Second Lesson or "Jumps may be smaller than they appear"

Saturday was my second lesson with Windsor, and also a welcome party for the other new German horse in the barn.  That translates to more fun both in and out of the saddle since for the second week in a row we had champagne and baked goods in the tack room (a totally civilized norm if you ask me..)

I continue to adore working around this horse.  He's sweet and snuggly, and very relaxed about people being around him.  He's a tad mouthy... but I think that might have more to do with having been a stud as it does with being spoiled...

Regardless, it's enjoyable, and I appreciate that the time on the ground is already easy and comfortable.  It took a while to get there with Prair (and maybe a tad longer with Pia), but I love being able to move around my horses with ease. 

The only reason this post will end up being even slightly interesting is because Supermom was able to come out and actually take some pictures/videos of us :)

We started off with our pretty normal flatwork warmup - light lateral work, again really focused on getting his right hind up under him.  I am working on figuring out how to get him up and back without just scrunching up his neck. 

This is apparently really, really hard for me.  It's also making it obvious how much I relied on Prair's ability to really hold a steady contact.  Windsor is so much lighter in the rein, and less educated on balancing, that when I half halt he ducks behind the bit... and I lose my aids to push into.  I know I need to push and not pull into balance, but its weird when it feels like there isn't anything to push into.

So there's lots of work to do there for both of us.  Look forward to lots variances on this theme in future posts :)

Canter work again worked on coming forward.  We worked over two poles, set at an easy 5 strides.  The struggle for me is carrying pace and keeping balance through the turn and having a bouncy adjustable stride.

Windsor has a great, bouncy, adjustable stride when you just leave him alone.  But when you start trying to negotiate said balance or pace, he flips into a bit of what I will (lovingly) call "Jumper Mode" which essentially involves him saying "stop it lady, I can do this better on my own."

He's not rude, or overly excited.. but he does tense his jaw and lock me out so that he can go engage his autopilot. 

Making progress on this negotiation will probably take a while and I'll have to prove that I have something to actually add to the conversation before he softens and totally listens when there is a jump or pole on the horizon.

Also - I should note at this point that even when we are going over a pole (or a few poles rolled together in this instance), I sort of get jumped out of the tack a tad. 

Maybe "jostled loose" is a more accurate description, but something happens and I end up feeling like a goober and tipping into my knee (this will be more relevant when we start jumping).

After we finished working through the poles both directions, we started to work over fences.  Again, we started with two small verticals on the diagonal. And again, they were pretty easy. 

I have a short clip, and I want to point out that over the second fence, I thought I set us up for a flyer (or whatever you would call an obscenely long distance at 2').  So I was surprised when not only was it an acceptable enough distance for my Trainer to allow us to walk after, but on video it looks totally normal.

I think I need to figure out how to sight in on this "holy-crap-this-is-gonna-be-long" distance and not take him where I want to be (which looks a little tight and crappy). 



I mean, a little leg and that would look like a deliberate, tactful ride (I think).

Then we worked through the small like again (trot fence in, small vertical out), and again we stopped the first time at the trot fence.  I *really* thought I had it this time too.  Second time we were totally ok and got through it, but wtf.  I can't quite figure out why I'm dropping him on the first approach.
 

Trot jump, WHEE

So, this is where I will return to my comment about getting jumped out of the tack.

I swear, these fences feel twenty seven feet tall on this horse. 

And I don't mean that because he is scrambley and heaves himself at the jump, or even that they look big to my eye.

I mean they feel big because when he rounds over the top, it feels like he's cracking his back over a max height, max spread oxer in the Olympics. 

It makes me want to lay down on his neck and put my automatic release down at his chest because, omg, obviously he needs his neck.

Then I watch the videos and I'm confused because a) the jumps are not large, and b) he is obviously not even trying.

Like, not even a little bit. 

Not Large.

Not Trying. (well, he's not anyway)

It's just me, feeling like I'm getting popped out of my tack and letting my heel creep and then landing in a heap on his neck.  

Clearly we have things to work on.

Because I am constantly trying to keep my ego out of this, (though sometimes it's hard) here are a few clips of the line.  It started about 2'6" and we ended at 3'6", though I don't have a clip of that.  You can use your imagination though - just take my loose, kinda sloppy self and add another 3" of slop to it, lol.

