Author Topic: Hot Shot!  (Read 674 times)

Offline Carly Rae

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Hot Shot!
« on: March 12, 2017, 06:03:04 AM »
Today I got my new horse Hot Shot!  ;D

After 3 weeks of waiting he's finally here! And all I have to say is he is A LOT bigger than I was thinking! I'm 172 cm tall and I can't see over his withers without standing on my toes!
He only arrived at 3:30 this afternoon, but he is pretty chill. I have been out most the afternoon grooming him and walking him around the paddock, he is very well mannered.  :)

I can't ride him yet, he hasn't been ridden in 7 months, but before that he was regularly competing in polocrosse.
So we are giving him a while to settle him in then my friend, Tenae will work him for a while and see how he goes as I need to gain my confidence back after an incident I had 6 years ago with my old horse, and Tenae is going to help me. But I am keen to learn and give it another shot! Hopefully Hot Shot is the horse for me!  ;D

Willow, Kevin, Piper, Specter, Spider & Dashaspring

Offline dcwolcott

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Re: Hot Shot!
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2017, 08:56:24 AM »
A VERY handsome boy, for sure!!
'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'

Offline Holly

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Re: Hot Shot!
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2017, 11:00:24 AM »
Beautiful horse and super happy your going to be riding again!
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http://www.marewatchers.com/camera/cam/1258

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Offline paintponylvr

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Re: Hot Shot!
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2017, 11:43:44 AM »
Good for you.

I am a BIG proponent of mounted lounging when working on confidence, balance and/or fear issues - no matter the age of the rider.  This also helps with re-developing riding muscles w/o having to deal with a horse you(the rider) are controlling at the same time. 

Then, while in a round pen or contained arena, doing lots of up/down transitions with lots of halts (so that you KNOW you can stop him at any time YOU wish) and then post to post riding at the gait you set while on a loose rein...  Yes, this does go to NH type of riding - YET i did this type of work long before any of the current day NH trainers were "spouting it" int their teachings.

Enjoy, Carly, and don't be in a hurry.  Also, sometimes things don't go well with your "best friend" when starting to ride - so be mindful of that as well.  And it can work both ways - either she's right to ask/"push" you OR you are right to want to do a little slower/not "push" as hard...  I am NOT trying to put you off of your friend working with you, just a heads up.  Sometimes it's the same while working with family as well - and takes an outside trainer/instructor to get through any issues.  I know - I started all 3 of my own daughters - none of whom have stayed with horses at this time, nor did they ever develop any desire to learn to fully care for them on their own...  sigh.

:)
Paula Hoffman
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Offline Ryan

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Re: Hot Shot!
« Reply #4 on: March 13, 2017, 06:40:50 PM »
Hope you have heaps of fun with him Carly :)

I have to agree with Paula 110% , Take your time with him, theres no rush whatsoever :)

Im all about developing that bond with a new horse before I even think about putting a saddle on. One of my TBs took well over a year to trust me. He was very head shy but as the trust grew his head shyness slowly disappeared.

he is very nice and hope he is perfect for you :) 

Offline Carly Rae

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Re: Hot Shot!
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2017, 04:38:43 AM »
Thanks for the pointers!  ;D

I am really in no rush, although he is settling in super well since we put him in with the other horses, its like he has fully relaxed himself with some horsey company. Our round yards are old wooden things that aren't very circle or secure, so we are going to borrow our neighbors round yards that they offered for us to use for me to learn.  :) And we have to wait for Tenae's saddle to get here because the gullet on mine is too large so Ill have to sell it and get a smaller one.

The past couple of days when we go out Hot Shot comes right up, he is a big friendly giant, really. He loves his cuddles and head scratches. I walked Tenae around the paddock bareback on him this afternoon and he just plodded alongside me like it was nothing. So Tenae let me have a lead line ride too, he is so placid like he has no care in the world. Although his previous owner used to lead his grandchildren around on him so he is probably used to it.

Tenae also got the bridle out and had a ride for herself bareback and she was told today by her boss (Hot Shot came from her boss) that he has always responded to 'Neck reining'. I had no clue what that meant till Tenae told me it was when you just lay the rein on his neck using one hand rather than using both reins to turn him. He is very responsive too when it comes to turning, so thats something I have to be careful with when I start riding him.  :)
Willow, Kevin, Piper, Specter, Spider & Dashaspring

Offline Carly Rae

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Re: Hot Shot!
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2017, 04:40:35 AM »
Here they all are together. Besides Willow, shes not paddocked with them  :)

Willow, Kevin, Piper, Specter, Spider & Dashaspring

Offline Ryan

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Re: Hot Shot!
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2017, 05:11:16 PM »
Sounds like he is settling in just fine :)

And so good that you have Tenae who knows the previous owner !!

