LOCK ME PLEASE C:

[Typical Aquarius]

Well, May Day would be cute, then you could just call him Davey. I mean... Day- Davey. It kinda sounds the same!

[Hime]

What if you use a metal curry comb, or a shedding blade? That's what I use on Sassy (she gets REALLY furry in the winter) and it works wonders. It gets through mud and sweat and fur no problem!

Shedding blade= metallic toothed sweat scrape(that's how we call it or just a sweat scrape), or very similar atleast. Works, but doesn't get the dust under the coat... Or gets some of it to the top of the coat, but then when I try to brush it off, it sinks right back in and my brush is filled with hairs in few strokes. Hopefully the weather will warm up some more so I could wash Heta, before the bug season hits... Though with all the rolling she does it's sort of useless as she would probably look the same in few days.

[PathEast]

I'm still having this problem. In a fast trot, I tend to hunch over, which is not good at all. Does anyone have any suggestions? I try leaning back, but always gradually move forward again.

Use your knees more and either grab some of his mane, your saddle pommel, or the neck-piece of your martingale. This way your hands are steady and you can push your shoulders back. Gripping with your knees will let you straighten up. Remember to always look straight ahead, not down.

Do not grip with your knees! You shouldn't be gripping with your knees at all, plus when trotting griping with the knee or holding on to the mane would encourage you to lean foward. Knees = less need for lower leg = tip forwards. Hold on to mane = at front of horse = hands further foward = whole body comes further foward.
My tip it to trot with out stirups this will teach you the value of leaning back behind the vertical, so when you trot you will be on the vertical. If this cannot help, try riding a speedier horse where your weight means more. With a speedier horse if you lean foward they will go faster and you will have to quickly learn to sit up correctly. If that cannot be done just remember your not a jockey leaning foward dont look pretty.

Well, at the trot you should be posting from your knees up, and try to keep the rest of your leg in the right position and stable. If you have your calves and heels back where they should be, and you don't use your knees just to stabilize yourself, chances are you're going to lean forward and/or move your leg forwards to where it shouldn't be. Holding onto something right in front of you, say the last part of the mane or the pommel, and pushing your shoulders back at the same time will also help you feel more stable, will quiet your hand, and let you focus on straightening your back and looking forward.

Trotting without stirrups, or working without a saddle, is definitely a good idea.

[Hahnu Ekrah]

Look at Shelby's precious baby! He as born on May 1! Sweetest thing I've ever seen, he was so funny and adorable <3

Baby boy <3

Clickity here

What should we name him? May Day would be a cute show name since he was born on May 1...but barn name hmmm

*screams at cuteness* hmm how bout stevie?

[Livid-Silver]

Look at Shelby's precious baby! He as born on May 1! Sweetest thing I've ever seen, he was so funny and adorable <3

Baby boy <3

Clickity here

What should we name him? May Day would be a cute show name since he was born on May 1...but barn name hmmm

Nawww he is adorable! What breed is he, seeing as I can't remember XD I'm not sure for a barn name, I like to actually see the horse and consider its personality before chosing a name. Lol, I need help with Donny's show name as it is XD I can't think of one to save my life so suggestions are welcome.

I'm probably going to ride Tank for the next set of interschools! Showjumping is on August 31st and dressage on the Saturday after.
D is possably going to kick Tank's current show rider off him, because she hasn't been turning up for the lessons. I know I shouldn't be happy about that but I kinda am, seeing as I would be able to ride him instead. D seemed excited when I said I wanted to enter the show jumping and dressage classes. She's writen my name down and everything so all going good so far. I would have loved to enter Donny but there wouldn't have been enough time and he would still be too green. Poor baby <3 He will get there though. It's good learning how to train a green horse :3 It's long and slow though and somedays I wished he had a bit more experience XD Still waiting for that 'lightbulb' moment. I'd rather wait until the last show of the year to enter Donny in, when I think he should be ready. I need to think of a way to earn some money until Donny gets to school. He's going back for a few more trials not next week but the week after, when D will ride him. Mum's trying to tell D that it would be easier for me to work Donny if he was at school, so even if he is still a little too green at the moment, I could go down and work him so he'd be ready quicker. Hopefully he gets accepted so we wont have to pay for aggistment when we go on holiday too. He's going to be put in a shared paddock so the aggistment is less but Mum doesn't know if we have enough to pay aggistment and do the two lessons a week. I really need him to get to school XD

