Friday

Friday Maxwell and I had another lesson. We had a great flat work portion, starting to get the hang of lateral work, but BOY is my horse stubborn! When he doesn't want to move a certain way, he will plant his feet firmly in the ground and no amount of encouragement will get him to change his mind. He's getting a little sassy now that he's being asked to do more. But overall, he obliges and is quite a good boy when he gets into it. We worked on having a more rhythmic trot and canter, and boy did that and the lateral work come in handy for the jump portion of the lesson. It was awesome to be able to piece together everything we worked on in the flat portion and execute it over fences. Slow, rhythmic trots and slow steady canters away, even implementing the lateral movement to better position us to jumps where we had a tight space to get through. Very informative and exciting lesson! 

I forgot how much I crave the direction I receive from lessons. I was so used to the same monotony over and over during solo rides, and now having a goal, a purpose, something to work towards each week, well, I thought I loved riding before, but since I'm back into a lesson routine, that love has grown tremendously, as has the bond with Maxwell. 

Here's a clip of Max & I during one of our rounds. We have a long way to go, but this is a great start for my boy. His first time doing a series of jumps instead of just an X here and there, and he was SO happy!

I've got a lovely bunch of Coconuts

Today I would like to introduce you to the arsenal that is my equine hair and coat care. If you're anything like me, you're a horse owner on a budget, so when you find some money saving ways to make your horse gleam, it's a happy day!


Bella was my inspiration when it came to mane tail and coat care. She always had a gorgeous tail, and always knew how to grow one mighty thick, hard to manage mane. This mare is quite the looker, so as you can see, my need to have products that WORK in my arsenal was imperative! A little bit of research, and a lot of scrounging around at the dollar tree landed me with three products in my cart, which are still in my groom box, a year later, and now used on Maxwell. They also have homes in other groom boxes at the farm, as I've passed on my positive luck to other boarders.

Everyone has seen the online posts about the wonders of coconut oil. It's great for skin, cooking, teeth...pretty much anything imaginable. I decided that perhaps it would be the answer to my prayers on maintaining this mare's long beautiful tail.

I started with this simple, organic coconut oil found at Wal-Mart (in the cooking aisle!) I simply applied enough oil to visibly see it on the mane and tail. Coconut oil has a melting point of 76 degrees, so depending on the day and the location, I was either applying an oil or a workable solid. The trick is to work it in your hands if dealing with a solid before applying to the hair. My favorite routine includes brushing out the mane and tail during a normal grooming session. I apply a generous (but not TOO much) amount of coconut oil to the mane and tail, tack up, and ride. Obviously, I wouldn't recommend applying coconut oil during times when you mind if your horse looks like a grease ball. Schooling sessions are best. I find that applying this prior to a ride gives the oil a good length of time to really soak into the follicles, deep into the hair shaft and surrounding skin. THE OIL WILL DRIP DURING YOUR RIDE. It's just a matter of fact, that because the oil melts at 76 degrees, that during a workout it would melt, and if you've applied a lot, it WILL drip. Once the ride is over, here in Florida we almost ALWAYS hose our horses down to remove sweat and cool out quicker. This is the reason why I apply before a ride. If you are not planning on hosing your horse or giving a bath after your ride, I don't advise using straight coconut oil, but keep reading because I have a solution to your problems below. At minimum I would rinse the oil, but it's probably better to go ahead and shampoo the mane and tail. Low and behold, a luscious soft mane and tail  appear once they have dried.

Now, that's a lot of work. A lot of messy work. Not something even the most dedicated groomers have time to fiddle with every day. For this, I go to to the collection of Dollar Tree products. 

Located in the ethnic hair care section of *most* dollar trees, you will find this magical stuff. Formulated with Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, and Mineral Oil, this product is my go to for daily treatment of unruly manes and tails, growth, or those needing a little extra moisture. I can't be certain of the exact melting point of this product, but I do know it doesn't melt as easily. However here in Florida where it feels like 100 on a good day, I have had the product liquefy in some instances. I don't apply this in as large of a quantity as pure coconut oil, but enough to get the majority of the hair should suffice. I use this as my leave in. It DOES leave a greasy residue, but I've found that if I apply it to a horse before turnout at night, by the next day I don't notice greasiness. Your mileage may vary, depending on the thickness and texture of your horse's mane and tail. I also use this product as a styling salve, to help the unruly pulled mane lay flat, or to tame fly-aways at the dock of the tail. Less is more, and once you get a feel of how the product works into the hair, you'll figure out what works best for you. I typically apply and follow with a brush or comb to make sure I've evenly distributed it to all hair.

