You can fool the fans - but not the players.... John Cage

Days 28 - 31; the end is only the beginning

Well, what to say to wrap things up? 30 days was only the beginning, so there's no real wrap up. It was great, it was transformative, it was addictive.

I love this mare. I feel like I have been waiting for her my whole life. I love the challenges, the work, the rewards. I love spending more time at the barn.

I can't wait for Nick's clinic. I can't wait to take the horses to the mountains and ride the trails and the lake bottom. I can't wait for whatever is next.

We made progress the last few days of riding; we got the right lead a couple more times and I'll continue to work on that until we don't have to think about it. I did other things with her in the arena, like backing. With me riding, and then the way Buck Branaman had his students back their horses from the ground. We worked on moving the front end, then the back. We went out on a different trail ride. We had fun.

She's got a week off since I'm heading over to the resort to help open, and then we've got new adventures in store at Mule Days.

What a grand adventure we're on.

 

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Days 24-26: Still at it

We're still going, and now the dailines of it is becoming habit, which was probably the point all along. Some days its easy to get there, some days its hard to get there. Janet suggested I just forget the days I was away and pick up where we left off. That puts us at Day 27 today.

Hilke came out again on Day 23 while I was riding in the western arena and warming up to work on the right lead. I didn't see her at first and started working at the far end, then I heard her shouting tips & encouragement and moved closer to hear her. I felt like I had the tools at that point - I had my outside rein as support, the inside rein just tipped her nose on a bit. I was pushing from the inside leg to the outside rein to help get her shoulder out of the way, and she had her haunches in just a little. Still, every time I cued we picked up the left lead. Hilke wouldn't let us stop and she started calling out whenever the outside hind went forward, "Now! Now! Now!"

I don't know how long we worked in that circle but eventually Hilke had me move slightly to circle a jump and pole that had been placed on the east end of the arena and told me my goal was going to be to ask for the lope right as she was moving over the pole. So around and around we went, taking up the wrong lead each time. Frankly, I was wearing out! It was exhausting!

Then, we came around and I gave her a much more punctuated and assertive squeeze as we came up to the pole and we got it - we were off on the right lead. We circled and then we went down the rail, nice and easy. As we came back around, Hilke had me slow her back to a trot and we did it again. Then I was able to come back, slow her to a walk, and she was trembling (like me) with fatigue. What a feeling of success, though, which trumpeted the fatigue.

I walked her out nice and mellow, then she got a rinse-down since she was dripping with sweat. And finally, a nice grassy dinner. It was a fabulous ride.

Day 24 was a short trail ride since I was pressed for time, and Day 25 we went back into the arena. I asked for a lot of other warm-up activities just to break up any routine that was forming, and then we returned to the same jump-pole set up. I had been learning to feel when her outside hind was moving forward and knew that was the time to ask for the transition. About the third or fourth try we got the right lead, nice and easy, no stress, and were off on a lope. I think we did it once more and then we just did some other stuff, including a lope on the left, so that this could start to become just one of the things we do, no the one thing that we do.

Day 26 I almost missed and I got to the barn really late after a very full day in Mammoth. The horses had already been fed and I didn't have the heart to pull her away from dinner. So Vida and I crashed the wind-down of Rebecca, Elizabeth, and Carrie; who we're enjoying shots of fireball & getting ready to clip some mules. It was fun to just hang out with them - it's something I don't do enough of. There's a whole lot of friendship to be had around there, but I've mostly just arrived, rode, and left. It'd be nice to know these women better.

This morning I'm off to the Choo Choo Swap Meet, then to ride early. I have a ton of things to do at the house and for my class, so the plan is to return and get after it by early afternoon. There's a dressage clinic happening, and if I get a chance to watch Rebecca and/or Janet ride I will. But I've got to get back up here and get some stuff done around the house. You'd think this place would already be sparkling with JC and Cooper gone, but the days have been slipping away so quickly.

 

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Day 30: Catching up

Yesterday's ride gave me just a hint if how exhilarating it will be to start working on reining or cutting with Rhea - we worked so hard with Hilke we were both trembling & sweaty when we finally got that right lead again working in the big arena. The focus, the effort, and the partnership left me with such a euphoric high and I loved that work with her.

But first - I need to catch up. Days 20 & 21 were riding / day off grooming days keeping with the schedule we've been on, and then Rhea got almost a week off while we went camping. I knew when I started the 30 day challenge that the pre-planned camping trip would disrupt the continuity but I did it anyway and I'm glad. The 21 days without a break were transformational for us.... We are developing a rhythm and strengthening our bond.

