Tuesday, 5 May, 2015
Suki's birthday. She turned 15 today. In August she and I will have been together for 12 years. Amazing. There was no party hat to commemorate the occasion, as Suki is morally opposed to wearing one. Not that I didn't try!
I also found out today that my blog has been selected by The Haynet, to be one of their new featured bloggers. It is a large equestrian blogging community, with news, education, etc. I am so excited about this opportunity!
http://www.hay-net.co.uk/haynet-news/8093/haynet-introduces-seven-new-members-to-their-featured-blogger-team
It will be a chance for even more people to learn about Suki and her courageous journey. I am hoping that it will also offer the opportunity to have more burn survivors learn about Suki. It has been quite awhile since Suki has had visitors so I would love to start that again. Having witnessed the impact that she has on her fellow survivors, I know that she has the ability to help others.
Wednesday, 6 May, 2015
I rode Nikki yesterday, so I gave her today off to allow more time to focus on Sui's work. She continues to come out of her stall stiff, but after a couple of trot circles she loosens up quite a bit. I started with some stretches, but now I take her off cross ties to do this. For some reason she becomes a little unsteady when stretching on cross ties. Perhaps she feels that she can't balance herself appropriately when tied. So I throw a lead rope over her neck just in case I need to grab her quickly and we proceed with the stretches. Suki likes to snuffle my head while I stretch her front legs….hmmm perhaps that is why she prefers to not be on cross ties!!
Suki worked well, through trot and canter poles. I love the way she pricks her ears and lifts her body as she approaches. Her expression is not anxious. It is interest and excitement, as in looking forward to doing it. Because it was cloudy and supposed to remain that way with some drizzle I put Suki out without her fly sheet. I try to do that whenever possible to give her a little more freedom. She likes to have a good hardy roll, and because there is no longer concern about the skin on her back tearing I like to give her that opportunity. Of course during the early afternoon the sun came out! I gave it about 20 minutes to retreat, but when it did not I ran over to the barn to put on her sheet. Suki and Nikki were out past the middle of their field when I pulled in. Once I got to the gate Suki came running from mid field, calling to me. It was so cute! I handed her a treat over the gate, and as I grabbed her lead rope she turned around and ran back out to the field!! Yesterday I brought them in early so I guess she was not going to take that chance again! Fortunately when I walked out to get her she came right to me. Such a character!
Saturday, 9 May, 2015
I really need to be better about my daily journal upkeep. Sometimes by the time I get to actually write in my blog It is difficult to catch up! So by making daily notes I should be able to do a weekly blog post. Especially now that I was crazy enough to set a target date for sitting on Suki again!
Saturdays can be a bit crazy in our house. Isaiah usually has a riding lesson at 10 followed by hockey. So I try to get to the barn before 7. Since I like to have an hour to read, write, knit, after I run and before I ride, this makes for an early Saturday start time. Sometimes I try to stagger the girls' working days so that Saturday I just have to ride Nikki and groom Suki. Today I needed to work both girls, so I was in a bit of a time crunch. I lunged Nikki yesterday, so I just did a quick lunge to let her stretch and then got on. She has been great, and adjusting to life back in work. I have added lateral work back into the routine, and although a little bit of a "memory" issue occurred initially, Nikki rose to the challenge and decided that she did indeed remember!
Suki came out of the gate a little less stiff today, so we got right to work. Silly me forgot to check the distance of the trot poles, and apparently someone had changed them. This threw Suki off first time through so she decided to jump them. I set the poles to suit my big horses and someone changed them to accommodate a smaller horse. I usually look on my way down the driveway and can tell immediately if they are different, but I was distracted this morning. You know, all that thinking!! Once I changed the distance Suki went through them beautifully. Transitions were sharp and fairly consistent, though she looked surprised the first time I asked for a trot-halt transition! But she was ready to move off immediately into trot, as evidenced by the inside ear tipped in my direction. The girl knows her stuff!
