Bitless Arena Time

12 miles east of us.

With all the fire concerns in the canyons and the hot, dry wind I decided this was good early morning arena time. I taught a lesson at 7 a.m. while Jetta munched from a hay net at the trailer. An hour later it was her turn. I adjusted Keno's Dr. Cook's bitless bridle to her much daintier-sized head and warmed her up. She worked really well in it! She was forward, responsive, and moved off my leg. We worked on all the same suppling exercises we've been doing. She bends, turns, steps under, lifts her inside shoulder. We even got a little shoulder-in and leg-yielding going. She backs much more readily also.

An hour later we were both getting hot and the wind was picking up. I checked Jetta's feet before loading her into the trailer. The Sole-Guard is still in place although it is starting to peel up on one hoof. Hmmmm. I know I'm whining here, but I just really want Easyboot Gloves to fit her! They are the easiest and the best and I've been spoiled by my success with them in the past. (See my June 14 post.)

I got the Hi-Tie System put on my trailer today! Yay! I am ready to camp with Jetta. Unfortunately the campground we were going to stay at Friday night has been evacuated and the canyon road is closed because of the fire. I hope and pray our canyon isn't burning! It has been a terrible week for the canyons east of us--homes, property, and at least one life lost. We need rain!

Jetta Goes Solo!

Jetta passed her first solo test with flying colors today! The fairground arenas were all being used due to a big horse show, so I decided it was time to see how this girl handles herself all alone on the trail. She handled it like everything else I've done with her. Quietly and sanely. I LOVE this baby girl!

We trailered out to Dog Valley which is desert riding at it's finest (read: hottest!) Jetta has been out here once before when I ponied her while riding Keno. I don't ride out west much this time of year since it's HOT, DRY, and windy. (And grasshoppers jump in your face!) It was already late (10:30 am) so the heat was getting up there, but the wind helped some. We saddled up and headed down the trail. Jetta was relaxed and happy, although she was a bit careful in the rocky places. Luckily it's really good footing on most of the trails.

We walked for a while, then trotted a couple of long stretches. We even cantered a short way. She was leaning on the bit and fussing with it quite a lot today. She's not really pulling on me, or trying to run off or anything, she just seems unhappy with the bit in some way. I decided to return to the trailer and switch to the bitless bridle and ride another small loop to see how she felt. However, it was WAY too hot by the time we got back to the trailer and I wimped out. Besides the fact that the hot wind was sucking the fluids right out of us! So I'll experiment later. I think so far the Dr. Cook's bitless bridle that I ride Keno in has been the best for her. I haven't tried it on trail, though.

On the way back home we stopped at the fairgrounds to check out the horse show. I unloaded Jetta and walked her around. She greeted a few horses with a loud whinny, but other than that she was relaxed and calm around all the trailers and activity. She's just an all-around good girl!

By the way, here's a tip for trimming hooves with an angle grinder: Wear an arm guard! I was trimming at the pony farm and got bumped by an impatient pony and ground a chunk out of my arm. Ouch! I will be wearing an arm guard from now on!

I have ordered a Hi-Tie for my trailer. It should get here on Monday and I'm hoping to get it installed Tuesday. I need to go up to the trailer dealer and get my water tank repaired also. I am planning to take Jetta camping in the mountains with a couple of friends next Friday! This will be Endurance Camping 101. I'm sure Jetta will pass this one pretty easily.

No fix on the booting issues yet, but the Sole Guard is still in place at least. (See the last couple of posts.)

I Love, Love, LOVE Summer!

Well, although I haven't solved our boot fitting issues (see previous post) Jetta was back on trail last Friday. Today's post is just a photo journal of the glorious green mountain trails we rode that day. Suffice it to say that Jetta was fabulous--well mannered, responsive, cooperative. We did lots of trotting the first couple of miles, with lots of logs to step over, creek crossings, a big sticky bog, hikers, campers, dogs, etc. We rode for three hours--her longest ride yet. It should probably be illegal to have that much fun! Enjoy the photos!

Happy girl takes the lead.

She's OK in back, too. Even way back!

Sharon and Carol

Riding through the quakies

Janie waits and poses.

Mountain meadow

Wow, I just love the summertime! This was a great training ride for Jetta. What a pleasant girl she is! She is just beginning her conditioning for endurance, and once we get a solid trail base in place, we'll be ready to step it up a notch. This was a great ride to build muscle and stamina and confidence. I'm really proud of her!

And today, Jetta and I took Keno and his 10-year-old student for a short trail ride in the canyon. We did a little trotting, crossed the river a couple of times, and generally just enjoyed the day. Jetta was very forward--poor Keno can't keep up with her walk! She was ouchy on the rocks though. SO, tonight I poured in a Sole-Guard pad in each front hoof. I hope it will help. It's a temporary fix at best, but I'm taking her on the Ponderosa Trail in the morning, so we'll see how it works. Report coming tomorrow!

What To Do About Boots?

What am I going to do about boots for Jetta? I gave her a touch-up trim with the grinder this morning. (I must add a side note here and say it was the first time I've used the grinder on her and she was perfectly good. She was nervous, but with a little reassurance she decided she'd take a chance and trust me. She soon relaxed and realized I've done this quite a few times before and she didn't really have to worry!) There wasn't much to trim, and although her bars are not perfect, her feet have made great progress and are looking pretty good.

