I broke out the clippers and took off some fur today around her girth area. Wetted it down, and tried out the new heart rate monitor (hand held with receiver watch). Her resting pulse is 36 bpm, and that was with quite a bit of fidgeting on her part. Initially it was about 47 bpm and I found that by using the head down cue, I was able to get it to drop pretty dramatically in a hurry. Her emotions I fear will cause us some angst when it is time for the pulse check and vet check. I plan to bring it with me on training rides to assure that she is pulsing down within 10 minutes of coming in. Chris checked her our last ride and she pulsed down to 60 within the time it took me to dismount and tie her up to the trailer.
Working some extra hours this week to pay for those boots...so I may be a little scarce. Hoping to have good weather on Tuesday and Wednesday for some riding, and then back to the park on Saturday and Sunday if I have any takers who would like to ride with me. ~E.G.
I can't go this saturday. Laura's girl has to go and have a birthday party! It's at 3pm. But I am going to try to sneak in a quick ride at the farm first then go to the party. (If I lived at the farm I might be able to make Versailles work).
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping for good weather on the 7th so I can enjoy Henryville. I like doing conditioning rides there just as much as the competitions. The only thing better about the competitions is that I have a map of the distance and markers so I know where I'm going!
The 7th had better work because the rest of the month is shot. The 14th Allen will be in Colorado, the 21st he has to work and the 28th is the day before my daughters 5th birthday. May be able to ride that day though if we have her party on Sunday, the actual day of her birthday.
Michelle Detmer
--Riding in Balance--
ReplyDeleteI seen your comment on Nicole's post. I think I was riding a bit like you last sunday when Laura and I started riding. We rode almost a half a mile at a canter down hill (a slight grade) sort of angeling back to the barn. Laura on Jazz was just fine cantering down it. Jazz is an older, well balanced muscularly horse. Who can carry a rider smoothly down hill. Stormy is not. She doens't have the musceling or experience. She couldn't stay collected or smooth and I felt like I was not in balance with her at all. Plus she was trying to go faster and faster and was not listening to me at all. Her strides were all uneven, some long some short, making it impossible to sit. So I was really struggling but stayed with her obviosly. Laura was too far ahead to yell to tell her too slow down and besides she can't hear anything without her hearing aid which she never wears when she wears a helmet.
When we did finally walk for a minute. I told her I was having a time. She's like well Jazz was going so well I didn't want to stop! Laura and I are at the same level of riding pretty much and use the same saddle, so it had to be the horse! I think that may be the case with you sometimes. A youngster just can't carry a person as well as an older horse can. She will get better though.
The rest of our ride was fine. I was in balance. But I have always noticed she's a lot harder to sit on any type of downhill. Or when she's gets strung out too much. Horses are easier to sit if you can get some kind of collection to them. Especially when they are young, trying to get them to round out (not in) there back is really good for their longevity in endurance. You have to get the rear legs to come forward and underneath her more for that to happen. I'm sure you can find a lot more about it on the internet. I'm not talking about extreme collection. I'm just saying try to get some at times and defintaly avoid the opposite, strung out position where the back is hollow.
Michelle Detmer
Hey E.G.!
ReplyDelete...This has nothing to do with your topic- but wanted to share. I was browsing around Distance Depot-maybe you've already seen it? They have a 'blue swirl' sponge-don't know if it's a match to what you were looking for? Just thought I should let you know!
AMB-
Christine