Sunday, 10 May, 2015
Nikki worked today, but Suki had off. Mother's Day, so I had to get home to make an extravagant brunch. Suki had her full spa treatment though!
I haven't done the dreaded spiraling exercise with Nikki yet since our spring re-start. During my years of dressage training it is the exercise that I hated when asked to perform it by my instructors, though I understand and appreciate its merit. It is also the exercise that I have made students do (when I was doing some teaching, by request) and revel in their agony. Yes, that is wrong, but as they say, "misery loves company!" I worked on that today, and though she was a little slow off the leg for the first spiral out, one good thump and the rest were excellent!
Monday, 11 May 2015
Nikki's turn to have off, with just a thorough grooming and some stretching exercises. Suki was very impatient on the cross ties. She was even fidgety during stretches. I kept the grooming brief and performed an abbreviated version of the stretch routine. Marching out to the arena I sensed pride in each step that she took. Maybe it was because I usually work Nikki first, and Suki was excited to start the day. Nikki called to her when we were in the arena but Suki only answered once, then settled into working. I decided to try spiraling exercise with Suki on the lunge. Under saddle she used to do huge crossovers for the leg yield out. On the lunge line it might be a little trickier. However, it turned out to be a reasonable theory after all! The spiraling in part just had me going smaller and smaller down to a 10m circle. Which worked out okay, but I suspect this will be easier in long lines. To leg yield back out to 20m circle I stepped toward her with the lunge whip pointing to where my leg would sit against her sides. While the crossover was not big, it was there, and I was pleased.
Wednesday, 13 May, 2015
Beautiful cool and breezy day. Wonderful riding weather! Nikki was very vocal on her way to the arena, and many were willing to respond. I expected her to be a little up, but after a couple of additional calls she settled into work. She did have very nice energy, so after a few minutes on the lunge I got on. There was a brief discussion by the mounting block, but other than that we were off to a great start! I did the spiraling exercise but added a canter transition at the moment we hit the 20m circle mark on the leg yield out. Nikki has been a little sluggish in the canter transitions so that helps sharpen it up a bit.
I lunged Suki in her new saddle pad that I won from 2-Point Bling. She looked stunning!
Saturdays can be a bit crazy in our house. Isaiah usually has a riding lesson at 10 followed by hockey. So I try to get to the barn before 7. Since I like to have an hour to read, write, knit, after I run and before I ride, this makes for an early Saturday start time. Sometimes I try to stagger the girls' working days so that Saturday I just have to ride Nikki and groom Suki. Today I needed to work both girls, so I was in a bit of a time crunch. I lunged Nikki yesterday, so I just did a quick lunge to let her stretch and then got on. She has been great, and adjusting to life back in work. I have added lateral work back into the routine, and although a little bit of a "memory" issue occurred initially, Nikki rose to the challenge and decided that she did indeed remember!
Suki came out of the gate a little less stiff today, so we got right to work. Silly me forgot to check the distance of the trot poles, and apparently someone had changed them. This threw Suki off first time through so she decided to jump them. I set the poles to suit my big horses and someone changed them to accommodate a smaller horse. I usually look on my way down the driveway and can tell immediately if they are different, but I was distracted this morning. You know, all that thinking!! Once I changed the distance Suki went through them beautifully. Transitions were sharp and fairly consistent, though she looked surprised the first time I asked for a trot-halt transition! But she was ready to move off immediately into trot, as evidenced by the inside ear tipped in my direction. The girl knows her stuff!
Sunday, 10 May, 2015
Nikki worked today, but Suki had off. Mother's Day, so I had to get home to make an extravagant brunch. Suki had her full spa treatment though!
I haven't done the dreaded spiraling exercise with Nikki yet since our spring re-start. During my years of dressage training it is the exercise that I hated when asked to perform it by my instructors, though I understand and appreciate its merit. It is also the exercise that I have made students do (when I was doing some teaching, by request) and revel in their agony. Yes, that is wrong, but as they say, "misery loves company!" I worked on that today, and though she was a little slow off the leg for the first spiral out, one good thump and the rest were excellent!