The other two Dollar Tree items I love to use are also located in the ethnic hair care section. The Olive Oil Sheen and Olive Oil Detangler.  I am a Cowboy Magic Super Body Shine spray snob, but these are a great alternative for $1. They look exactly the same, so make sure you read before you grab. One detangles and one is a sheen. I use the detangler more often, and actually picked up the sheen on accident, but have used it in a pinch to shine up a coat when my other products ran out or I was low on money. Use as you would use any detangler. Spray, brush through, and look at the results. I noticed that it helped with Bella's frizzy mane ends (I CUT her mane--I know, I was terrible, But it was SO thick!)

Lastly, I would like to add a thought on my newest find for creating a gorgeous gleaming coat! It's super simple, widely available, and cheap. White Vinegar! I filled up a spray bottle with it (in addition to adding it to my flyspray) and spray a light misting over my horse's coat before I soft brush him. Adds shine every time and also helps keep skin yucks (fungus) and bugs at bay. Alternately, I also sponge it on as a final rinse during a bath. I have also diluted the vinegar 50/50 with water, but saw diminished results when spraying. As a sponge down during a bath, this is a good option, but I recommend spraying full strength as a shine spray. 

Please remember I am not a professional in any way, and I am simply just sharing some neat, inexpensive products that have done wonders on horses for me. Your results may vary, and some horses are more sensitive than others. If your horse is sensitive skinned by nature, please don't apply any of these products in copious amounts until you know how it may affect your horse. It sucks that I even have to mention this, but some people are the duller crayons in the crayola box.

iGIVE, do you?

I've been thinking of ways to make this blog more interesting. Nobody really wants to hear me ramble on about what me and Maxwell did during our latest rides. The only thing that I could come up with is to start adding some reviews of products that I have purchased and used, some hints, tricks and tips I have come across...things of that nature. We'll see how it goes, but I do have a couple of neat tricks and products up my sleeves. Most of the time I figure out whether or not I want something by looking up reviews not only from sites that I purchase from, but places like blogs, because you get a non-biased opinion of items. I sometimes believe that companies edit and or omit negative reviews of products on their websites. 

I made an amazon purchase on Sunday. Typically I go elsewhere for my online shopping, but I've found that the last three times I have purchased from Amazon, not only was shipping extremely fast, but the return policy was amazing as well. But the real kicker? There's a website called iGive which donates small portions of your purchase total to many organizations. There are hundreds and hundreds of providers, some horsey, some not, and many organizations. I chose Thoroughbred Retirement of Tampa Bay (TROT) to be the organization that I wanted my contributions to go to because though Maxwell was not a TROT horse, he lived with TROT horses during his short stay at Silver Race Farm, and it's the least we can do to give back to other OTTBs in need. The best part is that Amazon Smile already donates to TROT, and purchasing through Amazon on iGive gets TROT a double donation! Yippee! I'm not saying you have to use iGive for TROT, but if there is a cause you feel strongly for, take a look at iGive and see if your favorite organization is set up with them. If not, pass along the word! It's free money for organizations who need it the most! Anyhow, I made a purchase this past weekend, a new helmet (FINALLY!) and a new bit for Max. I'm not going to review the bit because a bit is a bit is a bit...everyone has their opinion about bits, and I ordered the one I did on the recommendation of my trainer.  Anyhow, I will probably come on here and gush (or vent!) about the helmet though. It's been TWELVE, count em' 12 years since I purchased a new helmet. To say I was due is an understatement. So look out for that. I think I will throw in reviews of other products that I've already ordered or been using along the way, as well. 

If anyone has any suggestions or questions about products, please, comment and let me know!

OH! AND!

I'm in the midst of trying to re-do the way in which I write things here. I feel like right now I'm using the blog as a log of what we did when we did it and how it made us feel. BOOOOOORING. I really do have a writing style, I swear. I'm just lazy, and it got away from me. I'm also trying to figure out how to link Blogger to Microsoft Word 2007 so that I can implement better punctuation, indentation, etc. The blog needs a fancier feel. I've given up on trying to spice up the layout...I used to be an HTML master but that's obsolete by today's standards, and also, I've lost a bunch of what I knew....blargh!

