Archive for the ‘Riding’ Category
Video & Notes
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.
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Change of Jobs
Well, if you have been following my twitter posts (@lookielou), you know that we got Lookie a harness & a cart. I don’t think I have ever seen Lookie so happy to work. He loves the cart. We have been having issues with his legs, so it was decided that Lookie would become my driving horse.
We had gotten a harness for another horse, so we pulled it out and fitted to him (blinders & all). He never flinched. We then ground drove him for a couple days (dragging a trailer tire down a gravel driveway along with him) & then I ordered the cart. I got the cart & hooked him up. He was an angel. We went to the St. Sebastian River Preserve Area and drove him around. Same thing (a perfect angel) (see video below). We have continued to drive him. I am really looking forward to seeing his progress as we progress with his CDE/Driven Dressage Training.
Also, I didn’t get the best video from Paul & Lookie’s saddle seat class. I did get a good picture though.
I did post a video of my friend riding saddle seat in the same class. Below is the video of that. In the video, you do get glimpses of Paul and Lookie in the video as well. I was the best that I could get together. Bonnie is riding a Fjord horse, named Thor, in the class. She is also the one who talked Paul into riding Lookie Saddle seat.
Saddle Seat & The Wobbles
The last couple weeks have been used learning to cope with the changes in my life and learning all about driving. I have had balance issues for as long as I can remember (My mom used to called me a weeble-wobble) but back in October I had a really bad bout of vertigo and my balance has not been the same since. It has gotten to the point that riding has become hazardous to my health. It is not the horses, it is just me. So, I stopped working with Jack. After thinking about what I wanted to do with horses, I decided to go back to what I first started with. Driving. Dodger, my first horse, was a standardbred pacer in his previous life before I got him. My parents got him as a rescue. My mom broke him to saddle, but mom wanted to make sure that I knew how to drive as well.
So, I have been doing lots of research. minis, carts, ponies, events, etc. I went over to plant city to a HDT. it was cool. driven dressage, cones, and a marathon. I met some of the nicest people. I am still looking for the right horse, but as the news of my discipline change, I have been able to start to work with other people’s driving horses. I look forward to what the future holds for me.
On a another front, Paul is going to be riding Lookie saddle seat tomorrow at a local 4H show. I am going to do 2 halter classes with Lookie before hand with him as well. I will post the video of the class tomorrow (hopefully). Our friend, Bonnie, will be showing with Lookie in the saddle seat class. It is going to be a fun day!!!
My Thoughts
I had a good show day yesterday. Lookie was calm and willing. Romeo was up to his tricks, but he still performed just the way Paul believed he would. I don’t think I ever had such a peaceful show day. Normally they are hectic at best. I am always worried or rushing something. But, Paul has been really pushing Lookie to behave and do what he is supposed to & that new saddle has really helped Lookie. He is actually starting to use his back more effectively with suspension and power. It is amazing to feel. I still need to figure out what my hands are doing (I still am not realizing when I lose contact or when i am using inside rein instead of the outside) and learn to sit his trot without using my legs to grip, but I think that I am finally starting to make progress into the realm of just riding and not thinking about every single detail of the ride.
I finally picked up a book called “Centered riding by Sally Swift” and only have just begun to read it. I am hoping that it will be help me. I have read about the soft eyes and the breathing. I only realized that I have been holding my breath during Lookie’s antics and if I remember to breath, he calms down A LOT faster.
The soft eyes is still a big trick for me because I just don’t always prepare Lookie for where we need to be. It is going to be a work in progress.With Romeo, Paul is going to start working with him & me on the canter thing. When I rode Romeo’s canter a couple weeks ago, Paul discovered why Lookie might be flipping his leads on me. I twist my shoulders every stride and don’t follow the motions in my hips. (As I said, I am not a natural rider, just a determined one!) Romeo is just WAY more tolerant of my funny body reactions. I am actually looking forward to it. I have never really ridden a canter correctly, this should be interesting (video cameras might be needed…. keep you informed – LOL!)
Lisa (Romeo’s Owner) took some pictures of Romeo & Lookie at the show yesterday. I have uploaded them. Here is the link to the flickr:http://www.flickr.com/photos/lookieloudressage/sets/72157615018748008/
Also, just so everyone knows, Mary, the young lady that Paul was training, has decided to take some time off from horse shows & training. We wish her well in what ever she decide to do.