Wizard Rides 495, 496, 497, & 498: Dream All Day

The Pentosan is not only helping Wizard under saddle, but also with standing for the farrier. The farrier said he felt a big difference in his flexibility while he worked on his hind shoes.

Recently, I started a weight loss challenge with some colleagues, which I’m guessing that Wizard appreciates for two reasons: 1) his rider is getting smaller 2) his rider is riding less because she spends so much time exercising. Each day, I try to walk or jog on hilly trails or on a paved loop. I daydream about riding, but I know it’s a good thing for me to do other kinds of exercise in addition to riding. It’s going well so far- let’s see how I feel at the end of the eight weeks.

Wednesday, 6/5/13

Kris and I rode in the arena at dusk. Wizard and I worked on leg yields and shoulder in, and ended with a few passes over the trot poles to a cross rail. He was so settled that he actually trotted over the whole thing and did not feel the need to canter after the jump.

Saturday, 6/8/13

Wizard and I did 4.5 miles on the trails at a walk and a trot. He was a little “looky,” but remained responsive to the aids.

Wednesday, 6/12/13

Wizard and I rode in the arena. Since we had some time off and he’d get a few days off after the ride, I decided to work on something I knew would be challenging for him: canter transitions. After we were warmed up, we did trot-canter-trot transitions. Instead of our usual one or two, I asked for several in each direction, and then asked him to trot before he got a head of steam from cantering. To the right, he started clumsily but got better. To the left, he got a little fried and started skittering to the side and did a few nervous leaps. We were able to end on a good note. I need to keep working on them until they feel like nothing at all.

Thursday to Saturday… RAIN, RAIN, RAIN.

Saturday, 6/15/13

Wizard and I did 5.32 miles in the park. We looped around the big “bowling pin” field twice to get more time on good, dry footing, and did some work at the trot. I also introduced a little canter work to our trail routine. It was a little wild, but nothing too bad- mostly small but excited leaping. While we were walking along the bottom of the hill, I saw a rider and her horse (who looked like a Thoroughbred) canter up the ridge. She let out a happy, “Woo-Hoo!” as they cantered along. I don’t think she saw us, but it was a really fun moment to witness. I couldn’t tell if she or her horse was having more fun.

Wizard Ride 486: This Will Be Our Year

Monday, 5/20/13

I don’t know if it’s the magical saddle, the magical new bridle, the spring grass, the riding lessons, the Pentosan injections, or a combination of everything, but Wizard and I had one of our best rides ever, and certainly the best ride of the year. We rode a loop around the park at sunset, walking and trotting for about 4.1 miles. I’d guess that we trotted between 1/3 and 1/2 of the ride, including the HORSE PARK! Yes, Wizard felt comfortable enough on the cross country field to trot in a sensible fashion in the footsteps of my eventing idols. In the past, Wizard could only muster a tense walk or a nervous bounce, but he was loose and willing and relaxed and snorting happily through a good portion of the field.

A really nice thing that I inadvertently taught him is to walk when he feels unsure about something. If we rounded a corner at a trot and something looked out of place or like something that required a second look, he did not scoot or rush, but instead slowed to a walk. That is a great way to handle things in my book! And his downward transitions feel really nice, as if he’s taking a page from our riding lesson books and applying it to our trail work.

Around curves, I was able to ask for a little bend. Wizard felt surefooted and relaxed throughout the entire ride- no stumbling or hinting that he would like to go home. It felt like he would have ridden another 10 miles if I let him. The weather sharply changed from the cool mist on Sunday, and the air was pretty warm and humid. I saw indigo buntings, rabbits, and deer. The air is heavy with that summertime scent- I’m not sure if it’s honeysuckle, but it’s the smell of summer for sure. And I saw my first firefly of the year.

We trotted up the red sandy path, and when we reached the final stretch toward home, Wizard relaxed into a swingy, rhythmic walk and strolled all the way home.

