Random Friday

1.  One of our chickens has gone broody.  She has been sitting in the nesting box for a week now, fluffing her feathers in a matronly way, and settling in for the 21 day incubation period.  Initially, we tried convincing her to leave the eggs so we could collect them but she was rather violent in her defense of her nest.  We decided to leave her be and see if any of them hatch.  We value our fingers and our arms -- and baby chicks would be very cute.  This morning, she left the nest for a couple minutes to grab a quick meal and poop.  I ran into the hen house and counted the eggs -- six eggs, a mixture of white, brown and green eggs.

2.  Between the very hot days and the brooding chicken, our egg collection has dropped to one or two eggs per day -- and some days there are none.  I do not know if the other hens are adding to the pile under the Cuckoo Maran.  Today was the first day I happened to be in the area when she left the nest so I could count.  I put a couple wood eggs in the other nesting boxes to encourage the hens to lay there.  Since then, we've gotten two eggs -- and one of the wooden eggs has disappeared.  It isn't under the nursery nest and it isn't in the boxes.  Very odd.

3.  My dressage trainer, Sandy Savage, was in a riding accident about a week ago.  A horse she was training spooked and lost its footing coming out of the arena at Sandy's barn.  The horse fell on her, fracturing her leg, and she smashed her head on the ground.  Thank God she was wearing a helmet.  She suffered a severe concussion, and seizures, and spent some time in the trauma unit.  She is home now but her recovery is going to take awhile.  Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she heals and returns to teaching (from the ground initially, of course).  She is hopeful that she will be well enough to return to the barn and start lessons again in a week or so.  This was not a naughty horse, it was not going rodeo on her (and I've seen her stick like glue to horse doing that... ahem, Winston).  It was a simple spook, a slip and a horrible fall.  Please, please, PLEASE always wear a helmet when you ride.  If Sandy had not been wearing her helmet (and she always does), she would not have survived the fall.

4.  Camille flew up Wednesday afternoon so we could go to the Dixie Chicks concert together.  Back in the 90s, and early 2000s, we were hardcore fans.  Camille sang "Travelling Soldier" in the shower and begged me to hit repeat when we played my CDs in the car.  I named our goat, Cowboy, after the song "Cowboy Take Me Away" (its his registered name).  It was over 100F when we drove to the outdoor amphitheater north of Sacramento, but thankfully cooled off to 98F while we stood for an hour in line.  My foot, in its air-cast boot, was not impressed.  The concert was well worth the wait and the heat, though.  They played all of our favorites and we sang along at the top of our lungs.

5.  I took Thursday as a vacation day at work.  I knew that Camille and I wouldn't get back home Wednesday night, after the concert, until the wee-hours of the morning.  Thursday was another very hot day so we loaded up the kayaks and headed to Bear River Reservoir, one of the few lakes that rents kayaks on weekedays.  Our plan was for Brett and I to use our kayaks, and for us to rent one for Camille.  Unfortunately, all they had available was a two-person, tandem kayak.  So, we left my kayak sitting on top of the car and I joined Camille in the tandem.  It all started out okay...

But then the kayak started taking on water in the back, where I was sitting.  We tried sloshing it out the side but the top of the kayak side was sitting at water level so any shift in weight, or ripple on the water, brought more in.  A speed boat went by and we came very close to capsizing in the wake.  An hour of paddling down the lake, we found a sand bar.  Camille transferred her camera, my Fitbit, and my water bottle to Brett's kayak.  We dumped the water out of our kayak, and got back in.  We hadn't paddled more than a few feet and it was already full of water.  And then we did capsize.  Camille and I swam (my foot was not happy) to shore, pushing and pulling the half-submerged kayak.  Brett paddled back to the marina.  The little bit of beach we found on the steep, rocky shore, was at a campground.  Camille and I beached the kayak, grabbed the paddles, and started walking back to the marina.  Camille asked people in the campground if we were going the right way and they told us we were crazy to walk... the marina was three miles away.  And I didn't have my walking boot, just boat shoes.

Meanwhile, Brett paddled like mad, making it back to the marina in half the time it took us to get out to where we capsized.  He stashed his paddle in the car, prayed that no one would steal his kayak from where he left it near the dock, got directions to the campground from the office staff and set out to find us.  Thankfully, my foot wasn't hurting as Camille and I trudged up the dusty, hot dirt road.  We were thrilled to see Brett, coming to our rescue, after we had gone a mile or so.  Back at the marina, we gave staff directions to the crippled kayak, loaded up Brett's, and went off in search of ice cream.

