Making Work 'Fun'

"You might not want to come out today- the ground is wet and the ring is flooded."

The biggest setbacks in my riding at the moment involve the weather- the past week has been somewhat akin to a monsoon...right when the sun starts to come out, I get in my car, start driving out to the barn, and the rain starts to pour again!

I am a firm believer that you should NOT show up at the barn just to ride your horse. There are plenty of other things for you to do to spend some quality time together (grooming, bathing, just hanging out) or to work in a different way (lunging, hand exercises, stretches, tricks).

For Ruby and I, it is even more important that we spend as much time together as we can. My job as a controls engineer is in a constant battle with Ruby to take over my life, and, unfortunately, sometimes it wins. After being sent off on site for 3 months last summer, our relationship suffered a bit of a strain- I came back, and Ruby gave me the cold shoulder ("you ditched me and expect me to listen to you? -hell no!"). With her, I found that working on the ground is a great way to get her to focus, listen, and gain respect for me. Usually, I just grab a lead rope and ask her to do some basic commands: walk-up, back-up, turn, and stand. In the ring and in the barn, she is a champ! I can get her to the point where I only need to use a hand signal to get her to do what I want (wave hand forward for come here, point at her chest to back up, point to her shoulder in the direction I want her to turn, and hold my hand up to get her to stand). The field is another story (she gets so focused on wanting to be with her friends that she pretty much ignores me, but we are working on that).

For jumping exercises, it really depends on how high YOU can jump!

Once Ruby is listening to me, she is pretty good about letting me lead her over obstacles, provided that I make it over them too (try not to trip over things- it doesn't end well!). Especially with Ruby not wanting to jump consistently/reliably for me anymore under saddle, I have decided that she needs to be comfortable jumping without me on her first (lunging would be easier, but we haven't quite mastered that yet).

Remember, repetition is boring to you too! Mix things up, and try to keep your horse interested. If he/she is watching you and licking/chewing, you are doing something right! My hope with Ruby is to remind her that jumping is fun, and is not a big deal- if she ever forgives me for ditching her for my work...

Sometimes it can be hard to convince yourself to drive out (in my case, 32 miles one way!) too see your horse, but trust me, it is worth it- even in the rain and mud :)

Going out of Business: Economy and Equine Ownership

"I deeply regret to tell you that (we) have decided to close the boarding operation..."

Damnit. Of course- I finally find the perfect barn, my horse is happy and her behavior does a complete turn-around, the trainer (CJ Weldon) is great...and the barn goes out of business shortly after we get comfortable...

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that this has happened to Ruby and I. When I first started taking riding lessons, things were a little different: board at a decent facility with both and indoor and outdoor was about $400/month. Hay was $2 per bale. Fields had plenty of grass. Now, years later, a decent barn with an outdoor only is about $600 and hay is close to $8 per bale. To compensate, many barn owners pack as many horses as they can into a field, which tears up the grass and causes more expenses to go into hay and feed, meaning your horse gets to live in what is called a "dry lot." I have always been picky about field management at boarding facilities, so this is a deal breaker for me. But why does this happen?

Through my observation, I have found that one cannot have a horse boarding facility in this area and still be profitable. Let's face it, the economy is struggling, people cannot afford to pay an arm and a leg for board, and the cost to feed horses is steadily increasing. In order to offer board at a reasonable price and still make it, barns need to offer other services, such as training, sales, or lessons. In case you were wondering, this is the third barn at which I have boarded that went out of business, and all three were explicitly for boarders.

Where to next?
Connie, CJ, and I have discussed some options, and here is the dilemma: Ruby seems to really like CJ, but to board her with her would be hitting the margins of my budget. Which is more important: the spoiled pony, or my money? For now, I will follow the rest of the boarders (and CJ) to the farm across the street...I am hoping Ruby will continue to make good progress there so we can finally get our jumping confidence back! In the meantime, I will continue working with Connie (and Jimmy)...making progress toward my next lesson with Harry de Leyer!

Riding arena at the new barn!