So what day is this? We were home the evening of the 27th and I was back on my horse on day 28.... Or is it day 22?

 

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Days 18 & 19: Long!

Even though we are up early on Easter Sunday we are all sleepy; canines and humans. We had a very long, busy couple of days and could use a day at home catching up.

Day 18 was not a riding day, so Rhea got to hang in the sun with her pasture mates and rest after all the work we did on Day 17. We, on the other hand, were in and out of the truck all day driving to the big city three hours away for medical appointments and all the errand running that goes with a day in the city. We were on the road by 7 am and got back home at 9 pm with still all the unloading and putting away to do. There was no yoga and no riding on Friday.

Yesterday was also long but it was all about horses, dogs, and friends. We got up and out of the house early to meet the farrier for the mustang's trim, then we loaded up five bales of hay to deliver to our friends who have become caretakers on a remote fishing resort. Sometimes it's hard to find the time it takes to drive out to one of the hay ranches in the valley when your life is already full of work and responsibilities. We have such a great circle of horse friends and we all help each other out.

Our plan was to ride with some of these friends today, and to ride somewhere in the middle of our far flung abodes... That place ended up being around Mammoth. April isn't a month you normally think of riding at 8000', but with the winter we've had it feels a month later than it is.

Nothing's ever easy & straightforward, so getting the trailer & all the horses meant driving to Round Valley to pick up the trailer and my mare, circling back into the edge of town to pick up the mustang and drop the puppy off at a friend's for the day, and then driving out to another ranch to pick up our friend T.A. and her horse. Then we were on our way up the grade.

It was a gorgeous day with puffy white clouds, just a hint of cool in the air and brilliant sunshine. We met our pals B. and T. with their horses and dogs near a big meadow and creek, and saddled up. It was a perfect ride through heavenly scented Jeffrey Pine forest, along willow-choked rushing water, and with a jaw-dropping view in every direction. The dogs were in heaven, the horses were relaxed and happy to be out, and we were having a great time being together.

 

I can't say enough good things about my mare - she is "the horse" for me. T. mentioned that we might want to breed her as she gets older and raise up a colt or filly out of her since she does have such a great mind and she is so darn pretty. I think that is something to consider in a couple of years.

We rode up and around in a big, leisurely circle, celebrated with some picture-taking, the transfer of the the hay, and finally dinner and margaritas at a local favorite restaurant, Roberto's. Then it was the long reverse of dropping off and picking up, getting the trailer resituated (and someone had slid their trailer into our spot in our absence), and getting all animals fed before dark. We made it, just barely.

Fun times.... Days like this are made to remember.

 

 

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Day 17: Back to work

Let me just say that this was an awesome riding day. I got a lot of help from Janet and Hilke on picking up the right lead, Rhea and I worked very hard together and were ultimately successful, and then we accompanied Janet on a long trot out in the desert. Such a lovely workout.

And perfect timing. She gets today off - day 18 is a non riding day. Between yesterday and tomorrow's trail ride we'll make up the time but she gets to lounge around with her pals today while I am occupied with other responsibilities.

Its good though. I'm tired and sore from working so hard yesterday and it'll be good for both of us to have a rest day.

 

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Day 16: Cooling

I drove down thinking about loping and right leads but baby girl was still stiff & sore. Some days you just have to go with the flow. I could tell she wasn't feeling great & I talked to L, who's mule had the same reaction from the 5-way. She just walked her mule around and let her graze a little. I decided to saddle Rhea up & just walk around - mainly to keep the blood flowing.

As we walked by the arena I said hello to J, who was working her mule, and she had the great suggestion to take Rhea to the creek and just cool her legs. We walked out and I kept her just standing in the water for awhile - I'm sure it felt good to her and it was so pleasant for me to just sit and listen to the sound of the creek, the birds, and the little rustling of the shrubs around. She really perked up after cooling off. They have so much blood flow through their legs it probably cooled her whole body.

And it really nice to have no agenda but just time with my horse. When we were kids and rode it wasn't about what we accomplished in the arena, it was about having fun. We'd spend hours on our horses. As adults we get pretty locked into accomplishing something.

I hope she feels better today. She'll have tomorrow off as I'll be heading north with my guy for a knee check-up and big-city errands.

The 30 days may have to morph into 30 consecutive days when I'm not out of town or something... But already I'm sold on the value of every day. And L paid us a nice compliment; she told Rhea how good she looked and how nice it was to see us so "hooked on" to each other. I do feel a bond & a familiarity that wasn't always there before and can only help us moving forward.

