Changes!

For all future updates, go to Jessica Rambling On

I Could Learn to Hate a Stifle

Stifles suck.

I hate them.

A few years ago, Bubba was diagnosed with Upward Fixation of the Patella or locking stifles. He popped when he walked. After much consultation with the vet, he went into Long Trot Boot Camp, at least a mile every other day. By the end of 60 days, he was in the best shape of his life. And the popping stopped.

And hasn't come back since, even with time off and discharge from Boot Camp.

Today, for some inexplicable reason, I decided to resurrect Long Trot Boot Camp and we did a mile around Harry's pasture. By the end of our mile, he wasn't blowing real hard. We walked a bit, loped some more circles and loped through the barrel pattern. Beautiful turns but he "lost his butt" coming out of the first and second barrels and crow hopped a little bit.

Hmmm...

We immediately take off walking and I hear it. The pop. The pop that I thought had left us for good.

Ugh.

I got off and walked him in a circle around me and yup, there it is, that telltale lag in his stride.

Boo hiss boo.

Did I mention State Finals is next weekend? No time for the entirety of Long Trot Boot Camp.

I'm going to call SSHorsepower (Google them. Wonderful women.) and see if there's anything holistic I can do to get him through State and then it's back into LTBC for us. I WAS going to lay him off for a month or so after State but I don't know if that's such a good idea now.

At least I'll have great legs for the beach this summer.

Short and sweet

I have very little to say on the horsey front today. Just been riding regularly, lots of long trotting, keeping the monster in as good a shape as possible because...

STATE FINALS IS IN 9 DAYS!

Can't wait it's gonna be great.

Come to Kissimmee!

Drowning

Yup, still raining.

But, if anybody questions my dedication, I'll just tell them about yesterday...

....ponying Bubba off of a golf cart in the rain.

I'm mentally stable I swear.

Weather Report

I don't know about ya'll but in Florida, May is summertime. The sun is out and it's at least 90 degrees every day.

Except this week.

It didn't get up past 65 yesterday. That's WINTER! (pause for laughter from any Northern readers. Hello my name is Jessica and I'm a Florida sissy.)

So it's been cold, rainy and just generally nasty all week and it's supposed to continue.

Somebody find me the Weather Fairy and make it stop! I want summer back!

And just for Mom: big boobs.

I love you Mama! ;)

Bad Day...

Blah.

I know horses have bad days and good days just like people but DANG bad days suck!!

Bubba did not want to work today. I think he might be a little bit tender-footed after his trim on Friday. My farrier is slowly putting some heel back on him so he's usually a little tender after a trim, just not usually this long.

Also, I think we've got a bear in the east woods. There were some wicked claw marks on a couple of the trees and spooky Bubba certainly smelled something. It's a tribute to his athleticism that he can walk in a straight line and look off in the woods at the same time.

Goofy animal.

I'm going to take him out tomorrow after I get home from work and just relax, walk and trot around, depending on how he's walking on his feet.

There is an NBHA this weekend in Marianna but I'm not sure if I'll be going or not. Brion wants to go back to Plant City and pick up some roofing materials for his SuperShed and to do that he needs the truck. It's also cheaper not to go but I would really like to get a run in before State in 4 weeks.

I might make some phone calls and see if I can get in an arena for the night and just make a run. I'm curious what would happen if I got aggressive going to the first barrel. I wonder if our rate will hold together.

I doubt it but it's worth a shot.

By the way, I'm 671 in Kissimmee! I can't wait to see my friends from back home. I miss them!

Viva la Blountstown!

I finally feel like writing. My job is so Feast or Famine that when I do have to write for it, I get burnt out and refuse to write anything else (not that this is highly structured, well-organized, brain-testing literature or anything).

Anyway.

I did end up going to Blountstown this weekend. It was too far for just me and my broke self to go so I hitched a ride with a friend of a friend and we had a lot of fun. It was a little weird getting in the truck with someone I'd only met once before but I'm a control freak like that. I think we might have a repeat performance next week going to Marianna.

My run was... interesting.

The way FL01 works is they take all the entries then post the draw before they drag to start the Open. If I was organized, I would already have my horse saddled by then. Saturday I was not organized. I usually like to get on Bubba about 30-50 horses before mine. That gives us time to walk around, see the sights, get all the boogers out before we run, lope some circles and sit by the in gate to chill-lax.

