Take it Easy

The scary struggles and triumphs of an amateur...

An amateur doing it on their own is a whole lot scarier.....but here I am! I'm not really doing it all alone. I have some special people supporting me and helping me along the way. Anyhow, things have been going just wonderful for me and Maxwell lately.

I recently saw one of those Facebook meme type things....it was a photo of a horse and the quote said "Wining on a 'made' horse will never be as satisfying as winning on one you made yourself"..... that quote has been my mantra since the day Maxwell came home to me. I finally had my shot at a horse built for me that had a blank slate and was ready to learn a new career. I was going to make this horse. I am making this horse.

I don't have a big name trainer. Right now all I have is the support of some pretty amazing people, no practicing trainer at all. But for some reason, we're going better than ever before. Over the summer we had a trainer and we weren't going nearly as well as we are now. I'm so excited to see the horse I "make" of Maxwell.

One at a time we check things off his long list of annoyances, complaints, or things that just don't work for him. One at a time things just start to come together better and better. Widen the saddle, and suddenly my horse moves off of my leg strides better than previous. Remove the bit from the equation (at least temporarily) and I have a horse that works quietly, without tension and stress in his mouth and jaw. Better nutritional options leave him feeling more comfortable overall. Always always take an extra moment to really listen to your horse. They don't lie, they're actually quite clear when they have something to say. You just need to listen.
                             
 I'm really falling in love with my horse all over again. He's still a green bean. He still has green horse moments, but he's becoming such a wonderful, willing partner to me. This week we started back to 4-times-a-week rides. The early darkness gave him a well deserved Winter Vacation, where he only worked 2 times a week (if he was lucky!), but I was able to show up, throw tack on, and get a productive 35 minute ride in yesterday after work. Tomorrow we'll try again. It's only going to get lighter and lighter as we get closer to daylight savings time. I am so very excited to get this big geek back into shape. He's working more correctly than ever, so I'm interested to see what a big muscular animal I can build this summer.

And then there are horse shows. Maybe Max and I will make a debut in the ring at some point this year. I'll let him decide. Many OTTB's that have been retired from racing for a year are further ahead than he is in training, already showing and competing. I chose to take things extremely slow with Max. There's no deadline. There's no rush. He's a sensible, hard working animal, but he deserves to move slowly into his new career. He comes to me with 6 years of racing wear and tear. The least I can do is allow his body a break, and to slowly build it up for the type of work expected of him now. So please, don't feel "bad" for us because we haven't made it to a show yet. This is all apart of our master plan. Slow and steady wins us the race....obviously that mantra doesn't work for a race horse, but surly it can work for a retired racehorse. He is never asked to do more than he is capable of (even if he says otherwise). I want to spend my time perfecting my horse in the ring, on the trails, and in every situation I can think to put him in. I've ridden him in a downpour, in 100 degree heat, in 30mph winds, in the frigid Florida cold (hehehe) and many questionable 'spook' opportunities in between including slamming gates, screaming children, falling palm fronds, gunshots, motorbikes, etc. I'm creating a solid citizen. We'll walk into the ring for the green division, but nowhere in our performance will you actually see 'green'. This is my vision for this horse. To be completely prepared for anything he's ever asked to do. No surprises. Honesty is huge to me, so of course I am always honest with my horse, as well. I'm 100% dedicated to this beast!

Guts

Sorry about the lack of blog posts last week, and the first half of this week. I've been dealing with some medical things that have taken me away from this blog! But here I am! I have caught up and found some time to put some effort into an important post today. Gut health!

I was going to break into song, you know, that song by Stevie Wonder..."Cause I've got an upset stomach..." but it's about a broken heart, not due to gut issues, so I refrained, mostly for your sake!

Okay, so Maxwell has been on his Abprazole (omeprazole) stomach ulcer treatment for 6 days now. Obviously we're hardly a week into treatment, but I've decided to get a jump start on better supporting his stomach once the treatment is complete, to hopefully eliminate the risk of developing the ulcers once again. I realize some horses are just more susceptible, regardless of dietary support, but before I label my horse a lost cause on ulcers, I want to ensure I'm doing all I can to help his stomach out. His diet is already extremely compatible with an ulcer horse's needs, so we're good to go on that front.

