Becoming a Trainer

If I were rich, I would hire Coy to put a full 90 days on Renny and maybe I will end up doing that.  But in the meantime, I simply just want to get the video made of Renny, so that I can begin marketing him.  Though, it's certainly difficult because I don't really want to part with him . But anyway, I do have a point to this navel gazing!  Over the next few months, or until he sells, I will be a big part of Renny's weekly training.  I will be the one helping him with his ground work, cavaletti, ground poles, etc.  And I will be responsible for helping him hone his long-lining skills. And, most important, I will be giving him the vast majority of his training rides.  I don't want him to be nervous or to make any of his experiences negative, so I am going to work on cleaning my body of anxiety when I handle him.  And since I've only had two rides on him so far, I want to work on riding him for a longer time and finally trying out a trot.  This past Sunday, I almost did break out a trot.  I had him coming down the center of our very large riding arena and I just felt ready!  But I didn't do it.  Yet!

Proud of My Guy

This whole training experience has been just so awesome and powerful and mystical and meaningful to me.  Renny has been an real trooper about his job and is just taking to the role of a working pony beautifully.  You can see in this photo that he's a quiet thoughtful boy.  Which strangely enough has opened very mixed feelings in me.  I remember Renny when he was just the littlest of guys all sparkly and funny and rowdy about water buckets and beach balls.  So, to see him carrying a rider quietly is truly an astonishment!  Bless his good hardworking heart!

Renny and His Work

Here's a video and photo from Renny's 25th training ride.  That was on Saturday morning of August 27th.  The very next day, I gave him his 26th training ride.  So, I am proud to say that I am responsible for part of his first 30 days without any other training help.  And I am proud to say that I stuck very carefully to "the program" while bringing my own special talents to the mix!  Yay!

Team Renegade Gels

I am writing this entry on August 30th, Monday.  Yesterday was truly among the most amazing days of my life.  It was the 5 year anniversary of when the levees broke, so I was feeling sort of kismet and magical and the strong spiritual energies.  I was supposed to meet Coy out at the barn, but he wasn't able to show up because he had to work on his vehicle with a friend.  So, I used it as an opportunity to bond with Renny.  I got him from his pasture, practiced longing and joining up with me, longlined him beautifully. I mean he has never longlined so beautifully in his life -- with balanced round light circles on the reins and a quick even responsiveness to the asking for change in directions with no change in pace.  It was amazing.  I wish I had it on film.  And then I took him to the outdoor pasture and mounted and rode him.  He was such a great little pony.  I still can't quite believe that the second time I rode him, I just did it on my own.  There were only two teeny tiny glitches.  Coy had told me to keep an active leg on him and I didn't because he moved off in a quiet sensible forward-reaching walk.  So, then after awhile, I decided to ask for circling and put my leg on him and it surprised my pony big time -- you would have thought he had forgotten I was on him entirely.  He scooted forward fast.  But luckily I had him turning on a circle, so he was very easy to break into a walk.  I was actually glad that happened because it gave me a chance to try out his paces!  I felt more confident about asking him for quick turns on his forehand and hind and for full 360s.  It was nice.  The other glitch is that he can tell that I am nervous about dismounting, so instead of standing perfectly still, like he does for the mount, he takes a two inch sidestep to get away from me -- which I can't blame him for since I take a pretty big jump away from him for the last few inches as I leave the stirrups!  Something to work on!  I can't wait to ride my pony again.

Anyway, these photos I took of the girls immediately after my happy ride.  They were happily quietly grazing in the corner of their front pasture and they were just eating as they were mingling among this flock of birds. 

Such a Happy Morning!

 

Namaste.

A Speedy Session!

d

My Renny has the heart of Secretariat, endurance of Stymie, handiness of Easy Jet, elegance of Man o' War, and complete pony hipness of Teddy!  Oh, yes he does!!

Renny Practicing Cantering!

So, this morning, Saturday, August 28th, the 25th day of his training, I only got to watch for awhile before I had to go get Violet to get ready for my riding lesson.  And so I only got to see Renny doing a brisk healthy speedy canter.  Apparently, once I left, Renny did an elegant low relaxed happy hunter canter with ease and grace!  I am hoping to see that beautiful canter tomorrow!!!

Renny Longing!

