I’ve been struggling with deciding what to do with Frankie. I’m bored right now just doing our thing. I want to compete, but Frankie doesn’t want to event, I can’t afford to compete in the jumper ring, so I decided why not give dressage a try.

I even got a dressage saddle.

My initial plan was to show this fall. I’m not sure if that is going to pan out with my work schedule so I’m going to play it by ear.

Worst case scenario, I work in the dressage saddle a few days a week. Work on me and Frankie and hopefully 1. better our jumping 2. maybe hit a dressage show in the spring.

We’ve ironed out Level 1 test 1. I sucked in the dressage saddle, but am improving every day I ride in it. Long stirrups is an adjustment and sitting Frankie’s very uncomfortable trot is not easy.

It is a challenge and I’m up for it.

Problem is, it’s not nearly as fun as jumping. Saturday Josh came out to the barn to do some camera tests for Live from Lexington and we jumped around fences 3’6″-4’3″ and had a blast…

“Hey, can Frankie drink out of the hose?”
“I’m not sure—never tried…”

We have had a handful of really gratifying, eye opening, exciting rides. 3’6″-3’9″ courses that were delightful. Perfect. Pretty. I mean to the point that I was really patting myself on the back and ready to put the sticks back up. Frankie is still going in the loose ring “danger bit”. He has been super ridable and I have managed to let go a little. What I’m finding is that although I’m trying to get off his back a little when he is light, he doesn’t really like it. He tends to be unsure and hesitates a bit which then puts me back in my over controlling mode.

That means I need to keep sitting a little deeper even when he is being light and easy. Not so much to drive, but to continue a “connection”. He seems to get hollow when I get out of my seat a bit and then we fall apart. That’s what happened this weekend.

I couldn’t canter to a fence to save my life. Frankie wasn’t being bad at all. I would get light in my seat and see NOTHING to the point of a constant circle or pulling to the base of the fence. I was backing it up with leg, but there was no good canter. So even though, technically, I should be out of my seat a bit in a “jumping” position. If I do that, Frankie looses his canter which makes for NO distance to a fence.

I was frustrated to say the least. After two fantastic jumping sessions to go to this I was devastated.

This past week Frankie has been a little more high maintenance than usual. Almost back to last summer. Diarrhea, not eating great, a little “spooky”. Ugh…not ulcers again. Why? I’m not sure if something happened with feeding, if the heat has just been too much for him, or if he is just Mr. High Maintenance? Either way I have been a little discouraged.

Today was the worst. I rode him inside because the outdoor was partially flooded and it was really hot in the sun. So inside we went. He was tense and spooking at everything and nothing. Back to last summer. It was a flashback. Needless to say it just pissed me off. I know he is not actually scared of anything and even though I think it has something to do with his stomach it just annoys me. Come on Frankie you have NO STRESS in your life. I wish I was you!

I’m not sure what to do but I do know I need some goals for myself. Unfortunatley I don’t know where Frankie fits into those goals. I really want to event, but Frank just isn’t cut out for it. I don’t know what to do or how to get there. Selling Frankie is obviously not an option. So I need a plan and a clearer goal. Both for myself and for me and Frankie.

Time to go back to the drawing board.

I am very excited to go to WEG I hope to entertain you and give you the information you are looking for from this International event PLUS lots of video. I thank everyone who supported me, voted, and emailed. I couldn’t have won without you! If there is anything you are particularly interested in me to cover, investigate, OR if you are going to be at WEG email me.

I have been working more hours that I would like, so Frankie hasn’t gotten the attention that he deserves, or needs. I have been riding at least 5 days a week but always trying at 6. He isn’t as fit as I would like him to be and neither am I.

Two problems have arisen since my last post. I contracted Lyme’s Disease and the footing in the ring has been inconsistent but mostly bad.

With those two things, my rides have been shorter 30-40 minutes, and our workouts have been limited to certain areas where the footing is okay. Plus I had to take a full week off between work and feeling absolutely horrible from Lyme’s Disease.

I’m on my last week of antibiotics now and am feeling much, much better. The ring has had more good days recently so I’m hoping things will turn around.

Frankie has been a rock star. Well, except for today.

We haven’t jumped bigger than 4’3″ and really mostly 3’9″ and below. Primarily because I have become rusty with the lack of jumping and Frankie has turned a new leaf which has made him a struggle for me to ride.

