Calgary Stampede Parade

We had a great time at the stampede parade on Friday. I loved the miniature horses pulling the stage coaches.

Hundreds of horses were in the parade. They had to have street cleaners following the horses so the bands and gymnasts did not have to perform in a mess.

They even had a genuine bull rider! He actually rides the bulls in competition and was teased about his ride in the parade. (hopefully the video will download).

Many of the competitors rode in the parade. We saw many of the Chuck wagon teams too. Oh and all the past Stampede Queens rode horses in the parade.

Last Night's Ride

We rode in the morning yesterday, but since the weather was lovely, I took him out again in the evening.

When I drove in the lane there were five new baby bunnies, two older babies and three adult bunnies running around. The new babies are so sweet, two black and three black and white.

Dancer and I practiced our lessons then headed for the new pasture. Rosie and Rod were heading out to put in post holes, so Rosie walked with Dancer and I over the bridge. I was glad she was there to assure both him and me.

Dancer was quite excited and remained so for the entire ride. We walked the fields, trotted a bit and had a wee canter. He was just too excited to settle down. I still rode with the bitless bridle and was able to handle him acting skitterish about the dogs, the other horses, his shadow...

The dogs were leaping through the long grass hunting for mice while Rosie and Rod worked on the post holes. The pasture sure is taking shape.

Our Third Lesson

Yesterday was our third lesson. Dancer lunged beautifully. Laura had shown me how to use the whip with greater success. Dancer had no trouble changing gaites for me today... but he did have trouble stopping!

Our lesson went well. Laura added some interesting ideas. We rode down the centre line walking, trotting, stopping and backing up. She placed the poles down and I was to stop before them as one of the exercises. Dancer loved this. He was very receptive to my every movement.

I am still riding with the bitless bridle. Laura suggested that I tighten it up one hole, and lower it one hole on each side, closer to his nose. I will change that for our next ride. I was very pleased with how Dancer and I progressed through the transitions. He remained sluggish at the trot until we shook things up. I am no longer just asking for a walk, sometimes it is a halt then back up then right to a trot. What fun we had.

I am away for the next week and will not have a lesson until the 22 of June. I am sure Dancer will be fine with that as he will be in the new field by then.

Stevie, My Sister's Horse

Joan's horse Stevie is a thoroughbred. His has a lovely bay colour.

Joan has recently started riding Stevie with a western saddle.

The kittens at Joan's barn are so sweet. Here they are sunning themselves as they nap.

Dancer Bowing

Today I caught Dancer laying down in the field. He is so cute. Little does he know, but he is going to be wormed today!

The other day I found out that Dancer knows more than ever. I knew that he could bow, but I didn't know how to ask him. Laura showed me how to ask him. He has improved since taking this picture.

After every ride dancer heads for the water...perhaps the wormer needed rinsing down!

Riding Lessons

I decided to start riding lessons. Laura, my instructor, is great. She has watched me ride and is starting with transitional work. Both Dancer and I need this.

We are working from a halt to a walk, then trot and back down to a walk. To encourage him we have been asking him to walk the moment he is sluggish. It seems to be working. Suddenly when I ask for the trot, he is eager.

Now to move to a walk, I am to take a deep breath, bringing my enerby up then as I expell the breath I am using my pelvis and legs to ask for the walk. Also, I am imagining that we are going forward. I use the same exercise to move to the trot.

To move back to the halt, I take the same breath and drop my pelvis. Also, I am turning my outside hand upwards.

To back up, I am relaxing my legs, tilting my pelvis then I squeese the top fingers, thinking backwards, then the second fingers, through to the third fingers,holding the squeeze. Then as soon as he is moving backwards, Irelease the pressure.

Flexion exercises and emergency stop. I am to grab the rein with one hand half way down and at the same time, I take a large breath then push down on the pommel releasing the breath and also pulling the rein to bring Dancer's nose to my foot. Boy does this work well, we were able to ride up and around the garbage cans the other day. Each time he got the notion to be scared, I did this exercise. It certianly distracted him and calmed him down.

We are also using a side pull bridle, or bitless bridle. I had a friend sew it for me. Dancer is responding to it very well. I saw this at Kate Hewlitt's farm in New Zealand and loved how it worked.

Rosie's Kitty

This little cat does not come to visit the barn. It is often found just outside the front door of the house.What a pretty little calico cat!

Cantering on the lunge

Well I have to fess up. Dancer had a bit of an accident a few weeks ago. Bear the dog started barking and the goats fled the scene sending Dancer bucking while cantering. I could not believe my eyes when he landed the buck on his front quarters, but his hind quarters slid out from under him.

I thought he was going to have a serious injury. Well Dancer was fine. I wasn't. I have had trouble asking him to canter for fear of a repeat performance.

