Clinic at Sabiq Arabian Ranch!

I've been trying to write up a post about the Celena Pentrack clinic Michelle and I attended at Sabiq Arabian Ranch two weekends ago.... stuff keeps getting in my way (like a 3 day splitting headache, and a car show, and shoeing appointment, and of course, work!)  So, I'm going to do a clinic pictorial and  recap what I can before I need to get to bed tonite :)

The weather has been unusually warm here in W. Wa. so we decided to wait until later in the afternoon to head over to Prineville.  I definitely did not want to get stuck in Portland traffic with horses in the trailer during rush hour and it being 85 degrees and all.

I had most everything ready to go Thursday evening so I worked until 3pm and then headed home to get Cartman.  I didn't really have time for dinner but I did try a new protein shake recipe- I used one meal replacement mix and instead of water I used a Starbuck coffee and milk.  It was really yummy and helped me stay awake for the four hour drive.

We pulled into Celena's driveway about 10:15 and unloaded the horses.  As luck would have it they had just gotten back from an evening ride and were having dinner.  We had some salad and rotisserie chicken and everyone headed to bed pretty quickly.

Saturday morning was clear and sunny :)

We did a meet and greet with the other participants and talked about things we were hoping to address over the next two days.  I was hoping to get some more instruction and practice on the horsemanship ground manner stuff that I struggle with.  I've been having a few small problems with Cartman that have just started to pop up a bit more frequently.  For instance, the misbehavior when we do an out and back and we turn for home that started on our first ride out on trail this year...  Then the issue of him not wanting to follow but to always lead..... etc. 

I've thought a bit about these issues and have the suspicion that his misbehavior stems from me being a bit too permissive with him and that starts on the ground. 

Another thing I wanted to work on was getting my signals clear under saddle, kind of more refined I guess.

We made coffee and ate breakfast- Celena is an awesome host- she had all kinds of goodies out for us to chose from. 

About 9am we went out and learned some yoga moves.  I have never done yoga but some of the stretches felt pretty good!  They offer a yoga class at the gym on Sundays and I think I might have to give it a try.  It turns out I'm a little tight in the hip flexors- what a surprise! Lol.

After Yoga we got our horses and headed for the arena for groundwork exercises.  Cartman and I definitely needed the refresher....  He was pretty good though and I Celena showed me how to get him to back off of me and follow less closely.  I've been practicing this since the clinic and the other night I was able to hose C off with him ground tied!!!  No sneaking off or leaning into me either.

It becomes so apparent when learning this stuff that you can build a real partnership with your horse through these methods...

Cartman likes Celena and it was quite interesting to see how he behaved differently when she was working him and then when I was!

After lunch break we saddled up and worked in the arena.  I can't do all the concepts that we covered justice- so I will just say that I learned a whole bunch of interesting things about how we as riders affect how our horses move with our body position and riding style.  I tend to lean a bit too forward with a closed hip angle- hey, didn't we just discover something similar to that in the yoga session?  Hmmmm.

It was fun to watch the other riders as learned to influence their horses strides by posting lower and slower to slow down and posting higher to lengthen.  I think we had some lightbulb moments!

After the second session of under saddle work, I was a ground helper for this one and got some good pictures, we all headed up the driveway for a short trail ride.

We hadn't gone too far and were riding along a canal when the resident stallion decided to put on a show for us!  All was well at first, and I used some of the breathing techniques we covered in the arena to try and calm Cartman.  It worked the first time, but when Mr Studly geared up for round two I felt like I was on a keg of dynamite.  I circled Cartman and asked for a little room, Michelle and Cinnamon jumped out of our way... I was sure C was going to kick out- he was just pumped up.   As soon as I felt him hesitate for a second I kicked out of my stirrups and jumped off.

Several other riders had dismounted and we all worked the horses from the ground.  We backed up, backed him off, and made him move his back feet.  In a few minutes C was leading attentively and the extreme excitement had dissipated.  Whew!

So, there is one thing (actually there a many things!) I really like about Celena's teaching style and why I think she is one of the best teachers I've ridden with ( and I've ridden with a lot of different trainers in my life, despite what one  would think after watching me ride).  She never makes you feel bad about yourself or your riding. 

The ability to take something that could be very negative (for example many trainers would belittle a rider for chosing to get off a horse and not ride it through the issue), but turns the incident into a learning experience that is positive for both horse and rider.  This instills confidence and I ended up learning a new way to deal with this type of situation- so instead of avoiding a situation like this for fear of "failing" I can go on and work through it.

