Dazzle Visits Red Barn

I braved driving the stupid-truck-I-hate and took Dazzle to Red Barn so Melissa could ride her in between classes. She hasn't been there in about 3 months and it was really windy. She wanted to jig at first and just stare at the horses in the pastures, but after 2 or 3 minutes she settled right down and got to work. Melissa was giggling with joy at her reachy trot and quite pleased with her canter work which was probably the best we've ever gotten from her. She actually called it "uphill"!!! It was lovely to watch. Not rushy, not on the forehand, controlled, it was awesome. In a 20 meter circle her head popped up about 3 times, meaning, she was starting to get consistent! She was on the bit most the time, listening to Melissa's leg and letting her keep her in or out as the circle needed. She got the correct lead both directions with no extra effort on Melissa's part. AND she wasn't even sweating by the end of it. She looked relaxed, thoughtful; not annoyed, no grimacing or swishy tail. Not spooky, even in the wind. I wish I'd taken video! I plan to take her back tomorrow, so I'll take my camera if that works out. Melissa hadn't ridden her since my last post, so it'd been a while.

She's also shed out most the way, no more wooly-mammoth hair. She's gained weight in the last couple weeks; before her girth went to 3 holes each side and today it was nice and snug on 2! So, she's looking good and seems to feel good. I'm so glad! She should show off nicely on Saturday.

1st Ride Back and Sales News

Melissa finally had a chance to put a ride on Dazzle. Her class schedule is crazy this quarter; really heavy classes with literally 5 or 6 hours of homework some evenings. So, Dazzle ended up with 3 weeks off other than a couple lungings from me that were short the first week Melissa was gone. We spent about 15 minutes grooming because she is shedding like CRAZY! I have a fly sheet on her as they help them shed out but it also makes it so they can't rub the hair off on the ground, so she had hair just sitting on her. It's sure fun to pull piles of hair off of them, see the clouds of white fluff. She LOVED it, it must have been itchy. She looks kind of purple now with her winter coat almost gone. It really makes her red mane and tail stand out.

Melissa lunged her and she was awesome! She didn't even have a bounce into the canter transition to show she'd been off work for 3 weeks. She got right down to business and was her lazy self. haha. Melisa had to push her to canter at first, even though she'd been in her paddock for 3 weeks. I love this horse.

She got on and did walk/trot only because they were sprinkling the field and flooding half my arena so she had to lunge and ride in the small section with rocks in it and didn't want to canter her in that. She did great under-saddle too, no silliness, just happy to be working and getting attention.

On the lunge-line she was even starting to LIFT her BACK through transitions! That is something we've been working towards for months. It's starting to click I think! She's much more forward now, so now they're focusing on getting more reach from behind. That's the trickiest because you don't want more speed, just more push.

In other news, the lady that is coming to see Dazzle on the 17th plans to bring her trailer and take Daz home with her! I'm excited about this home because it sounds like exactly what I wanted for her; she'd get to continue in her Dressage and finish her COA and she'd get to continue trail-riding and finish her Distance ROM. It sounds like a potential forever home with someone that would be a good match for Dazzle. So, I'm praying nothing changes in the next two weeks because horse-selling is so traumatic. It's hard to put a life you're worked so hard for and are attached to in someone else's hands!

Spotless Training Update!

I just got to chat with Spotless' trainer! He only has 12 sessions/rides on him so far because he's been busy with his other job. I think the first 3 sessions were ground-work. He said he's been good; no bucking or naughty stuff at all. He said so far Spotless is taking everything in stride and being a good boy. He said they've walked and trotted under-saddle and should canter for the first time this weekend. They're currently working on giving nicely to the bit. He seems pleased with how things are going. I get to watch this weekend if the weather is nice, it's been raining so far this week. So, hopefully I'll get to see them canter!

Training Update!

Yesterday I got the report that Spotless got his very first ride on him! AJ got on him bareback, then put the saddle on him and AJ's wife lunged them a bit, then he rode him by himself. She said he thought about nothing more than nothing, but overall just looked confused but willing. So that is promising! Yey! With the way the weather was I think he only got about 4 sessions maybe this week, so that means he should get close to 25 rides in his month of training! Woo!

Finally happened!

The sun is here! And because the sun is here, I was able to take Spotless to the trainer! So, he is off the market for at least a month while he gets started under saddle! I'm so excited!

Windy Day Ride

Today I went with Melissa to watch her work her QH filly and then we headed to my house to work Dazzle. The sun was almost down and it was trying to rain. She was in quite the mood! It was windy on top of that, so maybe that's what was up. Melissa lunged her and all through both sides every few trot-canter transitions she was go like a fire-cracker for a few strides just full of spunk. She was listening otherwise, it was very silly.

Melissa got on and rode trot and canter and pronounced it a good ride. She didn't do any of the silliness under-saddle, she never does. Her trot is getting consistently forward and on the bit. Her canter transitions are getting sharp and they are working on being on the bit in the canter now. She's trying to get her to reach from behind more. That's their new project. It looks like the weather will be more cooperative now, so she should get lots of work in before the first show. Melissa is going to be at a clinic the weekend of the first Dressage shows, so our first one will be the last weekend of April now. That just gives her more time to have them awesome!

Spotless goes to the trainer Friday! I'm so excited! I can't wait to see him under-saddle! Wish him luck!

Quite the Adventure

Sunday was the new Appy regional club's playday at a local arena. They had an awesome extreme trail course set up to play on. I took Dazzle for Trudy to ride and Spotless for me to walk through. I want to trailer him a few times before he goes to the trainer. So we got Dazzle ready to go and I turned Spotless out to run before we went since he hadn't gotten worked last week. When I went to catch him, he just ran. He only grazed while I turned him out and then wouldn't let me catch him. Melissa finally caught him and he was all sweaty by then.

We got to the arena, a whopping mile down the road or so from my house, and Spotless was drenched in sweat. This is why I wanted to take him somewhere before he goes to the trainer, lol. So, Trudy took Dazzle in and started walking her through the obstacles. I walked Spotless through them. He had giant eyes and was jittery, but amazing went through almost everything first try. Over bridges, through the tarp tunnel, etc. He was nervous about the mud pile to walk over and wouldn't walk in the water box. AJ, the man who's going to train him, took him and ponied him around and then got him to go through the water box. By the time I put him up he was doing everything. Even big swinging hanging bags that other horses were freaking at. I tied him on the side of the arena for the rest of the time and he watched everyone. Overall, I was really pleased with how well he did. He tried everything even though he was scared and wasn't dangerous.

Dazzle and Trudy did great. Trudy was really nervous so she walked Dazzle around a long time. Finally she mounted up and walked through everything but the water box. Trudy got down and Melissa got on and walked her through everything again for me to tape and then got her to go through the water box, which is apparently much scarier than the puddles we played in last week or the chest deep water she plunged right into on the Trail Ride last year. Melissa got her to walk through the water box several times and she calmed right down about it. Nothing else really concerned her at all.

It was really neat and I really wish I could have been able to ride it myself! I really felt I was missing out! Hopefully we'll get some similar playdays next winter or something when I can ride again.









Videos of Dazzle and Spotless are now up on Youtube.com!