Cate And Chaser's Week Of Fun!

For those of you who are devotees of the TV show, "Friends", you will remember Chandlers on-again, off-again relationship with the audibly grating "Janice". Chandlers best friend, Joey, as he put it "Can't stand her." Janice hears this from Chandler, and in an effort to smooth the path convinces Joey to spend the day with her. She calls it "Joey and Janice's Day of Fun!"

Well, Joey doesn't like Janice after their day together, but he does realize he can tolerate being near her. Now, if you see the pictures below, you'll be wondering where I'm going with this, as I LOVE being near my horses, and need no convincing to spend time with them. Also, LOVE my children and spending my life with them...so this is more about tolerance from the horse's perspective. My horse Chaser in this case is Joey. And the Janice in this analogy is going new places and trying new things. This is inherently scary for horses. They are creatures of safety and habit. They are hardwired to stay aware and be ready to fly at the first signs of danger. But what is danger?

 My "green" horse, Chaser is called "green" because he has not experienced many things, and thus is looking for danger where none is found. So, this past Saturday, I began "Cate and Chaser's Week of Fun!" Going, trying, living through it, relaxing, gaining confidence with his experiences is the goal.

 

 

This photo shows me how far Chaser has come this year. There was NO WAY I would've gotten galloping boots on him 6 months ago. He legs were never that still. And the fly mask on his ears? HA!

Behind me, Youngest is getting his pony bridled. I love that pony.

Photo by John McKean

 

(For use later in this blog, note the size difference between these two horses and their heads)

 Saturday morning we left early in the a.m. for Longhill Farm in Pataskala, and a Hunter Pace. This is a course through woods and fields, with optional jumps. It is timed and winners of the pace are found by matching your pace (how fast you go) to an optimal time that is secret until the end. The optimal time is established by the Master and Huntsman of a Hunt who ride the terrain as you would in a foxchase. There are three different pace options, a fast, medium and slow pace. Teams of two or three ride out on the course, following a set course, trying to ride at their chosen pace. Youngest had never been on a pace, Chaser had never been on a pace, and Youngest's horse, Pearl? Well, who knows, but it wasn't likely to cause her any problems. She's Practically Perfect Pearl.
I am outfitted above in my titanium helmet and puncture proof vest. It is a point of psychological interest to me why a mother would involve her children in a sport that requires such gear, but I haven't found an answer to that query. Chaser and I are planning to jump the course fences, but we have signed up with Youngest as a slow pace team.

 Youngest isn't sure about the pace thing yet. We don't know how long the course will be, and I have told him there will be no complaining, no water, no food and no bathroom once we begin.

Middlest is also game to go, but she doesn't want to languish in the slow pace. So, she has joined friends Kara and Des in a medium pace team. They will begin after Youngest and I set out, as they will do it in about half the time.

 Nelle and Middlest getting ready to ride!

Photo by John McKean

Middlest's teammates, Kara with Indy and Des with Patch. Blog faithful may recognize Patch. She was Middlest's mount until last year, borrowed from Kara as the perfect pony to teach Middlest confidence and skill! Des is now drinking from the fount of Patch knowledge and becoming a handy rider!
Photo by John McKean

Middlest , Kara and Des on their way to the start.

Photo by John McKean

 

And, although neither team placed, both had a wonderful time. Chaser and I had a successful mostly calm ride and beginning to Cate and Chaser's Week Of Fun! Youngest pronounced Hunter Pacing to be his favorite thing to do on a horse, ever. And Middlest was ready to go another time after coming in 2 minutes and 51 seconds faster than the medium optimal pace of 34 minutes. The course was 4.8? miles. The optimum time for the fast pacers was 22? minutes and the slow pace was an hour and 12 minutes, for which Youngest and I were 9 minutes too fast.

 

Day 2 of Cate and Chaser's Week of Fun!

Although I have no pictures, there was a photographer that wandered into the field- so there are pictures somewhere!

 

(Edit)Found 'em!

 

 Youngest and Practically Perfect Pearl trot off across the field. Horsey-types will recognize why I call her "perfect". She is taking care of him! He needs to get a few things about his position correct before he is very stable atop a horse. In the meantime, he is learning and having fun.

 Des and Patch navigate a two-stride combination.

Middlest and Nelle soar!

Previous three photos courtesy of Rocky Point Farm

 

 

Youngest, Middlest and I went to Rocky Point Farm near Springfield to school "cross country". This is one of the phases of an Event, where you ride out alone, over open country, jumping obstacles. One of the most fun- if most challenging - things you can do on a horse, it requires bravery, quick thinking, confidence and a whole lot of gumption.

Joining us in Day 2 once again was Kara and Des, plus an addition of Judy. The six of us rode out and around the course, first at the walk, then warming to the trot, and finally, all gallivanting about jumping hither and yon- all save Youngest, who is not ready to really jump yet, and Pearl, though Practically Perfect, is not a jumper. They did trot over a few logs, and then retired to the shade to watch the rest of us sweat our way around the course.

It went very well, Chaser gaining confidence and calm.

Middlest and Nelle were grand, and jumped most everything, save some of the biggest obstacles.

 

Then, here we are...

 

Day 3 of Cate and Chaser's Week of Fun!

To mix it up a bit, and add another element of survivable danger, today we were collected in the early morning by a friend, Kathy, in her trailer with her horse already loaded. (New trailer! New Danger!) I had gotten my things together last night after barn chores for today's adventure, packing the necessary tack and equipment so that we could join Kathy, and Bev at Rocky Fork Hunt Club for a trial ride. I would like Chaser to eventually be calm enough to ride to the hounds, and this is a baby step on that path. On attempt #3, Chaser loaded into Kathy's trailer, and we were off, driving through TBC (The Big City) to the oasis in the sprawl that is the Rocky Fork Hunt Club. Gorgeous scenery awaited us with wide, rocky stream beds, old forest, acres of soybean fields and lots of wonderful jumps. Kathy and I began to tack up our horses while we waited for Bev to make it through the city traffic and join us. All the while the hounds are running in and out of the metal dog doors in the kennels, woofing at us and bounding around. That in itself was a challenge for Chase. But, after nearly a year at Cowfeathers, where not only Julia and Tucker bring their doggie bodies and voices around him, but the sheep tend to run right under his legs, Chaser was pretty solid. Then, I realized -superdork that I am- I had brought the wrong bridle. Not only was it not Chaser's bridle, but it was Pearl's! To show how different they are in size, scroll back up to the photo of them standing next to one another. UGH! But, use what you have, right? This is supposed to be a week of experience, so why not come to a new place, in a new trailer, and use a new bridle? One that is awfully small. So, I put everything on the last hole, and put it on his head.

This is how he felt about it. I put the halter back on to take a picture, because he was NOT amused.

So, off we went, for a two hour ride over hill, dale, river and jump- with my promise to him that if he mostly behaved I would mostly not touch the reins.

So, he pretty much put his nose right behind Kathy's horse, Spot, and did whatever Spot did. Bev and Vince came up the rear to give Chaser extra confidence. So, we jumped, and he stopped mostly when I asked him to with voice and seat and leg.

Success on Day 3.

Day 4- off to a jumping lesson in the evening, planning to use his bridle.