So Im going to share some photos of the events lately. SO much to talk about! We will start with the bad first, k.
Sophie had an allergic reaction. No clue what, but it was BAD. Her face swelled up to the point of losing hair in patches, hives all over her body, and swollen from ear to hooves. No joke. The vet said it was probably some sort of bee nest that she got into. I had given her new hay about 20 minutes before going to catch here, which was when I noticed it. No clue if theyre related but I threw out that hay in case! The worry was her throat would swell to the point of suffocation so I had to keep her monitored to make sure she continued to eat. Periodic cold hosing to keep circulation going and about a week later she was back in work. It took about two for everything to go 100% back to normal but she made it. Leo never had any reactions to anything though, so who knows. Glad she is ok though, boy did that scare me!
During all that with Sophie my sweet old boxer, Rumpus, started going down hill fast due to his cancer. I ended up having to put him down on Saturday the 9th after having him for 10 1/2 years! I picked him out when he was only 2 days old. It was so sad seeing him the last week as things turned quickly and then having to make a decision I was hoping God would make for me. Such is life with a dog though. Ill miss that sweet, ecstatic, silly little guy! Plus, how will I ever come up with such a epic name for another dog?? His legacy shall live on.
Ok on to Leo. I got to put a good bit of riding time in him that past couple weeks. He has been worked several days a week and has blossomed and is being pushed more. (Of course now he has yet another field injury and cant be ridden). My trainer rode him for the first time and really worked on getting him to step out with impulsion and touched on getting some brief moments of on-the-bit work. Her critique is to push him so hes not so lazy all the time! Then Amy was in town watching the farm while Vernon was on vacation so I had her ride him as well. Amy is very soft and Leo naturally relaxed down and looked like a hunter pony for her! I also had her get some photos of me on him. He did well most of the rides, stepping with more enthusiasm. I was working on really getting him responding to clucking and "trot!" on the lunge to help his responses. One ride I needed Amy to act like she was lunging him while he went around in a circle doing walk-trot-walk-trot. Hes getting better about his responses to leg now. He also got worked on the lunge with Chance (Amys horse) in the ring. He was interested in him for the first few moments but then settled into his work nicely. I need to progress him to riding with others in the ring without it turning him into a crazy man wanting to play! Im assuming this would be the case since riding a horse around him loose causes him to turn into an energetic freak.
On to Sophie. So much to say about her lately! I took her xc schooling two times at the end of July. First at Cedar Creek stables in Staunton. I went with my trainer to coach and this was our first time xc in a year. Sophie was WONDERFUL. I really wanted to work on things that were questions for her in the past, like ditches and jumping into water. Weve never jumped into water for a show but she has shied from that schooling before. This time Sophie did everything with only slight hesitations and no stops. We mainly schooled novice level jumps and did a solid novice level down a hill which was quite scary. Sophie wasnt getting onto her backend like I wanted on the approach and as the hill got steeper she settled back but that was about 2 strides before the fence which made it awkward and scary for both of us I think. The next go round was much better though.
Her second schooling was with Lucie and Kitty at Penmerryle Equestrian Center. They have a wonderful low level course that covers everything you will see in a competition but mainly at 2'3-3'3 height. Which was great! We did a lot of BN since thats the main height they have but also did some N and even a couple T level jumps! I was scared but Sophie wasnt phased one bit!!!! We did a bank into water and straight out to a small log pile and three strides to a small duck. Sophie was a little worried about that duck but jumped it just fine! We also did two parts of a small BN level "coffin". I did the jump to the ditch or the ditch to the jump (2 strides between the three elements) but didnt do all three in a row. We also did our first every chevron, at N height. It was a single one too! Sophie was extremely wiggly to it but we got it done, even if it wasnt the prettiest. I was so proud of her. Weve been perfecting our flat work too and im really pushing for more suspension throughout her body and step and more self carriage. We have been having a few frustrating moments but when we click her work is wonderful! I signed up for the Virginia Horst Trials schooling show on August 31st and am taking Sophie beginner novice. This will be our first HT in over a year! If all goes well, which after those two schoolings im expecting it to (assuming I ride well of course!) then I will bump her up to our first N at Elysian hills in October! Im excited!
So, photos. Leo with myself, Amy, and my trainer. Leo attacking the duck that chased him hahahah. Sophie swollen, Sophie over xc, and Sophies attempt as a hunter during our long and low trot. Lots of photos to share!!!
