Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Team 103 - Artful Path


I'm Beth Ridenour from Lawrence, KS. I grew up in the Flint hills with Quarter Horses, not knowing there were other breeds! Now in my 50th decade, I never thought I would have my own horse, but my friends supported and enabled me and now I own my adorable mare, Logen.  Logen is seven years and we are going to grow old together.

I have many folks to thank. I want to acknowledge my friends in the Midwest Mustang and Burro Saddle Club. Logen and I ride for Mary Lou, our angel here on Earth, and for my Dad, a WWII veteran, and one tough, cool cowboy who didn't know it. 

"So often, we focus on what the horse is doing, and miss the fact that the horse's mind will affect what he does and how he does it. If we give attention to the horse - how he is feeling in the moment, where his thought is and offer him the help he is looking for - many of the things we thought were problems will be cleared up."  -Harry Whitney

61 comments:

  1. Logen and I are in the Derby. Lets make some dust!

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  2. Logen and I are in the Derby. Lets make some dust!

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  3. Woo hoo! Great to see you Beth and Logen! We will have to catch up this summer sometime to ride. :-)

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  4. Eek! Gotta ransack the house tonight to find my GPS!

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  5. Lesson day. windy and 50s temp. I rode a frisky girl today, I'm on the board, lol!
    Jan 11
    .5 mi
    YTD .5

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  6. Round pen work today. Temp was 28 with a north wind. We finished just as the sleet started. Brrrrrrr
    Jan 12
    1 mile
    YTD 1.5 mile

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  7. Yay Beth! You are on the board! Woo hoo!

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  8. I've put Logen on the bit. it was a hard decision for me because I think bits are often unnecessary and I didn't want to do this to my Mustang. However it has been the right decision at this time and we have had great rides.My saddle fits well now and with this added control I can focus on us working together. And I can trust my hands, I was not sure I would have the soft touch I wanted but I am pleased with my actions so far
    Jan 19
    2.1 mi
    Jan 20 rode in the paddoc pasture, a perfect day to ride! 2.9 mi, with a top speed of 4.8 at a walk!
    6.5 mi YTD

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  9. Last Wednesday my Uncle died. He was the last real cowboy in my family and the kindest man, ever. I rode for his memory on Friday. He thought it was neat that I got Logen. I miss him sorely.
    Jan 25, 1.1mi
    YTD 7.6 mi

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  10. Beth, My condolences to you and your family. Your uncle sounds like a real cowboy. May he rest in peace. So wonderful of you to ride for his memory.
    Diane

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  11. Beth - Good for your friends for pushing you to this great addiction! We traveled to Clinton Lake last Sept and just loved it! Hope to make it there again this year. Welcome to the Derby!

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  12. Hi Tammy! I'm glad you liked Clinton! If I ever get my truck and trailer Logen and I will be there. Now we are riding on the property where I board her, but still wonderful!

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  13. Working on Logen giving her neck when turning. We had a major spook sideways and I'm happy I stayed in our saddle and did not choke up on the reins.
    Feb 2
    1.1 mi
    8.7 YTD

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  14. Glad you stayed on too! Do you know what spooked her?
    Diane

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  15. Hi Diane, No I don't. There is a neighbor to the east and maybe something was happening there. There was some wind that day and maybe that contributed. Her senses are so superior to mine only she knows what she saw, heard, or smelled!

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  16. We are turning square corners now. I'm reining with more quiet hands and it's progressing nicely. Logen keeps smacking her mouth on the bit. Susan Harris wrote an article in Equus about snaffles--maybe I need to look into a different bit...much more reading to do! Friday I fooled Logen, she lined up perfectly to mount from the right side and I said okie dokie! I love when I can out smart my Mustang!
    Feb 15,
    3.3mi
    Feb 17,
    3.1mi
    YTD 15.1

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  17. Logen and I got in a ride before the 2nd snowstorm hit. It was my first time riding in snow, so much fun!!!
    Feb 24
    2.7 mi
    17.8 YTD

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  18. Last week's lesson was short on miles but long on learning. Logen and I worked on standing still after mounting, yea yea I want to get moving too but it takes me a little longer to get my act together! I felt her work under me for a few strides to get through the snow, what a neat feeling.
    March 3
    .94 mi
    16.04 YTD

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  19. Today was AWESOME! Logen and I are bisaddleuer, if she lines up nicely with her right side toward me I double check to see that I'm not wearing my sword and hop on. I looked better getting on that way today than I usually do from her left side!

