sneaky guy

We continue to enjoy arena riding our horses. Sometimes in the outdoor, sometimes in the indoor and some days we ride in both. It is really refreshing to ride inside under the fans, after baking in the sun. Without pesky flies and dusty wind.

Koda

I can't say enough good things about Koda.

He is really trying hard to do everything he is being asked. I just hop on these days and we warm up together. He is still a bit off when trotting at first. It seems to improve with riding. Koda is almost at the two month mark with his Cosequin supplement. I don't think it is doing much. To give the supplement a fair chance, we will keep giving it to him for a while. 

Koda is a little less fluffy, so that helps. His girth is fitting better. We are still mostly walking or doing obstacles. Trying out all the stuff we used to do on a regular basis.

He is being such a good riding partner and tries to help, even when not asked.

At the end of our ride, I opened the arena gate to ride out. I didn't get it swung open enough. Koda reached his nose out and nudged it open the rest of the way for us to ride through. Off we went, on our first field/trail ride this year. Brad & Cierra followed us out. We rode the field perimeter. Cierra really moves out, so we ended up following them back to the barn at a distance. We took the wooded path across from our house. They continued further down the path, while Koda & I rode back to the arena to retrieve my phone.

My phone doesn't stay in my back pocket. We have saddle/cantle bags, but I like to keep it on me. I need to find a new phone belt carrier. They keep changing the durn phone sizes.

We had a really nice outside ride yesterday!

I untacked first and was putting Koda back in the pasture when this happened:

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Nemo doesn't like Koda being gone and definitely doesn't like Brad riding Cierra. Nemo can be a pain when the herd regroups. He often rubs his face and sometimes tries to playfully get up on Koda. I shooed Nemo away and turned my attention to getting Koda's halter off. My arm is only half way back to “normal”. The struggle is still real. I was standing by the gate, but it was open enough that the sneaky guy pranced out.

Nemo was FREEE!!!

Our girls are better behaved, but Nemo is Nemo. I felt terrible!! I've never accidentally let a horse out. Guess there is a first time for everything. I handed Brad Koda's halter and quickly put Cierra away.

Nemo was having a ball running and exploring the field behind of the barn.

Our daughter came out to help. We had the main escape routes blocked. Eventually Nemo went inside the indoor, and we closed the gate.

Three horses got worked yesterday, although one was unplanned.

my unicorn

"What does calling someone a unicorn mean?

Since it first named the one-horned equine of lore around the 1200s, the word unicorn has gone on to name “a person or thing that is rare and highly valued,” whether that's a billion-dollar startup—or that special someone in your life."

............................

We have been enjoying some nice indoor arena rides this month. 4 to be exact. I thought we would be enjoying the great outdoors with our horses by now, or at least the outdoor arena.

However, a controlled environment is best for several reasons. 

Nemo has allergies. Until Cierra has her pregnancy confirmation, Brad has been riding Nemo exclusively. He comes inside and his symptoms instantly go away. I also suffer from allergies. First time, since we moved here. My eyes are absolutely terrible this year. Constantly watery. My homeopathic eye drops and last resort Claritin, are not helping. This too shall pass.

I am also brokey-broke. More than usual.

My 2017 torn rotator cuff injury is back. I can no longer lift my right arm overhead, or at an extended angle. No, I did not fall again. Apparently I overused my arm and it is inflamed. Silly me to think I was good to go forever. I had great use of my arm after rehab for about 5 years. I am back to working on my PT exercises, from the beginning of my binder (15 double sided multi exercise pages). I am happy to report, I am starting to see a little improvement. 

No saddling, cinching or bridling for now.

Koda has been such a good boy through it all. Trying to figure out my differences. We are trying to keep our minds busy walking, turning, side passing and overall listening.

My shoulder can take about a half an hour of riding. 

Brad set up a big pole square and bending poles. They help. What can I say? I like to walk<trot<lope, or do obstacles. Riding trails is my favorite. I think it is also Koda's. We haven't trimmed trees or worked on trails much this year. Yet.

I've also tried a tiny amount of groundwork. Kind of a joke. I've watched many clinicians do groundwork over the years. Without using the info, those "files" get replaced. Helloo, YouTube! I am unsure doing groundwork, but we are figuring it out together. I worry that I am messing Koda up. Brad assures me I am not. I haven't thought "horse" for too long. 

I am very thankful for my hubbies help. He truly is my unicorn.

Brad has been filling in for my right arm. Saddling etc for me. 

my other (silly) unicorn

making new habits

We thought about it, talked about it, wanted to do it, and just didn't make it happen. Until today. It was hot and dusty, but we planned on it - so we rode anyway. It felt good, to just do it. We are going to **try** to make it a habit to ride at least two days a week at home. 

What a difference from last years restart!! I did everything with Koda myself, and way more than I planned on. Even tho I had my doubts. When Koda is good, he is golden. I was amazed with my boy tonight!! After eight-ish months of not being asked to do much of anything but lead to/from the barn, he did every single thing I asked. Without testing or complaining.

