Thursday, July 15, 2010

It's always something...

So last weekend I am out lunging my big WB mare, Aruba. Got out there at about 6am on a day I could have been sleeping in. (What is wrong with horse people? Why do we do that?) I did manage to get some nice photos of her during her workout. She is really coming along quite nicely, I think. Just wish I could say the same for my own progress... *sigh*

While I would still like to see her gain some more weight she is also building some muscle and toning up what she's got. I'm loving that.

Her butt is coming along quite nicely and depending on how she is standing and where here back feet are, if they are under her like the left one in this photo- the top of her hip is only slightly noticeable. YAY!!! Otherwise she has those bones sticking up on top and it drives me nuts. I would like to see it round out some more, but with work and time, we will get there. I just have to be patient.


One of the big things I really like about this horse, is how when we go out and start working, she walks. That's it. She walks around, loosens up and then starts to move. No explosion into a bucking fit, no racing around like a maniac, not her, she just walks...


At first she didn't exactly lunge well, going to the left. She liked to jump, buck and dive into the canter, usually accompanied with a strong yank on the lunge line and me at the end of it. We worked through it though. When she came home, she wouldn't pick up or hold her left lead at the canter. Last Saturday however, she just rolled right into the nicest canter transition and made several laps- all while on the correct lead.


In this picture she may look like she is off to the races, but she is really not. She just has this stride that is like everything else about her- HUGE! As you can see, I had the surcingle on her. The poor thing hasn't seen any use in who knows how long, so it too was getting a workout! I text a few pictures to my friend, who replies and asks why there is no bridle? Um, I don't have one that fits her yet and I don't have a bit for her either... No worries though, I have found a bit and our neighbor does leather work. Done. I am ordering the bit tonight or tomorrow and I have the measurements for the bridle. We will get there in due time.

For now, here's a few more photos of her moving and making progress.

Through all of these I kept hoping she would drop her head some and drive more from behind... Go into a more 'hunter' frame if you will... I keep hearing- "She's not built that way though. Besides, you are just lunging her. Let it go and quit expecting so much." Yeah, I do need to work on that a bit. The whole "Have Patience!" thing. I do get caught up every now and then.


Of course I saved the best for last. She's really reaching out here and her head has come down some. (At least I like to think so.)


And by 9 am it was in the high 90's we had 40% humidity and I was borderline being overheated. I had rinsed my head and neck twice with the hose already and the water felt COLD! I was wearing my visor and sunglasses, but I still got a light toasting on my cheeks and needed to get inside. I was just not made to last in this climate. I don't think anyone is.

14 comments:

  1. Funny, wasn't her name originally Patience? Hmmm. She is looking good and sleek, and moving well. It will all come in time.

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  2. So fun! I love pictures. She is pretty high-headed, but a good mind covers a plethora of conformational sins. ;-)

    Your heat makes it sound mild here. Good luck!

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  3. Fern- yes her registered name is Patience. The previous owner has said a number of people have told her it does not fit her. Funny how that one word keeps coming up in matters surrounding her though...

    GL- Yes she is and she's coming along. It may be a while before I am astride and way off the ground on her back, but we will get there.

    Sprinkler Bandit- You got that right on the good mind covering a plethora of conformational sins. I'll take downright ugly and smart over gorgeous and stupid any day.

    Sometimes the good ones are blessed with brains and looks. So far she seems to be in this category, but we all have our moments when it all goes right out the window. ROFL!

    She has a higher set neck than I am used to seeing. Which is why I keep waiting for it to drop down. But that wouldn't be natural for her, let alone comfortable (?) which may be why it isn't happening.

    A bit of good news, literally- I ordered the bit today. Hooray! I should have it in a couple of days. Monday or Tuesday? I am excited.

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  5. Pretty girl! Hope your weather straightens out, and ours with it. It's finally sunny, we've had cold gray rain and slop for forever, which I'm sooo not built for!

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  6. Keep your crappy porn OFF the blogs!

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  7. Sorry... didn't know my "for sale" saddle was THAT sexy :P

    hee hee

    Ruby is purty. Somewhat high heads aren't a big deal so long as they're not evading the bit or uncomfortable about something.

    If her name were still Patience, you could whistle Guns 'n' ROses at her...

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  8. Okay, you 'english' people are going to laugh because I'm sure you all already have much better 'longing-groundwork' skills than this western girl, but...

    I started working a couple of my horses over poles while longing them. I just set 4 poles (one in each direction) around my longing circle.

    My buckskin 'should' be a level mover, but has gotten rather high and stiff in the neck and does not use his back well. He also seems to have a problem with cadence, so I am using the poles to get him to look down, figure out where his feet are and use his back. So far it has been working great.

    I don't think your mare looks stiff by any means, but putting poles out might get her to looking down and help her learn to stretch her neck forward a bit.

    She sure does look shiny and sleek though. Some of mine sure are starting to fade and look a little rough around the edges.

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  9. BEC that is a GREAT idea. My own old boy is woefully unmuscled along his topline.

    When I was a carefree youth, I would simply condition my mare (and myself) by riding for hours over the hilly terrain around our stable at a smart trot/wild gallop, while I balanced in a 2-point or half seat position the whole time.

    I don't have that option now. Also I have had NO barn time recently, between my dad's illness, lucky freelance jobs (YAY), and kid stuff. Phooey.

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  10. Sexy saddle there CP! Lovin on the leather, lol. I like the song "Patience" from GNR as well as several others. Cold November Rain is one of my fav's.

    BEC- ground poles are a good way to get them to watch where they are going, stretch down, without even realizing it and lengthen or shorten their stride, depending on where you place the poles. Problem is- I got rid of all of mine with the jumps. :(
    Guess I will just have to go shopping then...

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  11. Landscape poles, painted white....

    I stole cones from the DOT when I was 16. I didn't know where to buy them. :P Hey, we had no Lowes in 1985!!!

    Dr Deb Bennett uses a circus-looking drum thing to help exercise and stretch her horses I think....

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  12. Yea-I just rounded up some old landscaping poles, didn't even paint them. Plus my horses have to decipher them from the weeds-LOL. I mow the weeds and they just keep growing. I have no idea how as we have not had a lick of moisture in weeks. :(

    I did buy some new ones that I want to paint, so the horses get used to that. Plus I bought some 4x4's so I can make myself some jump standards.

    Heaven's, I have big dreams-LOL.

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  13. We actually have some of those thin poles you would use to stake out a tree with until its trunk is strong enough... May be bringing them up to the house to paint and start using them.

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