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Two weekends ago, Chuck and I went to a weekend long Horse Camp for
adults near Waupaca, Wisconsin. The camp was led by Jill Niederberger, a
very good horse trainer and people teacher and our personal friend.
Chuck rode gelding Finn (Samfinn), of Brian & Ursula Jensen's stallion
Samstein and our mare Sissel (also from the Jensen's.)
I rode Mike (Mikkel), a 15 year old gelding we bought last October. He's
a big, calm gelding with light hazel brown eyes. Mike was very
overweight when we got him, but he's trimmed down a lot running with our
crew. Even so, my hips complained as I tried to sit him properly! I'll
be glad when he's not such a wide-bodied boy.
We all had a ball at horse camp! The Finnster is a zippy guy to begin
with and he was also pretty excited about being away from home. Even so,
he behaved well under the circumstances. Chuck is a novice rider, but he
said Finn never moved in a way that he (Chuck) could not handle -- just
a small jumpy spook or two and an extreme eagerness to trot at the
beginning of each day. By the end of the weekend, the two of them even
cantered a short distance and I could see how much better Chuck was
riding and handling Finn. I was very proud of them both.
Mr. Mike was energized by all the excitement and newness too, but he
expressed that mainly in wanting to trot-trot-trot. I had not ridden him
much before this weekend, since I wanted someone else to supervise my
first rides with him (we don't have a local trainer/teacher to help us).
I found myself really enjoying his trot -- it is long, swinging, and
easy to post to -- and his smooth energetic walk (once he calmed down!)
Jill asked me on Saturday if Mike knew dressage, but I couldn't say for
sure, not being trained myself in dressage and not knowing his history.
She said he collected himself beautifully as if he had dressage
training. She explained how to do a "haunches in" and asked me to try it
to see if he knew how to do it. I tried it a couple of times, but, in
retrospect, I think I cued him poorly and he did not respond correctly.
On Sunday, Mike and I started to work together much better. I realized I
needed to use a lot less rein and a lot more leg, and he told me he
liked that much better by becoming lighter and more responsive. I tried
to ask him for the "haunches in" thing the best I knew how ... and to
my absolute surprise, he calmly did it! Boy, was I ever excited and
pleased at his response to my beginner's request. I look forward to
working more with him.
Another special thing about this weekend is that five out of the seven
horses at horse camp were Fjords -- four brown duns and one red dun. It
was really neat to not be the only person on "that cute little horse
with the funny haircut." For once, the "big brown horses" were in the
minority!
DeeAnna
Update on my young boy Draoi: The hard swelling in his neck appears to
be a localized abscess caused by some small injury that became infected.
The abscess is now open and draining freely (a good sign, but it's yucky
to deal with!) He is responding very well to antibiotics and flushing of
the abscess. He's regained weight and his normal bright-eyed, active
attitude.
My dad told me to check any areas in the barnyard or pasture where the
horses like to rub against, and look for anything has deep splinters or
cracks that can catch and pull hair. He explained when hairs are yanked
out by the roots, the tiny wounds that result can sometimes become badly
infected from bacteria that normally live in the environment. In short,
it does not take a serious injury to cause an abscess. As muddy and
dirty as the horses have been lately, I can see this as a likely cause.