Maxwell came to me on a great acid buffer called U-Gard. It is an extremely cost effective supplement to create a neutral PH in the horse's stomach, not to mention how highly rated and highly spoken of, it is. I haven't changed my views on this supplement; if you're looking for something that will buffer acid in the stomach, this is an amazing product. Increased magnesium and calcium are also beneficial. However, Maxwell recently underwent a diet overhaul and his diet is now extremely high in calcium. It's partly the calcium in this product (and in things like Alfalfa) that cause the buffering effect on the stomach, so because Maxwell is consuming 13 pounds of alfalfa per day, I needed to re-evaluate my stomach ulcer support medications and eliminate any extra calcium.

Before I go any further, I want to also mention the hind gut. I've posted about it before, and I'm sure I'll do it again after this post, but the hind gut is so very often overlooked. Those who have done their research on gastric ulcers realize that if their horse wasn't already suffering from colonic ulcers in addition to the gastric ulcers that they were most concerned about, almost certainly after treatment with omeprazole you can expect at the very least some colonic distress. Maxwell has been on SmartDigest Ultra pellets for several months now, following a 2 month course of Succeed paste. His hind gut has greatly improved from the time before Succeed until now, as has his weight. I'm a little nervous to see how his hind gut responds to 30 days of omeprazole followed by a wean-off period, but I'm confident that SmartDigest Ultra will support better than nothing at all.

The logical thing to do in my situation, needing a stomach support supplement that works well with my hind gut support supplement, would be to put Maxwell on (a great but expensive) product from Smartpak called SmartGI Ultra pellets which essentially combines Smartpak's stomach ulcer support supplement SmartGut Ultra with their hind gut support supplement SmartDigest Ultra. At a whopping $95 a month, I dived into trying to find a more cost effective alternative. I needed to find something that had a more supportive ingredients list than the U-Gard, at a cost effective price, that complimented the SmartDigest Ultra that is currently being fed. So research I did, and this is what I've come up with as something to try: G.U.T by Uckele

G.U.T has a lot of the supportive ingredients that we read about over and over again on various ulcer-based websites. It doesn't have them in the same quantity per dose as say, SmartGut Ultra, but it's also less than half the cost. I would consider upgrading to SmartGI Ultra to simplify my supplement feeding, IF and ONLY if a stronger concentration of these ingredients seems warranted, after a fair trial on the G.U.T.

I'm not here to explain the reasons why these ingredients are important to gut health, that's something I think every person interested benefits from researching on their own. Smartpak does offer a basic oversight of many popular ingredients in their offered supplements, found HERE, however I do still recommend further researching to better educate yourself before you make any decision on the supplement you are choosing.

I have taken the liberty of regenerating the comparison chart on Smartpak so that it can be posted here for my readers to see. Please note all nutritional facts listed here are courtesy of Smartpak.

This chart reflects the similarities and differences between my current choice for stomach support, and my NEW choice for stomach support. Remember, I have nothing against U-Gard being a very cost effective way to buffer acid, but in my horse's current dietary case, more calcium is NOT warranted, and I was looking for further support. Literally the only downside I can see as an outsider who hasn't yet tried this product, is that G.U.T is only offered in powder form from Smartpak. I have learned they do in fact make a pellet, at a higher cost, direct from Uckele. I'll consider that version only if Max decides this powder is no good.

As you can see, G.U.T offers a much more powerful punch in the fight against stomach ulceration, than does that of U-Gard. Remember, I don't necessarily want an antacid in my horse's everyday diet. The purpose of antacids and proton pump inhibitors are to decrease (or eliminate) the acid in a stomach. Acid is important for proper digestion in a health horse with a healthy gut. Once the treatment period with omeprazole is complete, I don't want to inhibit all acid production in Maxwell's stomach. The calcium and magnesium in U-Gard are what create the buffer in a horse's stomach, so in Maxwell's case, the large quantity of Calcium he consumes daily via Alfalfa would far surpass that of a supplement containing the same. I cannot yet comment on it's efficacy, as I've just added it to my SmartPak's and won't receive the first month's supply until February 15th, but I will be sure to report back both on how it's working, and how Abler's Abprazole has done for Maxwell's treatment.