I didn't have that this time. I was 19 and by the time I got back to the trailer and saddled they were on 6 or 7.

So I was rushed warming up. I handled it better this time than I have before. I usually get kind of rattled when I have to rush, obsessively listening to the numbers being called and calculating how many I have to go. Thank God FL01 runs a little slower than FL06.

Running to the first barrel, I intended to take a light hold. Bubba was "dressed" in his Pretzel so I thought that would be possible. Bubba being Bubba decided he didn't like that and tried really really hard to run through it. He lugged like a champ. I doubt we were actually going that fast (no video. Dang it.) but from the pressure on my hands, we would have been going a lot faster if I left it up to him.

I wigged out at the first barrel. We overran it a little (felt like a mile and a half but people watching told me it was more like half a stride. I can live with that.) and I fell into the old habit and pulled back. He protested (as he should) and I finally moved my hand forward and he took off for the second....

...and turned right on top of it. His monkey of a rider didn't grab her outside rein until it was too late and he was already turning. (That smacking sound you hear? That's my hand meeting my forehead.)

Our third was pretty but you know what I'm happiest about? Coming off the third, he surged forward like he usually does to run home but I didn't encourage him. I had both reins and just sat there and he actually loped out! Without surging! Without running through the bit! It's a MIRACLE! I never ever thought I would see the day where we would come out of the arena and I wouldn't feel like I was in a car where the brake lines had been cut.

So, like usual, it was a mixed bag of results. I wish we hadn't hit the second because I would have loved to see where we were time wise but, at this point, I'll take what I can get.

On Sunday, we finally were able to till up my little barrel patch so it's back to work for us this evening when I get home. I think we'll probably do some Ed drills around the second and try to free him up a little. I think I've drilled it into his head a little too much to rate, rate, rate. We only need that much rate on the first.

Maybe at Marianna I'll actually run to the first barrel. Wonder if I'll be able to get in a pen before then and give it a shot without having to shell out an entry fee.

Hmm.... I might have to make some phone calls....

Know what else I learned at Blountstown? Somebody besides me actually reads this hot mess of rambling! Hi Missy!!

Countdown to State Finals: 29 days!

Early Stages of Withdrawal

FINALLY got back on my horse this afternoon. My life has been crazy crazy lately and I'm ready for it to calm the f down. Between both jobs, school, and family, Bubba got put on a back burner.

But not anymore!

I raced the sun on the way home. I got home about 630, practically ran Bubba out of the pasture and into the trailer. I was ready to ride!!

And o my goodness everything was waaaay more interesting to Bubba than I was. I thought I was going to have to long trot him for days before he would tune back in to me. We long trotted, we turned circles, we reverse arc'd, we did some transitions. And only after all that was his attention finally back on me and not ever leaf that fell out of every tree. It was driving me nuts!

Once he was in a working frame of mind, I loped him through the pattern, really trying to focus on my hands and keeping his body shaped around the second barrel. I think he has some memory of that second barrel that hurt or scared him. If I approach the first barrel as a second, his turn is beautiful. Collected and snappy. But the actual second barrel, in the spot that it is carries some scary memory for him because he flattens those ribs, drops his shoulder and bows out on the backside if I don't really work on keeping him shaped and stood up.

I moved the barrels and miraculously our second barrel improved. Horses are funny creatures.

After I loped him through and moved the barrels, I worked on his "lightness" in the mouth, breaking off the barrel into a reverse arc. It really gets him stood up and light in my hands. The first time is usually not pretty at all but by the second or third he's starting to get it. (That's improvement by the way. It used to be the 5th or 6th time.)

I think my hands are starting to retain some muscle memory, at least at everything slower than a gallop (haven't tried that one yet). I was adjusting his body position with my hand, moving in, moving out, up, down, forward, backward. Our "accelarator, brake and steering wheel" are coming along. (BTW, have you read the bit article in this month's BHN? I swear I heard Ed's voice in the last section of that article.)

If the Money Gods allow, I might be able to haul down to Wacissa and make a run at Natural Bridge. They have little monthly jackpots there but the last one was canceled. I might be running against myself.

Also, good luck to Knottynuff Stock Farm. She's headed to Alberta on Thursday for the first futurity of the season. Run Parker Run!