Oooh La La

This weekend Maxwell and I, along with Kristina and Legato, had another lesson. It's so refreshing after a LONG time without lessons, to have goals to achieve, and things to work on during our rides. Maxwell decided that learning lateral work was just too much for him, and he firmly planted his feet on the ground in protest. Courtney, our trainer, hopped on him and after a BUNCH of pushing, got him to give a little bit. He's starting to get test-y now that he's being asked to do more work. In addition to that, we had a heck of a time with the right lead canter during this lesson. However, a couple of small tight circles on the wrong lead was a great way to communicate to Max that he would be better off just picking up that right lead and feeling much more balanced. We worked on a few cross rails at the end, and discussed a bit change. He has a Full Cheek French Link Snaffle in the mail on it's way to us. Currently he's going in a Loose Ring French Link Snaffle, but we discussed that a Full cheek would probably be beneficial at this point in his training. Maxwell was so exhausted after his lesson in lateral work and right leads, that he literally drank an entire bucket of water in 3 minutes, and stood in front of his fan with his head hanging, quickly drifting off into nappy land before I even left the farm.

Sunday he got the day off, and I set out to bathe three horses (him included). I got him all dolled up for the week (to quickly be destroyed by mud, I'm sure. I haven't seen him since his bath yesterday and won't until tomorrow) and took a picture to show his body changes. He is really starting to get some muscle, topline, and is filling out rather nicely!

of course he couldn't manage to NOT make funny faces with his lips...per usual :-D

I'm extremely excited for this delightful gelding. He is everything to me, and when we make progress it's like winning the lottery, whether it's progress under saddle, with his feet, his weight, his muscle, or anything else. I have never gotten so many nice compliments on a horse before. I had many "she's so beautiful"'s about Bella, but I have loads and loads of people complimenting me on how he looks when he is under saddle, how he looks in general, and how it looks as though he's going to make one special creature (he already is, folks!)

I have been keeping an exercise log of Maxwell's activities since starting Cavalor WholeGain, and I will probably post it here soon. Right now it's in an excel spreadsheet and I just don't feel like dealing with getting it onto here today....

Whew

Well, It's probably obvious that because Maxwell is receiving a concentrated formula of calories and fat, that he would have more energy. That added with the fact that his belly is feeling much much better, and I have a fresh horse! The OTTB I expected to have, despite our initial meeting. He's not out of control, or crazy, or anything of that sort. He just moves so much more freely forward than ever before. It's really a GOOD thing, not a bad. To have that impulsion from behind helps us move more in harmony than we did the first few weeks I had him.

Two things.

Two things I've been really been working on since our lesson last Saturday are lateral movements and the right lead. Lateral movements have become non-existent for the most part, not that we ever had a perfect one to begin with since this is all foreign language to Maxwell. Max wants to make every attempt into a turn on the haunches, which he also 'learned' during our lesson. I can't wait for our next lesson this weekend. I also have a giraffe during the attempted lateral work. Head straight up, I mean nose pointed to the sun. Maxwell does not want to comply. He doesn't have an opinion about a lot, but that's one thing he does. If I had to guess? He doesn't understand. Of course when all else fails you stick your head up in the air and do a turn on the haunches like a prissy little ballerina... bahaha. I think it's more rider error than his fault. As I said, he doesn't know any better, and mommy (me) is a little rusty. Okay, a lot rusty.
The lead was an easy success the first ride after our lesson. I think because I was fresh, remembered word for word what my trainer had told me to perfectly execute that lead. The second day? Fail. try again. Fail. try again. Fail. Finally I called out to my riding friend, who rides in lessons with me, what the H-E-double hockey sticks I was doing differently to not achieve the lead?! My hands were apart, my reins had a good contact, my butt sitting deep. "SHOULDERS!" She shouted. And the reason she remembered/knew right away that this was my issue? Because I had spent the first half of our ride calling out her forward left shoulder while she rode as her fast paced horse rolled on and on at mach speed. Sure as $h!t I went back to a walk, took a deep deep breath, sat really deep, really let my weight into my heels, hands apart, exaggerated the shoulders back, committed to the cue, and blamo, right lead!.

In conclusion I have learned that Maxwell is willing to tattle on me about my position, and Maxwell, I appreciate it! :-P

Until nexxt time....

