Really nice, congrats!
My brag is that I took my mare to a schooling show a few weeks ago and she was obedient to all the canter transitions in both our training level tests. She can be awfully recalcitrant and sucks back off property. I’m hopeful that we can make it through a first level test in August!
Your mare is LOVELY! And major congratulations!!
My brag is yesterday after a great ride, I took my guy out for cool down on our hacking trail by myself. He can be a worrier and startle somewhat easily but he was GREAT and it was a nice confidence booster. In the past, he was definitely not one who could hack out by himself and now, he is 
Sometimes it really is about the little things. We just relocated to higher elevation for the summer. We purchased this property two years ago and have gone through the ‘grueling’ task of construction in an area known for it’s frustrations with the building process. We were determined to get the horses and dogs in here before the heat really took hold down in the valley (Phoenix, though we live out in a true horse area on horse property). While I sit waiting for the painter (we got our CO but still so many things left to be finished, like the barn in addition to stuff on the house), I am in awe of how much environment can influence our horses. I had to haul the horses in two loads because I downsized to a two horse trailer years ago. Once I got the second load up here (all in one day), we started the process of transitioning the horses to real grass (in the valley they are out 24/7 but on a dry lot). Those who know me likely remember that in 2016 I acquired a mustang stallion who with his band of mare and foals wandered off the reservation and was confiscated by the state. The highest body condition score of the herd was a 3. Long story-short, Ace became mine and has transitioned in to the most awesome and safe trail horse I’ve ever had. I can trust him to take care of anybody and everybody. My SO all ways refers to Ace as being ‘street smart’. He was 5 when he came to me (within two months of confiscation and a BCS of 3.5) and is now a 12 year old gelding. He’s always loved attention and seems to appreciate being well fed and safe; but, after his gelding he became a very submissive horse to my others (all geldings) allowing them to pick on him and acquiring a few undeserved battle wounds (none serious). It was stunning when we let the boys out for their first 30 minutes of ‘grass’ on the range that evening. Ace found himself! He began posturing like a stallion protecting my welsh cob gelding (who trust me doesn’t need protection) from ‘the others’ who are bullies. There’s a spring in his step (both in hand and under saddle) and a brightness in his eye. All the boys have gone trail riding since getting here and despite high winds and all the ‘newness’ have been perfect while under saddle. Still as I look out the window and watch (now they are up to four hours on grass) I see a whole different horse in Ace and it’s spectacular - his alerts, his ever present and keen eye watching for predators (so far coyotes, deer and javelina - all present in our other place but seem to demand his attention more here). Bears and mountain lions are more prevalent here which may be what is causing him to become the ‘herd sire’ again but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a horse’s personality and total persona change so dramatically, especially a horse I’ve known well for a long time. He’s a large mustang (only 15 hands but clearly a cross of draft and remount) and to watch him in his majesty just gives one goose bumps. That my friends, not to diminish in any way others’ well earned victories, I’ll take over ribbons any day 
I absolutely love this!
exvet, we need pictures!
Tiniest brag of brags.
10 days ago, something clicked for Elmo. I haven’t been doing anything terribly different, and in fact the ride I’d had the day before was pretty bad. That next day he came out and was shockingly consistent in the bridle. He was supple and in front of the leg. He was balanced, rhythmic, almost bouncy. With the way he’s built and his natural tendencies, it’s been a slow push up a steep hill to train all of those things. We’ve had good moments, we’ve even had whole good rides, but this? This was a whole week of consistent-ness.
I don’t know what happened and frankly I’m hesitant to take any credit for it (has someone else been training my horse by moonlight?), but whatever is going on with him I hope it sticks around. It’s like somebody flipped on the light for him, and I’m going to keep riding that wave… 
I so wished I had my phone on me this morning when I turned the boys out because for the first time EVER, I saw Ace and my Morgan gelding grooming each other. My Morgan gelding despite being the youngest is the biggest bully, or at least he tries to be. Since I brought him home as a newly gelded three year old (now 6) he’s tried to ‘be friends’ with the other geldings but none of them want anything to do with him. He doesn’t get beat up at all but they do ostracize him and part of it is because his ‘social’ skills are over the top. It primarily was the Morgan that Ace had to stand up to and did so after getting here. So imagine my surprise when I turned them out and the two head out to eat and then started grooming each other. The others had already put their heads to the ground. I caught them doing it twice with no threats or issues. I wanted a picture just so I could prove to my SO because he’s not going to believe it when I tell him.