Crest or Automatic Release?

"Reach for her ears!"

When I first started learning how to jump, this was my trainer's (at that time) favorite phrase to yell at me as I was going over the jump. I remember being told to "stick your butt out, shoulders up, bend at the hip, and reach for the ears." In the beginning, I was told to use the horse's neck for support (i.e. put weight on your hands on the horse's neck). This is called a crest release.

George Morris is credited with coining the term "crest release," but there is no definite proof that he invented the actual "skill." For beginners going over small fences or poles, the crest release can be used to help the rider gain confidence, get a feel for the horse's jump, and focus on other areas of the position such as heels or shoulders. Unfortunately, a lot of riders never grow out of this phase. This means unbalanced riders who lack the core to stay off the neck are able to compete in higher jumping classes. But think about it: how can you expect your horse to have good jumping form when you are weighing down the front end? Because of the insecurity of the rider's seat, the crest release also often allows the rider to pinch with the knee instead of pushing weight down into the heel; weakening the rider's stability and ability to get back with the horse's motion after landing...plus you now have your reins to collect back up! After practicing this release for so long, I knew it would be a hard habit to beak.

The dreaded crest release. My hands are on her neck, not following her mouth. Although my leg is decent, I am still probably not balanced, which is why Ruby made no effort to jump this for me. Typical Hunter "riding position": butt out, hands below the chin, weight in the hands.








Practicing the automatic on Jimmy: when I first started, I grabbed mane with the outside hand and pulled my inside hand out. This was to get used to the feeling of not having my hands on the neck. At first, practice keeping your hands slightly below the crest. As you get more comfortable, start sliding your hands down to move with the horse's head (try not to use 'puppy paws hands' as I did here- thumbs on top!).

Awkward angle (and a short spot!), but you can see that my hands are not resting on his neck, but sliding down his shoulder and following the bit. Had I used the crest release, I would have caught him in the mouth with this spot, and had a very unhappy horse!





In order to get off your horse, get out of his way, and give him the room he needs to stretch out over the jump while still maintaining contact (for control), riders should be using the "automatic release" or "following release." If you are not balanced enough to follow with both hands, try practicing at first as I did by grabbing mane with the outside hand and following with the inside hand. At first this was pretty confusing, and Connie had me actually stick my inside hand out to make sure I really got it off the horse's neck. As you get a feel for how your hands and elbows should be following the horse's mouth, start doing this with both hands. It helped me to think "follow the shoulder"- you want to have a straight line from the horse's mouth to your elbow. I noticed this right off the bat, but the automatic release gave my horse a more round jump, and added a solid foot to what we had been doing before!

In a sport where "looks matter," it is a bit disturbing that some H/J judges actually prefer to see the crest release. In any case, a rider should always do what is best for the horse, despite the show fad. If your ribbons are more important than making your horse happy and comfortable...well, let's just say I feel really bad for your horse!

If you would like to see some really nice automatic releases, google Bill Steinkraus.

Horse riding position then:

Horse Riding Position now:

Seriously, what happened? Open up a horse magazine now and I guarantee, 90% of the riders will look like Richard Spooner. The biggest excuse I hear is "but the rider is balanced"...yes, on the horses neck. No wonder these horses now have to be hundreds of thousands of dollars- not many horses would take that crap! Want to try it on Ruby? I promise you will be dumped.

 

Full Seat or Half Seat?

"why do trainers always teach as if their students are riding German Warmbloods?"

You know, I never really did think about the fact that there are many different styles of riding...until I met Connie. For the most part, I did exactly as I was told, and can remember hearing "sit up" and "sit back" or "drive with your hips." Since this is all I knew, it is how I rode Ruby.

I have been taking lessons and showing one of Connie's horses- Jimmy. As a thoroughbred that does not like when you sit on his back, I have to ride him in a very light seat; sometimes in half seat. Before Connie, I had always been taught this was wrong: "sit up straight, shoulders back, spine flat and perpendicular to your hips." At first I was not quite convinced that Connie's way was going to work, but Jimmy sure seemed to like it; in fact, he started moving more freely, relaxed his head, and started stretching down.

