Kasane is a curious mare. After an initial snort at a new thing/obstacle, she will walk right up to the the former scary thing and try to eat it, push it over, pull it down, or play with it. I try to encourage her to investigate by letting her explore anything that might be even slightly scary. Before we ride, Kasane is free lunged in the big arena. (Lunging means that I chase...
Continue reading...Kasane
The adventure continues!
This coming weekend, Kasane will have her second show. Nope, not dressage or hunter or equitation. We’re going to do games: barrel racing, pole bending, and whatever else Horsemasters thinks up. The pictures from this should be like an outtake reel. I set up obstacles at the barn. Kasane is great at ground poles now. She’ll even jump a little cross rail. Barrel racing she isn’t too sure about. “Why do I have...
Continue reading...Kasane riding Intro Test A
The first weekend in October, Kasane had her first show. She did very well, considering a lot of things. It was her fourth time ever being ridden in a bit, there were Crazy! Things! at the dressage ring (plastic rails, retaining wall, geese, pond!), and she still was willing to try to complete the test with me. She was willing to try the test and ride to the end of the ring with...
Continue reading...Saddle fitting suggestions, part 1
A friend of mine just bought her first Arabian mare. A fine bay Arabian mare with white socks and a star. She asked me to help her with choosing a saddle for her mare, Sarafina. Sarafina is currently ridden in an older Wintec dressage saddle (the type before the changeable gullet and CAIR system). Instead of writing my suggestions in a private email, I thought I would post most of the discussion here...
Continue reading...Kasane’s pre-show ride
She was fantastic even though we had a lot of crazy stuff going on. The neighbor (who lives in a rental trailer behind the two back pastures) decided to start shooting practice just when Kasane and I were starting ground work. We ended up doing a series of sessions: ground work first so she got used to the guy sporadically doing target practice. We also did some desensitization work with the big auto-pop-open...
Continue reading...Nicks, bumps, and swollen glands
I went out to the barn to ride Kasane tonight. Got the saddle and tack to the ring and then went to the field to bring her in. She was happy to see me and met me at the gate. Her glands behind her jowls and up to her ears were very swollen. She pranced and trotted on the leadrope. No matter what her glands looked like, she obviously felt good and had...
Continue reading...Rides, saddles, reins
Tack shop sale was dangerous. Picked up some gorgeous, comfy Stubben reins. They are rubber reins but the rubber is soft like silk and no thicker than the half-inch reins. The ends of the reins have clips on them: perfect for training rides (but not something you’d want to show in). These reins had been marked down but were still pricey. Apparently, when I brought the reins to the check out counter, the...
Continue reading...Good news from the farrier
Farrier came out today. The weather has been so dry all of the bits of foot crud (thrush) that the mares had were gone. Their feet looked great. Isis and Prize were very well mannered with the farrier. Isis rubbed his head with her lip, which the farrier thought was sweet. It’s okay when she does that until you hear the distinct sound of her mouth opening. She won’t bite but some times...
Continue reading...A tool-using mare
I had a great ride on Kasane Monday afternoon. Only about 20 minutes, but it was her first ride in the bit. We rode in the round pen instead of the big ring. Think of the roundpen as a containment field in case something had happened. Kasane was fantastic. Figured out how to give to the pressure on the bit immediately. As soon as I picked up very light contact with the reins,...
Continue reading...Free lunging finally!
Kasane finally figured out what free lunging really is today. It doesn’t mean that I chase her around the ring while she stops in each corner to graze until I can catch up with her. Even if the grass in the corners looks so enticing. The first time I tried free lunging her was after she had watched Isis free lunge in the big ring. I brought Kasane into the ring, let her...
Continue reading...Kasane’s first trot in the ring
Kasane now officially knows how to trot. 🙂 She picked up the cue immediately. We worked briefly in the round pend and then in the big ring. She was good for two times when I asked her to trot. On the third time, I asked her to steer and it confused her a little. (Too soon for that.) So we turned around, walked a little, and then asked her to trot again towards...
Continue reading...Kasane conquers first trail ride
Wow. Two and a half hours worth of trail riding with 10 other horses and the Bay Wonder Mare Junior was amazing. I dismounted and mounted about four times. We went through our first water obstacle (BIG creek: wide but not deep), dealt with several bridges, water along side the trail, deer, and no-see-ums. The worst thing she did was do a four-footed jump and rush forward a few strides when the wind...
Continue reading...Tomorrow is the big day…
Kasane’s first trail ride. I’m nervous and worried and excited at the same time. We had a good ride today, even though this was the first time she gave me some grief while I was on her. At one point, we stopped near the gait and I asked her to walk forward. She refused, pinned her ears, tightened the muscles along her back and neck, and tried to bite my foot. I turned...
Continue reading...Kasane graduates to the big ring
Today, Kasane had her first ride in the big ring. I warmed her up in the round pen as usual, and then, while on her, opened the gate and rode to the big ring. She hesitated when stepping out the gate, as it some magical line had been crossed. She walked to the ring walking with a little hesitation. Everything is different with me on her and not next to her. Things she...
Continue reading...Videos of riding Kasane
My friend Zoltan came out with me to the barn on Tuesday and videod a ride on Kasane. It’s in three parts. Unfortunately the first part is sideways. (I’ll fix this as soon as I get the license for my video editing software sorted out.) These rides are very early in Kasane’s training. She’s had maybe 10 rides at this point (including just sitting on her). She’s very relaxed and aware of me...
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