Just posted the first part of my new blog series.  The trials and trip ups of a trainer with the best intentions.

http://www.greathorsestories.ca/site/blog

“Working student.” It’s a phrase that is often thrown around in the horse world, but what does it really involve? If you’re questioning whether being a working student is right for you, or even whether you should take a working student on yourself, this information about the world of the working student may help you decide.

The Basics of Being a Working…

Ride Like You've Never Been Thrown

Part Four

True Grit

I have named this final segment ‘True Grit’ as I believe that this woman is the epitome of the term. She is strong minded and even stronger willed. She was competing at Congress before…

As published in the Rider Newspaper

Ride Like You’ve Never Been Thrown

Part 3

A Diamond Dozen

When I started writing this series of articles to assist those who have…

Maggie's been in training lately, so all I do is hack her.  Although my trainer was out of town dealing with a personal emergency, I've still just been doing that, so that i don't confuse her.  So, I was out of work early on Friday and headed to the barn for a hack before the sun went down.  We headed to the berry field...

They've finished the fencing of the field next to it, and although the posts have been there for ages, apparently this was a good excuse to spin and bolt,…

So, I have found my child a lovely spot where he can run and play with kids his own age. 

Saturday, I came from the barn he's at, after discussing it with the manager there that he needed a different spot, and I went to the local tack shop for Garlic (bad mosquitoes here) and a tail strap.  I walk into the shop and see a girl I haven't seen in years.  I've known her for closing in on a decade, she was a teenager then.  So, we get to chatting about our various steeds, and she…

Well, Muffin is coming along.  She was very good last Saturday, and then Sunday, with no martingale on ... lets play throw our head in the air and race around the arena!  At least she was going somewhere...  So, around and around we went, until she gave up and came round. 

Monday, I was trying to give her a light stretchy ride... doesn't work if she's coming in season.  By Wednesday, we had full blown evil child.  When you can't get your horse past a little drip in the arena,…

Yesterday i was at a dressage show, chatting with a 'trainer' who I know, but never trained with. Was telling her who I was working with, and she made a snide comment. Not what I would expect, but, well, some people are petty.



So, today my little girl had another session ground driving. We talked about something they wanted to try with her. And, my trainer, as she always does, says you need to be comfortable with it, this is how it works, the vast majority of horses figure it out…

Suddenly you horse is feeling a little off. What now?

He is just not quite kicking up his heels like he used to?

So, what do we do? Perhaps change his feed.

I know you. I bet you have already started asking all the our horsie friends what to do. You would certainly ask the farrier. Your trainer perhaps? The feed store lady?

Have you decided yet to add a supplement to his feed. Which one? Did that help?

Still not acting up to his highest potential? Are you…

We had a clinic this past weekend with a very good clinician we've ridden with before. This week hasn't been all that great, Maggie dumping my trainer and all that, but, I expected a good ride. Now, we've been working on the trot with the girl, less on the canter. But, we were doing great, walk (quit moving so much), trot (softer and wait in the transition), and then the left lead canter, quite nice, developmental, but nice. Unfortunately, the right lead canter is not so good, so more right…

Well, my trainer had her second ride on little Maggie yesterday. Maggie tried her patented move, 'The Maggie', a clever combination of buck, leap and rear. Now I've never really managed to enforce a consequence with that move, you know, laying in the dirt, with my ankle dislocated, bleeding, it wasn't something I was up to. Maggie found out about consequences!

And today was ride #3. Well well, someone's a very smart horse! She was very good, very gorgeous and very contrite. My…

Typical for southern Alberta, nothing is typical in weather. So, this weekend we had 25C and 22C or so. And after the crappy summer we had, I HAD to get outside with little Maggie.

Friday was work in the arena, 25 minutes because that's as long as I could be VERY specific and demanding with her about being forward and answering the aids promptly. She did well. This was my first ride after my trainer was on her Wednesday.

Saturday, pure decadence, I went and…

Ah my little Maggie, aka Muffin, aka Muffinator, aka Magnolia, aka Maggie Mae.

Wednesday I wasn't feeling well, so my intrepid trainer rode Maggie. This was her first schooling ride on her. So, what did we learn? Doesn't react properly to the whip (hind legs move, but she sucks behind the leg), doesn't bend in her body, doesn't really take contact on the right rein, probably because she doesn't really take contact on the left rein....

We've made progress getting…

So, last night Maggie and I had a lesson. We were outfitted with the running martingale, which is working well, although it got adjusted a bit tighter. Beauty of the running, it only engages when you need it and it doesn't help you actually ride your horse or get it round. It also takes away Maggie's favourite game of throwing her head in the air and doing whatever the hell she really wants to do... always a bonus.

So, we warmed up and then out comes the longe whip. Now we're…