Coy and I chuckle because Renny  is just doing amazingly well and likes to learn and wants to have a challenge tossed at him every day.  So, for example, today he was absolutely cheerful about longing up and down the arena and then happy to longe over cavaletti.  All good!  And Coy said that he's amazed because Renny got so quiet so fast -- that he expected it to take a little longer because it was a public barn and Renny gets handled a lot.  My pony is a quiet hardworking guy -- kind of like John Wayne in The Quiet Man.  Anyway, Coy also says that Renny absolutely understands that Coy is alpha and that he's given up that fight -- mostly.  The one place where you still see the little teensy shadow of testing like a little 2 year-old manly colt should do is at the longing -- longing to the left, he likes to test whether he really has to canter or not. And today was a hoot because when Coy said, yes, you have to, Renny popped upwards and gave the softest prettiest lightest little canter on the line.  What a good naughty boy!!

Handsome Quiet Pony

One of the amazing qualities Renny has is that he is happy to come to a true absolutely still halt and then just stand there for as long as it takes to receive another order.  Coy and I just stood and chatted and planned and talked for as long as we pleased, and little Renny just took a snooze. And then after that teeny snooze, he was happy absolutely happy to start up again and go from a walk to canter.  He's truly a sport pony deluxe!

Renny and His Trainer, Again!

Okay, so again, I'm writing this entry on Saturday, August 28th.  The morning started out crisp and cool and lovely and then turned warm and bright.  And I got to enjoy my morning coffee while watching Coy and Renny  work beautifully.  My pony worked light and loose on the longe line, jumped happily over the cavaletti at all 3 heights, and walked, trotted and cantered with ease.  He was happy to walk the rail with complete calm and he was at ease with each step.  I mean, I am so proud I can barely stand it.  Coy says that he is really a talented amazing pony and that he doubts that he will end up with a child for years because he will be so athletic and competitive that an adult will want him!

Renny and His Trainer on Day 25!

So, I am writing this post on Saturday, August 28th.  I just left the barn to come to my office to write this post, in fact.  I have had one of the nicest mornings of my life.  Coy and I enjoyed the training session with Renny who was wonderful.  Coy kept talking about how good Renny and giving me training advice and it just seemed like my pony was working with ease and sweetness to please his trainer!  Mary and I had a great riding lesson with Stacey and then Mary and I traded horse stories while we were in the wash racks with our beautiful creatures.  Mary told me that I needed to keep Renny that he was something special and would become a wonderful dressage pony.  I told her that Renny deserved a kid and a training barn and someone who would really ride him so that he's wonderful.  And Mary said that I was a kid and that I was at a training barn and that I could ride him and enjoy him.  I laughed and laughed!  What a really lovely quiet wonderful joyful morning -- a slice of heaven!

Tired Pony

This Day 24 was a tough one, I thought, but Coy thought it was well within Renny's abilities.  He had a very long, taxing longing session, a ride around the farm, a short very supportive and friendly boosting ride by Coy and then he carried his Grandma.  Today as I write this note is Day 25 of training -- I hope it is a very light session. And then he has Saturday to relax before having another training session, is 26th and last formal one, with Grandma on Sunday.  Whoops!  I'm not allowing myself to refer to myself as his Grandma anymore.  I want to love him, but I was to help greenbuild him, so that he's ready for his new family and new trainer.  I want to love, but not spoil or confuse him.  I am looking forward to seeing this guy!

All the Love in My Heart

d

I've been blessed by my herd.  They are a good group and Renny is an amazing pony.  I hope that in the months ahead, I can develop a calm level-headed courage and strength.  I want to bring my best buddhist self to little Renny's training.  And I hope and pray that his new family, a good loving family, is being prepared to find him!

Working Pony

c

Check out those hindquarters, that relaxed stride and that headset! Day 24!  Namaste!