Offline Carly Rae

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Re: Hot Shot!
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2017, 04:34:50 AM »
I thought I might quickly post about Hot Shot  :)

He's fully settled in and I am pretty attached to him now  :) At start I was a little weary around Him until I figured he wasn't going to break out into random spooking fits like my old TB did occasionally. 

It took a while to get used to his 'signals' which is why Tenae rode him for a while to pass on the information. It was a bit of trial and error nearly throwing Tenae off the first time she turned him because he is really responsive to turn, responsive overall. But having contact with his old owner was helpful.

I had been on the lunge line for a while to get used to stopping, starting and turning. Then I was off and I have been riding off lead for the past few rides now. Although the last 2 rides I have been going bareback, and I couldn't do any of it without my step ladder!  :))

Hes really good at just plodding around the paddock while I ride, but very willing to go if you ask him to.  :)

Willow, Kevin, Piper, Specter, Spider & Dashaspring

Offline Rocklone

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Re: Hot Shot!
« Reply #9 on: April 29, 2017, 06:14:17 PM »
Lovely boy!

I do have to say though, never ride with a loose horse. You can not control them...

Offline paintponylvr

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Re: Hot Shot!
« Reply #10 on: April 30, 2017, 03:06:31 PM »
He looks to be a wonderful learning mount for you Carly.

I HATE the word "never" but in this case, I agree with Hayley/Rocklone.  As a youth your age, I sometimes didn't have a choice BUT more often then not I simply was too lazy to put horses up or to go thru series of gates to get to "empty" riding area(s).  Sometimes those choices led to injuries, torn clothing, damaged equipment - more often my own due to being hit by teeth, front or back hooves when the alpha horse or a playful horse came charging up or ran alongside, bucking and kicking.  Two times that I recall, my mount ended up with injuries and in one case they were serious - vet bills and months of healing/daily care and then later bringing the "young" green mind back as that horse was terrified of other horses for even longer than the months that I had to care for her.

That said, I do to this day, sometimes ground drive, drive or ride (last time I rode was in 2012) in a pasture with loose ponies/horses.  But, I'd like to think that I've got more experience these days and can judge who is loose vs who I'm working so as to benefit everyone without getting any injuries or even mental stress/downtime.  In fact, I choose to work some horses in a specific pasture or paddock to either get the horses in the pasture experience seeing a horse being worked (and at more than a walk) OR to give the horse I'm working a chance to accept loose "objects" in their work space...  I also will spend time working a horse past/thru a barn so that they understand just because it's there doesn't mean we are done or they can stop OR past the hay feeders for the same reason.  Same thinking, if I find an area they are constantly shying away from or getting totally nervous I'll take they a ways past that object, work pretty hard - until they are warm/sweaty and huffing a bit, then back to the spot that made then nervous to stand and get a rest/breather.

***********

It's wonderful to have a horse to "toodle around" on.  And a great way to end a working session and to help with developing balance. 

However, you appear to be very tense - locked up in the lower back, hip/thigh area and it's carrying all the way up to your shoulders, neck/head and out thru your hands...

Consider staying on the lounge for a while (interspersed with other riding when you don't have another person to help you).  Practice riding - starting at a walk.  No reins in your hands - either remove them from bridle, wrap then into his throat latch so that they stay up by his ears or knot them so that they don't flop around and make you want to grab them.

with dropped stirrups crossed in front of the saddle or removed -

1 - Legs Away - grab the front of the saddle (pommel/gullet) with both hands, tip back & pull your crotch towards the pommel.  start w/ your knees fairly close in (if you can?) or even resting on the saddle below your hands and just have your lower legs away from your mount.  The goal is to eventually be able to raise your knees and lower legs away from the horse - literally opening up your pelvis and your seat bones, strengthening your lower back and ligaments thru the hips & pelvis and teaching your mind that you can balance.  Myself, my students and my children all worked at this long enough to be able to go several rounds on a 25-30' line at a trot & canter (on some of the mounts that the girls learned on, babies, it took much longer).  Works best with a "steady-eddie" type horse with smooth gaits, but also sounds like Hot Shot is.  (and no, I don't recommend having lots of folks watching this one as you learn it.  The wise cracks can get stupid and ridiculous and are so TOTALLY UNNECESSARY and undeserved.  This is a favorite exercise for me to teach to all ages - it does a LOT in a very short amount of time - all at once.  Believe it or not, because it is forcing you to tip back, it then develops your balance so that you DON"T tip back while riding or if you get "behind the motion" at any gait, your body is strong enough to bring you back up to center - also a form of muscle memory)

2 - while your mount is walking (& later trotting and cantering) - sit up straight and "walk" w/ your legs as well.  Again, this will loosen and strengthen the ligaments in lower back, hips & pelvis and also does amazing things for your balance and confidence.

