"500 Trail Rides Together, Kessy and Me"

Howdy Friends,
 

Yesterday Kessy and I enjoyed our 500^th trail ride! We’ve been partners five years and two months, that’s about 100 rides a year. And Saturday has been along on nearly every ride. I keep a journal of our adventures and spent a little time reviewing our journey today. In the beginning we had a number of rough patches to sort through, I got a chuckle today reliving some of them. We had our first Coffee Clutch together May 17, 2010. Kessy turned 12 this past May.

The Coffee Clutch gang back in 2010

Most our rides have been between an hour and an hour and a half, due to my issues with my back and legs. I always say I ride so I can walk, equine assisted therapy. If we use 4 miles an hour and calculate the just over 650 hours we’ve logged about 2,700 miles, all bitless and barefoot. Kessy never had a bit in her mouth or shoes on her feet. We ride the woods surrounding our home, occasionally venture out to State Parks, but I much prefer saddlin’ up and riddin’ right out. After the pre-ride exercises for Kessy of course.

Saturday has run along for nearly every ride.  He missed a few this summer in the heat, he's packin' on a number of years now ... And he missed a couple in deep snow, too deep for his short legs.

She’s developed into quite a lady, taught me much and continues to teach me. I like to think she’s learned a thing or two from me as well. Does she do everything I ask, nope. Do I do everything she asks, nope. We understand each other, and each other’s assets and limits, and make a wonderful team.

Kessy has become quite the bird watcher, willing to stand quiet while I spot a bird, as long as I need. We’ve had adventures in the wild with everything from turkeys, coyotes and even riding up on black bears. Never once, not even in the early months, did she ever fail to stay under me, no matter the size of the spook. She has often modeled for pictures for our Coffee Clutch blog, facebook, and my book, “It’s for the Horses.” She’s helped teach folks those exercises, and even assisted for a few hoof trimming lessons. She gives the grandchildren rides when they visit.

Her gaits have developed into things of grace and beauty. She has a delightful flat walk and running walk. Her rack, which we discovered only 2 years ago, has become smooth, flowing—and fast. Her canter is as comfy as my recliner. Her gallop blazing. Oh yes she has a big trot too. Kessy is half TWH and half National Showhorse. Early on she did not know she had any gaits. The first time she held a running walk for more than 100 feet was May 30, 2010. I looked that up in her journal.

 

Comin' in on our 500th trail ride.

We celebrated a bit today after our 500^th trail ride, Kessy had an apple, I had coffee and we talked and hung out together most of the afternoon. We look forward to many more years and trail miles together. I know she’ll never read this but, “Thank you Kessy for accepting me and taking care of me!”

Gitty Up, Dutch Henry

 P.S. To have a look at my book “It’s for the Horses: An advocate’s musings of their needs, gifts, spirit and care,” please go to www.itsforthehorses.com .

"Why Do We Focus On Training?"

Howdy Folks,

 

Training, and trainers are of course important. To be fair many things must be taught, and learned, by both horse and person. Training is the backbone of so many of the disciplines folks pursue with their horses, from trail riding, western pleasure, showing, hunter jumper, dressage, and on and on. Sure we need to learn what we're doing. We and our horse, and that requires lessons, and training. Sometimes plenty of it.

I've heard it said every time you're on your horse you should be training. That's an interesting paradigm. I don't intend to take anything away from the importance, or benefits of training. But every time you're on your horse?

Over the years I've met folks who take lessons, and go to clinics all the time. I've met a folks who do nothing in between. They just go to clinics, and lessons. They may not ride for weeks, and sometimes, months at a time. Some folks board their horses at training barns, and only ride when it's time for the next lesson. And for them, that's perfect ... But what if it could be more perfect?

The Coffee Clutch. I start each day having coffee time with Kessy. Most days Saturday, Tigger & Miss Kitty join us.

I suggest folks can establish much deeper relationships with their horses by not always focusing on training. Mix in plenty of just being partners together time. For sure not everyone can start their day like I do having coffee in the barn with their horse. A lot of folks don't have the luxury of having their horses at home. If that's your sitution, be sure you spend time with your horse other than just showing up for lessons and training. They'll love you for it. Learn a few exercises you can do on the ground, even in the stall with your horse to help their posture and body carriage. You can see a few "Pre-Ride Exercises For Your Horse" in my blog that horses love, and greatly benefit from. And check out - "Reconnecting Your Horse To Her Feet"  to.

I believe all horses should have plenty of easy going, "don't think about nothin'," trail time. Just go down the trail, do some chatting with friends, or better yet, go alone. Just you and your horse. Don't forget to watch the birds!