The past 16 days help me appreciate the hours that go into training for an event like Stacy Westfall's bareback ride on Roxy. I remember reading her blog and that she estimated she put in 800 hours leading up to that ride. That's a LOT of time. When I see people doing flying lead changes and spins I have to appreciate the hours that went into it. We'll get there too.

 

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Day 15: Easy Does It

Poor girl wasn't feeling so hot the day after her vaccines & had developed some edema on the side of her neck where she got the 5-way. She wasn't the only one; sounds like almost 10% of the horses had a reaction! some much worse, so the vet was called. All the horses were vaccinated with the same lot so it seems that it's just an individual reaction. He recommended cold water & Bute.

I saddled her up & we took a walk out in the desert since it can't hurt to pump some blood around. Beautiful, calm, 80 degrees. Afterwards I hosed her neck with cold water which she actually seemed to enjoy - it was a little tender where the swelling is so the cold must have felt good. She was pretty mellow yesterday.

Hopefully today she'll have some energy back & the swelling will be down.

 

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Day 12: weather 1, riding 0

After a little bit of a frustrating day of errands and one thing leading to another, this is what I drove down to when I finally broke free for my ride.

A bolt of lightning caught my eye as I backed the truck in & the only people around were the ranch manager & the trainers (and they weren't riding). All you can do sometimes is shrug your shoulders and know that you tried, right?

I did pull Rhea out for her grain & a quick brushing, and got her back just as the wind was picking up wildly. I'll be back down there today to see what I can do, but here's the forecast:

Sunny, with a high near 74. North northeast wind 13 to 21 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph.

And it is already howling up here. Whatever the day brings I'll be writing about it later since as it turns out this isn't just about the horse and the rider but a whole host of other things around us - hmmmmm. Isn't that called life? And how I handle it?

 

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Day 11: Reinforcement

Riding everyday is transformational- it changes everything between the rider and the horse. And it's not that you are killing each other, although I am tired so I know Rhea must be feeling it too. We're just in more of a flow, a unity, an agreement. Something hard to explain.

We were back in the arena to work on the right lead again. This is the week of the lope. It was good and didn't take too long to get the right lead, although we did have to work at it and had several false starts. The second time she got it I knew she was looking for it cause I saw her reach out with her right shoulder. But the lope! My gosh, I could hardly sit it! And it is a rushed, awkward lope. I'm going to have Janet watch us again today.

We did a lot of other stuff, not obsessing on the right lead, and it was a good ride. I don't want her to get soured on working in the arena but I'd really like to feel like we've got the right lead so that we can move on to other stuff.

Hubs wants to do garage sales this morning so I've got to rally here.

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Day 10: Recovery

This could become a habit. It's a rhythm you get into with your horse and it is addicting. The only issue, for me, is that I've had to trade off time in the studio for time in the saddle because there are only so many hours in a day and I still have a family, work to do, a house to keep. I don't know how Janet manages... Except that the horses are her work. I'll have to find a way to work some studio time back into my days but I won't think too much about it until the end of the challenge. (And here's a confession.... I already know that there's going to break in the consistency when we leave to go camping on Day 22)

Anyhow, Day 10 was a very nice ride in the high desert along the creek. Just Rhea and me. For some reason Vida stayed & slept in the truck the entire time; maybe because she'd gone on a long walk earlier in the day or maybe because it was quite warm towards the end of the day when I went out. I try to just let her choose although I'm always disappointed not to have her along.

Rhea went willing out, only half-heartedly trying once or twice to steer me back. I don't let anything be her idea when we're out.. Not as far as direction or time is concerned. I do give her plenty of leeway when it comes to choosing where she's going to out her feet and I let her look around, but I'm in charge of the ride. I've seen too many other people fight with their horses to leave the barn (and I have a mustang that has never been thrilled to ride out but I didn't get him as a yearling, I got him as a barn-sour adolescent). Rhea has had the best start any horse could ask for and I'm not going to ruin her.

Part of the trail we took was rocky and it was good to have that change in ground since she's barefoot. I want her feet to toughen up as much as possible so that I don't always have to put on boots (which I don't have right now anyway after she outgrew her first pair). I let her have her head so that she could decide where to put her feet. I noticed she got a little "head high" when we got into the willows - no doubt because all of our riding in the winter is out in the wide open. I've got to get her back up into the trees.

Today we'll go back to work on that pesky right lead some more. I feel rested and think that yesterday was a nice break for her as well.

 

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