(again, in both of these you can see I'm taking him to what looks like a good distance to me... but really we could stand off it a tad more and show off his form better)

I mean, there's lots to love about this.  He's slow, he's balanced, he lands really nicely.  I have zero concerns.... but from a riding standpoint - I have a ways to go. 

I suppose that was the theory with this horse.  I knew I was buying something that I could relax over the fences on and actually work on myself with.  Good thing I have lots to bring to the table for that!

Anyway, I still am in love.  He's cute. He's polite, I can tell that we are "going to get there" but I'm slightly worried that he's not going to even pretend to pick his knees up unless we are in the 3'6" ring... and well... I am not ready to be headed in there anytime soon.  Gulp.

blurry Brad is blurry

Excuse Me While I Gush..

Well, the first week with Windsor has been totally fun, and everything I was hoping it would be. 

This blurry, cute face is growing on me..

Thursday I had my first lesson on the little man, and was grinning from ear to ear pretty much the entire time. 

That being said, things are not 100% perfect, or 100% push-button, but they are 100% fun and I'm thrilled. 

It's clear that there hasn't been a lot of time devoted to flatwork, or any sort of a primary foundation of any sort...  But Windsor has been a good student and tried hard, all while maintaining a sense of calm and some really cute floppy gray ears. 

I got to the barn early (duh) so that I would have some extra time to get ready and I enjoyed every minute.  He's a sweetie in turnout, and when the gale force winds of whatever storm is starting to blow through picked up, he didn't- and just followed me in on a loose lead. 

I got all tacked up and got on with a few minutes to spare so I could walk around and get acquainted again.  He was perfectly happy to march along on the buckle and once again gave no hint of interest in any of the jump piles, or back door or anything - and I can't tell you how nice that feels.

Prair got to a place where she was a pretty steady and reliable mount, but I never totally let my guard down since it always seemed like she was actively surveying her surroundings.  Windsor doesn't give you that sense at all.  He's alert, and his ears are forward, but it feels more like an excited Golden Retriever rather than a watch dog protecting his fences...

Our warm up was easy, lots of shoulder-in and leg yields.  He is a bit confused by lateral work, but does a nice job of trying.  Mostly we are focusing on asking him to fill the outside rein and really step under with his inside hind.  A request that seems somewhat foreign to him (lol)

He is unsure of all the micromanaging but is a quick study and improved with every repetition. 

On my end, I need to work on is keeping him forward during the ask, and not get talked into shortening his neck. 

At the canter the emphasis was on getting him to come forward.  He's happy in a nice little small canter, and apparently he can jump just fine out of it, so I don't think it's ever been much of an issue.... but we asked for a bigger step and more gallop to really push him straight.  It's hard for me, because he sorta bounces me out of the tack, but I think I'll get the hang of it eventually. 

Then we got to jump.  Sadly there is no video evidence :(

The plan was just to pop over a few fences, since we aren't in a rush for anything.  We started with two small verticals on opposite diagonals that we could just figure eight over forever. 

My first fence was lovely, just let him come forward and he popped over nice and round.  Landed softly and balanced, no scooting or scampering about.  Second fence I had a great Hunter Gap to... then back around to the first one... a little tight, then the second one... I tried to trust the long spot, but ended up chipping/lurching over it like a goober. 

I slipped my reins so he could recover and just about the time my brain was thinking "oh shit" he loped off like I hadn't totally blown the fence.  We did that a couple times (or at least with slight variations on a theme) and every time he just landed and cantered away without even so much as a head waggle or swishy tail. 

(jaw drop). 

Then for fun, a line was set with a little trot fence in, and a quiet five out to a vertical.  I rounded the corner with a nice peppy little trot and just as I dropped to my sit trot to support the fence Windsor seemed to realize that clearly I wasn't steering and he just sorta.... stopped. 

And snorted at the flower boxes. 

Which raised the question if he's ever seen a flower box, or been asked to trot a fence before.  I honestly got the sense that he wasn't spooking or refusing the task, but saying "ummmmm What? you're doing this wrong."

The second approach resulted in a rather expressive leap over the flowers, followed by landing in a heap, but recovering brilliantly and jumping out politely.  I repeated the line several times, each with a slightly different cartoon version of leaping over the trot fence, but always with a smooth recovery and a brilliant jump out. 

After a short break (neither of us could be accused of being "fit" at this point), we went back and the fences went up a bit.  Each time the trot fence got smoother, and the jump out a bit bigger.  We ended with the vertical set to about 3'3", which isn't mind blowingly massive - but for me to do that the first time out and feel zero, I repeat ZERO anxiety about it, was awesome.  This horse was built to jump.  It's effortless for him and not concerning at all. 

