Renny's First Dressage Test

Here's my buddy and I on a beautiful June evening, working with our trainer.  I'm writing this entry on Sunday, February 5th, after Renny's second dressage lesson with Janet Harms, the Head Dressage Instructor from the University of Findlay English Equestrian Program.  We were thrilled to be with her.  And, of course, Renny was a hard-working little trooper!  I asked her to please evaluate our performance of the First Level Test 1 pattern and she agreed.  She was super cool.  She stood at C, just like the judge she is, and she rang a bell.  We were rough, but we did pretty darn good, I think!  And we sure had fun.  And it was a total total hoot to be scored by someone of her stature and importance.  I felt super happy!

Renny's First For Realz Lead Changes!

Here are Renny  and me in mid-June 2011, in our evening private riding lesson -- so wonderful!  We look strung out and loosey goosey, but we are happy!  Anyway, I am writing this entry on Sunday, February 5th, after Renny's second lesson with Janet Harms!  It was so crazy fun.  She really works us hard, but both Renny and I rise to the occasion.  We were working on having an uphill gaits and to have him be springy and forward and with his poll raised and light.  He was in sort of a negative mood, so he was holding me pretty hard on his left, but we were able to work on that and get our job done!

I had asked her to help me with flying lead changes because he'd given me accidental ones throughout our time together and at Quicksilver, they had been working with him on them and he had them in him as a nice quiet transition.  I told Janet that I knew that I needed to be very centered, balanced, and even, and that I needed to be ready and prepared to ask right when he was in suspension.  And she was pleased that I knew that and affirmed that the centered was KEY.  So, she was no-nonsense and gave us a super direct very active busy warm up and then launched us into the work on the flying lead changes.  I was supposed to canter a serpentine with relaxed circles and then ask at the center -- but that didn't work because I never really got him straight and so he was happy to counter canter until the cows came home.  So, she put up a ground pole straight to the wall and that was the trick.  I knew I had to travel STRAIGHT to that ground pole and wait until he sprung over it and was suspended and then fully FULLY ask with my legs, seat and indirect rein to move his little barrel over to the new lead!  We got a few in both direction, a little starchily, until I finally got it -- I needed him fully in my control, in my hands, and springing from his hindquarters -- once I knew that, we did a sweet quiet figure 8 and got a flying lead change in both directions!!!!!!!  I felt like a super star and we got lots of praise from our teacher.  I was super duper happy!

Renny and True Hearts!

Here are two photos of my darling boy and myself taken in mid-June of 2011.  We are in our dusk riding lesson.  I was always nervous about those dusk riding lessons!  They sort of creeped me out, but Renny was always true!  I'm writing this entry on Sunday, February 5th, 2012 and Renny has had a month of Sunday lessons with Jill Jewett and Janet Harms, of the University of Findlay.  I've been so proud of him.  He's been brisk, business-like, sweet.  He's worked his little fanny off on figure 8 ground pole and cross rail exercises.  He's been a champ about working on flying lead changes with me.  He's been happy to do his first dressage test with me.  He's just made me so proud.  Janet and Jill both say that he's a good boy!

Violet and My Relationship

Violet Happily Warming Up!

Here is a January 6th video and photo of my darling Violet with Emily.  She is handily and quietly jumping 2'6" or 2'9" here...I can't remember.  But you can see that she is quiet happy powerful and her knees are bent and even.  Such a lovely girl.  Violet and I had a splash of difficulty in mid-January, but we're working out of it.  I have ridden her a couple of times for brief little splashes of time on a loose undemanding rein -- just to remind her that I don't always want to make her work hard and that she should feel free to take care of me!  Make smart decisions.  She likes when I do that type of reward.  And this week, as I write this entry on Sunday, February 5th, she was a real sport.  She gave me a great Monday lesson and then in our Thursday lesson, she was terrific.  She had to be ridden with just a single hand holding the reins and really listen to my seat ask for upward and downward transitions.  And I had to ride around and around and around with my one arm out.  It was great!  Violet though it was great sport!  And she was happy to be sensible and true about jumping, though we were working hard on trotting in and trotting between jumps and staying straight.  It was really good!  I just love my girl!

Renny's Mother

Here is an April 15, 2008 photo of Hailee, taking a little sun, in the weeks before Renny was born.  Technically he was due in 2 days -- April 17th.  But he took his sweet time as all patient good creatures do.  And even then, though I was hoping he would come on the 17th, I could tell that he was a ways off. Hailee hadn't started her bags and didn't seem too troubled.  But you can see in this photo that she is beautiful.  And she knew that she was making something very special!!!