My second chart is a just for funsies one. I placed G.U.T side by side with SmartDigest Ultra. While SmartDigest Ultra is marketed as a digestive and colon aid (hind gut), some people might get confused and assume they are supporting their horse's stomach as well. This isn't the case unless you're feeding that combo supplement I mentioned earlier on, or some other combination of supplements. I placed these supplements side by side to ensure I wasn't missing something or repeating ingredients and wasting money.

It's the little things in life that get me most excited. This happens to be one. Look at how beautifully these two products compliment one another. What one lacks, the other makes up for. All for $2.40 a day, or roughly $70 a month. That's a great savings compared to SmartGI Ultra, which is currently $95 a month. Again, I realize there are more potent quantities of some of these beneficial ingredients in that product, however not every horse requires such a large dose, and obviously not everyone can handle a $95 a month supplement. $70 is way more reasonable, and leaves me the $25 a month I need to support my horse's joints with a product not offered by Smartpak.

Of course, I've not put this supplement into use, but I wanted to share some of it's information and I hope if you're as curious as I, that you stop back here to see my thoughts on it in a month or two, once Omeprazole treatment is over, and these products alone are working on my horse's digestive system.

What are your thoughts? What do you use to support your horse's gastrointestinal system?

My quick Review of Equiflex Sleeves

Equiflex Sleeves

EquiflexSleeves.com

 At first glance, I thought these sleeves were something I just HAD to have. I spent a LONG time hemming and hawing over whether or not to spend the $45 on a pair. I had heard a couple of positive reviews of the product, a couple of people who were indifferent, and some who would call these glorified compression socks.

Around the holidays I won a free pair (Thanks Buckeye Nutrition!). Probably the only way I was ever going to put hands on these and use them, because I have a very hard time deciding what to spend money on and what not to. (have you picked up on  that yet??!) I got the size appropriate for Maxwell's hind legs, as his ankles are a bit larger in the back, and he tends to stock up back there more than up front. As you click through their site, they make a couple of really great points, things that really convince you that this product is a miracle for those who don't want to rely on anyone else to wrap their horse, or the inconvenience of unwrapping. I was really looking for these sleeves to give a bit of support to my horse's tired tendons, his slightly long pasterns, and his creaky ankles after a strenuous ride. A replacement for traditional standing wraps and no bows or quilts.

Applying the sleeves seemed like it would be a little bit tricky. You're supposed to apply the included plastic bag over the hoof, and pull the sleeve up over the hoof, and then slide it back down into place. In theory this sounds easy, and overall it was much easier to apply the sleeves than I thought it was going to be. My horse isn't a fan of plastic bags, but with a little bit of help the process was pretty straightforward and they were on in under 20 seconds.

Maxwell and his Auntie were twinsies 

They appeared to fit Maxwell's hind legs well and I placed him back in his stall. The next day it was time to remove the sleeves...

Removal was not the walk in the park that applying was. After a lot of fumbling around and loss of patience, I just pulled the suckers off without much regard. I got so fed up with them, that I balled them up and placed them in the envelop they were delivered in, where they happen to still remain. I can't comment on the durability, because well, I was rough on them and haven't looked at them since.