The training will simply fall into place if you don't focus on it all the time. Just let it happen. Allowing yourself and your horse to work through mistakes in an unstructured moment is fun too. Let the mistakes happen and see where they lead you!  Enjoy your horse so she can enjoy you. And remember, find time for that relaxing trail time.

Kessy, Saturday and me hittin' the trail

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

Get Out Of The Way And Let Your Horse Gait

Howdy Folks,

 

Yesterday's Coffee Clutch, "Gaited Horses and Saddles, Bits, Shoes and Stuff" generated some lively discussion, and a few questions. We pretty much covered the fact that no special saddle, other than proper fit as with any horse, is needed. No special bit – in fact no bit is needed. No special shoes, in fact barefoot is best, for all horses really, but that could be a subject for another blog day again. You can read my thoughts on barefoot, in my earlier post  "Why Barefoot?"

Kessy Saturday and me headin' out for the trail

I'll never forget the day I was riding along a beautiful "rails to trail" a number of years back, and a young woman rode toward us on a tall, stunning red and white paint. We stopped to chat, and as I'm wont to do, I looked the horse over as he danced and fidgeted beside us. I made note of the tight martingale, his shoes and high heels, his hollow back, thick inversion muscles and sad, worried eyes. The tack and saddle shined like a million bucks. Foam dripped from his mouth around, I don't know what kind of bit. She held tightly on the reins, her legs jammed forward, as they had been when she rode toward me. I asked her what breed her beauty was. With a smirk she replied, "He's a registered, non-gaiting Tennessee Walking Horse." She must have seen the question in my eyes because she promptly added, "He's a registered Tennessee Walking Horse who we can't make gait. He's been to several trainers, and just can't gait!"

I began to ask a question, but she cut me off. "Don't bother, I've heard it all. No-one's ever gonna make him gait." With that she jerked him right, and trotted away.

"Make him gait." I've never forgotten that, obviously as I'm writing about it all these years later. I've never forgotten the look of that beautiful horse she rode either. All the signs, stress and breakdowns of a fine horse people were trying to, "make gait." The over-collected, inverted, hollow backed look of a horse forced to gait, or try too, unnaturally.

Gaited horses will gait. They're born with it. All we need to do is get out of their way and let them. Simply sit your horse comfortably, in proper posture, as Sally Swift would say "in neutral," and allow your horse to walk on. After all, the flat walk and running walk are walks; they're just a little quicker.

The same muscles used to gait are the same muscles used to walk. Riding your horse for miles and miles and miles on the trail at a walk, will develop those muscles, and a longer and longer soft and powerful stride. It is important that as you ride these miles at a walk you allow your horse to relax, walk with their head down, off the forehand, and on a loose rein. You know, get out of their way.

About the trail miles as opposed to miles in the ring. Trail is much preferred over the ring, no matter the size, your horse is always preparing to turn, so are you. It's more difficult for her to, "walk on" and develop the stride in long continued muscle engagement. So really try for unending trail miles. Besides it's better birdwatching on the trail. And more interesting for your horse.

In not too much time you'll feel the stride begin to change; the hind end will become more powerful, and engaged, and softer (Also there are exercises you should consider to free up the hind end if your horse is short strided). She'll begin to achieve a bigger overstride. All without forcing, over collecting, and gimmicks. And damage to her biomechanics. It'll be completely natural, and make sense to your horse. During this time it's fine to mix in a few canters, even trot if she wants to from time to time. What we are doing is building confidence in her long gait and her proper body carriage. And we are staying out of her way while she does it. I would say during this phase look for at least 80% long, easy, but powerful walk.

When she tells you she's ready, find a nice long stretch of level trail, ask her to walk faster. Be gentle, and stay out of her way, but move her on and say, "Gait please." I use my right heel and a lot of kisses, and I say the command over and over each time I tap my heel. She'll speed up instantly, and might try for a trot or pace. Using just one rein tap her back, Very Gently, (never ask for collection) just short of the trot, at her fastest walk (Pacing is not good for a horse so don't do it). Then go right back to a loose rein and let her walk on a bit before asking again, congratulating her for the magnificent effort. Remember to smile.

Off and on, in safe level places along the trail ask for the "Gait please" – It'll come, just before the trot. If you did you're walking miles loyally and politely, she'll give you her flat-walk or gait in just a few tries, remember to praise her, and every stride in gait say, "Gait" so she learns the verbal request. At first she'll only hold her gait a few strides, and that's perfect. Keep helping her build those muscles. It takes a few months to build up the power to sustain it, but really, it's just this easy. She'll learn the verbal cue fast too.