:-)

Maxwell and I had our first lesson together Saturday. It was great! I learned a lot, and know of some trouble spots that I can now work on. We got our right lead fairly easily thanks to the trainer's help. It was a great feeling to have that "aha" moment more than once during the lesson! I know I got my money's worth when I woke up with sore abs the next morning. Finally, someone holding me up to the standard of actually using myself to ride! It's been too many years of focusing on the horse and not myself that I've forgotten how much focusing on yourself can HELP your horse. Maxwell held out for an hour lesson! Lateral work was a nice way to begin. Max didn't get it at first, and I kept getting a bit confused, but by the end of the flatwork session we were making some progress! Popped over some cavaletti and a couple of X's. We were both beyond pooped. I wasn't as happy with the jump portion of our lesson, probably because both of us were so tired. Middle of the afternoon when it's 95 degrees....we're out of shape! Time to change that! It looks like we'll have another lesson this week. As for today, I'm so excited to hop on my horse and ride for the first time since the lesson! Yippee!

And now...Maxwell being a dork with his buddy Commander

Let the Diet Challenge Commence!

Baby Maxwell has been doing fairly good with his weight as of late. However, he has been haunted by continual GI issues since day 1, when I started to switch him from the food he came on, to the food I was feeding my previous horse and had seen good results with. Seminole's Wellness line of feed is a great product, and I have a lot of confidence in their products. However, Maxwell was eating upwards of 18 pounds of their Wellness Perform Safe (controlled starch) concentrate each day. He already had a sensitive hindgut, and this just tore his insides apart. I cut him back a bit, added alfalfa pellets, and divided his meals into 3 servings in hopes of him better absorbing the large amount of food he was consuming each day. His loose manure persisted, and I was at my wits end. Showing all the classic signs of an upset belly, I couldn't stand by and do nothing any longer, even if he didn't look like a complete skeleton.

I had a very informative and friendly conversation with the wonderful lady who got Maxwell off the track, Summer (along with many other OTTBS, if you're looking, I know who you should go see!). We talked about the price differences in food choices, what worked for him while he was in her care, and more about his overall GI health. The next day I got a call back after she had contacted the Cavalor rep for our area. She fully endorses Cavalor feeds and products, and many of her OTTBs currently eat their products. However, the reason that I trust Summer's thoughts on the feed routine, are simply because she does what works for the horse, and sometimes that may not involve a Cavalor feed. Maxwell was on a mix of Cavalor FiberForce and another brand's senior feed when I obtained him. Upon finding out the price of the FiberForce (initial sticker-shock IS a B), I made the decision to switch him over to the food I had confidence in. Obviously, two months later, I realize that it's not doing any good for his tummy.

Cavalor has selected 4 people in the US to trial a new product they have come out with. Essentially over the last week I was to transition Maxwell back onto Cavalor FiberForce, and when the trial supplement arrived, begin  adding that to his ration. The new weight building supplement is called WholeGain.

Cavalor WholeGain is marketed as a Cool Energy weight gainer & ration balancer. Because the product is so new (It JUST arrived in the US THIS WEEK from Belgium) there isn't a heck of a lot of information out about it. The following are two links describing the product. I assume more information as far as ingredients and more in dept feeding instructions will soon follow.
Information about WholeGain
More in Depth Breakdown of WholeGain

This stuff smells amazing. It's sweet, but not too sweet. It's refreshing, and it actually tastes good! (Yep, I tried it). 

FiberForce is another Cavalor product. It was designed for horses with dietary restrictions such as those who struggle with Ulcers, GI upset, insulin resistance, laminitis, cushings, etc. Maxwell was originally put on this formula by his previous owner to hopefully help his hindgut heal. As we know, it's a cold day in hell when you come across a fresh OTTB that doesn't suffer from some sort of GI or Ulcer issue at least in the beginning. As I said, I made the decision to transition him off the FiberForce (and senior) and onto the other food I had fed. Here I am, two months later, and Maxwell just finished his week long transition back onto the FiberForce.

FiberForce is a high fiber, low starch food which is forage based. High fiber, low sugar, low starch. Three things I like to see in a food designed for the equine's gut health. Here is a nice blurb from Cavalor about FiberForce, I figure it's better to just link it rather than try to put it into my own words. The second link goes into more depth, and if you click through the links at the bottom of the page, it gives in depth details on the guaranteed analysis and ingredients.
FiberForce Overview
Extended Information about FiberForce

Here is a stock photo of Cavalor FiberForce. The aroma is absolutely spectacular. Smells of the freshest alfalfa you will ever find.