Monday, 11 May 2015
Nikki's turn to have off, with just a thorough grooming and some stretching exercises. Suki was very impatient on the cross ties. She was even fidgety during stretches. I kept the grooming brief and performed an abbreviated version of the stretch routine. Marching out to the arena I sensed pride in each step that she took. Maybe it was because I usually work Nikki first, and Suki was excited to start the day. Nikki called to her when we were in the arena but Suki only answered once, then settled into working. I decided to try spiraling exercise with Suki on the lunge. Under saddle she used to do huge crossovers for the leg yield out. On the lunge line it might be a little trickier. However, it turned out to be a reasonable theory after all! The spiraling in part just had me going smaller and smaller down to a 10m circle. Which worked out okay, but I suspect this will be easier in long lines. To leg yield back out to 20m circle I stepped toward her with the lunge whip pointing to where my leg would sit against her sides. While the crossover was not big, it was there, and I was pleased.
Wednesday, 13 May, 2015
Beautiful cool and breezy day. Wonderful riding weather! Nikki was very vocal on her way to the arena, and many were willing to respond. I expected her to be a little up, but after a couple of additional calls she settled into work. She did have very nice energy, so after a few minutes on the lunge I got on. There was a brief discussion by the mounting block, but other than that we were off to a great start! I did the spiraling exercise but added a canter transition at the moment we hit the 20m circle mark on the leg yield out. Nikki has been a little sluggish in the canter transitions so that helps sharpen it up a bit.
I lunged Suki in her new saddle pad that I won from 2-Point Bling. She looked stunning!
Nikki called to Suki once or twice but surprisingly Suki did not answer!! Today I asked for trot-halt and halt-trot transitions. It was a day for sharpening the transitions!! When Suki stepped into that first square halt from trot she turned her head and looked me in the eye….then faced straight ahead and launched into the trot as soon as I asked. I would LOVE to know what she was thinking! After 20 minutes of work she seemed a little tired, which was good. We are stepping it up a bit and she will need to build fitness. Though, hmmmm….how fit do I want her the first time I get on her back after 6 years of no rider! When I removed the surcingle and saddle pad the skin on her back looked fine. Very pleased!
Thursday, 14 May, 2015
Another day of work for the Suki and Nikki. After a nice stretchy warm up on Nikki I over on to lateral work. After about 10 minutes of big stretchy trot serpentines I gradually picked up the reins for more contact. This method seemed to make her quite soft in the mouth with nice push from behind, resulting in very nice shoulder in. We worked on leg yielding also and I got a little stuck off my right leg. Definitely my fault as I seem to be less effective with that leg. It improved when I dropped my stirrups. After a series of canter transitions I finished with the big stretchy serpentines and Nikki stretched her nose lost to the ground.
Suki seemed a little stiff today so I had her do a lot of forward canter, which seemed to help. I didn't ask her for rapid or precise transitions and this seemed to help with the stiffness.
Sean McCarthy (horse dentist) had to come back today to do a re-check on Nikki. When he did the girls' teeth a month ago Nikki became upset toward the end, so Sean decided to stop at that point and return in a month. She did need a little more work but became worried rather quickly. Using a small clip on twitch (not the chain kind…the soft fabric rope type) did the trick. He was able to finish quickly, and remained in the stall talking to her and rubbing her nose. Nikki doesn't hold a grudge and was nuzzling him in less than a minute.
Sunday, 17 May, 2015
Warm, humid, buggy. I guess summer has decided to arrive a little early. Turnout is even being switched to nights outside and days in. Usually this happens closer to Memorial Day (last Monday in May, for those outside the US), but the date is not written in stone. It goes by the temperatures. Works for me, and the girls will be happier, I'm sure!
