tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733109971235989183.post4921157018321486186..comments2023-10-31T03:36:48.285-04:00Comments on Diary of the Overanxious Horse Owner: Eating it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733109971235989183.post-11505356034219646642011-06-07T08:59:08.909-04:002011-06-07T08:59:08.909-04:00@ValientDancer:
The hill work is something we are...@ValientDancer: <br />The hill work is something we are just now being able to utilize since the ground is finally drying out. I don't think I have enough of a hilly space to lunge him but that would be really good. He still gets very nervous out on the trail/field so he's not able to relax and get round and though his stride is much lengthened, it's going to take a while for him to relax enough to round himself up. If I try to put him there, he increases his tension and starts to jig and get even more inverted. I think we're going to have to walk those hills loosely for a good while until he stops worrying about the woods. It gets better each time, but I can't ask him to work there yet unless I want to get dumped.<br /><br />We do some round pen work, but my Dressage trainer has really emphasized the need for him to be ridden (in 2-point to stay off the back, or in posting on different diagonals to help even out the movement) so that he can be put into the correct posture. He doesn't tend to round up in the pen, even with roll backs. The other alternative is driving lines, but we haven't tried that yet.Rebecca Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17058661062366527906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733109971235989183.post-10901851226298313462011-06-06T15:34:13.377-04:002011-06-06T15:34:13.377-04:00I hate to say this but have you ever tried round p...I hate to say this but have you ever tried round pen work before you get into the saddle. If he is not underweight it was always my understanding that top line comes more with working the muscles along the back and butt. If he is underwt or not getting enough protein and fat than like a human body builder he will not be able to build more muscle but this is not usually the case with horses as we are not pushing them to such extremes. My trainer suggests lunging on a hill, a lot of changes in direction, a lot of up and down conversions in gait, and yes work over cavaletti and round poles, as well as hilly trails. But we have also started working our mare in the round pen, she lost a lot of top line and muscling over the winter and has been building it back slowly partly because we also had to build up her wt, skinny older TB. Instead of longing before riding we have been working in the round pen asking for roll back type change in direction she is doing them at the walk, trot, canter, and gallop and while a bit hard on her legs (probably not worse than she does on her own in the pasture) really forces her to engage her back, abs, and butt (I can actually see them contracting and relaxing). Anyways we have been on it 3-4 times a week for about 3 weeks roughly 5-10min before each ride as a type of warm up and we can see a difference. Since you are not in the saddle they are more likely to avoid hollowing and engage the back, especially if you do it without a saddle. Just thought I would add it as a suggestion since you said he does not do cavaletti or ground poles well, plus if your body is sore it is a good workout without having to get in the saddle. <br /><br />Otherwise we sometime mix a bit of sugar water into the feed (you can use a spritz bottle) to make it taste better and stick.ValiantDancerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05782730358693666271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733109971235989183.post-62814583858297122272011-06-01T22:20:34.927-04:002011-06-01T22:20:34.927-04:00Hint: a splash of water makes most of the powder ...Hint: a splash of water makes most of the powder stick to the pellets. Mr. Shiny also hates powdered things and is a confirmed picky beast. But if it's all stuck together, he can't snuffle it out. And you don't have to pay anything extra for a bit of water.eventer79https://www.blogger.com/profile/03160817772061132147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733109971235989183.post-18170787043188047922011-05-31T16:44:35.858-04:002011-05-31T16:44:35.858-04:00Funny how horses will eat brushes, magnets, hay ba...Funny how horses will eat brushes, magnets, hay bags, bandages... but ask them to eat a supplement and suddenly they're not hungry. SmartPak makes a little pellet that is supposedly super tasty that you mix in with their food and it makes them want to lick the bowl clean. I haven't tried it, but that was next on my list if Lilly kept snubbing her nose at her alfalfa pellets. Luckily she's recently taken a shine to them, so we're good for the time being.<br /><br />Sorry to hear you had a not so good ride. Horses do seem to have days like we do where they just don't feel like doing anything, so hopefully the next ride is better. Maybe he was sore from the lesson?<br /><br />How big are the dry spots on his withers? They're not always bad depending on where and how big they are.in2paintshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15721328264615241612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733109971235989183.post-37745512773563816952011-05-31T16:03:54.912-04:002011-05-31T16:03:54.912-04:00I've got one of those horses with the talented...I've got one of those horses with the talented lips that can eat around all the medicine and supplements. They are a challenge, all right.Once Upon an Equinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08807098276875052982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733109971235989183.post-42072799142710297842011-05-31T11:07:07.808-04:002011-05-31T11:07:07.808-04:00@ Milo, The spots used to be much larger, so perha...@ Milo, The spots used to be much larger, so perhaps it's an improvement at least, though not as good as they could be. His conformation is really tough to fit, according to my chiro and she hasn't been out to see this saddle yet. It's the first time he's acted that way in the saddle so hopefully it's not that. He felt really round and forward during the ride and actually was able to stop pretty well rounded much of the time, but we're still trying to fill out his topline and maybe with more developed topline those dry spots will diminish. If it's not one thing it's another! If only I was as concerned with my own health and wellbeing!Rebecca Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17058661062366527906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733109971235989183.post-17677680618753717472011-05-31T10:50:11.983-04:002011-05-31T10:50:11.983-04:00I too hope the oil works...but for my powdered sup...I too hope the oil works...but for my powdered supplements on dry grain, I just splash a small amount of water on it to help stick the powder to the grain so he can't sift through it. <br /><br />As far as the riding goes, I've been going through a rough patch, but finally seemed to get out of it again. As reminded, riding is a dance and we have to take the good rides with the bad and always be reminded why those bad ones were that way - what was different? It seems your trying that tact in thinking it could be the grass, which may be a possibility. But horses also have a mind of their own and he could have just not been feeling it that day. Which leads me to the dry spots. Now, considering where they are, Im inclined to say that it isnt making contact there which results in the dry spots. If this is a new development and he normally has solid sweat marks, I would say that he simply wasnt lifting his back and working over himself properly that ride. However, you didnt give us that control that it was a solid mark before that ride so.... Dry spots do indicate that something isnt fitting right. If it continues to happen I might have another saddle fitter out to assess this new one. <br /><br />Oh and your lesson reminded me of mine yesterday on a western riding horse. Beautiful changes, just not when I asked for them!! LOLpaint_horse_milohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14549633937628282128noreply@blogger.com