The results: I haven't the slightest clue what these actually did. His ankles were no smaller, and tendons no colder and tighter than when I do nothing for the legs after a ride. I was seriously disappointed with this product upon initial use. I can't comment on their effectiveness for stocking up, because Maxwell does not actively stock up after every ride. I suppose I'll keep them around for a while, to see if we get an episode of stocking up that I can test these out on, but overall, I'm SO thankful I received these as a prize and didn't waste $45 on them. I think compression therapy has it's place, but the claims of support for tired tendons after a ride leaves me baffled. I'm not sure they provided any relief, support, or anything of the matter to the tendons, fetlocks, or pasterns. I will give them a fair shot, when stocking up becomes an issue in Summer (heat, humidity, wet weather, staying stalled for a 24 hour period if it's really bad...etc tend to be when I see this problem), but in the mean time, I don't recommend these. I will come back and give an update, especially if they do some magic on a stocked up leg. I'm willing to dish these babies out to whomever has a horse Max's size that would like to try them and see if they make a difference for a severe case or chronic stocking up issue. It could be that these are more for treating symptoms rather than prevention, even though the website claims both. (go figure!)

Perhaps I should bring them home and unball them, wash them, and place them on the shelf for later.

It's confirmed that I do in fact think it better to invest in  2 pairs of Back on Track Quick wraps versus these things, that's for sure!

**also** please direct your attention to the right side of my blog! There should be an option to subscribe to my blog! You can either enter an email address and get an update any time I post a new post, or you can join bloglovin and follow me that way!! Alternately, you can follow me through Blogger's integrated system as well! Thanks!!!

Blogging for Apples

Personal Experience.

It comes second only to proven facts and studies in my list of things that matter the most when considering a new product or item.

I would rather read a first-hand account of a product from a real person, unpaid by any company, who ordered the product on their own free will, than spend an hour reading materials regarding the product on it's website.

This leads me to what I want to talk about today. I've pulled up 3 really interesting blogs, which I happen to follow, that contain reviews/overviews about products. It's my intention to break down what I like and dislike about each review, and to also give a little bit of insight into the products, if I have something to offer up on them. All three blog posts/reviews come from respectable places, and it's my intention to only build off of the work they've already done, or to give my thoughts on the work they have done.

>>Equine Nutrition: Actiflex 4000 Inside & Out<<


This blog in general is extremely helpful to people like myself, who obsess over horse nutrition and supplementation. Hannah does a remarkable job in ALL of her posts explaining the scientific facts in each part of a product she might be discussing. Her informational tables are WONDERFUL as well. I really recommend clicking around her blog. If she weren't busy in the Army right now, I'd be getting on her to update the blog, she has GREAT content!

This particular post convinced me to switch my horse to Actiflex 4000. At the time I had my gorgeous dappled buckskin pony Bella, and she was getting 10,000 mg MSM per day. Her work load was increasing, and I felt it necessary to up the support I offered her. One look at the presentation of ingredients and facts on this blog, and I was pretty much sold.

The blogger has a clean, streamlined approach to her blog. She almost always provides some sort of informational table to go along with her product review. This helps paint a better picture for those of us who are visual, with regards to the contents, amounts, and price. She takes all the hard work out of researching similar popular products. I am eternally grateful for the time she has spent making such tables. Her presentation of the ingredients and their purpose gets quite scientific, but for someone like me, who wants to know the why along with the what, it's a perfect balance. At the end of the post she goes on to give her first hand experience with her OTTB and this product. As if I weren't sold enough halfway through her post, the testimonial to the product is actually what convinced me to give it a try. I feel that personal accounts and opinions of things help me form a more balanced, realistic idea about each item I question. I applaud Hannah for the superb job she does presenting the facts and her own opinions.

I have successfully used this supplement for a year and a half, now on two different horses, with SUPERB results. LOVE this stuff.

>>Tofino Tack: Back on Track Royal Boots Review<<


I'm new to this blog, and I'm fairly certain that the blogger is somewhere in the UK. Thankfully, there are a handful of items which are also available in the United States that I am familiar with. The Back on Track Royal Boots have been a questionable item for me to try out for some time. (as have many other BOT products) I really like the details provided on this blog post regarding this item. The blogger does a wonderful job of providing the company's information about the product, and then quickly goes into their first impressions with the items. I was very happy to see that her review was NOT all rainbows and sunshine. She had valid cons to this product which helped me become a more informed reader, and actually backed me up a few steps in my thoughts to purchase. Her account of the durability of the internal structures of the boots was very honest, with photographic evidence of the durability or lack thereof. It's very important in making a decision on an item, particularly if you're like me, and like to remain as frugal as you can in this industry. She saved me a lot of money when I would have expected the boots to hold up as others typically do. Overall, she still loves them, and if you have the money to spend, recommends them because in her personal situation, the benefits and therapeutic qualities outweighed the lack of durability. Another nicely put together blog post, and overall a wonderful blog.

