Judith Tarr's Blog, page 6
September 20, 2012
I Saw Her!
The shuttle flew right over us! Stupidiot did not realize it was going to fly directly over the Rincons, or that it would be so large or so clear, so I didn't have the camera for the splendid sight of the white bird over the mountain (which I will never forget). But I managed to catch it over the barn roof as it flew slowly toward the city:
And another, more distant shot with the Santa Catalinas in the background:
Damn, screen is blurry. Better go fix it.
And another, more distant shot with the Santa Catalinas in the background:
Damn, screen is blurry. Better go fix it.
Sale, Sale Away, Sale Away....
Two days left for the Equinoctial Sale. I have a couple of mentee slots left, and Camp dates in January and March (and possibly late October/early November--if you want or need to just run away, send me a ping; it's beautiful here at that time of year).
Pooka says if we get another two mentees and/or a Camp, he can have Dr. NeedleVet again for all his owies from the sprain. He feels much better, is at the on one day, off the next stage--noticeably sore yesterday, only barely sore today. We persevere with the stall rest, though he is agitating to get sprung sooner rather than later. We have, however, learned our lesson good and hard, if excruciatingly slowly, and this time will not yield to his blandishments. He gets out of jail when every day is a not-sore day. About another week, I calculate. If I don't weaken and let him get out and reinjure himself all over again.
Which I Will Not Do.
No.
Pooka says if we get another two mentees and/or a Camp, he can have Dr. NeedleVet again for all his owies from the sprain. He feels much better, is at the on one day, off the next stage--noticeably sore yesterday, only barely sore today. We persevere with the stall rest, though he is agitating to get sprung sooner rather than later. We have, however, learned our lesson good and hard, if excruciatingly slowly, and this time will not yield to his blandishments. He gets out of jail when every day is a not-sore day. About another week, I calculate. If I don't weaken and let him get out and reinjure himself all over again.
Which I Will Not Do.
No.
September 17, 2012
New Year, New Moon, New Monday
L'shana tovah to all who celebrate!
This is a roundup/reminder/sort of random post.
There is a Horseblog at Book View Cafe today, with details of the latest adventures at DHF. Mostly, confession time and headdesk time. But! Da Pook is demonstrably better, and the new regime is working in general. Stupidhuman is stupid, but eventually has maybe got a clue.
Meanwhile we still are running our Equinoctial Sale--writng mentoring/editing/critting plus Camp Lipizzan. There are still Camp dates available in November, January, and March. Plus still a couple of slots for new mentees. Sale goes through Saturday the 22nd.
Thank you so much to all who have boosted the signal, and to those who have responded. We all horses and house critters and I) appreciate it more than we can say.
This is a roundup/reminder/sort of random post.
There is a Horseblog at Book View Cafe today, with details of the latest adventures at DHF. Mostly, confession time and headdesk time. But! Da Pook is demonstrably better, and the new regime is working in general. Stupidhuman is stupid, but eventually has maybe got a clue.
Meanwhile we still are running our Equinoctial Sale--writng mentoring/editing/critting plus Camp Lipizzan. There are still Camp dates available in November, January, and March. Plus still a couple of slots for new mentees. Sale goes through Saturday the 22nd.
Thank you so much to all who have boosted the signal, and to those who have responded. We all horses and house critters and I) appreciate it more than we can say.
September 13, 2012
Equinoctial Sale
It's been a while since I had a Sale, and there are openings and free dates (and a hay bill and a shoer bill and a herd of kamikaze horses), so here we are. Please feel free to boost the signal far and wide. Sale begins now and continues through September 22nd. Query here or send email to capriole at that gmail thing. And yes, I take Paypal.
Mentoring and Writing Teaching, Editing, and Various and Sundry Services
I have a number of openings for freelance editing, which includes everything from proofreading to copyediting to full-on line editing, and also for writer clients. I'm a full-service mentor, from brainstorming a new project to developing outline and synopsis to critting your ms. to working with you on your submission package. I'm particularly experienced in working with individual style and process, and plotting and brainstorming, including worldbuilding, is a specialty. I can also help you with the equestrian parts of your novel or story.
