Coming to the end of another year.

They are all seeming to start to roll together rather quickly.

I thought Frankie had spoiled me for any other horse. My Bibble, Mr. Big, Francis, Moley, Frankenstein, Sinatra, Goes to Hollywood, Dyffryn, Mole monster etc. Toby, even.

He had. He did. Until my expectations changed. 

Bib spoiled me for: jumping, because he'd take me anywhere and over anything. 

hacks, because no one stared as still and silent as he. 

galloping, because no one could match his hairy, all guns blazing, white feet flying effort under me.

cross country because of the yell he let out as we were alone galloping across the moors at Felixkirk.

workers because no bullfinch could intimidate him.

cuddles because no one gave a neck rub like him.

trailering, bouncing like a mad man.

standing on his back legs to eat trees.

having the girliest whinny I've ever heard.

galloping me at anyone without question.

his extended trot, willingness to attack water and ditches.

To be mock terrified of tractors on the road.

His arrogance in making you go to him in the field.

Being born on the bit

Playing all my imaginary childhood games with me. 

Taking me to HOYS.

Speedy jump offs, almost as fast as Ollie.

So I had to change. Bib spoilt me for generous, brave, bold horses who had few issues in life and expected to be doted on and admired.

He couldn't have prepared me for a would-be train wreck studdy monster any better. Toby couldn't be less like Frankie and I still get on with him. To Frankie's bold, he's timid. To Frankie climbing all over you with his lips, Toby wouldn't dream to touch you first. Tob still flinches if I raise my voice, sometimes if I go to pat him. Frankie used to relish Ian's fond punches on his beast neck. Toby is fast and furious and full of righteous attitude. Frankie is measured and flashy and nothing is too difficult. Everything is difficult to Tob. He had a bad few years and he doesn't trust himself. A rider is there to hinder or stress. For Bib a rider is to take along and show them the way.

Getting to HOYS with Frankie was nothing for his talent. In the UK, judging decides everything. It was lucky. Deserved but lucky.

My season with Tob has been pure hard work. No luck involved in our performance. They were what they were. Every inch he gave me, I earned and cherished. I thanked him. I didn't harass him when he took a mile; I put him back on track and waited for that inch. It came. They came. Sitting his stop when he kept travelling and he flung his head up and asked me 'what are we doing??' That he didn't let his panic get the better of him, despite all the commotion and the new environment was one of my proudest moments. He stayed with me. He considered me. He let ME work with HIM. That's the greatest gift. Bib gave me his all everytime. There was no question. He trusted and we went. Toby questions everything. Repeatedly. So when I give him an answer and he's ok with it, we're ok.

I'm ok.

Now the season is really over

I think.

It was the FEQ banquet last night and we were presented on stage with a lovely plaque to commemorate our team in Calgary.

It was also our regional awards night which in a very showbiz way I had to miss and have someone accept my trophy for me.

I was also presented with some excellent photos which I will share, and gift certificates. Hurrah!

On Friday night tob and I went on a cattle round up. We helped bring 28 cattle across 100 acres and he was excellent. It's nice to get out and about.

New dreams needed

I started writing this to document the time it took me to achieve my cavalier level 4 western exam here in Quebec.

It's nearly a year since I took that exam and passed with 92%, on Toby.

In May this year we moved back to my trainer's barn. In June we showed in our first reining class. Without sliders and without a clue how to ride a roll back.

In July we did our second show and had a better idea of what we (I) were doing.

In August we were selected to go to provincials on the back of winning 3 green Reiner classes at our local show. Two handed. In provincials I would need to ride one handed.

So I trained one handed. Toby wasn't ready but we worked hard and hoped.

In the august show I rode three classes, three patterns back to back, one handed. We got 1st, 2nd, 1st. We were ready.

Two weeks later we headed to Sorel for provincials. Man that arena was a treat I found out Toby could slide and that I could ride a good pattern. We finished third in the novice division with a 69 and 12th in the adult open division with 66.