    We still have snow and the pasture is pretty muddy so we were on the packed gravel road with room to move onto the shoulders. We were doing a really nice job of keeping our thoughts on each other. We trotted down the road away from the barn and she listened when I reined or whoa'd her. Were working on 1/2 halts too. She is very smart and remembered last week's lesson without any review during the week. I love my Girl!!

    (About the sword comment, mounting from the left became the correct way because the militia wore their swords on their left side and could not mount from the right. Most of my 50 years I believed you had to mount from the left, but old girls can learn new tricks! But I still cannot get on my bike from the right!)

    March 8
    1.3 mi
    17.34 TYD

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  20. We have noticed that Logen puts her tongue over her bit, silly girl. Friday we tried a rubber bit and she stopped doing it, but kept on trying. It changed her concentration and she didn't want to do much except mouth that new thing. After some ground work I got on and rode a little. I was pleased with her when we rode across some shallow ditches--she used her hind quarters and did not bolt on the up side.

    We are going to practice with the bit. She will wear it when I am at the barn with her halter. Yesterday she was calmer and we did ground work in the round pen. I was impressed with her focus on me despite working on that bit! My multitasking girl!

    March15
    .5 mile
    17.84 YTD

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  21. Friday: I gave Logen her Happy Mouth apple bit. Yummm. Things were pretty calm. It was a fantastic day to ride, and great news, Becky said Logen and I are now in high school! I think we are barely freshmen, lots of review and finessing, some fussing to do, but what a wonderful journey we are on! We kept riding after our lesson. The neighbor was out riding a horse he will sell. He is an older-style canter-it-out-of-'em fella. I got an earful about using the wrong bit and needing to run her to get her energy level down, Blah Blah. I just smiled and said oh this bit is new today! He said he was riding in the field (not planted) because he just trimmed his horse. Hmmm, thinks me, I could tell him how to trim without soreness (I trim Logen) but I minded my manners like my Mom told me and I tell Logen and just kept riding. I must have done something right because he asked me if I wanted to ride one of his tomorrow!

    March 29
    2.9 miles
    20.74 YTD

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  22. Saturday: Another perfect day, the first day without a sweatshirt, but cold weather will be back next week. Logen and I worked on our maneuvers, we rode up/down inclines for conditioning, through mud puddles (water crossings), worked on stopping at the mailbox and pretending to get the mail. When we get better I'll hide a treat in it. She is 'perfect' when we are headed home and we have to discuss things when we are riding away from it. I love my Mustang Mare!! I walked the ditches and picked up the beer cans/bottles. Silly humans.

    March 30
    3.7
    YTD 24.44

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  23. Yesterday was a perfect evening to ride. We had some issues at the mounting block and I landed on my tailbone. Not good for other issues I have with my lower back. But after that we rode to new territory for us.

    April 2
    2.7
    YTD 27.14

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  24. I had a feisty girl today. The herd was in for hoof trimming and when three went out Logen was quite upset. we had a good ride. We visited a new field that has not been plowed and worked on usual things. I rode in shirt sleeves for the first times this year!
    April 13
    3.6 miles
    YTD 30.74

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  25. Ground work pays off. In our lesson we worked on getting Logen's thoughts on me. All this on the ground made an attentive girl on the road. Temps in the 30s with a stiff wind from the west. We rode until my ears froze. Must keep the cold weather gear handy!
    April 19
    1.72 mi
    32.46 YTD

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  26. Beth, it was fun reading your riding adventures. You go girl. I agree the cold weather gear came back out. I even got to use my moms stirrup boot warmer invention and I must say I didn't feel they got as cold. Working on the neck and ear warmers next. Keep ridin'
    April

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    1. Oh yeah, have Mom work on ear warmers to wear with my helmet! I have the ones that clamp on around my neck but they feel like they are going to fall off all the time, then they do.