I have had to raise my rates to $50/hour, but for the duration of the sale, I'm offering a package of five hours for $200 (that's one hour free). This is enough time for review and discussion of a standard submission package (query, synopsis, chapters), a nice amount of worldbuilding and plotting, a chunk of proofing, editing, or critting--the options are numerous and very flexible. I will bank hours if you would like to start later on--say, after NaNo.
Offer open, as always, to current as well as new mentees.
Camp Lipizzan
This is the famous Horse Camp for Writers, located in southern Arizona--just outside of Tucson (25 minutes from Tucson Airport). I do one a month, and Campers often book the next one while they're at the current Camp. Limited to two Campers per session--three if they're good friends and one doesn't mind sharing a room. House has cats, but guest rooms are cat-free. Cost includes room with double bed and shared bath in farmhouse accommodations, library with comfy chairs and Supervisory Writers' Cat(tm), meals tailored to individual needs and diets, free wi-fi, and of course hot and cold running Lipizzans. Riding lessons and yoga classes additional--we work with Desert Horse Equestrian Services (riding, equine sports massage, bodywork and energy work) and Desert Horse Yoga. We highly recommend the White Horse Herd Yoga, and if you don't ride but want to learn how horses move and communicate and think, we have an option for that.
Rates begin at $375 per person for two nights/three days. First additional night $75, and $50/night thereafter. For the Sale, I'm offering a free night. Book four nights/five days at $500 per person and get a fifth night free. That's almost a full week in the desert, with horses, being fed and pampered, and writing like a writing thing. If you want a workshop, we'll include that. Also included: transport to and from Tucson Airport or, if you fly into Phoenix, from the Arizona Shuttle depot in eastside Tucson.
Dates are available between October 1st and November 15th, and between January 15th and April 1st. First comer gets to pick the date; if you're willing, we can add another Camper at that date. If you book October, I'll give you an even better deal: $475 per person for 4 or 5 nights.
To book, or if you have questions, comment here or email me at capriole at that gmail thing.
Thankyouall!
Mentoring and Writing Teaching, Editing, and Various and Sundry Services
I have a number of openings for freelance editing, which includes everything from proofreading to copyediting to full-on line editing, and also for writer clients. I'm a full-service mentor, from brainstorming a new project to developing outline and synopsis to critting your ms. to working with you on your submission package. I'm particularly experienced in working with individual style and process, and plotting and brainstorming, including worldbuilding, is a specialty. I can also help you with the equestrian parts of your novel or story.
I have had to raise my rates to $50/hour, but for the duration of the sale, I'm offering a package of five hours for $200 (that's one hour free). This is enough time for review and discussion of a standard submission package (query, synopsis, chapters), a nice amount of worldbuilding and plotting, a chunk of proofing, editing, or critting--the options are numerous and very flexible. I will bank hours if you would like to start later on--say, after NaNo.
Offer open, as always, to current as well as new mentees.
Camp Lipizzan
This is the famous Horse Camp for Writers, located in southern Arizona--just outside of Tucson (25 minutes from Tucson Airport). I do one a month, and Campers often book the next one while they're at the current Camp. Limited to two Campers per session--three if they're good friends and one doesn't mind sharing a room. House has cats, but guest rooms are cat-free. Cost includes room with double bed and shared bath in farmhouse accommodations, library with comfy chairs and Supervisory Writers' Cat(tm), meals tailored to individual needs and diets, free wi-fi, and of course hot and cold running Lipizzans. Riding lessons and yoga classes additional--we work with Desert Horse Equestrian Services (riding, equine sports massage, bodywork and energy work) and Desert Horse Yoga. We highly recommend the White Horse Herd Yoga, and if you don't ride but want to learn how horses move and communicate and think, we have an option for that.
Rates begin at $375 per person for two nights/three days. First additional night $75, and $50/night thereafter. For the Sale, I'm offering a free night. Book four nights/five days at $500 per person and get a fifth night free. That's almost a full week in the desert, with horses, being fed and pampered, and writing like a writing thing. If you want a workshop, we'll include that. Also included: transport to and from Tucson Airport or, if you fly into Phoenix, from the Arizona Shuttle depot in eastside Tucson.