Workshop: Transitions (Part One)

This past weekend Lucy and participated in Sandy Savage's workshop on transitions.  There were five riders and numerous auditors, including my friend Heather who flew up from Southern California.

We trailered Lucy down to Clay Station Ranch in Wilton Friday afternoon.  It was "only" 103 when we arrived.  Sandy had arranged for Lucy to have a stall with a run-out/small paddock.  I unloaded Lucy and walked her over to her stall while Brett and Heather lugged over her hay.  They set the hay in front of her stall and then went back to the trailer to unhitch the truck.  There was a gallon milk jug hanging from the top rung of her pipe corral stall door.  You know the kind: you put in a packet of stinky stuff, fill it with water, flies crawl inside and drown.  Well, I had the brilliant idea of moving the jug so it would be swinging outside of her stall instead of inside.  I lifted the jug and tried to squeeze it between the bars.  It got a little stuck, I pushed... and dumped the dead flies and stinky water on the top of my head.  It ran down my face, soaked my tee-shirt and trickled into my bra.  Great.  Now I smelled like cat pee and the workshop hadn't even started.

The barn owner told me that there was a shower in the lounge, and Brett had a clean teeshirt in his truck.  I headed to the lounge.  ...and the shower would not go on.  A breaker had flipped and there was no power to the well pump.  No water in the lounge.  Sandy happened to be in the lounge and knocked on the door.  I was standing in the middle of the bathroom, stark naked, reeking.  She grabbed two water battles from the cooler and passed them in to me.  Remember, it was 103F so I didn't mind at all that the water was really cold.  I stood in the shower and dumped them both over my head.  I put my bra (which still reeked) back on and Brett's tee shirt.

Sandy did a lecture and demo ride on Releve at 5:30.  Afterwards, we snacked on cheese and had a glass of wine before heading home.  The truck smelled like cat pee the whole way home and I'm surprised they seated us at the diner where we stopped for dinner.  It took two nights of aggressive shampooing to get the smell completely out of my hair.

Sometimes, I am such a dork.

The rest of the clinic was awesome.

It's all in the Timinig

Sunday, Brett and I had a lunch date with Sandy Savage and her fiance, Joe, at Miraflores Winery.  Sandy offered to ride Lucy before lunch and see what she thought about the sticky canter departs -- whether it might be her other hock or something else (like rider error, ahem).

Saturday, in preparation for Sandy's visit the next day, I decided to carry a dressage whip while I rode Lucy.  I've never had to use a whip with Lucy given how forward she is -- I'm usually asking her to slow down and breathe, for Pete's sake.  But, she had been sluggish and reluctant when I rode -- yet prompt and willing to canter on the lunge.  I suspected she had my number -- or thought she did, anyway.  Lucy was full of energy in the much cooler day Saturday -- she was no longer in heat and we had dark clouds with a breeze over the arena instead of blazing sun.  I carried the whip, but I didn't need it.  The first time I asked for right lead canter she went hollow in her back, threw her head in the air, and refused.

We circled, got a nice trot going in a relaxed frame and I whispered "Lucy, if you don't go I'm going to have to tap you with the whip."  She went.  After three or four strides she tried to come back to trot.  "No, no, Lucy.  You don't get to pick where we transition back to trot.  That's my job."  I gave her a reinforcing squeeze with my calf and we continued on.

Sunday morning, Sandy and Joe pulled up the driveway just as I was finishing up Lucy's grooming.  Lucy looked over at Sandy and licked her lips.  I guess she was already anticipating and practicing saying "Yes, ma'am."

Sandy and Lucy marched into the arena.  Brett said "Boy, she sure looks different with Sandy on her."  --- yeah, marching and straight and all about "yes, ma'am."

This is why Sandy is a successful professional dressage trainer and why I'm a bumbling amateur.

Just look at that lovely stretching trot

Lucy's canter transitions were just fine.  Sandy said Lucy felt great.  (so I guess I haven't ruined her, anyway).  It is a bit humbling to watch someone of Sandy's caliber turn your horse into a thing of beauty.