@exvet herd working out is SO big!!!
I’ve been doing assisted stretching sessions and they fairly directly resulted in me getting the best collected canter my mare has ever done; possibly that I’ve ever ridden. Shocking, 1 session made a massive difference from one day to the next.
Can you describe what it is that you’re doing in regards to the assisted stretching sessions? I’m not sure I understand what that is or what that constitutes. TIA
I’ve seen that there are two different chains, and this is a locally owned franchise from one of them. I bet in the Phoenix area there are independent options, and maybe there are here, too, but this is around the corner from work so it’s convenient.
I’m hypermobile, so my body responds by tightening up my muscles everywhere, and that actually pulls things out. This is someone help stretch and contort in ways I’ve never been able to figure out when googling and researching independent stretches, better hip flexor and piriformis stretches than I can get on my own. I used to see a massage therapist who used some assisted stretching and it helped a ton. My problem with chiro was it didn’t stay because of the muscles tightening.
Basically, I learn where my mobility is uneven side to side which tells me crookedness in my riding, and things like my left hip flexor being locked up Thursday give me hints on what’s happening in my riding.
Thank you for that. I’m sure there are things in my riding/position that need ‘help’ which would translate into a better way of going overall with both my boys. I rode Brandon yesterday in the big roping arena with the wind blowing and relatively cooler temps. His canter is becoming better balanced which I was very please with and we worked on our straightness in the canter as well. Still battling the tension monster and convincing him to stay steady and soft in the connection. Planning on going to a schooling show at the end of July with both boys. Ellie is judging; so, it will be a good ‘test’ of seeing where we’re really at and at schooling show pricing, a huge bonus.
Except for my RRII competition who was basically as perfect as possible when I watched her beautiful rides, aren’t we all?
But what a good opportunity for you with the schooling show! I have so many physical issues I’m always battling, I’m looking forward to seeing how this helps long term.
@netg - you look terrific!
For a number of reasons, I have changed trainers 3 times in the last 2 years. I can’t imagine losing my trainer like you did. Change is always hard, but often comes with unforeseen benefits. I hope you are finding your silver lining.
My brag: after dealing with bilateral hind suspensory injuries for my horse, and broken back for me, we have graduated to cantering! It has been close to a year of rehab for him and 8 months of recovery and rehab for me. It has been a hard year of slow progress, but with continued improvement at each step.
A true baby brag here. Not really a brag, but a, whew, we did it! I just did an intro test for a virtual show with my very green OTTB. I’ve only ridden him a handful of times this year and we got a 65.313% – which I’m very satisfied with. I can’t wait to do more work with this boy. I think he has some potential. 
(Just a schooling pic.)
Lots and lots of gratitude for the time I had, and for the gift of my mare, and him setting me up to keep developing her as her only rider. I may have trips for work or vacation where I get someone else to ride her, but I’m pretty much it and so far that’s working for us!
I’m also reminded to reach out to those I care about and do what matters to me. When I started riding with Mike, I had just re-learned to walk after nerve damage, but pretty much couldn’t use my left leg riding. He helped me regain function more than any of my PT did, and helped reshape my seat. I didn’t want to get great at riding through massive bucking, but he taught me the skills so I could. In 9 years with him, my bucker never got me off again. My last conversation with him was one where he laid out the path forward in my mare’s development and I thanked him for everything. We didn’t know he was about to get sick by the next morning, it just worked out that way. And for 9 years, I rode with him 4-5 hours a week, on any horse he had available to put me on in addition to my own. No regrets, just gratitude. It’s worth the pain for so much wonderful 
My vet, chiropractor, and bodyworker all agreed they didn’t think my young horse had ulcers. I trusted my instincts, ignored them, put him on a course of omeprazole, and it CURED his hyper reactive spooking.
This is a horse that wasn’t fully through his back 6 weeks ago, and today we had a textbook perfect rein back, and a canter transition that was so dang uphill he didn’t know how to keep cantering 
My mare and i are finally cantering. Today was the third lesson we cantered during. And first time more than half a 20m circle. My coach was enthusiastic and encouraging. It has taken me three years.
Congratulations! That’s huge!
what a beautiful horse!!!
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