Help for Sasha

Jul 312011
 

I had started a happy blog post about Sasha going to Bend for training at Pony Pros. A ride serendipitously was found and she went up on Thursday, July 21st.

I visited her the next Saturday and talked to Gina Papa, the assistant trainer at Pony Pros. Sasha looked great and meeting Gina was a pleasure. Gina already had her learning to smile.

Sasha was doing well, but has had a setback. Yesterday, she started to colic and is now at Bend Equine Medical Center on IV fluids. Kali, Les and Gina have been just great, providing care and communication. I know that she has had excellent care.

He vet costs are already well beyond anything I had in reserve for her. So I am asking if you are reading here and have anything to spare, that it would be most helpful. Some lovely people have already stepped up and offered. THANK YOU!


Bleh … technology … The paypal button doesn’t seem to be functioning correctly. Donations (not tax deductible) may be sent to simrat@akalranch.com. Please add a note that it’s for Sasha. Thanks!



I sincerely hope that I have good news to report tomorrow morning and that Sasha will have improved. I have cancelled my morning meetings and may drive up to see her.

At the same time, three other Spanish Mustangs are on their way to a way station in their journey south to new homes. They were picked up at the same time that Sasha was on her way to the clinic. The Lido Fund has helped with some costs of their transport. If, by any chance, there are extra funds, they could go to help with gas and transport costs for those horses as well.

I never intended to get so involved in SM rescue, but it seems that is the way of it these days. I keep having horses come to my attention that need new homes or help in some way. It is very hard for me to not help. The key is to keep it within my resources. I guess I’m not doing so well on that front lately! It is not my way to ask for help, but now I am.

Sasha – first month

Feb 042011
 

Sunday 1/16 – I took Sasha for a walk down the road to Three Cedars arena to show her some new sights. Lily called for her, but Sasha was fine. She was alert and a bit nervous, but behaved very well. We stopped and chatted with people; I hosed off her muddy legs in the hot water wash rack and lunged her a few turns in the arena. There were people and horses around and she took it all in stride. Next time we go to Three Cedars, she will have a saddle on. :)

Saturday 1/22 – Rachel and I went out and I ponied Sasha for the first time. She was a gem. She’s obviously done this before. Lily was full of energy and I had to pay more attention to her than Sasha. We mostly walked, but trotted some too. I hardly had to think about Sasha back there. We went down the road with traffic, over the bridge with the Willamette rushing below, barking dogs, yahoos spinning gravel in the trailhead parking lot and she only spooked once.

Well, I didn’t get to finish this post in time to get it online in week three of her being with me. Instead I’ve been consumed by another project. We have decided to redo our kitchen, along with a bunch of other smaller home improvements. Our cabinets have been slowly self destructing over the years, so it’s high time. We should have new, custom cabinets soon, so demolition will be in order this week. After the cabinets are in, I’ll be doing the counters and tiling myself. All this means that I don’t foresee a lot of horse time.

I tried to tell Lily why I haven’t been around so much, but I don’t think that she understands kitchens so much. She puts her head down for me to rub her ears and sighs. I’ve been to the barn maybe twice a week lately and not ridden since our ponying session. I don’t think that the girls really mind. They have food, good care, daily turnout and the company of each other.

I have worked with Sasha a couple more times, just things like catching and grooming her, seeing how she is with clippers (great! – she lost her long chin hairs.), and taking both mares out for a walk and grazing. She still doesn’t like me to catch her sometimes. Though I think that she is getting used to having me around.

Here are some shots of her modeling my bosalito … and dirt.



I am really looking forward to getting more beauty shots of Sasha this summer, when she is shed out, clean and has picked up more weight.

The Art of Academic Riding

Dec 302010
 

Hugin, custom glazed by Paige Patty Easley on a Lipizzan sculpture by Donna Chaney.

I’ve known about Bent Branderup for years. In fact, I had a bone china model horse custom glazed after his stallion Hugin. He did well at model shows too. You had to see him in person for the detail. The spots have hairline halos and he has pink and mottling in all the right places. And this was the size of a Breyer Stablemate! Paige Patty Easley, who did the glazing, is a wonderful finish artist.

 

Back to the point … I was impressed with how all the horses that Bent rides move so willingly and well. I was impressed straight off. Recently, I found Marijke de Jong on FaceBook. She is a student of Bent’s and has published these training methods in English. Her eBook, Academic Art of Riding is clear and concise at 44 pages long. She methodically takes you though the steps of training, why some things need to come first, why and how to build your horse’s strength and ability before moving to the next exercise, what the aids are and how to train the horse. She also gives the historical context for the movement, which is quite fascinating. It’s a lot of information in a small package, with excellent photos and diagrams to illustrate the concepts.

I’ve done some of these things already, but I will be going back with Lily and starting fresh with Sasha to fill the holes. I am especially wanting to work with Lily to build her up from her lameness. I am and have been treating her riding and working as physical therapy. This program fits very well with this, as it’s goals are the health and well being of the horse, along with developing him or her to their best abilities.

Sasha is coming down from Tired Dog Ranch tomorrow to start her work with me. Watch this blog for updates on her progress, as we progress through these logical steps. I am excited to have her to work with.

Edited to add a link to videos on youtube.

