Thursday, February 10, 2011

All knds of NEW

Somethings missing here....


Firstly, it was SUNNY on my day off...that's a new one! I'll take it!
Secondly, a BOX from Dover Saddlery came in the mail...I did not even open it at home, but plopped it directly into the truck and left for the stable .
And -as we drove onto the final 500 feet of road to the driveway of the stable...oh wow, the trail on both sides of the road was GONE..and the dudes were still falling the trees! We all knew it was going to happen...but when it actually does...it is sad to see clear cut(they were supposed to be "selective cutting) but my PBO says that is a pathway for the machines to come and clearcut. All I know, is the forest right next to the stable is part of what they plan to cut and horses are in for a SHOCK!

Okay, back to me sharing about some other-better-new things.
 I wanted to share with Juliette from "Honeysuckle faire" blog, what mane and tail product I used...she liked the way Wa's black mane looked black and sometimes shiney~ And YUP, being a hairdresser, I am into the least abrasive routines for the mane and tail. I don't like loosing any strands of either!
My mudcake mare upon arrival to the grooming station~


Fortunately for me and my bum elbows and hands, grooming is only the two sides of her neck, mane, tail. I usually use the "wash station" for her hooves and legs with cold water, then I towel them and brush the hair to dry out. This facility is smaller than my last one and has smaller turnouts...so the mud is much greater, to my dismay. I have already cleaned the two lightweight rain blankets...and in 2 weeks..the one looks pretty bad, already...boo...so Then I begin to BRUSH the horse AND the blanket!

ANYWHO.....I've always used this hair conditioner on Wa. it seems to detangle and shine without building up and it never gets brittle in the hair. THIS IS CONCENTRATE, so I use 2 oz to a 12 oz bottle of water.
 It's pink and smells nice!

These are my muddy day grooming articles, amoungst many.  As you see, these are frequently used...I wash them about every other time in soapy hot water.
Semi stff, synthetic brush- rubberised brush with very a awesome handle, for those who don't grip well(like me) it's more of a pushing motion and Wa gets a massage with it. A rubber mitt-and
wide toothed comb


I spray the muddy area's firstly- mane, tail. Then let it set some...and go for the knocking off of ground in mudd on her neck, underside (how do they do that anyway...right between the forelegs and middle of belly??!!)

Here she is with the larger chunks of mudd "knocked off" and me having sprayed the hair again with the misty conditioner.


Once I get through the mane with this "Wide Tooth" comb, I then go over it with my synthetic soft brush. it distributes the sprayed on conditioner well.


Since most of her body is covered with the turjnout blanket, I have little else to do save a little mudd on the opposite of her mane.

And she is ready for tacking up! I do her feet outside the main door, or in her paddock on the ground...so I don't have to sweep all the mud and rocks.


NEW "HAF" pad from Action rider tack for my "treeless" saddle I am saving for. This has been awesome under my Bareback saddle pad , by giving my mare an extra channel for her spine, making it ultra comfy for me, with it's closed cell foam incerts.( I got this a few weeks ago)
Here is yet another NEW thing
I finally got a new helmet! I have been using my LARGE WHITE Q-tip looking Troxel helmet for 4 years. I have liked it and liked the neato device on the back, that dials for looser or tighter..I hate photos of me in it...it's absolutely huge!

Meet my new "Tipperary Sportage" in Navy blue~I even like the bag!


Oh these vents are pretty great...since I will be riding in the desert places of Oregon this summer .(more on that later)You  can see the Big White Q-tip helmet in the background- on our tack room photo frame.


And the last NEW thing come from something I dread doing. Constantly cleaning the muck off my half chaps in late winter and spring. I have tall winter boots, for the colder rides...they clean up great with a hose and paper towel...but my leather boots, with the tread and half chaps for the spring...messy, icky labor intensive...
I've gone to this now, as of opening the Dover Saddlery box~
"Goode Riders" chic, rubber bottomed, tall boots!


They were on sale and though I wanted the ones with canvas top and back zipper (they were out of) These are GREAT! No problem with my muscle rich calves. And they are so nice and thin with a soft rubber sole, I can FEEL everything!!I just realised whoever put the cosmetic only buckle on..they did it backwards...I'll flip it tomorrow when I go to ride.
And lastly and MOST important to me is:
I started my indoor training regime yesterday. This simply consists of lots of varying groundwork, to warm the mare up and then riding patterns at walk with my body intention only. Steering with intesion and some light outside rein, jsut as my torso moves, to start with.
I will pick up more rein contact intermittently and then relax. But we shall keep with the patterns and keep moving with lots of praises for her relaxed demeanor!

I  did some lateral work from the ground over and between polls firstly. She really has NEVER gotten this comfortably. She dislikes anything under her. So we did this from a long line till she got stuck...meaning, she had to be in front of the poll or behind it! She would NOT allow the poll to be under her. So I would drop the rope and training stick, walk over to her and calmingly rub her, stand with her and then- ask for sidestep...just one or two correct steps....
 till we went over the entire ground poll.
She did so well! A total mental work out for her Wa-mare- brain!
Then onto the lunge line, for a few rounds of outside contact with that outside side rein on the longest setting. "Trot Out" to "Easy Trot" change within the gate.
She did well, with only one explosive burst that I looked away for-
( if I look at her too hard or respond to her too much-she escalates) I cooed her back to trot with my hand in backward line motions and a smaller circle. Good!
Then, the real work began....I sighted out 6 -10 meter circles and 2- 20 meter circles to have her lunge  around me on .
This took place in the entire arena. My point was for her to listen and have control. At first, she really sped up when i directed her to the long wall and the first 10 meter circle, which resulted in her having to do 2 circles-instead of one...she got it soon enough and we changed directions for the  patterns repeated the  that way. I was so pleased with her!! she really was nicely controlled.

I WAS going to get on her and walk all of the patterns too...but... thought better of it this time, as it was all so new, why chance the over load effect ( happens easily for this mare)and end up maybe badly.
I got on and we took a stroll around the outside of the property..about a mile. She did balk at the first hill..and I took the non -reactive stance to her active halting & evil eye. I instead circled right, then left and threw in a rein back...CURED! We went on and she was shortly in the "Stall Peeking" position!
She ate her treat and I quickly braided her tail again for the next few days of her mud- fest- rolling.


Good start to my plans for calm arena work...readying for my new
"Treeless" saddle in the future. We must ride our gaits in it to decide!

Goodnight Wa mare~


22 comments:

  1. I absolutely love that pink stuff.. it smells awesome, doesn't it? and really leaves the mane and tail feeling silky smooth, helps to keep it tetangled and moisterized. LOL.. you'de think I sell the stuff.

    Also, those boots are great!!

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  2. Wow!!! Kacy!!! You spoiled me with an entire post about how you get Wa to look so lovely! Thank you! I am going to go out and get what you have because my boys look like your "Before" photo before and after I work on them!!!!!!!

    And...I was going to order those Goode boots in brown too!!!

    I love how you look away so Wa's fears don't escalate. That is the best strategy ever! I use that when Sovey is feeling grumpy and wants to bite out - I look away or down and his ears go right up and he retreats.

    Wa is making great progress in the indoor it sounds like!

    I hate hearing about the trees. Especially around the barn. That was so beautiful when you moved there. I don't understand I guess because I am not from Oregon!

    Happy sunshine girls...KK and Wa!!!!!

    Thanks for the info! xoxo

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  3. What a great post! Love the grooming description, and LOVE your new helmet! I went from a Troxel to a Tipperary Sportage and I absolutely adore it. It feels like I'm not wearing anything. I have to try hard to remember to take it off! Nice boots, too!

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  4. Wow - all kinds of new is right! Love those days when the Dover boxes come ;) Groovy new pad, boots and helmet - you and Wa are rigged up!!

    Congrats on your return to the arena work. And great job knowing when to stop.... I catch myself going for "just one more" too often :) Awesome job Kacy!!

    Thanks for the recommendation of the pink stuff - we can't wait until bath season - snow and freezing rain today...

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  5. Another great photo-post from you. Boy, your mare is lovely. Really interesting reading about your indoor groundwork session with her.

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  6. Okay I love the boots. I have seen them myself and worried that they just wouldn't fit over my abnormally large calves! But, you say you're a fully calved girl yourself... and they fit? Awesome! Also, giddy-up cowgirl... when Wa sees the missing trees she might just get rodeo about it.... hahaha... well let's hope not anyway!

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  7. Funny Funder..that is what happened with me too..I tried it on, adjusted the under chin (very soft) piece. Then, forgot I had it on at all...did all my horseplay, cleaned up,(2 hours) got in the truck and looked in the mirror to see not my little hat I wore originally...but my new helmet!

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  8. All kinds of new!

    I am so cold, the horses may not get brushed til spring!

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  9. Hay I have the same helmet! I LOVE IT! and I love that it completely covers the back of the head.

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  10. Quite the haul from Dover! Liked the detailed photos of mane "conditioning"!

