August 20,2008

I gave the girls and the horses 2 days off after fair, but got back to work today! In case you are not aware, the horses that I am currently working with are:

• Cowboy- my 93 AQHA palomino gelding- Hunt Seat, Dressage, Hunter Jumper. Cowboy's current issues are a lack of strength from the hind end- mostly due to his age (15) and lack of conditioning and unreliable work routine. He is now worked Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays for a minimum of 30 minutes.

• Cinnabar- Alyssa's 92 AQHA sorrel gelding- Western Pleasure, Horsemanship, and Hunt Seat. Cinnabar's issues are a lack of condition, weakness in the top line and hind end. He has difficulty staying collected and in frame. Most of this is due to a lack of work routine. I work with Cinnabar on Tuesdays and Thursdays as needed, and Alyssa rides him on Wednesdays and Fridays if possible.

• Sweetheart- Jason's 99 APHA tobiano mare- Dressage and Hunt Seat. I am working with Sweetheart because she was beginning to stop, balk, kick and rear when you ask her to move forward. She will kick with leg pressure or at the canter, stop and kick or cow hop if you use any verbal cues, and her canter was so un-natureal and choppy due to some western pleasure training.

• Chloe- my 06 APHA Breeding Stock Sorrel Filly- western pleasure and Halter . I picked Chloe up from a sale in 2006 as a weanling and in spring of 2008 She was started under saddle. However, she is slow to mature, and although I can sit on her and walk and trot- I will not be pushing her any farther until her 3 year old year - spring 2009.