When it's another snow day, yet your four legged friends are bored, you do what you can on the pathways amidst the frozen tundra.
I think they enjoyed doing something and I know I did! Love my sweet boys.
#ottb x2
#tbmakeovergrad x2
I love how Majestic is feeling lately. This was our first line of one tempis yesterday: 21 of them because they felt good so we just kept going! It's not an easy ask and I was so happy with his effort!
Our barefoot trimmer, Bruce McNeill of Barefoot Movement, is really getting Majestic's feet on track to help him be more comfortable and balanced in the weight carrying phase, thus improving the stride in both the reach and the push.
And I've been quiet about it because I don't give quality reviews quickly...I like to test things out for a period...but this is in our new Hug Your Horse : Hidalgo Leather Tree Consultant leather tree saddle which is helping Majestic feel freer in the shoulders and is allowing him freedom for better lift through the thoracic trapezius where he likes to hollow from his cribbing habit.
Majestic has some physical stuff that I think stems from his racing days and injury that I'm always trying to help with the training, but I'm excited to be feeling him using his back more, coming through the body better, and taking better strides. Good feet give him the ability to move forward and the confidence to use himself, and then a good saddle gives the energy a chance to circulate properly through the body. Horse training and care is best with a multi approach and I love to have these two professionals available to help my horse feel and be better!
Loving the journey with my boy ๐.
#majesticlad
#tbmakeovergrad
#fromracingtodancing
#ottb
Alien
I love the connection and relationship that evolves through in-hand work focusing on balancing the horse physically and mentally ๐.
Interested in an In-Hand Fundamentals online course??
Let me know by submitting your email and you will be the first to know when it's available! The link is below. Also, any future online course requests, drop them in the comments!
Course Alert link:
https://form.jotform.com/243384775347165
JP Zabacaxi bridleless
Throwback to the beginning of October and preparing to do a demo at the International Liberty Horse Association's Championships with Mariada George's special boy, JP Zabacaxi!
We didn't take the bridle off for the demo, but we did drape the reins and just go off the neck rope and achieved passage and one tempis for the first time off just the rope! He was amazing!
The day of this video though, I had been working him with both the rope and the bridle for about 5 days and decided to see what he was like without the bridle. It had been 6 years since I played with bridleless (check out his first bridleless ride: https://youtu.be/dkpTDwY3tBA). He was so good; such a reflection of his good character, willingness and atheleticism ๐.
Breakfast in bed ๐๐
When we went to Masterson Station Park a few weeks back we got to play with going through water! He loves hose water, doesn't bat an eye at puddles, but was suspicious of this water...I think from how they treat it, it looks different.
We ended up being able to go through it walk, trot, canter no problem! What a good boy and a fun day ๐! And I didn't drop my phone in the water - an extra plus ๐
.
16 one tempis! You can look at my smile at the end of the video and know I'm pretty excited!
How did we get there though? How does one show at a lower level while developing higher skills?
I go back and forth.
Last winter I worked on one tempis. I got to the point of doing 11 of them! I got to that point once and then backed off. I started looking toward my spring and summer show goals which did not include one tempis. After our current show goals concluded in June, I resumed in July working on one tempis.
Here we are, yesterday. I had done 16 on Wednesday, but without any eyes/evidence. Yesterday I confirmed they weren't just a happy accident ๐. Still not completely solid, but they're there!
I've had huge guidance and influence from my mentor, JP Giacomini, on how to train, which has made a huge impact on my skills and career! From there though, I've trained Majestic myself. This horse is my happy place. At the end of the day of work I want to be able to do as much or as little as I want. I don't want the pressure of doing everything perfectly or at a certain rate. Yet, we continue to develop because he's an amazing horse and I am dedicated in our practice.
I am so thankful for this horse and all that he shares with me. I thank him every time I dismount. For his patience, effort and heart.
P.S. sorry for the video quality...lighting is so hard with the open arena sides...I adjusted the lighting as best I could! Also, sound on for the matching music ๐!
#Majesticlad
#ottb
#fromracingtodancing
#tbmakeovergrad
We had a great time at an obstacle playday at Masterson Station Park last weekend put on by Chris Pepplitsch! (Link below for another one offered in November!).
