Friday March 28, 2010

I audited the Friday afternoon portion of the Heike Kimmer clinic at Christiane Noelting’s. I took copious and careful notes on the official program, which I promptly lost. Fortunately, I didn't lose my camera. Here are some pictures of the event:

These were all beautiful upper level horses, with the exception of the black horse in the third photo down. He's a lovely younger gelding with a really sweet, calm temperament. I think his very nice rider mentioned he was training second level, but I might be remembering incorrectly.


Ms. Kimmer's teaching technique reminded me a lot of how I've always been told to correct a horse:

1. Make your request (Ask firmly, but politely)
2. Ask more insistently. (Raise your voice)
3. Be very insistent indeed. (Yell)
4. Reward when the desired result is obtained. (Praise Extravagantly)

As there was visible progress in a very short time, this method obviously works on people as well as horses. Each pair had one lesson per day for three days in a row. I'm sorry that I only got to see the first day.

Several of the riders were professional trainers. I guess I should ask the obvious question: why are only half of them wearing helmets? Isn't a member of the USET still in a coma after fracturing her skull in a horse fall just a couple weeks ago? Maybe it's just me, but after spending my whole life trying to fill my brain up I don't want to empty it out in just a few seconds.
YMMV

Here's a picture of the entrance to Christiane Noelting's very fancy main barn. I now officially have barn envy.
 

I missed my trainer’s ride, but here’s a picture of her (Sandy Savage), her groom (Jennifer Walker) , and her horse (Woccelli):

Sunday March 21, 2010

I drove out to PEC to soak Ferra’s hoof abscess in hot water with Epsom salts and Betadine. I couldn’t find a hot spot on any of her hooves, or any drainage sores, so I just soaked her front for good measure and turned her out. I let her spent a little over a half hour roaming around the empty jumper ring. She seemed to enjoy it. She also seemed sound as a bell, thank goodness. I hand grazed her for another ten minutes, fed her all the apples she would eat and left two more in her feed bin. Looks like Ferra can go back to work tomorrow.

Guess I laid awake imagining the worst for no reason whatsoever last night. I’m so relieved!

Friday: March 19, 2010

I just got a call from my trainer. Ferra does have a hoof abscess, poor baby.

I don’t understand it. Ferra’s only been there three weeks and she’s lame. Sandy, my trainer, seems to think after daily soaking in Epsom salt and polticing it, the abscess should burst and relieve the pressure. Or, she may have the farrier excise it. Hopefully, Ferra will only be off for a day or two.

When I had Ferra at my former trainer’s, she had two abscesses in seven weeks. I figured that was because they had no bedding, but the new place has lots of nice, clean shavings in her stall. Living at home, she’s never had a lame day in the almost four years since her birth to now. So, it must be either the stall environment, limited turn out, or something else I’m missing. I hope I can solve this. Her last abscess got so infected that I had $600 worth of vet bills before I was through. Plus, I got to spend my tenth wedding anniversary changing bandages and feeding antibiotics. Fortunately, there was no permanent injury, but I really don’t want Ferra to have to go through that again.

I‘m driving out tomorrow to check on her. Life is so much easier when everyone is at home.

Thursday: March 18th

Daphne and Ally enjoying the Spring weather

I overslept, probably too much Nyquil. Damn you allergies! So, Winnie didn’t get exercised this morning.

Instead, I did the two hour round trip to watch Ferra’s training session down in Wilton. The groom, Jennifer, lunged her for awhile, with Ferra looking every so slightly off on her right lead. Then Sandy rode Ferra a bit at the trot, canter, and even a little walk while the Jennifer lunged her some more.

Afterwards, the farrier put the hoof tester on both of her front hooves in turn. She was just a touch sensitive on the right fore. Sandy promised to keep an eye on it, but it’s probably nothing. I hope all that sedentary time in her stall isn’t taking a toll on my girl. It’s a nice big 12×16 or so, and she gets turned out in a small round pen once per day. Still, that’s not as healthy as cruising a big pasture 24/7 with your buddies.

Amusingly, Jennifer seemed really concerned when I offered to lead Ferra back to her stall. Jennifer gave me careful instructions, ending with, “Don’t let her get behind you,” as we walked off. Ferra’s been quite nervous at the new barn and has been crowding the grooms and trainer as she’s led. I’m not sure if she’s just testing each new person, expressing her anxiety at the new place, or has too much energy from standing around in a stall 22 hours/day.

Ferra's making good progress, but I’m really looking forward to bring her home.

The World's Smallest Violin

Wednesday March 17, 2010


The nice Russian ladies who clean our house were here this morning, so no riding for me. I could have gone in the afternoon, but my allergies conspired to give me a nausea inducing sinus headache.

Winnie spent the day grazing with the baby. The baby will be two in May, and is already as tall as her pasture mate. All my horses are fat, dappled, and hopefully happy at the moment.

