HELP WANTED: NEWBIE WESTERN RIDER SEEKS E-COACHES TO SAVE HER FROM EMBARASSMENT

aww, allison, I know you're biased (to anyone else reading, she gave me my little super star), but thanks anyway. Im glad to see you and Maisie are overcoming your issues too!

it also helps me feel less guilty :)

So Twist, how did the show go????????

The show was great! We had tons of fun :)

I meant to post saturday, but our ride home was 5 hours late... (but i couldnt be mad, i came home to 90 nicely lined up, wrapped, huge bales :D ) so i was exhausted from that much fresh air and sunshine.

Yesterday I fought with facebook and the internet to post pictures...

And this morning I came in to work to discover this computer has a stupid virus, that wont even let me do work-related things, let alone post pictures, or write a lengthy description of the show.

In the western classes we placed first in horsemanship (9-10 people in the class?), second in pleasure (to RedBarronBPeppy's new horse) same class size, fifth in command (my fault, I need to learn the proper way to reverse in a western class, lol).

after pleasure


Games were a ton of fun, barrels we did in 21 seconds, (the best time was 17) so we were just out of the ribbons (class of 13?) and we werent dead last!


Failed miserably at the loony race, but discovered the pony DEFINITELY knows down and back, lol. couldnt get him to slow/stop at the bucket for the life of me... and i tried twice! We did place in down and back tho, 10 seconds! We got sixth. (the other horses were way bigger/younger, lol).



Poles was.... interesting. Clearly the pony didnt "know" this one, like he did the others, and he did the things i focused on, like the end turns, and some weaving, although he spooked at the poles (taller than ours, way scarier, lol), and decided halfway down, to just run to the gate. Did I mention he REALLY likes down and back?

I have a video, and its not as funny as it was in person, but i guess it gives us a new goal for the weekend. :)
Next show (saturday) starts with reining classes, then games (and thankfully no loony race, lol). So im SUPER excited. We had a blast, and both of us were WAY more relaxed.

(placing in the western classes also helped the self-esteem a bit :) )




update: muaha! my war on technology wages on, with small victories, i have beat the viruses! :)

WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO that all sounds terrific.....so glad you had a blast. I will be looking forward to your video..........Down and Back is one heck of a fast game......... Safflower up with the cheeks of your pixie......hahaha :cowboyhound.gi

I dont know if I can post video yet... but I will look in to it...
I wish I had it for the loony race, it was hilarious. We had a wicked time, until i admitted i still had the loony in my hand, lol.

i wish i knew what words those flowers replaced... lol.
but holy it was fun. the pony definitely has "little man syndrome", but boy was that buttercup up and under himself! for our actual down and back run i just grobbed the horn in one hand, left rein in the other, and held on! what a rush!!!!!!

Hey that's awesome!
I just updated myself, read the whole blog (my sick kitty is sleeping on my lap so I couldn't get up anyway! Good time for a good story!)

First of all, my show experience is old. I haven't shown in about 7 years or so. But I did show and I always rode western so if there is anything I can dig out of the archives, I'll do it.

One piece of advice for schooling... I know you said that he seems to anticipate, like he knows the drill even if you don't. My pony got to that point too, she would even anticipate which way we were turning and when we were going to stop. Mostly my fault, I rode the same way all the time. However to break her of that, I would not make up my mind on what to do or where to go until the last possible second. I would ride her down the center of the ring and if she felt like she was pulling left, I'd turn right. If she started to stop by the gate, I would push her to lope. If she started to speed up, I'd stop and back up. No matter what she thought she might do next, I surprised her every time. It didn't take long before she was waiting for commands instead of pulling me around.

She also used to have a problem with backing up when she didn't want to go forward any longer. (Like your boy in that show a while ago, I know that's old news, but just wanted to address it in case it comes up again) I put an end to that too. This was long ago when she was still quite young. I remember my old coach used to tell me to "make her sorry she ever wanted to do that" -- so if she started backing up I'd say, ok let's back up! And make her reverse around the entire arena. I would do the same if she would speed up at the lope. I'd hand-gallop around until she was exhausted. She doesn't speed up on me any more unless I ask her ;) It's like turning her little tantrum around and taking control. Instead of her doing something you didn't ask, you ask for what she's doing -- take control. It's been a long time since I've had lessons or training, but this method always worked with my horses.

Barrels and poles, I have hardly any advice on as I've never done them. Taken a few clinics but that was years ago. :)

**** photo credits to Jill Conohan Photography**** - although only with my point and shoot camera :P

look up her facebook page!

thanks teeka!! that was mentioned in the reining clinics, and i havent tried it with my stbd, who is very stubborn like that, but she would definitely benefit as well.
i do this with the pony on trail rides, or with reining, or while schooling, but its hard for games. and him being 15... he's VERY set in his ways, but i hate to admit it, most of the time he knows more than i do :P

i think i will not practice barrels at home, (or obviously not the down and back, lol), so that he doesnt get too pushy, but we definitely have to do some work on poles, but im thinking slow for now...

the other problem we had saturday was trail (anyone have experience there?) my horse will do all the obstacles, and i mean, move this leg here when i say, move that hip out when i say, wait, all that, but is TERRIFIED of rope gates, so we always end up going around it.

what variations of these can i make (cheaply) at home? i dont have jump standards -which seem to be the favorite at the shows, but i may dig up some wood and attempt to bribe the bf if need be...

first start by tying a rope anywhere he has to pass by......its like tarps.......put them wherever he needs to go.....then add more ropes, high, low, across the more the merrier.......soon ropes will be nothing.....

this was an issue before (in the form of fencing) - he is worse about electric.
its hard to even drag him out of the paddock, unless the gate is already open, and thrown wide to the side (electric wire/string gate).

so should i just tie rope up around? close to food? i know if electric fencing was too close to the water tub, he wont drink...

hang them from the run in roof, or if he has a stall in the doorway, put ropes on the ground near the water trough, you dont even have to tie them to anything in case he is too spooky, but just have them everywhere he has to go ....then always carry a piece of rope with you when you go to catch him, saddle him ......hang it on his neck, its like sacking out.........you just keep doing it till he couldnt care less about rope REMEMBER the 3 second rule.......touch him and take it away........work up to longer and longer.

great idea - thanks joan :)

conveniently the boyfriend is a fisherman... lots of rope that isnt being used at the moment.... muahaha.

i think my blog-challenge is up, but im gonna miss this!