Bad Updater Bad!

So I've been a blog bum.

I've discovered that it's hard to come up with original content ride after ride when it's just slooooow progress on the same things.

Things we're working on (besides our collective general fitness. And by our, I mean me. Bubba is in much better shape than I am.)

My hands need work. They are either too fast or too slow. Sometimes I get it right. The Pretzel has made a big difference and remembering to be soft and progressive has helped a lot. It's almost like he's a different horse. Just the collection at the lope is amazing. I'm kicking myself in the butt for not using it sooner. I had it, I just needed some direction.

Other than my hands, I'm working on getting Bubba to stand up in a circle and reach with his inside front leg. We walk and trot small circles and when he starts to collapse on the front end, I reverse arc away and get him stood back up. It also keeps him light off my hands which is an added bonus.

It's slow progress but at least it's progress.

We might get to make a practice run tomorrow in an actual arena. My farrier invited me down to a friend of his' spread, complete with manicured arena ground. I'm hoping to get a run in, whether competition or not. Not sure when the next actual barrel race is going to be. There's a race Sunday in Marianna but I've never been to that pen and I'm hesitant to drive that far if it's a crappy pen. If not Sunday, then it won't be until the NBHA in Blountstown in May. Never been there either but the points are an added draw.

I'm starting to go a little stir crazy. I feel like I've made so much progress as a rider (love you Ed!) but I'm super super nervous that I'll leave my brain at the gate. I'm working on my "I'll cross that bridge when I get there." attitude.

Most of the really nasty mud has dried up here, just your average mud puddles now. My part of North Florida set a new 100 year flood plain from all the rain we had. Some places are still underwater and every river (Suwannee, Ochlocknee, Aucilla, Apalachicola, etc.) is still at flood stage. Mother Nature don't play.

Back in the Saddle Again!

Finally got to ride again yesterday. It's always so hectic when my week gets cut short by one day (we're leaving Friday morning to go back home for Easter). I worked from 8-8 Monday and probably should have done the same yesterday but I was ready to get on my pony.

I put my long reins on first and rode with those for a little while. For just "hacking around" they worked pretty good. Bubba tends to put his head down while we're long trotting and I'm ok with that. I can pick him up and collect him if I need to but the long reins let me stay out of his mouth so much and that is NECESSARY with the Pretzel.

We did walk through the pattern a few times, mostly for my benefit. I've started saying "1...2...3" around the barrel, marking my points and really trying to cement my hand position in my muscle memory. By the last time it was much better. I have to remember to drop my outside rein because I've noticed I have to tendency to move my left hand with my right and he doesn't need that outside rein support.

Still working on my hands elsewhere. I have to have to have to have to learn to give a little more with this Pretzel, especially when stopping from a lope. I noticed myself bracing against his mouth some and him throwing his head (which I would to if I was in his position). I know it stems from our earlier stopping issues. I don't believe he'll actually stop so I try to muscle him into it, even before I ask. It all comes back to being a little softer.

I'll get there.

Now for the things I did right! LOL! I read back on some old posts and noticed it's all negative things, what I did wrong, what I need to work on and while that's neccesary, my ego needs some stroking.

I'm happy with my hands around the barrel now. I'm happy with my ability to communicate with my horse. We're clearly a team and we work together well. He's my main squeeze and he knows it, the heifer cow.

In general, I think I ride well. I can lope beautiful circles and place his body wherever I need it to be.

I think Bubba is broke enough, for my purposes anyway. Frankly I don't want one I have to handle delicately cause they're so broke that I can't screw up. I need a little wiggle room and it's good that I recognize that.

I'm proud of myself that I'm finally taking the iniative and really focusing on improving. I know that if I work hard enough at home, that we'll have some success away from home.

So I just gotta keep working on it.

Next barrel race: Either May 2-3 for Tour of Champions Canterbury or May 9 NBHA in Blountstown

It's Coming Back

It finally stopped raining long enough for me to dig out the trailer, dig out the pile of mud that halfway resembles a horse and go for a ride.

Using the ideas and techniques we learned from Ed of course.

I didn't really ride too long, maybe an hour. It really felt like August out there today. Hot hot hot and enough humidity to really make you sweat.

