A Soggy Mess

Sunday was wonderful, nice and sunny. I got to ride Cider and I tried out the Fager “Frida” double-jointed tongue relief snaffle on her. Cider did not cuss me out, but she “told” me that she did not like this bit, her contact was not steady at all and she was harder to stop. I rode mostly on sagging reins and I practiced her turns using seat and leg aids and leaving the reins…

Does Bingo Actually LIKE His New Bit?

I have spent this month experimenting with the Fager bits. On Cider I have been using the Fager “Lilly” single jointed bar relief bit with and actual improvement with contact. On Bingo I tried the Fager “Fanny” single jointed tongue relief bit (“uh, no, I don't think so”) and the Fager “Frida” double jointed tongue relief bit.…

Riding Between the Showers

Wednesday morning was sort of dreary, passing showers left the ground damp and there was a breeze. Driving to the stable raindrops would start to fall, taper off, stop, and start up again. Since Wednesday was the only day I was guaranteed a ride we just drove on, maybe it would stop precipitating by the time Bingo was ready for riding.…

Small Bit Guards are a Total Pain

And once I realized it life became much easier.

I have been using my new Fager titanium mouthed bits and I got interested in their bit guards. The promise was that they were easy to put on (and take off), and that promise was fulfilled beyond measure. Since I have cursed out bit guards more…

It Sure Feels Like Winter

Apparently it was the Siberian air mass visiting NC this week. It was cold, with a pretty brisk North wind and it just sucked the energy out of me.

Since Wednesday morning was too cold to ride I did not get my lesson until Friday. Friday morning I opened the front door to see what it felt like and I…

I Try Out Two New Bits

After a week without riding I was sort of frustrated. I had two new bits that I was eager to try out on the horses. I really cannot complain too much if I can't ride because of rain, we have been getting dryer and dryer down here in NC. The ponds are shrinking and the creeks and river are low.

This…

Any “New” Situation= “I Don't Remember ANYTHING!”

Sorry for missing last week, I had ridden three times and I was simply exhausted. This week I just rode Cider and had my lesson so I have a tiny bit more energy.

Sunday, when I rode Cider, the weather was absolutely wonderful. Not only did I not need my ice vest to stay cool,…

Bingo's Mouth Stayed Closed!

But first an update on Cider. She has been flinching just about every step (though more or less trotting “sound”) so when it came time in my budgeting I finally gave in and got her some Back on Track stuff. I bought her exercise boots, for both the fore legs and her hind legs, and a BOT exercise sheet. It is getting hotter so we just use the exercise sheet after we…

Learning How to Use My Upper Thigh

Several weeks ago I had run into a quote from Stephen Peters that said that the lower legs do the driving aids and that the thighs do the collecting aids. From what Debbie has told me about how she gives her halting aids I knew that Debbie had already figured this out long ago, even it she had not put the idea forth in a pithy statement. After discussing this…

Riding in the Drizzle

This week I had a choice, I could ride in the drizzle or take my lesson on frozen footing.

I decided that getting damp was better than risking a wrenched fetlock joint.

Sunday I was really hoping that the precipitation would hold off…

Two Creaky Old Ladies

Yesterday I got to ride Mia. When I got to the stable the stable hands told me the Mia had hung around the barn UNTIL someone asked if I, Jackie, was coming. Mia immediately headed out to the furthest part of the pen she was in, out to the other side of the riding ring. Then they told me she had done the same thing earlier, hanging around the barn until someone mentions my…

I Feel Secure While Trotting

I know that this is an unusual new event for a rider with 45 years of riding. When I learned to post the trot at age 6 I had no problems and until my MS ruined my balance, proprioceptive sense, coordination, etc., I always felt secure trotting. However, for the last 5 years or so I started to feel like my breeches had a surface of slick glass as I started shifting…

Some Added Security in the Saddle

This week I tried something new.

Several weeks ago, on the COTH Forum, when I asked about hip protection, another rider recommended a new product, rubbery pads that self-stick onto the saddle.

Ever since I started riding…

The Thick Flexible Mullen Mouth Snaffle Got a No

I had found a $20.00 USD thick flexible black rubber Mullen mouth snaffle on Ebay. I bought it to try on Coach because it was cheap enough that I would not be out much money if Coach gnawed it to pieces. I also liked that it had a thick, gentle mouthpiece and that it did not taste HORRIBLE to me. Trotting is coming up and I worry that with…

Both Mares Like My Bombers Bit More Than Coach Does

This week I got to try my new Bombers Titanium Happy Tongue bit on Cider and Mia. After Coach's reactions I was not very hopeful, particularly with Mia. When I asked Shannon if I could switch Cider's bit from the titanium coated rainbow Kimberwick to the Bombers bit she was quite interested.…

All Three Horses Point to my Right Hand

Last Sunday I rode a still sore Cider. When I went to buy the supplement that worked somewhat on Cider's arthritis the feed store was out, so I got the “Stop the Pain” supplement after consulting with Shannon. By Sunday Cider had been on the new supplement (AND a feed that included some supplements that help arthritis) for a week. Shannon was happy that…

More Adventures in Trying Bits

I spent this week trying out my new bits on all three horses, Cider, Coach and Mia.

Last Sunday I rode Cider. She was still quite stiff from her arthritis though Shannon thinks that she has improved some on the arthritis supplement. I figured that a different bit would give her something new to…

Could It Be the Center Joint?

I used my new Ovation titanium coated D-ring single jointed anatomic mouth bit on Coach for the second time during my lesson on Wednesday. The grinding of the bit between his teeth was greatly reduced this time, he ground the bit some at tacking up and being led to the ring, but it was not as “furious” as before. When I started my ride he ground the bit a few…

We Should Have Waited Longer for the Bute to Work

Last Sunday Shannon gave Cider a gram of Bute before she came to pick me up. When we arrived, Shannon immediately went to tack Cider up since I ride Cider in my saddle, saddle pad and bridle. Cider still looked stiff when Shannon led her to the mounting block so I started off slow and easy, trying to make my seat lighter in the saddle while not…

The “Collecting” Leg

When we got to Shannon's place last Sunday she had already groomed Cider completely and was ready to tack up (I use my own saddle.) As she put the saddle on Cider's back she told me she was going to try placing the saddle an inch or so further back to see if that would take some of the weight off of Cider's front legs, which have been flinching every downhill step for…