Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Klassy's First Lesson undersaddle


Hey there everyone! Hope you are well!

Just wanted to tell you all about Klassy and I's First lesson togther undersaddle, as you know I have been dealing witha slow healing knee injury and I am not 100% back yet but I have been gettng stronger, taking less pain meds,and going out to do more things. What has been getting me mostly is crouching down, seems to lock my knee in a very painful place, so wrapping polos are tough for me, and bending down to apply boots on the legs.

As of today at 230 I had my first real ride back! It felt really good to, I wasnt even soar after the ride, I think keeping it to light riding and not straining it further then I feel I can go is key right now. I have a DR apt witha orthipetic surgon on wensday at 10am sadly I have to miss class at the college, bumbed cause I am really starting to make new friends nad getting really into it.. anyways this is a blog about Klassy really not my life other then her! LOL

My lesson with Meghan started out with Klassy on the lunge line with loose side reins, and we had her working at the extended trot to help her carry herself better, and man can she really move out, Megahn lunged her to the left first so I really got to see her move out, where as I am ussaly the one focusing on her legs and my feet for lounging so on and so on. We did this both directions, at first she thought we asking her to go in to a dead run...but she figured it out with lots of praise and half halts. After she figured out that we were asking her to extend her movement at the trot and relaxe a bit she was able t sorta put her neck in frame nad bring her shoulders a little bit up, and might I add she looked so cute and great! I found it hard to take her to the right, but that is her bad side. Anyways Meghan makes it look easy but truth is, Klassy likes to make the circle big and making sure she is moving out and forward while half halting and then praising and queing to move off and out again was pretty darn tricky! I figured it out in the end and we ended our warm up on a good note.

I then got on her, and she actuly decided to stand for me at the mounting block after only trying to walk off once.... thats improvment in itself. I then continued the work I was doing on the lunge line in the saddle, by asking her to move off her hind end and flex/bend to the inside, as this made her think going into a frame was her idea and that it was eaiser for her to move into and out of. I didnt feel like I was on a whoobly little gangly pony anymore, I was now on a small horse! GOOD JOB KLASSY! we had alot of good walk moments where she firgured it out and used her back and her hind end to lift up and she relaxed through the poll and neck, and she almost went limp but limp soft in my hands and still was moving off my leg and I wasnt kicking her to move faster then a stand still comatose! LOL This was enough just to make my day..or week...or month! When I asked for the trot she went right up into it! Still she didnt feel whoobly or unstable, I think part of this is that she is growing more shoulders :) We did repeated what we worked on when we walked but in a steady foward trot and her right side is what gave me tummy muscle aches! but we made it through both ways. This is somthing we will be working on all next month for our warm ups. She really picks up on things fast and loves praise...and sugar cubes! The few good strides and moments where we held it togther and wored as a team felt like cloud 9! She tried so hard for me and didnt protest once! Just a little confuzed mishaps that we pushed her along through and she moved out again. It was such an amazing first lesson that I am so excited to work with her till my next lesson and show Meghan how much we have worked on this and practiced!! I am telling you.. she is getting clipped next winter..... no more long cooling out sessions! GAW!

I talked to Meghan and we dicided to try Smartgut for what we think might be ulcers, if it doesnt clear up in a month I will talk to the vet but crossing my fingers this suppliment works for her! It might show a new side f Klassy, as she will get perkier?! LOL


Klassy also has some "presents" comming in the mail soon, as well as a nice new turnout blankie given to us by the great VASHON GMA! LOL she always has somthing when I least expect that I will get it anytime soon, like my mom and I where looking at Olsens for blankets and such, okay I was she was reading a book lol. Since I knew I could get a cheaper one that I wanted online I held off from buying one there, low and behold a few days later I am with Karen doing stalls at her place and Lori asks me "What size blanket does Klassy wear?" I wound up with a very nice Blankie that if doesnt ft her she wil grow into, freaking better fit cause I dont really love the one she has now (what she came with) Her belated Xmas presents that she is geting are: New stable sheet for after clinics and or shows or cooling out ect. Pocket Wahl clippers for trimming whiskers, feathers and bridle-path and ears... we will work on the ear trimming) Leather side reins :) A saddle rack that hooks on to the stall wall so I dont have to have it in a "iffy" spot while getting her ready for Meghan or for me to ride. Also getting show sheen to help the tail stay pretty! By the way found out my saddle fits very well on Klassy's back and still gives her some growing room in the shoulders.

I am hoping to take her to some clinics with a nearby trainer who I have been talking to online and telling her about Klassy she also knows Meghan and a few horsie friends. That most likely wont be until march or later.

I felt very god about all the work I have put into Klassy on my own and it really showed today cause the last lesson we both had togther was last March or April before I had started even just sitting on her back! Meghan says I have taught her all the basics very well and that we are now fine tuning them and adding in some more work for the basics, like now we are on basics level 2! lol I am so proud of her, and how well she worked and how happy she seemed t be worked and learn!

I will have pictures soon!

Hope you all have a good rest of the week!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Training 1/21/10









Hello there!
So far we have had some sunny days here in the NW, finaly fter the raining of a billion days
Klassy has settled in very well at Sawda, Daily turn out, 4-6 flakes of hay a day, she is drinking enough water we decided to take her off of the Electrolites and she is doing great with out them. Yesterday she got her feet trimmed and I have decided to put front shoes on her due to the really wet ground making her feet softer and help control the splaying of her hoove snad flares. So that happens in March. Wensday (1/27/10) Klassy gets worked by Meghan, looking forward to watching. I am also going to really be getting her into shape this next couple months to be ready to ride in some local clinics and dressage schooling shows. So since I have school 4 days a week and 3 of them are only in the morning at the Community College I will be biking over to the barn 3-5 days (aiming for 4 or 5 days a week) to lounge her with side rains and work on our ground work as that has gotten a little rusty. Klassy will be getting rides by Meghan as much as possiable 1 ride per week I am hoping and I can work on that stuff till her next ride.
I snaped some shots of the barn yesterday some of Klassy. Till then enjoy and happy trails! ~ sam & Klassy