Marehaven Farm
Longmont, CO
Kelton
Thank goodness she got her brain from the Percheron side!
April 28 / 2008 07:03 PM
Kelton's level-headed
nature continues to amaze me. When I first
started leading her from the trailer to the warm up
arena at the show last weekend, a train went by the
south end of facility and that sent her head straight
up and made her go tight with tension. So we
stood there for a bit and watched it pass, and then I
asked to her walk with me to the arena. She
settled right down and I felt fine getting on her,
and she was fine in the arena even though we were
alone. She continued to be fine even as people
led horses past and riders came in and out of the
arena. And she was completely relaxed in the
indoor arena, which we'd never been in before.
It's easy to take those sorts of things for
granted until I see other horses being goofy or
remember spooky or buddy sour horses I've known in
the past.
I certainly wouldn't say that Kelton is "bomb proof," nor that she's a "dead head," not by any means, but I really like how sensible her reactions are. I've learned that if I just let her look at things and sort them out on her own, without trying to "make" her doing something, she gets over them quickly and will in fact usually go closer to investigate (after having given the questionable item a good, long Thoroughbred stare). I'm sure it helps that because I've become familiar with her reaction process, I tend to stay pretty calm in the saddle (which is not how I react on a horse whose "fear response" I don't know anything about, even though I know that my getting tense will just make things worse!)
The other day I wanted to ride Kelton in the afternoon by there was a tractor digging a ditch for a water line right along the driveway, and one long side of my arena is right next to the driveway. I took her out there anyway and figured if she was antsy, I would either ride only on one side or leave the arena and ride in the pasture or something. She gave the tractor a good look, but when I asked her to march on by on a long rein, she did, and never gave it another thought throughout our workout. What a good girl! Have I mentioned how much I love this horse?! ;-)
I certainly wouldn't say that Kelton is "bomb proof," nor that she's a "dead head," not by any means, but I really like how sensible her reactions are. I've learned that if I just let her look at things and sort them out on her own, without trying to "make" her doing something, she gets over them quickly and will in fact usually go closer to investigate (after having given the questionable item a good, long Thoroughbred stare). I'm sure it helps that because I've become familiar with her reaction process, I tend to stay pretty calm in the saddle (which is not how I react on a horse whose "fear response" I don't know anything about, even though I know that my getting tense will just make things worse!)
The other day I wanted to ride Kelton in the afternoon by there was a tractor digging a ditch for a water line right along the driveway, and one long side of my arena is right next to the driveway. I took her out there anyway and figured if she was antsy, I would either ride only on one side or leave the arena and ride in the pasture or something. She gave the tractor a good look, but when I asked her to march on by on a long rein, she did, and never gave it another thought throughout our workout. What a good girl! Have I mentioned how much I love this horse?! ;-)
|
Kelton goes to another schooling show
April 28 / 2008 03:56 PM
I took Kelton to a
"ride a test" schooling show on Saturday and we did
pretty well, especially considering
(1) we were scheduled
to ride at 8:30am and 9:15am and I am NOT a morning
person; and (2) we did Training Level Test 4 for the
first time ever. I managed to remember it,
despite having learned it just a week or so earlier,
but I was confused about what was wanted on one of
the movements. Because this was a "ride a
test," each rider got 15 minutes with the judge to
discuss the test and re-ride portions as needed,
although the re-rides didn't factor into the scores.
For the first ride we did Training Level Test 2 and earned a score of 66.87%, with the main weakness being Kelton's canter. She's still a little stiff and short strided at the canter, but everyone who has seen her canter agrees that she doesn't look like she's in pain but rather that she needs more conditioning and encouragement to change her habits. I can relate to that! I've given her bute to see if that makes a difference and it doesn't, which is further evidence that it's not about pain. I need to start riding her more regularly and work on exercises to encourage her to reach under herself with her hind legs.
We earned only a 60.8% on Test 4 but that was due to several mistakes, including my misunderstanding of the loops and my not adequately preparing Kelton for the left lead canter, so she picked up the right lead. After I rode the test the judge explained the loops to me and had me ride them again, and that time she said "perfect." Oh well, now I know!
Unfortunately I have no video of this ride because I was there by myself :-(
For the first ride we did Training Level Test 2 and earned a score of 66.87%, with the main weakness being Kelton's canter. She's still a little stiff and short strided at the canter, but everyone who has seen her canter agrees that she doesn't look like she's in pain but rather that she needs more conditioning and encouragement to change her habits. I can relate to that! I've given her bute to see if that makes a difference and it doesn't, which is further evidence that it's not about pain. I need to start riding her more regularly and work on exercises to encourage her to reach under herself with her hind legs.