Majestic is super with most obstacles, but has not been very interested in getting all four feet on a platform at the shows we've been to (to be fair, one was a narrow balance beam and the other was a teeter totter in the shadows ๐
), so it was great to get to work on that. It was also fun to try out some new ones, including the round spinning/seesaw board. If I got his feet placed center enough, it kept the board balanced and I could play with rotating his hindquarters and the board would turn. Playing with the balance in his shoulders was a good exercise!
There were things to drag, a tarp to raise by pulling a rope, streamers to ride through...among others! It was a good variety, spaced out well so everyone had space and the people who ran it were so supportive and encouraging.
I'm enjoying venturing into the obstacle realm, and something about it that I really appreciate is that in-hand is encouraged. I do so much in-hand work with my dressage work because I believe it really sets the learning up the right way. It was nice to apply that concept by wandering the obstacle course in-hand and then returning under saddle.
Link to the next obstacle playday:
https://facebook.com/events/s/met-benefit-hunter-pace-and-tr/1289651248679823/
#MajesticLad
#tbmakeovergrad
#ottb
It's probably been a year and a half since I've ridden Zorro bridleless. It's just not a main focus, but as JP asked me to check back in with the bridleless work, I did so.
This horse is special. A year and a half and I got on straight away with the neck rope and was able to do all of our lateral work, piaffe and passage and things like play with two tempis to one tempis back to two tempis.
He is proof of the exceptional character that can be found in these horses. He is also proof of the training. Yes, he has been trained with a bit, but that doesn't mean it will automatically transfer or everyone would be doing it. It means he is responding to my seat, posture, neck rope, legs and my intention.
In this video I asked for the reverence stretch for the second time ever without a bridle (the first was right before I went to get my phone) and he understood me clearly.
I'm definitely not opposed to bits at all, but I do love playing with training and testing out the limitations (or lack of). Love what Zorro shares with me ๐ฉต.
Our July adventure! We went to a county fairgrounds show and competed in their obstacle course!
We had a little trouble navigating the side-pass over the large pipe, but once the dimensions clicked, we were good! And I was so proud of him for touching it and not reacting and settling right back into work mode.
The teeter was hard. What you can't tell from here is that it was covered in shadows. I was happy he tried it and then we moved along.
Such a good boy with all the rest. I'll post the course in the comments if anyone wants to see the details.
Also, sound ON if you want to hear Phillip's encouraging words! It was a loooong day as the show had a lot more people/took a lot longer than expected and Phillip was happy to hang and support us ๐. So appreciate him!
Oh, and we placed 2nd ๐ฅ๐!
#MajesticLad
#tbmakeovergrad
Each year I try and set some fun goals for Majestic and I. I stay so busy with the rest of the horses I work with; my goal setting is a way of making sure I keep time for Majestic and I to keep developing together.
Two years ago the TIP Champs in western dressage was a goal. Last year the TIP Champs in both western and classical dressage was an exciting achievement (Level 5 and Intermediate 1). This year, they decided not to have the Kentucky TIP Champs and so I wondered what I could do new this year as a goal.
It wasn't too hard to find something: a freestyle.
I have a notebook I travel with for journaling and jotting notes and diagrams. Flying home from a clinic, probably a few years back now, I drew out a freestyle for Majestic just to pass the time. I was already aspiring then but hadn't made it a priority.
This year, I decided it was time. I put one together and the first time I rode it with music was for this year's WDAA International Online Challenge. I followed it up with riding it at the KDA Western Dressage show and so enjoyed getting to do it live! Such a fun experience with my boy ๐!
At the KDA show Majestic and I earned a 9 on the entrance of our first test and then a 69% both days on our freestyle! I had a little trouble hearing my music at the live show and felt we were better in sync for the online show which resulted in a 73.8%!
Posted with this is a clip from the live show of one of my double pivots...my nemesis in WD! You are supposed to keep the inside hind foot in one place and pivot around it twice while maintaining forward intent. It's not something I work on a lot because, from a biomechanics perspective, I prefer the actual forward stepping turn on the hindquarters in classical dressage. I still find the pivot a fun challenge though and was pleased to get a solid one!
The pivots aren't as good in my online show submission, but I'll still share that link with you since it's easier to hear the music if anyone wants to see the whole
Some clips of Caxi's new freestyle at the KDA May show! It was our first time showing it. I don't own the rights to the music, but hopefully a bunch of little clips together will be allowable.
I love doing freestyles; they're my favorite! And Caxi did so well stepping up to the difficulty I added compared to his previous freestyle; such a good, golden boy โบ๏ธ๐๐ฉต!
