suggested putting Stella on a calming supplement; I finally quit using it after of year of seeing no clear benefit. Of course I kept riding, in the arena and out of it, trying different bridles to see if she had a preference:

Speaking of Suzan, for a variety of reasons on both sides, I hadn't able to schedule a lesson with her since February of 2022. So when I got a promotional email in early September about an online "30 Days To Round" Challenge with Amelia Newcomb, I decided to sign up. A Shetland sheep acquaintance (who rides, obviously) also signed up, giving me someone to bounce experiences off of. 

The day after I committed myself, Suzan texted me to finally set up a lesson. Of course. If I'd known I would be able to resume taking lessons from Suzan I probably wouldn't have paid to join the online challenge, because almost 30 years of experience has taught me that nothing and no one is as effective as Suzan. But I am nothing if not goal-oriented, so I went full steam ahead into the 30DTR Challenge to see what we could gain from it, getting in almost a week of that program before our lesson with Suzan.

I do think it helped; look at the photos Suzan took of us at our lesson!

Round!

Relaxed!

We discussed bits at that lesson; Suzan felt the loose-ring double-jointed snaffle I was using had too much 'play' for a horse like Stella. So I embarked on a short research project, ordering and sending back bits until we finally settled on a Herm Sprenger KK Ultra Eggbutt Sensogan Bradoon as the best option.

I continued working through the 30DTR Challenge with uneven results. It motivated me to ride nearly every day and use my Pivo to record video of our rides for review and feedback. There's nothing like 'eyes on the ground' to spot problems, and in lieu of that, seeing yourself on video is a close second, and my position improved. But it was clear to me that I still wasn't addressing Stella's core issue(s); for that, my best hope was Suzan. After more roadblocks, I was able to schedule another lesson with Suzan on October 12, just before 30DTR ended on October 17, and on October 26, and on Nov. 9!

Those four lessons in two months were transformative. My hot, tense, quick mare learned she could RELAX, slow down, and walk and trot ON.THE.BUCKLE. These are photos Suzan took during our Nov. 9 lesson:

At the one lesson we've gotten in this year so far (January 11), it was clear the improvement is sticking. Suzan gave me two huge compliments. The first was when I commented that she was taking us up to the next 'level;' she said, "That's because you've done your homework." The second was when I expressed how happy I was with Stella's progress, progress I wasn't sure she would ever make. Suzan said, "Stella is lucky she ended up with you; almost anyone else would have ruined her."

Stella, not ruined

I cannot adequately convey the relief, joy, and anticipation that have blossomed with having keys to 'unlock' Stella.  Don't misunderstand me; she is not a different horse and there are no quick fixes. But I now have tools to encourage Stella to relax and use her body in ways that are both more expressive and less likely to cause strain and injury so we can dance together for many years to come. 

"Every ride" reminders for me:

Widen collarbones (that's actually from my sheep friend)

Don't sit back on pockets

Look up

'Push the shopping cart'

Weight my right stirrup, and her right hind

Swing her back with my inside seat bone

Widen inside hand

If she braces, widen hands but don't play with the reins;

wait her out then reward with forward hands

In the midst of our progress, at the end of October, an acquaintance mentioned on FB that she was getting out of horses and selling her (mostly cob-sized) tack. Since her place is very close to where I was to attend a women's retreat with a friend, I made arrangements to stop by on my way to the retreat to see what she had. My acquisitions: a rolled leather halter, a basic saddle pad, an Engel Lammfell saddle pad, and, because they looked so good together even though I didn't need them, what I call the Princess Bride set:

rolled leather halter

The Princess Bride wore pale blue

For Christmas a knowing and generous friend sent me a sterling silver stock pin, so I went on Etsy and found the perfect stock tie to complete our show ensemble:

Yes, we were making enough progress that I was actually thinking of showing Stella in open dressage shows this year! So I looked at the Oregon Dressage Society website calendar. Cue the Kingston Trio: "Where have all the options gone? Long time passing...." 🎶 I found NO schooling shows, very few League shows, and the nearest venue requires stabling + bedding purchased from them, which triples my cost. My, how things have changed since I last frequented the area dressage shows! Well, maybe we'd just enter a couple dressage classes at the Oregon Morgan Classic like we did two years ago and be done with it.

A week or so later, one of the first venues at which I showed my Morgan gelding more than 20 years ago came to mind. It has always had an annual recognized show, but it wasn't listed on the calendar. Hmmm; I looked the facility up online – and found a schooling show scheduled for April 16, no stabling required, all other fees reasonable. Score! Stella and I are entered in Training Level Tests 1 and 2.

It's been more than three years of feeling my way with this mare. It's been an incredible journey so far. Here's to the future! 😊

I can see more clearly now...

...the rain smoke is gone. Still hoping for a good, cleansing rain, but at least Lance can exercise again!

It's tough when conditions prohibit applying the best recommendation (30 minutes of forced exercise daily) for one condition (Equine Metabolic Syndrome) because of another condition (Inflammatory Airway Disease). Exercising Lance when the particulate matter in the air from wildfire smoke was off the charts would have been devastating to him, so my meaty mustang just hung out. Thankfully, his breathing didn't seem impacted by the air quality.

Now that the air quality is much improved, we are back to work. I planned to climb back on last Thursday, the first cooler day in ages, but the smoke was actually worse, if possible. On our way back from Salem (DS had wisdom teeth removed), this was the view west towards the hill on which we live; couldn't ride in that!