3 - neck stretches - tip your head slowly down/forward.  Then tip as far back as you can - you may need to have a pommel strap to hold on to to get the full stretch safely as you are able to.  Then tip first one way (side), then the other.  You don't want to raise your shoulder to your ear - but drop your shoulder down and literally tip your head to follow it down, letting the weight of your head "pull" it down...  Do not do these stretches at a trot - can cause the opposite of what you want - tension and possible injury.  I have at times down them at a canter on horses that have nice, cadenced, soft gait.  Finish by rolling your head down/forward and on around to the opposite side - working on smooth steady movement w/o jerking.  This one actually goes a long way to helping to relax in a tense situation.

4 - Remember those pesky and sometimes painful arm circles?  Do those now in sweeping movements while your legs stay relaxed (at first your legs/back won't be relaxed - the goal is to get there!).  Your eyes should be up and forward - your head should be turned slightly in the direction your mount is moving.  When you start, if out of balance/fearful/feel like you're falling, hold pommel with outside hand and do only one arm.  Do the circles big and sweeping - 1st forwards then back.  Then make the circles smaller and hold the same size for a couple then smaller still.  Switch hands.  Take a break (do something else), then again switch directions and do it all again.  When you become good at it and feel you are comfortable with your balance - circle one arm forward while the other circles backwards (harder than anyone thinks, LOL). 

5 - raise your arms to shoulder level and turn your torso with your arms staying even.  Turn so that your body is facing inside the circle-towards the person on the ground.  Then steadily change and move back to center.  Then move to face the outside of the circle.  When you start, you probably won't get very far.  Keep your movement steady w/o jerks (children for some reason that I haven't figures out, do these moves in jerks at first. Some never really get past that until much older, think it has something to do with body/motor control).  No worries, keep working on it.  These can be done at the stand still, walk & canter at first - working up to doing them at the trot (much more difficult - especially if posting - but can and should be done eventually).

These exercises sound so simple but they DO loosen & relax various areas while also strengthening.  They develop a deeper, stronger seat and independent balance which in turn boosts self - confidence.  As you get good at them, you will find your posture improves and so does your walking on the ground.  If you weren't previously good at dance or gymnastics, you may improve now.  They do take some time to see/feel all the improvements but they are there almost from the first day.  Don't push so hard that you become extremely sore - that defeats the purpose, takes longer to work thru, actually has the opposite affect on confidence and I don't feel that is the right way to train your body.  Also, they will not necessarily cause weight loss but they can cause some changes in size/shape as muscles become stronger OR they may not. It does vary from person to person.  The main purpose is developing flexibility, strength & confidence while losing the tension that can cause your mount worry and you to get injured.

**********

I also teach standing in the stirrups at all the gaits - and not just for learning "two-point" - a position for long gallops and jumping.  It will build balance & strength in necessary riding muscles.  Later, it's a great way to both give your horse and you a "rest" if out on a long or very strenuous ride. I utilize a neck strap - about 1/2 way between the withers and ears - to hold onto for support or to grab if you lose your balance rather than the pommel or horn as that puts your hands too low and "under" you - causing you to fall backwards, imho.  You should learn to hold the neck strap with a hand on each side of the neck and also independently with either hand centered over the neck (learning to lengthen your arm, not twist your body) AND to balance with no hands on the neck strap at all (with arms relaxed down & hands on your thighs; out to the side at shoulder height or crossed over your chest).
Paula Hoffman
LP Painted Ponys
Cameron, NC

Offline Carly Rae

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Re: Hot Shot!
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2017, 10:32:54 PM »
Thank you Paula, I really do appreciate you taking out time to type all those pointers for me.   :)

I am still learning so, so much, and I will run your words over to Tenae for our next 'lesson'.

The main reason I have been riding in paddocks with other horses is because we have 10 horses here and every paddock has horses in it, so it was a little hard to get away, but normally we go to a corner of the paddock and the others mind their business.

But Tenae and Jesse have their own property now, and yesterday they took 2 of their horses, the horses that spent 5 days/4150 kilometers in a float travelling from Western Australia to Queensland. So they were easy to travel 15 minutes up the road to the new place.

Although Ted and Banjo- the rescues, have only floated once and Tenae is unsure how they will go and would like to spend a few hours getting them used to it. So they will probably be gone early this week, which means I will have a empty 10 acres to ride as my minis are going into a smaller paddock while the grass is so green to easier maintain their weight.  :)
Willow, Kevin, Piper, Specter, Spider & Dashaspring