For what we did (which wasn't much I grant you), it was very good. I think I might have shortened my reins a little much (especially for loping circles, long trotting, etc.). He seems a bit stilted and needs some more encouragement to move forward, especially at the lope. Or I could just be used to old, slightly out of control, always a little too fast Bubba. Who knows? I think tomorrow (if I can dodge the storm clouds), I'm going to put my long reins on and see if that frees him up a little. I hope so. At times I felt like I was riding a rocking horse. We shall see. Always something to work on with us.

My riding wasn't great. I didn't feel all that connected to my horse. My hands got a little heavy (sorry Bubba) and every time he told on me. I really have to stay soft with that bit. My legs were a little too free for my liking and I just felt off today, not very well tuned in. Hopefully tomorrow and next week will be better. I think I'm going to pull a Chelsea and film myself loping circles tomorrow and see how we look. Video tells no lies. And the hood of the truck doesn't bitch quite as much as my usual videographer.

And, boy, do I have to keep my hand forward with that Pretzel. I fell back into old habits a little behind the first barrel bringing my hand back too far and, bless his evil soul, he stopped and rolled back, just like I was telling him to. The second time through I got my act together and we put together a really pretty pattern at the lope. Slow, but pretty. Our first barrel approach was beautiful. I think I waited a little late to cue him. I've got to work on my points some. The second barrel was a little squirrelly. I think my hand came back a little far and he stalled just a bit behind the barrel. I ended up with my hand by his ears trying to keep him moving. I think lengthening my reins some will help. The crazy thing is I used to ride with them shorter than they are now. O how things have changed.

For the first time in a long time (and granted this is only after one short ride), I actually want to run my horse. I'm really excited to run without the dread-fear mixture I used to get. I feel in control. I can handle this. (Man that sounds like one of those New Age woo-woo affirmations.) I might be forced to find a barrel race weekend after next.

It's a nice feeling to have again.

Watching it Rain...

So, since it's raining, I have 30 minutes until I have to go to lunch, and my boss just walked out the door... I think it's time for the Ed Post.

I lit out for 'bama land about 230 Eastern on Friday and pulled in the driveway at about 530 Central, so a 4 and a half hour drive. Not bad at all.

The parking was very odd. Apparently, they really value the grass on either side of their driveway so all the people staying in their trailers (including generator-less me) were crowded into this one gravel spot under some trees. If I would have thought about it, I probably would have parked elsewhere to sleep. I had generators running on both sides all night long and got no sleep!

But I didn't care. I was at ED!!

We started on Saturday about 830, on foot, with Ed in the arena. It was so surreal. The second he opened his mouth and that accent came out, I about fainted. It's ED WRIGHT! STANDING IN FRONT OF ME!! HOLY SCHLIT!

We walked around the pattern and he explained the points in a turn and basic things to think about before we got saddled. I even got to be his "horse" while he explained the strongest spot on a horses back. Nothing like getting on your hands and knees in the dirt before 9am.

Then it was riding time. Bubba was a complete freak of course. They had their young horses in pens along the side of the arena and he kept boogering at them, so for the first 5 people, we were walking up and down the fence line remembering where he left his brain. Goofy animal.

I was number 6, right in the middle of our 15 rider clinic. Ed got on Bubba first thing and decided he didn't like the medium shank I had on him. (I didn't think he would. The first few rides in that bit he can be really heavy.) So, Bubba got to work in the Pretzel all weekend.

I was very nervous the first time through with Ed watching me and constantly telling me things. It got to the point where my brain short circuited out and I just did what he said without processing it. Probably not the best use of my clinic time. I think Ed could tell I was nervous and kept it simple. We had to lope big circles around the second barrel then come in to a regular turn. My left hand is much more mobile than my right I've learned.

The second time through went much better. I remembered to breathe and really worked on feeling my horse. First we trotted through the pattern, turning each barrel 3 times. Then, Ed had us lope through twice. He said, "Good job. Who's next?" I can die happy now. =)

Saturday went very well, for me especially. I sat in the arena and watched every horse and rider that came through. I never saw as much as Ed did but I did, at least, see some of it. That man misses nothing.

Saturday night was not so much fun. I was exhausted from the long day in the arena. My feet hurt, my knees hurt and I was just beat. The weather had been blowing and rainy all day long and it only got worse Saturday night. It came a flood. My trailer had a leak and I didn't bring nearly enough clothes or blankets. I was COLD and my shoulder hurt from supporting my body weight in the fetal curl I had to do to stay warm. Needless to say, I didn't sleep worth a darn Saturday night.

