Ginger

[Suzanne]

So, as you know, she was moved to Silverwood Stables on Monday evening. I didn't get up there until Wednesday due to school projects and barn owner not being home.

On Wednesday, I took her out and brushed her down, saddled up and went for a ride, just basic walk, jog, lope transitions, leg yielding... She isn't in the best of shape so we will be doing lots of trotting and circles....

Thursday, I went up and brushed her and saddled her up and found out I am not allowed to ride unsupervised just yet ( barn owners would rather me get used to the horse... make sense, they dont want me injured on their property) So we went out and did some lunging. Walk, Jog, lope, jog, lots of jogging... This will help her get in shape and also help her with her balance! We love lunging! I need the practice and I am sure it does her no harm! Got a few tips from the barn owner as well!

Friday, I went up and brushed her until you couldn't brush her anymore. lol She enjoys getting brushed! Then we saddled up and decided to go lunging again, unfortunatly there was a lesson scheduled, so we only got to go out for 15 minutes or so. We did walk/jog. She didn't do much.. I was kind of disappointed but oh well! After I untacked her and put her in her stall, I went and watched a lesson, which was fun! I like watching lessons!

So basically right now all I have been doing is conditioning, getting her back in shape and getting used to her... I have ridden her a few times before, but still the horse need to get in shape, and I need to get used to her... Once she gets in shape I look forward to taking lessons and working on what I have learnt!

In the mean time if you guys have any suggestions what so ever on getting a horse "back in shape" it would be greatly appreciated. Actually, if you have any suggestions about anything I would love to hear it!

P.S. I apologize in advace, I've NEVER been able to keep a journal, so if I for some reason I dont post in this training log for a while, you can pm me to remind me! If not, please be patient!

[Suzanne]

suggestion to self: LEARN HOW TO TYPE!!

[carly]

haha
well it seems like your doing all the right things with her. And i hope you have fun lunging her and what not.
and i really want to see some pictures !!! pleaseeeee

[Suzanne]

I will get pictures as soon as I can... I need a photographer!

[Lacey]

When I seen Ginger for the first time, I fell in love with her. She's very beautiful and she almost looks like a girly pony.
I love her dapple-y coat when it's all nice and shiny. I'll see if I have a few on here from the clinic.
Also, I agree on what you're doing. I've been getting Sugar back into shape. We do a lot of circles - working on her balance.
*runs off to look for pictures*

[Lacey]

I found some!



Oh! Whatta Girl.

[Suzanne]

I was at the barn this evening... Groomed her lots! (aww shes so shiny) then I lunged her without the saddle for about 20 minutes walk, jog, lope, jog... She was just starting to sweat on her chest a little bit...
I then walked her out in the arena (and watched/talk to one of the other boarders as they rode in the arena)
When i was done walking her out I brought her in her stall and she picked around at the hay in the stall.
When my mommy arrived, I brushed her off, saddled her up (it was about 15 or 20 minutes later) .
We went out in the arena and did walk, jog, lope. I was getting her used to being more responsive and working on getting that but of hers under herself... We also did a bit of backing up and leg yielding! In the end She was quite the sweaty pig... (I was on her for about 30 minutes...)
I unsaddled her and put a cotton sheet on her and walked her around the arena for about 20 minutes...
She looked and me as if to say " HELLO!! Time to be CLIPPED!!" That will come soon... I need to wait until the barn owner says she is ready for it! (We want to see how much she is going to sweat once she is inshape... Dont want to shave her and then when she gets in shape, she'll freeze...)

Anyways, let me know what you think!

edit: to say thanks for the pictures Lacey!

[Jessica]

Sounds like you're doing great with her! And what A pretty mare:)

[Lacey]

Aww. I miss her so so so much.
Hopefully I will come see her sometime soonish?

[jessicab]

Lacey.... if we get a chance to jet out to CB when you are out in Feb you will get to see her!

Suzanne.. eeeeeeeeeeeeek!

[Suzanne]

Yesterday evening I was up to see Ginger...

I groomed her, then tacked her up and went out in the arena and got on and rode...
We walked around for about 3 minutes each direction... (a nice forward walk, get her stretched out and prepare for the jog)
We then picked up a rising(working) trot for about 3 minutes in all (both directions, 1.5 minutes each) then we slowed down to an easy jog for about 2 minutes.
We then walked out for 3 or 4 minutes and did a bit of leg yielding and turn on the haunches.
I then asked her to pick up the lope, about 1 or 2 minutes then walked for about 1 minute then the other direction and lope for 1 or 2 minutes again.
After that I walked her out for a good 5 minutes.
Then we worked on lope, stop, turn on the haunch 180, lope stop, turn on the haunch 180... to get her more responsive at the lope(she is USUALLY fine at the walk and jog...). We also did a bit of backing up(practising going in a straight line...)
Then I walked her out under saddle for about 5 minutes and then untacked her and walked her out with her blanket on for about 20 minutes by hand...
*These numbers are my estimations...*

She was still damp when I was done walking her, I brushed her a bit and tried to let the air through her coat... I kept her blanket on her over night too!

I plan to ease off a bit and go back to just doing so walking and jogging, I am concerned of her sweating so much... I think it is probably both
*I am working her too hard, and,
*she needs to be clipped soon...

She has never been stalled during winter(she was always out running around in feilds, unless it was stormy or something... then she was put in) , and now she is in a heated barn be work on a somewhat regular basis...
She isn't DRASTICALLY out of shape.(so I dont THINK I am asking TOO much of her), but I do plan on take it back a bit and hopefully this will make a difference!

Please tell me what you guys think!

[Suzanne]

Today I went to the barn! I gave her a good grooming!
We spent some good "heart to heart" time together! She was being so cute... Awwww horsie!

[happilyeverafter]

I figure that if you do 10-15 minutes of walk, 10-12 minutes of jog and then 2-5 minutes of canter you should be alright. You need to cool her out till she is dry tho, of course!

the Beast always gets really fuzzy in the winter, and does not get clipped because she is only ridden once/twice a week and doesnt get blanketed...but she is generally good to ride for an hour, so long as I take the time to warm her up properly, and cool her down properly!

[Suzanne]

ok thanks Gill for the advise! Next time I will walk her out extra to make sure she is all dried out! (She was pretty close, but still that isn't good enough when it comes to horse health, like i said I will make sure I cool her out FULLY before I put her away next time!)

Awww Fuzzy winter ponies!

[jessicab]

Suzanne: keep in mind that its a heated barn. Even if she was slightly damp, theres really not much chance of her catching a chill. I mean, its not like she was ever walked her out fully after being ridden in the wintertime (nothing against those riding her of course, just that that horse is a tough cookie and was never coddled or anything) and she was always turned back outside without a blanket. This is like a hardy beating around Cormack horse!

I'm just thinking that if you leave her cooler on her overnight if shes still damp, then she might sweat more in the barn once she dries.

She needs to be clipped, end of story. Smack Darryl around a bit and make her do it


***these horses don't get turned out at all, so no worries about her being chilly. If she does get turned out outside for some exercise then she can be blanketed with a light sheet or something, for the whole supervised half-hour of it, or whatever.


I think you are doing a great job with her Suzanne

Edited: just wanted to edit this to ad that I do think she should be walked out fully; I just meant to point out that its a heated barn, so theres not much of a chance of her catching a chill as long as she is cooled out and not soaking wet when you put her back in her stall.