Baby Greenie Support Group now open: Share Your Pain!

[Hopeful_Hunter]

Sounds like a lot of our greenies are starting to ripen a bit!

Bumpkin – Yeah! You go! Here’s hoping for a lovely, effective, quiet lesson.

DMK – SO sorry about RV. I’ve had horses from hades when it comes to hooves so I feel for you. Had 3 of them tear open holes in their hoof walls or soles, too. I’ve used diapers instead of the sheet cotton as the “base” layer, but the quilt batting sounds like it could work well. Wonder if it would work as a leg wrap instead of expensive sheet cotton, too, if you put gauze wrap over any exposed areas?

Laurie – YIKES! Not sure I’d put arnica oil around your eye, but you might find a gentle gel or cream in your local health food store. Hope it’s healing!

I rode my greenie in a lesson today – only his second in a long while due to holidays and my being ill with the flu. His name is Asherman, btw, (now 7 yr old OTTB, off the track since Sept 2000). He had NO brain for last week’s lesson – he even jumped while literally looking behind him at the people splitting wood over yonder . This week was much improved – we worked in our tiny indoor on my nemesis – cantering a turn to a gymnastic. Just low stuff - 2’ - 2’3" - cross rail to vertical then vertical to vertical, one stride between. When I bothered to RIDE him properly to it he was actually kinda good. When I didn’t – well, let’s just say that I was reminded of the jumping rabbits pix several times . But hey, he did jump them from that lousy ride, so that’s a good thing, I guess.

[Bumpkin]

No matter what the cost!! haha
I am sooo nicely envious, and hope that I can someday get such a nice photo, of course, without having to fall off a few times and rush to the ER
Thank you Pam for sharing.

[Duffy]

LaurieB - The only time I had anything I felt I could possibly blame on the saddlepad I DID find where someone (of course not me! ) had yanked off a price tag of some such and part of the little plastic thing that was still in the pad, or so I discovered after I regained concsiousness and checked out the pad!

It was a 2-yr old Connemara and I’d just gotten on her for the first time. And guess who’s girth not was quite as tight as it should have been, especially with a new slippery fleecy pad…My aunt was on the ground with a line attached when she exploded, which of course complicated things because she was pulling away and bucking at the same time, thereby twisting the saddle too. Oh well. Since that day I am unbelievably careful about making sure BOTH sides of those stupid plastic tag-holder thingies are out of anything I put on my horses or children!!

So, my thought is, it could be the pad. Perhaps not for that reason…It certainly could be what DMK said too!

[This message was edited by Duffy on Jan. 21, 2002 at 10:58 PM.]

[Buckybu]

I got myself into an OTTB situation… which really happened with Love at first sight. I walked into the barn, saw his face and said “That better be the horse for sale, because thats the one I’m buying” and so he came home. We’ve (yes me and the horse) have been plagued with lameness and illness for baout a year solid and just started our consistant training this month. He walks and trots awesome, and now picks up the right lead perfectly, but the left lead is a struggle, but much better then before He is learning gymnastics, and his manners in general are so much better. I love my horse, because he is trained for ME! the way I RIDE. And it’s awesome!

[Duffy]

Oye - Would you believe my camera wouldn’t work for VTrider, who was all prepared to take some pics of me actually hacking Gramento? Oh well! I do have live witnesses anyway.

He was AWESOME!!! He won 3 out of 4 jumping classes, had a slight rub in the other and was 2nd in that one. (My trainer showed him o/f.) I hacked him in both divisions with a 4th in the first division and 2nd in the second division. He was incredible! I think I need to find out who this judge was so that I can follow him all over the country! I think he’s from Louisiana? Anyway, Gramento was Champion in both of his divisions yesterday.

[Duffy]

It was wonderful!! It’s amazing what a little help from the ground can do for one’s self-confidence, which, at times, has been grossly lacking with this guy. We used a gag bit on him today and I was able to put my leg on him and actually get his hind end somewhat under him as opposed to out in neverneverland gracefully out behind him somewhere. I did not let him get me in a tug-a-war when attempting to bend/turn right. I was able to use more leg and actually give and take and get a desired response at all gaits.

I can’t tell you what a long haul this has been and this guy has been such a sweetheart throughout it all. I guess ya’ll can tell I’m kinda happy — can you say blissful??? I know, I know…it’s definitely just a momentary lapse, but it does give me hope!

I got my pictures back and I have a couple that are not horrendous that I will try to scan and post later.

Need to go pick up son at skating arena now.

[Janet]

One solution, which works for SOME horses is to use lights to artificailly extend the day.

From 96 to 2000, Music couldn’t canter from October to May. I put her under lights in August 2000, and she hasn’t had a problem since.

She got 2 2nds and a 4th at Hazelwild in the Schooling Jumpers on Saturday, something that would have been impossible in February two years ago.

I don’t know that this would work for a horse that gets hyper in the winter, but it is worth a try for one that gets grumpy in winter.

[Merry]

What?!?!? Other folks have days when their normally compliant baby decides to be the, let’s see, someone referred to them as “the spawn of Satan”?

Push the button, push the button, push the button…

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

[Bumpkin]

Congratulations!!!
Don’t you love lessons like that?

They may be a bit shorter, but the adrenaline and memory of them lasts for days.

Sounds like a lesson to go home and falling asleep dreaming about!!

[Merry]

Truly, I can see the saddle being a distraction to her. Man, she sounds like a “dumblood”!

I had an imported Dutch mare, “Emily”, that could just not accept a martingale or breastplate. It bugged the heck out of her! She would just constantly stamped her front leg or flinch her shoulder muscle, as if she was twitching a fly off of her skin. She never, ever got used to it!