[PathEast]

Phew! Just got back from the barn where my lease horse is. I'm not heading to school this week, so I can focus on Santos, which I'm happy about. The school horses are fine, but Santos needs work.

He's finally got his strides figured out and is getting more relaxed and manageable at the canter. I've been keeping him at around 40-50cm until he gets things figured out, but after today I'll be raising it a bit, adding some length at the end. We don't have an English saddle I can use so I'm working with a bareback pad, my heels make me cringe! xD

picture.

I've been wanting to put him on a bit for quite a while, but his owner says she'd rather keep him on a rope halter for now. He collects well at a walk and a trot, but flings his head up all the time when he's cantering, and is so all over the place that it seems impossible to get him to round his neck and back without slowing down or speeding up. I'd like to put a martingale on him, or something that will prevent him from flinging his head up like that for a few lessons, but I'm not sure how to work around the rope halter. Any tips?

[scene_kid]

Pesso lunging helped denzel alot!

[ohmycarrotsitskevin]

Any grooming tips how to reduce/remove staticy(?) from horses coat? Heta has it pretty bad with her coat, especially with her hind end that still has quite thick coat. If I use a rubber curry comb it's making small snappy sounds and the hairs stick to everything, or if I just rub her but with my hand my hand gets covered with hairs... Regular brushing is okay, but it's not very effective against the shedding.

I used to have this comb for my dog, it removed all the dead hairs, I started using it on Denzel and he looked so pretty after well until he stood on the comb.

You mean this kind of comb? http://www.loyalville.com/images/furlarge.jpg It's called furminator or something I believe... Otherwise I would get one, as I've also heard they are really good for shedding, but they are not cheap. Atleast not cheap enough for me to be a good investment. XD

Haha I have one of those for my dog! It takes the under coat out, which reduces maulting =P

Phew! Just got back from the barn where my lease horse is. I'm not heading to school this week, so I can focus on Santos, which I'm happy about. The school horses are fine, but Santos needs work.

He's finally got his strides figured out and is getting more relaxed and manageable at the canter. I've been keeping him at around 40-50cm until he gets things figured out, but after today I'll be raising it a bit, adding some length at the end. We don't have an English saddle I can use so I'm working with a bareback pad, my heels make me cringe! xD

picture.

I've been wanting to put him on a bit for quite a while, but his owner says she'd rather keep him on a rope halter for now. He collects well at a walk and a trot, but flings his head up all the time when he's cantering, and is so all over the place that it seems impossible to get him to round his neck and back without slowing down or speeding up. I'd like to put a martingale on him, or something that will prevent him from flinging his head up like that for a few lessons, but I'm not sure how to work around the rope halter. Any tips?

Bitless bridle? Or if you have any English bridles already you could possibly remove the bit and attach the reins to another part of the bridle?

[PathEast]

Bitless bridles are even less efective, rope halters work though pressure points on the horses face. Communication isn't the problem, he knows he should be slowing down and putting his head down. We've improved a lot in regards to the speed and control, but he just won't collect himself. When I'm bending (circles) him or going over ground poles at a canter and ask for it he will, and he collects nicely at a walk and trot, but just not at a regular canter. So I'm looking for some sort of martingale or something I could use with the rope halter?

[Jazz'sFreedom]

I changed my riding times, so now I don't have a lesson after a long morning doing barn chores on Saturday.
So now my lessons are on Tuesday and Thursday at 4 o'clock.

Today is my horse's birthday! So I can't wait to get over to the barn. Have to finish some school work first.