Frankie has turned into Mister calm, cool, & collected.

So much so that I need bigger spurs for jumping.

Problem – I need to be able to ride him to the fence softer. I’m so used to Frankie, being Frankie, and making a bid at the fence 2-3 strides out or doing his up and down canter only to shoot over the fences. Since I’m so used to holding him back now I’m screwing up our canter. Since all you need is a good, consistent canter to get a good distance – I keep taking it all away.

I’ve been getting better. But have been jumping Frankie much more. I am jumping him 3-4 days a week. Not over huge jumps and not a ton of jumps. But practice and most importantly repetition is the only thing that is going to make someone a better rider. So I set jumps at about 3’3″ and canter around until I get them right. Then once per week I put them up bigger and do the same thing.

I’d say I’m 60% solid good. Now I’ve just got to get the other 40% down. I always know when I’m doing it, I just have to stop doing it.

Our flatwork has been FABULOUS. Except for today.

We are continuing to work on counter canter, counter bend, some shoulder in, and haunches in. He has been pretty good about my leg. I’ve been riding with spurs everyday, but moved to my hammer heads. These are smaller so I have to work to use them, but sharper so if I do have to go to the spur it’s a little more serious. However, he’s been a little dead to the leg at the canter so I put on bigger spurs today and he could have cared less. Jerk.

Squeeze for the trot – nothing. Really? Grrr. Spur for the trot – head up and nothing. WTF? Grrr…Okay now I gotta smack you with the crop. Then I get this surprised “what, I had no idea, yeah, I’ll trot, or would you rather have a canter?”

Nice Frank. I know, it was just today and we all have off days. But come on Frankie don’t act like you don’t know what I’m asking. His transitions got better, but not great. I’ve been working on the counter canter with a lead change (from the leg NOT the hand) down the long side. He has been good, but today he was a jerk. I would ask for the change and he would sprint forward moving his butt to the inside. He knows better, I think he was just in lala land.

We ended good, he was doing everything I asked. Maybe not great…but he did it.

Okay Frankie. Everyone’s allowed an off day. This was yours for the month Frank.

So what to do now?

I’m going to ride, ride, and ride some more. I have to gear up for my George Morris clinic in November

What I really want to do is Event. I know Frankie is just not an Event horse so that means I need an Event horse – oh yeah – and a Sponsor!

As much as I’m thrilled to be going and writing at WEG – I would much rather be riding! Maybe next time.

First I’ll give you the Frankie low down.

I love that horse. He is just truly amazing.

I took him up for two jumper lessons this month and we got a lot out of them. Seriously though, the dressage lesson I had with the Irish guy Nile(s) (I can’t remember his name but I will find out when he comes back next month) did more for me and Frankie than a dozen other lessons I’ve had.

Frankie has just been great. His stomach is back to normal, he has gained all his weight back, and is so very happy. I really don’t think I have seen him like this since before I moved to New England.

I’ve been working on our canter, for probably 75% of our ride. I have to admit I think both me and Frankie are a little out of shape. I’ve only been riding him for about a half hour, maybe once a week for 45 minutes. But most of our rides are about a half hour. Getting and keeping this condensed, energetic canter is not easy for me, I tire quickly. Plus I don’t exactly want to pound him into the ground, especially when he is doing everything I ask of him. I do think I need to ride for more like 45-60 minutes at least 3 days per week. Even if some of it is just for the exercise. I too am going to have to get to the gym a few days a week. A little treadmill and some weights would really benefit me and my riding.

His jumping is really coming along and with that I am really getting better about keeping him between hand and leg. This all comes from our canter work and boy it makes a difference in both his jumping style and his ride-ability.

But my most amazing discovery is a new bit. A bit that makes Frankie so happy and willing and controllable all at the same time. Yes, it’s a miracle bit. I didn’t think I would ever say that, but it’s true. I have not tried it on other horses, so it might just be Frankie. However, it’s ingenious.

I first hear about these bits last year. It is called the DANGER bit. Made by Herm Sprenger. Hard to find in the US, but to my surprise Stübben makes a whole line of these bits.

Basically it looks like a regular 3 piece lozenge bit but it is a correction or training bit which becomes locked at a certain angle to function as a mullen mouth bit. Thus the more pressure or resistance the harsher the bit is. If the horse is soft, it’s just a plain snaffle.

The Stübben bits are called EZ Control Bits.

What I was struggling with on Frankie and always have is that he likes to pull, some of it not in a bad way. He likes weight in his mouth. If you put too much bit in him he can’t pull and he either gets up and down, inverted, or too backed off. If you don’t have enough bit in his mouth you can’t get him back between fences and/or he takes advantage and charges fences.

The pelham was working okay, but I couldn’t really collect him in that because of the elevation of the bottom rein. Even with the chain completely loose or off and not using the bottom rein at all, it elevated him and when he elevates he gets super hollow.

I did get a Myler D with lifters that was pretty good. Not perfect because in all honesty I still couldn’t collect him and he was really heavy. I have been flatting him in the Stübben bit for the past two weeks, happy, very happy with it, so I thought I’ll try to jump him in it. Seems crazy to jump him in a loose ring but why not.

It was one of the best rides I’ve had on him. I could collect him, get a great canter, he could pull but knew there was a limit. Great, fantastic, perfect. I jumped him for the second time today with it. I put the jumps up between 3’6″ and 4’3″ and we jumped around the course PERFECT! Good boy Frankie!

Now the other news:

I entered a contest and I’ve made it to phase II

The contest – Purina Live from Lexington.

An opportunity to travel to the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky to cover the events via a blog.

Super exciting! This was my entry

Now I need your help! Go to Live from Lexington and vote for me. You can vote every 24 hours so send your friends! If I win, you win too! Because I’ll give you the coverage you would expect from me – true, sincere, and never sugar coated!

Okay, so with that; the voting period is for almost a month. It starts June 14th and runs until July 12th. I will be writing a lot and still riding, but probably 5 days a week PLUS I have a ton of hours at work over the next two weeks so I will be running ragged.

Shoot me an email of any ideas you might have for the contest blog OR if there is anything you want me to show you at the Games in Kentucky!

We have been working on getting a really condensed, springy, energetic canter. Primarily working on the canter most of the ride. Of course, for fun, I like to throw in our super fancy tempi changes. These are not dressage correct by any means and probably aren’t that pretty. But they sure are fun.

The only “problem” I have been having with Frankie is on our lead changes across the diagonal. Through our riding partnership that is going on 9 years the right to left lead change has always been challenging. Not when we are going around a course or anything, those are on auto. It’s when I go across the diagonal, he just never gets it. He eventually does, but it takes 3-9 strides before his hind end changes.

I have gotten so mad at him. Sometimes he anticipates and gets so crooked that there is no way to actually get the change. Even when he is straight he can’t seem to get it. Weird, though, how when we do our “tempi” changes there is no problem.

The left to right change is textbook. It’s not like I really care since when we are going around a course there isn’t a problem. However I still like to get everything ironed out. There is something not right if he can’t do that change!

Grrrr.

It was my mission this week to figure it out.

First I worked on our counter canter. He definitely struggles with going left in the counter canter than right. Not terribly, it’s just more work for me to keep him going and keep him from changing.

By the third day our counter canter was great, we were able to do nice 20 meter circles both directions.

Still, the change wasn’t any better. Frankie seemed just plain over it. I was frustrated with him, I know he can do it, so why isn’t he?

Dun, dun, duuuun. Because I am retarded. Yes. It’s true. So I figured this out while totally analyzing each change. I am stronger on my right side and always have been. When we go left to right, we have a slight right bend into the change….boom….perfect change. Then going right to left, we have a, yep, a slight right bend…boom…not so perfect change.

Oh man. What an idiot!

So I test my theory. Starting with the left to right change. Perfect. Then go for the tough one, so tough we have NEVER gotten it! I verbalize out loud while going across the diagonal “LEFT, LEFT, LEFT” yelling at myself. Guess what? Perfect change. OMG!

I do one more just to make sure it isn’t a fluke. Yep, perfect change. I could feel Frankie saying “uh, yeah, that’s way easier!”

Duh!! Awfully arrogant of me to assume all this time that it was him. In my defense I have taken plenty of lessons, with plenty of different people, (dressage, hunter/jumper, eventing), all of whom had seen our lead changes and NO ONE SAID A THING ABOUT ME! The only thing ever screamed from across the ring would be “kick em”. Which always worked with a buck.