We earned only a 60.8% on Test 4 but that was due to several mistakes, including my misunderstanding of the loops and my not adequately preparing Kelton for the left lead canter, so she picked up the right lead. After I rode the test the judge explained the loops to me and had me ride them again, and that time she said "perfect." Oh well, now I know!
Unfortunately I have no video of this ride because I was there by myself :-(
Who knew there were alligators in Colorado?
February 16 / 2008 06:20 PM
I took Kelton over to
Pella this afternoon for our first solo ride of 2008.
It's been a while since she's been out on her
own, and when we arrived there were some other horses
being tacked up, so I moved quickly so that we could
be the first to head out. I wasn't sure how
she'd react to either being left by the other horses
or leaving them behind, and I figured leaving them
behind was the better bet. So I got on and she
motored right on out in her super fast walk and
didn't look back once at the other horses. But
she walked so fast that we did a figure-eight around
both ponds on the east side in about 20 minutes!
Read More...
Read More...
Flying on the Princess
January 26 / 2008 04:39 PM
I rode Kelton last
Sunday, and at first, she was kind of stiff and slow.
I had to stop a few times to let her catch her breath
after some trot work. But after about half an hour of
suppling work, she started to feel more forward and
lively. I could tell she wanted to canter, so I let
her go for a lap or two in each direction, with a
break in between for her to catch her breath.
She lives in a pasture that's about an acre and a half, but she rarely moves out on her own. She and her two buddies tend to stand by the fence line, cock a hind leg, and take a nap. So I bet it felt good to her to actually stretch her legs in the arena. She wasn't ready to quit cantering each time, but I didn't want her to over do it. It was so fun to fly along on such a happy forward horse!
We did the same thing today. Last Sunday it was a little cool and overcast, but today it was about 50 degrees, sunny, and just perfect. I can't wait for spring!!
She lives in a pasture that's about an acre and a half, but she rarely moves out on her own. She and her two buddies tend to stand by the fence line, cock a hind leg, and take a nap. So I bet it felt good to her to actually stretch her legs in the arena. She wasn't ready to quit cantering each time, but I didn't want her to over do it. It was so fun to fly along on such a happy forward horse!
We did the same thing today. Last Sunday it was a little cool and overcast, but today it was about 50 degrees, sunny, and just perfect. I can't wait for spring!!
More solo trail rides on Kelton
November 23 / 2007 05:13 PM
I've now taken Kelton
out by herself a number of times, all to Pella, and
she has been super. She walks as fast as equinely
possible at first, but she remains attentive and
responsive to me and doesn't do anything silly. After
about five or ten minutes I start working on things
like stretching down into contact, leg yielding,
shoulder-in and so on, and she does everything I ask
while remaining nicely forward. She's cooperative and
responsive in the arena, but even more so on the
trails, and that makes it a fun place to do some
schooling. We also sometimes just cruise along on a
long rein and enjoy the scenery.
I probably won't have the chance to trail ride much over the holidays, but I look forward to getting her out on some more solo rides after the break. And I'd like to try some new places. I think she's my best solo riding horse, even though she's the biggest! I guess I better teach her how to open gates, since I won't have a friend on a short horse to get off and open them for me.
I probably won't have the chance to trail ride much over the holidays, but I look forward to getting her out on some more solo rides after the break. And I'd like to try some new places. I think she's my best solo riding horse, even though she's the biggest! I guess I better teach her how to open gates, since I won't have a friend on a short horse to get off and open them for me.
First solo trail ride on Kelton went great!
October 13 / 2007 09:48 AM
I've been wanting to do
this for a while, but yesterday I finally got Kelton
out on our first solo trail ride. She did great!
I chose to ride her at Pella Crossing, the trails that go around the ponds behind my house, but I hauled her over to the parking lot rather than riding out from my farm. I figured that had two benefits: first, I wouldn't have to get off to open the two gates in the cow pasture. And second, I wouldn't have to worry about the horses calling to her, although I think she'd be OK with that part. Once the cows are gone and the gates are left open, I'll try riding her right out.
She looked around a lot while I was tacking her up, but I could easily get her attention back to me. So I felt comfortable enough to go ahead and get on, and we set off towards the eastern loops. She was hyper aware of everything and had her head high and ears forward, and she was walking as fast as equinely possible, but she didn't feel spooky or nervous, just alert. We motored around the eastern loops in record time! I love to feel that huge forward walk offered naturally.