His weight looks just about perfect. He’s gets 4lbs of feed twice a day. He’s eating a mix of Pennfield Energized Senior (for flavor), Purina Ultium (for calories), and Triple Crown Senior (for fat). The spring grass in his pasture is doing the rest of the wonderful work. This weekend, I “banged” his tail, taking about 4 inches off the bottom, both cleaning up the sunbleached ends and shortening the tail a little for tick protection. It looks very sharp, and he looks a bit like a proper show horse. Now we just have to act the part :^)

Wizard Ride 470: The Silver Lake

Tuesday, 4/23/13

On Monday, I took Wizard for a hand walk in the north end of the Assunpink. It was swampy and damp, despite the recent dry spell. I was glad to get Wizard out of his comfort zone in preparation for further adventures this summer, but I think we’ll have to wait until a dry spell in the summer to ride in that end of the park.

On Tuesday, I met up with Rachel and Lily for a ride in our regular part of the park. We were out for an hour. Wizard was great when we rode solo out to meet Rachel, and was mostly great on the ride. He got a little grabby on the bit from time to time and kicked about 3 times, but maintained a good walk for the whole ride. We rode up over the edge of the bowling pin field, and down the red clay trail to the lake, where Wizard pawed and splashed and played. Rachel and Lily were good sports about the splashing, fortunately!

We rode around the edge of the large side field, and parted company by the Horse Park. Wizard got a little anxious when we started heading home down the road, but I worked a little on our dressage contact and worked on bending my elbows. On the last leg of the walk home, we got a nice, swingy, connected walk going. We were home before dark, and I gave Wizard his snack and put him to bed.

Wizard Rides 463, 464, 465, & 466: Through the Deep, Dark Wood

Saturday, 4/13/13

Wizard and I met up with Rachel and Lily for a trail ride. There were field trials in the main part of the park where we usually ride, so I thought it would be fun to ride the trails we have not ridden since last fall (famous last words, eh?). We were out for over an hour and a half. While we were in Wizard’s comfort “bubble” of trails we’ve been walking all winter, he was great. When we left the “bubble” and crested the wooded ridge and rode around to the other side of Stone Tavern Lake, Wizard got very antsy, chompy, and prancy. It did not help that we had to backtrack when we lost our course. For some reason, Wizard gets very anxious when we have to turn around and walk home on the same path like that. He’s much better when we take a different route home than the one we take out. I breathed deeply, sat straight, and tried to be as giving as possible with my hands while Wizard jigged and bounced home. We had about four really tense moments when I was not sure if he was going to really take off or not. Fortunately, my sweet talking and Lily’s calm nature kept him at a walk and a jig for the whole ride back. Near the barn, Rachel and I parted company and Wizard and I walked home solo for the rest of the way. I debated dismounting and hand walking, but decided to use it as a training exercise. It worked out, and we arrived back at the barn sweaty, but in one piece. Lesson learned: too many new trails in one ride lead to an anxious Wizard.

Sunday, 4/14/13

I tried the LG Bridle (thanks to Equine Ink for the recommendation!) during our Sunday ride. Wizard felt good in it. It gave me a little more refinement than we had in the simple Tory Leather “jumping hackamore” (which is more of a sidepull, really). Interestingly, Wizard’s ears flop when he’s ridden bitless. He had a few moments when he did his ear pinning routine, but was mostly good. We popped over a tiny cross rail just for fun. Oh boy, was it fun. I miss jumping and I hope we can do some soon. We’re on our 4th week (and 4th loading dose) of Pentosan. Wizard is SOUND (touch wood) and the biggest difference I feel is that he is much more willing to do lateral work. He’s always been pretty good about lateral work, but now he is much more responsive than ever before.

On Monday, I turned Wizard out in the outdoor arena and let him get his crazies out, and then took him for a hand walk with Cathy and Miss Tuesday. We were out for about 40 minutes- he was very mellow and seemed happy to be out. I weight taped him, and he dropped a little- he’s back to 1,018lbs.

Wednesday, 4/17/13

Today is our official one-year anniversary at the new barn- hooray! After work, I rode Wizard in the outdoor arena for about 25 minutes. Wizard wore his fly bonnet for the first time this year, because of the GNATS. Since we have a dressage lesson on Friday (hooray!), we kept the ride light and focused on not-so-dressagey work, like trot poles and a small cross rail. Wizard was pretty laid back and happy to just cruise around the ring. No ear pinning or kicking or anything like that.