We had time for me to ride a bit as well before lunch so I got a short lesson.

1. When Lucy resists the contact, don't use my hands.  It just makes her claustrophobic.  Instead, use my legs and seat to push her forward into the contact.  (Oh, I said, a receiving hand instead of a restraining hand -- I've read about that).

2.  Make sure I ride with relaxed shoulders and heavy arms.  Only touch Lucy's mouth with ring finger contact.  Regulate her racing around with my seat and weight.

3.  Get the timing right on canter transitions.  I've been told, and have read, a hundred times to sit two steps before asking for canter.  I always thought it was so me, the rider, could get organized and ready and so I didn't worry to much if it was two strides, or three, or five.  I asked when I was ready.  As a result, I often asked when the wrong leg was in contact with the ground - causing confusion and delay and hollowed back and head in the air behavior.  Me getting the timing right was hit and miss.  Oops.  Now I understand that if you are posting on the correct diagonal, sit precisely two steps, and ask - you will have the timing correct.  And Lucy will smile and give you a lovely canter transition.

4.  Lucy would like me to tell Sandy "Thank you very much.  My rider gives awesome neck rubs but she can be kind of dense when she's in the saddle."

Lucy, I may be a bit slow learning some things, but I love you to death.

New Digs

Last weekend, Brett and I drove down to Wilton to check out Sandy Savage's new barn.  We were impressed.  We arrived earlier than expected so we parked the car and went to look for Sandy.  A man in a dusty ExxonMobile teeshirt walked up, with coils of pipe over his shoulder and a valve in his hand.  He peered at us from under his baseball hat and introduced himself as Tad, husband of the new barn owner, general construction dude on the weekend, tech exec in SF during the week.  Brett immediately liked him (we both did, but Brett recognized a kindred spirit).  Tad said that his wife rides dressage and had always wanted horse property.  When her favorite horse died (freak pasture accident) he distracted her by offering to look at horse property with her... and here they were, watching the previous owners load up a moving van while they worked on the property.

There are three trainers at the barn (Clay Station Ranch) -- one for eventing, one for a western discipline, and Sandy for dressage.  Tad pointed us in the direction of Sandy's barn, identifying it as barn 5.  We found the barn, and a woman with her horse in the cross-ties.  I had noticed someone riding in the covered arena when we drove in, and here she was.  A hot, sweaty, dusty blond woman with a hot sweaty chestnut.  It was in the low 90s in Wilton on Saturday.  She was a stronger woman (or crazier) than me; I can't ride in that kind of heat.  It turns out she was Tad's wife -- super nice, and friendly.  She heard about Sandy from a friend of hers who rides with Sandy, and was happy to find a good trainer since she was relocating from the Bay area.  Meanwhile, Sandy had heard that Clay Station had changed owners and that the new owner was looking for a resident trainer.  They hit it off and Sandy moved over to be the trainer at Clay Station.  Her barn is already full -- it looks like all her clients and their horses followed her over.

Sandy arrived (at our scheduled meeting time) and gave us a tour.  The new owners put in a beautiful dressage court with felt and sand footing.  Brett and I drooled over that big time.  The court sits on top of a small hill, with a view to forever.  Sandy said that eventually they will plant some trees to provide shade to the court and the pylons had not yet arrived.  Nevertheless, it was a gorgeous court.

 Sandy also gave me a flyer.  She is going to do a series of monthly weekend clincs.  Each clinic will focus on some aspect of training and include private rides with Sandy each day.  The workshops will be limited to six horses.  I am planning to attend the September workshop.

For those local folks (or not so local) who are interested in the workshops, the schedule for 2015 is:

July 10-12 -- Your position affects your horse's movement.  Apply your aids for a harmonious partnership.

Aug 14-16 -- Presenting a test, optimize your warmup, tips for riding a great test.

Sept 25-27 -- Transitions to improve self-carriage and balance

Oct 23-25 -- Dressage is for everyone!  How it can help your trail horse, hunter, event horse, etc.

Nov 20-22 -- Is your half-halt effective?  Explore and demystify.

Here is a link to Sandy's website if you are interested.

Lesson with Sandy Savage

Saturday Lucy and I had a lesson with Sandy Savage; our first lesson since last July.  I was hoping that Lucy and I would be able to show Sandy work that was representative of what we are doing at home.  Lucy had been very sluggish during the week so I was a bit concerned.