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  11. Wa has one stellar Mom! Love all your new goodies....

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  12. Good for you for taking it slow with Wa in the indoor.
    Is the pink stuff a leave-in conditioner? I'd like a substitue for Cowboy Magic detangler, which I use on tails. It does a good job, but it's gotten way too expensive.

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  13. Haha! I use the "pink stuff" too, and when I'm asking for it in a tack shop I call it the "pink stuff" because I never remember it's actual name. They always seem to know what I'm talking about.

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  14. Wa has nicer hair products and grooming tools than I do! Plus - a braid! You are going to look very stylish in your new helmet and boots. It's a good thing since Wa will be flipping that gleaming mane of hers.

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  15. great post about grooming, i am at a loss right now because the hair is muddy and sticky and brushing it at all is out of the question.

    your post came the right morning for me, last night i dreamed i put baasha in my bathtub - he fit! - and bathed him like a dog. he was laying down in the deep water, all curled up. i remember how i could get all of his tail completely washed and conditioned, and i did it over and over. i have to say having the horse *under water* really helps, i am speaking from experience now (*lol*). baasha kept dozing off as i washed him and i'd have to poke him to wake him up so he wouldn't drown. man was he clean afterwards! oh, and i was in the tub with him, and had no issues with getting mixed up in his legs. crazy dreams.

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  16. Hey Kac-- I am really liking that saddle pad. Your grooming regimin cracked me up, if you looked in my bag, you'd probably think I stole your stuff! :) I use Vetrolin on J's mane, I will give that stuff a try. I also REALLY like that pad! HMMMM. I just got my Tipperary (in brown, cause my friend has the blue)and I love how lightwt. it is, I often forget I have it on. A good thing, since when the hitching post hit me I still had my helmet on, I had FORGOTTEN it was there. I'm not as thrilled as how I LOOK in it, but those vents are going to make me very happy this summer! I've been told my Bates Caprilli is not the right saddle for the length of my upper thigh (apparently they are VERY long) and that my saddle is now too big. (This I knew, you can't lose 84 lbs. and expect an 18" saddle to fit like it did).... NOW, I too will be on the hunt for the perfectly fitted saddle. For me and horsey. I did like the Bates b/c it has changeable gullets, and I did have to go up and make the saddle larger when Jackson moved to Florida and got fat. Now we be workin' and I have him on new food, he is starting to look more muscle < fat! :)
    Take care chica!
    Love,
    Mindy

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  17. Hi KK, you asked about my header. I have never upgraded the design of my blog so that big header was one of the original options when I first started blogging. "Basic" I think it was called...that's me...basic!*g*:-)
    I love taking pics. I don't know what the pixel count is, but that photo was taken with a newer camera.
    You are in mud, we are soon to be in mud too...hopefully! Temps are rising quick here so bye snow, hello mud. I'm almost glad!

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  18. Looking at the braid in Wa's tail makes me think her tail is VERY THICK. I just love her. Thanks for the product info - hadn't seen that one before.

    I like my tipperary, too, but wish it had a dial on it for adjustments. Do the new models have the dial?

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  19. Awesome boots! And your photos just take me back to my days in the barn...I can smell the horses, leather, tack cleaner, hay, and oats...mmmmmm....

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  20. ACH! There is no dial on the new Tipperary I bought, I just measured my head THREE times..
    Kac- Where can I purchase that pink stuff you swear by for mane and tail? I love my Vetrolin as it has lanolin in it, but it looks like that does too...
    Saw Julie's video. Nice. Wonder if they make jumping saddles?
    ~Min

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  21. YESSSERIE~
    Mind,
    "ANSUR" saddlery makes 2 specific jumping saddles. The "Elite" and the "Konklusion". I am saving for the later as it is more Multi purpose and crosscountry.
    I've seen the name MTG used for the 'Pink Stuff" Mane and tail groom. But, to be honest...one bottle last sooo long..I totally forget where I got it!
    I'll check for you though.

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  22. Hmmmm. I have MTG. I use it at his dock to "tame" b/c he rubs and it fixes it! (NOT SURE HOW!) Since the lab results all came back totally negative, I just have a BUTT rubber. The MTG bottle looks nothing like that tho, and doesn't give the nice smooth, lanolin like feeling in my opinion.... hmmmmm! :) I'll check out the Ansur saddles too. I want a monoflap, deep seat, and rolls....cross country...expensive. UGH. Of course. What isn't with a horse? But when you buy the cheap stuff, it never lasts, OR makes me happy. NO CHEAP SADDLE! :)

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