Enter the ECOGOLD Weekly Challenge!

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Permalink Reply by Jacinthe Bourdon Lefebvre on July 6, 2009 at 3:08pm

Yesterday, I challenged myself with a trail ride. I have a spooky half arabian and she doesn't have lots of education about trail riding. We mainly do dressage and I'm a bit afraid outside, when there are no fences. . Since I only ride at nights and on weekends, I rarely have partners to go trail riding, so since I have had her, I went about 6 times out only. Each time, she was really stressed the minute she was a bit far from the barn.... She is good at turning 180 and starting to run in the opposite direction both inside and outside the arena. She has been much better in the last 6 months but that bad habit is still in the back of my head - What if she spins and runs?

But on Sunday the ring was too damp to work so I picked up my courage and left the barn with 2 other riders, on the road..... It went pretty well and then they asked me if I was OK to trot. Oh Oh, trot on the street? With my spooky mare? What if I can't stop!?! But I told myself that I have to try to see how it goes and that the walk was not tense. So I added a bit of leg and there we were, trotting on the street! I must confess, my mare was not round, neither relaxed but more excited about the idea and enjoying looking all around. But we trot and we stopped when I asked for it. We did a few transitions like that, and the trot was really strong, but manageable. She slowly lowered a bit her head and I even had the guts to ask for canter for a few strides. It was a blast!!!!!!

To me this is a real accomplishment. I trust my mare more and we both pushed out limits a little further yesterday. I'm happy I went out of my confort zone. I was so proud of myself and of my mare when we came back after 1:30 hours out of the dressage ring!

Jacinthe

Permalink Reply by Lexi on July 6, 2009 at 3:32pm

Me and my friend are entering a show at our local riding club this week. My friend is going to be riding my 17 year old Canadian Warmblood, who has not been in a show for a all time. I am going to be taking my 7 year old, fairly green and jumpy mustang X quarter horse. She and I have never been in a real show(even if this is a schooling show) before. And we only have 5 days to get ready for this show and my horse has never seen real jumping standards, but I have faith that we will do fine and just muscle our way through this challenge!

Permalink Reply by Elizabeth Smith on July 6, 2009 at 4:00pm

Recently I started weight lifting and doing cardio workouts so I can be a better, well balanced rider. It paid off last weekend when I finally was able to hold my horse together in a frame with my whole body and win 1st and 2nd place at first level dressage; we are usually in last place. This week I have been priviledged to be further challenged (gotta do a lot more working out for this one) by getting lessons on a grand prix horse. My goal is to compete at PSG level and higher if I ever get the chance.

Permalink Reply by Kinni P on July 6, 2009 at 4:03pm

We rode on the left rein, twice!!! My OTTB has been abused, neglected, and moved to 4 different homes in one year. Consequently he has a number of hangups. One is going left. This week we rode on the left rein during two different sessions. We only went around the arena twice, but still "Yay!" Actually, we didn't go all the way around the arena. One side is clearly haunted. We'll attempt making the whole journey when he says he's ready.

Permalink Reply by Megan McIsaac on July 6, 2009 at 4:31pm

I am challenged everyday as I own a dressage training and sales barn. Everyday I strive to keep all the horses happy and healthy as well as clients. I signed up for a show and will be riding a client's horse and coaching 2 students with their horse's at the show next weekend. I fixed our farm tractors for the 4th time this year since April. I also fixed the washout in the outdoor arena. Rode a horse through a challenging training issue. I am sure ther is more, but I am going to challenge myslef with a nap now! (It's suppose to be my day off!) ha.

Permalink Reply by Barbara Allen on July 6, 2009 at 4:45pm

Last week I learned how to support my favourite mare through an aborted late stage dead foal delivery (16 days until due date). I learned how to help a grieving horse - and they do grieve, never let anyone say otherwise - through what started as one sad thing and evolved into very nearly losing the mare from post-partum infection. I learned how to administer needles and pain killers, monitor heart rates and temperature, bowel and urine out puts and balance the drugs against the symptoms being presented over the week. An incredible learning experience, but truthfully, one I would have happily lived my life not needing to know...

