Baby Greenie Support Group now open: Share Your Pain!

[Bumpkin]

I think Elliot was kind of between the two of them, a bit high, but trying to get to work.

“If only mom didn’t loose her balance over this little jump we are doing in a circle. Then she doesn’t let me drop my shoulder and come in a wee bit cutting the corner”

“I think I will switch my leads back and forth on the straight away, and do some hind in skipping action” “I am much too lazy to do a full out buck”

Fortunately my lesson today was very short and almost like a warmup for tomorrow eves lesson.

[DMK]

Like you a pretty much want to make a lot of greenie experiences positive, but mostly what I try to remember is that IF I choose to go down there were the evil, horse eating birds reside, that is pretty much all we are going to do that day (that is a mental preparation that I, as the rider MUST do to keep my cool). And I try to keep the battles I won’t engage in nicely balanced with the times I do pick a battle.

It’s hard to explain, but if I had the bird battle today, I would probably try to set ourselves up for success for the next couple of days (unless we had to have Bird Battle, Part Deux ).

When the issues could be because of lack of muscling, coordination and balance, then I try to think of some other exercise that might help develop the same muscles without pushing the obedience issue. Of course it doesn’t always work out that way, and then you just need to bite the bullet. Mostly I have found that a lot of the other groundwork and basic training is done then, so it isn’t so bad… on most horses… and then there are those “special few”… (we try to tell ourselves that they are this way because they are going to be the “special” athlete )

[Bumpkin]

I have to admit I have not climbed back on Elliot since the “Incident”.

It has been ten days!!!

My head still hurts, as does my neck, shoulders and lower back.

I am not afraid at all, but I dread the creaky pain that I am going to feel.
Also with the holidays, I have found that I have only had one day away from Mr Bumpkin who is quite happy I have spent all this time sitting here around the house and going shopping, ala family.
And instead of spending that day with Elliot, I ran off to BC with a horse friend to see her new horse.

Should I feel guilty?

[Lord_Helpus]

Merry, Come on back to KY and you will be BEGGING for the division with the earliest classes. I do not know how I will stand it if I do not get section A of the pre-greens next week (and, if I do, I plan to be first int he ring at 8 am!)

I just walked outside at 9 pm and felt like I had dived (dove?) (diven???) into a warm swimming pool… I miss the lack of humidity in California!

[headsup]

::looks around:: but I got in a baby that actually listens! But…sssshhhhh…don’t tell her that…she seems to think swishing her tail is misbehaving LOL… ::dances for joy::

[wtywmn4]

Wonderful ideas Justalurker and Merry…The get well cards are the best. Let’s hope this will be over soon for Pam/Lordhelpus…

Don’t give up on your saddle pad issue. Not to do with our thin skinned TB’s Must have spent a small fortune in the past 2 months to try and find the right one…pads that is. Bought everything available, literally. But a friend at the barn let me use her black, has small air holes in it, neopreen/rubber? pad she got from Dover. And honestly it worked. My saddle not only irritaged my poor guy, but moved all over his back. Girth was tight, he just uses his shoulder immensely. It’s called a No-Slip pad and sells for $20. Easy to clean and really does work!

[Bumpkin]

hmmmmm…I wonder what is the average age of the Baby Greenie Brigade?

[pkd]

Fleet popped right over a cross rail. She rushed a bit, but didn’t bat an eyelash! At this rate, she’ll be ready for the schooling shows in no time

[wtywmn4]

Well, my problem is that I am sure, it isn’t right so I pick. And then pick somemore… Just what all greenies need. Some fool who is constantly trying to fix things.

If it’s an OTTB I leave them alone, go figure…

You know, I was once told that horses are also left or right handed. Hence the problems with lead changes and being balanced. Now either this holds water, or said trainer was desperately trying to placate me…

[Merry]

Let’s see, which version of “Horse Show Hell” do you want to hear?