I just always wanted the perfect change. I got it and have tested it over several days and it’s no fluke. Stupid stronger right arm.

Frankie should have said something sooner!!

Awe, Frankie’s such a good boy!

I didn’t set a full course of big jumps AND the jumps weren’t that big. The majority of the fences were between 3′ and 3’6″ but I set a line that was bigger 3’9″ and 4’3″. Yeah, big difference in fences sizing in a line. Didn’t actually mean to do that, but they honestly looked the same height. One just doesn’t have wing standards so the 3’9″ fence looked bigger.

All in all it was a good ride. I decided to ride him with spurs just because he had been a little too quiet lately (not that I’m complaining). He was a regular hunter around everything, then I went for the 3 stride line that was set bigger. Ooooh. Frankie woke up. He didn’t turn into a freight train, he just had a motor on him. The first go through was good, we just jumped in a bit tight. My fault. It’s bigger than I have jumped in a while so I held a bit more than I should have. He jumped out great. Second go he was a little “puffier” to the first fence and he landed far into the line so I had to balance him to the 4’3″ vertical, and he jumped out a little too revved. So I went back around the rest of the course and he settled a bit. We walked and I probably SHOULD have called it good, but didn’t want to end on good luck so I thought one more time through the bigger line.

Not the best idea I have had in a while. He jumped in strong and I didn’t ride well enough to get him balanced for the second one. So he jumped it quick and flat. Knocked it down and he was PISSED! Buck, buck, buck, leap, buck, squeal. That would be him getting after me for a bad ride.

I didn’t want to get off to reset the fence because it really kills the ride. So I just cantered over the remaining larger fence a few times and he was good. Strong, but not rushing. I wanted to end quiet so I returned to one of the smaller fences and he just “loped” over it.

Good boy.

Just a few more times for both of us and I think we should be getting towards quiet 4′ rides.

On another note. I bought a waterford loose ring to attempt to continue working on my homework from my dressage lesson. I have ridden him in a waterford before with no positive results so I was anticipating the same. He was actually easier to ride. I lasted a whole half hour yesterday really condensing his canter and my shoulders and back hurt, but I’m not as sore. I’ve got another bit on order that I’m going to try.

Hopefully this weekend I can get a whole course done at 3’9″-4′ getting a little quieter with each ride.

I have been diligent about our work and progress and we haven’t jumped big fences yet. Mainly because I needed Frankie to calm down! He was way too rushed over small fences to even consider big fences.

Our flatwork has been great. I have been riding him in draw reins once a week and in his keep your fu*#ing head down de-gauge 2-3 days a week. He has really developed a nice topline through his neck, but I have been really struggling with getting him “active” behind. I can get him forward but since he is a mile long it has been really hard to get his hind end actively under him. I can do it very condensed, but without enough motor.

I also have gone back to riding with spurs, not when we have jumped and not EVERY day. Just as a reminder. This has been good, but it looks as though I will have to go back to wearing them 100% and make sure I don’t get lazy and use them when I don’t really need them.

We had a fantastic dressage lesson on Friday. I got all the tools I need to finish off that topline and really get Frankie more engaged, energized, and essentially a superball. Problem is, two days later and I still can’t lift anything over 5 pounds because my shoulders and back are so sore because there is so much weight in my hands! As the instructor said “you are riding a mans horse”. Yeah, well I’ll show you. Yeah, I showed him and now I’m SO SORE! I guess I will have to start lifting weights and playing with different bits.

I have been flatting him in a KK Ultra and a Myler D. Switching off has kept Frankie more interested and a little lighter. However, with what I am asking him, he isn’t being heavy, he just is a horse that likes a lot of contact. Problem is, I don’t weigh 200+ pounds so it doesn’t work for me for more than 20 minutes.

Hopefully I can find a balance of getting myself stronger and finding a bit that might make my life a little easier.

Jumping has been great. We have made a ton of progress. Last weekend we jumped around a 3’6″ course pretty nicely. Perfect? No. He was good in front of the fences, but it took a lot to get him back in-between. Then I didn’t have time to jump again until yesterday. I set up a new course, it’s a pretty fun one however two more jumps would make it a great course.