A Special Moment in Life

d

Renny's training has brought up lots of happy memories for me.  I remember when he was just a teeny tiny guy who would take naps curled up like a cat in the straw or laid out flat at his ma's feet.  I remember when he was a rowdy little guy trying to eat grain just like his mama.  I remember when his mama gave him a big vicious bite and I was so upset with her.  I remember how shy he was about meeting Ruthie and later how rowdy and bossy he was with his herd of teenager thoroughbreds and then super bossy with his herd of baby weanlings.  I have loved him his entire life.  I loved him when he peeked at me when we opened the trailer door at the inspection site, when he stood at the open barn door at that inspection site and gave a "Renny's in the house" whinny of greeting to everyone.  I loved him when he kicked/stretched out at me with his hind leg when he was eating breakfast the next day.  I loved him when he pushed impatiently at me to leave him and his fancy pants mane alone when he was trying to unwind in his home pasture after the trip.  I have loved him constantly.  And I know in my heart, he loves and counts on me too.  I hope that over the next few weeks, I really learn how to ride him well and confidently, so that I can prove to him that he is right to have faith and trust in me -- that he and I from the very very start have always been Team Renegade.

Renny's Strengths

d

One day Coy was training Renny and at the end of the session, he was just sitting on him mounted and I was walking toward them, indecisive, wanting to hug my little guy, but not interfere with his training.  When Coy just burst out saying that Renny had a great mind and a very light feel.  That Renny was amazing and would probably be light and responsive his entire life.  And he even wished his own mare was as light and good-minded.  And I won't ever forget that moment because it just burst out of Coy -- words of praise for a young green pony.  This is an example of how wonderful my training mornings were -- a decent person helping me with my beloved pony.  Namaste.

Nice Folks

d

Okay, again some video from early training and a photo from Day 24!  During the course of training, I got a chance to really reflect on all the people who care for me and Hailee and Renny.  Folks stopped by to watch training, like Julie and Lexie.  Folks took care to treat and care for them when I travelled, such as Robin and Sarah.  Beth, Kelsey and Emily offered lots of support.  Tracy said she wanted to visit Hailee and Renny.  Baker asked to videotape and photograph important moments.  Gay and Mary had encouraging words.  Chelsea helped with him when he was just a little guy.  Stacey helped me when Renny had a kick injury and offered lots of advice about how to stay strong during training.  And, of course, Coy brought his best talented self to Renny, by being a consistent calm disciplined talented source of care, even when I was wiggy and wanted to cancel the training.  Coy and my friends got me over the bump of my own indecision.  And I'm grateful.  It's been fun to go through this first 30 days with such great great people!

Renny's Day 24!

g

Now here is the beginning of video from earlier in his training, but photos from Day 24, the day I rode which was just yesterday, August 26th!  It's all a little confusing, I know.  But you'll notice that he looks smaller in the videos, but in the photos, he's looking like a strong working pony.  Anyway, Day 24 was kind of a mixed bag for Renny.  He got in trouble because he decided he didn't want to longe to the left, though he had done it beautifully quietly and softly just the day before.  So, he ended up being worked for a long time until he got soft.  Then Coy took him for a relaxing ride around St. George to the outdoor arena. And that is what these photos show, my pony moving quietly and happily on a beautiful cool sunlit late-August radiant morning.  He trotted comfortably.  He cantered serenely all the way around this really large arena on the correct lead and without breaking.  He halted with a true halt which even included a nap because I'm sure he was getting tired.  And so by the time I mounted, I was so eager to have my try.  And it was wonderful.  Coy told me about how to lift his shoulder and bring him around.  How to use a single rein. How to direct rein versus indirect rein.  How to apply less than a single ounce of pressure to get him to lift his back and reach his hindquarters under and bring his face into the bridle.  And let me tell you, he may be a green pony, but he does ALL these things better than my Violet.  So, I am going to try and improve my riding to help not set Renny back and to help move Violet forward!

Team Renegade -- Renny and his Good Trainer

Here is a picture of Easy Blue Renegade and his world-class trainer, Coy Moyers.  I will never ever be able to tell you how grateful I am for this young man's help with my pony.  This summer was absolutely a blessed sacred happy time in my life because of this man's labors.

Renny was Prepared for School

I like this little photo of Renny getting ready for his morning lesson.  I love this pony and can hardly believe that he's old enough to be ridden.  But I digress.  What I wanted to say is that from the very beginning, Renny's been sensible.  From the very earliest days, when he would squeal and run around the indoor arena back at Breezy Acres and kick and run at the soccer ball, to when he was an angel at his inspection, to the day he let me longe him over cavalleti and long-line him, to the day Coy got on him for the first time, Renny has had nothing but good spirits. 