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    2. This is a little bit late...okay, a lotta bit late...but I wore one of the wide headbands under my helmet and they kept my ears toasty and it stayed in place. My newer helmet has the eleastic fitting stuff that I do NOT like as well as the ones I can manually adjust...and it felt GREAT with the head band. It is much warmer riding now....and bugs are biting. Ugh! Happy riding! Karen and Tripp and Wyoming (Hee hee! So happy Wy is in the mix now!)

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  27. Logen was stumbling a little and I'm not sure why, so we had a short ride. I checked her hooves and they are not hot or sore. She runs around her corral and the pasture like a "wild" Mustang. Maybe there's a still in the woods I don't know about!

    April 21
    1 mi
    33.46 YTD

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  28. We spent our lesson in the pasture down the road. Close enough to home for Logen to want to discuss things but far enough to see new territory and ride along tree lines and the gentle ups and downs of the land. We were near a tree line when Logen did an immediate whoa of her own. Something was in the woods. Then she decided she was outta there and I could come along if I wanted to. I told her it was just a deer and we did circles and serpentine patterns but she would not let go of her thoughts. So we circled and serped home and while we were turning I saw two humans walking out of the woods. Once again my smart girl has proven me wrong, ha ha!

    April 26
    3.36 mi
    YTD 36.82

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  29. Yesterday was Logen's birthday, she is eight years young. Today we had a MAJOR spook! We were riding on a hillside in grass about eight inches tall and we flushed out a bird. Logen jumped to the left and my ankle went out that direction (toward downhill) then she bolted to the right uphill. Whee! I gained our composure pretty quickly and was glad I stuck in our saddle (no injury to either of us)! Then I laughed at our fun! We also practiced water crossings, water over her pasterns, and she did great. She ran up the bank a little but I was please with our progress. Rode in shirtsleeves again today. I hear our weather will get very cold my the end of the week when my friend and I have an obstacle clinic and trail ride with our horses!
    April 28
    2.88 mi
    YTD 39.70

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  30. We had a lovely ride at dusk. We scared a bunny rabbit, or perhaps he scared us, I'm not sure of the order of the events. This was our best ride yet, Logen was with me most of the time!
    May 7
    2.15 mi
    YTD 41.85

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  31. An awesome ride after our lesson. I think Logen and I passed a milestone. We rode in our fav pasture and went farther and she was listening to me very well, especially since we were away from her herd, but not that far away. I love my girl!
    May 10
    3.7 mi
    YTD 45.55

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  32. Obstacle clinic and trail ride day! The strong wind made the obstacles all the more fun. Logen gave me a lot of try and we had a lot of success. I am so pleased with her with-me-ness!
    May 11
    5.84 mi
    YTD 51.39

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  33. We had our date with our trainer but the rest of the weekend I was a grumpy sick girl so no riding. Bummer
    May 17
    2.74
    YTD 54.13

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  34. Back to the round pen for more learning. We worked on turn on the forehand and Logen listening to me while walking on a completely lose rein, how exciting!

    may 24
    1.4 mi
    YTD 55.53

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  35. Windy from the south but a perfect day for a.ride. We reviewed Friday's lesson in the rounded then worked in the field across the road. I say worked because Logen does not like to ride away from her herd so we did serps and circles. Logen got a rinse afterward. Trail Ride tomorrow!
    May 25
    3.35 mi
    58.88 YTD

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  36. trail ride today!! 7 miles of heaven with friends. We stuck our toes in a Kansas ocean and recovered from 2 "mountain lions"--riders who passed behind us on adjoining trail. The rain took a holiday and everyone had a great time! DD rider Moonlight Mustang guided us and we yelled yeehaw to Mustang Dreams who started her ride at the same time but in a different state.
    May 26
    6.98 miles
    YTD 65.86

