# Þjálfunardagbók Signýjar og Stínu :)



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

Since I can't sleep I'm gonna start one of these :smile:

Well, my horse season officially started today! I wen't to check out the stables, and they were nice, nothing fancy, but that's the way I like it. My tack is gonna stick out though xD Mine is all new and shiney :lol: And since the waterpipes for the automatic waterers are still frozen I had to buy a bucket, which I found very humourous. I did draw some attention while walking through the huge store in horse clothing with only a bucket.

Stína comes in tomorrow, but I can't use or shoe her yet, since her foal was just taken from her. I'm gonna have to watch her udders, I don't want her to get an infection/whatever it's called in English.

Asi is staying at the farmers with a few other newly-motherless foals. :smile: I am having him microchipped and registered soon.

I'm gonna have to dig up and gather my tack tomorrow (well technically today :lol. It's all over Reykjavík :lol: I think i might also have to buy a new bit. I think the one I have is too "long" for my (not so, but still) petite girl :smile:

Well, it's 4 am. I really have to catch some sleep. 

Veriði blessuð :smile:

_Did I make anyone curious with the title? :lol:_


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

Well, she came today at about 17:30. Fat but not so furry.
I didn't get the chance to get my tack today, and since I'll have to take the bus tomorrow, my saddle will have to stay home a while.. :roll:

I smell like horses, life is good again! :grin:


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

Just got back! I didn't do anything to day, just let her out and groomed her. She had a bad attitude, but I didn't let her get away with it. I think she's testing me.
The snow has started to melt a little so I didn't want to do any groundwork with her since her hooves would just stack up.
I'm gonna try to do something tomorrow, maybe flex her neck or something like that.


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

Took her out and streched her neck and stuff today. She was great with that, but when I was going to work with her in hand she got lost. Didn't understand a thing and when I moved she would move too. I definitly have to work on that.

And I seem to own the only pasture shy horse in Iceland! I am not joking, she is the only one I know of.

I'm going to try to have her put on shoes next weekend. Tomorrow I'm just gonna make her run around a little and maybe but the bridle on to attempt some ground work.


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

I've only been making her run around. I took her to a round pen today, and she was so "excited" (for the lack of a better word). She was hard to control on they way and ran like she had the devil on her heels. She calmed down though, and was better on the way back. I'm guessing this was her way of burning excess energy.


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

Ok, I got her shoed today. She was alright until her last hoof. Then she was a bit difficult.
She's being skittish, and managed to get herself stuck between 2 chains. 
I'm gonna have to get her used to the "city".


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

Well, I rode today! It was awesome!
She was okay, didn't listen all to well to my hands, but she responded well to sounds. I really can't use my leg on her, she's a little to sensitive to that.
It was mainly at walk, well holding her at walk. I've got a spirited horse on my hands. We did a bit of tölt/trot, but it was so little it's hardly worth mentioning.
It was my first time in the saddle. I wasn't excatly focusing on that, but atleast it didn't hurt my or my horse.


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

Well, took her for a real ride with the BO today! :smile:
It was soooo fun! She is really spirited and I'm gonna have to try and slow her down but that was the only problem! She was amazing!

I'm in SUCH a good mood! The BO also loved her! :grin:


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

well, we took her too the vet for the lip and there was also a mouth injury (best guess: cut her self on her teath when she got kicked) and she told us to give her a week off. it really couldn't have come on a worse time since my trainer, with whom I am trying to set up lessons with, is going to the Equine university next weekend.

oh well, I'll just try to work with her in a halter for the next week, it'll have to do.


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

Ok, I've been riding her some now and taking a few lessons and it has been going well.
For the most part she's great, but she's just a bit too impatient (always having that "faster, faster, _faster!_" mindset and not standing still), but even in that short time things have begun to get better.

Her choice gait is very obviously tölt, so getting her to trot can be a hassle, but we're getting better by the minute!

Stína has been bucking every now and then, but it's nothing I can't handle.

My trainer really likes Stína, and thinks we'll do good... it's too bad she's going to the Equine collage because I'd love to ride more with her.