Sunday I got up and had a hellacious headache. Made it down to the barn and Bubba was in a state. Complete nervous wreck. In the storm last night, the chickens they had running around the arena had decided to roost. In the barn. Right on top of Bubba's stall. He was freaking out. His eyes were the size of dinner plates. Every time those chickens moved, he jumped ten feet. He kept trying to crowd me out the door so he could escape. I threw him some hay (cause he hadn't eaten his dinner) and he cautiously munched on that while I got him saddled.

The Sunday session started with the "vet stuff". Ed went over saddle fit, pads, feeding, shoeing, etc. Most of it I already knew (thank you BHW). Bubba's saddle also got the seal of approval for fit.

Then it was time to ride. They did the order in reverse so I was a little later than Saturday.

While 15-7 were working, Bubba was tied to the back fence they had set up, kind of like a psuedo-alley. And while he was back there, he was fine. But those chickens were hanging out in the pens with the horses behind the first and third barrel. O boy.

We came loping through the pattern and those chickens attacked poor Bubba at the first and the third. For the video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qHq4K2dZKs. The chicken attack is toward the end but you can also see some of the drills Ed was having us do.

After the chicken attack, he was never the same. The second time through, loping towards the first barrel, he kept jumping sideways. Poor guy was a nervous wreck. Those chickens scared the daylights out of him. He would be ok if we were standing still but he was never fully tuned in to me like he usually is.

So, from Bubba's nervousness and the long drive I had to make, we cut Sunday short. I hugged Ed(!) and thanked him for a great clinic. We made it home about 10 Eastern.

All in all, it was a great experience. I'm trying to talk Brion into going with me to New Orleans for another one in October.

I feel a lot more confident in my riding abilities and my ability to handle my horse. Ed told me I had good hands (though a tendency to get bracey when I get nervous) and a good seat. I didn't realize before how unconfident I was. I suppose a few years of bad runs will do that to you. It's nice to hear compliments from a horseman.

I have some things to work on at home.

• My hands being more mobile, especially the right. Move out to the side if you need to.
• Our approach to the first barrel (though I'm curious to see if some of the issue on Sunday was chicken-related)
• Rate rate rate. I have to remember to have soft, progressive hands at our rate point until he starts to do it on his own again.

I love having some direction! Hallelujah!

Can't wait to go again next year. Thank you Ed!

Holy Humidity Batman!

Broke the Bubba Monster out this morning, with the goal of making sure he retained that speed control lesson from Wednesday. And, surprisingly, aside from boogering at the dogs on the other side of the fence (you know. The same ones that have been there every time we ride. Those dogs.) and generally being spooky, he worked very well. Loped two sets of very pretty collected circles. He's still getting a bit strung out behind at the trot but

But the HUMIDITY. O my goodness gracious. It rained all day yesterday and most of last night so it is a hot, sticky, muggy mess outside. We rode for maybe 30 minutes and quit because we were both sweating like hogs. Phew!

Now I've just got to finish packing and hit the road.

You can tell where my priorities are. All of Bubba's stuff is already packed and loaded.

As for my stuff... I started a pile of clothes on the couch and I brought the coolers inside. LOL!

Off to pack! I will update Sunday or Monday with lots of pictures, video and a new take on how to be the best that I can be.

Vacations Over Bubba

Bubba went back to work today. He had a week and a half off and it's time to get back to work.

The ride went ok today. My saddle was rolling like a champ. I think all that hair he's shedding out is collecting under my pad and making it really slippery. I took the curry comb to it when I got home so hopefully it'll stick a little better tomorrow.

My riding was not great, partially due to the rolling saddle. I did shorten my reins a tisch and it seemed to help.

And, I must say, even Florida horses get Spring Fever. Bubba was amped today. We had to relearn how to lope a perfect circle without constantly speeding up. It was not pretty.

But, really, now that I think about it, aside from the saddle problem, it was a pretty typical ride for Bubba being off for so long (a week and a half is long for him. Lay him off two weeks and you will pay for it. Buck by buck by buck.) He was very heavy on the bit at first, dropping his shoulder and generally really attentive to everything but me. Once we long trotted out some of his extra energy and relearned speed control, he was much better.

