Iceman 2015 NRBC: Topline Ho!

What awesome conformation and what a topline! 

This footage makes me cry...

Reschooling a pacer to trot? Who knew?

Not only can it be done, this one has NICE gaits!

Thankful again! I'm thankful for roasted beets

Roasted beets are one of my favorite dishes, using Ina Gartner's recipe. I'm thankful for beets, and everything else in my life!

Quaterback in 2015

We saw the footage of Quaterback as a three-year-old stallion prospect. Here he is in competition in 2015. Massively powerful!

Harvey's hind legs: Thankful for the darndest things

 First off, let me say that I've been predicting, and dreading, Harv's demise since he was sixteen. Call me a drama queen, it's always the worst case scenario that I jump to.

This fall has been rough, with Harv's laminitis bout, weight loss (subsequently regained), and the continuing decline in his neurological condition. On the Friday of Labor Day weekend I sat in a white plastic chair in Harv's paddock while he ate hay, waiting for the vet and thinking I was about to say goodbye.

Harv ain't havin' NONE of it!

Harv's hinds
The most recent concern? Well, in addition to his old age, arthritis, weight, neurological issues, Cushings, and such, he has thrush. I am trying to keep them picked out more diligently, but on a neuro horse this is a safety concern. When working with him in the paddock, often at night, he would not let me pick up his left hind for love nor money. I tried bringing him into the barn but he was so upset at being away from his buddies, he would not stand still, even briefly. He'd step sideways, often stepping right on his other hoof, and it's no fun crouching under him while he trips himself up that way. That hind end is not under control, and safety is a concern.

I wondered if Harv's neuro issues had worsened to the point he was no longer comfortable standing on one hind. It does seem that as he moves his cannon bone is never straight up and down, but listing one way or another. He's continually catching himself from falling. I wondered how long a horse could go without having his hinds trimmed, I wondered how long he would be safe to be around.

Last night!
At last it is cold enough that all of the horses stay in at night. I went out to see Harv, and again tried to pick up the hind feet. In his stall, he just took evasive action. Finally I pulled him into the cross ties. He stood like a rock, and while he would not let me hold each leg for long, he did let me pick them up and quickly clean them out. If I can do this much, my farrier can do his job.

The Mare by Mary Gaitskill -- a pre-review heads-up!

I heard about this new novel on NPR, on their segment on FreshAir:  Gaitskill Spins A Swirling Tale Of Love, Delusion And Horses In 'The Mare'. It sounds like the kind of book that will appeal to horse lovers for sure. I've ordered it from Amazon.com, and will do a review as soon as I've finished it. If you're looking for a Christmas gift or a personal read, here are some reasons it's a safe bet:

• The author was nominated for a National Book Award for her earlier novel Veronica.
•  It's timely and relevant, described as "story of people from different races and classes trying to meet one another honestly."
•  At $14 it's not too-too expensive.

I'll keep you posted!

Mules Dressage at Devon 2015

First year that mules were featured at Devon. I missed it but was thrilled to see it's on video.

It's all downhill from here...

I rented a car this fall, and about 50 miles into my drive this light came on -- an icon of a car on a slant. And no manual in the car! Panicked, I posted this image to Facebook to see if anyone knew what it meant. No one knew, but I laughed out loud at my favorite response:

 "It means it's all downhill from here."

MW Fabulous: The video

I showed you a photo of a horse that had to have had two feet of air-time in his free trot. Here is his video:

The Sons of the Never Wrong - "I'll Fly Away"

Saw this group in concert this week -- wonderful group, right song at the right time -- happened that they sang this song on my dad's birthday. Happy Birthday dad.

Horse Petting, A Breakthrough About Clarity of Intention

On one level I "get" what these guys experienced -- but the horse person in me is LOL! That's a lot to read into the simple and mundane act of picking up a hoof.Imagine what they must have thought about what came after this "icebreaker" activity!

Very naughty dressage horse! New meaning to musical FREEstyle

He looks like he'd be a spirited ride on the best of days. The videographer does not seem shocked...

Harvey enjoying the warm weather

Harvey enjoys the warm weather.

Harv has never been hard to catch, but lately...

I have to pick his feet more diligently (he is getting thrushy, maybe part of the Cushings) and Harv hates it. He does not seem unsteady enough that he could not pick up a foot, but he's pretty theatrical, acting like he's going to go down after about 15 seconds. And now, when he sees me coming with the hoof spray, we have a "routine."

Harv is often in the paddock picking at hay. When he sees what I'm carrying--the hoof stuff--he starts to make his way from the paddock to the pasture, his expression saying "Oh, wish you'd called first -- I was just leaving." I follow him, trying to match his non-chalant demeanor.  I increase my pace, he increases his.

I jog, he picks up a trot.

Eventually in the small pasture, he has to turn, and I move to cut him off. This horse who can't stand up on three feet does a pretty good rollback and trot-canters away, just enough to stay out of reach.

The John Lyons approach to the hard-to-catch horse is to keep them moving till their clever game becomes tiresome. Because the game is sort of a fun way of interacting with my clownish boy, and because it gets him exercise, this is what I do -- keep following him. It does not take long for Harv to see that I'm more motivated than he is. Sometimes, when he lets me catch up to him, I can hear him sigh heavily.