We shall pray that Sophie Moose learns-- eventually-- to “be one with the saddle”.

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

[Bumpkin]

I have short, short legs!!!

My balance is lacking to the extreme at the moment.
I get into “Left Leg Nirvana” when the heel is down nice, all correct, calf is on Elliot’s side asking and getting a response… oh joy!!!

But I have no idea how to get to “Left Leg Nirvana” right off the bat. Takes a good 20 to 30 min warm up and relaxation… then we have it.

You on the other hand have that wonderful long leg that just automatically wraps around the barrel of the horse and goes, gasp I am sooo jealous!!! haha (in a nice way mind you)

When Elliot jumps big I am looking pretty shakey, but I do stay on, it just isn’t exactly what you would call an EQ round hahaha
So they better judge on how well Elliot takes care of his mom!!!

So what I am saying is… Elliot needs to go higher, I just don’t know if I can stay on… haha.
But never mind, I came this far I am not about to give up yet.

[This message was edited by Bumpkin on Dec. 04, 2001 at 12:41 AM.]

[sugarbr]

hello my name is sugarbr and my daughter has a baby greenie…yes it is so much better to say it out loud How about not bucking in the turns or over jumping the fences three feet and and oh for that wand!!! here is a pic of our boy doing baby greens

[LaurieB]

Merry, I’m pretty sure you won… then again, mine is not an expert opinion.

Whenever I plan those short, no-hassle rides, Tess’s attention span seems to evaporate about five minutes before I think we’re finished. And when she goes, she’s gone. Her brain enters the no fly zone. la la la la la is someone talking to me? I can’t hear you… la la la

Usually we only have one more thing we needed to finish. I used to “argue” her back to reality which took an additional twenty minutes. Now I just slap on a pair of draw reins and go Hello?

It’s amazing how quickly they refocus her–especially since that’s usually about the only time she gets ridden in them. Eventually I’m hoping she’ll realize the ride isn’t finished until I say so. Yeah, right.

[Bumpkin]

Well bending those rules…hmmmm
I knew for months that I was not making Elliot do things. When I felt we were about to have a blow up I would give in and not address the issue.
When I started with the new trainer, the first few lessons had some of those issues addressed with her talking me through them.
It was GREAT, a real adrenaline thrill to stay on and do what she was saying and seeing a difference every time we rode and took a lesson.
I could never have gotten to these problems and solved them pronto, if I did not have my trainer on the ground telling me what to do the whole way we were careening around the ring with those hind end bucks. haha
It helped that I knew that his bark was bigger than his bite, and I had told myself, “no fear”.
For I knew in my olde heart if I let fear in I am doomed.
One day he was wonderful, then all of the sudden awful.
We went around and around moving forward, not letting him win.
Then my trainer told me, now ride him past/ through those problem places and over the jumps like he is the greatest hunter in the world and nothing is wrong. You are so happy and having a great round of perfect jumps.
I did and it worked. Elliot felt like he was going to fight me if I wanted to fight, but because I just ignored his tensing up and rode on he relaxed and the lesson ended wonderfully.
He has been wonderful for me since then and we have made some great strides in our relationship.
Hope this rambling makes sense.

[GabyNRed]

If you had a magic wand, what would you wish for as you waved it over your baby hunter or jumper?

Ah. What to wish for…-sighs-

No Mary, a 25 mile per hour extended trot is not needed to get where we going. How about a nice, smooth collected trot, eh? What an idea.

And Red, sniffing every single pile of poop in the ring is not necissary…and not to mention not exactly attractive when were in the middle of a line and you stop dead and yank your head down just to sniff the nice presant the previous horse left behind. And the wierd lip thing may be comical, but your embarassing your mommy. Cant we just jump and get it over with?

if only…

[Chicago]

Artimus is finally sound again, so I finally got to ride him. His leads were correct, his giraffeyness was minimal, and he trotted his ground poles like a pro.

However, he couldn’t resist slobbering on my breeches as I picked his feet. I don’t care. At least he’s back among the sound for the time being.

Bad news: he’s for sale. The camp I work for can’t afford to keep delicate TB’s who don’t hold up to much work.

Anybody want a 16.1 hand chestnut OTTB with a big blaze who moves like a ballerina?

P.S. Thanks to everyone who wished me soundness! It worked!

[Bumpkin]

Where do I find out about this helmet?
I am still looking and need to get a new one quick.
Using Mallory’s show helmet now.

[Lord_Helpus]

Yep. I have been cutting Warren slack for 3 years now… But when I get discouraged, I focus on the good stuff (the round we got second in was a really good one – I just found a quiet distance off one corner, but that was hardly his fault). The pieces are all there, and they really are starting to come together. Our corners are immeasuably better – he now softens and bends and goes deep into them (last summer we “motorcycled” the corners). So it will all happen someday. And he will be a fantastic 3’6" - 4’ horse.

By then he will probably be sold. SIGH. All my horses are for sale… It is the only way I can call this a business. But it beats working

[LaurieB]

Oh DMK, I knew that remark would get your dander up!

Then again, I can’t take too much offense. This is a friend I’ve known since we were teens, who went to WEF one year, liked what she saw, and bought a place so she could keep doing it. Now she’s “stuck” down there with six horses that need to be ridden (husband and daughters back at work/school up north) and guess who got the call to come help out?

So I’m going down to WEF next week to exercise someone else’s very fancy horses for a few days. Life could be worse, you know?

[Bumpkin]

I have a new tube of Flexall Plus right here next to the computer and a bottle of Aleve!!
haha