More Stuff

Purchased two more Stubbs Bridle Racks from Dover and Ten Procraft Navy blanket racks from Horse.com.
Materials: $80
New Total: $1500

Barn To Do List: March 17, 2010

1.Finish Painting the tack room door and interior frame
2. Hook up the sink plumbing Estimate $275
a. Call plumber and schedule (or get another estimate?)
3. Install vent pipe for the water heater Estimate:?
4. Add more shelves and remount the wall cabinet Estimate :$800
5. Hook up the telephone Estimate $100
6. Re-Paint the roof and cupola Estimate $500 (We have the paint) a. Call around and get one or two estimates b. Hire Painter
7. Silicone the front and rear door tracks
8. Mount the Boot Racks a. Figure out where to mount them both (one in the garage?)
9. Mount blanket racks and additional bridle racks
10. Purchase additional tack hangers and mount, possibly also a harness hook for my lunging surcingle
11. Mount LED or under cabinet lights
12. Replace Tack Room Door Handle
13. Mount Interior Aisle Door Handles
14. Reinforce the tack room roof for storage?

Purchased Paint and Started on Front Door and Trim

I bought four quarts each of Kelly Moore High Gloss White and Seattle Red. The red matched the front door of our house. The guys strted it, but I’ll be finishing painting it. I’m about two thirds of the way there.
Paint: $80
Labor: $60
New Total: $1410

Plus The guys ground the feed door latch so it no longer sticks.

Labor: $10
Even Newer Total: $1420

Tha Saddle Racks Are Up

The guys finished the custom wood backing piece and put up my four saddle racks. It took a couple of attempts and came in at $210. If I did it over again, I would have just screwed them directly into the wall.

Labor and wood backing: $210

(The saddle racks are Stubbs in royal blue. They go for about $20 a pop, but I bought back when we put up the barn, so I won’t deduct them from my budget.)

New Total: $1330

Installed the Aisle Divider

Five horses and four stalls is a problem. Until I sell Winnie or Ally finally sleeps herself to death, I have to find a place to put the odd horse out. I purchased this temporary aisle divider from Valley Vet to turn twelve feet of the barn aisle into a temporary stall.

Winnie is using it for her favorite activity: Eating.

Labor: About $20

Adjustable Stall/Alley Guard: $60 plus shipping

New Total: $1120

Tuesday 3/16/10

Larry the tractor guy was here for much of the day spreading gravel and DG while I dug ditches. I was too sore and tired to ride afterwards. Still, there’s now very nice footing for the girls in their paddock.

AHS JBP Plaque

Ferra was one of only 18 mares in North America accepted into the American Hanoverian Society Jumper Breeding Program this year. They sent me this cool metal plaque. They also sent me a certificate acknowledging that Ferra is now an Elite Mare Candidate. Catherine Francini, whose mare Anja already completed her EM mare requirement with a lovely, flashy colt by Le Primeur, tells me that the AHS send you an EM metal plaque as well. Very cool!

EMC Ferra and EM Anja are among the 179 mares currently in the AHS Jumper Breeding Program. There are about 5000 AHS registered Hanoverian mares in the US, according to one of the lectures at the AHS 2009 Breeding Seminar. So, only about 3.5% American Hanoverian Society mares have made it into the JBP since its inception a few years back.

For my fellow number freaks, there are about 50,000 registered mares in the German Hanoverian (the Verband's) registry. That factoid is from the same lecture.

Sun-day, Sun-day, Sun-day!

Do I take Winnie down to the arena, or do I drive down to Wilton to turn Ferra out? I need more hours in my day.


I think the girls would prefer to just spend the day hanging out.

Two Strikes: I didn’t do either, but instead stayed home with my husband who had hurt his back. I have to schmooze the guy who’s paying for all this right?

Daily Training Jounal

(The picture is of Ferra in her stall at PEC)

I’ve been running into delay after delay getting out to the arena so I’m going to start a daily, public journal to motivate myself. So, here goes:


3/1/10 Monday: Ferra started training with Sandy Savage this month so she’s getting worked 5X/week while she’s boarded at PEC. I miss her, but am trying to get out there 2-3X week.

3/8/10 Monday: Ferra got all of her annual shots except for her rhino/influenza vaccine, which I gave her in January and her rabies vaccine, which the PEC vet prefers to give in the fall.

3/12/10 Friday: Another day of absolutely torrential rain. No exercise for anybody but me as I clean the stalls that the girls are shut into for the day and night. Also, Mom and Baby and being separated (again) so that Penelepe will finally be weaned. Daphne just doesn't seem to want to dry up.

3/13/10 Saturday: The community indoor arena is usually overrun on the weekends, so no trailering over there. Our community arena is closed until it drains. Hopefully, I’ll be able to take Winnie over tomorrow morning.

I gave Ally her monthly glucosamine injection and Daphne her annual west nile vaccine, which she missed when the other horses got theirs last June. Weird.

Replace with horses or cats where appropriate.

Thanks to Kris for sending this to me.