Dates are available between October 1st and November 15th, and between January 15th and April 1st. First comer gets to pick the date; if you're willing, we can add another Camper at that date. If you book October, I'll give you an even better deal: $475 per person for 4 or 5 nights.
To book, or if you have questions, comment here or email me at capriole at that gmail thing.
Thankyouall!
September 11, 2012
Endless Summer
This has been an unusually long summer even for Southern Arizona. First 100F-degree day on April 22nd--a month early--and our summer rains, our monsoons, started a week or so early and are still going on, a couple of weeks after they normally end. We're told they'll shut down this weekend and we'll go straight into our month or six weeks of fall hot-and-dry. But not, we hope, as hot as the last dry spell was--it was over 105F in late August.
I moved out here to get away from humidity, which activates the fibro. My Irish-English-New England genes are not fond of heat. Ergo, July and August are the hard months here. Usually the joints seize up. This year they didn't, for the most part--just a bit of stiffness, which was excellent news for riding the horses, including Ephiny who is coming along slowly but very well--but the chronic fatigue hit like a ton of bricks. Not assisted by the evaporation of the barn help/farm backup. And then, in mid-crash, there was a Lipizzan in need and an owner who needed to move him somewhere affordable literally Right Now.
And so, barely two weeks after Carrma moved over to River Valley Ranch to be Queen and to have her own yoga disciples that she doesn't have to share with her whole fam damnily, we welcomed Cisco, aka New Kid, aka Da Nephew (of Pandora, and brother of Gabriella), aka Beeg Honkin' Lipi Number Two. He has arthritis, which we are treating, and the Wonder Shoer has played a major role in this. He is ridable, and will be a Feature at Camp. (And if you read this far, I will be putting up a Camp Sale in the next couple of days. Want a pre-sale? Comment or email.) Fans of Pandora will completely melt. As will everybody else. He is the original KISS MAH SCHNOZZ! pony. His schnozzola is truly Durantean--a thing of beauty.
The herd have taken this well in general, even including the major changes in turnout rotas and herd management. He doesn't go out with the crew--doesn't need the stress on joints as we adjust feed, meds, and rehab--but needs room to move, so there is the Fine Art of Horse Arranginging several times daily. It was challenging for a while, but now they're all on board with it and seem to enjoy their variations in routine. It also, Aarrghh episodes aside, frees up the arena at midday for horses who can't be ridden in the herd, which is good news for Pooka and Gabriella (once we find a saddle that fits her) and Cisco (once he's got his meds sorted out).
Today we are dealing with Aarrghh, as in Pooka got himself a stone bruise while getting a walk Out before a ride yesterday, and Tia, not to be outdone, got into it with Cisco through the fence and boinked her front foot (same foot as Pooka's, in solidarity) but good. So she's on stall rest and he's out of work for a few days or more depending on how soon the bruise resolves and whether it blows into an abscess. And this morning ze keed cut his foot, non-catastrophically but in the same spot as the cut that's been healing. I don't know what he's getting into, but it's doing a good job of slice and dice.
That's three. And that's it for the summer dammits. We hope.
I have, believe it or not, managed to get writing done in there somewhere. Including revision of the Kickstarter novel, which is almost ready go to the formatter and the cover designer--pub date is November 20th, and we shall all be thankful. Getting back into the swing of editing and mentoring now, after taking a bit of a break. The human needed time to adjust to the change in barn routine, too. Which had a tendency, with the heat and humidity and general relentlessness of Stuff, to encourage a degree of curling up in fetal position in corner, whimpering.
We are now upright, Winter is coming (thank god), and functionality is improving. Communications should improve--I apologize to the friends who have worried; I have been doing a bit of the run silent, run deep thing. Am undertaking to breach the surface more often now we're inching out of summer.
