Trust the Process

A while back I got pics of Miss Mazy doing her thing as well as her being ridden. What I seen in the pics, wasn't exactly her on her best day. She wasn't "Killin' It!" and there was something needing to be fixed. 

I tried this, tried that, gave something else a shot, tried something else and still kept missing the mark in fixing it. So I reached out to another trainer I know and respect and asked if I could pick his brain. I'm having a problem with my ponies and since it's Both of them with the same issue.... His response? What's the matter? Aren't they fast enough??? 😂😂😂😂 He knows me well.... 🤷🏼🤦🏼

I described the issue, sent a few pics showing what was going on and all the different things I've done to try to fix it....  The bit we use, the different one's I've tried. All the things! And there have been a Lot of things! 

Mazy is more prominent with the issue, Casey not so much, but at the canter, they arent so much lifting their shoulders and moving off their hind end like they should. See the pic

That front hoof? It should Not be on the ground, but rather still be in the air like the inside hind. There's plenty of room between the hind legs as she reaches up under herself. Plenty of room between the front legs as she reaches out with them as well, but the distance between the hind leg and the front legs should be about the same, not scrunched together like in this photo.

I had tried everything, except one. Or two actually. Bitting them up and using a German martingale. I figured I would start with Mazy and bitting her up. After having a major DUH! moment and a blonde moment (or three) in our conversation, I remembered all the times before, bitting the horse up to lunge them and let them learn to elevate and lift on their shoulders all on their own. 

The pic above is towards the end of the workout and she's starting to improve. Its not a one time thing and may take a few more times doing this, but I need to trust the process and let the horses sort their shit out on their own. 

To bit the horse up, it's best to use a simple snaffle bit and split reins. If saddled, run the reins down between the front legs and up o the rigging D's on the saddle. Some people just run the rein through the D and leave it that way while others tie it off.

Clearly I prefer to tie mine off since there needs to be some resistance when they pull against it. 

Mazy worked well enough like this and we need to do this a lot more, but like the title of this post, its a process... And sometimes I lose my patience in the process. Not losing my patience with the horse, but more with myself and wanting to see the improvements Now without having to wait for it.  🤦🏼

Whew!

 Its been a while, I know.... Pic's, lots of pics to come. 

A friend of mine and I got together and hosted a driving clinic. Maybe hosted isn't the right word, but more like presented it. Another friend of mine hosted it and let us use her facility. 

Loved her movement in the pic above so I had to zoom in on Miss Mazy doin' her thing. 

It was a weekend of learning and Fun!  We talked about harnesses, carts, carriages, showing, pleasure driving for Funsies and focused on Safety. 

Loved this shot too even though a lot of it is blocked by the rail and the carriage.... Lol

We worked on ground driving and long line work, being in control of the horse without the cart and all the things leading up to hitching them to the cart or carriage. 

Then we moved on to actually driving. After working Mazy for a bit and putting her thru her paces, a couple of the participants got to take the reins and drive. This lady had a blast on the back of the carriage and even more fun up in the drivers seat. 

A big shout out to Revolution Sporthorses for hosting the event and CeCe's Horsemanship for helping to present it. We're looking forward to the next one!

Grounded!

 Warning, graphic pics ahead.... 

If you've been reading here for any time, you may remember a short time ago when Mazy kicked Casey's ass in the pasture. Well she did it again, only this time much worse. 

These pics are the morning after, after I rinsed Casey off to clean her up

Mazy can be brutal at when she wants to be. I don't know what started this one, what it was about or how it went down, I just know some shit went down. 

Since these two are the only ponies in the pasture- the aggressor here is obvious. This was the Monday after Memorial Day weekend. 

While there is plenty of skin missing, there was a lot more hair missing all over. It was so painful for Casey that just the water running over it had her tucking her ass end up underneath her with hind hooves trying to be in front of the front hooves. 