When we were through, and I caught my breath again - I looked at my trainer, grinned, and said that in my mind, we didn't pay for his cute jump - though its CUTE - but rather those five, easy, relaxed stride after the fence.

My PTSD with Prair had everything to do with those five strides after the fence.  My margin of error with the mare was very small.  Leave too short or too long and there was hell to pay on the other side.  And even if we did nail the correct distance, landing into a corner was enough to induce anxiety and send us careening around the turn...

Windsor just lands and the next stride feels like there was never any jump.  He's right back underneath himself and right back in his rhythm.  Honestly I've never had that feeling so consistently with a horse that's new to me. 

It's very comforting and it makes it all very fun.  I felt my brain return to my teenage days where I was always hoping for one more course, or one more turn through the gymnastic, or one more chance with the single oxer... I am definitely hungry for more.

Windsor probably won't ever win the hack, but that feeling on landing is exactly what I need, and I'm thrilled that so far he's everything that he was represented to be.

I LOVE GRAY BRAD. 

Also, in an attempt to fluff the Boy up a bit, I asked for his groceries to be increased.  This barn has never been stingy with feed, but in had to giggle when I found this in his stall... 

lol

Trainer ride Friday, then I'll be back out on Saturday for another fun lesson and to greet the horse our friend found in Germany (sexy Bay Brad if you recall...). 

I assure you, if I still had a three ring binder, it would be covered in liquid whiteout saying "I heart Gray Brad" and "Mrs Windsor."

I am officially obsessed with this horse.  Obsessed.

Windsor Welcome Spam

I was surprised by a big envelope of photos in my tack trunk when I got to the barn yesterday.  I can't remember the last time I actually had prints made of digital photos I took, let alone had prints made promptly...

But it was awesome to see some fun snaps from last Saturday.  I thanked my barn friend profusely cycled through them about 400 times. 

Forgive the quality here, it's the classic "picture of a picture" but it lends them a nice vintage vibe, doncha think??   (#nofilter #ghettoedit)

Fresh off the truck

It's cool.  Just grazing my amazing unicorn

She even managed a couple shots when Mr. Man decided to stretch his legs a bit and "make friends" with his neighbor.

(he's pretty light on his front end)

like, really light...

showing off his pony face

Yesterday I had another great day with him.  So far he's still a unicorn. 

It took me longer than normal to tack up because I was busy poking and prodding.  Figuring out where he liked his curry brush and how excessively I could clean eye goo out of his eye without pissing him off... you know.. the "Getting to Know You" stuff. 

He was pretty chill about it all.  I am figuring out that he is a bit... um... vocal.  And since his neighbor is too, they sound like a bunch of gossipy schoolgirls chatting through a dorm wall...

Tack wise, we are right where I thought we were.  Prair's bridle fits (thank god), he saddle doesn't (duh) and her girths all hang well below his belly even on the last hole (lol).  So we might be in the market for one of those...

I let him stand tied in his stall (all tacked up) since that tends to happen on trainer days when the horses are waiting for their turn. Different horses handle that differently the first few times, but Windsor was unimpressed. 

He was rather entertained when he realized that while tied he can bang on the metal stall dividers and make quite a noise.  So put that on the list of "manners to work on."

Also on that list is mugging for treats. 

This horse has definitely been spoiled.  There were times I thought he was going to crawl into my groom box/jacket/pants trying to get nibbles.  Mostly it's sorta cute.  But if he doesn't find anything he nibbles with his teeth. 

Not hard, not mean, but there are teeth and I refuse to have my Gersemi-Clearance-Finds torn by a greedy moose. 

When it was time for N to hop on him, she suggested hand walking him around the ring once and maybe a quick lunge, just in case. 

A prudent decision given his 10 days off and acrobatic displays in turn out. 

Prudent... but as it turns out, totally unnecessary. 

Hand walking seemed to confuse him.  I even "showed" him the spooky door at the end (that everyone hates, even horses who were born on the farm..) and the potentially horse-eating piles of jumps... and... nothing.  I think he thought that when I walked up to these things I was just bad at steering.  I got a quizzical "um, should I walked through/over/around this?"

On the lunge he was just as nonchalant.  I actually had to tighten up my tied up reins because he was just dragging his nose on the ground and I thought he could stick a hoof through them.  And I actually had to chase him into the canter. 

