reinersblog.com

It rained my first three days back from vacation, so I didn’t get out to the stables until yesterday. I hurried to saddle him up before it got too dark to see. It was 33 degrees and the ground was just as wet as it could be. His hooves sounded like toilet plungers as we walked into the muddy arena (why do I know that sound so well? Don’t even get me started on my landlord…).

It was just a dreary and dark out as it could be. Leo was none to happy to be put to work after his vacation either. After 15 minutes he started in with his old habits that I haven’t seen in about three months: tossing his head, bunching up, and dancing around like he was revving up for a good bucking session. I probably shouldn’t have gotten off his back, but I did. I got on the ground for the ground check I didn’t do before I go on. Had him yield in a circle to the left, then right, then I backed him up several times. When I hopped back on, he was fine. No more head tossing or dancing around.

He was very chargy though. Continue Reading »

Video of palace arena (sorry about the quality — little camera)

This will be my last blog entry from my Denmark ’07 trip. I just wanted to share my visit to Christiansborg (Christians Palace). It’s now where Denmark’s parliament is, but also the home of the Denmark’s Royal Riding School. I found out about it through one of the policemen that I met (last blog entry). He said it would be ok if I went to watch them exercising the police horses there. Due to an unfortunate bus transfer mishap (rrrr), I was too late to watch the police horses (disappointing because they were jumping). But on his way out, the officer introduced me to three of the Queen’s riders and one rider from the Danish military cavalry. They were exercising the Queen’s horses in the arena. The policeman, who I owe a huge thank you too, asked the soldier to please show me the royal stables and the antique coaches. He said ok!

First we went to the stables so he could saddle up what looked like an 18 hand giant to exercise. I looked around, and aside from the few Oldenburgs, I noticed that most of the horses were like the one he would be riding — towering, white, and beautiful. I’d never seen one before. They are called “Old Kladruby” horses and are still used by royal courts around the world as carriage horses on formal occasions. They have Roman noses, a silky main and tail, and look white, but when you get closer you can see that they are slightly flee-bitten. The original Kladruby stud farm (including the horses) at Kladruby na Ladem in the Czech Republic is on the list to become a World Heritage Monument because of it’s architectural and historical importance. Continue Reading »

I know this is off topic as it has nothing to do with reining. But I’m on vacation, so I might as well. I finally found some real live (as opposed to bronze or marble) horses in Denmark. We spotted them during the changing of the guard at the queen’s royal palace, Amalienborg. They were beautiful Oldenburgs owned and ridden by Copenhagen’s Finest, the mounted police. The two officers we met told us about the training they go through with the horses.

The police horses are tested once a week for their calmness (bombproofedness?). Guns and chainsaws are a few of the things used to make loud noises for this testing. They are taught to actually push crowds back with their bodies. They also practice jumping once a week. Busy horses! Continue Reading »

There are only a few days left of my two-week vacation. I still haven’t seen any live horses in Denmark (but I have tell you, Copenhagen is probably the equestrian statue capital of the world). My sister thinks I’m a little obsessed with learning reining. I can’t blame her since she’s been watching me ride an invisible horse around her apartment for the last week (trying to get the 5 easy pieces sequence memorized).

As you know, since I don’t have an instructor, I’m learning from DVD’s. The program that I’m following is Les Vogt’s Cowhorse U. I think it’s a great program because it’s teaching me the fundamentals of body control. Not having an instructor though, it’s hard to know if I’m doing everything the way Mr. Vogt shows in his DVD’s. When I watch the DVD’s, I pay attention to where he has his hands, his feet, how he’s shifting his weight etc. However, I just can see myself to know if I’m doing what he’s doing.

A few weeks ago, Leo’s owner, Jim, wanted to film me riding Leo. He wants some before and after footage (he’s been pleased with Leo’s progress). When I watched the videos he took, I saw everything that I was doing wrong. My hands! Oh my gosh! My hands are so high up in the air that the reins are hanging down like puppet strings! Continue Reading »

Amanda, pictured at a clinic on the left, gave me a great review of her experiences at Clinton Anderson clinics. I’ve never been to one, but if you have and would like to leave some feedback, click the Trainer Reviews page (on the navigation menu at the top or to the right on the screen), click Clinton Anderson, and then in the text box under Leave a Reply, leave your feedback, and click Submit Comment. Thanks Amanda!