For show purposes, most judges (especially in equitation) still like to see you sitting upright, but for hunter under saddle (HUS), they actually prefer Jimmy's lighter half-seat style. Getting off your horse's back allows the horse to move on his own, and shows that the horse accepts the weight of the rider while still engaging from behind.

This was from my last show with Jimmy (we ended up winning champion in this equitation division, which sort-of confused my show theory for my full vs. half seat argument), but you can see that I am slightly forward, instead of sitting straight up. The key here is to allow a small angle at your hips, but to still keep your shoulders back (all trainers I have met have been anti-slouching! That seems to be one thing they DO agree on!). My fingers are not closed and my thumbs aren't up, but that seems to be an old habit I can't get rid of!

If you hear of a new way of doing things, try it before you criticize it! Although my past trainers would want to strangle me for riding this way, it seems to be Jimmy's preference (and the judges' in this case)! I will admit, however, that this seat is less secure, so I would only try this on a horse that is reliable- if he/she spooks, you probably won't be able to stay on since you center of gravity is slightly shifted.

I am glad that Connie has forced me to branch out- even riding and showing a horse (Cole) in dressage- something I had certainty never done before! I know from personal experience that many riders choose one discipline..then bash the other disciplines for being sub-par. Remember, each discipline has it's own faults (racing puts strain on underdeveloped bone tissue, hunters are notorious for drugging or lunging until dead before shows, jumpers throw kids on horses and freight-train in a dangerous matter, dressage is know for the terrible practice of Rollkur, gaited disciplines will use inhumane methods to encourage the horse to high step, etc).


As long as you are safe, ethical, and having fun, maybe there is no right or wrong way to ride- let your horse tell you what he/she likes best. Just remember that making a judge happy should never be higher of a priority over making your horse happy.

New Location: Henebry Farm

"There are plenty of things to do here!"

I have decided to move Ruby to Henebry Farm. It is a beautiful facility, about 40 minutes west of my condo in Richmond. Many of the boarders are members of Deep Run Hunt Club (so I should be able to hitch a ride with one of them on occasion), the farm has 120 acres of trails (including jumps), 7 square miles of fields for hacking, a lighted sand ring with jumps, cross country courses, and both a fully closed barn and shed row barns.

 (left: Ruby in front of the new barn!)

Adjusting to a new barn is hard on both horse and rider. For the horse, moving barns is equivalent of pulling your child out of school, moving to an entirely different city, and sending them off to school- with no connections and with no idea whatsoever how to find anything. Naturally, horses will (for the most part) stay with the same herd. Asking them to leave their herd and try to fit into a new one is super stressful -although, some horses seem to be able to fit right in no problem. Ruby has always been the "hi, I'm Ruby, now leave me be" type- I am not entirely sure if she just likes to be alone or if she somehow alienates herself from other horses..either way, she is scarily similar to me personality-wise. I would probably want to be off doing my own thing too.

Our move was mostly uneventful (mostly). Although I respect that the management has more horse knowledge than I, I really would have liked if they had let me load and unload my own horse. I would consider this barn a bit "old-fashioned" in training- I would have spent all day if I had to, moving up and backing Ruby out of the trailer until she loaded herself, but those who came to help insisted on using their methods. Typically, I would have jumped in and said something, but I have decided to sit back for a bit- maybe it is time to try something new, or maybe seeing there are scarier ways to do things will make Ruby appreciate how good she has it with me!

Still too early to tell how things will pan out for us. The scariest thing about moving barns is waiting to see if the people you are paying (and trusting) to take care of your horse, do so at your standards! One of these days I will be able to build my own little farm, and boarding will be a non-issue. Until then, let's hope everything works out for us here!

Finding a Barn that Fits Your Needs

"But what if Ruby doesn't like it there?"

