Sunday, June 7, 2009

Carrie Lesson with Top and Blueheron in Tow

Rider's shouldn't talk, and use hand gestures when holding the reins. I think I was explaining something about Top. Told Carrie he had been a jumper...Blueheron said, as soon as I said, "He was a jumper..." He looked over at Carrie, stood up tall, and looked at her, like he was saying, "Yes! I was JUMPER." That's when she snapped this shot. lol





Ignore the fat old woman on the nice horse. As you can see by the position of her hands, and the cords standing out in her arms...Top was a little strong. In, out, up down, soft, strong...leaving. That would describe the ride.




Can't really blame the horse. He hasn't been ridden with any sort of regularity. The last time being in a thunderstorm.


He really had a tough time in the trailer this time. When I pulled him out, and pulled his sheet, not just his neck and butt cheeks were white foam...all of him was white foam. He was soaking and foamy along his side, his tummy, his face. I haven't figured out yet what makes the difference. He's always a little nervous and damp when he comes out, but nothing like this.


We had about 45 minutes or so before we were up. I toweled him off, hosed down his legs, shoulders and neck. Then took him to the round pen to lunge. Just walking, with a couple spurts of trot here and there. Figured I didn't have much horse left for the lesson.


Well, I had horse left. He felt pretty wound when I got on. That time bomb feeling we all just love our horses to have. The rails on a dressage court don't really offer a great sense of security when sitting on a ticking horse. He kept it together. (Thank gawd, would hate to take a dirt sample in front of everybody). We both started out a little tight, he got over it before I did. lol At one point when working on canter transition, trying to maintain (get?) softness and bend to the right Carrie says, "Don't worry, I wont let him buck you off." Made me laugh, so I relaxed and said, "What, are you going to run out here and catch me?" She said, "Of course." Made me laugh more, and I got the bend, and grabbed the lead...amazing how it works when you don't think so hard on it.


The owner of the stable that Top had been at was at Carrie's when I arrived. I was glad to see her. I've been meaning to get by and get the scoop on Top from her perspective. She was very happy to see him. She obviously really likes him. She had to take pictures for her husband who I guess just loves him. She said he'd be very happy to see Top, and how good he looks. She said Top wasn't as heavy at her place as he is now. She was impressed with how 'beefy' (her word) he was now. I asked her how he looked at her place. Well, no ribs showing, but nothing extra. She said they struggled keeping weight on him, and he was a little more down when he showed up than when he left. So, she was able to get some weight on him.


The first thing she asked me was, "Has he dumped you yet?" I said, "No, knock wood. Why?" I guess the previous owner came off of him often. Great. My stable owner friend said she couldn't figure it out. They'd be riding along, everything would look fine, and suddenly his rider would be on the ground. I guess one day the girl was showing him to a perspective buyer, and he dumped her. No sale.


Another friend of mine was up there. She also has an Omega Fahim daughter. She was visiting with Blueheron. The first thing she says, "Oh, he's an Anglo-Arab, isn't he?" Poor Top. Everybody thinks he's an Arab. lol

40 comments:

GoLightly said...

OMG, what a gorgeous Top.
OMG.
Wow, who is the genius on top?
pardon the pun.

Helluva rider up there.
Thank goodness someone made her laugh.

Oh, wow, nice horse.
Thanks HP.
aaaaaaaaannnnndddd
FIRST:)
Hi BH!!

nccatnip said...

He is just so, so nice. I cannot get enough of that boy.

As far as the trailering goes, have you ever tried him in a different trailer? Maybe something about it bugs him. FWIW- my appy mare would actully tip over if loaded on the right in a straight load trailer, fine if loaded on the left. No clue what that was about.

bhm said...

Beautiful Top. It's nice to see pictures. How about one of you.

horspoor said...

I don't know about the trailer issue. I did talk to a previous owner and she said he was not a good hauler. He seems to do better if I do it more often. I've been thinking of moving him closer to my place. I've really had it with the barns in town. The straw that broke the camels back is the woman trainer with the kids all over that is unkind to Top.

I think I may move him. He had been at Donna's when he first arrived in Humboldt. It's where the girls I got him from picked him up. She loves him. She was so happy to see him. I've known her for close to twenty years and have always liked her and enjoyed her company.

He would have a stall. A run with a shelter, and pasture turnout. There isn't an arena there, but she does have a roundpen. I can just haul to an arena.

BHM, that is me. (shhhhhh). lol

Golighty, I don't know what it is. I'm not usually tentative when riding. Blueheron even noticed it. She wondered what was going on. Somewhere along the line my confidence has taken a hit. Age? Injury? Too many naughty horses? Weight gain? Not sure. I need to get over it. I have no patience for it. lol

Sherry Sikstrom said...

