So. Much. Rain.

I live in East Texas, north of the Dallas area, and (apparently) this part of the world has been in a drought for the last several years.
Actually, I believe it.

 The water level in our back pasture pond has sunk well over six feet. I can remember sitting in one of the trees on the edge and touching the water with my toes. Now me, Lady, and The Pony can walk side by side between that same tree and the water level. Easily.
This year seems to have helped a little with pulling us out of this dryness though. Usually, at this time of year, I am worrying about the ponies tripping in the insane cracked ground.
Instead, I have been planning my schedule around rainy days and muddy ground, even now. And its past the middle of August!  :O

Anyways, that's all I have to say. It is strange that we are still having so much rain this time of year. :-)

Oh, and go check out Cob Jockey's contest. She got 100 followers on her blog and is giving away a fantastic gift certificate! :-)

A Better Update...

Since I've been really vague and quiet lately, I figured it was about time to give a better update on how Lady and I have been doing.

Neither of us are doing altogether wonderful. We're also not too terrible either.

Lady has overall been actually really good. I am quite pleased with how she's been looking. Her coat is shiny and soft, even her mane and tail feel softer and fuller, and her feet are actually wearing down on their own and look better than they have in a long while.  (I'm writing up another post on my hoof care beliefs, so I'll expand more then.)

I am also super pleased with her weight and conditioning this year. She is still carrying some weight over her belly and hip areas that wouldn't hurt to come off, but I'm not pushing it right now. She does not have excess fat around her shoulders or even across her back. And speaking of her back, I am loving the shape she has right now through her neck and back. So round and strong and lovely.

Bullet points to make my thoughts less rambling:

• Her arthritis seems to be a lot better. It is usually better in the summer, but even so, I really think that focusing on improving her fitness has helped a ton.
• Keeping the weight off of her also helps with the arthritis.
• She isn't completely even on both sides, but I am very happy with how she is currently tracking up (see above picture). 
• When she is having a bad day or obviously hurting, she doesn't hollow and resist like she used to. She is much more willing to let me help her feel better.
• She has learned how to carry herself so much better, even just out in the pasture and it has helped her so much.
• She gets bitten by bugs so very badly and almost always has welts on her neck. This has gotten worse over the past few years. Need to find a solution.  :-(

Health-wise, that is about all I've got for her. For me, its a totally different story. I'm not sure if I'm going to get into that here though. Maybe another day, since its a bit complicated.

I finally got a job at the end of July and it requires me to be on my feet for several hours at a time. Definitely not something that I am used to, and the high stress and fast paced environment wears me out very quickly. Next week I'm going back to school 4 days a week, plus attempting to hold down this job. It is going to be difficult, and I definitely won't get to spend as much time with the horses as I want.

My plan is to keep getting up by 7 or 7:30 in the morning and going out to ride as soon as possible, but since I'm working evenings and am often out late it is not easy to get up early all the time.

More bullet points, on me and our schooling as of late:

• I made a fantastic, detailed schedule in July, and it has gone superbly terrible.
• Lady has improved. A lot, actually. More than I realize.
• Her attention span and attitude have improved especially.
• We are actually working on the very edges of light contact! I am no longer jerking her mouth when I shorten my reins and she is no longer upset by it.
• I am getting SO much relaxation, blowing out, confidence from her during rides. So pleased about this.
• I need to be more consistent. Always more consistent. It's my fault...
• She does really well with 2 days of work and then 1-2 days off (cycle).

I love this horse. She has taught me a lot lately, and we are becoming a great team. I couldn't ask for a  better creature than this little bay Arabian mare. :-)

Weekly Plan

This is the last week before my last semester at junior college.  <sad face>  Going to make the most of it though! :-)

So, for this week's plan...

Monday:  Walk for 40 minutes (fitness plan). Probably part in-hand, part riding.

Tuesday:  Lunge for 15 minutes. Liberty work for 10-15 minutes afterwards.

Wednesday:  OFF

Thursday:  Schooling ride. Play with contact, run through our test, and work on my two-point.

Friday:  Walk for 45 minutes (fitness plan). In-hand or riding.

Saturday:  OFF

There you have it! I plan to have a proper update soon. We've had some issues and problems again lately, but I've been too busy to keep up properly.

Weekly Training

This has been a very long week. It was the first full week at a new job, so I was getting used to that as well as trying to adjust usual routine things around it. And since I don't know what my schedule for the next week will be like, it will probably another long week coming up.  :-)

This Past Week:
Monday - 20 minute ride, bareback, working on patterns.
Tuesday - 30 minute fitness ride at the walk. 10 minutes of liberty groundwork.
Wednesday - 30 minute fitness ride at the walk.
Thursday - OFF
Friday - OFF, except for cuddles.
Saturday - OFF
Sunday - OFF

Coming Week:
Monday - 20 minutes lungeing. 20 minutes fitness walk.
Tuesday - 20 minute ride. 30 minute walk.
Wednesday - 30 minutes lungeing at all gaits.
Thursday - 30 minute ride.
Friday - OFF
Saturday - OFF
Sunday - 40 minute fitness walk.

Here's to everything working out well! :-)  How was your week?

Riding Bareback

I've had such saddle trouble in the past 2-3 years and Lady has had back issues for about that long too, that I have done a lot of riding bareback.

I've read conflicting opinions on whether or not riding bareback is harmful for the horse's back because of how the weight and pressure are localized under your seat bones instead of distributed evenly like under the bars of a saddle.

I have always digested these opinions carefully and thought about them a lot, but even so I have continued to ride bareback. Lady doesn't complain, she moves freely and is expressive. I am quite sure I would know if she was uncomfortable.

Besides... I can stick quite well even when she throws antics at me...

Like this one!

My balance is fairly decent and lately I've noticed that my seat and aids and just overall riding ability has improved. Probably because I've actually been working on doing things correctly.
I do think every horse ought to be taught how to be ridden bareback so that its not something completely foreign to them, and every rider should be capable of riding without anything between them and the horse. You know, in case some emergency comes up and you have to go careening off down the road with just a halter and a lead rope? Just kidding.... even I wouldn't ride then!
Not every horse is built to accommodate bareback riding. Some are just narrow, some have a spine that is rather painful to straddle, and some are just awkward to ride without a saddle. I know because I have ridden other horses bareback, and honestly, I do prefer to ride a new horse with a saddle for the first time.
Luckily I am blessed with a round barreled horse who has always been quite comfortable to jump on and ride around. Although tonight's ride made me rethink that blessing.... since she has lost weight and put on some correct muscling, I can actually feel her spine... slight ouch.

Everything I have ever done in a saddle I have also done bareback. Actually I have even jumped more often without a saddle than I have with one!
One of my favorite parts is that it is so easy to get out and ride. I just have to make sure her back and sides are clean and off we go! :-)

Do you ride bareback? Often, or very seldom? Why?

By the way, it makes for the absolute best no-stirrup work!

Weekly Training Plan

Training/Schooling plan for Monday, August 4th through Sunday, August 10th.
Possible adjustment due to work schedule.

Attempt at a conformation picture. She didn't understand it.

Monday:  Ride for 20 minutes. Work on 2 patterns.

Tuesday:  Walk for 30 minutes (leading and riding). Liberty in the roundpen. Work on steady pressure and Stick-to-Me game.

Wednesday:  Walk for 40 minutes (leading and riding).

Thursday:  Off.

Friday:  Longe for 20 minutes.  Walk and Trot. Use obstacles.

Saturday:  Walk for 40 minutes (leading and riding).

Sunday:  Ride for 20 minutes.  Passenger lesson at the walk and trot, and Figure 8 pattern.

Last week went haywire with family issues and new job (aka strange scheduling). This week will be crazy, but hopefully much less so.

August Goals

July was so hectic, so I plan to make this month easy for me with only a few goals that are already well planned out. School starts back up the last week of August, and hopefully I'll be working a good bit.

Original link HERE.

• Blogging
• Keep up with schedule for this blog.
• Complete the daily challenge I chose for my writer's blog.

Original link HERE.

• School
• Make an A in the summer geology course.
• Be prepared and ready for my last semester, starting August 25th.

Original link HERE.

• Log 12 horsemanship hours/10 rides
• Workout again. I've slacked off really badly. :(
• Journal every night.
• Complete a cover for my novel.