My knee and my riding.

On Wednesday I finally got in at the doctors to see what's going on with my knee. I did get some answers but NOT what I wanted to hear.

So the run down is...
-my hips turn inwards which
-makes my knee cap sit on the outside of my femur bone NOT in the knee groove
-there is nothing you can really do to correct it
-I can try physical therapy plus a knee brace to manage it
-I should/will grow out of it by the time I'm 30 (I turn 20 next week)
Obviously I was hoping for better news because there is absolutely no pain pill that I can take that will relieve the pain in any way shape or form. Plus the more I push it, it will give out and hurt 10x worse than it already does. As it is I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night because it hurts and from the time I wake up it only gets worse as the day goes on.

So how will this affect my riding? I have no clue what I am going to with Poncho at this point. I did a quick ride on him yesterday and it was soooo fun to ride BUT excruciating to do. Of course I can't just wait 10 years to ride again, he's not going to sit around that long. So I'm going to be stressing over this for the next several weeks while I see if there's anything this physical therapist may be able to do for me.

I'm definitely feeling pretty bad about this whole situation. And no one really seems to understand just how much all this upsets me as far as my riding goes. I wanted to go FAR and it looks like that dream died on Wednesday :(

Keeping things BUT with an epic disconnect!

I've managed to ride everyday this week but Friday (I partied too hard Thursday night wooops). I wish I could say things are getting better, but if anything we are getting worse and worse. As frustrating as it is I'm trying to not let it get to me too much. We've been through rough patches before we'll get through this soon?

He's just being soooo resistant to everything! I know this horse inside and out yet I feel like here lately I don't even know the horse I'm on. On the ground he's fine. His flatwork is horrendous! The only time I can get some semi-decent work out of him is popping him over a couple of jumps but that's not really going to help in the long run. So I'm at a loss for now.

I suppose we'll keep trucking along and hope things improve in the next week...or somethings gotta give!

3 days in a row!

We've been off to a productive week so far. Three rides in a row!!!!!!!!!! Of course since he's been off for a little over a week they haven't been the best rides, oh well.

Monday and Tuesday were just flatwork rides focusing on forward and softness. They were moderately successful. But we still have a bit of work to do so that we can catch up to where we left off.

Today I decided to jump, when I got to the barn someone had set up a bunch of new jumps so why not! He was pretty freaking awesome. We had a slightly rocky start while he was figuring out his balance. But he put in some really nice jumps overall. Of course it didn't help that I had quite a bit of lack of control on the flat, but he was listening much better when I gave him something to focus on!

Here's to hoping we can keep up this good streak!

Our weekly hacks.

I try to keep a semi-regular schedule, which usually falls apart somehow on me nearly every week. It's supposed to be simple. Monday off. Tuesday and Wednesday on. Thursday off. Friday hack. Saturday and Sunday on (depending on my work schedule).

I love our hack day we're still working our way up in intensity with this humidity that seems to be here to stay! For the moment we are just walking around (up and down hills, through wooded sections of the pasture, around the ring/barn area) on a super loose rein so he can just stretch all the way out. In the next hack or two we'll start adding some trotting bit by bit. Who knows when we'll get to cantering - he tends to loose his mind when cantering in open spaces :).

Anywho I just like having a day to just empty our collective working minds and take a break. Poncho seems to like it too.

Although it doesn't seem to be the "norm" for people at our new barn. Today was the first time someone actually asked me out. It made me chuckle quite a bit (to myself I didn't want to be rude). They had asked if there was something wrong with Poncho since we were just walking. Of course I assured them there was nothing wrong and explained that it was his "hack" day and that I just like to give him a mental breather day. I still got a very perplexed look. Oh well, it works for us that's all that matters.

When I almost lost my ninja skills!

Last week I had several nice flat rides. Nothing spectacular. Nothing horrible. Nothing worth noting.

Yesterday however was all around an amazing ride, and I even almost ate dirt! I'll start off with Poncho had 4 days in a row off. Which means he's ready to rock and roll. He's a horse who doesn't handle the heat well but it makes him mega hyper. We warmed up on a nice loose rein. I couldn't get him to stretch down at the trot even though I was practically riding him on the buckle. We did some figure eights to try and get his head in the game. No dice. So I decided to just let him canter it out. 7 laps in a row! Now this is a really big ring. At least 200 x 350 I'd say. And it wasn't a slow canter, he was booking it.