Thursday, 4/18/13

There was a chill in the air, and very light rain showers fell during our ride. The wind and the rain kept the gnats away. We rode alone in the park for about 50 minutes. In the big field behind the barn, I asked for some trotting. The field is huge, and we trotted close to half a mile. Wizard was snorty like a fresh horse on the racetrack, but kept a perfect tempo and stayed on the aids quite nicely. We walked the rest of the ride, up a hill, behind the hunt club, and down the road back to the farm.

Wizard Rides 455 & 456: Tomorrow Tomorrow

Wednesday, 3/27/13

After work, I went to the barn for a quick ride. The footing in the outdoor arena was just dry enough for some trot work, so we rode until dark. For most of the ride, Wizard was NOT happy. He was uncomfortable, grumpy, or whatever it is that makes him kick, pin his ears, and do a few little bucks. We just finished a month of ulcer treatment, got a saddle fitted specially for him, had multiple vet evaluations, tested for Lyme Disease, etc, etc, etc. We walked for about 10-15 minutes and then did some light trot work. I asked him to leg yield at a walk on one long side, do a shoulder in on a short side, and trot the other long side. We did this in both directions until I was comfortable with how he was responding to the aids. It was a frustrating ride, but we ended on a decent note. I wish he could tell me what he is feeling. After I untacked him, I turned him out in the indoor arena to let him trot around a bit. The hunters (and horses and dogs) in the woods caused him to be on extra high alert, and he was pretty giraffey until I put him to bed.

Thursday, 3/28/13

And then on Thursday, it was as if Wednesday never happened. Wizard did not offer a single swish of the tail, and he had “happy ears” for the entire ride. Before our ride, I turned him out in the arena for a good run so he could blow off some steam, and boy did he! He flagged his tail, snorted, and ran like a wild thing. After his run, I tacked him up and hand walked him through the park for about half an hour. We saw the horses and dogs and trailers again, and Wizard stared, but was less blown away by them than he was in previous days. After we returned to the farm, I mounted up, and he was pretty great under saddle. He’s still pretty mouthy with the bit. I tried a D-ring with a single joint and curved mouthpiece today, and it’s definitely not the ticket for him. I’m wondering if an eggbutt is the answer in the Micklem Bridle.

We did light walk and trot work again, walking on the short sides and trotting on the long sides. A little herd of 4 young deer were being silly in the neighboring pasture, and Wizard watched them with great amusement. The entire ride was about 30 minutes with warmup and cooldown. I tried to spend some time thinking about my equitation in the new saddle. I worked diligently on not hooking one seatbone and hovering with the other. I also thought a lot about loosening my hips and opening my hip angle. The saddle does nice things with my leg- it stays pretty quiet for me, especially since I have not ridden in five months!

Hopefully, Wizard will continue his good behavior from Thursday and we will not see any more of the Wednesday behavior.

Wizard Session 390, Ride 391: Dogs

Tuesday, 7/31/12

The hounds of the Monmouth County Hunt Club bayed ominously when Cathy and I embarked on our trail ride, but whatever set them off had come and gone by the time we rode past the hunt club. Wizard and Miss Tuesday both set off at a good pace, and we rode across the street from the Hunt Club and down a path back toward the barn. We discovered a wooded trail that takes people from barns on the same road as ours out to the Assunpink.

Once we hit the end of the trail, we turned around and rode back down the path, across the street, and out to the fields that connect us to the main “bowling pin” field. The flies were worst in the woods by the barn, and were not as bad once we were out in the fields. We were out for nearly an hour and a half… a great pre-workday ride.

Monday, 7/30/12

After work, I chased daylight and made it out to the barn for a quick evening walk with Wizard. We did the short loop up the hill and down the trail near the cinder road. Up the hill, I did a little bit of jogging. It was amusing to watch Wizard try to decide if he should walk or trot with me. He gained a bit of weight. Here’s hoping he keeps gaining.

Wizard Session 373, Ride 374: Brilliant, Broke, and Beautiful

Tuesday, 6/26/12

After work, Jon and I took Wizard for a hike in the park. We did the usual short loop, ending at the log cabin, and it took about 30 minutes. In the morning, my back was really locked up, but it loosened with the walk. By the time we got back to the barn, it was dark and the fireflies were out. Life is good.