>>Savvy Horsewoman: 5 Best Selling Helmets Under $80<<


This blog is overwhelming, in a good way. Clearly the Savvy Horsewoman did something right, because her blog is jam packed full of content, advertisements, etc. This is probably what many bloggers strive to achieve. There is a lot of great information to be had here.

For this particular blog post, the blogger introduces the 5 best selling helmets under $80. The idea is grand. It's right in my niche of being frugal and functional. I actually owned one of the aforementioned helmets for my everyday schooler (The Tipperary Sportage in Matte Black). However I was disappointed. I LOVE the blog, please don't get me wrong, but this post is lacking so much. Where is the personal touch? I see a small blurb at the beginning about how helmets and budgets are important to the blogger, but no mention on anything relating to these helmets directly. Where is that personal touch that helps the reader make a decision? The blogger links off to amazon reviews and star ratings, but puts no personal effort into any of the items. I don't fault the writer, as you can tell, there is a LOT of content going on around the entire blog, but sometimes a reader is looking for a more intimate look at things. It's helpful to relate to your readers, wouldn't you all agree? I do have to put in a plug for the tipperary sportage, a GREAT economical schooling helmet that makes my head not look as big as my old IRH did!




I'm not here to criticize anyone's writing, but I am here to give praise where praise is due! Each one of these blogs provided information to us, the consumer, to do with what we will. Three very different ways to present useful information to us, the fellow consumer.

What do you look for in a blog review or even an opinion piece? What aspects draw you in, and what points help you make an informed decision about what the blogger is writing about?

Frugal Friday: One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do...

If you haven't caught onto my ridiculous pattern here lately, you're an idiot.

Let me try that again. If you haven't caught on to my ridiculous pattern here lately, you're still an appreciated reader of my blog, but my goodness, take a look back and try to figure it out.


(the pattern is naming posts after/mentioning music in each post)

It's a fun way for me to stay motivated. I ALWAYS have something playing in my brain, even when it's dead silent. When I think of what I want to talk about here, songs often pop into my head, and it's nice to have a song to jam out to while I write, that has some sort of substance pertaining to what I'm writing. Today is no exception, especially because it's the second installment of Frugal Friday!


One may be the loneliest number, but that is only to our benefit when we're talking about spending money. You know, that paper and coin that makes the world go round for most of us... Yeah. Spending $1 versus $5 is enough for many to break out in song, am I right? Today we're going to talk about the various horsey-related items you can pick up at the Dollar Tree. A long while back, I introduced you guys to some grooming products that could be purchased at the Dollar Tree (see HERE) and I intend to mention them again here, too, so sit tight if you can remember that far back and realize I've repeated an item or two.

Fake Flowers
I haven't yet gotten around to building flower boxes for our jumps at the farm, but it's always in the back of my head, that when the time comes, we'll go to the Dollar Tree to pick up fake flowers for them.

Storage Containers and Bins
These are a no-brainer. I use a variety of these for everything from bath buckets, tack trunk organizers, to feed room storage. There are no shortage of uses for these various containers as it pertains to horses (OR home!)

Over the Door Hooks
These are awesome. If you're looking for a cheap and easy way to add storage to your stall front, these are a great way to go without damaging the stall fronts or screwing anything in anywhere (great for shows, too!). They work for most stalls that have something to hook onto. I have one similar to this which houses my fly spray, spare lead rope and halter, and Maxwell's flymask. I have another similar idea to this, but instead of 4 hooks on the end, it's a basket. I'm going to be bringing that out to the farm to add to his stall front as well, so I can put things like a brush, hoof pick, and any other "close by essentials" I might want in it. It's important to note that I have not seen the basket version at the Dollar Tree, just this type, in both metal and plastic. But I wanted to throw that basket idea out there for anyone who has one laying around or has seen them elsewhere!  These are awesome.