Yin/Yang

A March 9, 2011 photo of my beloved Jackass and Arcangelo.  Namaste.

Chilling After Our First Jumping

Here is a dark little photo taken on May 10, 2011 -- right after Renny and I jumped for the first time together.  You can see that I am sitting tall and filled with joy.  I have the best pony on earth -- and I know it.  And Renny is calm quiet assured.  He knows he's done a good good job.  Please let my pony be safe and loved.  

Honest and True Over Jumps

Here are some photos and video taken long ago -- on April 11, 2011, almost a year ago.  He looks so little and sweet.  And he's muddy...just like he likes!  Anyway, I am writing this entry on January 29, 2012 after a lesson with Jill Jewett of the University of Findlay.  And let me tell you, my decent hardworking honest true pony just jumped those jumps carefully and sweetly today.  He didn't clip them.  He took care with his feet and distances.  He was true true true.  He's my decent loving pony!

Pessoa and My Elegant Girl!

Violet Fighting the Gate in 2012!

Here are a photo and video of Violet with Emily, taken on January 3rd.  I'm writing this entry on January 29th after a really lovely morning with my girl.  I went to the barn and just studiously and quietly got her ready for some Pessoa lunging.  And she was so professional and quiet.  She didn't look at the gates and she listened to my voice commands to either walk, trot, canter, and upward or downward transition.  She was a gentle little superstar.  I really think she likes doing a good job at lunging and Pessoa.  And I really think it helps me take a good look at her and assess her softness.  This year I want to improve my riding, and really improve my trust and softness with this beautiful obliging thoroughbred mare!

Back to Basics with Violet

A New Year of Soft Supple Roundness!

Here are a photo and video of Violet and Emily, taken on January 3rd, during one of their soft sweet workouts.  I just love my obliging intelligent thoroughbred.  I'm writing this entry on January 29th and Vi and I have had a bumpy few weeks.  She's kind of had it with the boring indoor arena and I just can't stop being stiff and rough on her.  I know that I'm punishing her more than I ought for being stiff and peeking at the gates, so we are just not much having fun together.  But every once in awhile, when I go out just for a sweet quick quiet ride or to Pessoa or lunge her, I see the glimmer of my sweet quiet thoughtful intelligent social girl.  Like today.  I went out to the barn early before my riding lesson with Jill Jewett.  Violet was standing quietly in the cross ties, minding her own business, and she just was quiet and agreeable and sensible about her Pessoa workout and then her riding.  We rode just for a quick ten minutes on a loose loose rein, so she could trot and canter both directions and do a few turns on her haunches and forehand.  And she was wonderful.  And then I saw her later that morning and she was standing quietly with practically a smile on her calm face, as the farrier was working on her hooves.  I do love my sweet thoughtful girl.  Even if we are in our winter blue doldrums!

My Decent Pony

Soft Sweet Happy Renny!

Here are some January 6th photos and a video of Kelsey working with Renny over winter break.  He's such a decent good-hearted kind hard-working young pony. I just love him to pieces.  Anyway, I am writing this entry on Sunday, January 29th, after an eventful jumping lesson with Jill Jewett.  She had me working to just give him a light long loose rein and she made me hold the reins with a driving rein style, so that I would get the feel for being more soft on his mouth.  I am definitely taking that technique to some practice sessions with Violet.  He was being a decent kind-hearted boy about doing figure 8 diagonal work over ground poles and then cross rail jumps and moving between cones.  And Jill said that she thought maybe she saw something funny on his left.  So, I had a terrible panic attack.  I thought I'd broken him.  I slithered off him right away and ripped off his leg wraps and we trotted him off and Jill said that she knew he was okay.  She'd only seen him bulge out his ribs to the left as I turned him to the right and asked for a halt and that if anything, he just travels a little close in his rear and I should get brush boots for him.  

But in that panic attack, and I mean it was a big one, I suddenly realized that though it is so financially costly and not very smart, I am going to keep Renny.  I'm not going to try and sell him any time soon, if I am able to avoid it.  I pray that I am able to keep both my beautiful kind horses.  Namaste.

Sweet Little Weanling...

Here's my darling little boy, my tiny pony, my radiant little champion, confused because his mama was down the hall in a new stall.  He's in his first moments of weaning in this photo.  And he doesn't really think it's cool.  This photo was taken on a beautiful day on September 4, 2008!