Wednesday, 6/27/12

I RODE- YESSSSS!!!!! Wizard and I went out on a walk in the park with Cathy and Miss Tuesday. We were out for about 35-45 minutes, walking through the mulberry bush field and up the “bowling pin” field. Wizard was SO, SO full of energy, but he was polite enough to remember his training and contained himself to a walk. My back is slowly healing- the ride felt great.

On Thursday, I saw the neurologist, and she said she expects my back to be close to normal in about 2-4 more weeks. If it is not going in the right direction in two weeks, I have to do another MRI. I’m diligently doing my physical therapy exercises, and they seem to help.

The “bomber” flies are out in force, and I gave Wizard an abbreviated bath, smeared him with GNatural (love that stuff!), and put his fly sheet on. He looks like a spaceman.

Wizard Session 372: Lake of Fire

Saturday, 6/23/12

After Friday’s thunderstorms, the heat wave cooled off and we had a really nice weekend here in New Jersey. I took Wizard out for a hike in the Assunpink and met up with some friends from another barn who were riding Zeke and Lily. We met up near the Horse Park and went out onto the trails. I was hand walking Wizard, and it’s easier to do so in open fields than it is on wooded trails. But when we got close to Stone Tavern Lake, I got curious and we ended up on a trail I had never been on before. The trail snaked alongside the lake, up and down little hills, and eventually led us to the lake. Wizard immediately stepped in the lake and began pawing and playing. We asked a fisherman which trails took us back out, and he pointed out a trail that ran alongside the wooded trail we took in, up on higher ground. We tried the trail, but it was super steep, and narrow, and a little slick from the rain. Wizard did a really good job of keeping his cool as we backed halfway back down it and then turned around as soon as we had the space.

We went up another trail (also steep!) and got back out to a clearing (whew!). Those steep trails are quite a workout on foot- I had to ask everyone to stop once so I could catch my breath. We winded our way back to the field with the big mulberry bush and then found the road and parted company. By the time I got back to the barn (video above of Wizard’s animated walk back home), I estimate that we hiked between 2 and 3 miles. I was really worried that I overdid it on my back. When I got home, I babied my back, stretching it carefully and giving it plenty of rest. When I woke up on Sunday, I was muscle sore, but I did not feel anything scary or painful. I must be getting stronger. My physical therapist gave me clearance to start riding a little bit this week. Hooray! She stressed that I need to keep the rides short and sweet and that I should not overdo it. As long as I’m back in the saddle, I’ll be happy!

Wizard was a bit of the turkey while we were grooming and on the way home on the trail hike. He was pretty focused on Sunny, his pasture buddy. Hopefully, the increase in work will give him something else to focus on next week.

Wizard Sessions 368, 369, 370, 371: On a Hillside Turning

Since May 30, I’ve been battling with my herniated discs. Barn time has been sporadic, which is unfortunate since we are in the heart of the wonderfully long days of June. On June 16, I weight-taped Wizard and he weighed in at (drum roll, please) 1019lbs. He is now gaining over 20lbs per week (estimated). YESSSS!

He completed his course of 28 days of UlcerGard tubes on June 11 and I gave him one more week of the omeprazole granules at the treatment level for good measure, followed by tapering amounts. We started two packets on June 20.

Thursday, 6/7/12

My mom and I took Wizard for a hand walk down the main road, up the cinder road to the “bowling pin” and back down the road to the farm. It was about a mile. Wizard was very happy to get out and good to work with.

Saturday, 6/16/12

I took Wizard for another hand walk in the park, this time with Christie and Brigid. We took a short walk, less than a mile, just to the hunt club, around the brush jump, and back to the farm. Wizard was happy to be out with his buddy Brigid.

Tuesday, 6/19/12

My husband came to the barn with me and we took Wizard for a really nice evening hike in the park. We walked to the parking area, up the hill to the bowling pin, down the cinder road, and onto the main road back to the farm. It was about a mile and a half. We saw a red-tailed hawk and several rabbits. Wizard had one bucking fit when we got past the log cabin and the flies really got to him. Thankfully, I was leading him and my back did not have to suffer through those bucks in a saddle. Other than the bucking, he was very good to groom and walk.