Sophie had an allergic reaction. No clue what, but it was BAD. Her face swelled up to the point of losing hair in patches, hives all over her body, and swollen from ear to hooves. No joke. The vet said it was probably some sort of bee nest that she got into. I had given her new hay about 20 minutes before going to catch here, which was when I noticed it. No clue if theyre related but I threw out that hay in case! The worry was her throat would swell to the point of suffocation so I had to keep her monitored to make sure she continued to eat. Periodic cold hosing to keep circulation going and about a week later she was back in work. It took about two for everything to go 100% back to normal but she made it. Leo never had any reactions to anything though, so who knows. Glad she is ok though, boy did that scare me!
During all that with Sophie my sweet old boxer, Rumpus, started going down hill fast due to his cancer. I ended up having to put him down on Saturday the 9th after having him for 10 1/2 years! I picked him out when he was only 2 days old. It was so sad seeing him the last week as things turned quickly and then having to make a decision I was hoping God would make for me. Such is life with a dog though. Ill miss that sweet, ecstatic, silly little guy! Plus, how will I ever come up with such a epic name for another dog?? His legacy shall live on.
Ok on to Leo. I got to put a good bit of riding time in him that past couple weeks. He has been worked several days a week and has blossomed and is being pushed more. (Of course now he has yet another field injury and cant be ridden). My trainer rode him for the first time and really worked on getting him to step out with impulsion and touched on getting some brief moments of on-the-bit work. Her critique is to push him so hes not so lazy all the time! Then Amy was in town watching the farm while Vernon was on vacation so I had her ride him as well. Amy is very soft and Leo naturally relaxed down and looked like a hunter pony for her! I also had her get some photos of me on him. He did well most of the rides, stepping with more enthusiasm. I was working on really getting him responding to clucking and "trot!" on the lunge to help his responses. One ride I needed Amy to act like she was lunging him while he went around in a circle doing walk-trot-walk-trot. Hes getting better about his responses to leg now. He also got worked on the lunge with Chance (Amys horse) in the ring. He was interested in him for the first few moments but then settled into his work nicely. I need to progress him to riding with others in the ring without it turning him into a crazy man wanting to play! Im assuming this would be the case since riding a horse around him loose causes him to turn into an energetic freak.
On to Sophie. So much to say about her lately! I took her xc schooling two times at the end of July. First at Cedar Creek stables in Staunton. I went with my trainer to coach and this was our first time xc in a year. Sophie was WONDERFUL. I really wanted to work on things that were questions for her in the past, like ditches and jumping into water. Weve never jumped into water for a show but she has shied from that schooling before. This time Sophie did everything with only slight hesitations and no stops. We mainly schooled novice level jumps and did a solid novice level down a hill which was quite scary. Sophie wasnt getting onto her backend like I wanted on the approach and as the hill got steeper she settled back but that was about 2 strides before the fence which made it awkward and scary for both of us I think. The next go round was much better though.
Her second schooling was with Lucie and Kitty at Penmerryle Equestrian Center. They have a wonderful low level course that covers everything you will see in a competition but mainly at 2'3-3'3 height. Which was great! We did a lot of BN since thats the main height they have but also did some N and even a couple T level jumps! I was scared but Sophie wasnt phased one bit!!!! We did a bank into water and straight out to a small log pile and three strides to a small duck. Sophie was a little worried about that duck but jumped it just fine! We also did two parts of a small BN level "coffin". I did the jump to the ditch or the ditch to the jump (2 strides between the three elements) but didnt do all three in a row. We also did our first every chevron, at N height. It was a single one too! Sophie was extremely wiggly to it but we got it done, even if it wasnt the prettiest. I was so proud of her. Weve been perfecting our flat work too and im really pushing for more suspension throughout her body and step and more self carriage. We have been having a few frustrating moments but when we click her work is wonderful! I signed up for the Virginia Horst Trials schooling show on August 31st and am taking Sophie beginner novice. This will be our first HT in over a year! If all goes well, which after those two schoolings im expecting it to (assuming I ride well of course!) then I will bump her up to our first N at Elysian hills in October! Im excited!
So, photos. Leo with myself, Amy, and my trainer. Leo attacking the duck that chased him hahahah. Sophie swollen, Sophie over xc, and Sophies attempt as a hunter during our long and low trot. Lots of photos to share!!!