Now for the fun stuff! This is Maxwell's new feeding regiment as suggested by the Cavalor Rep who offered this trial to me. She suggested slowly working him up to his maximum of 1/2 pound WholeGain per day, so the numbers below reflect what he will be receiving. Right now as he is acclimated to this product, he's receiving half of what is listed below for the WholeGain.

AM:

1 1/2 scoops (roughly 4.5 quarts) FiberForce

1 cup (1/4 pound) WholeGain

3 quarts Alfalfa Pellets

2oz Actiflex 4000

1oz U Gard Pellets

PM:

1 1/2 scoops (roughly 4.5 quarts) FiberForce

1 cup (1/4 pound) WholeGain

(alfalfa pellets in PM as needed)

Timothy/Alfalfa/Orchard mix hay in unlimited quantities fed in a slow feed hay net (to reduce mess and waste)

12 hours on grass overnight

I'm very optimistic with this new feed regiment, and I hope to see great results during the trial so that I can hopefully continue this feed mix. Max's manure is proof that in just over a week of transitioning him to FiberForce alone, his GI tract has calmed down considerably. The goal of this feed regiment is to eventually be able to reduce the amount of FiberForce down to more around the range of 1 scoop twice a day (maybe even less when desired weight results are achieved) and the removal of Alfalfa Pellets from the diet.

The number one thing that turned me off Cavalor before I knew anything about it was price. The number two thing that turned me off Cavalor before I knew anything about it was NSC content.

Let me begin with the number two reason.

NSC's are an important thing in the horse world, and the craze is just starting to take over. There are many horses who need a restrictive diet low in NSC's due to metabolic issues, hoof issues, GI issues, etc. Contrary to popular belief, Cavalor DOES offer low NSC options, FiberForce being one of them. I do not believe WholeGain is low NSC, but fed as a weight supplement, there's no alarm in feeding a maximum of 1/2 pound of this supplement. It's also notable to add that the process in which Cavalor uses to produce their feeds, is done so in a way that allows the horse to better absorb nutrients, and to reduce risk of levels spiking. I'm not a scientist so I'm not about to try to explain that science, but it's definitely worth a read/watch (I THINK they have videos). Sugars and Starches are very important to me with Max as we combat post-track hoof issues which are slowly resolving. I would never intentionally put him on a food that would inhibit that safety, both for his feet AND his stomach.

Now onto the number one thing that turned me off in the beginning.

Price is probably one of the most important things many people take into consideration when making food choices for their animal (horse or otherwise). I know it's top of my list, because I'm responsible for providing my horse with whatever food choices I've made for him. It has to fit into the budget for me to be able to own a horse. Let me start by taking a step back into the recent past:
Bella was my gorgeous dappled buckskin pony. Bella was doing okay on her concentrate feed when I got her. The food was Manna Pro Safe Performance (a controlled starch formula. essential for ponies). Over the winter she had a notable weight loss. Obviously being in Florida you don't associate weight loss with winter, but grass does stop growing here too, and calories are restricted. It was around that time that the barn owner switched the boarded horses over to Seminole's line of feeds. I decided to make the switch as well, because Manna Pro had raised their prices and a few dollar increase for a much higher quality feed was worth the investment. This is how I came to know and love Seminole Wellness Perform Safe. With Maxwell, he was eating approximately 18 pounds of the Wellness by the time he was transitioned over, and though he wasn't losing weight, he was barely gaining. This was merely sustaining him to do work and live. If you do the math, and boy I did the math, Maxwell was eating around 9 50lb bags of this food a month. 9. That's a LOT of food. And Seminole isn't cheap either at $21 a bag! So I was spending around $190 a month not including alfalfa pellets and hay just to sustain my horse. During the course of conversation about nutrition with Summer (OTTB queen, Max's previous owner) we realized that honestly, he'd be eating less money if he was on the more expensive food. FiberForce bags are 33 pounds. Maxwell will be eating approximately 5 bags of FiberForce a month, at $34 a bag. This equals $170. That's a $20 savings, and a heck of a lot less concentrate sitting in his belly making it upset. I was told that WholeGain will be priced somewhere between $50 and $60 for a 44lb bag. Please keep in mind, that fed in the manner in which I plan to feed it, that's 88 days worth, so essentially that's around what? $20ish dollars a month when you break it down as such. So basically, I'm spending nearly the exact same amount on food (not including hay or alfalfa pellets) for a far more superb food which works far better for my horse's gastrointestinal needs. Not to mention, that as he rounds out in weight, a reduction in both the WholeGain and FiberForce will save me money in the long run. I'll let those figures speak for themselves. I suck at math, but I'm pretty sure my math is correct here ;-)