After he had that out of his system he was in more of a yes ma'am kind of mood. We did some nice trot work then I let him walk for a couple minutes on the buckle before we did any jumping.

I'm proud to say we have officially conquered the flowers. Absolutely no hesitation approaching them today!!!!

the oh so scary flowers!

 After that I was feeling a little gutsy so we decided to tackle this....

The first time approaching it from each direction he refused it (not too surprising from him). The second time we soared over it!!!!! I was on top of the world until mid-air I hear my mom in the distance yell woo-hoo and start clapping. The second Poncho landed he bolted and started bucking the whole way down the arena! I narrowly missed flying in a gate. Somehow I managed to stay on! Of course we had to try the jump again so he realized it wasn't the jump that was scary. Luckily no theatrics the second time around. What a goober.

After that I just cooled him, hosed him off, and let him graze for a minute.

I just love my Poncho man so much!

Happy Mouth = happy horse?!

Friday was my day to work at the barn in the afternoon so I went out later (whilst hoping that my new bit would come in before I left - it did not). With all the storms we had on Thursday it was still quite windy when I got out there. The initial plan was to hack Poncho out in the fields but he was little up so we didn't make it too far. So we just did whatever in the ring for a little.

Saturday I was working the morning shift AND I finally got to use the new bit, which came in right after I left the house yesterday. Everyone was starting to file in right as I was getting on...so we w/t/c in the ring for a little and then got to hack out in the fields. He was still figuring out the bit but seemed very pleased with it so far.

Today I didn't get out in time to beat the heat but still had a lovely ride. He really, really likes the happy mouth bit. He was drooling all over the place and going nice and round! I tried tossing my spurs back on to try and refine my aids more, but he wasn't feeling it so I took them off quickly. Tracking right we were pretty spot on with everything. His w/t/c were all really nice and connected. Tracking left we were pretty disconnected so I  never even asked for that canter. I just worked on trying to get him straight and forward. To make everything fun though we popped over a couple of the jumps. A crossrail that he thought was going to kill him the first couple times (but then he jumped it like a champ!). Then a little vertical that is finally starting to make sense to him (he's been having a heck of a time judging it's height here lately, goober).

Well...that didn't quite go as planned.

"Great horses are not often easy horses. They have big egos and idiosyncrasies and quirks and foibles. Horses of a lifetime do exist, but only for riders so skillful, tactful, and courageous that they can unlock and then reveal the brilliance of their equine partners." - Denny Emerson

So I left off at Poncho was going to have 2-4 days off. So he had Thursday and Friday off. We got lots of rain so I just hung out with him some and doctored his STILL puffy fetlock.

Saturday rolls around and his fetlock finally is back to normal. I decided we'd just have a short w/t ride. Which we did. Nothing fantastic nothing horrible. However I was starting to notice an increase in his distaste for his normal bit. hmmmm.

Sunday I managed to get off work in enough time to scoot out to the barn before the thunderstorms rolled in AGAIN! But as I get there the BO walks up to let me know Poncho had escaped today. Apparently he just couldn't wait to be turned out after finishing his grain. So he "ran" from the back of his stall through the door, completely removing the screws from it. WOW. Not quite what I wanted to hear but I got past it. He seemed calm enough out in the field, so all systems were still a go. Calm as cucumber while we're walking to the barn. Then we get to the cross ties and all hell brakes loose. He just lost his mind. He wouldn't go in them, then when he would he's literally try to run me over to get out. 35 minutes later I had gotten him in long enough to brush him quickly before round 1 million started. Another 10 minutes and I got so annoyed I just tossed him back out in the field to cool off for a few. When I pulled him back out still much of the same but I got him in and calm for about a minute. So I gave him a treat and sent him on his way!

Monday I was so flabbergasted and upset about Sunday that I didn't even go out.

Tuesday I had a feeling he'd be back to normal so I planned on trying out a new bit my mom got for Midnite, since Poncho's protesting his. Of course he was perfect for the cross ties now...he just kills me sometimes. He was a tad skeptical about taking the new bit (a happy mouth mullen d-ring). He chomped on it for a minute or two and then was fine. There wasn't an incredible difference with it at the walk and trot. But when we cantered it was the most control I've had at the canter probably ever. Normally I feel barely in control he just barrels along but not this time. It was truly lovely! So I ordered him one once I got him.

Today I went out mega early to beat the heat. Since he liked the happy mouth I didn't want to ride him in a bit he hates...so I pulled the hackamore back out. I wrapped the curb chain in vet wrap to help soften it (he appreciated it very much). I can always count on him being relaxed in the hack it's just when we canter he gets really heavy so I tend to not use it on a regular basis. However until our new bit comes in that's what we'll use. I just tried to keep things positive and fairly short today. w/t was nice. He was much more compliant with our lateral work. Cantering on our right lead was nice and forward. Left lead we never got but he was calm and never got frustrated enough to run out of the ring so I let it slide this time. (hopefully that won't come back to haunt me next time!) Then I popped him over a little vertical a few times each direction. Tracking left he's much better jumping that right, which I find ironic due to our cantering issues. Oh well he always keeps me guessing!

Losing our groove.

Yesterday and today's rides have left me feeling a little bummed out. Nothing horrible but looking back there are things I would have changed up....

Yesterday he was spooky as all get out! He was even uppity in the cross ties. He does this weird trumpet/snorty thing that freaks everyone out. So that put us off to a fantastic start - WHAT A GOOBER! By the time we were walking to the ring he was looking at everything and shying this way and that way. Super! Then some of the jumps had been moved so that the ring could be drug, which made the ring extra scary. SO I just decided we'd hack out in the field so there was no pressure. Well the dude even spooked at the gate to the field. Ha. We didn't have the most productive ride. We managed to walk and trot around a little bit and then called it a day. We did stop by the window for the office in the barn so he could really investigate his reflection (he was absolutely hilarious to watch!)

Today we put our game face on and were going to get some real quality work and we did until the last 15 minutes of our ride. I was feeling on top of the world until I messed it all up!!!! Tracking right everything was nearly perfect he was relaxing and moving out soooo well. However I worked to the right wayy to long so when we switched to the left things went flop. Plus he still had a little bit of fluid in his ankle but was still super sound so I figured we'd still ride. Maybe it was the fluid, maybe he was tired, maybe he wanted to be a but head. I don't know. But the second we tried to pick up our left lead canter it all fell apart. He just would not pick it up. So I tried wayy too many times to get it. Which frustrated him until he shut down. AND when he shuts down he grabs the bit and hauls ass!!!!!! We flew right out of the ring by the barn twice because I just couldn't get him back under control (luckily we didn't hit anything). Once I got him to just not try and run out of the ring we basically just ended. I of course was still on him just walking around on the buckle. We even went out to the field for a lap. I just feel sooo bad that I pushed things to that point today.

So my tentative plan is for the next 2-4 days (depending on work and weather) he will have off or just a quick hack. Hopefully we can "reboot" and his ankle will be completely back to normal. Fingers crossed!

Flowers will kill you, it's a fact apparently.

That's right. Flowers = death! At least Poncho thought so on Saturday and Sunday.

Some of the jumps had been redone on Saturday which included adding flower boxes to them all. No big deal one would think. However not the case for Poncho man. He refused the first time. Then for the next 3 times launched over the jump like it was 4 feet, it was a 2 foot cross rail. Geebers! We did finally manage to get a nice jump each direction though.

Sunday we hacked around the fields for awhile before heading to the ring. We tackled the cross rail again which he was perfect for. Then we moved to a vertical with different colored flowers - oh no, no, no! He refused the first time. Second time he knocked the rail down then hopped it. So we worked on just jumping over the flowers until he was comfortable. It luckily didn't take too long.

Other than the jumping his flatwork has been steadily improving bit by bit. However he did whack his LH ankle got a nice scrape and just a hair of swelling - which made him not want to pick up his left lead. But before scrape he was getting 8/10 times now!

Messing up the routine!

This week was a little backwards from how me normally do things.

Monday we hacked out in the fields for a while just meandering.

Tuesday he had off.