This is how I want my horse to be trained and taught.  Always give them the chance, and set them up to be successful.  It works for people too! 

I've been doing a lot of training of staff at work lately (I am not a natural at training people) and this is an awesome example for me. 

I was going to skip to Sunday but have to mention Saturday dinner.  It was yummy- lasagna.  I have not eaten lasagna for probably 10 years... it was devine- and gluten free noodles!

I stuffed myself at dinner with the lasagna and the cheesy bread but could not turn down dessert.  Woody's cheesecake!!! OMG I was in heaven.  I told Todd all about it when I got home, since cheesecake is his favorite dessert and all....

Sunday we continued on with our Yoga, another session of groundwork and then more arena work with more canter transitions and some ground poles.  After seeing the photos I am committed to trying and opening up my hip angle a bit more. Ugh.  What works on the trail isn't always that pretty in the arena :)

Oh my, its almost 10pm.... I gotta get to bed to be up at 4am.  I will post some pictures though!

How I Once Again Missed One of My Favorite Rides.....

Last Friday morning I got up early and was back from the gym by 6:30.  I finished packing a few things out to the horse trailer and headed down to the pasture to bring Cartman up.

I like to let him eat some alfalfa before I put him in the trailer to go to a ride, and that way I can get him cleaned up and can take a shower right before I load and go.

The weather was looking perfect and I was pretty excited to ride the 50 at Klickitat.

Cartman was grazing out by the neighbors fenceline so I had to hike out to catch him.  Dazzby thought I was after her, apparently, and she promptly trotted off towards the other end of the field, Girly followed her.

Cartman continued to eat grass for a minute then started jogging off to join the others.  I watched in disbelief as he head-bobbed his way past me.  Crap.  I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing and I followed them down to the other end of the field.  I finally caught up and put Cartman's halter on.  We did a trial jog.  He was pretty lame.

I examined his left front but only found the slightest bit of filling and a tiny scratch behind the pastern.  The scratch did not look fresh, but more like a day or two old scab. 

He had been completely sound the night before when I went out to feed dinner because I had seen him trotting and playing in the arena.

I brought him up to the barn and cold hosed his lower leg for a bit. Then gave him a gram of Bute and poulticed his leg.  I debated whether to leave him up in the barn but decided that it would be better to keep him moving a bit.  I turned him back out.

That is how I missed the Klickitat Trek for the second time :(

A few days later he was much improved but still off at the jog.  I had about decided that it was an abscess brewing and called my farrier.  As luck would have it, he would be here a few days later to trim the other horses and we could pull C's shoe and hopefully find the problem.

When Gary arrived he immediately pulled Cartman's shoe and got out the hoof testers.  Despite his best attempts he could find absolutely no reaction to the testers.   WTH????  I had been convinced it was his foot.  Luckily Gary was able to tack the shoe and pad right back on, even using the same nail holes. 

Since Cartman is due for new shoes in two weeks it was best not to have to put any extra nail holes in his foot. 

We got the other horses trimmed up and after Gary left I took Cartman out and put him on the lunge line.  I could see just the slightest bit of gait abnormality.  If I hadn't been looking for it, I may not have even noticed it.

I decided to give him until Fri or Sat and then go back to training.

Saturday I was up at 6:30, well actually I was up at 3:00am, but was able to go back to sleep for a bit, thank god.

Anyway I went down and grabbed Cartman out of the field to make sure he was going to be up to a ride with Michelle and Cinnamon.  He looked great! He was a bit dirty, but nothing that a bunch of grooming wouldn't fix.

Michelle picked us up at 9:30am and we were off to ride our favorite local trails for the first time this year.  There was a bit of mud but it was so awesome to be back on real trails, not just logging roads!

Cartman was a bit of a brat when we first started out and Cinnamon was in front.  I think I have let him get way too accustomed to being in front.  It's hard because he has a nice fast walk and I hate choking him down behind slower horses but I think it might be time to address the problem before it becomes worse.   He was pretty good following as a youngster so I know he can do it. 

I  hope to work on this issue a bit at the clinic that I'm going to next weekend.  I am fully willing to admit that part of the problem might be me..... I also like to be in front and I'm sure Cartman picks up on this as well. 

everybody's making hay

Michelle and Cinn.

Cartman's favorite part of the ride, stuffing his face.

This is a happy rider and her TB mare

We rode for almost 7.5 miles, mostly at the walk as this was the first ride for both horses after having some soundness issues.  I think the long walk, which included lots of hills and technical trails was great for these two horses that were pretty convinced that we were just going to get on and go, go, go!