All in all, I'm very excited to try this out. Please follow along as I update on where we are with both training and nutrition. I'm hoping to show off a fat Thoroughbred by the end of the trial!

PS: Maxwell & I have our first lesson together Saturday morning! WEEE!

A historic weekend

What a weekend, right?!

American Pharoah wins the Belmont making him the first triple crown winner in 37 years. That's history. I saw it. In my living room. Home alone with the dogs. Sobbing uncontrollably from the moment I realized he had it. AGH! I will never delete that DVR recording.

With the hustle and bustle of a triple crown winner, it often brings horse owners, and Thoroughbred owners in particular that much closer to their own horses. I am blessed to finally be the owner of an OTTB. I finally get it. All those years riding them, I just thought they were strong minded well trained horses. They are SO much more than that. They aim to please every time you're near them. Looking for the right answer to your questions. Whether it's jumping over a cross rail, or making a funny face that allows you to smile and giggle and give them a pat. They are always aiming to please us. They are worker bees, begging for a job, a purpose.

I had two amazing rides on Max this weekend. The first one was a very very nice flat work session in the front paddock. It's a smaller area, so it makes us both work harder, and also helped to aid me in getting him bending around his turns and being a more flexible horse. We did a little more work with contact. Since having his teeth done, he has been much happier with the bit in his mouth. More chewing, and several instances of softening. Still a long way to go, but we're both getting into a groove and starting to think about traveling in a more correct way.

I sometimes still notice that he takes some very long, stretchy steps, followed by one or two short ones. Me and the vet both agree this is not a lameness or soreness issue, but rather the mechanics of his feet right now. His last appointment with the farrier was an eye opener as far as a good education on what we have vs what we want and how to get it. He has been standing much more under himself since the second trim. This should continue to correct slowly, and he should be able to move more and more underneath himself as the shape and structure of his feet change. I attribute his positive hoof health to lots of keratex and sole freeze as needed. The first few days after his trims he is very sore. I applied sole freeze twice, and he came sound the following day. I've applied it one or two more times as it also acts as a sole hardener. His feet have chipped up a little bit, but overall are looking better.

Day two we did a small jump school. We started out with a long walking warm up in the field next to the farm, where the footing is a bit deeper, which really warms up the muscles well while walking around. Then we popped over to the front jump ring and had a quick flat warm up and a handful of jumps. We didn't school hard, or do anything tricky. We worked on staying straight before during and after our jumps. Max gave me a really nice straight line halt after his second X of the morning. The jumping wasn't anything extravagant, but it was a great learning ride, we stayed straight, and learned that lesson well. All while thinking more about leads coming off the fence (got that right one!) and really setting up for our turns. I can't wait to get some lessons with Max, mostly to work on me so that I can better work on him. I found myself getting stuck when we had a pole in front of the jump, which should have helped him think about a good take off, but instead threw us both off our game. The jumps got easier when I removed the pole and let him figure it out on his own without the marker. We called it quits fairly quickly after a few jumps as by 8am it was in the upper 80's and we were both soaked in sweat (ick!)

Here are some videos from the weekend. Don't be too harsh on us! This is all good progress regardless of the few bobbles and sillies on MY part!

Also!! Max will be starting his new weight gain trial this week!!! Stay tuned for updates on that as well as a more intense log of Max's workouts during the trial!

Me and Maxwell working the trot on the flat on our weak side



Goofy Jump, but a nice halt afterward

Another goofy jump, but we got that right lead and uncomfortably held it for half a lap! Need to work on strength!

Cantering into the X. We clipped it on the backside, but honestly, he made such a nice effort I was happy and we ended with this. It was HOT (see his sweat? FIVE jumps and a wet mess) and we were tired!

Reflections

Yesterday marked 2 months of ownership with Maxwell. It's amazing what progress comes in two short months! 