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  37. Today we worked on turn on the forehand, and it is coming easier for both of us. Next issue is when I want to ride down the road .25 miles to the neighbors--lots of discussion. Becky told us how to work this so Logen leans we on my agenda and she can still be a calm horse. Sunday was a four-hoof trim, all by myself!
    June 7
    2.54 miles
    YTD 68.4

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  38. Beth, you and Logen are doing great! Keep up the good work! When April needs a rest from me riding with her in spirit, I am with you and Logen! :-)
    Karen and Tripp who thinks the Derby is hard work! ;-)

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    1. Thanks, Karen!!! One day we will ride together! Right Logen is thankful I don't have a trailer and she is worried about all this truck I'm talking.

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  39. June 21
    1.6 miles
    June 23
    2.64 miles
    YTD 72.64 miles

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  40. Don't know what happened, your miles are recorded, but something wigged out when I carried it over. I will make sure you are listed in the next update :-)

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  41. Beautiful Kansas Weather! I wish I could have ridden longer! It's a little harder to find local places to ride. The crops have been planted and not all of the hay has been baled. I shut off the other horses and we rode in the 17 acre pasture dong circles around the round bales. This was next door to Logen's herd so we had some discussion :/ We are trotting in the round pen, finally! And we exited and entered the pen while I was mounted, wah-hoo!
    Friday June 28
    2.5 miles
    Saturday June 29
    4.58 miles
    Sunday June 30
    2.82 miles
    YTD 82.54

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  42. Getting HOT!
    July 4
    2.2 miles
    July 5
    2.3 miles
    July 7
    2.94 miles
    YTD 89.98

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    1. Beth, you and Logen are kicking some miles butts! Woo hoo! Keep up the good work! You have moved forward one hoof at a time and look at you two now! Yay!

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  43. Awesome trail ride on a Belgian draft mare, Jessi. Total mountain ascent was 3,000 feet. Distance? 16 beautiful mountain miles!!!! But I do miss my adorable Logen
    August 10
    16 miles
    105.98 YTD

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    1. Beth, you broke 100! Awesome job girl!!!! Woo hoo!

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    2. Thanks! I hope we get in lots of trail rides. Logen does much better when I get her away from home.

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  44. Congrats on getting over 100 miles :-)

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  45. Friday lesson after 1.5 weeks layoff. the. The groundwork I did the. last two nights was helpful.
    August 16
    .75 miles

    Sunday trail ride!! Four friends and our Mustangs. We almost had 2 more show up!
    August 18
    7.29 miles
    115.02 YTD

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  46. It's stinking hot and humid, I'm sure others are going through it too. Logen and I are taking little training rides working through a few moves and refining. She's getting a rinse off when we are done.

    August 23
    1.17 Miles

    August 25
    1.49 miles
    YTD 117.68

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  47. A horsefly decided to be our guide recently. Good practice for me, but Logen and I were both pretty perturbed by it. It wouldn't land long enough for me to smack it silly. Last night we had a nice little ride before dark in the small pasture.

    August 31,
    1.96 miles
    September 3
    1.2 miles

    YTD 120.84

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  48. TRAIL RIDES!
    Sept 7
    6 miles
    Sept 8
    3.12 miles (DQ, did not finish)

    129.96 YTD

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  49. Sept 13
    1.5 Miles
    Sept 14
    1.73 miles
    Sept 15 (trail ride!)
    7.96 miles

    141.15 YTD

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  50. A delightful little ride last night. Big moon, not muggy, pleasant temp. I'm glad we went out!
    Sept 18
    1.52 miles
    YTD 142.67

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  51. Whoops I've been forgetting to log miles!
    Oct 20 TRAIL RIDE with my special friend, Karen, and Tripp, and Wyoming. A neat day, I now own a horse trailer for Logen!
    6.1 miles
    YTD 148.77

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  52. Nov 2, TRAIL RIDE with special friend KC
    6.58 mi
    Nov 3, TRAIL RIDE with friends April and Karen, "Yowsa!"
    7 miles
    YTD 162.35

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    1. Ha ha! The first thing the girl in the ER said when she saw my tweaked wrist was "Yowsa!"

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