Humid or not, it is a work day for Suki and Nikki but at least at 7 AM it is not quite as bad! I am a bit distracted writing this entry because there is a large red headed woodpecker in the gazebo bird feeder. On the other side a chipmunk and finch are sharing a bite, one on each side of the feeder. Bentley is watching (or is he sleeping?) from his stool.
Suki was a little temperamental about having the bridle put on today. It is the same bit that she has always used but I am back to thinking that perhaps she needs something a little smaller? Once she was wearing it she seemed okay, but a little fussy, so I kept the work brief.
Tuesday, 19 May, 2015
I caught Suki sleeping in front of her fan! It was very cute. Her eyes were closed, lip drooping and forelock blowing in the breeze! She and Nikki were also pretty muddy. Apparently there was some good rolling going on after the rain over night! In spite of the very active rolling, all good on Suki's back. Sunny today, so Suki will have to go out in her fly sheet later.
I decided to work Suki and Nikki in hand today. I let them warm up at a trot and canter on the lunge before starting work in hand. Suki worked first, which I know she loves, and Nikki called to her from the barn. Turn on the forehand and turn on the haunches both worked well. There was a little stickiness at first with the turn on the haunches, but I realized that I was not pointing the whip at the correct place. There is generally no contact with the whip, just pointing. Sometimes I reinforce with a cluck, and occasionally a light push with the whip handle. I added a little piaffe at the end, then finished with a brief forward trot on the lunge. Suki seemed pleased at the end of the work.
Nikki was LAZY!!! this morning. I had to make her really go forward during the warm up on the lunge. Of course that resulted in her being hyper sensitive during the in hand part of the training. But I used it to my advantage and actually got some lovely passage! As I passaged next to her I tried to determine if she was simply mimicking me!
Thursday, 21 May, 2015
The girls were happily grazing when I arrived at the barn. They lifted their heads when I called their names but returned to grazing immediately. So I walked out to grab Suki first and continued to call to Nikki while Suki and I walked to the gate. She continued to graze until I brought Suki through the gate, then came charging across the field. So funny.
Today with Nikki I did a lot of trot serpentines beginning with 3 loop then increasing the number of loops and decreasing the size. Adding walk for 3 steps across centerline made her really pay attention.
Suki was a little fussy in the bridle today again so now I know we need something different. I am thinking that perhaps the thickness is not the same as what I had been riding her in. She also had a scratch on her neck. It's interesting that the skin seems strong, but also sometimes fragile and sensitive to scratches. It's small, but bright against the dark skin, and does not seem overly sensitive to the touch.
I finally found the Roeckl Solar gloves! I had bought a pair a few years ago at Gladstone during The Festival of Champions but had been unable to find them in subsequent years. But SmartPak came through:
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/solar-glove-5991
Instead of having tan arms and white hands, it will all be the same. The back panel of the gloves allows sun to penetrate. I will be wearing sun screen, of course, but a little tanning is to be expected.
And I am SO excited! The Andreas Hausberger clinic is scheduled by Waltzing Horse Farm training in July. I was unable to attend in 2014, but my 2013 experience still influences how I ride and train. Sarah has moved her base to Verona, NY, but it should still be approximately a 5 hour drive. There was no chance of me getting a riding spot (a long wait list) but auditing with Andreas is an amazing experience and so educational and inspiring!
So training continues, with the usual bumps along the way. But we continue to march forward toward summer's goals.
Suki seemed a little stiff today so I had her do a lot of forward canter, which seemed to help. I didn't ask her for rapid or precise transitions and this seemed to help with the stiffness.
Sean McCarthy (horse dentist) had to come back today to do a re-check on Nikki. When he did the girls' teeth a month ago Nikki became upset toward the end, so Sean decided to stop at that point and return in a month. She did need a little more work but became worried rather quickly. Using a small clip on twitch (not the chain kind…the soft fabric rope type) did the trick. He was able to finish quickly, and remained in the stall talking to her and rubbing her nose. Nikki doesn't hold a grudge and was nuzzling him in less than a minute.