After that, as a young-ish and very novice Reiner I was asked to be part of the Quebec team to go to the Canadian Interprovincial Equestrian championships in Calgary.

I went to Calgary, minus Toby. I was given a horse to ride who had won a silver North American youth championship medal earlier this year. I placed 7th with 68, 3rd with a 72 and then ruined everything by dqing myself on the final day when all I needed to do to win a medal was finish the pattern. The mare was golden. I looked at my scorecard after. I had a 70.

I would have won gold.

I would have won gold at the Canadian amateur championships.

In my first year of competing in reining.

Without ever joining my provincial association.

I would have had a gold medal.

What the heck??!?

What a damn good year.

Ain't goin down til the sun comes up

I got back from Boston real late on the Sunday, up early for work on Monday, rode my horse, then went to ride my client's horse.

Tuesday Toby had a day off but I was picking up my boyfriend from the coach station at 4pm then taking him home then picking up the trailer then going to ride the stallion.

Wednesday my client moved their horse to the show ground so I worked the morning, rode Toby, went to the grounds, rode the stallion, went home to bed.

Next morning went to get my brake controller installed but the garage in the States couldn't do it in a short time. Went back to Canada, had a very long lesson with Lise on Toby - we weren't hitting our left to right lead changes - bathed him, packed his stuff, went home, went back to the states, dropped the Jeep off, went grocery shopping, picked the Jeep up, drove home, went to go ride the stallion at the grounds, went home, packed up my bags, went to bed.

Up at 5am on Friday, headed over to the local show, warmed up the stallion, took him in western pleasure, didn't place. Took him in western horsemanship, placed 4th. Took him in Western command, after walk to counter canter in both directions we finished 5th. Super pleased with him, as was his owner and later we found out he'd never showed in public so with horses passing him on both sides at the lope he did great!

Finished with him, said bye to everyone, left there, headed home, packed the Jeep, hitched the trailer, went to collect our ride sharer, went to collect Toby, headed to Sorel.

The week was over but it was ALL just beginning! Yee haw!

In a week all of it will be over

I'm sat at my friend's house in Boston. Since I left Canada mid-day Friday I've been able to ignore everything but I'm going back today and all my nerves have come back. I've got to work all day mon/tues/weds to make enough money to pay for the show. I've got to ride Tob every day, obviously but can only ride between 8 and 5. I need to get my brake controller installed on my jeep for towing,
I need to go ride the quarter horse stallion I'm showing for a client in the local Fair Friday morning before I leave, I need to pick my boyfriend up Wednesday evening from the bus terminal as he's come back to go to the show with me.

I'm spending the rest of the day here and I just want to stay calm and not think about how hectic this week will be. My last vacation day for a while! On the drive back I will think about it again.

Patterns 6 and 8 need drilling into my brain.

Dreams do come true

So by a massive twist of luck and two people not being ready to show, I have been selected for the Quebec provincial finals in the novice reining division.

All because I managed to get through one novice class without mistakes and places second. There are so few people on the division who have points that apparently that was enough.

I'm not complaining!

I get to go ride in the finals at Sorel Tracy, no pressure because my region is TERRIBLE and didn't get one placing in any class last year. My coach has told me to just go for the experience.

So I'm going :-)

All is calm

The show was fantastic. Both days. All three patterns. On day one I screwed up 8 by doing 5 spins one way but rode 5 nicely and won that class. The next day I rode 4 and I overspun a quarter to the left but recovered and ended up second in the novice class, my first time placing in that. He stopped in the middle very well, even down to the gate and the last mini stop. I rode 8 again and got it right this time and won my second green Reiner of the weekend. It's my last year in that category and I am aiming to win the division. I've won 3 out of 4 of the classes so far this year. Not bad for a greeny!