Saturday, the day I felt like I was riding in a remake of “Lawrence of Arabia”, complete with howling winds, flapping garments and dust clouds, or Sunday, when I was judging endless hordes of kids who really had no business cantering 2’6"?

I guess I’ll stick to Saturday and the Adventures of Hambolarama…

1. I asked Beezer before I hitched up the trailer, “Do ya’ think it’s too windy to go to the show?”
2. When we arrived, I noticed that some of my friends were huddled in the cab of their truck. They said (through the rolled-up window), “We’re watching you, Cindy, to see if you’re going to ride.” Swell.
3. Beezer and I were going to leave when all of a sudden Beezer says, “What’s that hissing sound?” Oh, that would be my truck’s tire, going flat due to the huge BOLT IMBEDDED IN ITS TREAD.
4. So Hammie comes out while Beezer calls AAA. I decide to compete in the baby green division. As I start on course, I realize my horse is DFL (dead freakin’ lame) in the hind end! HUH? He trots out of it, so I go on course and he’s doing okay until he spies a pile of jump poles outside the ring right next to the last line. Let’s just say I stopped out.
5. I instruct Beezer to leave the tow truck driver and come stand on top of the pile of jump poles for my next round. Yes, she does her impression of a log roller, but Hammie comes around the turn, sees Beezer and goes, “Oh. It’s Beezer.” And he has a beautiful round.
6. There were people schooling for Indio, so I was thrilled that under the conditions, I got a 4th and a 2nd. I probably would’ve won the second round, but alas, all I saw coming into the final line was a long moving up spot. It would’ve worked, but Hammie doesn’t “do” coming back in a line yet.

And yes, I’m still picking grit out of my eyeballs.

“You just keep thinkin’, Butch. That’s what you’re good at.” – The Sundance Kid

[wanderlust]

You are from Mass, too? Where?

And let me ask you… how do you cope with the horrible way that horses are kept out here? I keep trying to rationalize that because top trainers keep very, very expensive horses in such a manner, it is ok for mine. And because I really like my trainers, who are in residence at my barn, it is ok. And because the arenas are lit (and I usually work late), it is ok. But it isn’t. And I have this nagging feeling that the intermittent unsoundness (nevermind many of the behavioral issues) is due to standing in a stall 23 hours a day. I feel like I’m not doing right by him… that he should be outside with lots of space to move around all day long, like he was when we lived on the east coast, not for an hour or two in a small pipe corral with nothing but dirt to eat.

And for those of you who have never been out here(the bay area), this is the case at 99% of the medium-size and large farms you go to. It is not unique to the property that I am at. But it sure is frustrating…

[SquishTheBunny]

Hey all!

Should you worry when your baby green isnt acing baby green at all???

My horsie isnt quite 3 yet, but I have been on him abut 3 times just for about 5 minutes of walk. Not rushing anything but wanted to sit on him a few times before the snow decded to dump down on us.

He has had a few months of long lining, lunging, tacked up etc. Anyway…a few days ago I got on him for the 3rd or4th time and he was perfect! He just knew how to steer (I never asked him for that before, I was just lead around). He knew how to halt and shock he knew to go forward when I put my leg on.

Want to hear somehting even more shocking? I put my leg on a bit hader because he was slowing down and he started to jog!!!

MY theory is…Aliens from some distant planet came down and broke him for me. Does that sound plausable???

This has kinda ruined all the plans for me. I promised myself that I would get on him a few times before the snow, teach him to walk/halt/steer etc. and then give him the winter off and start again in the spring.

BUT this just SUCKS! Since he already knows how o walk/steer/halt, I have no reason to continueriding him!!! I think he knew my plan and decided he would rather spend the day eating grss or hay.

Has anyone else had their baby green act so…um…not how you would have expected???

[Merry]

Gotta love that moose! I think she’s just gorgeous! I have faith in da’ moose… “Go Moose, Go!”

As for jumpers, I’d love to do them with Hammie. He certainly has the scope and courage. However, we have one problem: while I have no fear about jumping heights, spreads or combinations, I do not want to make fast, tight turns. Galloping is okay, just no daredevil turns. Unfortunately, I don’t think you win anything by just doing a twisty hunter course.

