Wizard Rides 604-640: Coming Home

March 11- April 24

Our bitter, wet, volatile winter is over, whew!

Wizard got his second set of rocker shoes on March 27, and he feels great. We got in several great rides indoors while we were staying at the clinic, including a lesson. We worked on exercises to loosen up Wizard’s topline and get him comfortable on his “new feet.”

On March 31, Wizard came home from the clinic. Although he received first-class treatment at the clinic, he was THRILLED to return to his friends and to outdoor living. I thought he’d take a week or so to settle in, but he was back to his routine in a matter of half an hour or so. And his turnout buddies were DELIGHTED to have him back. I can’t imagine what horses think when their friends vanish and reappear like that.

I’d like to think that the shoeing change is a contributing factor to Wizard’s under-saddle behavior. He’s currently riding the BEST he’s ever ridden! He feels balanced, confident, and relaxed. The massage therapist worked on him on the 3rd of April and the chiropractor saw him on the 8th, and both were very pleased with his muscling and demeanor. He was out in a lower cervical vertebra, his withers, a little tight on the right side of his back, and some minor pelvic asymmetry. His adjustment went well, and the chiropractor said that he looked and felt the best that she has ever seen in the five-plus years that she has been working on him.

I started Wizard back on the Pennfield Energized Senior on January 31, and he’s still eating it very well. He seems to prefer it to the Triple Crown Senior or the Purina Ultium. He’s shiny and his weight looks good, so we’ll stick to what is working.

Once we returned from the clinic to our farm, I did my best to get him out every day that I could make time for him. We’ve been hitting the trails in earnest, especially since there are very few bugs out right now (only gnats). The peepers started around Saint Patrick’s Day, and I’m assuming that the flies will be back soon.

On the trails, sometimes we ride solo and sometimes we ride with barn buddies. I’m stepping up our canter work, and Wizard is rising to the challenge. His trot feels better, too, with more freedom in the shoulder. I also popped him over a few little jumps, and he’s willing, balanced, and scopey. I think we might be ready to take the next step with our training. My fingers are crossed for a great year with him.

Wizard Ride 174: Suzie Hehn Clinic

Thursday, 8/26/10

After such a long time with any riding lessons and just a camera to tell me how Wizard and I look, it was such a positive experience to have an experienced horsewoman evaluate and work with us. Suzie Hehn is a local judge, as well as a wonderful rider.

The focus of the clinic was on working toward a successful experience in the hunter ring, but dressage and other disciplines were discussed as well. There was a very nice balance of evaluation of the ability of horse and rider, exercises for improving horse and rider, and the overall impression that the horse and rider would give in the show ring.

My clinic session was a flat class, working at the walk, trot, and canter. She was pleased with our walk, especially since Wizard’s walk is purposeful and balanced. At the trot, she first evaluated my position, and then worked on how to get a more balanced ride out of Wizard. One of the most important pieces of information I gleaned from the clinic was that my hands are a little shaky. She saw some movement in them at the trot at times and thought it might be contributing to Wizard’s busy mouth- he tends to over-work the bit sometimes. I could never really see it in photos, but it made a lot of sense. Once I really concentrated on “posting into my hands” and keeping them truly still and soft, Wizard responded. Sometimes little details like that are impossible to feel from the saddle without a pair of eyes on the ground.

Bitting was also discussed, and I’m planning to keep trying bits to see what Wizard likes best. Suzie also agreed that trying different adjustments on the cheekpieces of the bridle was a good idea- some horses like the bit to float lightly in the mouth and some prefer more stability.

Our session consisted of four horse/rider pairs, including us. It was a hugely helpful training experience to ride in a group and it made me much more confident for future show experiences. Wizard was absolutely perfect at the walk and trot, and got a little keyed up at the canter but settled really nicely in the group. For most of the clinic, canter work was done in pairs or individually, but all four of us did canter at one point and Wizard exceeded my expectations.