I rode hard the Friday evening because he was a pig in warm up, even having been out all day. I longed him for about 30 minutes til he stopped plunging around and then got on him and loped and loped until he was soft and listening. It was busy so I sat on him a long time to get some space and then worked our stops and roll backs. They weren't bad.

The next morning I was up at 6.30 to ride before classes started and he was in a much better frame of mind. I showered him and hand grazed him after that and then got on for midday warm up for around an hour before my classes. It worked well. He was still hyper in warm up with all the other horses and he wanted to pull on me but I remained calm and disciplined and didn't allow him to get away with anything. In the pen it paid off.

To improve for next month, circle shape consistency, PIVOTS for me, staying calm and consistent and transition from a fast to slow lope in the circles.

All in all, I'm thrilled. Super happy with how it all went, now I know what I need to do, work wise, with him.

Pushing the tempo

Given that I lose 50% at LEAST of tob's focus and calm when we get in the ring, this week I am working on pressuring him at home. The reality is that I am doing another show this weekend and I only rode rollbacks for the first time yesterday. This is the riding by the seat of my pants I am committed to and spending all my money on and it is so worth it! Exhilarating even.

My trainer never despairs with me, she just pushes me on and when I remind her I've never done something, or only watched it on YouTube then she scales it back and we go again.

Our spins are doing well. Her quote was 'not my taste but if thou do that at the show you'll be fine' which is a compliment from her. I need to keep his shoulders up so that be can move around that pivot leg and not hit himself. I need to bend with the inside rein and collect with the outside, using plenty of leg to keep him moving. When the reins are bridged I can still correct him. This is a relief to me. Also: loose reins!!! I have a tendency to hold him which is bad.

In a rollback I must look over my shoulder in the direction I want to go then neck rein and leg to get him to roll. He should bend in the direction we go and pick up the right canter lead for that direction. I will practice this more today for sure as my corrections are not automatic after just one day..!

As for stops, I timed them all yesterday in front of my trainer and although one of my patterns is 4, with stops in the middle which will wind him up something crazy, he did well in practice and I just need to give myself room and keep him collected. I'm going to have to use that bit!

Stopping and sliiiiding

Well. When I'm good I'm good and when I'm bad I'm horrid.

I was having a bad run of stops because I was getting my whoa timing off. I KNOW it's the same moment as you ask for a lead change and whatnot but I know that by feel, an instinct feel, not what's actually happening under me. So I started riding my stops like I wanted to change saying 'now, now, now' on each beat. However I seemed to psych myself out doing this and still missed it. Then I talked to Steph, one of Lise's most successful students and she gave me a tip to watch the lead leg come down. This, coupled with feeling the quarters come up has helped somewhat. Also adding speed. We needed speed as well as staying collected and straight.

One day I got 2 out of 3 timed and he slid between 5 and 6 feet. A couple of days later I got a 7 footer and then last week, I'd nailed all three stops but still felt like I was flunking them so I ran him down to the door, really pushed (for me!) at the middle and said whoa.

We went 10 feet! Oh boy, I was so proud! My pony can and will stick that butt in the ground and go for it if I get him right. Yay!

Now it's for consistency and me to really find the groove each run down, the guts to push him, the coordination to collect him and the timing to say whoa.

Our next show is next weekend and I will do two classes each day, a total of three patterns.

A ribbon!

I'm not sure how much it meant as we were in a class with two even novicier people than me, but a win is a win. Unfortunately I undercounted my spin in the novice class else I would have placed in that too. The judge the next day was way mean for a novice rider class and dq'd me for not hesitating long enough after my back up. Ouch. She only placed one person in each class so who knows what the others did to annoy her.

Anyway, I won't make that mistake again and I know I need to work on my pivots - in warm up I ace them. I get in the pen and I tense up and so Tob tenses up and walks out. I need to ask more speed in the lope and I need to make both sets of circles smaller. Our changes were great and our stops not at all bad. The ground is not ideal so I don't push him hard there.

There isn't enough warm up space there so I can't lope circles before I go in so I'm pretty much always going to have a little bit of hyper on my hands at this venue.