Today my sister Joan came out and sorted us out. She had Dancer cantering both directions, even galloping. Bear reacted, luckily the goats were not on the scene and Dancer only tried a few bucks. He loved the gallop so much that I had no trouble asking for a trot when riding. Instead of the sluggish trot he had been trying with me he was much more enthusiastic.

What a great time I had with Joan. We will have to do this again next week.

Riding Lessons

Dancer and I are having riding lessons at last. He and I are no longer going to be plodding around the arena or shying - willy nilly

I heard peeping in the shrubbery today. I wonder if the other guinea hen has hatched a brood, or perhaps it is a wild bird's nest of hatchlings?

Our lesson was on Tuesday and a lot has happened in the past week. My friend Marnie came for a ride and Dancer was such a gentleman with her.

Earlier in the week, we rode on the lane, up the side of the road. Dancer seemed to enjoy himself, I know I was. Unfortunately, when we approached the hay wagon he decided there was something scary there. He shied, but I stayed on and we managed to inspect the hay wagon thoroughly. I plan on only riding in the hay field when there is someone home at the farm.

On the weekend Rosie and Rod worked on the new fields in the back pasture. After my ride I treked out back to see what they were up to. The were putting in over fifty fence posts. The dogs were hiding under the trailer to keep out of the heat, but came out to see me.

Today we had a great lunge. Dancer walked, trotted and stopped on command. It was quite hot so we stayed in the shade of the trees. Then we played for a while. I had Dancer help me push the barrel around the arena. He is now trying to push it himself.

Harry our cat is trying to help me with this blog. He keeps climbing on the keyboard and rubbing against my hands. He is such a little helper.

Dancer and I worked for half and hour. The breeze kept the heat at bay. We practiced going from a walk to a trot and eventually he was trotting on command. Though he still does to take off in a straight line... we will work on this. Also, we practiced his flection, backing and finally the dismount.

I took Dancer into the barn, untacked and gave him a sponge off. He loved that. We will have to try a bath. I will have to ask Rosie about using the hose to bathe a horse.

Today we handled the treats differently. I took Dancer outside and showed him a piece of the horse pattootie - his favourite treat. Then I asked him to bow. He did it!!! I took him to the pasture took his halter off then used the second treat and asked him to bow again. I will have to get pictures! What a great morning we had.

Missing Dancer!

I won't be seeing Dancer until next week. We are off to Grandma's house.

To keep me out of mischief I have a knitting and a rug hooking project to work on ... if I have time.

I am going to miss our cats, Harry and Oli too!

At Rosie's farm, where Dancer lives, I will also miss the geese, the cat, the goats, the chickens, the rabbits, the dogs and the other horses.

Collected Canter

What a great Mother's Day. Cards, flowers and fun.

My sister Laurie and the boys came for Church and lunch. She brought me lovely gifts of a knitting calendar, knitting markers and antique sock stretchers. Thank you Laurie.

Then Laurie and I made pretty knitting bags. We recycled a silk scarf to make them. We had a great time between tea, sandwiches, planning, cutting and sewing.

Then, of course, I went out to see Dancer. Today I just gave him a quick brush, then saddled him up to ride. Rosie came out to visit. I tried her saddle, which fit me much better. I am going to have to find another saddle in the near future.

Dancer was a bit sluggish to begin with. I should have lunged him first...oh well. He was also very sluggish at the trot, but eventually came around. He collected beautifully.

When I asked him to canter he kept a beautiful headset there as well. He remained collected. Between pushing Dancer in the walk and trot then riding a collected canter had quite the workout today. What a lovely ride.

Violets & Dandelions

"No hour is wasted that is spent in the saddle."
Winston Churchill

Dancer always comes when he is called. Nava follows him, then as usual she tries to escape through the gate to join us.

Friday, Dancer and I spent a happy half hour grooming. His new shoes look great. I ordered extra large bell boots for him, as the blacksmith recommended.

We managed to have an excellent lunge session. I am going to start training him to harness, then hopefully buggy.

We had a great ride. The little kitty did not come and visit us in the arena.

Dancer is still having difficulties walking in a straight line, though he trots and canters in one. I am trying to position myself carefully so it is not me causing the problem. We trotted for much longer than usual doing circles and figure eights.

We had a nice canter in either direction. Dancer wants to canter collected. He was on the wrong lead and changed automatically, that feels sort of like a buck when he is already doing a collected canter. Eventually we did a gallop around the arena. Our first gallop!
To cool off, we rode up the lanes to the road, then back along the hay field. I plan on riding bit by bit into the hay field so we can get over being scared of the wild turkeys. He isn't afraid of geese flying up under his nose, but he is afraid of the turkeys.

As I walked him back to the field, I let him nibble along the grassy lane. We had such a nice ride today.