We crossed the street to ride the western loops and she slowed down a little, so I figured we could try some trotting. We trotted around a loop, then walked a bit, then trotted some more. She gave me a wonderful huge trot that was so fun to ride! And she listened to my very light requests to come back to the walk. Even though she was very alert the whole time, she never spooked or shied and she was very responsive to my aids. I love this horse!!
I'd like to work up to doing this regularly and doing more schooling on the trail, like walk/trot transitions, flexing/counterflexing, lateral work, etc.. Kelton has a good work ethic and works well in the arena, but she works even better in my front pasture. And even better, I think, on a trail ride where there's always somewhere to go (instead of just around and around).
But I know solo trail riding has its risks, so I'll only ride where I have cell phone service, where the footing is flat and easy, and where there are usually people around. I also want to get an ID tag for Kelton's bridle and make an "identification/contact numbers" sheet to keep on me when I ride. It's so peaceful and meditative to be out there alone with the horse that I think the risk is worth it, provided I take precautions!
I chose to ride her at Pella Crossing, the trails that go around the ponds behind my house, but I hauled her over to the parking lot rather than riding out from my farm. I figured that had two benefits: first, I wouldn't have to get off to open the two gates in the cow pasture. And second, I wouldn't have to worry about the horses calling to her, although I think she'd be OK with that part. Once the cows are gone and the gates are left open, I'll try riding her right out.
She looked around a lot while I was tacking her up, but I could easily get her attention back to me. So I felt comfortable enough to go ahead and get on, and we set off towards the eastern loops. She was hyper aware of everything and had her head high and ears forward, and she was walking as fast as equinely possible, but she didn't feel spooky or nervous, just alert. We motored around the eastern loops in record time! I love to feel that huge forward walk offered naturally.
We crossed the street to ride the western loops and she slowed down a little, so I figured we could try some trotting. We trotted around a loop, then walked a bit, then trotted some more. She gave me a wonderful huge trot that was so fun to ride! And she listened to my very light requests to come back to the walk. Even though she was very alert the whole time, she never spooked or shied and she was very responsive to my aids. I love this horse!!
I'd like to work up to doing this regularly and doing more schooling on the trail, like walk/trot transitions, flexing/counterflexing, lateral work, etc.. Kelton has a good work ethic and works well in the arena, but she works even better in my front pasture. And even better, I think, on a trail ride where there's always somewhere to go (instead of just around and around).
But I know solo trail riding has its risks, so I'll only ride where I have cell phone service, where the footing is flat and easy, and where there are usually people around. I also want to get an ID tag for Kelton's bridle and make an "identification/contact numbers" sheet to keep on me when I ride. It's so peaceful and meditative to be out there alone with the horse that I think the risk is worth it, provided I take precautions!
Video footage
September 05 / 2007 03:00 PM
Four years later...
September 02 / 2007 10:02 PM
I bought Kelton four
years ago this October, with plans to be showing her
at Training Level the following Spring and perhaps
First Level by the following year. But due to a
variety of issues, it was not to be. However, my
patience has been rewarded and I was able to show
Kelton today at my very first "real" dressage show.
We rode Training Level Test 1 and Test 2 and she was
so good!
Because I've been going easy on her, I didn't ask her to round up as much as maybe I should have, but nevertheless we got the second highest score on Test 1 and the highest score on Test 2, so I can't complain. The judge wrote some encouraging comments, and based on the video I know what we need to work on, so I look forward to continuing to progress. I just hope I don't have to wait another four years to show her again!
I put some stills from the digital video on a photos page for Kelton, and I will add more photos that a friend took later on.
Because I've been going easy on her, I didn't ask her to round up as much as maybe I should have, but nevertheless we got the second highest score on Test 1 and the highest score on Test 2, so I can't complain. The judge wrote some encouraging comments, and based on the video I know what we need to work on, so I look forward to continuing to progress. I just hope I don't have to wait another four years to show her again!
I put some stills from the digital video on a photos page for Kelton, and I will add more photos that a friend took later on.
Kelton goes to the mountains
August 12 / 2007 10:02 PM
Today a friend and I
took Kelton and Belle up to Caribou Ranch, a fairly
new trail north of Nederland (which is west of
Boulder). It's a really beautiful area and a super
nice trail. The trail winds through trees and
meadows, and the footing is mostly flat, with a few
gently sloping hills, so it's good for Kelton.
We rode out to an old homestead and stopped to have some snacks while the horses grazed. We just put their lead ropes over their backs and let them munch -- they didn't go far! The weather was just perfect. What a fun day!
I put photos from the ride on Kelton's and Belle's photos pages.
We rode out to an old homestead and stopped to have some snacks while the horses grazed. We just put their lead ropes over their backs and let them munch -- they didn't go far! The weather was just perfect. What a fun day!
I put photos from the ride on Kelton's and Belle's photos pages.
Kelton goes exploring
August 07 / 2007 03:11 PM
I took Kelton to Teller
Farms today with a friend, and she was very good. The
trail is pretty wide but climbs gently upwards, which
was hopefully good for her hind end. I don't know why
I thought she wouldn't be good on trails, especially
since I trail rode her during my test ride. I think
it's just that she's so big and powerful, but it
turns out she's an awesome trail horse. Now I wish
I'd gotten her out sooner, but better late than
never! We're also still schooling low level dressage,
and I may show her at Training Level in
September.
Kelton hits the trails
July 27 / 2007 05:15 PM
I've now taken Kelton
to the ponds four times, and she's doing super! I
even trailered her over there once, to meet someone
at the trail head, and she was so relaxed. I wasn't
sure how she'd be if she left home alone, but she
wasn't concerned at all. I feel so comfortable on her
that I'm almost tempted to ride her to the ponds
myself, but I'm just not sure riding alone is a good
idea. She seems to be staying sound, but the trails
are flat and easy. I might take her to somewhere with
similar trails but more hills just to see how she
does. The only drawback to riding Kelton on trails is
if I have to get off. It's hard to get back on such a
big horse!
Kelton's first trail ride in who knows how long
July 16 / 2007 12:52 PM
I just got back from
taking Kelton to the ponds behind my house. I can
ride out from the farm, across a cow pasture and over
a railroad track, and then hook up with the wide,
flat trails that go around the ponds. There are
several miles of trails, but we did a loop that was
about a mile long considering this was Kelton's first
trail ride in who knows how long, and I'm still
worried about reactivating her old injury.
When I first test rode Kelton years ago, I took her on a trail ride around the owner's property and she was great for that. But I've only ridden her on a trail once since then, until today. She was awesome! She looked at everything, and stopped once or twice to check things out, but she didn't spook at anything and marched forward down the trail. Someone else was riding Belle and Belle had a hard time keeping up with Kelton's big walk!
I'm thrilled that I can do this kind of riding with Kelton because I think it's good for her, mentally and physically, to be able to get out of the arena on occasion. But I'll probably stick only to flat trails, just to be on the safe side. She's so fun to work with in the arena that I don't want to risk having her get sore again.
When I first test rode Kelton years ago, I took her on a trail ride around the owner's property and she was great for that. But I've only ridden her on a trail once since then, until today. She was awesome! She looked at everything, and stopped once or twice to check things out, but she didn't spook at anything and marched forward down the trail. Someone else was riding Belle and Belle had a hard time keeping up with Kelton's big walk!
I'm thrilled that I can do this kind of riding with Kelton because I think it's good for her, mentally and physically, to be able to get out of the arena on occasion. But I'll probably stick only to flat trails, just to be on the safe side. She's so fun to work with in the arena that I don't want to risk having her get sore again.
Riding regularly
July 05 / 2007 07:37 PM
At long last, I'm
finally riding regularly again! I've been able to
ride Kelton about three times per week, sometimes
four, for the past month, and I've ridden Belle a few
times. Someone else usually schools Belle while I
ride Kelton.
Kelton is doing great. I'm going very easy with her, to hopefully make sure she stays sound. We're doing basic suppling work at the walk and trot and I only ride for about thirty minutes. I think we'll probably be doing this for a while, but that's OK. I'm just glad to be able to ride her!
Kelton is doing great. I'm going very easy with her, to hopefully make sure she stays sound. We're doing basic suppling work at the walk and trot and I only ride for about thirty minutes. I think we'll probably be doing this for a while, but that's OK. I'm just glad to be able to ride her!
Back in the saddle
June 17 / 2007 01:43 PM
I've now ridden Kelton
four or five times, and Belle once. It feels so good
to be riding regularly again! I still wish I could
ride more often, but I need to find someone who can
come out to ride several times a week. Both horses
are doing so well, especially for having been out of
work for two years.
Kelton is being exceptionally well behaved, as though she never missed a day. Belle gets a little worried if Britta (her 2005 filly) starts screaming for her, but she remains controllable. I think they may need to be fully separated for a while!
I also finally built a diet pen for Belle, which she's not crazy about, but she seriously need to lose some weight!
Kelton is being exceptionally well behaved, as though she never missed a day. Belle gets a little worried if Britta (her 2005 filly) starts screaming for her, but she remains controllable. I think they may need to be fully separated for a while!
I also finally built a diet pen for Belle, which she's not crazy about, but she seriously need to lose some weight!
Kelton's first ride in two years!
May 26 / 2007 08:29 PM