Thursday, 6/21/12

The weather was H-O-T! Temperatures were humid and topped out in the high 90s. In the morning, I took Wizard out for a hike with my mom and with Christie, who rode Brigid. We walked to the log cabin, hiked up the hill to the bowling pin, walked down the hill on a trail that circles around the field’s perimeter to a trail that took us to the wheat field, which led us to the road home. We saw several rabbits, including a REALLY cute baby.

Wizard was a little agitated when I groomed him. It was earlier than our usual walks, just after breakfast. I think I was interrupting his morning time with his girlfriend, Sunny. It must be the time when they usually have coffee and do their crossword puzzles together. After the walk, I hosed him off and got a little more hair off him. He is mostly shed out, but held onto a little hair when he moved to the new barn in April. I’m counting down the days until my physical therapist says that I’m allowed to ride again!

Wizard Ride 367: Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie

Saturday, 6/9/12

A stunning turn of events in the racing world led me to riding in the Assunpink on Belmont Stakes Day. My back had been feeling pretty punky since our vet appt on May 30, and I was dutifully babying it. I had myself prepared for the eventuality that I would have to lug ladders and camera gear all over Belmont Park on Saturday for the Belmont Stakes, especially with I’ll Have Another bidding for Triple Crown stardom. But on Friday morning, it was announced that he had a tendon injury, would not run in the Belmont, and would be retired from racing.

It was a big bummer for me as a shooter, since I’ve yet to see a Triple Crown in person (all I’ve got are Slew and Affirmed since I was born). I’m really glad to hear that the horse is in good shape and that his connections did the right thing by him.

And I took the announcement as an omen that I should enjoy the day on horseback in the Assunpink instead of slaving away with cranky photographers at Belmont Park. And so I did- gimme some saddle time. Wizard stood quietly as we tacked up with his filly friend, Brigid. He stood like a statue as I mounted up for our ride. My back felt fine during the ride. Whew…

We rode a little over an hour in the park, all at a walk. We took the paved road out of the barn and down to the back Horse Park of NJ entrance. We walked around the entire back cross country field. This was Wizard’s second ride in this field. The first time, he got pretty excited out there, but we were with a larger group and we were trotting and cantering. Something about an open field without a path gets his engines revved. He is fine in the big fields with paths across them or around the edges, but a giant grass field is just too much for his little brain. The bugs were worst in the cross country field, too, so that added to his anxiety. He did not do anything bad, but U could sorta feel him wanting to blow up a little.

We walked back out of the Horse Park on the gravel path, and into the rest of the park, riding through the “roundabout” field, up a red clay road, and over the ridge of the “bowling pin” field. When we got to the trailer parking area, Christie dismounted to make a tack adjustment and remounted at the picnic table. Always a good skill to perfect!

Wizard was pretty antsy when we stopped to chat with a rider and his horse, but other than that, he strode home with a confident and comfortable walk. We played “pole bending” around the trees by the gate so the horses learned that work is not always over when we get back to the barn.

I brought Wizard over to the tack up mats and GINGERLY dangled from his neck and dismounted. Success. Dismounting on mats is a GREAT idea.

Wizard got a hosedown and was being prepared for turnout when he began to dance around like a bit of a nut. I could tell he was about to throw a tantrum, so I unclipped his tie and fastened the chain over his nose on his leadrope. He proceeded to wag his head back and forth and pull back pretty hard on me, rearing a few times when he hit the end of the line. I got him away from the horses who were lined up next to him, and gave him a sharp pop each time he considered rearing up. I turned my shoulder away from him and got him moving forward as quickly as I could. We did a few circles before I returned him to the tackup area. I could see a drop of blood on the side of his nose. I assume a bug bit him. My friends said they saw something flying around him as well. I understand that these bug bites hurt, but there’s no excuse for rearing unless he’s by himself, loose in the field. For the rest of the session, he stood like a stone, behaving like a perfect gentleman. And I doubled up on fly spray ;^)