Let's face it, horse people are crazy. Although finding a nice boarding facility seems like it shouldn't be too much trouble- it is! For some reason, it can be extremely difficult (and frustrating) to find a barn that really knows how to take care of horses, runs like a business, and is drama-free. I was fortunate enough to find an amazing barn for Ruby: Hundred Acre Woods Stables.

I am leaving next week.

This has been a very difficult decision. First, let me say this: Hundred Acres is hands down the best barn at which I have ever boarded. There was grass in the fields, management kept herd sizes down so that this was the case (1 horse per acre), herds were created based on personality to prevent fights, horses were given quality feed and hay, the riding ring was well manicured, the people were friendly, management was always willing to accommodate my needs with Ruby, and the board price was reasonable.

So why leave?

I can't say enough good things about this barn, but I have given up on my dream of taking Ruby to a horse show since I have been there, primarily because the barn is so laid back- too laid back almost! I can acknowledge the fact that I am pretty darn lazy. Since I am the only jumper at this barn, I need to come, set up jumps, ride, take down jumps, and remove anything I pulled in (standards and poles) from the ring before I leave. Secondly, it is very difficult for me to get the motivation to do a solid ride all by myself. A few of the lovely ladies at this barn would watch me ride, critique, and set poles for me when we come to the barn at the same time, but come on, they shouldn't have to do that for me. As much as I have enjoyed this barn, I have decided that I really need to be somewhere that has jumps in the ring (so I won't have to try to set my own courses) and where there are other riders actively practicing in the same discipline.

How do you find a new barn?

I have been using NewHorse as my primary source, but VA Equestrian is another good site (if you live in VA), and even local horse magazines such as HorseTalk will have ads. Once you choose a handful of barns, go see them for yourself! I can't convey how disappointed I have been, seeing a super nice barn online and then showing up at a dump!

There are also some very important questions that you should ask: remember, you are trusting other people to take care of your horse- be sure to ask the right questions so that the new barn will be a good fit for you, your horse(s), and then barn management.

Questions to ask:

What do you feed?
Do you charge to add supplements?
What type of hay? Is hay grown on the property? How much hay will my horse get?
How much turn out do the horses get per day? Is this a seasonal rotation?
Under which conditions are horses NOT turned out (bad weather, storms, etc)?
How large are typical herd sizes?
Do you rotate fields/exercise field management?
Do horses have grass year round? When do you throw hay in the fields?
Does the barn have barn hours?
What type of shavings do you use, and how often are stalls cleaned? Stripped? Are stalls matted?
Do horses have proper ventilation when in the barn? Windows? Fans for the summer?
What is your de-worming schedule?
What farrier/vet(s) do you use? Can I choose/bring my own?
What training/lesson services are available? Can I bring my own trainer?
Do you go to shows? Is trailering available?Is there trailer parking available?
What facilities are open to use for your boarders?
What is the cost of board? What does this include? What does this NOT include?
What are your lay-up policies in the event that my horse in injured and has special needs?
Who will be handling my horse? What are their qualifications? Horse handling experience?
Will I be notified if changes are being made to my horse's (stall, field, feed, etc.)?
Can I bring visitors to the property? Pets?
How many boarders do you have? What is your boarder turn-around? How long has your longest boarder stayed with you?
What are grounds for dismissal? Have boarders been thrown out in the past?
Does the owner/trainer/manager live on premise?
What sets your barn apart from others in the area?

Other questions can be asked based on you/your horse's needs. For example: I am looking for a barn that has open hours (so I can ride after work), has a ring with jumps, has lights (so I can ride at night), provides quality hay and feed per each horses' needs (doesn't just feed all horses the same thing), practices good field management so there is grass most months of the year, allows an outside trainer, is willing to work with Ruby's "being caught" issues, is run by "horse people" with experience and references, and is a barn that goes to shows without being a "snotty brat show barn." Ideally, I would like to have a barn manager that does this as a full-time job, not just to pay the bills (been there done that- doesn't really work for us).

You might also be surprised at the power of Google- look for barns you might be interested in and see if anyone has left a review. Also ask around your barn circle to see what someone else might know about the barns (we all know how fast gossip spreads around the horse community!).