 Lingerie Bags

These little babies are the bee's knees, and I've actually been on quite a hunt to find them lately. Like many of their hot ticket items, the Dollar Store runs out of these like hotcakes. Got to be quick. They're amazing for washing polo wraps and boots in the washer. Gone forever is the mess of untangling polos or pulling velcro boots apart. These little babies are worth every penny in that dollar.

Pharmaceuticals

There are MANY useful items found in the medications aisle of your local Dollar Tree. Ever hear of the magical Scratches cure? Triple Antibiotic Ointment, Athletes Foot Cream, and Diaper Rash Cream. All three can be bought here. It's important to pay attention to the amount you get, however. I've found that if you're just needing to mix up a small batch, or use some of these items sparingly, it's worth the cost. But if you find yourself needing to mix more than one batch up, larger tubes found at bigger stores like Walmart or Target will likely yield you a better price per oz. Other things you can find in this aisle that may be of use to you include: epsom salts, witch hazel, evergreen rubbing alcohol, blue muscle rub gel (cheap mild liniment rub in a pinch!), baby diapers (in a variety of sizes none the less!), antacids for a quick tummy buffer, gauze pads & rolls for would care, etc. I'm sure I'm forgetting something in these aisles. I spend a lot of time here, and can't even recall all the good purchases made here!

Hair Care
You name it, and they probably have some cheap version of it. I never ever ever buy "horse" specific conditioner. White Rain Hibiscus Coconut Moisture Conditioner is the bomb! Typically I do use a horse shampoo, but I'm known to break out the baby shampoo as well, especially for faces, manes and tails. It leaves everything SOFT, SHINY, and NOT crying from the burning suds, not to mention a bottle can be found at your Dollar Tree! Other helpful items include coconut hair product, olive oil detangler and sheen sprays, black (or clear) braiding size rubber bands, brushes easily used for manes and tails, and hair sprays/gels to tame fly-aways as needed. 

CleaningI'm going to lump a couple of aisles together in this section for the sake of the fact that they're scattered throughout the back corner of my local store. Car wash sponges (in the car aisle...) are GREAT bath sponges. I have actually never purchased a sponge marketed FOR horses. Only the car sponges. They're cheap, they last, and, well, they're cheap, enough said. Dawn dish soap! Well all know what magical blue stuff that really is. They usually have the concentrate and an average sized bottle. Obviously if you go through this stuff like crazy, a larger bottle from the big box stores is a better bet. Various cloths/rags always find their usefulness around the farm. Sponges and scrubby brushes, too! I've even seen oxyclean in the little tub. It's trial/sample size, only a couple 'loads' worth, however I don't believe a gray horse's tail or manure stains require an entire washer load's worth....but who knows. Vinegar can be found in the food aisles, usually. I don't purchase mine here, because I require a gallon, and they usually only have a liter bottle. Bleach! Don't forget bleach! Always needed! It usually goes quick at my local store because Walmart charges $2.78 for the same gallon. 

Bags, Containers, Etc

If you have a needy creature of a horse like mine, you've probably been in a situation where you basically need to craft a home made version of smartpaks. Dollar Tree carries many different sized tupperware containers as well as a great variety of disposable options. (please see the photo that accompanies this. I LOVE those containers) I also like to mention they carry a variety of sizes and styles of plastic baggies, good for anything from grain prep to soaking feet.

I feel like I'm barely skimming the surface here when it comes to useful items for horses at the Dollar Tree. What are your favorite finds at this, or any other local discount store for your barn or horses?

Good luck making 1 your lonely number at the register after spending an hour at the Dollar Tree with HORSES on the mind!!!