Lucy trailered well down to Sandy's barn in Wilton, south of Sacramento.  It was in the low 70s at home -- and in the low 80s down in the lowlands of Wilton.  Lucy stood quietly (for Lucy) at the trailer while I groomed and tacked her up for our lesson.

We discussed our game plan.

She allowed me to brush her face.  Lucy does not like to have her face fussed with; she does, however, enjoy my uber soft face brush.

And she doesn't like having her mane brushed, much less pulled.  I cut her mane instead of pulling when it needs a trim and I try to be very gentle when I brush it.  You can see by her ears she isn't thrilled.

Then it was off to the covered arena which was nice and cool -- and crowded.  Lucy was a tad looky.
Do I know you?  You look familiar.  I used to live here, you know.

Hey!  Stay outta my bubble.

Ack!  A mirror!

Sandy suggested going outside to the dressage court which was quiet.  I readily agreed.  Brett and Sandy sat in chairs in the judge's booth so they were in the shade.  Lucy and I, not so much.  It was warm but Lucy settled into a good representation of the Lucy I work with at home.  I was pleased.

We started out with trot, encouraging Lucy to stretch into a long rein.  Last year, we often spent an entire lesson on this because Lucy wasn't able to maintain the stretch.  Ever since her massage in December, she's been much happier to stretch.  While she stretched, I worked on my hand position and not getting in the way.  Brett took video and, since he was sitting right next to Sandy, you can hear all her commentary.  So, I won't bore you with it here.  This first segment is our warm up.

The second segment is our trot work with a focus on connection and transitions.  We did a lot of walk-trot-walk transitions.  I learned to barely tense my ring finger for a transition.

The third segment is more trot and transitions -- and more work on my softness through the elbows, arms and shoulders.  Leg position, hand position... So much room for improvement.

The last segment is our canter work.  Lucy was pretty hot and tired by this time and didn't want to canter.  She did though; she's a trooper.

Then we were done; hot and sweaty and happy.

Lesson with Sandy Savage

This morning I loaded Winston's saddle, bridle, and tack box into the trailer. I added a clean white pad with bright black piping - not one of the faded ones I use normally. His white schooling boots were dirty so I packed maroon Eskadron wraps. I made a couple PB&J sandwiches while Brett packed water bottles on ice. We loaded Winston and headed south to Wilton just before 11am.

Winston unloaded and went on llama alert -- head high, trying to lean on me for support as we walked around the grounds. "Winston, you are six years old. You can stand on your own feet and walk like a grown up." We walked out past the round pen, the tractor, the water truck, the barn and the covered arena. He nibbled on grass behind the dressage court. We walked back to the trailer where I grabbed the lunge line out of the trailer and then headed to the round pen. Winston was doing a pretty good imitation of an ostrich at first; head high, eyes darting back and forth, looking at everything. Then he went to work.

Back at the trailer, I wrapped his legs, settled the saddle on his back and slipped the bridle over his head.

He calmly walked with me back out to the dressage court where I walked him around inside the court, both directions, until Sandy arrived. His head was low and relaxed as we walked along. Periodically, he bumped my hand softly with his nose.

Sandy asked about Winston's history, what we had most recently been working on, and then asked me to start working with him like I would do at home so she could see where she could help.

I came home and listed eight "homework" take-aways from the lesson so there are plenty of areas where she is helping. Most of the help came in the form of instruction to help Winston be comfortable in the contact and for me to be effective. To start with, she changed how I hold my hands so that I influence the contact with my wrist instead of my whole arm. This frees up my elbow to operate like a shock absorber so the movement of my body doesn't smack him in the mouth. It also allows me to effectively increase or decrease the amount of contact needed at a given moment.

Winston wasn't too thrilled with the new effective me. He tried throwing his head up (I curled my wrist in, increasing the contact), he tried sucking back (I kicked him forward into the contact) and then he gave -- and I immediately went to a very soft place with my hands.

Sandy also taught me how to use half halts in the downward transition to keep Winston from running into the trot from canter. It. felt. awesome.

Winston and I were toast at the end of the lesson; happy toast. Winston was very pleased with himself and I was equally proud of him. Brett said we looked like we were back in business. I can't wait to practice what we learned today and I'm looking forward to the next lesson.