So I gave her a shot of pain meds to help ease things while I cleaned her up. Trying to stick her with the needle for that? She tried to reach around and take ogf the side of my face. Um NO baby girl. We don't do things that way here. The 3rd attempt I was twitching her with one hand and giving an IV shot with the other. Something I have gotten good at. 

Rinsed her off, cleaned her up and put her away in the stall to have breakfast. Her sister got lectured and now they no longer get to play together. 

I'm just lucky things like this heal rather quickly and with minimal issues later on. Still there will not be another attempt made on anyone's life. I can't afford this. So with all of that pink skin.... Casey goes out at night, Mazy goes our during the day. They are grounded and not allowed to play together anymore. Life will be good this way. Ugh! Mares! 🤷🏼🤦🏼

Cowgirlin' it

Casey got her cowgirl clothes on and we went western for the day...

Picking up a nice jog down the fenceline 

Driving from behind and pushing up into the bridle

Casey was just handling it really well

We got a lot of good work in at the jog. She's really turning out to be such a fun pony to ride and I'm looking forward to getting into 3rd gear. 

Buzzzzzzz

Last week Miss Casey got a clip job. This was her first time really going under the blades (lol). 

Not hardly dude... 

Now that I look at this pic? Look at the Motor on her. Holy Crap!  

I noticed she has some wrinkles in the girth area 

Girl was so good, she got to graze as a reward. 

Casey looking a little miffed because shes only half clipped. 

All the hair on the ground... 

Before with reddish brown, bay horse spots... 

After spots with all of the roaning and also some dark colored spots.

Casey also used to have a dorsal stripe but lately it's covered in dirt. Of course you can also see her pink skin. She now gets turned out at night to prevent her getting sunburned. 

Casey did really good for her first clip job. The only thing that didn't get clipped was her ears. Most horses dont like this so its normal. And nobody died that day. Lol 

Long lines & mud

I worked Mazy in long lines a while back. Always a good refresher for her and a chance for me to watch her move, see what changes need to be made and fix her issues without me on her back. 

I like how uphill her movement is in this pic. She's starting to lift her shoulders and move a little laterally to the outside. 

Just love that big sexy butt she's got. And the arch to her neck. 

Just one word comes to mind- round. 

The reach in this shot. Why bells boots for life and why splint boots always when working horses. 

I could look at these all day long. Shes back to reaching up underneath herself and using her back and core. 

Again nice and uphill, and because of the mud maybe(?) lots of action and lift

Leaning a bit to the inside so its not just when I'm on her. Now I know. But a fair amount of extension in her gait, on the vertical and doing well enough. 

Again leaning to the inside again, but otherwise lifting, extending and balanced. Now if I can just Ride this... Lol 

Hooved Souls

Shout out to my friend over at Hooved Souls! We met two barns ago and have been getting together for a lot of things. The other day she stopped by the barn on the way to a lesson. She doesn't compete, but has seen a short video clip on YT of what combined driving is all about. 

I had Casey put to the cart and was driving her when my friend arrived. She got a little bit of video as we went around and I asked her if she wanted to get on? Hilarity ensued! We had Such a blast. Laughed our asses off all the way around the arena. After her lesson she stopped by the house for dinner. Steak, fish and chips- surf and turf with fries. 

She put together the following to post on TikTok. 

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRpaG7kY/

The comment- We've got dirt- because I forgot to pay attention with her phone and videoed the ground.  We went thru the mud because Casey was in control for a bit. Loose reins not so much when driving. So then when she started to take up slack and make contact- Casey responded, we hit the barrel and wiped it out! 

Casey hasn't been driven in a while since this was the first time I've been on the cart since coming off Mazy over a month ago. This is also only about the 17th or 18th drive for her. Cassie has never even been on a cart before.... All things considered? It went really well! 

We have laughed and laughed, watched this over and over and laughed some more. It was so raw, unfiltered, unplanned and there's no way to possibly go back and do it over again to get the same hilarious result. Even just thinking about it- we both still just crack up. And neither of us had been drinking! 😆🤣😂