Thyme Sweetened Honey

There are stars in the Southern sky
Southward as you go
There is moonlight and moss in the trees
Down the Seven Bridges Road...

I'm an adult amateur. Am I perfectly capable of caring for, training, and showing my mount? Yes, probably, with a LOT of bumps. However, do I think I will ever move forward and progress to those actual shows all on my own? Nope. Even if I was a pro, I'd still answer no. I find it very important to often have eyes on the ground. Whether you want to call them your trainer, your friend, your confidence builder, or your jump crew, having someone on the ground while you ride is paramount in your quest for betterment. You can only see so much from atop your mount. Troubleshooting comes 50% from the cockpit (up there on your steed) and 50% from ground control. I'm extremely lucky to have a trusted friend to bounce ideas off of, or to get really solid, sound advice from in many facets of Maxwell's life.

Maxwell was ridden in a waterford last weekend. It allowed him to swallow and relax his mouth, something he'd been struggling with as the questions got harder during our rides. He had been going in a french link full cheek. There's nothing wrong with the bit, it's a great starter bit, but no bit is a one fits all. He had started to really grab it, chew it, and brace on it. It was time for a change. Summer put him in the waterford, and it was amazing how quiet his mouth was the entire ride. We didn't have foamy lipstick on his lips, drool, a tense jaw, none of that. It's rather astonishing what an equipment change can do for a horse. This past weekend, we took it a step in a totally different direction and completely removed the bit from the equation.

This past Saturday Summer showed up with an english hackamore. Some would have looked at her like she was insane. See, that's where the whole trust thing comes in. I had also successfully ridden Max in a halter and lead rope, so concern was far from my mind with him. He looks so put together in it. Very jumperish. And let me tell you, I would *almost* consider a career change to be able to legally show in this piece of equipment.

Equipment has it's place. For some, a hackamore might be a dangerously terrible idea. You have to take into consideration your horse's temperament and reactions to different stimuli. I knew he rode well in a halter, so we didn't really have a flight risk. However, for some horses, the pressure that a hackamore applies can be enough to send them over the edge pretty quickly. You've got to take it slow. It took almost our entire first ride in this thing to figure it out.

Now, I have loved you like a baby
Like some lonesome child
And I have loved you in a tame way
And I have loved you wild

This was the last time going down this gymnastic exercise. We asked for a LOT of firsts for Maxwell on Saturday. Last week we did a bounce. This week we added a 1 stride on the end of the bounce. It took the WHOLE ride for us to figure it out, this was his first time he had to actually pay attention to where his feet were at after each fence, and having to look ahead for the next question. This is quite alright, as you can tell, I'm far from a rushing person. Maxwell has been retired from racing for 11 months and we're JUST starting to get to more technical stuff. Slow and steady wins this type of race. First time doing a bounce to a one stride, and first day wearing a hackamore. I look like a bit of a hot mess, but it was a GREAT success this time through the line, when he got his distances and gave me a great effort. One of the many reasons I love this horse so much!! He comes first, I come second. As long as I have a supporting leg and forgiving hands, I don't care what I look like while my horse figures out all these 'firsts'. Mine will just be a refining of equitation once we get there.

Sometimes there’s a part of me
Has to turn from here and go
Running like a child from these warm stars
Down the Seven Bridges Road