But to tell the truth, he has been like lots of 2 year-old colts.  On some mornings, early in the process, he would give us the stink eye expression, until he warmed up to his tasks.  And then on other mornings, he would look as sweet as a kitten in cotton from the very beginning.  In this photo, you see happy good boy work ethic Renny, saddling up for his trainer and lesson.  I don't think I took any pictures of stink eye, but it was a good one and not at all easy to mistake for anything other than the teenage version of "you suck!"

I Researched for Renny

Again, video and photos from Renny's early training days.  Earlier this week (August 23rd) when I was having a riding lesson, Stacey and I were chatting about the downfalls of racing and she was mentioning how she hates racing because of how hard it is on horses.  And I agreed, but I said that I kind of like racing because without it, there'd be no purpose really for thoroughbreds and people would care for them even less, in a way.  And we got onto the topic of how horses fall onto hard times and how she doesn't like backyard breeders.  I said that I felt bad that I was a backyard breeder, but I was glad I had Renny.  And she gave me a great compliment. She said that she didn't consider me a backyard breeder because I had researched for Renny and knew what I was doing and that he's turning out great.  She's someone I respect, so I was very pleased for those words.  And I am very very very pleased that I've had this experience with my darling beloved pony. 

Anyway, what's funny about these photos is that he looks so small, but so much has changed in the training month since they were taken -- Renny has muscled up and gotten much stronger looking and better defined along his rear and back.  He's not a tiny baby anymore, he's truly a working green pony!

Renny is Advanced

I'm not going to lie.  Sometimes I would get upset with Renny's trainer because he would do things which I thought were super advanced -- like teaching Renny to sidepass beautifully, half pass, halt and back, turn fully on his forehand and haunches.  I'd tell him, quit pushing Renny.  All he needs to do is trot forward a little bit at an even pace for the video.  But I was flat out wrong.  Coy has Renny performing very well and relaxed at all of his work.  He circles beautifully, serpentines, is happy in his upward and downward transitions.  Is happy about a true square obedient non-testing halt.  It's truly an astonishment.  And then finally Coy told me that I had to remember that because Renny was so advanced on all his groundwork lessons that it really wasn't comparable to talk about the first 30 days -- that really Renny  is ready in many respects for tasks that might appear in Days 60-90.  Which made me proud.  And a little sad.  But mostly proud.  

Renny is Awesome!

Again, some photos and video from Renny's early training days.  I haven't been easy on Coy.  Sometimes when he and Renny have a disagreement, I'm really bent out of shape.  I don't like to see my little guy confused or with his feelings hurt, though I know it's part of the process.  Luckily, those moments were few and far inbetween.  But it became clear by the end of the training that Coy needed to work more with me than Renny.   I was acting more like his Grandma or groom.  After each training session, I would give Renny a bath with anti-fungal shampoo and anti-fungal spray and put triple antibiotic cream on any worn areas by his girth.  And I rub down his legs with aromatic gel and liniments.  And I love love love on him.  Coy says that I need to be much more observant and really appreciate the fact that every single moment I am with Renny, I am training him.  That I need to be vigilant about opportunities to train him to be quiet and good and sensible.  So, each day now, I have to handle Renny and learn how to manage the hard stuff, like picking up and holding his back feet and correcting him in the crossties when he's bored and testing.  I am glad that Coy is trying to make me a "horsewoman" as he calls it rather than a horse enthusiast.  I want Renny's life to be a good one, so I need to help him with all the manners in life he'll need!  I'm grateful that I have the world's best trainer!

Renny is World's Best Green Pony

Okay, here again are some photos and video from Renny's first week of training, and I am writing this entry on Day 25, in late August, when Renny has really come into his own.  Coy was really kind to me and let me watch the training and he tells me routinely that part of the reason that Renny is so ahead of the game is because of all the groundwork I put on him.  That he never shows up at a place to train and the horse is absolutely ready to mount.  So, I'll be jumping all over the map in the posts over the next few weeks -- I probably should have been more systematic, but I was really just caught up in the magic of watching Renny be greenbuilt.  But here's what I know -- I knew that this week, the week of August 23rd, was going to be a big one for me.  It's the 5-year anniversary of my accident and Hurricane Katrina.  I'm teaching three classes for the first time in my life.  I was going to be riding Renny myself for the first time.  All good, all exciting, all strange.  I felt like this week was ripe with magic and possibility and spiritual energy.