Check out your options, have fun, and good luck!

Control Freaks and Riding

"relax."

At one point, I was so trusting with Ruby that I rode her bareback in the woods, barreling down the trails, through the creeks, and over fallen logs. Most of the time, I had so little contact on my reins that if she tripped I would lose them. Somewhere between then and now, I learned how to be a lot less reckless, and how dangerous riding could really be.

As we started doing more complex exercises and I began to ask her to do more for me, we ran into some complications:

1. I am a control freak when I ride
2. I am a perfectionist

It got to the point that if one little thing went wrong (wrong distance, knocked a rail, bad turn), I would fall apart. Connie has helped me get over that, for the most part, but the first fact still remains: I am a control freak. This means I micromanage.

I found a really interesting article online that summed up everything I was doing wrong. Sure, Ruby wasn't always perfect either, and she would dart out, refuse jumps, buck, or spin on occasion- I mean, she is a mare. But what if the issues we have been having recently are in fact caused by me? As much as we riders hate to hear it, the horse isn't bad; the horse does things that we the rider teach him to do. Perhaps, in my anticipation of her being bad, I am locking down on her to the point that she is no longer motivated to go. Would you want to jump something when your rider is locked down on you and could possible catch you in the mouth?

I didn't think so.

The article is called "How to Stop Micro-Managing Your Horse (and What to do Instead):

"How do you feel when you’re micro-managed? Do you feel inadequate? Does it cause you to get angry? Maybe you freeze and it causes your brain not to respond.

Since you know you’re a smart, talented and creative person, why on earth would someone want to micro-manage you? You’ve never given them a reason to.

Due to this situation, you have little or no trust or respect for the micro-manager; therefore you may decide to not put in as much effort. Why should you? You’re just going to be micro-managed… right?
In this series, I’ve touched on key areas that are important to building a great relationship with your equine companion, and it wouldn’t be complete without covering the subject of micro-management.
Do You Micro-manage Your Horse?

Unless you’re someone who won the lottery or your family has a lot of money, you’ve probably at one time or another experienced someone micro-managing you at a job.

Parents are masters at it. So are significant others. Most of us have those individuals in our lives, so I would be willing to bet that you know what micro-management feels like.

For the logical types, here’s a definition of micro-management:

To manage or control with excessive attention to minor details.” ~ Dictionary.com

In the field of computer science, it’s typical especially if a Waterfall approach to software development is used rather than an Agile approach which promotes self-management mixed with just enough project management, but not too much.

As for the equine industry, I see the micro-management bug often.

Do your best to put yourself in a state of feeling micro-managed. You may have had a recent experience so the feelings will still be new.

Now, imagine you’re riding your horse and she doesn’t want to maintain gait at the trot. Maybe she trots for a little bit and then walks, not wanting to go. Worst yet she may stop, backup (without you asking), rear, or cow kick each time you attempt to speed her up.

Right before she breaks gait, you decide to put on the pressure attempting to “make” her speed up. Instead, the opposite happens. She becomes dull to your legs and she gets worse instead of better.

Think of how your horse feels. For a moment, empathize with her. Why is she becoming less motivated?

Think back to how you feel when you’re micro-managed. What does the micro-manager do when you become less motivated?
Conventional Strategies

The typical micro-manager in the equine world usually doesn’t know she’s doing it. Rather, the monkey see, monkey do syndrome takes over and she applies methods that are not in the horse’s best interest.

Those methods also cause the relationship between the horse and the human to become compromised.

If an equine doesn’t go, people who are more conventional will rarely take the time to build a good relationship by understanding her as an individual and knowing what motivates that type of horse.

Your first thought may be that you need to wear spurs. Spurs are not an effective way to get a horse to go or speed up. If anything, you may make her more dull or downright mad at you if you use spurs inappropriately.

Another conventional approach may be to whip the horse to get her to go.