Today Cartman had the day off.  It was fairly hot and so I decided to bring him up to the house so that I could mow down the field.  Since his bout with the allergies two years ago I am very cautious to move him to the house paddock any time I mow, or my neighbor starts mowing hay. 

I could be riding today....

instead I'm living the glamorous farm life....

This view makes it worth it though.

C was again completely sound.   I am hoping that it was just a transient issue that doesn't show up again!

When I got home Todd and his friend were preparing to pour a landing step on our back patio.  It is the last task that needs to be completed for us to get the final permit sign-off on our family room addition.

getting the form ready.

 

I think it turned out very nice.

I fixed it!!!!!

My computer, that is.

I haven't been able to download pics from the camera for two months and kept meaning to take the thing in to the repair shop and let them fix it.  This morning I decided to give it a go and with the help of some kind soul on the HP bulletin board was able to fix  it :)

Now, I have several months to catch up on!

Cartman and I hauled over to Prineville for a clinic with Celena Pentrack in March.  It was a blast!  I just love going over there- I think its one of the most beautiful places ever. 

It was an intense couple of days and we worked all day both days!  Cartman definitely needed the refresher course in good ground manners... actually I think I'm the one who needed it, he behaves very well when I handle him consistently. 

The first day we got so busy that we worked right through lunch and didn't even stop until 3pm.  I got up at 3:30am had hauled over morning of so was pretty tired by the end of that day.

We did mounted work in the afternoon and a lot of centered riding stuff that is very useful.  Celena is a great instructor- she explains things so that they make sense! Instead of just telling you what to do ex. "heels down" she will show you how the different leg position affects your whole position on the horse, and what that does to how the horse moves! Fascinating stuff. 

We did one particularly surprising exercise in which we were mounted and she led our horse in a circle while we closed our eyes.  Would you believe that every person ended up leaning to the outside??  It was really strange.  I am actually still digesting little bits and pieces of info that we learned that weekend.  Some things take time to sink in, especially stuff that you can't just think through logically. 

On Sunday we did a trail ride and practiced leapfrogging, leaving other horses, getting left by other horses, etc.  Cartman was a rock star on the way out and a real brat on the way back.  He kicked out at another horse and was just a pill.  I finally got off and ended up leading him most of the way down the hill.  It was still really fun though.  I got to see Ponderosa Pines... hard to beat that.

I  am very excited to be going back for another clinic in June!!!

I had planned on going to Grizzly and making that our first ride this year.  Sadly I was unable to get there again this year.  Cartman had a shoeing appointment the week before our clinic and I was going to get his pads put on at that appointment.  He did OK with just shoes while we were just doing 3-5 miles and mostly on the jogging path.  But, I've noticed that he just doesn't move with as much confidence out on the real trail without the pads.

Anyway, this shoeing appointment came up on a day that was just crappy at work.  I was totally stressed by the time I got home to meet Gary and it was cold and grey out.  It turns out that my shoer had been sick for almost a week and this was his first day back to work.  It was late in the afternoon and the thought of us standing out there for hours (yes it does take hours to do Cartman's feet) was just the last straw.  I felt tired, I felt bad for my shoer- and I decided to just reset Cartman'sThe shoes.

We went to the clinic and all was well, then did a few rides at home, still OK.  Then went out for 16 miles one day and he just felt hesitant.  When we got home I didn't turn him out but left him up in the dry lot (he's getting a bit chunky on the grass).  When I went out to feed several hours late he had a little filling in the fronts legs????

This has never happened before, even doing 50 miles and being Hi-Tied to the trailer.

After my original freak out, I pulled him out of the paddock, cold hosed and applied Ice Tight to his legs.  The filling came down almost immediately. So, I think it was just a combination of the 16 miles on rather hard ground, the lack of his cushioning pads, and him standing in one spot instead of meandering around grazing like he normally does after a ride.

I did get his pads back on a week before Mt. Adams and he is totally back to normal now.

I hauled over to Mt Adams on Friday morning.  The sky was gloomy and it even rained on us a bit going through the gorge. Thankfully it was clear when we pulled into the horse camp, although it was extremely windy!

I set up camp and got signed in then took C over for vet in.  Due to yet another EHV-1 scare they were taking temps at the vet check.  I actually think this is a great idea, it makes me feel better about letting my horse drink from a communal trough anyway.

By the time I got done and back to the trailer Michelle was pulling in with Cinnamon.  She parked next door and we got her all checked in as well.