A few more “firsts”

Dec 132009
 

I took advantage of the sun this afternoon and put a bit more work on Vinnie’s driving. I dug out the PVC shafts I had made years ago for Paisano and took them to out to the barn. Vinnie got groomed and harnessed up. I put on the cavesson that I’ve been riding and long lining him with. Then I put the full bridle on over that. I don’t have a driving bit for him yet, but I wanted something that wouldn’t pull through his mouth. I had taken the full cheek home, so all I had was a low port Kimberwicke. Since I was mostly going just ask him to carry it, that’s what he wore today. He mouthed it at first, but once we were headed out, there was plenty to take his attention away from playing with the bit.

I got this. What's next?

I got this. What's next?

I took him right out on the roads, ground driving off the cavesson. We went one way down the gravel road, past some people riding a four wheeler ATV, a barking dog and other horses. When we got around the other side of the property we board at, the expression on one horse’s face was priceless! I wish that I had had my camera and another hand to hold it in. It was just like he could NOT believe what Vinnie was wearing. They snorted and ran around. Vinnie’s head went up and his energy built, but he stayed with me quite well. We went a bit further, then turned and headed back.

When we came to the gate, we passed it and went down the other way a bit. All told, we probably walked a bit less than a mile. I practiced halting and standing, as well as asking him to move side to side on the road from whip and rein cues. He did well to the left and a bit stickier to the right. That’s likely because it’s harder for me to reach his left side with my whip. I had my ground whip with a short lash. Next time, I’ll have to remember the one with a longer drop. I really need a proper driving whip.

Doing well.

Doing well.

On our return, I removed the breastplate, traces and driving lines. I walked him into the shafts as they lay on the ground. We practiced standing there without fussing. That is really something that he will need work on to be a good driving pony. After a few time of that, I lifted the shafts and put them in the tugs. They weren’t secured at all, but the end caps kept them in. They would have come loose easily, if there had been any problems. I led him around in the paddock. It’s not too large, so we were circling and doing figure eights. He got a lot of Good Boy praise and pats.


Since he had taken all this so well, I decided to try driving him off the bit. I took off the shafts first. Then we did a few rounds of the barn yard, turning and halting before calling it a day. He wasn’t too keen on this bit and pushed his shoulder through a few turns. We ended on a nice halt that only took a couple of half halts to get. Now I just have to figure out the best driving bit for him. And do more sessions like today. Vinnie is quite willing to what I ask, once he understands what that is. Repetition and practice are what we need now.

The wheels that I ordered for my cart are in. I have all the supplies to paint it. I’ve decided that it will be black. Then I will need to make the seat and back, measure for foam and upholstery material and purchase those. I am not sure what color the seat will be yet. I do hope that the cart will end up being large enough for him. I wonder if it will all be ready by April for the parade in Oakridge. Stay tuned!

December & a change of plans

Dec 052009
 

I had planned to ride Lily three to four times per week and work Vinnie twice a week, including some arena work, both under saddle and in long lines for both of them. I was considering doing a trace clip on Lily, so we could continue conditioning towards endurance next year and the possible blanketing changes that might entail.

Well, other plans were in store for me. For those who don’t know me on FaceBook or the SM message boards, my back was tender last week after lifting some hay bales and last Sunday at the OHC trail course, it really did go out. I’ve been down resting and taking painkillers all of last week and missed quite a bit of work. I also missed writing my Thankful Thursday post, as I was in a mental fog.

“Getting old is not for sissies.” ~~ Bette Davis

After resting and a couple of chiropractic adjustments, my back is better today. I am mobile and not taking painkillers any longer. The trick for me now, will be to take it easy and come back to activity slowly. I need to start walking regularly, stretching and doing some non-horse related exercise. I am also considering taking the month off from riding. That is hard for me to think about. I’ve been pushing to spend every daylight opportunity in the saddle.

If I am not going to ride for a month, what to do with the horses? They are getting their stalls cleaned now, so I don’t even have a reason to go see them every day. All I have to do for them is make sure that their daily feed bags are made up and stocked. Other than that, they really would be fine to just hang out. But would they get bored?

Do horses get bored? Lily and Vinnie have a small paddock of about 1/3 acre to themselves. They have water, a tiny bit of grass and three trees, along with their breakfast hay out there. I can tell that they use the two smaller trees to scratch on. I found black hairs from Lily the other day, coated in ice. I wish that I had had my camera. It was quite interesting.

Anyway, I usually feel that I need to do something with them. To keep moving their training forward somehow; Lily getting back into shape and Vinnie with his basic ridden work. Then I remembered a day when my children came out and played with Vinnie. Neither of them are knowledgeable in traditional horsemanship. And they had fun and taught him things anyway. He learned quite quickly to push a barrel with his head. And they had fun playing with him and the hula hoop. It is good to remember that sometimes, it is worthwhile just exploring with the horse and not fitting him or her into a ‘program’ or a plan. They don’t make plans. Why do I?



I know that I could teach them some tricks. But then again, what about just being with them? I haven’t taken much time with that recently. And I do miss it. I think that Lily, at least, does too. I guess I will just take this month one day at a time and try having no goals. How about that? I think that I will take some toys and props out there though… and see what happens.

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