None of these strategies are effective and they definitely don’t build trust, rapport or respect.
Being a Control Freak

The other side of the coin is the horse that doesn’t even know you’re in the room. All that’s on her mind is going forward and as fast as she can. First of all, this type of horse is dangerous to ride if she’s not emotionally and mentally with you… that’s a lesson for another day.

From a micro-management standpoint, you may hold the reins tight, always applying pressure and hoping she doesn’t run off with you.

On the ground, this type of horse is usually hard to lead because she’s thinking forward all the time and almost coming over the top of you. The micro-management solution to this situation is to hold her tight and short, just like you may do with the reins in the saddle.

In reality, this approach makes her worse. In other words, she becomes more emotionally unstable and, in turn, more dangerous.

Funny, isn’t it… conventional micro-management approaches cause the dull horse to become more dull and the forward one to become more forward.

… not working at all like you hoped, right?
Non-Conformist Strategies

If you’re reading this article, you’re probably somewhat of a non-conformist. You’re not one of those people I described above. More likely, you’re looking for answers because you want to have a great relationship with your equine companion and because you want to have fun and enjoy her company.

It’s pretty hard to enjoy the horse who wants to take off with you or the dull horse who won’t go. The dull horse may also become dominant and scary. This type usually frightens you because she becomes pushy and may also bite. She’s usually described as lazy when she’s really not lazy, she’s just smarter than you.

When I hear somebody talk about a horse or a cow being stupid, I figure it’s a sure sign that animal has outfoxed them.” ~ Tom Dorrance

The forward horse can be scary, too. What if she runs off with you or runs over you? That’s not much fun, is it?

So what do you do about it? Take everything I listed above that the conventional person does… and just do the opposite. Really… it works.

Okay… that’s not much help is it?

I’ve heard people make fun of the concept of understanding horse psychology, but my personal opinion is that those people don’t know equines, and that’s why they say such things.

The important thing to grasp is that you have to understand horses from their point of view. When you truly feel it in your heart and you’re empathetic with your equine companion, something somewhat magical happens.

I’m not going to sugar coat it; you have to work at it.

You have to become more skilled and knowledgeable and then more confident, but at the same time you have to always put your horse first. You love your horse, you’re empathetic and you do everything you can to fully understand her as an individual.

I personally apply this concept to my own horses and with any other one I come in contact with. I put our relationship first before anything, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have goals or ambition. I make it a priority to stick to my principles first and learn the game of balance.

This is not easy. I strive to become more connected with my equine companion each and every day, and at the same time fight the fact that I’m human. Sometimes it’s not easy to look at yourself and see what’s in the mirror.

It’s not an easy road and it’s not for everyone. However, it is for you if you seek that “something” you know is possible with a horse but that you feel is indescribable.

It’s something that only a nutty horse person who is a true lover of equines can understand.
Micro-Management is Ineffective

If you take nothing else away from this article, it’s important to understand that your horse feels a lot like you do when you’re micro-managed. As long as you understand this, feel it in your heart and make it a point to not do it to your equine companion, you’ll be amazed at the results you’ll see.

Micro-management affects your relationship with your horse in a negative way, so find ways to not micro-manage by allowing her to make a mistake and commit to it. Only then is it necessary to correct her and sometimes not…. it depends, right?

It’s a lot like parents and kids. It’s so hard to allow your child to make a mistake, but that’s usually the best way for her to learn, through experience. Your horse is not much different.

However, if you attempt to correct too soon, you’ll get no where and your relationship will suffer.

What creative ways have you developed with your horse so you can refine your communication and not micro-manage her? Share it with our readers in the comment section.

Non-traditionally Yours,
Stephanie Krahl"

Here is what I took away from this: relax. The horse knows his job, but you have to be willing to let him do it for you. I know this will be extremely difficult for me, but I know that I need to let Ruby go instead of anticipating her bad behavior. Yes, she might dart out, she might stop, and she might try to step on me...but she won't want to do anything if I keep getting in her way. If she misbehaves, I will correct it then, but not before.

Easier said than done right?