Ride meeting was about 7pm I think, I don't remember too much about it so it must have been pretty uneventful :)

We were up at 6am on Saturday for an 8am start.  I didn't sleep very well Friday nite, the wind just kept blowing and I heard C on the Hi-Tie all night moving around trying to stretch it out to graze.

After we saddled I decided to put C on the lunge for a minute to get any kinks out and see how he was moving.

We walked a bit away from the trailer and he was goofing off and playing a bit.  I looked down for a second to fiddle with the line and the next thing I knew he had thrown some monster bucks and gotten the line under his belly.  Crap.  I tried WHOA. but it didn't work.  He pulled the line away and took off across the ravine at a dead run. 

He veered over towards the actual horse camping area and a dog came out and started chasing him.  I was running as fast as I could through the field trying to keep track of him and yelling Loose Horse!!!!!

To my horror he circled back and headed right for the middle of ride camp at full TB speed, and towing a 60 ft lunge line behind him.  I'm glad this all happened quickly so I didn't have time for it to really sink in.  I turned and started to follow him.  I could see him head into camp and turn down the middle road.  By the time I got close to the trailers he had made a full circle and gone right back to his trailer.

Whew.  Michelle grabbed the rope and I caught up just as a few men came running up to help.  I asked if everyone was OK and they said yes.  Thank God.

C seemed a little shaken but secretly I think he enjoyed it a bit.  I let him jog for a second on the line to make sure we weren't going to have any lasting troubles being lunged then we mounted up and let the horses graze for a bit while the front runners left camp.

Cartman and Cinnamon did a relaxed walk out of camp and we finally got to the actual trail head only to run into riders on foot that had lost two horses!

We headed down the trail and were cautiously watching for loose horses- then picked up a nice jog after a bit.  They two travel well together and Cinnamon was handling things well at her first ride!

At this ride I realized that Cartman has developed some new skills on the trail.  He watches and stays on the trail without any guidance from me.  That is pretty cool, because when he was younger he would occasionally just walk off into the brush if I wasn't paying attention.

The other thing, he balances himself on the terrain without me asking him to.  I usually fall back to walk when we head downhill or hit a rocky patch.  Cartman is doing this without being asked- and the really cool thing?  He picks up an energetic trot when the footing is clear!

I guess some might see that as a fault, that he wants to go w/o me asking for it, but I like it.  All I have to do is pick up on the rein and he will fall back to walk so I don't think he's being pushy or anything.

We had a great ride on this first loop and got to go through an area that burned a few years ago.  When we were about 4 miles out of camp we hit a long section of logging road.  We walked and walked, then decided to carefully trot a section that looked pretty good.  Unfortunately  there was a rock up there with Cinn's name on it and she took a few bobble steps.  Crap.  We walked the rest of the way to the trail but as soon picked up a jog Michelle noticed she was off.

We tried walking a ways but every time we'd try to trot she would take a few questionable steps here and there.  We ended up walking back into camp certain that she would get pulled.

Cartman and I made it through and when I got back over to the road Michelle said that the vet couldn't see anything wrong and that she was fit to continue!

We headed back to the trailer so the horses could eat.  As usual I didn't have enough time and ended up late back to start.

Before mounting up Michelle jogged Cinn and she had a slight head bob. Uh oh.  She decided to go back to the vet and RO.  Cartman and I headed out of camp at a jog with 13 miles to go.

C was a beast!!!! He seemed to be having a good time and was really forward.  We were tracking  grey arab through the woods that was pretty fast.  We could see him, then he'd disappear, then get a sight, then gone again.  It was like a game for Cartman, ears forward and wanting to do a big trot.

I usually try and keep him about 10 mph when we're training but before I realized he was up to 12.5mph and it seemed effortless.  I let him go a bit faster than usual as we were both having a lot of fun.  We got some loping in too. 

About mile 25 we'd lost the grey arab when we stopped for some grass.  He seemed to be a little tired so I walked a bit, then would do a little jogging, then more walking.  This ride is actually quite a bit of hill work so its no wonder he was starting to tire.

When we got to the junction that heads back to camp he got a second wind and was wanting to go!

My Garmin said 28 miles, I think it might be off a bit.  We got back in camp and vetted through. Not quite last this time, but close :) 

I spend the rest of the afternoon fussing with Cartman and we took several grazing trips around camp.

Next morning we loaded up after awards and headed back to Castle Rock.

Mt Adams Ride 2015, photo Jessica Wynne.