Lessons in Shimming

Visited Sherri today out at her place, today. We took the girls (Cerra, 6 yr old QH cross mare, and Cheyenne, 4 yr old QH mare) out for a little spin, which was fun. The really interesting thing about playing with those two is that they're such polar opposites of eachother. Cerra's a deeply layered RBI mare, prone to spooking, bolting, and sudden panic attacks. Cheyenne is a happy-go-lucky (sometimes a bit TOO happy) LBE mare, who enjoys putting anything and everything in her mouth, and also takes pride and joy in eating so persistantly on rides that you'd like to rip your hair out.

Anyway, so Sherri started on Chy, I started on Cerra. Cheyenne was tacked up in a Circle Y Park and Trail saddle with Parelli Theraflex Pad, and had a Parelli halter and reins. Cerra was decked out in my Fluidity saddle (She really needs that Super Wide gullet!!) theraflex pad, and bridle with confidence snaffle and finesse reins. We rode out to the big field (66 acre alfalfa) and just played around for a bit. Cerra and I did some Canter/Halt transitions, which she's sickeningly good at.

Sherri and Cheyenne were butting heads a bit, however. Chy has this lovely tendency to sull up and get LBI food oriented when we come anywhere NEAR a field with edible foliage. And Sherri, of course, does not want to spend all afternoon waiting for the fatty to fill up so they can move on. So it ended up that I got on and did some "WIPE THAT LOOK OFF YOUR FACE!" from her back, but as I was doing this, I began kind of observing some patterns.

*Chy's attitude usually comes with upward transitions that require more topline, and with backing up.

*Her neck gets bracy, her head goes up before anything else

*Gaits seem rushed


All these things point to a shimming problem in my mind. Chy's having problems rounding/using her topline, and when she goes to put her head down (she's a pleasure bred QH) she would get snotty, like something was poking her (like a poorly shimmed/placed saddle)

So, we rode back to Sherri's, pulled out her marking stick (Sorry Sherri, I know that's just one more thing for L and D to give you crap about!) my extra sets of shims, and we untacked. I gave a full shim demo, all the way from marking Chy's scapula at rest and in motion, to explaining where the saddle needed to be placed, to how Chy needed to be shimmed. (Looking like 2 or 3 thick in the shoulder, and a wedge) That all went well, and the moment of truth came when Sherri hopped on. First thing she said I think was "Oh wow, I feel so much...farther back?"

She and Chy walked, trotted, and cantered around, and I can say from an observer's perspective that Cheyenne looked MUCH more comfortable, and the look on her face was that of mild interest, not complete and total resent (cranky). She stretched her neck down and blew several times, a good indication: Topline is coming up, ribcage is expanding, and therefore the horse wants to stretch and breath. So overall, I'm pleased to see this, and we'll see what we can do to keep it going next week!

Afterward, they gave me a little liberty demo, which was a pleasent surprise. They looked LOVELY, Chy's LBE enthusiasm is really really fun to play with, and Sherri's done a great job in developing it.

I really appreciated Sherri's comment in jest at the end of the session "Wow, that was the best $10 I've spent in a long time!" Glad you got your money's worth, Sherri :)




A photo of Chy and Sherri, taken in April 2007. Kinda fun, look how far you guys have come!!

Oh Happy Day...

Huzzah! Finally! I got it, I got it, I got it! I found out what it was on the Cradle that was preventing a response. My horse LOVES the solid chin strap. Just adores it! She had one headtoss, and it was because I forgot to loosen it before I let her graze, and she went "Oh CRAP! My jaw can't move!" But it was much milder than I was expecting.

I rode on the big rings for a nice little hack out with Richard and she was super light, (Richard rode her and was getting some of the lightest transitions I've seen her do with someone other than me...) and then we came back and I rode in the arena on the small rings, and I couldn't believe the results there. She held vertical flexion with just the slightest amount of pressure, and from my reading it wasn't because she felt like she had to. I was absolutely thrilled!

Also, I reshimmed my saddle. I've been needing to, but haven't found a moment where I could actually stop and THINK about what needed doing, it's all been just "well let's try this for a ride and see how it goes..." because I've had to ride so many horses in a day. So I actually got Prin, my shims, my pad, and my saddle out, and really went to work figuring out what it was that PRIN needed, not just what I could throw in that might work.

What I came up with was kind of interesting. See, Prin doesn't really fit categorically into any of the pre-made Parelli shim patterns available through Parelli Collection. She's an uphill horse now, with little to no muscle loss in her shoulders due to her poorly fitting saddle, so the only shimming I really NEED is that to put the saddle uphill (which is a pain, but I know a standard would have been too narrow) Anyway, as far as shimming for her lack of muscle went, she only needed one thick shoulder shim. Then, I put in a thick wedge a little farther forward than the wedge instructions suggest. I put the saddle on after putting that in, and it was only just a hair downhill, which is mind boggling, because I've had to use upwards of 4 shims previously. (In other words, it pays to be particular!) So, because it was a little downhill yet, I threw in the other thick in the shoulder, and it was gorgeous. It felt better to ride in than ever, and when I took the pad off, Prin's back was one flat, even sweatmark! YES! Why do I have to leave on a trip NOW?! Just when I've gotten things figured out!

Anyway, tomorrow'll be busy, I have to pack, and then spend time with Crest, Cricket, Knight, Buddy, and Scoot (back to the old shimming routine...) so that they get some attention before I go. Hopefully will take some sale pix of Cricket and Knight too. I'll post those if I do get them.

Savvy out!

The Cradle Bridle-Pt 1 of ??

Hello,

So my Cradle bridle arrived today. It's beautiful, the leather is actually much lighter a brown than I have seen previously, and it looks VERY nice against Prin's chestnut hair.

As far as settings go, I'm pleased with the fit. Prin's on the Middle hole of 5, and it fits perfectly there. So glad I got a a Large and not an XLarge headstall. The 5" C3 bit is great too, so all is right with the world. I had to experiment with chin straps and bit rings though, and here's what I noticed:

*Prin is NOT unusually light on the big rings

*Prin does her best finesse on the small rings

*Prin's mouth is quieter overall

*Prin's mouth is QUIETEST and LIGHTEST on the small rings, with the non-stretchy chinstrap. Must have done more finesse than I give myself credit for...

*Riding on the big rings is "typical" Prin, that I've had since November

*Riding small rings is like having power steering. UNBELIEVABLE

*Prin finds the "engaging your HQ" concept easier with the cradle? Odd because that has nothing to do with her head. Maybe its that I'm not having to ask for the bend as much? I really don't know.

*Prin does not drop her shoulder and lean into turns with the bridle on


As much as I know you all will hate me for this, I forgot my camera in all my excited rush. I WILL take photos of Prin in it tomorrow though, since its SO GREAT and all..love how soft and willing she is in it. She actually seems to LIKE IT a lot!

Oh and a side note...I need to reshim...again...YARGGHHHH!!!!