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