At the trot, it was suggested to take a little more contact of the bit. It seemed counterintuitive to the work I’ve been doing with “floating” the reins and trying to get Wizard moving forwardly, but the contact seemed to relax him into a nice rhythm and it balanced him nicely. It’s the same advice I received from a friend out west who rides dressage- now that two respected and experienced horsewomen have suggested it, I need to really take the advice seriously :^) Our speed was also appraised- Suzie felt that I might be able to get a little more impulsion going and a more blanced trot by slowing our speed down just a tic. My work on forward and soft is creating great results, but it’s time to take more contact and expect a little more from the horse.

At the trot, Suzie introduced lateral work, first as a leg yield, then as a shoulder-in. To the right, Wizard’s work was quite nice. I grinned from ear to ear when Suzie remarked that it was obvious that we do a lot of work on these movements. We did a leg yield off the wall to the quarter line, and then back to the wall in each direction. We worked on shoulder-in down the long side of the arena. I was reminded that it’s okay to exaggerate my inside and outside legs during this work, and it was quite effective when I slid my leg back a little more than usual in each direction- I could feel Wizard really bending around me.

Circling was discussed, and Suzie encouraged me to invite Wizard into more circles at the canter as we gain balance and a more steady tempo. I could feel him getting strong when we left the circles, but a half halt brought him back to me reasonably well. Below is a video of a little bit of canter work, and you can see him resisting my half halt a little and then responding- I was a little too messy with my hands.

This was the first time I’ve seen myself on video riding Wizard; this, too, was extremely helpful… and humbling. Sometimes I feel much more balanced than I really am. From seeing this video, I realize I have a long way to go- I also realize that I need to exercise more and lay off the carbs!

As an aside, YouTube has a funny feature that allowed me to do an audio swap and add music. I chose Magnapop, a band I fondly remember from high school/college. Another artist available for these audio swaps is Mike Ferraro, who is releasing a full-length album soon with a band which includes my husband :^)

The clinic was a fantastic experience, both for schooling Wizard and for receiving excellent comments and suggestions. Onward and upward!

Wizard Ride 173: Stay Loose

Wednesday, 8/25/10

Wizard was treated to another massage session by my friend. She’s tuning up for her certification exam. She felt some changes and some things stayed the same. There was still some back soreness, but it was on the sides of the back, not up by the spine.

Wizard was all loosened up for our ride and it was great. I felt the same result from the massage that we did last time- he was straighter and stronger than he is without one. Our ride was very mellow and easy, mostly keeping soft and riding easy patterns. Our riding clinic was the following day so I did not ask for a big physical or mental effort.

I rode him in my old Myler Comfort Snaffle (the unported one, without hooks). It’s a bare-bones bridle and Alibar used to ride nicely in it. I tried it a year ago on Wizard but he fussed like crazy with it. This time around, he rode well in it. I’m planning a few more rides in it. Perhaps he is getting a little more advanced as a riding horse and can maintain better contact with the bit.

Wizard Ride 172: I Can’t Wait

Friday, 8/20/10

I rode Wizard in the indoor arena in the evening. Although it was a late night, we were not the last ones out of the barn. A boarder was showing in the Monmouth County “AA” Horse Show the next day and her horse was getting his mane braided. Although Wizard and I won’t be spending any time at a show of that caliber, it made me think of our upcoming clinic and any potential horse shows on the horizon…

It’s a huge thrill to be considering such fun projects, but it also gave me the jitters. Have I created any gaps in Wizard’s training? Is he really ready for all these plans? Is he still considered “green”? I rode through some of our usual exercises as a barometer of our training, doing forward work, transitions within gaits, and some lateral work at the walk, trot, and canter. Wizard felt much better than he did two rides ago, and any of his anxious behavior was gone. Hopefully that night was a fluke- perhaps he had a bellyache or he hated the different tack or something.

The hardest thing we’re doing these days is shoulder-in. I’m a much stronger rider to the right and my leg and seat and hand cues are better timed and more effective; therefore, shoulder-in and leg yields to the right are better than the left. This actually works out well, though, since most horses (and riders, from what I can tell) prefer to travel to the left. Perhaps my left-handedness plays a part in this. Whatever it is, it creates a decent lateral repertoire to one side and not to the other. I really concentrated on our work to the left, trying to straighten my seat and shoulders. Another issue I battle is riding with a caved hip and crooked shoulders. I aligned myself several times during the ride.