Sunday, 17 May, 2015
Warm, humid, buggy. I guess summer has decided to arrive a little early. Turnout is even being switched to nights outside and days in. Usually this happens closer to Memorial Day (last Monday in May, for those outside the US), but the date is not written in stone. It goes by the temperatures. Works for me, and the girls will be happier, I'm sure!
Humid or not, it is a work day for Suki and Nikki but at least at 7 AM it is not quite as bad! I am a bit distracted writing this entry because there is a large red headed woodpecker in the gazebo bird feeder. On the other side a chipmunk and finch are sharing a bite, one on each side of the feeder. Bentley is watching (or is he sleeping?) from his stool.
Tuesday, 19 May, 2015
I caught Suki sleeping in front of her fan! It was very cute. Her eyes were closed, lip drooping and forelock blowing in the breeze! She and Nikki were also pretty muddy. Apparently there was some good rolling going on after the rain over night! In spite of the very active rolling, all good on Suki's back. Sunny today, so Suki will have to go out in her fly sheet later.
I decided to work Suki and Nikki in hand today. I let them warm up at a trot and canter on the lunge before starting work in hand. Suki worked first, which I know she loves, and Nikki called to her from the barn. Turn on the forehand and turn on the haunches both worked well. There was a little stickiness at first with the turn on the haunches, but I realized that I was not pointing the whip at the correct place. There is generally no contact with the whip, just pointing. Sometimes I reinforce with a cluck, and occasionally a light push with the whip handle. I added a little piaffe at the end, then finished with a brief forward trot on the lunge. Suki seemed pleased at the end of the work.
Nikki was LAZY!!! this morning. I had to make her really go forward during the warm up on the lunge. Of course that resulted in her being hyper sensitive during the in hand part of the training. But I used it to my advantage and actually got some lovely passage! As I passaged next to her I tried to determine if she was simply mimicking me!
Thursday, 21 May, 2015
The girls were happily grazing when I arrived at the barn. They lifted their heads when I called their names but returned to grazing immediately. So I walked out to grab Suki first and continued to call to Nikki while Suki and I walked to the gate. She continued to graze until I brought Suki through the gate, then came charging across the field. So funny.
Today with Nikki I did a lot of trot serpentines beginning with 3 loop then increasing the number of loops and decreasing the size. Adding walk for 3 steps across centerline made her really pay attention.
Suki was a little fussy in the bridle today again so now I know we need something different. I am thinking that perhaps the thickness is not the same as what I had been riding her in. She also had a scratch on her neck. It's interesting that the skin seems strong, but also sometimes fragile and sensitive to scratches. It's small, but bright against the dark skin, and does not seem overly sensitive to the touch.
I finally found the Roeckl Solar gloves! I had bought a pair a few years ago at Gladstone during The Festival of Champions but had been unable to find them in subsequent years. But SmartPak came through:
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/solar-glove-5991
Instead of having tan arms and white hands, it will all be the same. The back panel of the gloves allows sun to penetrate. I will be wearing sun screen, of course, but a little tanning is to be expected.
And I am SO excited! The Andreas Hausberger clinic is scheduled by Waltzing Horse Farm training in July. I was unable to attend in 2014, but my 2013 experience still influences how I ride and train. Sarah has moved her base to Verona, NY, but it should still be approximately a 5 hour drive. There was no chance of me getting a riding spot (a long wait list) but auditing with Andreas is an amazing experience and so educational and inspiring!
So training continues, with the usual bumps along the way. But we continue to march forward toward summer's goals.
Congratulations on your Haynet column! I hope the Standardbred farm has taken the dangers of fire well in hand & have improved safety standards. Sounds like Suki is well on her way to her summer goals.
ReplyDeleteThank you! It will be a great opportunity. The fire that Suki was in was intentionally set, so it was a bit different than just a regular barn fire that can be due to safety issues……
DeleteFingers crossed that I will be riding Suki, but she is definitely working well!
Fran