I'm planning on riding again tomorrow after I get home from work. Will probably ride again Friday morning before we head out for Ed!

Have I mentioned I'm super super stoked for Ed??!! Can't wait.

And, thanks to Cowgirl Trends, we got some pretty bling to show off in Alabama. I'm not usually a real bling person but this is just enough to satisfy the girliness in me. And I love the way the rawhide turns down the bling a notch. Love it!

Pardon Bubba's elated expression. He's too much of a boy to care about his new pretties. Freak.

I Need a Sugar Daddy

Made it back from the vet yesterday about 5. I swear going to the vet is as much a social experience as it is a medical one. There were 2 ladies I run with there, one I knew and one I didn’t, getting their horses fixed up too and we chit chatted while Doc worked. Poor Doc kept saying he felt left out.

Once it was Bubba’s turn, we trotted him on the asphalt driveway behind the clinic. He didn’t show sore in the back end though his feet were a little ouchy on the asphalt. Then we headed to the grass, lunged him and flex tested him there. He showed very slight difference on the right after the flex. It was almost imperceptible but I watched his hip movement and saw it there.

Then it was x-ray time. Initially, Doc told me we could just inject his hocks and see if that made a difference (Love Doc. He was trying to save me some money.) but I opted to x-ray the right anyway. The relatively short time between injections made me question if it could be something else. So we x-rayed. I swear every time that x-ray machine beeped I heard Cha-Ching! LOL!

These x-rays were so much better than the ones we took in 07. They have gone digital and the detail is amazing! The arthritis and small bone spurs have grown some since 07, gotten a little “messier” on the x-ray. Doc said that he’s not surprised they’ve changed but they aren’t changing at an alarming rate. He IS 11 and has spent his entire life in Florida as a barrel horse. It would be weird if he wasn’t experiencing some hock pain. He said we can reevaluate in a year to a year and a half and see how it’s changed again.

So Bubba got injected, both sides on both hocks with the Good Stuff (HA). He’s off for a few days then he’ll get rode Wednesday and Thursday and it’s off to Ed on Friday.

The bill was a whole lot of money. 90% of my first ever tax return (I had to pay in the past few years) is going to that bill. Which really sucks because that money was going to pay off my last credit card. =( O well. I’ll just keep throwing money at it. One day it’ll be gone. If you really want to depress me, add up how much money I drop on my horse and then calculate how long it would take me to pay off my credit card debt with my horse money. Then I’ll go crawl under my desk and cry.

But, like I told Doc, peace of mind is worth my money.

Just remind me of that when I’m eating 0.89 pot pies for dinner every night.

Sad but Happy but Sad

I have the best vet in the world. I emailed him the link to my YouTube video from Friday (see below) and he got back to me wicked fast.

Remember how I was saying Bubba looked a little ouchy in the back, especially on the right? I hate it when I'm right.

From Doc...
"Looks like he is weak behind-especially RH-may be lame. I think we definitely need to see him."

So, Bubba has a hot date with Doc... again.... on Friday at 2:30. I hate it when I'm right sometimes.

In a way, this may be a good thing. I'm hoping it's something a little injection needle and some Lubrisyn/Adequan/something else will keep under control. I'm not sure what to expect and I'm not sure how I'm going to pay for this mess but I'll figure something out. Cross your fingers and your toes.

I wouldn't be so worried if he hadn't just been injected in October. He went an entire year before and didn't seem to really need it when his year anniversary rolled around.

I don't know.

I also wonder if riding him on Harry's pasture has something to do with it. At home, I rode in the sand pit arena. It kept him really fit and was also probably easier on his joints. I'll have to ask Doc if he thinks that's a factor.

Blah. This sucks.

I haven't even gotten to ride at all this week yet. Yesterday was rainy and nasty and today the truck is in the shop so I can't haul over to Harry's. Hopefully tomorrow and Thursday will go well and I'll get to ride.

I'm going to go eat chocolate.

It's the Little Things

Got in from Branford last night at about midnight.

Our run was actually not THAT bad. We did improve some. I'm happy with our approach to the first barrel. That's our big improvement for the night. We did hit the third. I sat too soon.