So, here's what happened on Wednesday, the actual anniversary of my accident.  I received an email from Beth saying that Renny was wonderful.  I had a great riding lesson with Violet and Stacey told me that she and Coy were talking about how amazing Renny is and how hard he's been working and how advanced he is and how my groundworked helped.  And then Gay told me that Mary had watched some of Renny's training early in the day and thought Renny was doing super.  So, you can imagine how wonderful I felt.  And that was just the right kind of magic to bring to Thursday, the day I actually got to climb onto that beautiful sweet hard-working agreeable intelligent athletic pony.  He was light, responsive, willing, but quiet!  I had a great time in the sunshine, riding him in the dressage arena.  I felt like a happy happy girl!

My Baby in Training - Renny is Really Talented!

x

Okay, so I am writing this post as the start of a stream of posts about Renny in training.  We've had a very busy summer.  I am writing this entry on August 27th of what will be his 25th day of training and the day after the first time I rode him myself!  I can hardly believe I've had that pleasure.  There is so much, so much to say.  So, I wanted to try and sell Renny as a little guy because I feel he's such a late Spring baby.  But Beth at St. George told me he was absolutely ready and so did Stacey, so they permitted me kindly to let Coy break out Renny.  So, this training started in late July, so these burst of videos and photos are a single day just a week or so into his training. But Renny was already showing great intelligence and skill.  In fact, Coy was able to mount him on the very first day.  When Coy got on him, I was shocked, just shocked.  Renny stood with some confusion, but he didn't panic, act naughty, buck or do anything but try to figure out what was expected of him.  And coy, well Coy looked absolutely purely still and empty and calm like the Buddha. In fact, I've never seen a face more representative of Buddhist art.  It was amazing, truly an amazing moment!

Renny Has a Good Mind!

Here again is photo from Day 24 and video from a week or so earlier.  Just look how relaxed and sweet he looks.  What was cool about this August 26th video is that Coy was showing me his hunter head set and hunter working trot and let me tell you, Renny was trotting with his nose down and tucked in and his neck level with his back at a brisk relaxed no-nonsense forward reaching even trot.  The man is the best trainer on the face of the earth!  Oh, and he makes me happy because he routinely bursts out with observations about Renny's good mind!  Which makes a Grandma proud!

Renny is Growing Up!

j

So, I am writing this post on August 26th which is Day 24 of Renny's training.  Here you can see him quietly being ridden in the outdoor arena.  It was a fun morning session.  Renny gave Coy colt attitude about longing, but then after he lost that fight and had his feelings hurt, he and Coy, simply walked out of the indoor arena and quietly around the grounds over to the outdoor arena and had a quiet little ride.  And then I got to ride and I had Coy's kind help.  He was such a good quiet kind teacher and he put all these little safety stops on Renny, so it was really a very special experience for my first day riding my little guy.  I can hardly believe that Ren's changed so much now and grown and matured so substantially that I was able to ride him and enjoy him today!!!

My Little Chefs, Again!

They were just too cute, so here's another photo of the happy little pastry chefs. They thought breaking eggs and using the mixer, and filling the cones, and decorating was too fun!

My Happy Chefs

When we went back to Rhinelander, mom had set up a wonderland for her grandchildren.  The girls had presents of dolls, outfits, and special princess beds.  And mom had purchased them chef's aprons and hats and helped them with the fun task of making cupcake ice cream cones which the girls loved, loved, loved!  They thought the task was truly brilliantly fun.  So, here are photos of them working hard!

Happy Dancing Boy

This summer after teaching my two summer classes, I went to visit my family.  Elena brought Emma, Clara and Stephen to visit mom and dad, so I tagged onto that trip.  We went and stayed at the Kalahari in the Dells and spent two days at the Noah's Ark Waterpark which was a real blast.  And then we went home to Rhinelander to hang out for awhile.  I love my nieces and nephew and baby Stephen thought I was cool because I could act so silly.  Anyway, the very first few moments I saw them at the Kalahari hotel, I had a good good laugh.  They'd been traveling by plane all day and then took a 3 hour car ride, so they were pretty wired.  The first thing Stephen did to unwind was dance and rock out to the music on his little fire truck.  What a rockin' boy!