I’ve been wanting to try out Brian’s saddle for a while, and lately Steen’s saddle has been riding lower on his shoulders and leaving dry spots again. I’m increasingly convinced the fit is just not ideal. Brian’s saddle has a fairly narrow, high gullet that I have suspected would be a good fit for Steen.… Read more »
figure-eights
Lotsa Lope
We had another beautiful day today. It feels so good to go out and spend some time in the sun. The boys were ultra relaxed during grooming, and the footing on the strip was much better. I started out with loping figure-eights pretty early and my first session of this was fantastic. Almost every loop… Read more »
Venturing Forth
We had some rain last night and this morning, so footing on the strip was going to be mushy. Also, our boys have had a couple hard rides recently and they aren’t in super good shape. We don’t want to over-do it. But it’s spring break and the weather is fantastic, so while Brian and… Read more »
Simple Lead Changes
We had such success with our work at the lope yesterday I was keen to get back to that exercise today. Steen was in a good mood from the start. I think he is more comfortable without his blanket on. It has warmed up here and I’ve been able to leave it off the last… Read more »
Refining the Lope
When I was a younger, more fearless rider, I loved loping in almost any circumstances. I didn’t care if the horse was borderline out of control. I didn’t mind if I knew I couldn’t do more than contribute nominally to where exactly we ended up running. Since getting Steen, my relationship with the lope has… Read more »
Quality over Speed
Horsemanship can feel vast sometimes. Whenever I see videos of Buck Brannaman or Ray Hunt working with a green horse, the main thing that floors me time and time again is how fast they are. They ask for one thing after another after another, and their horses stay focused and attentive. These last few rides… Read more »
Winter Prep Project
Although this fall has so far been mild, I know the cold will set in any day. I want to do a better job riding through the winter this year. To that end, this weekend I finally sat down to make something I’ve been thinking about putting together for about two years. I gathered my… Read more »
Long Saturday Ride
We rode on the strip again today. It was windy and chilly and Steen was a bit restless during grooming, tacking, and even walking outside. I was initially afraid he was going to be spooky. I started out with a bit of groundwork as usual, and today he really wasn’t interested in moving off the… Read more »
Fabulous Lope
The weather has continued fair but Brian and I have been a tad sick. I don’t get sick often, and sometimes it seems like I get almost sick. That’s how I’ve been this week. I don’t have any overt symptoms, but then when I exert myself I bit I revert briefly to feeling awful. It… Read more »
The Good Kind of Fall
We’ve had a mild fall, so even though today was chillier than it has been, it was by no means cold. When we left the house it was in the mid 50’s. Every year I forget what best to wear for various temperatures, so I tend to head to the barn over-dressed and remove layers… Read more »