Since last fall I’ve been working a lot on teaching Steen to break at the poll and give me the soft feel at all gaits, and I’ve also been holding pressure on the bit to keep him collected for a few strides at a time. But where I’m really starting to feel him move in… Read more »
lope
Finding the Haunch
I’ve ridden three times since my last post, and each ride has been a bit better than the one before. I’ve been thinking a lot about precision, and keeping Steen in that delicate place where he is relaxed but still energetic. I’ve also continued to try to emphasize exercises that force Steen to engage his… Read more »
When Things Go Wrong, Simplify
These little words of wisdom come from Dan John. Dan is one of my favorite people to read for advice on working out and getting fitter. The reason I love his stuff is because he breaks it down into very digestible chunks and also his advice applies just as directly to life, relationships, and work… Read more »
Sixty
Today is the second to last day of January and it was 60 degrees. That is nearly twice what the average temps are. Very odd. But not unwelcome. If we had a ton of snow, I would have been disappointed. But we had just enough snow that the warm temps melted it all and turned… Read more »
Good Rest
After two days off, Bear was happy to see me this morning. He came over to say hi and followed me with more energy than he often does. I was hoping this meant he was feeling better. I let him loose to roll and wander around the indoor, but he wasn’t really interested in doing… 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 »
Half Thawed
The pasture is in a bit of a state right now: So I always feel like it is a good thing to get the horses inside, get their hooves dried out and get them moving a little. Steen has lost some fitness in his three weeks of convalescence. Today my plan was to trot a lot.… Read more »
Stand and Lope
Those are Bear’s two favorite gaits. It is funny as I tend to forget about the second one when we haven’t been practicing it. Like in the late fall after I had taken a tumble and we weren’t riding is spaces that were great for practicing the lope. And though I have not been riding… Read more »
Mostly Healed
Well, January has not been a great month for riding. Work has been busy, Steen has been healing, and the weather has been uninviting. So the horses have been getting some time off. Beyond making sure Steen’s leg wasn’t getting any worse (mostly thanks to Brian looking in on it for me), I’ve not had… Read more »
Borrowing My Husband’s Horse
We went again to the barn on Saturday. Steen’s cut looked good, but the swelling above the ankle was back just a tad. Not enough to be alarming, but enough to convince me not to ride him. I brought him in and groomed him and gave him a snack, then put him back outside. While… Read more »