Los Vallecitos Riders Open Schooling Show

Early morning was overcast and cool - a perfect day for a horse show. Several families and friends from Kids Horsin' Around made the early morning trek to the Walnut Grove Equestrian Park in San Marcos, CA for the Los Vallecitos Riders final 2009 Open Show Series.




Jesskia and Erin spent Saturday night washing and grooming Tango and Flash - Tango to show; Flash was going along for the "show experience" and had to look his best.

Both horses look awesome - Tango's mane was beautifully waved from the braids. And even with his winter coat coming in, Flash still shined radiantly.

Tango did his first "walk/trot English equitation" class very calmly; the second class, "walk/trot English pleasure" he was showing signs of agitation, and he seemed to have a sore back when touched. Jessika applied "Sore No More" and an ice pack to his back when we got home.

What we need to work on:

1. Jessika needs to develop strength in her left leg.
2. Tango needs to have more show exposure - he still gets too excited.
3. Tango needs to work on correct bend when tracking right.
4. Tango needs more work on transitions within each gait.

We also found out about an upcoming event that we'd like to attend, "The Night of the Arabian Horse" at the Casner Ranch in Temecula on September 19th.

Next show, Southern California Professional Horseshow Association, is scheduled for September 27, 2009 at the Camp Pendleton Ace Brown rodeo grounds.

And I just realized I put this on the wrong blog!! LOL! It should be on the Kids Horsin' Around blog....oh, well...

Schooling Show at Los Vallecitos Riders

Today was Tango and Jesskia's first schooling show and they were both did such a great job! We got up early this morning and headed over to San Marcos (CA) for the Los Vallecitos Riders Open Schooling Show.

They were in a tough category (riders 18 yrs. and older) with seasoned riders! As you can see, they looked great and came away with some ribbons to prove it!

Couple of areas we need to work on back home in the training arena...

We might try a dropped, flash or figure eight nose-band on Tango, or even a different (maybe Myler) bit, because he keep chewing and chewing his bit!! (and, yes, he just had his teeth done so that's no excuse!)

And, he was pretty excited so it was difficult to distinguish between "trot" and "extended trot" - they both looked about the same speed - fast! I think as Tango becomes accustomed to shows he'll relax and enjoy it more. But transitional work within each gait should be part of his on-going training schedule.

Schooling shows are a fun change of pace for both rider and horse, and challenge them to develop a wider range of abilities and deeper confidence in themselves.

Congratulations to Jessika and Tango!

Max - holding his own in new turn-out

The horses are really enjoying the new turn-out we recently built for them. It's about one quarter sloping acre with trees! The group that gets along best is Tango, Flash, Zim, Star, Sugar and Emmy. Jack gets in and tends to bully everybody - everybody ends up with bite marks on their backs. Tommy Boy was alittle too anxious when he went in, so we didn't leave him there alone yet - he's back in his roomy 24 x 24 paddock. Connor is too old and infirmed and even gets beaten up by the minis! Max was too sick up until a few days ago, but he's in there now and enjoys running with the herd. He still needs to add weight.

We're continuing to clear a path around the perimeter of the property to make a totally circular turnout so the horses can run continuously (and escape the bullies). I'll have to scan a blueprint of the proposed turnout. It's going to be very cool!!

Tango - Here We Go 'Round and 'Round

Four things to note about the video:

1. Turn your volume down!!! - there is something really wrong with the sound pick-up on my little camera.

2. No, he's not sweaty from a long, hard work-out - he just had a bath!

3. This is the first time in recent history that we have been able to get Tango to canter on the lounge line. When we first got him (about a year and a half ago), he was reasonably obliging on the lounge line. Then, one day out of the blue, he decided he'd had enough of going around in circles, and he just stopped and refused to go!! And quite honestly, his attitude towards work has been questionable. Anyhow, we're glad to see that he is finally coming out of his funk, many thanks to Jessika's persistent working with him.

4. We're not just working on hoof care! There's still plenty of daily training going on! (Just not enough hours in the day to write about it all!!)

Max and Tango go on a Field Trip

Today, Jessika and I took Max and Tango to Fallbrook Riders Field for a change of pace. What a great place to ride, even in 96 degree heat!! Full size dressage arena, super-size stadium jumping arena and a cross-country course with every imaginable obstacle to maneuver up, over or around! A local field for local riders! We are very lucky to have it!

Anyhow, Tango was not on his best behavior. But Max, who just turned 20 yrs., and we've been working together as a team for 8 years, is really coming into his own. He is a fine horse, with his one (major) fault being he doesn't have great brakes! We keep working on it, but he just doesn't like to stop.......

At this time in his life, he has decided he likes to jump! So we're starting out together in a small way, jumping! I'm lovin' it, he's lovin' it!

But Tango, the young whippersnapper, has a ways to go!!

Tail Chasin' Horse

This evening, while feeding the herd, my 9 yr Morgan/Haflinger gelding (Tango) was in his paddock chasing his tail! He looked just like a dog! He did this for the first time last night...and then again tonight. It was so strange to see, I couldn't let it go without making a remark about it! He'd chase his tail, then stop to give a small buck or two, then continued on chasing his tail!

I thought maybe he was pissed because he's always the last to be fed and his sick and tired of it! Once I feed him he's fine. He's never displayed this behavior before last night.

Anyone have a clue to what's up with this?

Jack's First Day in Side Reins

After lounging Jack, we put on side reins, ever-so-lightly. He registered them, but didn't make too much of a fuss. They are attached to side rings of a cavesson, and low on the surcingle. He moves slow and steady. Right now, we really want him to be calm and comfortable around humans and the funny equipment we place on him - he seems obliging. Nothing too exciting here.

Tango, on the other hand, was not so accepting. First, he hates to lunge, so when Jessika had him out for an under saddle workout in the arena, we put the side reins on him and worked him on the lunge line. He evaded the bit by tucking his chin under, which he does all the time anyway. But he was so focused on the side reins and evading the bit that he barely realized he was working a circle on the lunge line. So that was a baby step in the right direction. Tango does love to jump. Here he is today, jumping a small cavaletti with Jessika...