I moved out here to get away from humidity, which activates the fibro. My Irish-English-New England genes are not fond of heat. Ergo, July and August are the hard months here. Usually the joints seize up. This year they didn't, for the most part--just a bit of stiffness, which was excellent news for riding the horses, including Ephiny who is coming along slowly but very well--but the chronic fatigue hit like a ton of bricks. Not assisted by the evaporation of the barn help/farm backup. And then, in mid-crash, there was a Lipizzan in need and an owner who needed to move him somewhere affordable literally Right Now.
And so, barely two weeks after Carrma moved over to River Valley Ranch to be Queen and to have her own yoga disciples that she doesn't have to share with her whole fam damnily, we welcomed Cisco, aka New Kid, aka Da Nephew (of Pandora, and brother of Gabriella), aka Beeg Honkin' Lipi Number Two. He has arthritis, which we are treating, and the Wonder Shoer has played a major role in this. He is ridable, and will be a Feature at Camp. (And if you read this far, I will be putting up a Camp Sale in the next couple of days. Want a pre-sale? Comment or email.) Fans of Pandora will completely melt. As will everybody else. He is the original KISS MAH SCHNOZZ! pony. His schnozzola is truly Durantean--a thing of beauty.
The herd have taken this well in general, even including the major changes in turnout rotas and herd management. He doesn't go out with the crew--doesn't need the stress on joints as we adjust feed, meds, and rehab--but needs room to move, so there is the Fine Art of Horse Arranginging several times daily. It was challenging for a while, but now they're all on board with it and seem to enjoy their variations in routine. It also, Aarrghh episodes aside, frees up the arena at midday for horses who can't be ridden in the herd, which is good news for Pooka and Gabriella (once we find a saddle that fits her) and Cisco (once he's got his meds sorted out).
Today we are dealing with Aarrghh, as in Pooka got himself a stone bruise while getting a walk Out before a ride yesterday, and Tia, not to be outdone, got into it with Cisco through the fence and boinked her front foot (same foot as Pooka's, in solidarity) but good. So she's on stall rest and he's out of work for a few days or more depending on how soon the bruise resolves and whether it blows into an abscess. And this morning ze keed cut his foot, non-catastrophically but in the same spot as the cut that's been healing. I don't know what he's getting into, but it's doing a good job of slice and dice.
That's three. And that's it for the summer dammits. We hope.
I have, believe it or not, managed to get writing done in there somewhere. Including revision of the Kickstarter novel, which is almost ready go to the formatter and the cover designer--pub date is November 20th, and we shall all be thankful. Getting back into the swing of editing and mentoring now, after taking a bit of a break. The human needed time to adjust to the change in barn routine, too. Which had a tendency, with the heat and humidity and general relentlessness of Stuff, to encourage a degree of curling up in fetal position in corner, whimpering.
We are now upright, Winter is coming (thank god), and functionality is improving. Communications should improve--I apologize to the friends who have worried; I have been doing a bit of the run silent, run deep thing. Am undertaking to breach the surface more often now we're inching out of summer.
July 30, 2012
Transitions
There comes a time in the life of a horse barn when, for one reason or another, one or more of the horses will move on to a new home. Fora the barn owner it's an ambivalent experience. When the move is in general a good thing (as in this case it is), the feeling overall is of rightness. Acceptance. But also sadness. Usually a little. Often a lot. End of an era. Change--which always has a slightly scary component.
So tomorrow Carrma is moving to River Valley, where S keeps her horses, and where horse yoga also happens. It's a very good place, with very good people. Good things happen there. It's only 20 minutes away--so quite easy to stop in and visit.
Carrma was never My Lipizzan. We've been friends and colleagues, have collaborated in raising foals and grandfoals, and have seen each other through a succession of trainers and boarders and lessons and Camps. She's mostly been aloof, I'm not your Lipizzan, just put the food in the tub, please. And that's been comfortable for us. When she's wanted a personal human, she's had one. She even spent three years on a ranch in Dragoon, until her person sadly died and she came back to DHF.
In recent months however she's undergone a change. She's engaged me much more. She's asked more of me--and acted as if she had an Agenda and would I please speed up my slow human brain and catch up with it. She's even been imperious, and for the omega mare who gets her way through the mastery of passive aggression, that's kind of remarkable. And frankly adorable. She's always been an awesome horse, but she's finally deigned to show me her sparkly side. I'm sure that if she could fit into a pink frock, she too would parachute into the Olympic Stadium with Agent 007.
