Whin vs the Pig

My neighbors have a mini petting zoo, with sheep, goats, chickens, ducks a goose and a pot bellied pig. Whin does not eat the pasture down enough to keep it from getting really long and a bit out of hand. So the petting  zoo comes over to help her out.

I decided to ride her at home yesterday, the weather has been nice and not too wet, and we have a little hill in the back so I do our hill work on it.  Well yesterday the pig was visiting and it decided that it did not like Whin and I tromping by and disturbing its meal. So when we were stopped the pig slowly (I don't know that Pot bellied pigs can move quickly) started to advance grunting in displeasure.  Whin was slightly alarmed and started to back up away from the angry possibly "dangerous" pig. 

Things could have gotten hairy but fortunately once I gave Whin the pep talk that she is the biggest and doesn't need to be afraid of pigs I had her face the pig and the Pig backed off, still grunting its displeasure.

So that was my ride yesterday, a pig/horse face off.

All King Edwards Horses Call Me Blessed Fool

Vacations and Videos

I haven't posted in a while because I though Whin should have a little break after the last show of the season. so she had a semi vacation I still made her work a couple times a week but she has mostly just eating and sleeping. It has done her good though she came back much more relaxed about the Canter Walk transitions.

Also I just got the video of out last ride, That was informational.  I just have to brag that my horse is gorgeous! And that I sit the trot darn good! OK brag over. I am still clenching with my leg, which is funny because I thought I was over that, and my right hand... I don't know what is up with it, it moves all over.  And Whin is far more strung out than I thought she was, which is good to know because in my head we look like this (OK really I knew it wasn't quiet like that)

Laura Bechtolscheimer and Mistral Horjis by Kit Houghton

And I just did know how we could get better, now I know we don't look like that and it gives me hope that I can reach my score goals next year.  

Ohh, videos, the awful truth, but now I know what to work for! I need to check on copyright laws but if I can I will post the video here on the good ol' blog.

All King Edwards Horses Can Make Best Friends

Fashion Models

I stumbled across some pictures of models today that were sporting the latest European fashions. I don't think have seen better dressed, or more beautiful models.

It was an Equine Cat walk

These are some of Eskadrons winter collection.

I don't even know where to find this stuff here in the States, but it sure is lovely and ohh so matchy, down to the coolers.

I hope you enjoy these lovely Equines and there chic outfits

These pictures were found at DressageBoutique on Face Book

All King Edwards Horses Carry Many Big Fellows

Local Championships and the Diva Mare

So The last show of the season (for Whin and I) has come and gone, While I am ready for a break next April seems like ages and ages away.

 

Poor little Diva Mare had a very hard show this weekend.  She was pulled away from her morning graze stuffed into a trailer and driven up a windy canyon. Her morning graze was replaced with a bag of dry tasteless hay, what an insult (She wonders why I think that this is an acceptable trade.) Then she was fussed over had a saddle thrown on her back and was made to prance around the warm up.

 

Then we went into the arena and the judge dares to whistle at her (after getting an off course whistle at the last show she is convinced that it is highly offensive) She did her best in that first test but with all the trauma of the day she could barely keep up the energy by the end of the test.

 

Then to top off  after having her graze cut short, her hay taken away, and being whistled at, I made her do it again with hardly a break in between. Poor Whin just couldn't handle it all. So to let me know how she was feeling. She kept stopping in the middle of movements.  She just wasn't going to be treated so.

 

So much for our championship class, I decided to gracefully excuse ourselves rather than having a large and bronco filled  "discussion" in front of an audience. I don't know if it was the best decision to make, and maybe I am the Diva for not wanting the audience to see the "discussion" and get the awful score, but that is how the cookie crumbled.

 

Whin thinks I should just be happy with the blue we got for our first test.... but she didn't see how big the championship ribbons were!

 

With all this there were many good things about the show one of them being that I rented a stall and Whin was actually able to sit back and relax, even after seeing a train for the first time. ( Trains have highly offensive whistles and clearly eat horses for breakfast.) Also the first test was nothing to be ashamed about we even scored respectable under a harder scoring judge. So all in all the show was good, we just have some things to iron out before our second level debut next year. 

 

All King Edwards Horses Can Make Best Friends

 

 

 

Freedom

I don't usually blog about hacking out, because usually it's just a mental break for Whin and me. Yesterday was different. Because Whin is naturally more forward when we Hack  I   thought that I would practice the reinback and turn on the haunches. In the arena she gets ohh so behind my leg when we do those movements.

It worked she got much less frustrated with me and we got some decent turn on the haunches.

I guess we are going to practice those out of the arena for a while.

 

All King Edwards Horses Can Make Best Friends

Techie Fail

Last Saturday I took the video camera to the barn. I haven't had my ride filmed since Whin was 4 and had been under saddle for about 60 days. So a lot has changed (hopefully for the better) in that time. I warmed up, then hit record and pointed it in the direction of the arena.

We had a descent ride, It was storming so Whin was a little on edge but she settled in nicely. I practiced the movements that are challenging to see if I could glean insight on how to preform them better.  I did Shoulder and Haunches straight at the camera to see if we had enough angle etc. 

At the end  of it all I hopped of turned off the camera packed up Whin and headed home, eager to see the video... however I had only filmed 1 second of the door to the arena.  So much for all the wealth of knowledge I was going to get from watching my self ride.  Hopefully I can convince some one to film me at the show on Friday.

All King Edwards Horses Call Me Blessed Fool

Canter Piaffe?!?

Along with thinking that Halting really means hula dancing, Whin is convinced that Canter Piaffe is a thing. 

 What is a Canter Piaffe you may ask,

It is attempting to canter with very little forward movement, sitting down on the haunches and lightening the forehand.

(Occasionally this leads to Whin's version of Levade).

How does one aid for the Canter Piaffe?

Just about any way that is unclear, confusing or new.

As you may have been able to glean we do quiet a bit of Canter Piaffe, especially lately since my trainer discovered that we could not  reinback and our turns on the haunches were rusty. With all the new/rusty aids, I have had my hands full (or rather trying not to confine her too much (epic fail)) of trying to convince Whin that no test at any point in her career will ask for the canter piaffe.

I wish I could report that I have made a break through, and Whin now realises canter piaffe is not a desirable thing,(And that she is not doing the levade correctly, so she should just give it up) but I haven't. Perhaps contacting the FEI and convincing them to add the canter piaffe  in to the Grand Prix would be easier.

All King Edwards Horses Call Me Blessed Fool