Wednesday I went out at about 7:00 that evening (most unheard of for us) and plodded around for about an hour. W/T/C he was pretty good a tad resistant though.

Thursday he had off.

Today I got out fairly early and decided to try out a new bit. Which is not a success. I was super surprised at just how much he protested it. So tomorrow we're going back to our regular bit until I can come up with another one to try. However he still w/t/c fairly politely each direction and we rode with 2 other people. AND he wasn't a jerk. We finished up taking a lap around one of the fields which actually amped him up instead, oh well! Then he had to get hosed off. Poor man was s-w-e-a-t-y I felt pretty bad for him. Of course he thought the wash stall was torture but he behaved.

Fingers crossed tomorrow he's happier switching back to his old bit.

It's like magic!

I believe we have a winning saddle! Thank goodness, the process is so, so, so unbelievably stressful with an extra wide pony!

Today I was planning on hacking out. However when I got to the barn all the horses were out. I guess since it was SUCH a nice day the barn decided to let them enjoy it - YAY! So I had to scrap that plan. I guess that's why I try to never make specific plans for riding. Back to the point though, the saddle. I never said yesterday but it's a courbette alpina - I found it 43% off at my local tack store in an extra wide (it's a 17 inch I need a 16.5 but I'm not complaining!). What are the chances of that happening!!!!!! Yesterday I manage a quick ride in the saddle but didn't really push anything just trying to acclimate myself.

I definitely upped the ante today! We did lots of trotting and the most cantering we've done in a long time (on both leads). I can sit much better in this saddle I'm not constantly fighting to stay in the saddle. Poncho is moving much looser through his back. He was even stretching down into the contact at the canter - which he normally fights to do. Needless to say I'm super pleased with how our luck turned out after such a horrible demise to my last saddle. I really wanted to try and pop over a couple jumps but no one was there so I decided to be a smart person and not (just incase Poncho decided to kill me ;)! )

I even hopped on Mindite for a little today. We have a lot of work to do! She really doesn't want to accept the contact. Everytime I touch her mouth she flips her head. I guess that's what 10 years of no real work or contact will do to you. We'll get there though!

Riding with other and JUMPING again!

Wow, what  whirlwind these last two days have been!

Yesterday when I got to the barn there were two other boarders there. Which meant that would be the first time Poncho has been ridden with other horses (except for Midnite) in nearly 9 months. I had no clue what to expect...

He totally surprised me though - he was a super star. Got straight down to business and strutted his stuff for the others. (Of course we need to look good for a lady horse!) We did mostly w/t. When we tried a little canter he got a bit to show offy, and we lacked some control. So we decided to save that for another day. Instead he had a blast splashing through all the puddles in the ring and watching everyone do their thing.

Today however Poncho was beyond amazing. We did w/t/c. His canter was getting so adjustable today and even on his "bad" lead he was super willing and compliant (not normal). However when we went to canter through a puddle that was a little too much for him (water even hit me in the face - WOOPS!). His trot work was to die for at times. Once we canter around a little his trot work just goes to a new level. I really need to just canter him a lap each way before trotting one day. He immediately accepts the contact and really steps under himself! I love it!!!!!!! Also we jumped today. Nothing big or scary. Just a 2ft cross rail. But he was so excited to do it. You would have though it was atleast 3ft. Goober.

Then after riding I took him back to the wash stall to show him it still isn't going to eat him. He needed a lot of convincing but finally did it - and lived!!!!!

Getting down to business, maybe.

I've been on a roll so far this week! Monday, Tuesday, and today pony has worked his butt off!

Monday was a simple just get out and loosen up kind of ride. After three days in a row off I just wanted to get him forward and free moving. SUCCESS. Also we had tried not soaking his hay for a few days to see how he'd been. Not too good. He was coughing quite a bit. We're back to soaking it.

Tuesday we ramped things up a little bit.  I wanted him to canter more, he's still in the mindset that we only canter a lap or two and then we're done. Not so much though. He was a bit perturbed at first but got over it and really got into the cantering. His trot work got iffy. For a few laps we'd be great then fall apart for a few then get it back. Oh well something to work on.