My Winter Girl and Her Friends

Here's my beautiful Violet on a radiant sunlit day, enjoying her lunch with her friends in her puffy suburban housewife winter coat.  She just loves to be cozy and to have a Saturday lunch with her girlfriends.  She's a great little princess!!  I love her!

My Handsome Winter Boy

Here's my buddy having a well-deserved snack on a lovely Saturday morning in January!  He had just finished giving me a fun fun fun ride in a team dressage lesson and was resting up to give me a terrific dressage lesson with Janet the next day.  He's so sensible and kind -- and talented and athletic.  And I can tell that he loves his Grama!

My Buddy's Poor Little Nose

Here's a little winter photo of Renny's poor little nose, in the exact middle of his Malasab treatment for a persistent little fungus he caught while he was off at college.  Poor guy.  He's losing the white on his nose up past his kissing freckles. I'm heart broke.  But he's a good little boy and he's got lots of friends and a good doctor.  I know he'll soon have a nice happy fuzz of white across his muzzle soon!!!  What a dear little creature!

My Bored Winter Princess

Here's my girl on Saturday morning, after a brief little ride, having lunch with her best girlfriend, Blaze, the thoroughbred!  She's sick of winter and happy to make the gates a game!  She's determined to make me a good solid entertaining rider.  I do love her!

My Winter Dressage Pony!

Here's my cute little guy on a Saturday morning after a lovely snow storm.  He looks sweet and happy and kind.  And he's just given me one of the best Saturday morning riding lessons ever!  We had so much fun with a paired dressage exercise with Mary and Fezick.  Renny was all jolly and happy to  be doing a dressage routine with them and he was forward and light and responsive and determined to stay close to his friend.  The two chestnut superstars!  I felt like a queen!!!!

Lots of Beautiful Quiet Snow!

On Friday, January 20th, I was running errands and it started to snow -- a light persistent snow.  I drove to the stable and rode my darling Violet and then drove home in the heavy falling snow.  I was the only one on the roads going home and I stopped and got some Chinese food.  And Baker and Cheri texted me with a wonderful martini recipe named after my beautiful Velvet Tenderness.  And I slept so well, so deeply, but I dreamed long about shoveling!  But that's okay because here are the photos!  I got up super early to shovel out, so I could make it to lessons.  I shoveled while listening to an interview with Jacinto Vazquez, the jockey who rode Ruffian.  It was an amazing Friday night.  And when I got to the barn, Renny gave me a great Saturday morning ride!

My littlest Weanling!

Here is a little photo of my little guy so concerned and worried and questioning on the day he was weaned from his beautiful mama!  The photo is form September 4, 2008! He's looking at Grama and wondering why she could not understand that he wants his mama!  

Winter 2012!

I'm writing this entry on January 21st, the day after a beautiful lovely snowstorm of 3 inches.  And here's a January 8th photo of my darling boy on a snow day cutting up and hanging with his Grama! Namaste!

Jackass in Charge

Here are my two beautiful fussy boys.  I am so grateful that Jackass takes pride in caring for me and his family.  He's a bossy happy sweet boy!

I just Love Team Renegade!

My Good Will Pony!

Here are some photos and video of Renny and Kelsey taken January 6th, 2012.  My pony is the dearest bravest creature ever!  I just adore him.  I'm writing this entry on January 21st after a week of a wonderful rides.  I've wanted to feel like a teammate with a darling creature and each day I can feel that growing with him. When I was a child, I had that amazing feeling with Snowflakes Princess and I can feel that growing with him.  Renny and I just feel like we have the same body and intention.  I just love that feeling!!!  My whole body is his and his is mine and we are moving out and happy!!

My Devoted Pony!

A Thoughtful Jumping Lesson!

Here are photos and video of Renny and Kelsey taken on January 6, 2012.  This January has been amazing.  He has had his first lessons with Janet and Jill, the Head Dressage and Hunter Instructors of the English Equestrian Program at the University of Findlay, and he's been just wonderful!  I was so proud of him in his lesson with Jill last week.  He bounded sweetly over the jump and was happy to canter ground poles beforehand and after.  And today in our Saturday morning lesson, he was just a joyful blast to ride.  We had a dressage lesson and Renny and Fez were paired.  Ren enjoyed following his pal and doing upward and downward transitions, leg yields, stretchy trots, etc.  He did solid strong halts and waited patiently for the next instructions.  Stacey and I agreed that he's a great pony!!  Just love him and just riding Saturday mornings with him.  What made today even nicer was that we had about 3 inches of snowfall overnight, so I got up very early, shoveled with Zelia and listened to a radio show with Eclipse-Award winning jockeys, Frankie Lovato and Jacinto Vazquez.  Jacinto talked about his amazing career and about his memories of Ruffian.   Today was a gorgeaus sunlit snowy day and so very nice!