“Friends don’t let friends eat fish tacos.”

[Cinnybren]

I am afraid the sadlle is part of the problem. Dang it, just got it six months ago! Oh well, cest la vie! Bumpkin, I think I’m doing what you did last year. We’ve done teeth/sheath, and I just moved to a new barn and trainer over the weekend. Murphy and I have our first official lesson with new trainer Stacy tonight…(I’m quite excited about the move and new trainer!) I’ll have her look at saddle-fit tonight and see what she thinks.

BTW, Merry thanks for the reminder about the saddle fit threads. I re-read the fitting guide that Bumpkin posted. “Houston, we have a problem!”

[Lord_Helpus]

Oh, what a lovely magic wand…

For Warren: I choose to change his terror of the warm up area. I also put in a fervent wish that each step be in front of the prior step. I am getting too old for these 180’s.

For Kimmie: I choose to change a deformed bulge on the right side (but only when we go past the dreaded sand pile).

For Mikey: I choose to change the variation in speed of the canter. How nice it will be when each canter stride bears some resemblance to the stride before and after.

I have some other requests, fairy godmother, but these will do for right now. Thank you.

[rusty]

Day 4 or 5 and we have kept all four feet on the ground! Starting to accept having to work for a living, this was a little hard, after all she really had never been asked to do any thing the first 7 years of her life. Poor horsie. If she is good every day until Fri she can have a carrot Margarita.

[Merry]

Hammie’s neck is a nickel’s worth short, but man, can it “up periscope” when he sees a pony on a hilltop or a chicken in the neighbor’s bushes. I’ve done the “let’s introduce ourselves to the scary _________ before we start”, also. My other trick is to get a human to stand next to said scary object. Amazingly, it works every time! Just ask Beezer or Queen of Horse Show Moms. Both have been escorted to the scary corners of show arenas and told to start talking to whatever greenie I’m on as I approach the turn.

And my own baby greenie assignment for today: Riding Barbie, aka “The Hanoverian Cow Beast”. She’s really cute and 180 degrees from Hammie in all aspects. We just started trotting little x’s and stuff. What does she feel like? The term “a flying couch” comes to mind.

“Charter Member of the Baby Greenie Support Group of North America”

[Justice]

because Justice seems to have discovered that his hind legs are attached to his brain (thank you baby green fairy!). We have consistent lead changes! Michigan might be cold - but it is working out just fine. Now, if I could only send him to Florida with the trainer for the winter. . .I have my lottery ticket!

I jumped him 3’ 6" for the first time yesterday and it was great fun. Just an oxer coming out of a line, but it gave me an idea of what he will be like to the bigger fences - eager beaver. This one definitely didn’t come with a measuring stick

Pam, I don’t have a curb chain, but I am considering buying one just so I can jingle it for you. Please accept my d-ring rattle in the meantime!

[HighEQ]

I have been riding babies since I was 16 and I have never come across this: a baby with no energy whatsoever. I mean, he sprints non-stop around his paddock, showing off beautiful movement at all 3 gaits, but when I get on, he acts like a 30 year old school horse. I’m talking spurs, stick…nothing. And the other thing he does, he’ll spook out of nowhere and give no warning at all…no body stiffening, no pace increase, not even pricked ears. And these aren’t small spooks, these are belly rolls with a 180 thrown in for effect. On the ground, he is the sweetest thing you’d ever want to work around with no vices. I’ve had him since he was a yearing and he’s 4 now, doing crossrails. The canter departure is the worst…he ignores me completely. I could beat him with a stick until I was blue in the face and he IGNORES me! Very frustrating! Any suggestions? HELP!

[Bumpkin]

That Weatherford!!! She is awesome.

Evidently, they, (Weatherford’s Group), are thinking of making a flyer/publication with Mr Bumpkin’s Helmet Theory!!!

How exciting is that???