Then last week lines were drawn and choices were made, and the hauler was booked for tomorrow.
Now when the hauler is booked, the barn owner usually goes through a process that other animal folk are also familiar with. We withdraw emotionally; we prepare ourselves for the separation. Especially when there's an emotional bond, that is essential; a departure like that can be incredibly painful. The worst for me was when Gabriella left the first (and believe me, the last) time. There were excellent reasons for that, and excellent things came of it. But it was like ripping my heart out. It hurt for years--never fully healed until she came back. (Yes, that horse is that important. I can't help it. It's how it is.)
This time is different. Weird, really. As soon as the decision was made, Carrma went from cheerful to seriously sparkly. Smug, for a fact. Happy song. Finally! Stupidhuman got the clue!
And now she's more There for me than ever. Happy ears. Full engagement. "HI! I'm HERE! Snuggle Me! Worship Me! Aren't I AWESOME? Don't you ADORE Me?"
She's not trying to convince me to keep her. At all. I'm more than fine with her going. It's one of those "feels right" situations. She's just including me in her plans. Whatever those are. And letting me know that wherever she is, she's still, in her way, here.
Kind of like having a tutelary spirit, but she's alive and breathing and full of her own wonderfulness. Quite like her son Pooka. He does come by it honestly.
So there's a new chapter starting. I have no idea what Carrma has in mind, but I'm very much looking forward to finding out.
So tomorrow Carrma is moving to River Valley, where S keeps her horses, and where horse yoga also happens. It's a very good place, with very good people. Good things happen there. It's only 20 minutes away--so quite easy to stop in and visit.
Carrma was never My Lipizzan. We've been friends and colleagues, have collaborated in raising foals and grandfoals, and have seen each other through a succession of trainers and boarders and lessons and Camps. She's mostly been aloof, I'm not your Lipizzan, just put the food in the tub, please. And that's been comfortable for us. When she's wanted a personal human, she's had one. She even spent three years on a ranch in Dragoon, until her person sadly died and she came back to DHF.
In recent months however she's undergone a change. She's engaged me much more. She's asked more of me--and acted as if she had an Agenda and would I please speed up my slow human brain and catch up with it. She's even been imperious, and for the omega mare who gets her way through the mastery of passive aggression, that's kind of remarkable. And frankly adorable. She's always been an awesome horse, but she's finally deigned to show me her sparkly side. I'm sure that if she could fit into a pink frock, she too would parachute into the Olympic Stadium with Agent 007.
Then last week lines were drawn and choices were made, and the hauler was booked for tomorrow.
Now when the hauler is booked, the barn owner usually goes through a process that other animal folk are also familiar with. We withdraw emotionally; we prepare ourselves for the separation. Especially when there's an emotional bond, that is essential; a departure like that can be incredibly painful. The worst for me was when Gabriella left the first (and believe me, the last) time. There were excellent reasons for that, and excellent things came of it. But it was like ripping my heart out. It hurt for years--never fully healed until she came back. (Yes, that horse is that important. I can't help it. It's how it is.)
This time is different. Weird, really. As soon as the decision was made, Carrma went from cheerful to seriously sparkly. Smug, for a fact. Happy song. Finally! Stupidhuman got the clue!
And now she's more There for me than ever. Happy ears. Full engagement. "HI! I'm HERE! Snuggle Me! Worship Me! Aren't I AWESOME? Don't you ADORE Me?"
She's not trying to convince me to keep her. At all. I'm more than fine with her going. It's one of those "feels right" situations. She's just including me in her plans. Whatever those are. And letting me know that wherever she is, she's still, in her way, here.
Kind of like having a tutelary spirit, but she's alive and breathing and full of her own wonderfulness. Quite like her son Pooka. He does come by it honestly.
So there's a new chapter starting. I have no idea what Carrma has in mind, but I'm very much looking forward to finding out.