On to me, I really have to start thinking more about my seat. I took a lunge lesson and I felt like I was about to bounce to the moon (granted this horse had a VERY bumpy trot). I felt a lot better on my mare.

I have not taken any pics lately.. I'll maybe try to get my sister up with me to take some. I think it'd help to fix my seat if I could see how I look.


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

well, I've been working on my own now and it has been going well. She's somewhat calming down and listening better to my aids.
We've begun some a little more complicated work and she is doing great! Her backleg yield is fantastic!

I worked her in a pen today and then took her on a little trail. She was a little rushed at first, bot in the pen and on the trail but I ended it both on a long walk.

And I'm happy to say that I think I don't have a chair seat. I thought I did but I was focusing on myself on the trail and my heel seemed to be right under my hip. But I have yet to find someone who's willing to take pics of me while riding, so we'll see. But what I know now is that I have to work on bringing my toes in and sitting straighter. Atleast I'm not leaning forward anymore :lol:

Stína has gotten a little thin so I've upped her food and bought some supplements for her. I hope it'll help. I can feel her ribs but she's still got a big belly. But the supplement's supposed to help with that.

I'm gonna go again tomorrow and hopefully catch the pen while it's loose. I'm off super early from school so that's a big possibility.


----------



## XxXequinegrlXxX (May 24, 2008)

loved reading your journal... what does the title mean??


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

Thanks :smile: It means Signý and Stína's trainingjournal :smile:

Well, I got my mom out to take pictures today, and I do seem to have a chair seat :sad: Oh well, I'm now gonna get her out to the stables again next Saturday to see if I've managed to improve :smile: 
Stína started off being a brat and even reared a little (mom aaalmost got a shot of that) but was so much, much better nearing the end. I love my mare!

These pics aren't the best but atleast they're something


----------



## XxXequinegrlXxX (May 24, 2008)

aw thats great.. thats a cute picture:]


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

thanks :smile:

well, she is now behaving like a complete and utter brat! She's rearing, bucking and when I use leg pressure, either she doesn't move at all, or she backs up... 
It's getting really old, really fast...
But the immidietly gets better when I bring out the crop, not that I use it really, just one tap in the beginning and then she knows it's there. After I managed to control her I took her to a pen and did almost exclusevly walk work because I know she hates it and I know it's good for her. It makes her relax and I can work on my seat in the mean while.

But I'm pretty darn proud of myself for not being the least bit afraid. And I managed to be pretty secure in my saddle :smile: I've decided to look at this as an learning oppertunity :smile:


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

ok things have been going god aweful... But I may have found out the reason today..
I got a call from my mom and she said that Stína might have colic. She picks me up from school (I had to get two classes off) and we go take her to the vet's (thank god it's in walking distence!). She didn't have any feaver but her tummy was rumbling, so the vet told us to walk her a lot and only give her a little hay, and then check in later to see if she had eaten it. After school I went again and she had eaten and pooped. So I walked her and then put her back. She'll get today and tomrrow off and have her feeding cut.
I just hope that this is the reason for her misbehaving.


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

ok, I can now cross colic of the "reasons-she-is-acting-this-way" list. I rode yesterday and it didn't go well. It went aweful... and I'm gonna let you in on a secret, _I fell off..._ Yup, it wasn't really me or her, but more that the saddle was loose and slid to the side in one of her bucking fits. I'm getting reaaaally sick of this now. When I took off her saddle I pressed where it lies and she didn't seem to be hurting anywhere.. and I lunged her and she listened to me perfectly. So I'm pretty stumped, but I guess this is some respect issues. 

Added stress is so not what I need right now...


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

I took her to the round pen today and she was crazy :shock:
Galloping, galloping, galloping and bucking. 
She calmed down though, and I jumped on bareback. She rushed around the pen immediatly so I jusst jumped right back off, now I can cross my saddle off the "reasons-she-is-acting-this-way" list.

And then I had to muck out... and darn., you haven't mucked out until you've done it in snow. I had to take the wheelbarrow out, then walk in front of it and tread down the snow, then walk the wheelbarrow a little further, then run back in to get the shovel, shovel the snow, and then finally reaching my destination with the weelbarrow. 

I really beat. Nobody mucked out yesterday (even though someone was supposed to) so I had to muck so much out. I beat.


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

So, I went out on Tuesday and lunged her, rode her a little on my own.. it went from alright (with me thinking "YES, we're finally getting past this") to horrible, but still a little better than the last time. But then I was offered to go on a ride with the guys in the stables one door over, and I of course jumped on it. They must have seen me struggle with her since since they both asked if she was not completely broke. But the ride went good, great in the light of resent circumstances. She was rushy, but did obey and didn't buck or rear or go backwards.
What is weird though is that I had already ridden her with the BO and she was just as stressed then...

She is a weird one...


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

Havn't updated in a while, haven't had as much time to ride.

She has had her ups and downs... mainly downs...

My trainer is in town and I'm gonna meet up with her tomorrow, and she'll have the final say in the matter of selling/keeping Stína. I love her, and when she's good she's GREAT, but she might be a little too much for me.

I'm really feeling low right now...


----------



## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I'm sorry you are having problems Signy :-( Don't feel bad if Stina is not cooperating. I have had horses in my past that I had to give up on because they were too much horse or because I didn't have the time to commit to them. It will turn out for the best no matter what happens.


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

Thanks Vida !

I haven't updated in a while but a lot of things have happened. We are still pretty much the same, she was pretty bad in the beginning of the ride yesterday, tried to go back and bucked and stuff (even jumped over a 30-40 cm tree, now I know that's not big, but we're talking about a horse that hasn't seen a trot pole in her life) but then she was okay. Took a few freak-outs but nothing bad. Today she was pretty awesome, but I also realised I couldn't even enjoy that since I'm always prepared for a dash or some acrobatics when riding her now.

But I contacted the guys whom sold her to me and they are willing to trade. One of them was in Reykjavík last weekend and came to see me ride, and of course Stína ran home, doing the flying pace. But he was pretty impressed with me though. I tried this horse they own last Thursday, but like everyoen expected he was way to easy for me. I'll go to the east-fjords during my easter break and try a few horses there. But I'm still not completely set on selling Stína though, but we'll see how everything goes.

and cookies if anyone read this! And skyr with blueberries, sugar and cream (yum!)


----------



## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

Well, now I've had it. I'm just completely fed up with her. She is getting more and more dangerous every day, and less and less fun every ride. I'm going to sell her. She got me so irritated last ride that I just flipped an decided right there that I would sell her. 

When I was riding her to a pen she was just acting ridicoulus. Cross-walking (or what ever it's called, just walking out to the sides instead of ahead) in the direction I wanted to go straight ahead to! What the Hek-la? I would set her straight, and then ask her to move ahead, she would turn to the side, I would try to do a backleg yield, she wouldn't listen and just kept on crosswalking.

When I got to the pen and worked her with speed, just the way she likes it (this horse seriously hates walking, it's one of the things we're working on) and she was good. Then I was going to mount again outside the pen and it took me like 20 min. or something. She would NOT stand still. And she once jumped to the side, just as I was mounting so I fell straight into the mud and hurt my left knee. Great. Then when I finally managed to get on she wouldn't listen to my aids, or slow down. I steered her away from the barn and she flipped, ran through some bushes and when I finally got her to stop, I was so mad, and just plain afraid that she'd run into cars or something on the way to the barn, that I dismounted and decided that this horse was not for me. This ridicoulus stubborness and pushyness (icelandic has a perfect word for this, frekja, where english does not) is just not what I'm looking for. I doubt it's what anyone's looking for. 

Anyway, the man who had a few horses for me to try sadly lost his 3-month-old grandchild, so he probably won't be back in time for me to try them. There is one I could try though, and it's the one I'm the most excited for. We'll see how it goes, I'm going east on Tuesday and will try him soon after I get there. 

Cookies and milk...


----------

