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!