I fumbled around tacking Koda up, and he just waited. We were the first one out to the arena, and walked up one side and down the shaded half of the outdoor in hand first. Then moved onto a super short lunge session. We did a little over two circles each direction. Walked one circle, trot a little, lope a little, back to a trot, walk and whoa for the second-ish circle. Switch sides and repeat.

Koda did all the transitions the second I asked. It has been eight months, who is this horse? and where did sassy pants go? I was pleasantly surprised.

Somewhere along the way, Brad & Cierra had joined us in the outdoor. I watched them long enough to snap one pic and think to myself, it was really nice to see them riding together again. Cierra looked good.

Of course I decided to ride Koda. We kept that part short too. I didn't even go around the whole arena. We worked smaller circles around the mounting block at a walk (both ways) backed once, and tried circling at a trot. That felt all kinds of odd. Koda's trot is choppy to begin with, but I stopped trotting shortly after we started. He did nothing wrong, I just didn't like how stiff he felt. We bent side-to-side loosening up a little, and decided to head out of the arena. 

My plan was to ride around the exterior of the arena, and then dismount. He was being so good I could have easily taken him for a trail ride, but wanted to keep today's interaction short and sweet. Koda side passed over to the gate latch like he did it every day. We rode outside the arena, ducked under a tree branch that need trimming, and dismounted. I love my horse!!
 

 

good boy Koda

doing the right things

After my struggles last week I am savoring the feeling that comes from the satisfaction of a good ride. When Koda is good, he is golden. I am also processing, how to keep doing the right things and have less of last weeks struggles. 

Yesterday we had a special ride, and advanced together in more ways than one. It is wiser to increase one aspect at a time, but it was hard to not take advantage of a good ride. It helped having unseasonably warm late November riding weather, and not rushing. This is what we found when we went out mid afternoon to get our mounts:

Harmony, Cierra and Koda in a row

Nemo at feeder

Let's just say nobody was coming to the gate any time soon. Brad haltered Cierra, and she didn't even move. We had to encourage both horses to get up.

Cierra and Koda

Koda enjoyed a good pre-ride groom, and after watching this video I tried the Masterson Bladder Meridian technique that Shirley suggested. I am not sure I was doing it right, but I tried. I'll have to practice more. I watched for "the signs" and found some reaction in his left side poll area. I held my hand in place and watched, he seemed to release (not as much as the horse in the video). I think Koda liked it? Not much happened on the other side. I was going too fast, knowing Brad had Cierra all tacked up and was waiting on us (always). I still wanted to brush Koda's mane & tail, and suggested Brad start without us. We usually ride at the same time, but not always. He went out to the arena, and I brushed out my boys gorgeous Fabio locks before joining them. I softly told Koda, if you just listen to me we won't have to lunge very long. And much to my surprise, he did. 

Walk, trot lope progression one way and back down. Stop, switch directions without complaining. Repeat sequence. Done. Did he do a super nice warm up lope with vigor, nope. But I didn't care, I was looking for listening and no drama. He got lots of praise. 

I put on his bridle and headed to the mounting block. My plan was to not adjust the block or figit, and just get on. On our way to the block, I decided to change it up and walked over poles instead of mounting. Koda is a predictor. Changing sequence helps him listen. I was about to step up on the block and he shifted his hip. Not this time buddy. I repositioned him and softly said something like, I really need you to stand still, don't know what I'll do if you keep moving. Slight tug on the reins downwards and a simultaneous "stand" And much to my surprise, he did.

I stepped up, seated myself as softly as I could and we sat there. Koda got lots of praise.

We did a variety of walking/trotting/cones etc with breaks just sitting in between. We trotted over the two ground poles for the first time, both directions. It was then I decided to lope. And much to my surprise, he listened.

We loped to the right first, just an extended corner (about a third of the arena) and got the correct lead. Yay, I've struggled getting the correct lead this direction with him in the past. It wasn't pretty, but it was without issue. We did a few other things instead of loping the other way right away. When I did ask him to lope left, he held frame for part of it and I floated on my Koda cloud :)))

Everything was going so well, I decided to try riding him outside the arena. We walked over to the gate, side passed and I unlatched the gate but didn't push it hard enough. Crap! Koda being the funny character he is, wanted to show me how it's done. Instead, he let me guide us in pushing the gate further open and walking through mounted. 

I could feel Brad's eyes, perhaps filled with excitement - or disbelief, not sure I didn't ask him. I was too busy trying not to be nervous. They quickly follow us out. I circled Koda in the surrounding field, just to make sure he was still with me. We stood next to Brad & Cierra for a little while, before leading us to the nearby wooded path. Koda planted his feet. Probably because I wasn't sure if I wanted to go right and ride the path, or go left and take the field back to the barn. Brad & Cierra took the lead, and we followed them along the newly created wooded path then back to the arena field to dismount. Our first little trail ride was a success!! 

After dismounting I gave Koda a well deserving looong hug, and held back the waterworks that unexpectedly bubbled up from having "that feeling" back. 

my sleepy decorated boy