So on to the boot fitting. These are Glove Wides size 0. I tried them on her a few days ago and knew they didn't fit, but I was hoping against hope that something had changed in five days and that they might fit today. Nope. Still not a good fit. She has beautiful wide low heels and a nice round foot. But not a big foot. Her feet are in proportion to her body, but she's a petite 15H girl. Check out the photos below.

Nice low heels

Nice round foot

Minimal flare

A (gasp!) toe gap!

No spreading of the "V" at all

I have used Easyboots for years--first Epics, then Gloves/Glue Ons. I have never actually had my horses' feet measure perfectly according to the size chart, but I have had great success with the boots with virtually no boot failures. Training and all endurance rides (including Tevis) have been done in boots, but what am I going to do now?? Easycare, help me! Will Power Straps help? Lots of athletic tape? Advice, please!

My new girl needs boots that fit!

Homework and More Homework

I have been diligent about doing my lesson homework with Jetta--lots of suppling exercises on the ground and under saddle. I am also working on being very clear about what I am asking her and getting an immediate response. It seems to be paying off. She is much stiffer on the left, but I am seeing progress.

I was able to put these exercises into use on the trail yesterday as well. I rode the Ponderosa Trail with Tammy and her gelding, Chevy. One relatively short section of the trail follows a dirt road which the county "improved" last year by laying down crushed rock. We avoided the road with our barefoot horses by winding through the sagebrush meadow alongside the road. I practiced the bending exercises as we wound our way down toward the trail. Jetta is definitely more flexible and bendy and moved almost entirely off my seat and legs.

We had a great ride. It's a tough trail, with a few extremely steep climbs, bouldery descents, ledgy sections, and other technical spots. Jetta handled most of it very well. She did have a short-lived issue with a gate up on top. I don't know why since she's seen it before, but this time it looked too scary. She stopped, stared, and spun around to leave. I stopped her, and Tammy took Chevy through the gate--Jetta followed calmly. She handled "Sam's Rocks" just fine this time, but they had been an issue on our last ride up there. She's just young and inexperienced. Overall, I think she is fairly bold, forward, and very smart.

I am heading to the arena this morning. Keno has a lesson to teach, and Jetta has homework to work on. After that, I need to trim her hooves and play with the Easyboot Gloves to see if I can get a fit that could work. It will be tricky; there is a gap in the toe area. She has very short toes and wide feet. I need Glove Extra-Wides, size 0! I need something for protection for her!

Double Whammy

Today was a "big girl pants" day for Jetta. At 8:00 am we headed up to ride on the high mountain trails an hour away. Gail met us there with her horse, Star. The trails were absolutely glorious--wild flowers at every turn, lush grass and new foliage. This is a great time of year up on the mountain, and Jetta seemed to enjoy it as much as I did. She marched out in the lead and passed boulders and downed trees like an experienced trail horse. She faced multiple creek crossings (and DRANK from most of them!), stepped over logs, handled steep ups and downs (much more balanced now than she was a month ago), met other horses on the trail as well as a hiker with a dog, and she even crossed a black bog like the good girl she is! Like I said, this was a big day for her. Our ride was a little over two hours, and I was sad to have it end.

(The water in the creek was so clear, it's invisible!)

We loaded back up and headed to Zephyr Ranch, where I had scheduled a lesson and also had appointments to trim three horses. I think Jetta was a little surprised when I unloaded her and we weren't at home! I let her rest and eat from her hay net while I trimmed the first horse, and then I saddled her and we headed to the arena. We had a great lesson from Marleen, starting with ground work. I have lots of homework, which if I do it correctly will really turn Jetta into a supple and very responsive girl, as it will give me control of her feet. The under saddle work in our lesson was a continuation of the ground exercise we did. It was a great lesson; I'm excited to work on this. After our lesson, Jetta went back to munching her hay while I trimmed a pony. The third horse cancelled, but it was OK as I was ready to head home. I'm sure Jetta felt the same way!

Ponderosa Loop

I spent last week in North Carolina and the birds decided my trailer was a great place for nesting! --A sure sign of not enough riding! I had a fabulous trip, though, so it was worth it.

But now I'm back and plan on riding Jetta every day and making some real progress. Monday I took her to the arena and worked on suppling and transitions. I found out our fairgrounds are closed for the week, though. Boo. This girl needs arena work in a big way. Yesterday my friend, Gail, and I went all the way around the Ponderosa Trail backwards from the way we normally ride the loop. It was Jetta's first time doing the whole loop. She was very good for the most part. She was gung-ho to go, though! She also spent a good deal of time fussing with the bit and trying to lean on it. I've got to get help with her! I want to make sure she is comfortable and find out what I can do to correct this behavior.

Pulling a face for the camera!

There are two big random boulders about halfway around the loop. We call these "Sam's Rocks" because Sam, a grey arab cross once jumped 30 feet sideways at the sight of them! Jetta was in the lead and her head came up and she tensed, ready to turn and run. I guess these rocks could look like a couple of giant white bears lying in the shade? Who knows, but Gail's horse didn't like them either, so we went back and forth on that section of trail several times until they were relaxed and less wary.

Jetta walked out really well and led or followed as asked. She's a fun, quick moving horse to ride, green but sensible. I am finally getting a lesson on her on Friday afternoon--trail riding that morning, then a lesson up at Zephyr Ranch before I trim three horses for clients. It'll be a busy day!

Sweat stained and ready to go home and hit the hay!