The canter work was quite nice, with Wizard picking up his leads with reasonable ease. We trotted some ground poles, did some closing stretching exercises, and cooled out. I’m a little jittery when I think about our future plans, but when I’m in the saddle, I can’t wait.

Spotlight: 2009 Pennsylvania Horse World Expo in Harrisburg, PA

Feb 26- March 1, 2009 My first trip to the Pennsylvania Horse World Expo was a few years ago (2003?). My friend Stephanie, a veteran of larger events such as Equine Affaire, asked me to go with her. She taught me the ways of the expo- wolfing down hot dogs, chuckling at the round penners, shopping for all things sparkly, and seeking out the best clinicians. Many return trips and many shopping bags full of tack later, I still attend them when I can. I like to support equine community events whenever possible, and it’s great to see the latest and greatest changes in the horse world. In comparison to past years, the attendance and overall presentation of the event seemed to have dropped. There were still lots of auditors and elbow-to-elbow shoppers, but it seemed like only a handful of clinicians were drawing the biggest crowds. My favorite vendors were not there, and I miraculously left the Expo without purchasing a single, solitary item. For a tackaholic like me, this is no easy feat. I can find a Joules jacket in a haystack and I will sift my way through a mountain of Ariat paddock boots to find my size. Between hotel fare, admission, food, and parking, I still made my economic contribution to the PA equine industry, but no shopping this year. The clinics were fun to watch; due to time constraints, they are not typically as in-depth as a one-person equine clinic, but the large crowd and venue make them enjoyable to watch. Tommie Turvey, as always, is one of the hardest-working clinicians in the equine industry. You never know what he has in store and he seemed to be the biggest crowd-pleaser of the Expo. Although he is billed as an Equine Extremist, his horses looked sound, fit, and prepared for their jobs. One of the things I liked best about his performances and clinics was that he was fully aware that his animals are not machines. Sometimes the performance does not go like clockwork and he’s a good enough horseman to roll with the changes and ad-lib when things do not go as planned. He even discussed how important it is to keep the drives up in his horses and dogs- they do not always behave like perfect automatons because he wants them to be eager to do their work. My favorite clinician was dressage trainer/clinician/performer Matt McLaughlin. He had a perfect blend of showmanship, knowledge, and talent. He was honest and thoughtful in his discussions about dressage and natural horsemanship alike. I just about stood up and cheered when he talked about the lack of contact in the outside rein being one of the biggest downfalls in modern natural horsemanship practices. Inside leg to outside rein is essential for meaningful contact and in order to progress up the training scale. But Matt also had a bone to pick with the strictly classical dressage world. He talked about the passage and joked about how riled up the dressage folks get when he refers to it as a “trick”. Unlike the majority of purists, McLaughlin said that most horses possess some level of piaffe and passage, even if it’s basic, and he does not consider it a sin for a person to safely experiment with it. He also talked about the benefits of 3 and 4 track shoulder-ins and how a stationary turn on the forehand is not functional in a horse’s training progress, other than to teach a new behavior. As a performer, McLaughlin also addressed his training methods- he talked about how some movements are accentuated with his horses for better visibility in performances. He said to train a horse to 110% at home in order to get more an 80% effort off the farm. A horse has a hard side and a hollow side and it’s our job to work with both, mostly by softening the ribcage. He mentioned the ribcage several times, talking about how a rider achieves softness by establishing contact with the outside rein, then getting a bend in the ribcage, THEN worrying about softness in the neck, mouth and jaw. Also discussed were some of the dualities of riding: a horse must be collected in order to extend, and how good lateral work is the way to straightness and forwardness. Plus, Matt is a really nice rider- it’s always inspiring to see talented riders. The breed parades are always fun. My favorite horse in the breed demos is Gatsby, a grey Tennessee Walking Horse/Racking Horse gelding. He’s about 20 years old and he travels to clinics and shows all over the country. He and his owner do search and rescue work and he’s a wonderful ambassador for the breed. I’ve known a few dozen horses in my lifetime who really and truly seem to love performing and Gatsby is one of them. When he was showing off his amazing racking powers, his ears flicked forward and he racked even faster when the crowd cheered. What a cool horse :^) I wish I could have seen more of the gaited horse clinics- I don’t know much about the conformation and riding of gaited horses and I’ve learned a lot of good information in the past in Harrisburg. Friday night’s Theatre Equus was fun as always. There is something so thrilling about seeing people who are performing their hearts out for a packed arena of horse lovers. Matt McLaughlin, fantastic as always with his Andalusian stallions, Pecos and Corral. Corral is 24 years old and going strong (and apparently barefoot!). La Garrocha performance with Pecos, his younger stallion. Tommie Turvey and his equine superstar sidekick Pokerjoe performed their famous “Riding Instructor” skit. Pokerjoe, who has performed the skit hundreds of times, looked like he played with Tommie just a little bit. He’s a smart horse who really keeps Tommie on his toes. The skit is something to see in person, but here’s a Youtube clip to give you an idea:

Not to be upstaged were Ace and Joker, who took Turvey over a jump of FIRE. Jennie Jackson and amber champagne Tennessee Walking Horse stallion Champagne Watchout were fine performers. She showcased the stallion’s talents beautifully both in a solo performance and a comical pas de deux with Craig Cameron and foundation AQHA stallion, Chief. Aside from being a solidly built and showy horse with a fantastic disposition, Champagne Watchout has the distinction of being the first flat-shod horse to compete in many years in the 1999 Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration. Click here to read more about this interesting story. The read is interesting enough to ignore the goofy music ;^) Chief has an amazing story of his own! He was on his way to becoming a champion reining horse when he lost his vision. The day before the clinic was the first time Craig Cameron rode this horse, and the two of them looked like they knew each other for years. Trick riding and drill rides by the Canadian Cowgirls thrilled the crowd and we were treated to jousting and a six-horse team of Percherons. I attended the Expo again the following day. I left inspired and entertained :^)

The Beginning of the End

My beloved horse Alibar was diagnosed with lymphosarcoma on September 8, 2008. He was not eating for a few days and his breathing sounded labored. After two visits and some bloodwork, my local veterinarians recommended sending him to our equine clinic for further diagnostics.

We shipped Alibar to Mid Atlantic Equine. They did an ultrasound on his chest cavity. There was a lot of fluid. The vet recommended draining the chest cavity. They pulled about 15 gallons of fluid out of his chest. They also sampled blood and checked the cells in the fluid in his chest and abdomen. Cells counts did not indicate infection like pneumonia, but they did indicate something cancerous. They also x-rayed his chest and could see little spider-webby things, but no large masses. Putting everything together, the vet concluded that it is most likely lymphosarcoma.

We kept the drain on his side to keep the fluid from coming back. If we took the drain out, the fluid would have filled back up in about 24-48 hours.

Alibar was his usual charming self at the clinic and the vet staff was marvelling at his shiny coat, condition, and bright expression. When he stepped off the trailer at the clinic, his head was raised, ears pricked, and there was a little arch in his neck as if he was looking for the jumper show. He is still his normal self, which was sad to see but comforting in some strange way.

Part of me was totally prepared for this and part of me was totally blindsided.

Alibar’s last days were filled with peace and he was surrounded by an extended family of people who dearly loved him.

Tuesday morning, we shipped him back home from the equine clinic. When we unloaded him from the trailer, the rear bar was accidentally unfastened before he was untied. He quietly and professionally snapped the throat strap on his halter and unloaded himself from the trailer. He stood there for a moment with no halter on his head, a clever but gentle troublemaker to the very end- I can tell many tales of all of the pieces of tack that he’s broken. He stood quietly while I looped the leadrope around his neck and led him to the barn- he pranced for just a few steps before settling back down to a more sensible walk.

We stayed with Alibar all day on Tuesday, and let him do everything he wished. When he wanted to come out, he’d walk to his stall door and we’d halter him and take him out. I wanted to get a few final photos of Alibar- they were all taken on his terms. I stood back from Alibar and let him graze. When something caught his attention, I snapped a few frames. In this photo, he’s watching some of my barn friends play with their dog. I love the bit of grass in his mouth, his beard of whiskers, his curly and tiny ears, and the soft expression on his face.

