Post by twisting on Jun 29, 2009 0:54:34 GMT -5
More Keno updates, I should really just start a blog, but I never remember to update those things regularly. This post's a long one.
Keno and I went to our first schooling show in April. It was just a little one at our stable so it was a great low stress learning tool for him. Lots of people, lots of commotion and lots of scary signs tacked up on the side of the arena that weren't normally there. Not only did he not bat an eye at all the fuss but he won both the classes I took him in. I was particularly proud of him when the horse in front of us spooked badly at the announcers stand (rearing, spinning, running sideways). Keno just glanced at him and we cut across the arena to avoid the drama.
Keno's jumping lessons have been going great. I've never introduced a green horse to jumping so I enlisted the aid of a nice local trainer. She's very quiet and agrees with me that taking it slow is the best way to ensure a healthy happy horse. (She ADORES Keno, I think he's gonna get a big head the way everyone fawns over him. )
We've been working once a week with trot poles and small jumps. It's taking him a bit to get the idea of actually jumping over the 6 inch fence. He can trot over it and doesn't always see the reason why he should put forth the effort to jump something that small. Sometimes I think he's too smart for his own good. We are still working on getting him to relax and stretch his head and neck down. He tends to hollow his back and tuck his head in when I ask him to do something that's hard for him. We're getting there though. Soft hands and pushing him forward, and lots and lots of nice stretching breaks.
We did have a bit of a break through jumping the other day, he was being his typical lazy self and stumbled over the fence (calling it a fence is pretty generous, cavaletti's more accurate.) He must have stung himself pretty good because next time we went over he could have cleared 3'. He's kept up with the actual jumping of fences and he's got a pretty cute form when he puts his mind to it.
I know he can jump, he cleared a 3'6" gate to go graze in the neighbor's paddock back in April. Cause for some reason the 8" deep grass in the pasture he was in wasn't good enough.
I missed out on going to the Richard Winters clinic last month because I had a horrible cold. I probably would have toughed it out if it hadn't led to an ear infection that messed with my balance. He'll be back in September to judge the Extreme Cowboy Race being held here so I'll have another opportunity to work with him.
I've moved Keno from the self care barn he was at to a nice full care facility up on the North Shore. I liked the barn I was at but it was very isolated and I didn't always feel safe riding. If I had an accident it could be hours before someone found me. I had taken to calling my husband before and after my rides, just so someone would be concerned if they didn't hear from me. Keno's never made me feel unsafe, but horses are horses and riding is dangerous.
Our new home has a few more amenities as well, like a cross country course, beach access across the street, a lake for the horses to swim in, 3 arenas and a big field for riding. I moved him over there June 27th. He's out in a big pasture with several other horses and once a day they all get brought out and fed their lunches. So I know that if I have to go away for a few days or a week that Keno's being looked after.
Today was only Keno's second day at the new place and I decided to ride him in the Extreme Cowboy Race practice the barn held on the Cross country course. There were people dragging logs, running around with tarps and flags and rattles. Keno cruised around on the buckle as my friend introduced us to everyone. (If Keno could have a fan club this lady would be it's president. She raved about him to everyone and wants to get her daughter a horse just like him. She wants big though, and I keep telling her that most Kigers don't come in Keno's size.)
We walked over the bridge, backed down and up a small hill, shook the rattle bag. His biggest accomplishment was the flag, he went from snorting at it from 10 feet away to letting me pick it up and trot around.
Well, I think that covers everything in the adventures of Keno. Next month Keno learns to swim. Both in the lake and on the beach. The North Shore's still as glass in the summer. In August, our first "real" horse show. September is a clinic with Richard Winters. If I owned a western saddle I'd try the cowboy race, but it's hard to pull a log with no horn.
Keno and I went to our first schooling show in April. It was just a little one at our stable so it was a great low stress learning tool for him. Lots of people, lots of commotion and lots of scary signs tacked up on the side of the arena that weren't normally there. Not only did he not bat an eye at all the fuss but he won both the classes I took him in. I was particularly proud of him when the horse in front of us spooked badly at the announcers stand (rearing, spinning, running sideways). Keno just glanced at him and we cut across the arena to avoid the drama.
Keno's jumping lessons have been going great. I've never introduced a green horse to jumping so I enlisted the aid of a nice local trainer. She's very quiet and agrees with me that taking it slow is the best way to ensure a healthy happy horse. (She ADORES Keno, I think he's gonna get a big head the way everyone fawns over him. )
We've been working once a week with trot poles and small jumps. It's taking him a bit to get the idea of actually jumping over the 6 inch fence. He can trot over it and doesn't always see the reason why he should put forth the effort to jump something that small. Sometimes I think he's too smart for his own good. We are still working on getting him to relax and stretch his head and neck down. He tends to hollow his back and tuck his head in when I ask him to do something that's hard for him. We're getting there though. Soft hands and pushing him forward, and lots and lots of nice stretching breaks.
We did have a bit of a break through jumping the other day, he was being his typical lazy self and stumbled over the fence (calling it a fence is pretty generous, cavaletti's more accurate.) He must have stung himself pretty good because next time we went over he could have cleared 3'. He's kept up with the actual jumping of fences and he's got a pretty cute form when he puts his mind to it.
I know he can jump, he cleared a 3'6" gate to go graze in the neighbor's paddock back in April. Cause for some reason the 8" deep grass in the pasture he was in wasn't good enough.
I missed out on going to the Richard Winters clinic last month because I had a horrible cold. I probably would have toughed it out if it hadn't led to an ear infection that messed with my balance. He'll be back in September to judge the Extreme Cowboy Race being held here so I'll have another opportunity to work with him.
I've moved Keno from the self care barn he was at to a nice full care facility up on the North Shore. I liked the barn I was at but it was very isolated and I didn't always feel safe riding. If I had an accident it could be hours before someone found me. I had taken to calling my husband before and after my rides, just so someone would be concerned if they didn't hear from me. Keno's never made me feel unsafe, but horses are horses and riding is dangerous.
Our new home has a few more amenities as well, like a cross country course, beach access across the street, a lake for the horses to swim in, 3 arenas and a big field for riding. I moved him over there June 27th. He's out in a big pasture with several other horses and once a day they all get brought out and fed their lunches. So I know that if I have to go away for a few days or a week that Keno's being looked after.
Today was only Keno's second day at the new place and I decided to ride him in the Extreme Cowboy Race practice the barn held on the Cross country course. There were people dragging logs, running around with tarps and flags and rattles. Keno cruised around on the buckle as my friend introduced us to everyone. (If Keno could have a fan club this lady would be it's president. She raved about him to everyone and wants to get her daughter a horse just like him. She wants big though, and I keep telling her that most Kigers don't come in Keno's size.)
We walked over the bridge, backed down and up a small hill, shook the rattle bag. His biggest accomplishment was the flag, he went from snorting at it from 10 feet away to letting me pick it up and trot around.
Well, I think that covers everything in the adventures of Keno. Next month Keno learns to swim. Both in the lake and on the beach. The North Shore's still as glass in the summer. In August, our first "real" horse show. September is a clinic with Richard Winters. If I owned a western saddle I'd try the cowboy race, but it's hard to pull a log with no horn.
I have to say you both look great in the pics' thanks so much for sharing.