But Friday was much clearer, so Lance got the whole enchilada – a thorough grooming, a photo shoot to document his current condition, and a sunset ride about the hill.

rubbed-out mane; check

fat pads; check

lump on jaw; check

handsome anyway; check

"What did you say?"

"What do you mean, 'Handsome anyway'?"

About that lump on his jaw. I first noticed it at the end of the apple-eating day of the last post; when I mentioned it to Rick he joked that it must be apple poisoning (he thinks I'm a "horse hypochondriac"). When the hard, tender lump didn't improve, I finally got him to x-ray it. Rick couldn't see a fracture, so apparently Lance bruised it badly somehow. It's still tender but fortunately sits behind the bridle's cavesson; Rick said it may never go away. 😕

We rode again Sunday and Monday. After last night's ride, I timed his respirations for the first time in months – perfectly normal at 10 RPM. Unfortunately, he also stumbled dramatically at the beginning of our ride, so we just walked up and down hills to minimize momentum.

In other horsey news, during last week's lesson my youngest student got bucked off her Haflinger. The mare was protesting the canter depart (I think she's uncomfortable) not trying to unload her, but it really shook the student's confidence and I don't know yet if she'll be continuing lessons. With Brian back in school as of today, I'll have to figure out a different time to teach students 2 and 3 (if she continues) anyway; gotta pick up the boy from school every afternoon.

Tomorrow I'll be picking him up early so he can drive in the state fair's draft horse show again. On Sunday he won the youth driving class with a wagon and team of two; tomorrow he drives in the youth cart class. I'll post photos of both his classes when the dust settles.

Terrible trifecta

This morning it was so dark I thought we had cloud cover. But no, the sun was up, just dim and blood-red because of "smoke from a distant fire." All that particulate matter is hard on the young, the old, and those with compromised lungs – like Lance. Not that we would ride hard, because it's been so hot. Not that we could ride hard, for fear of tripping. Sigh....

Over the river and through the woods

Kate and I got our New Year's Day ride in, in spite of being foiled in our plan to ride at Willamette Mission State Park. Before leaving her house Kate made sure the Wheatland ferry was running, but didn't realize that the horse parking area and horse trails were still inaccessible because of high water. So after a trip over the river to the park entrance, then back over the river to my house, we saddled up and rode through "my" little stretch of woods. With the ground mostly frozen, we were able to go beyond the gravel, farther than I have been able to ride since November. It was a relatively short ride, but sweet.

 

Today we awoke to snow! I didn't think seriously about saddling up until this afternoon, when I got a sobering Facebook update about someone I knew through our first eight years of homeschool co-op, then for the last year as a co-worker. Kelley has been battling cancer, not with any hope of beating it, just to gain more time with her family. They had a family trip to Disneyland scheduled the week of January 10; it's not going to happen.

We are home, home sweet home. This is our 2nd day here, and it is great to be here. Kelley made the trip from OHSU to our living room, and at this point there is only one more trip that she'll have to make, and that will be on the Glory Train. We are home with hospice, and she has her mind on heaven. Kelley will bypass the happiest place on earth and head to the happiest place anywhere.

We are all sleeping in the living room, with Kelley in the middle of it, waiting for her to board the train. I'm so blessed to watch my three kids take care of their momma in these last few hours, they haven't left her side. Of course not, she never left theirs when they needed her. She trained them well. So the next time you'll hear from me is when Kelley has entered the presence of her King.

This will be the fifth death in our small homeschool co-op "family" in less than five years, people my age or younger, people with children still living at home. Overwhelmed by more sorrow, I bundled up and headed down to see my therapist.

Watching Brian and a neighbor boy slide down the hill.

My Christmas cavaletti now number four

"When peace, like a river, attendeth my way; when sorrow like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, 'It is well, it is well with my soul.'"

Dance like no one's watching

We got almost 6 inches of rain last week, but there were still opportunities to walk my fine steed around on our hill. I've been staying out of the arena because of the leaves, but Friday Brian wanted a job so I set him to it:

He did a GREAT job, too, raking most of them by hand when they proved too wet and heavy for the sweeper to collect. Now Lance and I have a good place to dance even in the dark. And now I have just the outfit for dancing in the dark....

I am blessed with an extremely generous blogpal, who always seems to think of me when she's clearing out her tackroom. Recently she asked me if I would be interested in a Cashel bareback pad. I replied, "Yes!" (I've been wanting a bareback pad for awhile, but not badly enough to go shopping.) It arrived on Thursday, so Thursday night I had to try it out. Very comfortable! Brian wanted to try it, too, which gave me a chance to snap a poor photo (LOOK at those long legs!):

But this wonderful pad was accompanied by other goodies, too. I was totally blown away by this gorgeous pair of breeches with full deerskin seat,

– and this crazy pair of fringed riding tights!

Oh my goodness; they are hilarious! I'm NOT a flamboyant person, so my guys may be the only people to see me in these, but who knows? Maybe someday I'll design a musical freestyle or costume class ride around them. Maybe to this song?


I think I need to find a black Sleezy for Lance, and stitch a big blue "S" on the chest!!!

The Walk

The headless horseman:

The half-head horseman:

The headless horse:

The half-head horse with happy rider:

In celebration of the most important gait – the walk!