July 15, 2012
Just Another Summer Evening in the Old Pueblo
This monsoon came on early and it's come on strong. We haven't had a lot of rain here, but there have been major storms all around the Tucson Valley, with winds and floods and swiftwater rescues.
Today we had our turn. Clouds moved in in the early afternoon. They were blue-black, and they meant business.
At sundown I headed out to feed the ponies--and ran right back in again to snag the camera.
The sun bleeds through a wall of storm:
And away to the north, above the horses, the Santa Catalinas are drowned in light:
Thunder rumbled and rolled all the while I was out with the camera, and kept on rolling while I fed the horses. It's still going, and the lightning is flashing. It's a wild night.
Today we had our turn. Clouds moved in in the early afternoon. They were blue-black, and they meant business.
At sundown I headed out to feed the ponies--and ran right back in again to snag the camera.
The sun bleeds through a wall of storm:
And away to the north, above the horses, the Santa Catalinas are drowned in light:
Thunder rumbled and rolled all the while I was out with the camera, and kept on rolling while I fed the horses. It's still going, and the lightning is flashing. It's a wild night.
July 5, 2012
Lesson Coma
The state of being completely wiped out mentally and physically, after throwing it all into the riding arena on a surprisingly cool summer morning (yesterday was a record low high for the date--86F; normal is more like 103). The lower temperatures are wonderful. The humidity, not so much. Summer monsoons--which have blown in early and strong--are just that way.
The plan was to do half-lessons with both Ephiny and Pooka. As I fed and watered horses (and cats and dog) and finished barn chores and lugged tack and groomed two horses, I realized that's not going to work for the longer term. There's not enough of me to go around. So next time Ephiny will get the whole session, and I'll be doing homework with Pooka; will either alternate sessions or do a twofer every other session. We'll figure it out.
Meanwhile we did a twofer. Everybody was mellow; despite nonstop boom-boom-BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM boom boom BOOM BOOM last night, the horses weren't fazed, though I was rather ragged around the edges.
I started with Ephiny, because the work we have to do with her is a wonderful warmup for riding Pooka. She was much calmer this time than last, no explosions, and I realized as we worked with her that she's come a long way in her body awareness and willingness to use all her working parts (and they all work excellent well). No more fear reactions when asked to engage her hindquarters.
My brain shorted out when we got out in the arena. Went blank. S was patient. We worked on bendy bits and lightening the shoulders (which involves engaging the opposite hindleg), and on the familiar pendulum (big-time engaging exercise), and on lateral work. She was attentive and calm. No splodey bits. Only a little mouthiness, which for her is absolutely huge. She always goes to the mouth when she gets overfaced or annoyed.
But hey. She used to go do the right hind--kicking, spinning, blowing up. She graduated from that to biting at whoever was trying to work with her. Now she just tried to chew her reins a couple of times.
When she was balanced and moving well with me on the ground, she was finally ready for me to do the exercises under saddle. We squared up, and there we were. As with Pook, there were a few moments of remembering where all the parts were, and then we were off, with S asking for engagement and bending and forward, and Ephiny settling in, with back like tabletop. She was starting to respond to seatbones and a little leg, and generally being very, very cooperative and very, very thinky.
And she got her sugar and a hug and a chance to go in and rest and process all the data, and Pooka was already waiting at his gate for his turn.
More realizations as he got his saddle and started his warmup. Capria is still the Home Horse, but so is Pooka. My work with Ephiny has worked wonders for my ability to deal with him--the hormones, the sensitivity, the good old-fashioned balance hysteria. Starting a lesson with her focuses me and gets me balanced--the energy issues are significant, but it's still worth doing this as often as I can manage it.
With him, the exercises are much easier. He's much farther along on the training scale, and in many ways his layup was a reboot. The old issues have mostly faded or evaporated. He's more balanced and better connected in spite of being still out of shape. (Though that's improving noticeably.)
We did some work in hand. One thing we both enjoy is keying in so that whatever pace I set, he matches it. It's been a game with us for years. S moved in and made it an exercise. Four steps of collected walk, four of lengthening. Riding through the small of my back. (Horses will connect amazingly with humans, if the humans allow it.)