Changing My Attitude

Soft and Supple in 2012!

Here is a beautiful photo and video of Violet working with the talented Emily on January 3rd!  I'm writing this entry on January 21st, and my beautiful girl and I have had a rocky start to the year.  We have some truly amazing rides and days together and then some crappy ones.  I know she and I are both tired of the indoor arena and that we are trying newer more difficult tasks, but we've got to get braver about the gates.  I think what's happening is that she knows that she can get my goat by acting afraid of the gate (and thus get out of work), and also that she can tell that I am afraid of the gate, AND, worst of all, she gets punished at the gate routinely -- by my stiffening up, holding her tight, pulling at her mouth, etc.  She hates it.  I know that if I am going to have a good obedient mare who can work at hunter fences and dressage that I've got to learn how to be disciplined and firm with a good strong inside leg and not ride her face so hard.  And I've got to be firm about going by the gate without transmitting thoughts of fear to her or preemptively sending her messages of fear or freezing up on her.  I've got to be patient!  

Troubles with Violet

Violet Flatting so Softly with Her Friend

Here is a January 3rd photo and video of Emily working with my lovely beautiful thoroughbred girl.  I am writing this entry on Saturday, January 21st, and Violet and I have had a tough week together.  She's decided that she should scoot away swiftly from the back gate and that she wants to drop her shoulder and cut in and she has a terrible time of just traveling to the left past the gate.  We've ended up fighting with each other.  She made our jumping lesson miserable on Thursday, starting out beautifully, but ending by wanting to dash over the away-from-the gate jumps on the diagonals.  And then I rode her on Friday and we had big fights about the gates and suppling.  And today the same thing -- she was happy to be quiet and sweet until I walked her by the gate.  So, I am feeling pretty sad.  I feel like I might be taking a solid sane good mare and making her a nut who thinks she can misbehave routinely at the gate!  I need to resolve this problem in a positive fashion!

Happy New Years!

Beautiful Jumping with Help from a Talented Young Woman!

Here's a New Year's Day photo of Violet being starchy and stiff as she works on her attitude by the gate.  And then there's a little video of her jumping beautifully with her talented rider!  I love watching Emily help Violet get in touch with her Champion heart!

Alone Again!

Here is a September 4, 2008 photo of Hailee on the day Renny was weaned from her.  She took the separation well.  Some times I truly deep miss that beautiful jaw and her serene look.  I am grateful that she found Paula. I am posting this entry on Hailee's birthday -- she is 12 years old today.  Love you, my beautiful American cowpony.

My Handsome Beloved Jackass

Rock on.  Namaste.

Happy 4th Birthday, Darling Pony!

Here are January 6th, 2012 photos and video of Kelsey working with my darling three-year-old pony.  And today is his birthday!  My little guy is 4 years old!  I'm writing this entry on January 15th and his birthday is 4 months off -- it's hard to believe that he's only been jumping for 8 months!  Such a solid citizen!

Happy Birthday, Baby Pony!

My Soft Soft Girl!

You know it! Happy New Year!

Here's a New Year's Day photo of Violet with her friend, Emily.  I love this photo because she's moving loose, relaxed and curved along her entire body.  She looks like what she is -- a beautiful Hunter.  

My Buddy's Nose

Here's a photo of Renny on a snowy day in early January.  In the first photo, I want you to pay attention to his nose.  He got a little fungus and he keeps losing hair and it's crawling up his nose.  I live in terror of him either going completely bald, being itchy and in pain, or losing his kissing freckles.  So, we are now using Dr. Z's suggestions about using Malasab shampoo for 14 days.  As of this posting, we've gotten through 2 days.  And it's been dramatic and Renny has expressed his view that he thinks I'm rude, but I have to admit that even after only 2 days, I think he looks a little bit teensy itsy bit better.  And I have to admit that it looks as though there is the slightest lightest little coating of baby hairs trying to grow back. So, I am going to do my best.  This week, I see his family physician at an Equine Owners Appreciation Night.  I am going to ask whether he thinks that Renny needs a supplement or something to help him fight off fungi.  We'll see.