An outside line (5 stride) to a bending (4 stride) that can be ridden as a single as well, a diagonal line (3 strides), a diagonal in and out, a single oxer and a single on the short line of the ring. Pretty fun. I was planning on jumping him bigger (3’9″-4′). I had the course set up small (3′-3’6″) and he jumped around it twice on a loose rein, quiet, jumping well, and focused. GOOD BOY FRANKIE. I decided not to go up and really enjoy my happy relaxed horse.

YEAH!

Frankie has decided that he forgot how to jump fences and would much prefer to rocket ship over them. To make things even more interesting, for me, if I put the pelham on him he gets all up and down – even with the curb chain OFF – then crawls to the fence only to launch 150,000 mph over the fence. However, if I put the regular D ring in his mouth my arms get ripped off and we are still going about 100,000 mph over the fence!

Now we are only jumping little fences, no bigger than 3’3″ and probably closer to 2’9″-3′. I actually jumped him every day last week. These fences were 2’6″ at the biggest. Frankie doesn’t have much respect for these fences so they do not back him off at all. However, I still expect him to be relaxed and calm. No need to shoot over a little fence. It is really just a elevated canter stride for him.

So I bit the bullet and bought a Myler D ring with lifters. Since I was really looking for a bit in between a pelham and a D ring, that seemed like the logical choice.

Sure enough, Mr. Frank was able to pull (because he likes that) but still be respectful and NOT pull my arms off. We were both happy and were able to quietly canter around a little course.

The weather was terrible this week so I have not jumped him since last Saturday. He has been a rock-star though. Just a solid worker. We are both enjoying ourselves even if it is flat-work.

Now I have been riding without spurs just because I had been getting lazy and not effectively using my leg and automatically going to the spur. Common for anyone riding with spurs everyday. The horse gets dull but you know what…so does the rider!

Frankie has been good with it, but I might start riding with spurs again just so I can get a little better forward canter and trot. He isn’t being lazy and is doing inter-gait transitions well, I just need a little extra for an extended trot or a really big canter. Jumping I will probably keep the spurs off until we are jumping bigger.

Frankie’s health has been on the rocks. Bouts of diarrhea continue to hit him and I’m getting very frustrated. I need to seriously evaluate things and figure out how I can fix this problem. He has NEVER had this issue until about a year ago. I worry that he is on the verge of a big colic and I don’t want that to happen.

He has always been a strangely sensitive horse, but this is not normal for him, it has become “normal” over the past 8-10 months and I for one don’t like it and I’m sure he doesn’t like it either.

I will update soon…hopefully with some pictures!

Not so lucky. Grrrr.

Frankie was vaccinated on Thursday so he had a reaction to the vaccines and his legs blew up. No riding on Saturday, the edema had gone down, however I wasn’t going to take any chances with Mr. Sensitive.

Luckily Sunday was our day and it was fantastic. Gorgeous weather, Frankie was raring to go. Since he has been off for so long now I’m bringing him back gradually. It wasn’t a super fun, accomplished, hard ride. It was a ride and that in itself was superb!

Monday I was apprehensive since our luck has been so bad lately. I went out to the barn and walked in with one eye closed half expecting to see Frankie bleeding profusely because our luck is just that. I was able to open both eyes to a healthy, non bleeding horse. Another great ride Monday, Tuesday, and today!

I don’t think it is going to take too long to get him back in shape because he was in excellent shape before the time off. I’m still going to take it slow so Mr. Sensitive doesn’t react poorly to ANYTHING!

Plan:

Week 1 – 25 minute ride; 5 minute walk warm up, 15 minute trot, 5 minute canter and 5 min walk cool down
Week 2 – 35 minute ride; 5 minute walk warm up, 20 minute trot, 10 minute canter and 5 min walk cool down
Week 3 – 45 minute ride; starting to incorporate circles, transitions, lateral work
Week 4 – Normal including jumping again, of course starting small and working back up…

I am having a hard time planning for several reasons:

1. I have a fear that something else is going to go wrong with Frankie
2. These set backs have made me think about what we are going to do competitively this summer. Eventing was so much fun, but didn’t fit Frankie. Showjumping is a challenge of perfection and both Frankie and I have been out of the ring for a long time so it will be a BIG challenge. Problem is, financially, showjumping is scary. I just don’t know what we are going to do.

One day at a time, that’s just what I am going to have to do.

On another note, I have tried some new products and will share with you my thoughts soon.

Let’s just hope the only hurdles Frankie and I are up against this summer are big fences!