Then it was time to translate it all to ridden work. Bendy bits for warmup, and free walk. Then on to the collected and lengthening exercises. Walk first. Lift the shoulders for collection (which means engaging and sitting down behind), then keep the lift but open up for lengthening.
For Mr. Collectamatic, the collected part was easy. Almost down to half-steps? No problem. Lengthening, not so much. He'd want to drop down on his front end, or get rushy, or both.
Trot was occasionally hilarious, according to S. I was working too hard to be amused. Boing boing cuss shake head boing WTF?! stop boing boing... And then he got into it. He was falling in a good bit on the left, and I did remember that the right hind was injured, and we have much work to do. He couldn't handle it all in sitting trot; with rising trot in the lengthenings, he was more comfortable. S said he let out a couple of good exhales while he was working, which is a very good sign.
He worked hard enough that when he got to do a nice working trot around the full arena, he lasted three-quarters of the way before he started to get rushy--the new Pooka poop-out, not so much with the grinding to a halt, more with the fast-forward. Which is actually a good thing.
Tired happy Pooka. Tired happy human. I haven't worked this hard since the last time I had a for-real Pooka lesson.
Homework is carry on as we've been doing. A couple of times a week, do the collection exercises. He wasn't struggling today, any more than any horse would who hasn't done the work in a while, but we need to be a little bit gradual. No piaffe this week.
I guess it's not just Star Trek that gets to do a reboot. This in many ways is like a whole new Pooka.
The plan was to do half-lessons with both Ephiny and Pooka. As I fed and watered horses (and cats and dog) and finished barn chores and lugged tack and groomed two horses, I realized that's not going to work for the longer term. There's not enough of me to go around. So next time Ephiny will get the whole session, and I'll be doing homework with Pooka; will either alternate sessions or do a twofer every other session. We'll figure it out.
Meanwhile we did a twofer. Everybody was mellow; despite nonstop boom-boom-BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM boom boom BOOM BOOM last night, the horses weren't fazed, though I was rather ragged around the edges.
I started with Ephiny, because the work we have to do with her is a wonderful warmup for riding Pooka. She was much calmer this time than last, no explosions, and I realized as we worked with her that she's come a long way in her body awareness and willingness to use all her working parts (and they all work excellent well). No more fear reactions when asked to engage her hindquarters.
My brain shorted out when we got out in the arena. Went blank. S was patient. We worked on bendy bits and lightening the shoulders (which involves engaging the opposite hindleg), and on the familiar pendulum (big-time engaging exercise), and on lateral work. She was attentive and calm. No splodey bits. Only a little mouthiness, which for her is absolutely huge. She always goes to the mouth when she gets overfaced or annoyed.
But hey. She used to go do the right hind--kicking, spinning, blowing up. She graduated from that to biting at whoever was trying to work with her. Now she just tried to chew her reins a couple of times.
When she was balanced and moving well with me on the ground, she was finally ready for me to do the exercises under saddle. We squared up, and there we were. As with Pook, there were a few moments of remembering where all the parts were, and then we were off, with S asking for engagement and bending and forward, and Ephiny settling in, with back like tabletop. She was starting to respond to seatbones and a little leg, and generally being very, very cooperative and very, very thinky.
And she got her sugar and a hug and a chance to go in and rest and process all the data, and Pooka was already waiting at his gate for his turn.
More realizations as he got his saddle and started his warmup. Capria is still the Home Horse, but so is Pooka. My work with Ephiny has worked wonders for my ability to deal with him--the hormones, the sensitivity, the good old-fashioned balance hysteria. Starting a lesson with her focuses me and gets me balanced--the energy issues are significant, but it's still worth doing this as often as I can manage it.
With him, the exercises are much easier. He's much farther along on the training scale, and in many ways his layup was a reboot. The old issues have mostly faded or evaporated. He's more balanced and better connected in spite of being still out of shape. (Though that's improving noticeably.)
We did some work in hand. One thing we both enjoy is keying in so that whatever pace I set, he matches it. It's been a game with us for years. S moved in and made it an exercise. Four steps of collected walk, four of lengthening. Riding through the small of my back. (Horses will connect amazingly with humans, if the humans allow it.)