Gorgeous horse , and a fine looking rider as well!

kestrel said...

Beautiful, both of you!
Maybe jump in that trailer and have someone tow you around. A friend's horse developed trailer problems and when she had a friend tow her...she discovered the weather stripping on the feed doors had eroded to the point that it sounded like machine gun fire in there. It gives you a chance to check the ride on corners and stuff, and look for sharp edges or warm floorboards.

horspoor said...

I need a new trailer. I can't afford a new trailer. lol It's safe, it's just not beautiful. It is 12 or 13 years old. I need an upgrade.

None of the other horses I haul seem to worry. Just Top. I will check it out. I don't know of anyone that can drive for me though.

blueheron said...

Horspoor, the tentativeness is only with Top, and was only for the first part of the ride. You worked out of it. I've never seen it on another horse. And I've watched you ride quite a few doozies! lol
You did say he could wield quite a bit of leverage with his head/neck.

horspoor said...

Yeah, he can pull you around that's for sure. I've had him lever my butt out of the saddle. Once he gets your seat a bit loose, he'll go to romping. Head down woohoos, kind of a rolling buck. Or he just inverts, and bolts blindly to the left. lol

Dena said...

Good Lord did I draw the pictures wrong in my head when reading this book HP.
I had you pegged as a serious brunette, with a razor wit, and a wicked sense of humor.
A Golden California Girl never entered my mind.
Weird.

Top is looking really really good...
Ir is painful for me to look when you feature him.
Envy is a terrible thing. Good thing I already have the green eyes.LOL

horspoor said...

HAH! Dena...I am a serious brunette. Sunbleached and gray, with green eyes also. lol

I'm going to cut my hair soon, so it will loose all the sunbleached parts.

blueheron said...

HP, she's got you pegged with the razor wit, too. lol.

horspoor said...

Oh Dena...wait till I get Maisa sorted out. Your eyes will be neon green. lol

Yeah, Blueheron...think she's been spying on me. lol

Dena said...

HP and BH I keep telling myself I am going to have someone take my picture and I will post it.

And then, I think hmmm...which horse? Doing what?
And today when the sun came out and I was working with the little heifer. Who was also covered in mud.
Who knew corn fields were so deep after 2 days of rain?
Wasn't my plan to be there.

I thought ahhh...no. Not today. When I looked in the mirror over the kitchen sink?
I swear I saw Ruth Buzzie.
It was sad. I used to be quite the little hotty.

horspoor said...

Yeah me too. I was in a dressing room with a three way mirror awhile back. I thought...I have some other woman's thighs...and the bitch needs to bring mine back. lol

Not a size 5 any longer, and age is showing. Oh well, I have a great deal of character. lol

Dena said...

HP and BH I love Top. I think he is a major WOW.
The word yummy comes to mind.
Don't show me Maisa.
That couldn't possibly be a good idea.

I am still over the moon about Jazz.
Looking at her from the ground I always told myself nothing else mattered except being able to sit her quiet and become invisible.
I never expected that it would all be right there in front of me and I still haven't found the words to describe how she feels.
Light is inadequate.
I still wish her neck were longer but oh well.
She is like a great pair of jeans. She makes my butt look smaller.:)

Dena said...

At least you have long legs. I look at my fenders and just know I am going to look like one of the M&M guys when I am up.

horspoor said...

LOL...Cat does that for me. I always wanted to get the shirt with the horse saying, "Does this saddle make my butt look big?" Cat is a wide load from behind.

Maisa isn't a looker so much on the ground. It's when he moves. He still makes me catch my breath when watching him at times. A friend with one of those 5 or 6 figure WB's watched him one day. She said, "Damn, watching Maisa canter makes me want to just go slap my horse."

horspoor said...

Oh good lord...took me a minute on the M&M guys. lol What a visual.

Hey, I've got to go to bed. Rode Top again this evening. Very quiet boy. Pretty tired still. He and I have to get on a schedule.

Padraigin_WA said...

Top is so beautiful, HP. what a guy.
And strong, too. All power and drive.

GoLightly said...

Haven't you unhitched Blueheron yet?

Poor thing, her back must be killing her;)

horspoor said...

Golightly,
Her plane ride was a little tough.

GoLightly said...

ohhhhhh.

so sorry:(

horspoor said...

You know, being hitched and all. lol Actually it was tough, in that there were delays etc...kind of messed up in San Francisco.

blueheron said...

I forgot to tell you, HP, about the actual flight out of SF, and all the snafu's the plane had. I was wondering if we were ever going to get off the ground. But we did. Well, I guess that's probably obvious. lol.

Dena, who's the horse in your avatar?

Dena said...

BH that is Pepe San Cudo. Joe Mosquito.
He might make 14h maybe. With iron.
3yr old P.O.A.
Had him for a little over 2 years now.

horspoor said...

Size is deceptive in pictures isn't it. lol I thought he was Maisa sized. lol 15.2+

Dena said...

HP it is. As is his type. I think it is one of the things in his favor though.
He is a dramatic mover. Very fluid and correct. And he looks kind of like a TB.
As a pony he has the whole package going on.
I was thinking about that today I do not have anything that is not correct in movement here. The package is an afterthought for me. But the package delineates the movement so go figure.
Another one of my OCD issues.LOL

horspoor said...

I pick my poor horses apart. I don't have a 'bad' mover on the place...some are just more challenged. lol

Now Cami is probably my weakest mover. She has three clean gaits...they just aren't big. I think she's too upright in the front, and the angle of the humerus is a tad tight. So, she isn't real free through the shoulder like Top, or Maisa....or Cat even. Other folks think she moves great...but hey I'm anal.

horspoor said...

Now, this filly can flat move. I can't figure out how to make a picture so you can see it. So I made her the avatar. That's a student holding her.

Dena said...

HP is that Cat's baby? I like I like I like...
I am going to put some pictures of Lizzie B up next. I think you will like her.
Similar lines just not as much heft as your filly. That could change but mine is pretty strongly racebred on the dam side. All the Nick horses topside. Nick Shoemaker, etc..
What are your plans for the filly?
And you are not the only one who is anal about things like that.
The Haflinger Saddlebred is Hackney gaited. Not something that thrills me. She will be a challenge to extend.

Dena said...

I will check back after work tomorrow.
It's 1am here and sleep is on my list of things to do.lol

horspoor said...

Yes, that's Cat's baby. Iris the Virus. lol Terribly cute isn't she. There is some running horse in there...it just doesn't really show, it's pretty far back.

Cat is out of an old foundation bred mare. Catechu, Hancock breeding etc. You can see her pedigree on allbreedpedigrees. Registered name is New Cat in Town.

Sire is Doc Olena bred stallion, out of an own daughter of Pablo San. I think she comes by her snark honest.

Dena said...

Took the day. Oh yeah. Hubby is working and making far more than me.
Blue collar stuff sucks.lol
No. Actually I had very little time to arrange appropriate care for the Micah man to be's alternative care plan.
We had something in place for today.
And I woke up at 4am and something just made me say, ahhh...no.
Actually I think it was the call I received last night from alternative care provider. Apparently, the prince of how it is going to be answered the phone while I was educating the heifer.
And told care provider that he wasn't okay with how she talks to him. And proceeded to hang up.*sigh*
I don't know where he comes by some of his notions.lol

Keep showing me horses HP. I always wanted my eyes to be really really green anyhow.

Dena said...

I would have been back quicker if it wasn't for dial up.
And picking myself up off the floor.
You are one of those dangerous girls.
Salty and Peachie combined with the pictures of Cat and Iris were all I needed to see.
Predominancy throught the bottom side of the female line. Holy Shit!
Why did I look at Yellow Mount instead of just knowing it was in there somewhere?
Enhancement through selective breeding. But the bottom side of the female line? That is something the wishing well does not just spit out with any kind of regularity.

Dena said...

HP I was thinking. Top was imported correct? Enclosed spaces could be the link.
Maybe you could try hauling him in an open stock a couple of times and see if the result is the same.

And the only reason you get tight on him is because everyone keeps saying has he dumped you yet.
Keep it in the forefront of your mind and it will become a reality.
Hard to get rid of it I know.
Just let your Narcisstic component take over. We all have one.lol

horspoor said...

Cat is a pretty nice mare. Well bred, actually very sweet. If she hadn't of been treated poorly when she was young (2.5) I think she'd be a very different horse now.

She is probably the best mannered horse I own. It comes natural to her. She is just polite by nature, unless she's scared. She is also head mare...funny, huh? She never starts it...but she'll finish it. She's a benevolent dictator. She can just pause and look at another horse, and they back off. Pretty funny really.

blueheron said...

Cat the benevolent dictator...lol. Definitely. I do think she has a bit of matronly concern in there, too. But cross the line, and bam.

GoLightly said...

Well, she IS a red-head;)

We crave dictatorship.

horspoor said...

Hmmmm...my brothers are redheads. This could explain so much. lol