Archive for the ‘Dressage’ Category

I guess it’s about time I updated everyone on Little Dude and I. I am not driving LD at the Black Prong HDT March 12-3, 2011. I can’t keep my hands or my nerves quiet enough to be able to drive him. Paul will be taking over ALL LD’s driving. He will keep the same schedule that we originally laid out for him for the show season. I just am going to be his groom.  I just don’t have the talent or the confidence any more to do anything more with horses. I am just going to have to come to terms with it.

In other news, Paul’s other driving horse in training, Buddy, is coming along well. he’s getting his own 4-wheel CDE carriage at the end of the month. Buddy is a 14.2 hand Welch/TB cross gelding. He is as cute as a button. I hope to get some decent pictures of him and Paul at the clinic this weekend.

Paul’s Dressage Horse, Ben, did well at his last schooling show. he got a 62.400%. He’ll be heading to the 2 shows in Venice, FL on April 9-10, 2011.

Our current schedule is going to keep Paul hopping. Between Driving and Dressage, Paul wont have a break until the 3rd weekend in April. I will try to keep everyone updated as the event proceed.

Back to blogging. What a whirlwind. Get another horse and then you look at time, you can’t remember where all your time went. I brought Little Dude (aka Reeses) home labor day weekend & life has not been the same since.

Paul has been continuing to try riding lookie in dressage. He has some success with it. We have also been driving him a lot more. I think it is helping him strengthen his back a lot.

So, let me formally introduce little dude. he is 7yr old 39″ mini. lots of trust/handling issues. I don’t know if he will ever be completely sane, but I love him too bits. he is getting the driving thing SLOWLY but surely. I had to get him a custom harness in order to get one to fit him correctly. We have wrecked a couple times already. It is always for something you didn’t plan or train for when you long-line/drag.

The first time he wrecked the cart, his back foot slid & his breeching bumped into his rear. he bucked up & put his back feet in my face a couple times. Then, he got a leg over one of the shafts and the cart rolled. I got tossed, but I held on to the riens and I got him stopped. he busted up the harness, but the cart was fine. the lesson learned was that he needed to be a little tighter in his rig.

the second time, we got too close to a jump in the arena (note: he doesn’t like when one of the cart wheels leaves the ground) again we bucked, legs went over the shafts & again I was tossed. cart got some very bent shafts and I a very bruised hip. He went back to ground driving until I could re-evaluate the driving issues.

I decided that …
1) he needed a better fitting harness
2) he was getting a kicking/bucking strap
3) he IS going to learn to drive & be a proper young gentleman.

So, fast forward 2 montths from the last wreck. We have been working LD almost everyday & he has been getting better. With the better fitting harness, the kicking strap, and a repaired cart, I think we might be able to a competent driver one day. Lookie has been helping show LD that he can do it. Lookie acts more like a big brother to LD. I am still a little gun shy, but Paul has demonstrated that in his new rig LD can’t get the cart flipped.

Time will tell. Lookie & LD are attending a driving clinic with bob giles in the first part of april. LD MIGHT be going to the port mayaka may day HDT. I have to see how his driving progresses.

Okay, so it’s been a while. I have been working with a mini, named reeses. He is only 38″ tall & cute as a button. I had to wait to start working with him because he was only gelded 2 months ago. He is doing really well & I hope to bring him home soon.

Paul has been working with Lookie a lot. I am going to post some videos of parts of his workout from today. I really do believe that Lookie & him are going to do great this winter. I think he might try to qualify for regionals. I don’t know. We will see.

Paul has been taking some lessons with lookie to work on his posture and Lookie’s relaxation. I believe that it is working. The pair is starting to look like a dressage pair.

I am hoping to post more often as I get back to being more active wth horses then I have been. I have been pretty sick since the end of July, but I am doing much better now, so let the horse games begin anew.

Okay, long time no blog. my husband & I have been very busy with Lookie. We had a good showing on Lookie in March & Lookie had been training very well. But, We had another very close call with Lookie’s feet again this month. Then, I got hurt. I haven’t been able to ride anything for over 10 days now. I just got the ability to type back. (thank god!) I am still trying to decide if I am going to be able to ride in the clinic that I signed up for in May.

Paul has been working Lookie both saddle-less & bridle-less. I decided to borrow some one’s video camera (thanks dad!) and video tape Paul & Lookie’s riding. I have posted a compilation to YouTube for everyone’s enjoyment. The video contains several clips. Paul working saddle-less & bridle-less (the is only a rope around Lookie’s neck), Paul riding Lookie’s canter in a saddle & halter (don’t totally trust him yet in the canter) & then Paul working Lookie traditionally.

Hope you enjoy.