It will do for now and overall I am thrilled with his improvement. The judge that placed us remembered us from last year and told me we were a lot improved. Yay us!

A different horse

We've been back at our trainer's barn for a month. As soon as he stepped in there it's like he took a deep breath and went 'ahhhh' in relief.

The first couple of weeks I did a lot of trotting and circles, getting his flexion back, getting his jog back. His canter was very fast but relaxed so I left that for the time being. I rode him in.a snaffle and German reins for a short time, although there wasn't much of an issue. A few kicks in canter transitions but otherwise nice attitude.

I stepped it up and put sliders on him after that and then he went back in his curb bit. At the trot his stops are nice. He's clearly been hauled on the mouth though as getting him to stop just from whoa and my seat hasn't been easy yet I take a pull and bam, I feel the slide. Anyway, I lost my own confidence with that in the canter as I just couldn't get the timing right in my command and he was very crooked so I went back to basics and worked on all gaits straight lines, circles and curves back to the straight, one and two handed. I also took his canter right back to small circles and a lot of collection and this past two days he's given me some super work, enough that I loped him one handed on a nice small square off the wall. Normally one handed is the signal for his head to go up and race so I was super happy to have him release the tension once he realized my hand wasn't holding him.

I've been taking it slowly with his spins as they really stressed him last summer. Right now he's touching his nose to his shoulder by choice before I let him in and he's very soft. I still need to work his outside rein so we're a little way off one handed spins for now but it will come. His neck rein is a lot more responsive than last year.

Today my trainer said the good days were starting to come together so that's a big compliment from her! Usually she only comments if it's bad so a positive comment means things a going VERY well.

We missed a schooling show at the weekend due to rain which is a shame as I had planned to school him round patterns 5 & 6 but now it's just over a week to our first local show. I'd like him to be ready to go one handed so I can do all three classes but it's all about what he's ready for so I might stick to the green and novice. Last year I lost about 60% of his attention in the pen without even asking much so my goal this year is to keep the focus and the trust through the pattern without asking too much of him.

Hard work is paying off and I am happy. Broke, but happy!

Toby Jekyll and Toby Hyde.

I seem to have two or three horses in one.

In the field he is leader of the gang, studdy mc stud, bossing his mares around who unfortunately let him get away with this annoying behaviour. He can be sweet and often watches over them while they sleep but he's never slow to reprimand one of them if they step out of line.

In the barn or pen by himself, aka away from his life source, the aforementioned mares, he is a trembling ball of anxiety. He whinnies like a dying donkey anyway, so when he's stressed it's worse. He dances, he paces, he chews, he frets. The first time I tried to ride him solo after he'd joined a herd, he took exception to me asking him not to step away as I mounted by pitching a for of rearing and spinning which I could not sit with one stirrup. So he threw me, for the first time. This sharpened me up somewhat and I spent a week longeing him hard and getting on and off, generally fussing him as he was wired up. In the interests of MY safety, I didn't ride him solo again after I'd finished the session after he threw me.

Which brings me to nice Toby. The Toby who has a companion while we're riding and is as nice as nice can be. Who will transition and pivot and side pass and stop and back and all that fun stuff like a total pro, until that other horse moves out of his sight or I move him to stop facing away from that horse. Then I get anxiety bundle who practically piaffes and frantically mashes his bit.

I'm taking him back to our trainer's next week.

Integration

Well. It happened. We put him out first with a tough old pony boy who showed him who was boss then after about a week, he went in with the mares. Initially he was super playful but he didn't try to mount anyone, just squealed and snorted and arched his neck and ran around.

3 days on he has quite a few kicks and one or two bites but he's not continually harassing them and they're not going out of their way to attack him, so maybe we'll be ok.

Our first schooling show is the 26 may. I aim on being ready to enter every class an doing well by our 6 months off standards.

lighter nights!!

Hurrah!