Cats and sharing

Since we have two cats we thought it made sense to get two cat perches, one for each. It hasn't worked out that way...

 

George Williams Teaching How to Develop a Steady Contact

Really great segment, for many reasons but what a kind sort of demeanor this guy has. A big name

clinician, but very down to earth.

Horse Stance Training for Straddle Splits with Antranik

I don't KNOW that this is a good exercise for riding, but it sure looks like it would be!

Can you see Harvey?

It's raining, it's dark, and muddy, and cold, and I've got the car headlights trained on Harv's pasture. I'm in tennis shoes and the pasture is a mud pit, but I  need to clean Harv's legs off. I'm shaking a bucket of grain, and calling Harv, but he is ignoring me. Can you see him out there? Standing there, this giant middle finger of a horse  -- Harvey, I want to HELP YOU!

In the end I walk out in the deep, slick, sticky, mud, and bring him in. One look at his face -- I just can't stay mad...

24/7 Harvey: Addicted to turnout

Harvey the demon-horse, constantly moving and calling.

You may recall that a week or so ago, Harvey was anxious and stressed in his stall -- so much so that the vet came out. I freaked out, sure that he was colicking, but he was fine. Spent much of the night at the barn, and the next morning, all for nothing.

The good news? I think I might know what's up. 

24/7 is Harv's new thing
The weather has been amazing, and for about two straight months Harv and his buddies have been out 24/7. The first time he was in his stall was the "stressed Harv" night several weeks ago, when I called the vet. This week we had rain on Tuesday, and for the second time in two months, he was in.

Demon Harvey
Again, he freaked out. By the time I got to the barn, he had been spinning in his stall so much that he was on a bare mat. It appeared the shavings were banked against the sides of the stall. I actually called the barn manager to see if they forgot to pull shavings down, even though I KNOW they would not have forgotten. Harv had also not eaten, too busy having high anxiety.

Harvey is addicted to turnout.

Wednesday and Thursday, they were back to 24/7 pasture, but it was so muddy I brought Harv into the barn to clean his legs. He would not stand still and was calling his buddies every 40 seconds. When I turned him out (in total darkness), he was frantic to get back to the pasture. He ran and bucked and slid and generally scared the crap out of me.

I shined my carlights on the pasture and waited for him to calm down. Finally he settled down near the fenceline, and he was noodling with Shiraz when I finally left.

Wallace eventing at Blenheim

So excited Wallace Eventing will be at Rolex in 2016 (they qualified). Here is a photo from Blenheim. They had a good time!

I thought. " OMG, OMG. I see his toes! We are so going to hit this thing ". Um. He didn't touch it. Note: I prefer to jump from the optimal take off point, not from an extra 10 feet away.
Posted by Elisa Wallace on Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Riley and I, Nov. 7

Here is footage from Saturday. Riley is a "slow warmup" and so am I -- this is about 25 minutes into our ride, and while it isn't super forward I'm happy that it's reasonably pleasant-looking. It seems to take a while for my lower leg to really relax and drop down, which helps me sit more forward and keep my hands out in front of me. Warming up beforehand doesn't help that much.  There is a point in the ride where "something clicks" and we can move out more.

My roan dressage horse! Except he's sold.

Pretty cute, yes?  A Trakehner Quarter Horse cross! The video shows little baby piaffe work too. 

Was for sale earlier this year, but sold.

Genetics can be cruel

No kidding. But you gotta work what you got. I'm stretching, running, biking, riding, learning. Love this sign.

Apply with Spatula: AQHA Congress Showmanship Makeup

This very cute girl is featured in one of the videos on the channel Horse Show Makeup. I am sure this is typical of the kind of makeup that is worn at Congress, and the girl is attractive. I have seen dressage riders with similarly applied makeup. I have to wonder, though,  how on EARTH they do this kind of a makeup job and then keep it looking like that through the course of a show? Even with grooms and family to help, that's a lot of look to maintain.

 

Sleeping without covers

Cats are so tiny, and really not very strong compared to us. Why, then, do I seem to forfeit my covers when Red Kitka shares the bed? Cuteness. That's why.

Harvey footage -- walkin' and trottin'

Okay, it's a slow news day, so here is footage I took of Harv over the weekend. I'm told that Pergolide can make your horse a little sluggish, and I have found Harv to be a little low energy since he started it. With this in mind, his gaits show some decline, I think. At 1'30" there is a whoopsy with the hind leg, and the trotwork near the end shows the circuitous path his his hind legs make while his front legs tow the line.

His weight looks good though, and generally he looks pretty happy. And cute, as always.

Dahhling U Rook Fabulous

This photo was posted to Facebook by Jen Vanover, owner/trainer/operator of Maplewood Warmbloods. The horse is  MW Fabulous 3.5yo Colt (Furstenball x Espri x Lemon xx). I knew I liked Furstenball babies but WOW!

MW Fabulous 3.5yo Colt (Furstenball x Espri x Lemon xx)
Posted by Jen Vanover on Wednesday, November 4, 2015