May the heavens bless my vet! Without his attention and follow up and willingness to teach me, my Charlotte would not have survived...!!!

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Permalink Reply by Christianna Capra on July 7, 2009 at 12:19pm

what a painfully beautiful story, I am in awe of your insight. Yes of course they greive and hats off to you for addressing the emotional side for your mare in addition to the obvious medical side. My only advice is that you shower her with love and attention, let her know (just by saying it) that it wasnt her fault...
thanks for sharing this story, I am teary eyed and feeling a huge extension to you - big hug to both you and your beautiful sweet mare.

Permalink Reply by Erika Sentz on July 6, 2009 at 4:52pm

I've been working on showing First Level for awhile, and at a local schooling show they always have very little, if any musical freestyle entries, and they asked me to pull together a freestyle, even if it was at Training Level, since it is not a recognized show. Instead of sticking to what I know, I've been pulling together a First level freestyle featuring music by Coldplay, and working on the movements, like a canter figure eight and the leg yield, which my horse has always had issues with leading in his shoulder too much. We're supposed to show the freestyle in two weeks, and I know even if its not spectacular, just trying is good enough!

Permalink Reply by Leah Klaassen on July 6, 2009 at 4:52pm

last friday, i was in a riding show. i rode a horse who i had fallen off of the day before, and i had hurt my arm and pulled a tendon in my neck. i wasn't that nervous on him, but i didn't think we would do that well, because of his probolems with tossing his head and pulling on the riens... but i worked really hard with him, and we won both of our classes! yay waldo!

Permalink Reply by Patricia at ECOGOLD on July 6, 2009 at 5:03pm

Wow!! These are great stories. Keep them coming. Don't forget to watch video for inspiration!

Permalink Reply by Renee on July 6, 2009 at 5:11pm

Today I started training a Standardbred to ride, we just lunged with a bridle today. By the end of the week, weather permitting I would like to have him lunging with saddle and bridle, and working mounted by the week of the 20th. I trying to find him a new home for his owners, as he just didn't make it as a racehorse. I am planning to take him to the Standarbred Showcase show at Grandriver Raceway on Aug 2nd. I am not sure if we can do any flat classes as I am helping with the show and probably won't have time but we are going to take him into the halter classes for sure. This may not seem like a challenge to some of you but I have 4 kids, out of school for the summer, I haven't had a lot of riding time so I am out of shape, I haven't shown for 22 years and all it seems to do is rain:)

Permalink Reply by Brenda on July 6, 2009 at 5:26pm

I am an endurance rider and train, condition, and compete mostly on Arabs, but there is one special pony that I have the pleasure of conditioning every so often. His name is Lakota and he's a pure white Spanish mustang that I have been riding consistently for the last month. This is his second year of endurance competitions, and a couple 50 miles races are in the cards for him.

The trot is the most important gait for endurance horses, and this week I challenged myself on my weekend conditioning ride to help him trot BIG! Over the winter he was ridden by a very beginner rider who didn't know how to ask for an extended trot and who would let him canter to catch up every time he fell behind the other horses. He got used to cantering instead of extending his trot, and when the beginner stopped riding him he had "forgotten" how to trot at a pace faster than a shuffle.

Every time I've ridden him over the last month I have asked for just a little bit more trot from him. This time I decided that it was his time - he was going to really stretch out! After we had gone about 3 miles and he was warmed up I asked for a bigger and bigger trot from him, while at the same time holding him from breaking to a canter. I had to use my entire body to hold him there, but he did it!!! And he was loving it! We rode with two other people, both on long legged Arabs that can trot HUGE - he led for the entire 10 miles and powered down the trail in his new-found gait, with the Arabs stretching out behind him.

I'm so proud of him!

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