Icelandic Horse & Zoe

Today we went on the trail with an Icelandic horse-Keeko.  It's not very often that we go out with a horse that is smaller than Zoe.  Zoe is usually the smaller horse when I go out with a group.  But today was different.  Keeko is going to do an endurance ride next month, a 30 miler.  So she wanted more trail practice.  Keeko is a nice horse, not a spooky horse and has good manners.  I've been told that in Iceland the horses really don't have any predators, there is nothing there to be "scared of", so these horses tend to be curious rather than spooky.  And I learned today that some Icelandic horses tolt better than others, the tolt gait can be "stronger" in some horses than others.  Keeko isn't considered a horse with a strong tendency to tolt.  But she can tolt, her owner has worked on it.  She was slow up the hills but kept going.  Her owner wanted me to be in front for the ride so I kept my eye on her as we did hill work.  We took some walking breaks and stopped a few times.  Zoe didn't mind going out with a "new" horse.  Today we went to 3 spots that overlooked the lake.  Here's one of our stopping places...Inspiration Point.

Different Wednesday Ride

On Wednesday I usually go on a trail ride with just me and Zoe.  I find that I need to do that at least once a week in order for Zoe to be accustomed to being out by herself.  There was a time when I was going on the trail all the time with other people and then I tried to take Zoe out by herself and I had a horse that didn't want to go out.  So I find going out by myself once a week helps with that.

However today (Wednesday)....we did something different.  I had a friend ask me if I'd go with her-she has a foxtrotter.  My past experience with foxtrotters told me that our two horses gaits would not be compatable.  So I was thinking that we could leave together but we might end up going home our separate ways.  So it would be an adventure-something different.  My friend also said that her horse can be high energy-barn sour tense energy-especially on the way home.  So I said we'd give it a try.

The first half of the ride was good.  The foxtrotter was faster at the walk but we could keep up.  And trotting was okay, we stayed pretty much the same speed.  We got to the KBB Hills and worked some of them over and over again.  Then headed towards home.  That's when the foxtrotter turned into a different horse.  He was naughty...jigging, tense, not listening.  Zoe didn't feed off his "energy",  she remained calm but was mad at him.  Every once in a while she would lay her ears back at him as if to say "knock it off".  So we decided to go our separate ways.  That way the foxtrotter could get the extra "work" he needed.  And go extra miles if needed.  Zoe was fine going down a different trail.  She doesn't really know this horse very well, there was no attachment there, so I think it was easy for her to leave him.  We walked, did some extended trotting, collected trotting, took a less traveled trail-all the while heading home.  She was fine.  So I guess I did end up going out by myself.

Show time

At our stable we have a horse show once a year.  We just had one today.  It was the first year we had dressage tests, we had introduction tests A, B and C.  I decided to do a pleasure class, 18 years old+ -walk, trot and tests A and B.  I wrote in a previous blog about trying to do dressage in this years show.  It was an interesting experience and I look forward to improving my scores.  Test A was 53% and test B was 54%.  I'm told that a score in the 50%'s is ok, satisfactory.  The 60%'s would be considered good.  If one gets a score in the 60%'s or higher three times in a row they should consider advancing to the next test.

The tests seemed to go by so fast.  There were things I knew I could do better, things that I knew Zoe could do better.  There were other things that we did better than the "satisfactory" 5 score.  Each part of the test is scored 0-10 and comments are written next to certain activities.  Basically, if I can get more impulsion out of my horse the scores would be better.  Rhythm is so important.  I also found out about 4 days before the show that the rider is not allowed to give verbal cues to the horse.  So I've found myself with another bad habit-clucking to my horse.  So I've spent the last few days concentrating on using my seat to move up and down in my gaits.

 I did find out that my equitation isn't as bad as I thought.  On the dressage tests I got a 6 and 6.5 on rider's position.  And in the pleasure class I got 4th place-the judge said she would have scored me 1st or 2nd place if it was an equitation class.  So my equitation is improving.  I use too much foot movement in the pleasure class to look pleasurable.  So it was my first year riding english and it was interesting.  The dressage is so precise and challenging, I think I'll enjoy working on it.

 Patti with the flag

 Jeni and Zeke came to visit 

 We had to scoop poop