He led us around the farm, quietly grazing- we swatted any fly that dared to come near him. When he wanted to nap, he would lead us to his stall and we’d put a fan on him to keep him cool. He did not have an appetite for grain, but he grazed for many hours and would only eat treats if they were presented to him by hand- an apple in his bucket was not acceptable.

We conjured up every horse treat imaginable for Alibar to enjoy. My best friend Melissa visited with a bag of goodies from the store, including granola bars and a jar of molasses. We dipped the granola bar in molasses and Alibar ate it like it was the most savory treat he’s ever had.

All day long, friends stopped by the barn to give him a hug and say their final goodbyes. Some had known him for years and some only met him a few months ago. The boarders at the new barn have grown to love him in the short time that he’s lived here. Friends from my old barn who were little girls when they met him are now in their early 20s; they told stories of him chasing them on their first days of working at the farm. Alibar’s first owner visited him; she got him as a weanling and she told stories of his trainer calling him a cannibal because of the many people he bit.

My grandma visited- she’s 88 years old and she has known Alibar as long as I have. She has ridden him many times over the years.

On Tuesday night, there was a small but lively celebration in our barn. Some of my most fun friends gathered by Alibar’s stall. We set up chairs and shared memories and jokes. He stood in his stall and snoozed on his deep and comfy bedding, head low and one hind leg tilted.

At first, I wanted to let Alibar have total peace and quiet for the whole evening, but I was reminded that his normal evenings involved a barn full of giggling girls sitting on hay bales outside his stall. He’s not the most affectionate horse in the world, but he’s always been very social. Whenever he saw a group of people he’d walk over to us and stand, usually not to be pet but to just be with us- he seemed to enjoy hanging around all of the barn jokes and gossip.

The Alibar party slowly dwindled. I was left with Alibar and Melissa. He walked over to the door of his stall, ears forward. I stood by his side and pet him as long as he wanted. We then took him out to graze under the stars. The night was clear and cool and the slowed song of the crickets announced the end of summer- the seasons are changing. Melissa and I gave Alibar our goodnight hugs and tucked him in for the night with fresh water, newly-made hay cubes, and turned-over bedding.

Early Wednesday morning, Christie, my good friend and second mom to Alibar, brought him out to graze. When they reached the sandy riding arena, Alibar dove to the ground and had a good old-fashioned horsey roll and then began eating again. He still had a good appetite for grass, but he moved a bit more slowly than he had the day before. The drain was still keeping his chest clear of fluid and his breathing normal- through the wonders of veterinary medicine, we were able to keep him very comfortable and give him one last day of peace and affection. His body was fading but he was full of personality until the very end. He never lost the sparkle in his eyes or the priceless Alibar expressions.

When he had his fill of grazing, he led me and Christie to his paddock. It was a beautiful September day. The sky was clear, the sun was warm, and there was a gentle breeze. All of the horses were in their paddocks, some taking naps and some were munching hay.

For almost a decade, we could not feed any hay to Alibar. He had very bad molars and could not digest hay properly- any hay would give him an impaction colic. We kept him healthy and happy on soaked hay cubes and it was Barn Rule #1 not to give Alibar any hay whatsoever. A barn friend who owns King, Alibar’s paddock neighbor, asked if she could give him a flake of hay on his last day. She brought a big, beautiful flake of hay in his paddock- it was the good stuff, the kind that you could practically put a little vinaigrette on and eat yourself. Alibar pushed his nose into the middle of the hay and blissfully ate this forbidden treat, his eyes closing happily from time to time.

Another barn friend had a handful of Stud Muffins, Alibar’s favorite horse treats. He ate them like bonbons. After his delicious snacks, he walked to his loafing shed and took a nap for about 45 minutes. Then he walked to the corner of his paddock by the shade trees and stood contentedly with his horsey friend, Harmony. They stood together for a very long time, enjoying each other’s company in that wonderful way that horses do.

