Topsy-Turvy
Last Sunday I got to ride Cider, for the first time in over 6 months at Shannon's new place where I had not ridden Cider before, in her current pasture. Cider was all groomed and waiting for the saddle when we got there so I did not have to wait long to ride. I had change from the BOT/ThinLine Contender II pad with center shims to a combination of a Fenwick Western pad with a…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on February 4, 2023 at 11:08am — No Comments
Time for a Change
Sorry I've been gone for a while. NOTHING much was happening, sometimes the weather did not cooperate with my riding, Shannon had health problems, and sometimes my gut was not happy with the world. MJ has decided that his old method of making his back as hard as concrete is the way to go in the riding ring.…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on August 13, 2022 at 10:23am — No Comments
Still at a Standstill
Sometimes it seems like nothing ever changes much. Since January 2020 when I got Covid-19 the pandemic has really messed up my riding life. I am not alone, I know, but I am getting FRUSTRATED even though the idea of progress with elderly Not Quite Right (NQR) horses is sort of ludicrous. I am equally frustrated by the reduction in effective physical therapy for my MS,…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on May 21, 2022 at 10:45am — No Comments
Older Horses' Legs
As horses get older and all the shocks from hooves landing at speed accumulate horses' joints tend to get REALLY sensitive when the weather changes. This spring has been chock full of weather changes, days of really nice weather, then the Polar Vortex visits us and all the cold weather gear has to come out yet again, over and over again. Springtime is not always wonderful for…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on April 23, 2022 at 2:17pm — No Comments
Cautiously Optimistic
In between the rains, bitterly cold morning, MJ's shoeing problems and me occasionally getting sick I have not been riding much this past winter. I did not have anything much to write about this month other than being frustrated about not riding much.
Now spring is here, and I do have some progress to…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on April 2, 2022 at 12:29pm — No Comments
Cider Ignored the Gap
Last Sunday I got to ride Cider for the first time in a month. It was good to see her again!
The night before there had been a wind storm with gusts strong enough to move the livestock panels that make up the ring. Shannon and Nancy had gotten the panels fixed except for the gate panel which had been…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on February 19, 2022 at 10:40am — No Comments
One Day Better, One Day Worse
Last Sunday it started off cold, but then Shannon was late picking me up so it was warmer when I rode Cider.
When we got to Shannon's horses' stable yard Cider was happily standing, untied, with all her Fenwick and BOT neck and rump rugs draped over her. In the confusion of getting everything…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on November 27, 2021 at 11:12am — No Comments
Going Down a Rabbit Hole
Last Sunday it was COLD at Shannon's paddocks, when I stuck my head out I thought I would not need my winter jacket, but I was wrong, wrong, wrong.
The wind, sometimes gusting, made the shaded “stable yard” cold. Cider did not look very happy to be there and Shannon and Nancy had draped the various…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on November 13, 2021 at 9:30am — No Comments
My Prescription—Ride Horses More!
Over a week ago I got to see my neurologist for our regular appointment. He gave me the usual soundness exam, and when I explained the term he agreed that I was “serviceably sound” for what I do in my life. He agreed that I am serviceably sound, and he actually prescribed more riding!!!! He understands my problems with keeping safe from Covid-19 at my lesson…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on November 6, 2021 at 10:45am — No Comments
What Affects the Legs Can Affect the Back
When we got to Shannon's last Sunday Cider was all groomed, draped with the BOT and Fenwick ¼ sheets over her back, and all four exercise boots were on her legs (plus the Fenwick pastern wraps on her front legs.) Cider did not look completely happy, but hey, it was cooler and nippier, plenty of reason not to be…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on October 23, 2021 at 11:12am — No Comments
Then Life Interferes
I just got to ride twice since my last blog, my grandsons visited, I got a little sick, then Debbie went on a vacation, so I did not get to ride this week at all. Of course my balance is suffering, right now I have a tendency to want to face plant if I don't watch every step, hopefully I'll get to ride Cider tomorrow and start getting my body back. Right now my…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on October 16, 2021 at 10:29am — No Comments
Amazing Progress
I actually have something new to report this week.
In my last post I described how draping the Fenwick quarter sheet of Cider's croup while she was being groomed and saddled positively affected her. After that I went on line to the Fenwick site and bought her a pair of pastern wraps and a pair of leg wraps.…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on October 2, 2021 at 10:09am — 1 Comment
A Warm Croup
Last Sunday I had a pretty good ride on Cider. Even though it was cooler Cider was not flinching as much.
When we drove up to Shannon's place her mom, Nancy, was getting Cider ready. I noticed that Nancy had put the Fenwick quarter sheet over Cider's croup, she said that she thought Cider might appreciate it…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on September 11, 2021 at 12:13pm — No Comments
I Return to What Worked Before
I only got to ride once last week, sniff.
Since Cider was so upset over the last Weymouth I tried with her, I decided it would be best for both of us to go back to what definitely worked before. The time for experimentation is over, Cider did best with the former combination of the 125mm Fager…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on September 4, 2021 at 11:19am — No Comments
Cider did NOT Like the New Curb
When I called Debbie about my lesson this week I got bad news. Debbie was tested and has Covid-19. I am really happy that I did not go to the lesson stable last week, and I will be staying away from it until Debbie gets over her illness. This is an “ideal” time for me not getting my riding lessons, Debbie had a schooling show where she got sick so I don't know if…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on August 28, 2021 at 11:01am — No Comments
Back to Broiling
Earlier in the week I had switched the Weymouth curb on MJ's bridle, from the Fager Elisabeth titanium Weymouth with the little vertical to the lips “port”, to the Fager Felicia titanium Weymouth whose port is angled at a 45° angle, with the top of the port to the rear. I kept the Fager Alice titanium double jointed bradoon with the roller in…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on August 14, 2021 at 11:25am — No Comments
Changing Back My Bridle Works
Last Sunday Shannon picked me up. This meant that did not get to ride in the coolest part of the morning but it was not too bad.
I accidentally picked up MJ's bridle when I got my tack together that morning. Neither Shannon or I noticed this until rather late in the ride. After feeling fiery…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on July 24, 2021 at 10:38am — No Comments
Full Seated Sitting Trot
A little bit over a month ago I started off my rides on MJ by getting up into 2-point immediately after mounting and staying up in 2-point for 5 minutes. At least that was my goal. I did succeed in keeping my weight off my seat bones but there were times that my body sank down into a half-seat. This was in addition to all the times I would get up into 2-point because…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on July 10, 2021 at 10:16am — 1 Comment
Fifty-One Years Ago Today
On July 4, 1970 I got my first horse, Hat Tricks, 5 year old chestnut Anglo-Arab gelding, green-broke and just gelded three weeks before. I had 4 years of trail riding experience, I had not ridden in years, and I only had 2 whole riding lessons in my life.
Hat Tricks was an angel. He taught me how…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on July 4, 2021 at 11:59am — No Comments
Too Much 2-Point Gets Me Exhausted
In the two previous weeks I had done 5 minutes of two-point for five minutes (with rests) when I started my rides, on both Cider and MJ. The results were GOOD, but I ended up just too exhausted. That puts me in a quandary, if I want a better ride I have to start off in 2-point from the first step, but after 4 sessions of this in a week and a half I was…
ContinueAdded by Jackie Cochran on June 5, 2021 at 11:21am — No Comments
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
1999
© 2024 Created by Barnmice Admin. Powered by
© Barnmice | Design by N. Salo