I know it's been a while since an update. Tob is pretty much on an extended break. I'm still waiting for visa news and there's no point going back to my trainer's barn and working on everything stressful if it's for nothing.

I'm keeping him at a friend's barn and they have acres and acres of land to go on trails, a new corral that isn't too icy to walk and trot in and a nice non-heated barn with cows and pigs and chickens so Tob has met plenty of new friends.

I'm still stumped on how to safely integrate him with others. He's not mean but he's still studdy and whilst he's met all the horses either over a pasture fence or stall wall, when he's in the mood he strikes hard with his front legs and has that stallion wither bite thing going on. Plus he's not averse to mounting a mare in heat.

So, we're keeping it gradual.

What I really wanted to write about today was that it's been lovely and springlike for a couple of days now and I managed to ride yesterday, just a gentle walk, trot and jog and he was a DREAM. If I asked him to slow down, he slowed down. No grabbing the bit, no tension, just 'ok'. When I asked him for a little flexion right and left he could hold it. His whoas were superb and I even asked for a few lope strides, just to get a transition and they were smooth and calm. I love my smooth and calm pony. When we took a break, after each good thing he just stood and stretched out his shortass neck and yawned and breathed deeply.

Then today, he was out in the corral sunbathing so I went in to give him a brush and take off some of that wonderful shedding coat. He blissed out, eyes half closed, head down, enjoying the grooming. I took off his miracle collar and gave him a good scratch and he smooched on me, sniffing my hair and face, breathing on me and generally not being afraid of me AT ALL which made me super happy. There's a very smart, very cute horse in there somewhere, who just needs to know everything's going to be ok.

I hope I can keep making it ok for him.

Our problems.

This could be a long one. At that point, and for a long while (read: all summer!) I just loved to keep my hands English low. This was fine whilst I was working Tob in a snaffle with German reins, but after we graduated to the FG training bit, my trainer had to yell at me nearly every day that once you corrected or collected low, the hands must go back high. I'm not proud of myself, but that was my biggest challenge switching from English to Western. It took MONTHS! I wanted to fiddle in his mouth and then stay there, p-ing him off, making myself wonder why he wouldn't let go of the bit and causing a lot of frustration .

Anyway, his problem was anxiety. Any tension or perceived stress and he would tense those 7 year old stallion cribbing muscles and hold the bit for dear life. Sometimes nothing I could do would get him off. My trainer would repeatedly yell at me for being too soft, relying on my hands not my legs to get him off the bit, and then when she'd made me mad, I'd take it out on him and she'd accuse me of being too mean. Make that two things I've found the hardest about the switch over. Learning all the damn corrections to each fault and how to give them when you always wear spurs and ride with loose reins and the goal is that the horse's way of going is pretty much independent. So different. Any stop in the middle worried him. He thought we were there to spin or transition to canter or back up and we ended up dancing around wherever we stopped. Lope transitions in general were terrible. He'd arch his back, raise his head and explode, making me want to hold him which gave him something to fight. Make that the third hardest thing. Giving a speedy horse the reins to slow him down. I understand the principle, my mum's TB ex racer is the same way, but Tob had this fury in him that made it very scary. It wasn't uncommon to ask him for a walk to lope and he would object to my leg and fly kick at me. I could see his hoof whiz out about level with my foot. And this pony could buck. And twist. And run.

In short, he made me feel terrible. I confided in my coach and she replied cheerily 'but it would be boring if you'd got a schoolmaster, I couldn't have taught you half the stuff I have.'

No matter how terrible a session, Lise would always offer some crumb of comfort, even if it was just 'he isn't easy, I know.' Or 'nice seat!' (For sitting a particularly disgusting buck). I hadn't dared show her the video of our reining pattern from the first show where he spooked in the fast circle at a barrel and executed a dodge a cowpony would be proud of. I was proud to sit it!!

But I always came out of there, even when frustrated, feeling like we'd achieved some sort of thing.