Alibar came back to the gate of the paddock and we let him come back out to graze. He led me to the most succulent grass and I stood with my hand on his side and back, just enjoying the feel of the strong body that had carried me so far and so fast.

The veterinarian called to let me know that she was on her way. My knees weakened for a moment, knowing what was going to happen.

All afternoon, Alibar and I shared the company of my mom, Christie (Alibar’s leaser/second owner of 13+ years), Diane (Alibar’s first owner who gave Alibar to me), Cathy (barn friend of over a decade and huge fan of Alibar), Jim Reilly, longtime trainer and horsemanship mentor, and my devoted and wonderful husband Jonathan. Boarders and barn staff stopped by to give Alibar hugs and pats.

When the veterinarian arrived, I told her that I wanted to keep Alibar in the soft grassy area where he had spent his afternoon. I also let her know that I was prepared to stand with Alibar and hold him when she euthanized him. She explained the process to our group of friends so that they would be prepared for what they would see. An animal as large as a horse sometimes does not go as peacefully as cats or dogs.

I stood by Alibar’s side, leaning my forehead on his face temple to temple, with my arm around his big jaw. The veterinarian tranquilized him- he became quite sleepy and I cradled his head. She then gave him the final dose of barbituate and took hold of his halter with both hands- with the strength of a weight lifter and the grace of a ballerina, she gently coaxed his body downward. She folded his legs at just the right moment and then he was peacefully on his side with both of us crouched beside him. The veterinarian checked him, looked me in the eyes, and solemnly announced, “He’s gone”.

Our gathering of loved ones each walked up and gave the most wonderful horse in the world a final pat.

When I stood up and looked around, I got a cold chill: Every single horse on the farm had been watching us. They gave a small chorus of whinnies.

I’m comfortable with all of the decisions that I made and I’m proud of the way that I cared for Alibar until the bitter end. Tending to his every need was very cathartic.

Alibar will be cremated and I plan to scatter his ashes at all of our favorite special little places. Our adventures took us through the neighborhoods, state parks, horse shows, fox hunts, and farms of New Jersey and I feel like it will give me great peace to go back to these places in memory of my incredible friend. A friend from the barn gave me a beautiful pear tree and I plan to plant in Alibar’s memory in a special place.

Our little equine funeral party left the farm and I was left with Christie and my mom; along with Diane, we are the people who knew Alibar best and loved him the most. We organized the tack trunk and fussed with horses on the farm- the horses were friendly but they got bored and did not have the same sweet horsey smell that Alibar did.

Mom and Christie left and I puttered around the barn a little longer. I shut the barn lights off and headed to my car when I suddenly felt the deepest sorrow that my soul has ever felt.

I’ve been told by my friends that Alibar and I have a special bond that many people never experience in their lifetimes. I have always appreciated this comment but I never truly understood what it meant until yesterday. There was an understanding between us that was so subtle and so deep- I knew his every move and he knew mine.

Alibar was a gentle and smart teacher- he never bit me, kicked me, or stepped on me. He let me goof around on him- I could ride under a tree and lift myself off his back and hang on a tree branch. Every boyfriend I ever dated has ridden Alibar. He carried my niece when she was a toddler, my aunt, my uncle, my grandma, my mom, my dad, and dozens of friends. He taught me how to be a proper horsewoman- I took so much pride in his training, grooming, and health. The grief will be here for a long time, but there is a beautiful feeling whenever I learn all of the ways that I loved him.

I had written Alibar’s story several months ago for The Ultimate Horse Lover, a book that will be coming out this fall. The story will stay the same, but I did dedicate all of my photos in the book to his memory. He was my original photographic muse, after all.

Gina Spadafori, author of Dogs for Dummies, pet columnist, etc, wrote a lovely tribute to Alibar on her blog.

For those of you who are fortunate enough to have your own “Alibar” in your life right now, whether it’s a horse, cat, ferret, dog, bird, or any other creature, please give him/her a little love for me. And maybe a granola bar dipped in molasses.

A beautiful chapter of my life has ended and a new one is beginning. It is time to chronicle the legend of Alibar and to use the lessons that he taught me.