Chesapeake Sport Horse Blog

Vinnie came out really great yesterday, much better than the day before, I’m feeling very encouraged that he will now hold up to work, and can get strong!

Duell came out really great yesterday as well, really loose and relaxed in his neck, back and shoulders, which is a rare pleasure to ride. With any luck, he will get better and better. He also had shockwave therapy, on the left side of his neck, where x-rays showed he had some calcifications going on.

FEI horses are going to have some wear and tear, as is evident from a lifetime of regular work. As owners/trainers/riders, we do what we can from a preventative standpoint (appropriate diet, balanced shoeing, joint maintenance), but really, there is a place for pain management on the things that seem to present constant challenges. Duell’s neck, and Vinnie’s ringbone on the RF are a constant challenge to their work, no question about it. 

I have to say that while I consider myself just full of tricks when it comes to Holistic Modalities and Treatments, I was unable to provide the relief for these two horses that skilled and cutting-edge veterinary treatments were able to provide. High five to Dr. Susan Mende for her help in getting these horses back up to performing at the level I always knew they were capable of! Feeling very confident, but still keeping my fingers crossed!

I spent all day in the barn yesterday, finally, after weeks of having to drive all over, and then being gone and not riding (I did three on Monday) for the time I was away. Here’s the short version of my sessions yesterday, posting for my ladies who could not be here.

Sri- started out stiff and kind of lazy. Got better, but has lost some muscling with his recent break, needs to sweat and do trot work. Did canter both directions, balance was consistent with being loose in his abs. Overall, he was well behaved, he put in good effort, but it was not his best work. We all have days when we are “off”, and overall, Sri has come a very long way in his work in the past year and a half.

Gen – as expected, he was perfect on Monday and really full of himself and spooky yesterday. He got around, he gave me all he had to give, and that was enough. He really tries hard, and that makes him just a pleasure to work with.

Amore – was a buckaholic on Monday on the longe, but was better yesterday, and very obedient on the longe, I will probably ride him today.

Turner – after a really long break, and putting weight on just chillin’ and being a horse for most of the summer, Turner came back to work yesterday, I longed him, he was great. He’s always great, I still love that horse. He goes up to work with Ryan Wood next Tuesday. Trying to at least take the edge off, so that he can show the four months of everyday work I put on him before I bought him. I think Ryan and Turner are going to be a great match, and I am really looking forward to getting media on them.

Avi – He was wonderful! I rode him in a snaffle, I don’t think he spooked once. I started him in hand just once around the ring, then we followed his owner’s  instructions for 35-40 minutes. Lots and lots of walking around on the buckle. He was really cute going by the door, he never left the track, but he pranced through the sunspots as if they were water. Great horse, Par Avion is Debra Brookhouser’s Grand Prix horse, he is doing “rehab” work now, after coming back from a tendon injury. I have to say it’s an honor to be trusted with him.

Sebastian – Was also wonderful. He’s very strong in a snaffle, but that’s the kind of riding that makes you have to rely more on your core, it strengthens your position. I think we did two single changes, and one line of three’s in the end. Lots of trot work, and also lots of dropping the rein to the buckle. I notice that he really locks the base of his neck when I take up the reins, so we did alot of dropping and quietly picking up, not touching, but pushing him back up and out, hold, then drop, then again, etc… Worked on displacing weight to the HQ, mostly in walk, but also got it in trot, and canter, hence the threes at the end to make sure he could do them without running through my seat. It was a really good, but really foundational level school, and I was very happy with him. He really only sweat a little under the saddle. I wrapped both horses, FYI, when I rode them.

Vinnie – This was Vinnie’s first time out since having his joint injected and the second round of shockwave on the right front. He has ringbone, and so far, what I’ve seen is that if he’s strong through his abs, he can carry himself sound. The true test will be to see how he comes out today, whether or not he is better or worse.

Duell – I saved Duell for last, and we put in a solid hour of good work. He was really great, we have our best rides when nobody is around to see them. We worked on pirrhouettes, tempi changes – 3′s, 4′s, 5′s (on a 20 m. circle). Changes are harder to do on a circle, you really have to have control of the bend moreso than just doing the changes on a straight line, where the momentum is a great help. We practiced our passage/piaffe, needs alot of work still. I think I did one line of 6 2′s, and that was all I asked for with those. The 2′s ride much more easily than the 4′s. It’s easy to lose count in the 4′s, and you really have a longer interval where you have to sit still and hold the lead.

Duell comes out better every school these days, and it’s always a surprise for me, because I never really expected to get beyond PSG with him. We have the half-pass sequence down for the I-1, and the two’s are looking promising but still need work. Duell’s biggest challenge is submission in the bridle. He is capable of doing all of the upper level movements completely inverted, which is not good. We continue to work on this, and he is getting better.  He’s a big horse, and it takes alot of strength to ride him well. He’s a horse who is good at making FEI riders. Apparently. I’ve had alot of help from Becky and Scott, and also Jeffra, getting Duell and I to where we are. We still have alot of work ahead of us to be competitive in the FEI classes.

Annie brought me dinner from Panera, and Larry and Colt went to the store, it was a really good day! Annie got some video of Gen and Avi going yesterday, and hopefully, we’ll keep getting schooling video of our horses going to add to Ryan and Boyd’s collection. Congratulations to Boyd Martin on the sale of Double Exposure, and congratulations to Moe’s new people.