I'm not sure I know what you mean about your Blog Challenge being up, but you dont have to keep doing it if you dont want......you can just post questions in other topics.......we may have a lot of members, but not even nearly a quarter of them actually respond........they do look, but not answer.

I enjoy our conversations............ :cowboyhound.gi

after fighting with this stupid machine all day yesterday, i didnt even want to open my own at home, for fear i was sending out virus/computer hazard vibes.

maybe i mis-read you, but i started blogging in response to your challenge joan
"I challenge you all to take on the Role of Blogger for One Week......just One to start.....everyday.....7 days....One at a time............SO WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST??"

did i interpret that wrong?

otherwise i will continue to write, at least until school starts, and ramble on about my adventures, lol.

took sunday off to let the pony rest (he worked his little buttercup off for me! it was only fair) and gave them some of saturday's lovely hay.



im very very thankful we FINALLY got our hay done, as it started raining sunday night, and hasnt stopped since.... so that means no riding for me.

i did fiddle around with the ropes tho, and provided positive reinforcement in the form of oats and a little apple jelly... (he's a spoiled brat). we arent doing trail this weekend, so im going to do the rope desensitizing very slowly, in hopes that we acheive something positive.

i want to get back on my horse to refresh some reining maneuvres tho...

aha........I only wrote the 7 day bit as I wasnt getting any response to a Whole blog type deal......I thought if I broke it down someone might not feel too intimidated to try that........then I went to the single post blog thingy.......YOU CAN BLOG FOREVER if you feel you want.............glad you got your hay in.......looking forward to your next posts.......... :cowboyhound.gi

I hate this computer. I was posting another entry, and something happened, and it cleared. i may kill it.

alright, so as i was saying, i think both pony and i are in a funk today, as a result of the rain. I felt bad when i visited him, he was standing at the gate, hoping I would take him out of the rain. He will just have to settle for the run-in, instead of being pampered, which will come soon enough!

I cant believe we move in a little over 3 weeks! Im really excited to be boarding him, with an indoor, to enjoy my few hours to myself.

The odd thing? (Allison, you will understand where my huge surprise comes from) Is that my dad offered to help pay my rent, saying I shouldnt try to work, and to use my few personal hours to enjoy things, like my reining clinics, and riding...

this is the man that said i couldnt afford one horse, let alone the 3 i have now...

i guess thats the big benefit of getting in to vet school finally :)

well, now its probably a matter of Pride for him........enjoy it while it lasts......... :cowboyhound.gi

Just got all caught up in your blog, Twist.

Your story is pretty inspirational to me, from reading my blog I'm sure you understand why. Only it is funny, we are reversed a bit: I was trained in Reining firstly, and I bought T to be my barrel/pole horse as I *loved* the speed. I still love reining, and would like to be able to play around with it a bit on my boys (I put a lot of 'intro' reining training on T, not that he ever uses it), but really if I could have a safe quiet trail horse I'd be perfectly happy right now.

I'm glad the show went well, too.

Keep writing!

Yes, keep writing, please...enjoying your progress!

Lurk lurk...haha!!

haha, caught you krista! lol
i'd say you could see how we do this weekend, but you're leaving after showmanship? you should be riding that big red beast...

no rain this morning, but the sky is dark, and i fear the rain is on its way again... fingers crossed it isnt, but i doubt I will get to ride anyway. Ah well, gives the pony a day to dry... he looked pretty soggy yesterday...

I've been trying not to get depressed, or discouraged, and as a result have been feeling "reflective" of the summer so far. Its been pretty eventful. This was my boyfriend's first fishing season, we went to the Cavendish concerts, I got to go to a good friend's wedding in NB, we had frequent trips to Halifax to see a jaw specialist (read: tack stores, lol), a good friend is up from ontario this week, and of course my showing/trail adventures with Angus. In the begining I was not happy about "being stuck at the gym" for the summer, but being in charge of the schedule allowed me to do all of these things im sure the trail rides wouldnt have. Getting in to school was the icing on the cake, and for once im looking forward to moving/going to class, and at least OK about my debt situation.
My parents (especially my father) have gotten off my back about the "what are you going to do with your life?" stuff, my brother will finally graduate his undergrad, and my bf is on his way to earning an income... I really dont have much to complain about save the weather.


Hopefully it gets nice again soon, Im really itching to ride, and get some more work on my stbds before they get yet another winter off...

Sometimes when we look down into that pool, we can actually see the good reflected back...........dont be so hard on yourself all the time.....You are now a Participant in your own life......not just a Lurker......hahaha. :cowboyhound.gi

Yup, heading home after showmanship, but I might pop back over in the afternoon to watch :) Gotta run up to Crapaud to drop off a blanket, so I'll have to see how my timing is. Hopefully I'll be able to catch your classes! :D

And you're totally right, I really should be riding the big red kid! Gotta work harder at this weight loss thing, it hasn't been a good couple of weeks :( Once things get back on track though, we'll be good to go!