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!
Photo by Margaret Chant and edited by Jessica Metropulos
Showing posts with label theraflex pad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label theraflex pad. Show all posts
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Fear, Frustration, Fluidity issues, and oh, some FUN!
Interesting day today. First let me start out by asking everyone to tell me to GET SOME SLEEP when I complain about being cranky. It's been almost 2 weeks since I've gotten more than 9 hours of sleep, and it's reflecting in my patience and tolerance for silly things.
First of all, my frustration. My theraflex pad has decided that it needs to slip forward when it's being used under my fluidity saddle. Fortunately, as wonderful as the the saddle is, it doesn't follow the pad, but it results in a mess on the back of the saddle when it actually slides OFF. GRR! Here are some of the options I've gone over in my head:
*At first I thought that I might have been driving with my seat without knowing it (I noticed this after playing with the collected canter).
But I ruled that out, because I sat on my thumb, and it came out in one piece and pain free. Also, when I took the saddle off, there was very little ruffling on her back.
*So, is it simply because the pad is dirty?
*Is my horse just getting that uphill?
*Or am I over shimmed?
I'm perplexed. Fortunately, I emailed LP about the problem, so I'll post what she says when she responds.
The FUN in this came in when I decided to eliminate the "dirty" option for the pad, and cleaned it. It was about 85 and humid today. Humidity (and sweat-ICK!) makes my grouchy, and I know from experience that a theraflex pad is best cleaned a tub of water. So, see these photos of what happened next. It's GREAT fun, and it does a surprisingly thorough job of cleaning it!
Feet are better than ANY scrub brush, and you get a good massage while doing it...Win-Win situation!
Doin' the twist-that's the best motion to loosen all that stubborn dirt and hair.
That water has been changed 3 times, and it's still scuzzy.
And of course, finish with a rinse :)
Okay. Now. Fear and fluidity issues. Bear with me, this may be a bit scattered. I have come to the conclusion (temporary or not, hopefully the former) that I CANNOT ride Crest. Or actually no, let me rephrase that, I cannot ride Crest WELL. It is disgusting and sad for me to say, but I'm terrified of him. He's getting more and more LBE every day with a rider,(yay?) but has a tendency to get scared when I'm not fluid with his antics, which is a cataclysmic situation. See, Crest has HUGE bouncy gaits (particularly in trot), and likes to crow hop in the canter. I'm a very naturally balanced rider, and am fairly fluid too. I come from the hunter/jumper realm where the horses have big strides, so I'm used to that a bit too. But this is just...strange. I SOLIDLY refuse to ride Crest in a saddle until I'm somewhat fluid on him bareback. The reason I'm being so stubborn here, is because I don't want to use my stirrups as an excuse to not become a stronger, better rider. But the problem comes in when Crest breaks the trot. I have a really healthy respect for what this horse is capable of since my accident (shouldn't even THINK of that, but it did do some damage) and so when he gets going big, I get tense, whether I want to or not. Now riding in a bareback pad recently has helped IMMENSELY, but still...I KNOW Crest is not offering a nice easy trot for me either. I've seen it on the ground, and experienced it when he's in a good state of mind, and for some reason (probably due to my recent developing fear) I can't get it. So anyway. That's my fear issue. I'm hating it, today we went for a solid HOUR, were both dripping with sweat, and I was almost in tears because I was so mad at myself. I just need to learn to trust him again, and I just kept thinking "What would Linda Do? What would Farrah say?" and that made it worse, because I KNEW I was wrong...so ACK... I know it's me, and of course that's a step in the right direction, but GAH! Mental development in it's finest. I WILL get this eventually!
Savvy out, wish me luck!
First of all, my frustration. My theraflex pad has decided that it needs to slip forward when it's being used under my fluidity saddle. Fortunately, as wonderful as the the saddle is, it doesn't follow the pad, but it results in a mess on the back of the saddle when it actually slides OFF. GRR! Here are some of the options I've gone over in my head:
*At first I thought that I might have been driving with my seat without knowing it (I noticed this after playing with the collected canter).
But I ruled that out, because I sat on my thumb, and it came out in one piece and pain free. Also, when I took the saddle off, there was very little ruffling on her back.
*So, is it simply because the pad is dirty?
*Is my horse just getting that uphill?
*Or am I over shimmed?
I'm perplexed. Fortunately, I emailed LP about the problem, so I'll post what she says when she responds.
The FUN in this came in when I decided to eliminate the "dirty" option for the pad, and cleaned it. It was about 85 and humid today. Humidity (and sweat-ICK!) makes my grouchy, and I know from experience that a theraflex pad is best cleaned a tub of water. So, see these photos of what happened next. It's GREAT fun, and it does a surprisingly thorough job of cleaning it!
Feet are better than ANY scrub brush, and you get a good massage while doing it...Win-Win situation!
Doin' the twist-that's the best motion to loosen all that stubborn dirt and hair.
That water has been changed 3 times, and it's still scuzzy.
And of course, finish with a rinse :)
Okay. Now. Fear and fluidity issues. Bear with me, this may be a bit scattered. I have come to the conclusion (temporary or not, hopefully the former) that I CANNOT ride Crest. Or actually no, let me rephrase that, I cannot ride Crest WELL. It is disgusting and sad for me to say, but I'm terrified of him. He's getting more and more LBE every day with a rider,(yay?) but has a tendency to get scared when I'm not fluid with his antics, which is a cataclysmic situation. See, Crest has HUGE bouncy gaits (particularly in trot), and likes to crow hop in the canter. I'm a very naturally balanced rider, and am fairly fluid too. I come from the hunter/jumper realm where the horses have big strides, so I'm used to that a bit too. But this is just...strange. I SOLIDLY refuse to ride Crest in a saddle until I'm somewhat fluid on him bareback. The reason I'm being so stubborn here, is because I don't want to use my stirrups as an excuse to not become a stronger, better rider. But the problem comes in when Crest breaks the trot. I have a really healthy respect for what this horse is capable of since my accident (shouldn't even THINK of that, but it did do some damage) and so when he gets going big, I get tense, whether I want to or not. Now riding in a bareback pad recently has helped IMMENSELY, but still...I KNOW Crest is not offering a nice easy trot for me either. I've seen it on the ground, and experienced it when he's in a good state of mind, and for some reason (probably due to my recent developing fear) I can't get it. So anyway. That's my fear issue. I'm hating it, today we went for a solid HOUR, were both dripping with sweat, and I was almost in tears because I was so mad at myself. I just need to learn to trust him again, and I just kept thinking "What would Linda Do? What would Farrah say?" and that made it worse, because I KNEW I was wrong...so ACK... I know it's me, and of course that's a step in the right direction, but GAH! Mental development in it's finest. I WILL get this eventually!
Savvy out, wish me luck!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