Then it was time to translate it all to ridden work. Bendy bits for warmup, and free walk. Then on to the collected and lengthening exercises. Walk first. Lift the shoulders for collection (which means engaging and sitting down behind), then keep the lift but open up for lengthening.
For Mr. Collectamatic, the collected part was easy. Almost down to half-steps? No problem. Lengthening, not so much. He'd want to drop down on his front end, or get rushy, or both.
Trot was occasionally hilarious, according to S. I was working too hard to be amused. Boing boing cuss shake head boing WTF?! stop boing boing... And then he got into it. He was falling in a good bit on the left, and I did remember that the right hind was injured, and we have much work to do. He couldn't handle it all in sitting trot; with rising trot in the lengthenings, he was more comfortable. S said he let out a couple of good exhales while he was working, which is a very good sign.
He worked hard enough that when he got to do a nice working trot around the full arena, he lasted three-quarters of the way before he started to get rushy--the new Pooka poop-out, not so much with the grinding to a halt, more with the fast-forward. Which is actually a good thing.
Tired happy Pooka. Tired happy human. I haven't worked this hard since the last time I had a for-real Pooka lesson.
Homework is carry on as we've been doing. A couple of times a week, do the collection exercises. He wasn't struggling today, any more than any horse would who hasn't done the work in a while, but we need to be a little bit gradual. No piaffe this week.
I guess it's not just Star Trek that gets to do a reboot. This in many ways is like a whole new Pooka.
June 24, 2012
Getting Back on the Horse
Horse Neep Alert! I posted at Book View Cafe about getting Pooka back under saddle after his eight-month layup. So, so glad to have my Fat White Pony back.
http://bookviewcafe.com/blog/2012/06/25/getting-back-on-the-horse-2/
http://bookviewcafe.com/blog/2012/06/25/getting-back-on-the-horse-2/
June 18, 2012
Fire Dragon vs. Water Dragon
We've been, I won't call enjoying, but in a macho kind of way it's sort of like that, our annual spate of Dragon Weather: triple digits F, dry enough to crack your bones and your little dog's too, and blast-furnace winds that whirl upward into dust devils that can hit like small tornadoes.
It's the kind of weather that separates the snowbirds from the desert rats, and even the mad dogs and Englishmen hole up away from the noonday sun.
Last week around this time, the weathercritters declared solemnly that the dragon was here to stay. The tropics, which start to fire storms and brew rain along about the middle of June, were quiet. We might see our summer monsoon (when the water dragon and the fire dragon go to war, and it's fire and flood as far as the eye can see), but it might not start around the Fourth of July as it usually does.
Two days later, after a hurricane hit Acapulco, we had our first monsoon storm. Thunder, lightning, and haboob. Happy Caturday!
Now the fire is back. May hit 110 this week. But come the weekend, we'll see the rain.
Maybe.
In the meantime, there is Camp, and there has been yoga, and I RODE MY POOKA for the first time in eight months. He's seriously out of shape, and he's lost a lot of muscle mass (for the first time in his life, he looks little when I'm on him), but he's sound and ready to work. Which puts the whole world back into balance.
It's the kind of weather that separates the snowbirds from the desert rats, and even the mad dogs and Englishmen hole up away from the noonday sun.
Last week around this time, the weathercritters declared solemnly that the dragon was here to stay. The tropics, which start to fire storms and brew rain along about the middle of June, were quiet. We might see our summer monsoon (when the water dragon and the fire dragon go to war, and it's fire and flood as far as the eye can see), but it might not start around the Fourth of July as it usually does.
Two days later, after a hurricane hit Acapulco, we had our first monsoon storm. Thunder, lightning, and haboob. Happy Caturday!
Now the fire is back. May hit 110 this week. But come the weekend, we'll see the rain.
Maybe.
In the meantime, there is Camp, and there has been yoga, and I RODE MY POOKA for the first time in eight months. He's seriously out of shape, and he's lost a lot of muscle mass (for the first time in his life, he looks little when I'm on him), but he's sound and ready to work. Which puts the whole world back into balance.