Zero bucks, zero concerns.  Just a too-cool-for-school attitude and apparently a total disregard for a "kissing" cue for canter...

He was just as chill under saddle, though apparently a tad out of shape.  He was gassed after about 20 minutes of trot and canter work - nothing too crazy just some suppling lateral work and stretching.

He even got a tad foamy between the legs so we were pretty sure he wasn't just faking it. :)

After a big snuggle sesh, some (more) curry love and some grazing, he got tucked back into his stall and I headed home to dream about my first lesson on him this Thursday!

Love that new Unicorn Smell.....

Welcome Wagon

This past holiday weekend might go down as one of my favorite Thanksgivings ever.. Mom added creamed spinach to her turkey day repertoire, the baby was adorable and playful all day, there was champagne a plenty and oh yeah.... WINDSOR ARRIVED.

I got the call at 7:30am on Saturday that Windsor was about 3 hours out.  So I shot out of bed, tried to maintain my cool and "enjoy" my coffee slowly, but I ran out of things to distract me, so by 8:45 I was out of the house and headed to the barn to twiddle my thumbs and watch lessons until he arrived. 

The barn was unusually busy for a Saturday, and some of the ladies had prepared a welcome party, which was totally fun and let my inner Twelve-Year-Old-Girl come out a bit. 

As I watched the haulers slowly back him off the ramp, it became obvious to me how much excitement and expectation I've been holding back.  I've allowed myself small celebrations here and there, but I think all of the unknowns of shopping for a horse like this really put some serious restrictions on my celebrations.

Is he really as nice as I remember? Did I get totally screwed in this deal? Has he been totally ignored eveer since they got my check? is he going to be a spooky asshole? 

But as soon as I took over the lead rope, all of that reserved concern pretty much evaporated and I was grinning form ear to ear. 

You guys.  I am TOTALLY IN LOVE.  Whatever shortcomings this guy has, I am going to be totally, and completely blind to them for at least the next 90 days.  I am smitten. 

He is cute.

He is calm.

His tail is surprisingly luscious (which I had forgotten).

He is a snuggle bug in his stall.

He was easy to handle and parade around

AND HE's MINE.

We have a ways to go in our selfie game...

One of the ladies was kind enough to bring her good camera out and snap lots of arrival pics, which took the pressure off me for documentation, so I am lacking in immediate photo gratification, but I appreciated the ability to just enjoy the afternoon. 

And the champagne.

And the homemade creampuffs.

I hand grazed the little man for a few minutes when he first arrived before putting him into his stall, where he promptly checked my pockets for treats, peed, rolled, ate some hay and then pooped.

Which is a pretty perfect agenda for a horse that's been traveling since last Monday.

I let him unwind and relax for a bit while I chatted with everyone and caught up with a few of the boarders that I don't get to see very often, before I pulled Mr Man out for some grooming, inspection and... more cookies. 

He seems to have hauled relatively well.  I don't think he dropped much weight, his temps are running normal and in general he seemed very relaxed about it all.  The only signs of a long journey are a few nicks on his heels where he seems to have stepped on himself a few time.  Nothing major, but still... I forget how easily blood shows on a gray horse....

Since he was so relaxed about life, I turned him out in a smaller paddock for a bit to let him stretch his legs, and after a few polite bucks, he settled right down and got busy sniffing every inch of his space. 


I spent some time watching/oogling him and even did a little tiny bit of join up/liberty work (if you want to call it that) to see where his head was at.  Turns out his head is very motivated by treats and relatively interested in engaging with whoever is in his space.  He walked up to me every time I entered his paddock and politely followed me if I started moving around. 

Eventually the horse next to him started to spin up, and Windsor started displaying some behavior more in line with a horse that had been cooped up for a week, and oh yeah... gelded really late... so I opted to bring him back in and love on him in his stall a bit more.

Every doubt that I've had about whether or not I should have bought a second horse, and whether or not I should have bought this horse just melted away as I curried his neck and ran my hands up and down his legs. 

I know the new-unicorn-shine will wear off, but for now I'm reminded how much I've missed having something to ride, and the excitement of a new partnership ahead of me. 

I can't wait to start working with him.

The plan is to give him a couple days to relax, then start him back to work on Tuesday.  I will likely let my Trainer take that ride and see what we are working with.  Plus then I can video (!!) and look forward to some lessons later in the week.

SO MUCH LOVE.