I was in five clinics with Clinton; it’s been a couple years. Now looking back, I kick myself for not keeping a journal or something to remember easier. My first was a three-day was in December (had to be in ‘02). Basically you learn how to soften up your horse from the ground (lateral flexion), do a bunch of different ground work exercises in the morning, then after lunch you ride, starting out doing a lot of softening exercises under saddle.

Then it was kind of crazy, there was about 14 or 15 riders in a 100×200 indoor arena, and when we began riding he had us hang onto the center of our reins with one hand and trot our horses around, then canter without steering! He said only do a one-rein stop “if you felt your life was in danger.” He said horses don’t run into each other in their spare time. There were some close calls though, lots of ear pinning and cow kicks! He also made everyone post…it is a perfect way for someone to learn balance and develop an independent seat. I remember being so tired at the end of the day in the first clinic. I wasn’t used to working so hard! Continue Reading »

So far, this is the only horse I’ve seen in Denmark. It’s only day two though, so I’m not discouraged. I’m in contact with a Scandinavian reining committee member (I think) who said she would do a little checking around for me. Keep your fingers crossed.

About the statue, I’m not entirely sure what the naked guy is doing by the horse’s hooves, but I suspect he threw himself down there to be trampled to death after spending two maddening weeks trying to get his horse to turn on the forehand. Continue Reading »

Leo and I are about to start our two-week vacation. Leo gets to lounge around the pasture while I head over to Denmark to visit my sister. I’ve never been to Scandinavia and am very excited.

I’ve heard that reining has become popular in Scandinavia, so while I’m there, I thought I’d check out a few reining facilities to see how they do things (maybe I’ll learn something). I did a little asking around and was given the name of a man who owns a tack shop in Sweden. I was told that he might know of a few reining facilities that I could visit in Denmark. Looking at his web site, I can see that it’s a dedicated full-blown western tack shop. It’s called Rocking B Saddlery. There is even a page about Les Vogt; although, I have not idea what it says (I’m sure it’s all good stuff). There are also a few photos of the owner, Haakan, who looks like he knows his way around reining horses and cattle. Continue Reading »

I am so frustrated today. I think I rode for too long and got in too big of a hurry. I may be trying to ask him to do too many different exercises in one day. I may also, because of good days, sometimes think he’s farther along than he is and then expect more out of him than I should.
Today we couldn’t go straight. Same thing with him, his shoulders head for the barn. I try to correct him, he responds slowly, I release when he responds, his shoulders go right back to heading for the barn. Eventually, his left side gets duller, and he stops responding. So I have him do a reverse arc and then go back to a straight line, which seems to work….for about 5 minutes, then his shoulders head for the barn. Then I start really banging on his left side with my boot top, bang bang bang, and nothing, no response. I reverse arc him again and he’s great at yielding (maybe because of the neck bend?). I try to get him to go straight and all of a sudden his left side goes dead. I don’t get it. I don’t know if he’s being ornery, or if he just doesn’t understand that I want him to move away from my leg. If he gets the concept on the right, why not on the left? Continue Reading »

I asked Al Popovich of the Smokin P Ranch if reining horses really wore special shoes. He gave me such a great reply that I thought I would share it:

Yes there are special shoes for reiners…they call them slider plates. They are wider than normal shoes, do not have any fullering for the nails but the nails are countersunk flush. They also make some changes in hoof angle at times if the horse can handle it. All to make them slide farther of course. But you do have to be careful…it can actually scare a horse if he feels the loss of traction. They have what they call “baby sliders” for starting colts…not as wide so they don’t slide as far. Everyone has an opinion as to when to put them in sliders but I tend to wait until they are pretty darned advanced. I’m not a big believer in horseshoes anymore since studying some of the barefoot research. But in this instance it is a necessity when the time comes. But whatever you do get the best farrier you can find…even if it means paying his plane fare…it is that important. Continue Reading »