Winter Cinder

 Cinder is very much a cold weather horse. She's so much more animated and forward once the temps drop below 55. The past few weeks have been a bit challenging and anxiety inducing, for me, in how to manage her. It doesn't help that I didn't ride last year from Thanksgiving-early February so I don't have the memory of Winter Cinder to fall back on. 

We were cantering when this lovely sun spot appeared. She tried to jump it and spin sideways at the same time. I had to grab my martingale to hang on. 

Lunging before getting on has become our go to, especially after a day off. She just need to buck and play for a bit, but won't in turnout because the ground is so wet and muddy, so on the line (or for a free lunge if the arenas open) she goes to play. Even Trainer M lunged her one day when Cinder tried to rear and spin as she was tightening her girth after getting on. 

Thankfully the liverpool was no big deal and she jumped it without a second thought

Cinder has been great to ride, post lunging. She's forward without being too forward (for the most part), and I haven't had to wear my spurs or carry a whip. She has had a couple moments of silliness, mainly when another horse spooks and she feeds of of them. We had one lesson with Maya and her leasee, and when we went to canter Maya took off and Cinder took off after her. We then had to canter one at a time. 

Gratuitous pic of Peebs looking adorable

I will give Cinder points in that she might be spicy and needs to play before going to work under saddle, but once you're working she's really good. In the past when she's worked up or spicy she has almost a manic feel to her once you get in the tack, like her brain is zooming at 100mph. She really hasn't had that feeling this winter yet and I'm hoping it doesn't make an appearance. 

They Grow Up So Fast

Since it's the new year, I've started calling Cinder a coming two year old. She's closer to two than one at this point, but it's still weird to think of her as a two year old. She still acts very babyish, has the attention span of a gnat, and is go go go all the time. It's exhausting.

Looks pretty grown up to me

She's taken a break from growing taller, but has grown longer and filled out a little. My farrier called her a wiener dog last time he was out.  She grew out of the 69" sheet I got for her in about 6 weeks, but thankfully the 70" blanket still fits pretty well. I figure she and Peebs can share his 75"-78" clothes next winter.

I had the two of them out together a few days ago. I haven't been putting them out together since they play pretty rough and last time Peebs got kicked hard and was off for a few days.  He probably deserved it.  This time he was really vocal to her and nuzzling her a lot.  I thought it was cute at first.  Till Cinder squatted and peed. My 20 month old filly is having her first heat, in January. There is something wrong with this. I'm not prepared for this. I don't think she was prepared for this. Do I need to have a birds and the bees conversation with her? There is a five month old colt on the property; I don't want Cin getting any ideas. I guess I'll add this to the list of things to talk to my vet about.

Two Years

Wednesday was McKenna and my two year anniversary. I really can't believe it's been that long. In many ways I feel like a slacker and that we should be farther along in her training than we are but all I do is have to look back at where she was and I realize how far we've come.

First ride.

Two years later

We had a lesson that night and apparently I had my big girl breeches on because we jumped the boxes for the first time! I think it was a combination of the new bit, trot poles, and actually feeling like I had brakes because I was much braver than I have been for months, if ever with her. It felt like we were on the same page and I could relax a bit and let her go. Especially after the fences I was able to get up in a half seat and let her cruise right along. It was a very, very nice feeling. 

I got this mom!

Growing Pains

 We had a lesson last Wednesday, and will hopefully continue to have weekly lessons for a while, and we rode right during feeding time.  The mare was up and not super happy to be working at first but we held it together.  But when we started jumping all she wanted to do was run at the baby crossrails. We spent close to 45 minutes trying to get her to trot the fences without running at them, sucking back behind my leg, hanging on my hands, throwing her head, or going sideways.  Both my trainer and I were really happy with how I handled it.  I didn't get mad or upset just kept on asking for a decent trot, straightness, and connection. Even a couple months ago the antics McKenna pulled would have A) freaked me out and I would have have my trainer get on her and/or B) sent the mare into outer space.

Strike a pose

Saturday I wanted to jump again but this time I set out trot poles before the jumps to try and slow down the beast.  After we warmed up on the flat we started jumping and the mare decided that trot poles are really supposed to be cantered.  We attempted to trot nicely but she was completely ignoring my hands and plowing thru the pole and fences.  I stopped her hard in front of a couple jumps and circled around to come again which usually gets thru her go-go-pony brain but it didn't work.  I decided to pull out the big guns and got off to switch her bit. 

I don't like big girl bits

I've been riding her in a French link but obviously that doesn't have enough brakes.  I grabbed my slow twist and got back on to see how she would do with it on the flat. Other than stopping once when I half halted strongly she didn't seem too upset by it. Sunday we attempted the trot poles to jumps again and what do you know?  I had a pony with brakes!!  She was still wanted to go go go, but came back at my half halts and listened.  I think I'll leave the slow twist on this bridle and set up the French link on another so we can have a jump bit and flat bit.

What Success is to Me

I've been mentally writing this post for the past couple days, and think it's perfect that Tracy posted on it as well.  On Saturday we had another dressage lesson with TS and on Sunday our massage therapist was out to work on McKenna. On both days I was complimented on just how far the mare's come and how she seems like (finally) she's growing up.

Tia trying to get McKenna to play in the paddocks.  McKenna says "I've grown up now, I don't do that anymore"

Our lesson went really, really well.  We started with some walk-halt-rein back exercises that I've been doing after watching the Melanie Smith Taylor clinic. I've found that it helps McKenna focus, especially went she wants to be a bit up or spooky.  TS really had me focus on making sure McKenna was straight.  Both directions she wanted to float her haunches to the left, but a little left leg and right rein fixed that.

We then moved on to trot work where we were again complemented on how far McKenna's come.  She was able to come round, work the whole arena, and change directions and bend quietly.  TS had us come back to the walk to star some leg yields, and once we go them we tried it at the trot.  I've attempted leg yields a few times, but I'm never quite sure I have them on my own.  TS said they looked very good, the only thing I need was a bit more opening outside rein to help guide her over.  We did get told to not do too many; McKenna's the type of horse that once she's got something she gets cranky if we drill it too much. She's got a healthy ego and knows when she's right and doesn't see the point in doing something again.

The look of a champ

Four our canter work McKenna did her normal routine going right: counter bend, slow down, and not want to go forward.  TS said I was nagging too much with my inside leg, to give her one or two swift "karate kicks" then take pressure off.  I was also sitting too deep in my left seat bone when I needed to shift my weight to the right.  Once I figured myself out and quit nagging the mare, we had some nice canter transitions.  Funny how that works.  TS had me do a circle at each short end then start some shallow serpentines, from the rail to the quarter line and back, to introduce the feeling of counter canter.  Our first few times were pretty rough, but we improved each time and that's what matters.  That's our homework for next time.

At the end of the lesson we stopped and chatted with TS in the center of the right and she kept complimenting me and McKenna (including lots of head scratches and baby talk), saying just what an nice horse she is and how far she's become.  It really made my happy and I realized that this is what success is.  It's taking an unbalanced, somewhat crazy young OTTB and bringing them along myself.  It's that feeling of accomplishment after a great lesson or hack knowing you put this horse together and knowing there's still more to come.