I'm curious to get some BHW feedback on my video. I think Mr StudMuffin Bubba Face needs a hot date with Doc's injection needle. He was just done in October but, watching the video, he looks ouchy somewhere, especially around the first barrel when he kind of jumps out a stride. What do ya'll think?

Speaking of video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fSStTD6z08 (It was still being processed at the time of this post so no guarantees on availability.)

My reins are way way too long and our run was slower than I wanted. Against the usual competition, it would have been a solid 4D run. The NBHA that was run there in January was won with a 14.6 and we would have been a 16.5. We lost a ton of time between the first and second and around the second. BUT WE DIDN'T OVERRUN THE FIRST BARREL! Not even a little bit! (For the record, I tried something that I watched in an Ed video on YouTube.) That part excites me to no end. Once I can get him finishing his turns, I'll encourage a little more speed I think. ;)

YAY Progress!!

It's amazing the advantages of video! I left the arena feeling really horrible. I thought we had blown out of the first a lot farther than we actually did and I thought our turns were much much stiffer than they actually were. (I did know we weren't moving all that fast.) But when I watched the video (love you Brion), I was pleasantly surprised. It's actually a big confidence builder that I don't suck as much as I thought.

For non-YouTube using people... the quality isn't as good. I'll try to fix it when I get home.

Southbound 129

Leaving work today at 4:30 so I can get home, pick up Brion and Bubba and head for Branford.

It's just a little jackpot put on by the local riding club but I am really starting to get nervous. I don't usually get nervous until the drag before mine but this time is different.

I've really been trying to be a more cerebral rider lately, to actively engage my brain and see exactly what I'm doing and how it's affecting my horse. I've noticed some bad hand habits and some bad feet habits that I've been really working on correcting. I guess I'm just nervous because I don't know if I CAN correct myself at a run. Slow work I'm pretty confident in my abilities. For some reason, all the "skills" that I have at walk, trot, lope stay at the gate.

Things to remember tonight...
Weight in stirrups, no fetal crouch
Hands up, drop outside rein, don't pull back
Be prepared for the turn because he might just actually turn.
Sit down! If you think you've sat down, do it again.

I hope I can remember to do some of these things or I am really going to be upset with myself.

Cross your fingers and your toes!

I remembered to charge the batteries in the camera so hopefully I'll come home with a video. =)

Now I Remember

Let's just say.... if we run at Branford like we loped today, I will be one happy girl.

Hey! I have a follower!! Hi Chelsea!

Doin' the Walk Around

I just got back in from riding Bubba-horse. My lower back is very sore and tight so the plan for today was just to walk around and be calm, work on reverse arcs and always always giving his face and lifting his rib cage.

At first, he was too distracted to pay much attention. Everything was more interesting than me. Once I got his attention, he was much better. A little more amped than I like but he still listened. Occasionally, he'd start jigging sideways and that HURT my poor back. He really needed a good hard long trot to get some of that extra energy out but my back said no.

I did go back to his bit today and he was back to normal. Didn't hide his nose at all.

The whoa! work from Wednesday (before my flying lesson) paid off, at least at the walk. The first time I asked him to stop from the walk, his back feet tripped all over themselves trying to stop. LOL Good job Bubba-horse.

I ordered a "regulation" bonnet tie-down from L&W on Friday. I like the one that I made but it is a bear to adjust. They haven't charged my card yet but I'm hoping it comes in the mail soon. If Brion's parents weren't coming this weekend, I could go pick it up in person at Shamrock but... o well. I can't wait to give it a try.

I did lunge him in Harry's round pen to get him some kind of cardiovascular exercise. I'm hoping my back will be happy with me tomorrow and I'll try to get in a "real ride" on Tuesday after work. YAY Daylight Savings Time!

My Butt Hurts

Well, it had to happen. I guess I was due.

My butt and the ground had a meeting yesterday. And it was not pretty.

But at least I know my horse will turn! With or without me! I was working on WHOA yesterday and we were loping down the line. I just flat didn't see the barrel that has sat in that exact same spot for 6 months. I sat down and said "whoa" which he interpreted as "set and turn." So he did. Good job Bubba. Too bad he went left and I went right.

I'm sore sore today and my right hip is really swollen. The more I move, the better I feel. Hopefully I'll be ready to go next week so I can ride on Monday.

So anyway, we rode yesterday. Everything went pretty decently. I think I'm going to try working on "whoa" from the lope with my headsetter tie down on. He got a little light in the front end by the end and I think that'll keep him reminded to stay down. I'm hoping it works well so I can use it running home at the barrel race. He keeps his head down fairly low turning but it gets way way up there when I'm trying to get him stopped. That's my other project. STOPPING coming out the gate. Sometimes it's like trying to stop a freight train without any brakes. At this point I'll try just about anything. The Pretzel works pretty well but he hates it so much warming up. Hmm. Dilemma.

God I can't wait to go to Ed. Direction! Direction! My kingdom for some direction!

Also, I might try loping him on a loose rein and see if he'll eventually settle down and just lope without constantly speeding up. He naturally carries his head a little lower than it feels like he does under saddle. I wonder if that's a product of my hands. Hmm... something to study.

In health news...
Bubba got his teeth floated today. My appointment for yesterday got postponed due to a colic emergency. So Bubba got to go on a field trip to another farm and spent the day there. He was VERY sharp in the back (I told you Spencer!!) but Doc knocked them down. Hopefully my dentist can come up sometime soon and check it for me.

We didn't do any lameness stuff after he worked so good Monday and Wednesday. I'm hoping the "offness" on Saturday was due to the and those sharp teeth instead of anything more serious. I might try the Lubrisyn that everybody is raving about on BHW and see if that helps at all. It's a little more pricey than I like to spend every month but if it works, it's worth it.

Also got our "we're legal to cross the border" paperwork today from Doc. All we need now for Ed is to pack our junk up and hit the road! Can't wait!

It's All Chelsea's Fault

I've been thinking. Scary thought I know. I was reading one of my favorite blogs Knottynuff Stock Farm and I've been inspired.

The past few days (granted I have the attention span of a particularly slow cow) I've been thinking about Bubba and barrel racing. We had a spectacularly horrible run on Saturday. Overshot the first barrel 2 strides and did roll backs around two barrels before hitting the third one. Bubba turned one stride too soon and shouldered the third. And that got to me to thinking. I was in a horrible mood after that. I thought we had moved beyond this mess. I thought our barrel hitting days were behind us and 2D/3D checks were headed our way! And our run on Saturday was a great big smack in the face.

To write a thesis (since that is my current academic distraction), you have to be organized. Collect data and compare patterns and sources. And, as big as my brain is (har har), if I want to improve my riding, I have to be organized. I would like to use this blog (and I really don't like that word. How about web-based rambling?) to record my rides and my observations, hoping it will prompt me to make more of them. I'm not the most observant. I can't go at this any longer in this disorganized, distracted fashion if I want to improve. I don't want to win futurities or go to the NFR or ammy rodeo successfully. My goals are simple. I want to draw a check. I want to qualify for World again. I want to run in and know we're going to turn the first barrel. And Bubba, bless his evil soul, is not the problem, as much as I would like to blame him. It's me. I have to ride better and I have to be an active participant.

Once I got home and unloaded Saturday, I went out to the Aucilla River and watched a storm roll in. And did some thinking. That run was almost letter perfect to the runs we made BA (that's Before the Ammerman). And he ran that way because he was sore. So what made him sore Saturday? I thought about it for a while (again, slow cow) and, like a lightbulb, it came to me yesterday when I was riding.... in my Jim Warner hackamore. My equine dentist was supposed to make a trip up to the hinterland (read: North Florida panhandle) and float Bubba's teeth. He's been doing them for years and I'm loathe to trust someone else to handle his teeth. However, that trip has been postponed more times than I care to think about. Saturday, I ran him in a bit when I should have run him in the hackamore and prayed we stopped coming out the gate. In my bad-run induced funk, I made Bubba an appointment with the vet for a lameness exam (because he also hasn't been wanting to pick up the right lead) and now, a teeth float. It might not be as thorough as my dentist but it will at least take the points down until my dentist can make it up here.

We're headed to Branford in two weeks. I'll ride in a bit after Wednesday and make my headgear decision then. Branford is a closed alley so I'm not too worried about running through the crowd. I might run in my hackamore and see how it goes.

This is another one of those times when I wish Ed was this weekend. I have so many ideas for "gear changes" that I don't even know if I need. German? Tie down? Just ride right?

Lord only knows. One day I'll get it together.