Her head should be level, her stride soft and long, her head will bob a little, and you'll feel the glide. In time together you'll develop a variable speed running walk. Just stay out of her way, and enjoy the ride.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch

Saving Christian - A morning's Ride Ripe With Encounters

Howdy Folks,

It started as all our rides do, Kessy walking her wonderful soft shuffle down our path under tall pines to the logging road, Saturday trotting behind. But this would prove to be a more adventurous ride than most. Of course a little adventure is always fun, so ride along with us.

It was cool, but the sun warmed the tall yellow wild asters lining the logging road. Butterflies enjoying the warm sun beams flitted about the pretty flowers. Kessy's shadow glided along with us. Saturday is a bit off his game right now, so we did a fair amount of waiting for him, which gave plenty of opportunities to bird and butterfly watch.

Saturday leading Kessy and me up the trail

We'd left the logging road to explore one of our favorite side trails, and Kessy and I were waiting for Saturday. I was engrossed watching a sparkling blue butterfly on an orange flower. Kessy was close to sleeping. Without warning a large hunting dog exploded from the brush, almost colliding with Kessy. Kessy spun to investigate. Both Kessy and the dog were as surprised as I, then at a stomped foot protest from Kessy, he dashed away. This is the month hunters around here turn loose their hounds to run the big woods and get in shape for hunting season, so encounters do happen.

Not usually encounters like we were about to have, though. Back on the logging trail moving merrily along, at a slow enough for Saturday pace, we heard a pack of hounds behind us, yipping, howling and barking as they do when they are running on trail. But it sounded as if they were coming our way. I turned Kessy so I could look behind us, and sure enough that pack of about a dozen hounds was trailing us. Coming at us with their best speed!

We were on a long straight stretch of trail, the hounds were perhaps 500 feet away and closing. They can outrun a horse, and in times like this there is only one safe decision. I grabbed my hat, let go a loud holler, "Get it on, Kessy!" and set her in a flat out gallop straight on for the hounds, whooping and yelling.  Saturday of course was a safe distance behind.

We charged those dogs, Kessy's ears pinned, her feet pounding the hard packed dirt road and me yelling, "Get 'em girl!"

The hounds collapsed in a pile of yelping, squealing terrorized fur, then regrouped and dashed back the trail. Fleeing, tails tucked and barking in panic. We ran them until the left the logging road for the safety of the dense woods, then turned for home. A hundred yards back we picked up Saturday.

But the morning was still young. We'd heard the neighbor's goat had escaped about a week ago and I'd been asked to keep an eye open for him. A nice year old Nubian buck named Christian. They only had him a week before he set out on his own … The neighbor is my sister, who needed a goat like she needed a leaky roof, but …

Now Kessy and I have ridden up on bears several times, and of course often hounds, so when we rounded the turn, and there stood Christian about 100 feet ahead, I was happy. When Christian saw us, he jumped with joy, and bleated a happy greeting. Then began bouncing our way.

I reckon it was Kessy's first ever, horse meets goat moment, because she launched into a series of twists and crowhops that would have made a rodeo horse proud. Christian just kept coming, and bleating. He was so happy to see someone!

I'm still not sure I know how I rode that little explosion out, but I kept patting Kessy's neck and telling her, "It's okay, he's your cousin." Finally Kessy settled into a slow, bouncing, trembling walk, away from Christian.

It took a lot to turn her around, and when she did, the goat hopped off the trail into the woods. I saw our chance and hurried Kessy past him. At this point we were only about a quarter mile from our trail through the woods to our barn. I wasn't sure Christian would follow, so we stopped and waited … a safe distance ahead. Kessy still trembled. Then Christian stepped from the woods to follow us, Saturday behind him.

Kessy began to settle nicely, in fact as we made our way toward home we would need to stop often to wait for little Christian, who called out if we got too far ahead, and Kessy began stopping on her own! Saturday stayed with Christian.

Christian followed nicely even as we turned off the logging road, and it became clear Kessy had gone from scared as all get out, to worrying about her little goat buddy. At each turn on the tight brushy trail she stopped on her own and waited until Christian was back in sight.

I called Ravishin' Robbie to tell her we were bringing Christian home, and asked her to open both gates on the barn so I could ride through and get Christian in the barn. It worked beautifully, and he and Kessy stood together like lifelong friends. In fact when I rode Kessy out to the mounting platform to dismount, little Christian hollered and hollered from the barn.

We waited all together in Kessy's barn until my sister came to take Christian home again. Kessy and Christian are now good buddies and we'll need to let them visit often, perhaps even take Christian along a ride every now and then. We sure had an adventurous ride, and hope you enjoyed riding with us!

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry