Wizard Sessions 425, 426, 427, 428: Two Feet Off the Ground

Friday, 11/30/12

In the past, I’ve done some long line work with Wizard, but it was always nuts-and-bolts type work. Basically, it was me trying to figure out how to do it and how to keep myself from getting spun around or any of the other many awkward things that can happen when attached to a 1,000-pound creature by two pieces of cotton webbing.

But on Friday, I actually got a taste of the work part of long line work. We have come along for enough with our basics to start actually doing some schooling. We worked with three dressage cones, and did a little weaving pattern around them. We also walked over two ground poles and were able to do it in a straight line (!). This stuff is fun!

So we don’t exactly look like this, but it sure is good training for both of us…

Saturday, 12/1/12

Before our session, the farrier did Wizard’s feet. Interestingly, Wizard is sounder on his right front, but his heel looks lower and underrun. The farrier decided to try a wedge pad. I was leery of putting a wedge on him, but if it is not working out, my farrier is a phone call away and can come out and make changes. So far, he’s moving out nicely on it.

We did a repeat session from Friday’s long line work, plus a little added trotting in hand. That’s not much of a workout for Wizard, but great exercise for me- whew! He actually seems to enjoy it. I need to get my hands on some longe lines to go a little longer with it- my long lines are fairly short and I have to run around like a nut during the trot work. He chews a lot on the bit just like he does under saddle, but he looks relaxed- I think the chewing is some processing/nerves as he is learning something new. We’re getting the hang of a little bending, and just the verrrry beginning of a shoulder in when we really have ourselves together.

Sunday, 12/2/12

Kris and Sunny went out for a walk with me and Wizard in the park. We were out for about an hour, walking through some fields and down to the lake. It felt great to get out and do some walking. With all the hunting, we’ve been sticking to the roads and to the Horse Park when we go out, but since Sunday is bow hunters only, we felt safer going out. We did not see any hunters at all, unlike last week.

After our walk, I did some long line work with Wizard in the outdoor arena. The ring is slowly drying out, and we have more room to work. After warming up at a walk, we did a little trot work on the long lines, working on the outside rein and trying to get a bit of a bend. Wizard seemed pretty happy in his work. After our long line session, I longed him for a few rotations in each direction in side reins. Between the walk in the woods and the long lining session, we were out for a while, but it was very low impact work.

Monday, 12/3/12

Before work, I enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather (60s) and did a long lining session with Wizard in the outdoor arena. It rained the night before, so the arena was a little sloppier than it was on Sunday, so we kept our session to a walk with just a little trot work. We walked up and down the long side of the arena, turning a keyhole shape at each end and reversing direction. We zigzagged between the dressage cones and walked over the ground poles. At the end of our session, I put him on the longe line with no side reins and let him to a very loose trot, just for about 4 rotations in each direction.

Wizard Session 112: From the Ground Up

Saturday, 10/24/09

A good day for ground work. I tacked Wizard up in his bridle and a surcingle and we did some ground work in the indoor arena. I started with a very light longeing session, walking for a few minutes, followed by about 7 times around at the trot in each direction. Then I fastened two long lines to his bit and introduced long lining to him.

I started by standing on his “good side” (his left) by his shoulder. The lines were held in my hands like reins. I asked him to walk on, just like we do on the longe line. His walk was a little wobbly because he was uncertain, but he seemed to catch on quickly. I asked for one turn and one halt, and praised profusely. Then, I tried the “bad” side (his right), which is the side on which he stops and spins on the longe line. He was very hesitant and reluctant to go forward but responded when I clucked him into a walk with my voice. I walked him along the wall so I could keep him straight. It will take a lot longer to work on the right, but it is an interesting glimpse into his personality to see that he is just as funny about his right on the longe line as he is in hand.

Here’s a photo of me long-lining JR this spring. Wizard will take a few more sessions before he can be this far away from me.

JR Session 19; Wizard Ride 63: Get On Your Boots

Monday, 3/23/09

Back to chilly weather here in New Jersey. Temperatures hit the upper 20s at night and the wind was gusty. The air is dry and there’s local concern of forest fires with the dry air and cold winds. Horses love cool climates, but the dry air seems to irritate them while they are being handled. I hand grazed Wizard for a few minutes as the sun set. When we walked back in the barn, his tail looked like a cat’s bottle brush tail after seeing something scary! I put a little conditioner on both horses to combat the static and dryness.

JR worked indoors on long lining, followed by a longeing session. Monday was his third time long lining and he’s beginning to get the hang of it. The first night, we only walked a few steps but now we can do some circles and change direction. Of course, he breaks into a trot and sometimes gets distracted, but he’s a good study and I expect him to keep improving.

On the longe, JR was frisky. He trotted and walked quite nicely but once we ventured to the far end of the arena and he felt that magnetic pull to the gate, he broke into a playful canter and hauled against the longe line, playfully bucking. I joked to my friend that it felt a little like fishing for marlin- not that I’ve ever fished for marlin, but a leaping palomino on the longe line must feel something like hauling a huge fish onto a boat. JR is getting fitter- he just started blowing and broke just a hint of a sweat by the time we were done. I cooled him out, groomed him, and put him to bed.

Wizard was again very sensitive to grooming on the crossties. He did not do anything threatening, but was clearly displeased by the brushing routine. Was it the static? Or was it the fact that I rode him three days in a row? Or was it the fact that this was the second session without Ulcergard? I’m still not sure.

On the longe and under saddle, I saw no problems in his behavior. He was a little stiff but he worked out of it. I also noticed the slightest bit of filling in his left hind fetlock, but it looked defined by the time I was done riding him. I longed him for about 10 minutes, then rode for about 20. We worked on about half the arena and I asked for circles in different parts of the ring. My goal was to keep him soft and introduce a little more leg whenever he felt like he was losing his rhythm. It worked well and he was comfortable with riding in different shapes. He relaxed quite a bit to the left but never completely relaxed to the right. He was obedient but not quite the superstar he was for the past two rides. When I was happy with the work he did, we cooled out and I brought him back into the barn. He was better about grooming after the ride.

I noticed that Wizard interferes (makes contact by touching one leg against the other) a bit on the longe and under saddle. I hear the click somewhere between 0 and 4 times during each session. I’m considering putting brushing boots or polo wraps on him to protect his legs. I tried a pair of Nunn Finer open front boots on his front legs. The sheepskin liner and leather shell are lovely but they slid down an inch or so while Wizard longed. I assume that the sheepskin needs to mold to his leg and wear down a bit before the boots fit him perfectly. Get on your boots, Wizard!

And for those who are keeping score at home, here are some progress photos of Wizard…

December 2008:

March 2009:

December 2008:

March 2009: