We plan to build an actual waterbox this summer, but to get us started we picked up a dog splash pad. You can increase and decrease the level of difficulty just by turning the water up or down a bit. Goose was a little leary at first but she did manage to walk through it and then stop and put her feet in and paw a little bit. All good first steps.

The splash pad is holding up well so far. We’ve worked all 5 of our horses through it. We’ve had barefoot horses go through it as well as horses with shoes and it’s still going strong.

You can see in this picture with Goose we had the water pressure very low so it was a pool with not very much water sprinkler effect.

When you want to challenge your horse a little more you can turn up the water pressure and it can go as high as you want it to go.

My daughter’s amazing mare Nora didn’t think twice about walking through this pool of water so we upped the pressure for her. She took that in stride as well.

I look forward to the day that Goose is as willing and brave and Nora.

We plan to create an obstacle area in this part of our property, so eventually a wooden permanent water box will go in here, but to get started right now, this is a great, inexpensive way to work on getting your horse to cross water.

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Last year I decided I was going to start riding consistently. I started riding my horse and realized I was in really bad shape. It was hard to mount. It was hard to ride. I could stand to lose a few pounds, so I started looking for ways to get in better shape that worked for 51 year old me.

I’ll tell you, Facebook read my mind and started throwing a ton of options my way. I tried a few of them and holy moly… they were overwhelming, I was too sore to walk, even less ride, and I just couldn’t stand the energy of the programs.

One day I went into a Facebook horse group I belong to and asked what people were doing. Someone mentioned Team Body Project. I took a look and tried one of their workouts and I was hooked. The energy of Team Body Project is just completely different than the ones I’d tried before. The focus was on moving your magnificent body, and being consistent, instead of lifting heavier and more and more and more to get as strong as you can be.

At the time I was also reading some books about habits, and the mentality of Team Body Project fit right in with all of that. Daniel is my favorite trainer, though, honestly, I love his workouts so much I haven’t really tried many of the other trainers. There are workouts that are short, medium and long, easy, medium and hard! There’s always something to do, no matter what state of mind or body you are in that day.

After a couple weeks I found my legs were so much stronger. Mounting was easy! I could just step right up there. I found my balance was better, my core was stronger. It was EASIER to ride, which made it me want to do it more and made it more fun. Riding more also made me stronger, so it became an upward spiral of positive change.

Team Body Project offers a lot of free workouts on Youtube. You can try them out, see if you like them. They also have a subscription site with hundreds of workouts that aren’t on youtube. I love being able to try something before I pay for it, so I started out with the Youtube workouts, but it didn’t take me long to know I’d found a home base for fitness and join the subscription.

Building muscle, strength and balance is not the only things you need to ride over 50, you also need to be flexible. I love yoga and Yoga with Adrienne is my go to source for amazing yoga sessions. Her energy is uplifting, comforting and welcoming. I love that she encourages you to listen to YOUR body, and do what your body can do today. Her videos are free on Youtube too. And her sweet dog Benji is alway there as well.

It’s pretty easy to think you have to join a gym or pay a lot of money to get fit, but there are a lot of great choices that don’t cost you anything to just get started.

The more fit I get the better I ride, and the more fun it is. I don’t always love working out, but I do love being the best me I can be for my horse, so I keep at it. It doesn’t take hours a day, even a short 20 minute workout will keep you making progress, or at least moving your body for the day. Creating the habit of moving my body most days of the week has really helped me move forward and gain confidence as a new rider over 50.

The post Saddle Serenity: Finding Fitness and Fun as a New Horse Rider Over 50 appeared first on Little Gray Mare.

We found Magic Mud last year during rodeo season. I saw a TikTok about it and decided to try it. The name Magic is no joke. This stuff is MAGIC! I can’t believe how well it works. We started with a small container to just give it a try, bumped up a size when that one was gone and now have moved up to the 22lb bucket.

We knew it was working, because you could tell he was feeling better, especially through the back. But the real eye opening was when Hanna twisted her ankle one night at a rodeo. She could barely walk. I messaged the folks over at Heavenly Horse Health and asked if it was safe to use on people. She told me that it was originally developed FOR people, but then they realized how well it worked on horses too. We put the mud on Hanna’s ankle and the next morning she was fine.

I stepped in a hole walking off the porch one night. Twisted my ankle really badly. Mudded it up and I was 98% by the morning.

My husband worked his calves a little too hard during a workout. Mudded them up and he was 100% the next day.

What’s crazy is when you put the mud on it instantly cools the body part it’s on. The cool lasts a really long time. When I put it on my ankle I actually got chilled from it. It’s almost like icing your body when you put it on, which helps alleviate swelling and inflammation.

KS HS rodeo is tough for reined cow horse. You do both your weekend runs in the same night. It’s a lot to do two runs almost back to back (since there are a ton of kids doing RCH in KS). We mudded up Nora when she was done with her runs and could tell she felt better.

It’s easy to put on, just spread it on with your hands. We keep gloves in the trailer so she doesn’t get her hands covered in it. You can see how easy it is to do in this quick TikTok video.

Once you put the Magic Mud on, let it dry a bit and then you can turn them out with it on. Let it keep doing its work while they are out in the pasture or in their stall. When you need to ride again you either rinse them off or it will also curry then brush off.

If you’re struggling to find something that works for your horse, I highly recommend trying Magic Mud. You can use our coupon code Fiddler10 to save 10%.

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I went out to catch Goose today. For the first time in a really long time she played hard to get. I realized she was in heat, and thought maybe she just wasn’t feeling a ride today. I’ve been working on practicing mental pictures as taught by Susan Fay in Sacred Spaces, so I took a minute and sent her a mental picture of just giving her a massage. She sidled right up to me and moved around putting me in the spots she wanted worked on.

I’m not a certified massage therapist, just an everyday person who loves her horse and wants to do the very best for her. I saw a few videos on TikTok about horse massage and the more I saw the more I liked the energy of the lady in the videos. I went digging and realized she had an online equine massage course. I took a look and it looked like exactly what I was wanting, so I bought it and have been learning ever since.

I love that she teaches you the specific strokes to use, and then breaks up the course in a number of different ways so you can search different things. You can search by what you’re trying to improve, like impulsion, collection, spins and so many more… then it will give you the exact muscles and strokes to work on to help them be more relaxed in the body parts required for that action. You can also search by area of the body. When Fiddler, our barrel horse, got a little sore in the back, I had the chiro come out, but then asked in the EBO group which muscle groups would be good to work on. I got a quick answer and was able to go find those videos and work on him. We added in some Magic Mud (coupon code Fiddler10 to save 10%) and he is doing so much better. I love having multiple things I can do to help my horses feel better.

Anyway… back to Goose. Today she was not feeling the ride so I just gave her a massage. She moved me to her back, and her neck, and her hind end through the time I was out there working on her. But lastly we worked on her ears. The ear pull is the one massage I see make the most difference for her. She’s not heavily worked, we take nice short rides lol, but she is anxious, and seems to carry tension in her head and neck. The ear pull helps relax the head and poll and helps with the entire body. This girl was not a fan of having her face and/or ears touched when I first got her 3 years ago. But she sure loves the ear pulls now.

Here’s a quick video on the ear pull. If your horse will let you, I highly recommend trying it.

If you’re interested in learning how to massage your own horse I highly recommend following Equine Bodywork Online, and when you’re ready to pick up the Equine Bodywork Online course use coupon code Jackie100 to save $100.

Since Runaway was nudging me, hinting he wanted a little massage too, I did a little ear pull on him too. He was a little worried at first but loved it by the end. I love seeing such relaxed ponies. <3

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Select a Spot. As you ride along the trail, keep an eye out for a serene and safe spot where you can comfortably stop and take a moment to appreciate nature. Look for a quiet area away from distractions.

Halt Your Horse. When you find the perfect spot, gently apply the aids to bring your horse to a halt. Use a light and steady rein contact to communicate your intention to stop.

Encourage Relaxation. As your horse comes to a standstill, relax your body and breathe deeply. Your horse can sense your relaxation, which will help them unwind as well. You can dismount if you choose or do the rest of the exercise mounted. Whichever feels better to you.

Close Your Eyes. Close your eyes and let go of any tension or distractions. Focus on the sounds of nature around you, such as birdsong, rustling leaves, or the gentle flow of water if near a stream.

Breathe Mindfully. Take slow and deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Allow the rhythm of your breath to create a sense of calmness.

Connect with Your Horse. With your eyes closed, become aware of your horse’s presence beside or beneath you. Feel their warmth, their breath, and their subtle movements. Embrace the connection you share with your equine partner.

Appreciate Nature. While you’re in this serene moment, take the time to appreciate the beauty of the natural surroundings. Listen to the sounds, feel the breeze, and embrace the peacefulness of the trail.

Embrace Gratitude. Express gratitude for this special moment with your horse and for the opportunity to experience the wonders of nature together.

Open Your Eyes. When you’re ready to move on, gently open your eyes. Take a moment to reorient yourself and your horse before continuing the trail ride.

Reflect on the Experience. As you ride on, reflect on the Serenity Stop experience. Notice any changes in your emotions, your horse’s demeanor, and your connection after this mindful pause.

By incorporating the Serenity Stop into your trail ride, you create an opportunity to deepen your bond with your horse and experience the calming effects of nature. It allows you to be present in the moment, fostering a greater sense of confidence and connection as you continue the ride together. Enjoy this mindful journey with your equine companion!

The post Serenity Spot Exercise: 10 Steps to Create Connection While on the Trail appeared first on Little Gray Mare.

Hanna left the barrels in the arena. We had bets going how far into Oklahoma we’d find the barrels. Surprisingly, they were all standing, still on the pattern when we went out to check everyone after the storm.

It was hot and soupy in the indoor! The humidity was through the roof. Goose and I worked on some things we work on in our home arena, but it was so fun having a fence! I could actually not steer her at all and let her be in total control of herself. We worked on managing destination addiction (the gate) for a bit, and she finally was using the full arena with no problem.

We also worked on riding with other horses (also a destination addiction issue… the other horse). It’s such a simple exercise. You give your horse complete freedom (loose rein, no steering) and let them go where they want to go. If they choose to go to another horse, that’s fine, just pick up a trot as you approach the other horse, don’t steer, let them control themselves. Goose trotted to the other end of the arena, away from Fiddler, I let her come back down to a walk. She walked for a while and headed back to Fiddler. Pick up a trot as we get to him. It didn’t take long for her to figure out Fiddler was not the resting spot.

At one point Hanna asked me to video a runthrough and headed toward us on Fiddler. Goose started to walk away.

Goose and I headed outside to give them the arena to work it, and although it was hot outside, it was much cooler than in the arena.

We worked on the “destination addiction while on the trail” exercise, which can be found in the Warwick Schiller subscription. She was able to go all over the place. She found some good resting spots and was rewarded for those. I was very surprised by how brave she was and how far away from the trailer and Fiddler she was wanting to go.

I’m pretty excited because I think she really does want to be a trail horse. She wants to be out and about seeing the world, and not stuck in the arena. This is perfect, because it’s what I want to do as well!

I’m really excited about the progress we are making. She experienced traffic and was unbothered. She was willing and brave about going so far away from Fiddler and the arena. She was forward and ready to go new places without me asking.

Things are looking up!

I don’t think we’d be anywhere close to where we are at without the amazing wisdom of Warwick Schiller and his principles of training. It doesn’t seem to matter what kind of situation we get in to, there is a principle that will help me handle it.

Instead of learning specific actions to take (which may or may not be what we need in any given situation) we’ve got principles and that makes all the difference.

You can see all the principles of training in Warwick’s new book. The Principles of Training.

The post A Trip to Town and the Indoor Arena appeared first on Little Gray Mare.

A big storm came through this evening. Everything had finally dried out but now we’re under water again. Hopefully it dries out soon!

The post Between the Reins and the Rains appeared first on Little Gray Mare.

She got a nice rinse after we were done. It was already super hot and muggy.

Tonight, Hanna went to her second barrel race this week. She and Fiddler had a good run, of course she always sees things to improve. They ended up out of the money in the 3D. Michelle Darling was at the race. It’s always fun to me to see pro racers at our local jackpots. We finished the night with a stunning sunset, and beat the rain home.

Her race earlier this week she had a nice run. It was a fast night. She ended up 5th in 4D and in the money (enough to cover tonight’s race. )

The post The Road and Races appeared first on Little Gray Mare.

Today we were working on an exercise based on the principle number 4: “choose where you work choose where you rest.” This helps overcome destination addiction aka buddy/barn/gate sourness etc. While working on this exercise she picked up a lope.

My brain was in slow motion. I could hear myself think OMG we are loping.
I could feel the change in cadence from the trot to the lope.

I did not panic and grab both reins. In fact I was present, and in my body. I realized we were coming to a spot we’ve been working on slowing off seat (the choose where you rest part) and I sat deep and let my energy drop and she came back down to a trot and then a walk. Like we’d been doing it forever. <3

A very good day.

From her behavior in the arena today it would appear she much prefers to be out and about in the world than stuck in the ring. Which is awesome since my big goal is to be doing trail rides. <3

The post And Today We Loped appeared first on Little Gray Mare.

In looking for the resting place she parked herself at the trailer like she was ready to be tied and quit. I shouldn’t have let her stop there but she did it repeatedly and it was too funny I had to grab a pic really quick.

She did finally find a new spot by the road and we stopped there.

She did great in her boots again today. We had a little longer ride and they didn’t rub or anything even though she traipsed through deep mud and water. I’m really happy with the Cavallo boots.

We will continue this exercise tomorrow and/or until she’s comfortable and ready to go down the road.

The post She Found the Road appeared first on Little Gray Mare.