Today I was planning on jumping for the first time in nearly a year!!!!! However when I got to the barn there were 3 tractors out and about. Then there was the saw and nail gun. ALL surrounding the entire ring. Needless to say I didn't really have his full attention. We managed to have a successful w/t/c ride though. I was really, really proud of him. I remember a time when he would have tossed me and left me in the dust with all that going on. Not anymore though! His trot was much improved today. We mainly worked on getting long and low during it to hopefully get him a little more relaxed. His canter was a little back and forth due to him getting looky. Very forward and the suck back then push forward then suck back. But we finally got it.

I'm soo proud of my baby. I swear even after 7 1/2 years I'm more in love with him now than ever before. No honeymoon phase over with us. Everyday when I get to the barn I still can't believe how lucky I am to have him. He's just absolutely amazing to me!

WE FOUND IT!

On Thursday I decided I was just going to hack out in the fields for a nice change. I also had the hidden agenda of hopefully finding the bell boot he lost on Sunday (?) evening.

He was super duper pleased with getting out of the ring. He just marched on and on and on. For awhile I just let him meander where he wanted to go, it was quite comical to see how he wanted to serve this away and that away. Eventually he had to listen to me though.

After checking out one field we moved to the next one (where he has been turned out here lately). Boy was he ready to P-A-R-T-Y when we walked in there. I did find the bell boot whilst attempting to convince him that we really should just walk around. So I hopped off to grab it, then hopped back on. The second I started to swing over I could just feel him start to coil up to bolt. Luckily I stopped that before it happened, but I have no doubt that he would have done it if given the proper opportunity. Goober.

Today it reached 90 degrees! So even though I really, really wanted to ride I gave him the day. I just didn't think it would be fair to him to ask for real work with an almost 20 degree temperature jump in a 24 hour period. Hanging out it was for the day. I'm sure he was just fine with all the grooming and scratching he got.

Two more rides under our belt!

I've managed two more rides since my last post. With rain and lots of stuff going on I made peace with he'd have to have 2 days in a row off! OH MY!

Sunday I managed a slightly more productive ride than Saturday. He was a bit more settled with the way things are in the ring. I was super duper happy with his canter work. So open and free feeling, someone definitely loves the GIGANTIC ring we have now!!!!!!

Monday he had off because the barn had a vet there and we didn't want to get in the way.
Tuesday he had off because I didn't even go out there, it was so rainy and gross.

Today is still pretty much a repeat of yesterday weather wise. However I wasn't going to miss another day. Plus I finally decided to try out my fleeceworks shaped saddle pad that I've had sitting in my room for years now out. Of course the second I got him tacked up it started to rain. I waited a minute or two for it to steady out a little and out we headed. Of course it got heavier for a while then stopped. Poncho was a bit unsure of riding in it but he handled it well. We didn't do much productive because along with the rain the tractor was right beside the ring with someone clearing out fallen trees. SO that was a little distracting. However we still did w/t/c. The canter was lackluster but I wasn't asking for anything spectacular. I think I'm happy with the saddle pad, may need a few more rides to really get a feel for it.

Hopefully in the next day or two we can hack out in the field (If it dries up enough).

PART 3 - Settling in.

On Thursday I went out just to hang out and give him an official "tour" of the place. He was happily standing in his stall with plenty of hay still left, thank goodness! We explored for awhile checked out all the jumps in the ring where the cross ties are all around the barn. He was totally enthralled - such a goober. Then I just hung out with him in the stall and groomed him.

battle wound 1 - probably scratched it on a tree limb

battle wound 2 - definitely invaded someone's personal space!

 Friday I wanted to take a little ride around the ring. I didn't have my riding pants and I didn't want to work him hard because of his leg, just in case. So we walked around for awhile just meandering with no real purpose. He still had plenty of hay left in his stall. Apparently his method is anytime he hears something he has to go and look out one of his windows to see what's up. Again I hung out with him for awhile just enjoying being able to!

Today we had a slightly more involved ride with a bit more trotting and adding in some lateral work. He was a tad unfocused but there was stuff going on around him so I cut him a little bit of slack. Overall he was still super duper in my opinion. I'm just soooooo happy about how close he is and the fact that he seems to be settling in so incredibly well!!!!!

The attitude is back!

One thing about Poncho that's backwards is that when it's cold out he's extra calm. When it starts to warm up he gets koo-koo. Of course Poncho has to defy the stero-type. DUH.

So after our nice quick ride on Wednesday we had a nice little hack on Thursday. It was chilly and windy. He was a smidge looky but overall a superstar. We only walked because the field was basically a death trap with slick spots everywhere.

Yesterday was considerably warmer and still a little breezy. So we could actually get some work done I headed to the ring. He was feeling good! Very responsive. Tracking left everything went smooth as can be. However tracking right, as per usual the "other side" appeared. He was solid for the w/t work. But the second I asked for the canter we started to run sideways. His signature move. I couldn't work him out of it at the canter so we backed down to the trot for a little. (* in the ring there is a corner that is washed out I refer to it as the corner of death - it has gulleys and what not that instantly drop a little over a foot) Because I didn't want to kill us both. The first time going around again he dove right off the edge. Ohh my word I almost had a heart attack, I thought he finally managed to kill himself. So after a slight over reaction on my part we got out of the ditch and back into action. This time around he dried to dive and I SMACKED him good on the neck/shoulder with the whip. He of course acted like he was going to completely loose it (but did not). We had a few of those episodes then he settled and was a good boy again.

We're going to be getting more rain off and on for the next few days so here's to hoping the footing will stay nice enough to continue riding!

Some improvement!

I'll take it! Yesterday I managed to squeeze in another ride with the hackamore. Due to even more rain the fields were completely swamped so I rode in the yucky ring. He probably wasn't too pleased about that - but complied well enough.

He was much better in the hackamore today. We really concentrated on driving power from behind so that he wasn't focusing on the weird feeling of no bit. It seemed to really make a difference. The trot work was dramatically better he was lowering his head and "softening". I got gusty and tried cantering with it. It didn't go too bad. I was extremely surprised actually. And tracking right we even got a few strides on the correct lead. I didn't want to push it and ruin the progress so I ended it there.

Today I was so, so, so unbelievably tired! I didn't even try to ride. I could barely stay awake driving to the barn. I can't imagine if I came home first to let out Bogart and grab my stuff. I would have just died! (Since I HAVE to go out everyday to do hay.)

Hackamore, was it a raging success?

Ultimately riding in the hackamore was quite different from when we used it last year. And last year we used it for several months straight. I guess since he's been accepting the bit so fabulously here lately he was a tad confused. Not bad by any means though.

Friday we rode in the ring just walk and trot to get him used to it again. He was a bit resistant and kept diving behind the vertical (while I had no contact).

Yesterday I just hacked around the field basically on the buckle to help get him to loosen and stretch out some. That seemed to help some. Tomorrow hopefully he will be even better.

We'll pick up where I left off.

Saturday was even windier than Friday was so I kept to the ring just in case he had another meltdown. Thankfully he did not. I must say though we had a lovely ride. I never attempted the right lead canter just because I didn't want to ruin it. We had some a-m-a-z-i-n-g trot work, just to die for! He was quite lazy at first with the canter but after I grabbed a whip he was more willing to co-operate. His lateral work was superb. He wasn't overly spooky, he even held it together enough for me to do some no-stirrup work.

Sunday he had off because of a meeting at work, although I still went out there (I am now having to go out and soak his hay EVERYDAY) to see him. Monday he had off to0 (I like giving him Mondays off).

Tuesday we just hacked out in the field. It was less than stellar he was a bit obstinate about stepping in mud. Apparently he's too good for that. Goober. He was a bit resistant to the contact too. I just chalked it up to an unmotivated day.

Wednesday it was raining and kept picking up the longer I was there. Since the temps. were dropping I figured I'd be nice and give him a break. So I kind of fell apart on the 5 days a week for sure. Ohwell.

Yesterday it was goopy so I went to the ring. His teeth are definitely bothering him it was no fluke on Tuesday. He did not want accept the right rein for anything. Anytime I took a feel of his mouth instant brace. So I'll be putting his hackamore on him today. Anywho we had a great left canter again. To the right I could not get it at ALL. His teeth, his feet, or both could be contributing I don't know at this point. However we can start ruling them out soon, in 2 weeks he gets his teeth done and then the following his feet. Hurray!