Monday I had the luxury of a mostly full day off of work. I had my second ride with Maxwell in the hackamore, this time unassisted. AND we rode in the big 10 acre pasture, with a herd of cows laying in the sun watching us (Maxwell has a small issue with big cows, but took it all in stride). I can't even describe how amazing our ride was. I never realized just how heavy on his forehand he was, particularly at the canter. I didn't realize how much I was holding his weight. I had no idea he was leaning on the bit as much as he was. We had such a QUIET elevated canter. I actually did canter lines from one end of the field to the other, and felt like I was on a carousel. I just sat there and somehow we mystically floated back and forth. Away from the barn, to the barn, didn't matter the direction, he was so soft and quiet. He's never not quiet, but this ride was particularly special. He was having to carry himself instead of me doing it for him. Steering was amazing, as well. Prior to our saddle adjustments, I had a very leg sour horse. He would oblige, but not before he had a piece to say about it. After we adjusted the saddle it was a 100% improvement. No sour faces or attitudes any time leg was applied. Monday was another milestone with that, now calling it a 10000% improvement. Implementing a bit of neck reining, and the different sensations that a hackamore provides when asking for a directional change have applied power steering to my horse. He's so very responsive to my leg, that a simple look in the direction that we're about to travel in (ALWAYS LOOK AHEAD!) was just enough subtlety between my leg, body language, and pressure on the rein, to execute a beautiful turn. In the grand scheme of things, it sounds like a very small, unimportant thing, but having a responsive horse is actually rather important. The unresponsive, or sourpuss horse in my horse's case, makes for a frustrating ride, missed fences, and poor scores in the hack. If there's something my trusty helper has reminded me, it's that when I ask my horse to do something, he needs to do it NOW. No if's and's or but's about it. The responsiveness I got from him Monday proved that you  just need to be clear and direct in your requests. Overall I was blown away at how willing my horse has become, after two simple weeks of different thinking on the human end, and different questions/gear on the horse end. I can't wait to slowly introduce a bit back into his curriculum.

We all need to have fresh ideas to keep our green horses moving forward. It's so easy as an amateur without a true program, to get caught in the monotony of riding. I'm truly blessed to have the resources that I do, to make myself and Maxwell better partners. We're quickly coming up on his 1 year retirement anniversary, and soon after our 1 year of partnership/ownership together. He'll be ready to make his show ring debut much sooner than I anticipated a month ago, if all keeps going according to plan.

...There are stars in the Southern Sky
And if ever you decide you should go
There is a taste of thyme-sweetened honey
Down the Seven Bridges Road


A little homage to Glenn Frey. Eagles are one of the greats....Hotel California, Desperado, Take it Easy, Peaceful Easy Feeling....gah the list goes on and on...Another artist lost WAY TOO SOON. It'll be a blast by the time I get to where I'm goin', because all these amazing artists will already be there....I do realize Seven Bridges Road isn't an Eagles original, but they were the most popular cover, and it happens to be a cover they do that I like very very much. It's a beautiful, simple song that paints a familiar picture.

15 Important Items Every Horse Owner in Florida uses in January

Let me just preface this by saying it's been quite the interesting weekend here on the Gulf Coast of Florida for us horse owners....I can't believe how many days lately I have literally pulled medium weight blankets off horses to turn around and douse them in fly spray, and turn on their fans for the day. Seriously??? Don't even get me started about the tornadoes that tore through here Saturday night. IN THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY. 

Thanks El Nino.... without further ado, I present to you:

15 Important Items Every Horse Owner in Florida Uses in January

 as told by a cynical, cantankerous Floridian Horse Owner

1.  Fly spray
   
   
2. A stable sheet
   
   
3.  A waterproof no-fill turnout sheet
   
   
4.  Flymask
   
   (he just thinks it's hilarious, like, "LOL It's January, thanks for the fly mask!")
   
5.  A weather radio for the rogue winter tornado
   
   (yep, this is from Saturday...)
   
6.  Fly sheet for the sensitive
   
   
7.  Stall fans on full blast, by day
   
8.  A medium weight turnout blanket by night
   
   (or in my guy's case, he gets his stable sheet underneath his turnout)
   
9.  Bath items
   
   
10.  Sweat pants and sweat shirt to complete barn chores
    
    
11.  Shorts and a tank top to complete barn chores
    
    
12.  Gloves
    
    
13.  Sunglasses
    
    
14.  Sunscreen
    
    
15.  Air activated hand warmers
    

Don't forget your mud boots, your keratex hoof hardener, your rainmaker hoof oil, an arena drag and waterer (yeah, and in a week it'll be muddy out there again), and layers. Layers layers layers. We may not be frozen cold like up north, but going from 40 to 80 to 40 in the span of 5 hours can make for some uncomfortable days at the farm!