Yesterday Max had his first ride in a week and it went very well! He was much happier with the bit, and enjoyed the 'seek contact' game we played for a little bit. However, he was NOT a fan of trying to learn leg yields. He grasps the basics of bending around my leg (though he doesn't like it much) but the leg yields really pissed him off. He kept stomping and swishing his tale and walking into the fence. Obviously he just didn't understand and got a bit frustrated. Finally we got a few steps each direction and ended with that. 

We're still struggling to get the right lead. I've decided that it has to be something I'm doing wrong. He will pick it up in the round pen, he will pick it up playing around outside, and he even occasionally pics it up over a jump. But I can't cue him to pick it up, or convince him to switch to it. Hoping to start lessoning the end of this month to get that issue laid to rest so that we can have a real even workout in both directions. 

Anyways, the reason I named this post Reflections is in part because I reflected on how our ride went, but really, it was because of the question and comment I seem to be getting almost every time someone is out at the farm and sees Max.

What do you do to make him so shiny? 

Well, Max gets a weekly bath. 

Bash me all you want, but during the summer, my horses always get a weekly bath. They get a daily shower (or every time they're ridden) and weekly they get to add bubbles. A horse with dry or sensitive skin may not be washed as often, but I've had no problems and it has worked well for me, so I continue to do so unless Max tells me otherwise. Also, he's a work in progress with "touch" and this includes water, so it's a great experience for him to have every week.

I alternate between Cowboy Magic Shampoo & Conditioner (mostly because I still have some left) and TRESemme Naturals Shampoo (with whatever conditioner I happen to grab).

The icing on the cake, though, is what I do after that. During the final rinse, I sponge on White Vinegar. Once he has dried I go around him with a spray of white vinegar and brush it in. Keeps the bugs down (momentarily) and produces a LONG lasting sheen to his coat. 

It's that simple.

And of course, a well balanced diet always plays a key role in coat and skin condition with your horse.

Don't mind my big geeky smile...This is Me & Max with my boyfriend Mitch and my nephew Lucas. Notice the shine!

Body Work

Maxwell had the second part of his bodywork session last night. He was MUCH MUCH happier this time round and had a LOT of adjustments made. We were SO impressed with his manners. Every time Michelle would finish with what she was doing, or start something new on him, he would make the silliest faces to show the pleasure he got out of the session. He even had some acupuncture done! He was a complete dope by the end, as the commonly are, and was clearly feeling good!

this shows some of the areas of interest on Max, and where most of his work was centered.



He got a bath right after, because he is always SO gross! He is once again painted up with Nu-Stock, as he is quite the rowdy boy in the paddock, and WILL find sharp things to run his side up against. It looks like he has three nail cuts on his side. YUCK!

Today we go back to riding, after us both having a week off. I'm excited to get on him, as it's always a pleasure to ride this guy!


If you are interested in bodywork/chiropractic/natropathic work for your horse and you are in Florida, please visit Michelle's website: http://www.sssfarm.net/services.html

A Healthy Horse is a Happy Horse

Maxwell has had a vacation the past week. I had family in town, and while we made it out to see him once, he didn't do much more than get a brush down and some stuff painted on his feet.

Yesterday Max had the vet and the dentist down. He had a full medical workup done, and the vet was extremely impressed with the quality of horse I have, considering he raced as a 7 year old this year. Clean tight legs, minor arthritic type changes in a hind ankle which have fused and should cause NO concern. He had two teeth (fragment of baby tooth, and 'phantom wolf tooth') removed. Sheath cleaned, blood drawn, etc. I've got a healthy boy who weighs in at 1,065 pounds.

Max is transitioning back to Cavalor's Fiber Force. We are going to be doing a trial on a new weight building supplement that the company has come out with. I am excited to see what positive changes are made in his body over the next 30 days.

Today Max gets the second half of his body work session. He came off the track with an understandably very sore back. It has progressively gotten better, but he still shows discomfort so hopefully some work will make that feel better. Tomorrow he goes back to being ridden.

His feet were done last Thursday. It looks like we have more work to be done, but after two applications of Sole Freeze and one keratex application, his feet appear hard and dry (which is a good thing--believe me. they were far too soft/moist). I am hoping to get some photos this afternoon if the weather cooperates, showing improvement in the feet.

That's all for now. More information on his food as it comes available and we start that journey.