Throw back post: Phillip Dutton Clinic

I didnt sit completely idle this winter...in addition to playing around bridleless with Tillie, I decided to go ahead and do a near by clinic with Phillip Dutton. What the heck right?

Well turns out, it was the shittiest weather day one could hope for doing anything outside. Poor Phillip had to be miserable because even riding wasnt pleasant. It was COLD and raining...and not just like overcast drizzling type raining. But like solid steady cold rain.

Meeting and greeting...the Giant dinasour is Emma from fraidy cat eventing.

Phillip was running each session like clockwork. Keeping the train moving I am sure in an effort to get the F out of the rain. The exercises he had set up were interesting and ones I am keeping in my tool box for sure...but I dont think we got the full experience with the crappy weather.

We were trying to make the best of it though!

The gist of the entire clinic was ride into your corners. He literally had cones set up like I do to my little kids to force us all to use the corners...and it is kind of amazing how much it took effort. Funny how much you don't realize you have a bad habit until someone calls it out.

You can see Phillip Dutton at Tillie's butt hollering at us from his megaphone.

Tillie was HOT this day...likely because it was so cold, not being ridden super consistently and needing her hocks done. She has never been a fan of cold weather and always comes out really tense and forward on colder days or mornings. But what told me she needed her hocks done (her tell tail sign) is the landing and dropping.

Yea we got our hocks injected a few days later lol

 For warm up he was very adamant about ridability...could you go forward and back in the canter. Could you leg yield. And my most favorite - can you ride with no stirrups. I wont lie it took a few mental quick pep talk phrases before I took my feet out...like excuse me sir? You want me to do what while its raining on the back of my fire breathing dragon?

But Tillie was a champ and didnt care...go figure

Leg yielding exercice

From there we did a line with three jumps with the center one offset...which was interesting. Also Tillie and I completely took out a standard which mortified me. But you know, no biggie, just an olympic medalist having to clean up my mess. Then tell me to do it again. Famous last words...

Tillie and I taking out the standard. Yep - that happened.

 Well I stayed on and it did get better....

Then we moved on to adjustability in a line. Could you come in and get 4 strides, then come back and do 5? Tillie nailed it as did everyone else in the group!

Tillie's mare glare is strong...

 So all in all not the most pleasant experience. But you know us eventers ride in anything so we made the best of it. I do hope to clinic with him again someday hopefully when its nicer out and allows more time to get feedback.

And huge shout out to Austen for capturing the day and very soggy moments!

You get what you put in

Sooo much exciting stuff happening on our end over here that I don't even know where to begin or if I can fit it all in one post.

So for now, all I will say is I have a few lesson posts to update you all on where we are under saddle that will be forthcoming...and Ill have time to finally do it with Tillie needing a few days off starting tomorrow.

Just a preview from our XC lesson last saturday

No worries, Tillie is in pretty darn good health according to my vet. Better yet, she is sound and he couldn't be more happy to see how she is moving. After some flexion tests and discussing some various conversations with my trainers recently we touched on injections.

I knew injections would be needed eventually and have started preparing myself, and bank account for when that time would come. I figured by next year, and wasn't all that surprised with the recommendation that she could start this year as well.

Those hocks get a lot of use

I have had the injection conversation with all of my trainers at this point...and they all agreed that if my bank account was up for it, maybe now wouldn't be such a bad time to give them a try.

I have touched on some recent frustrations with being able to half halt my horse when it comes to jumping. It has improved a lot, but two of my trainers suggested I have her SI, stifles and hocks examined since her answer always seems to be unload the hind end and lean on my hands down...rule out pain and all that first right?

Like this example from sometime earlier this season

So answers have been found and after some deliberation, Ill be having Tillie's hocks done tomorrow. I am fortunate I have two vets I use one being SUPREMELY reasonable on pricing and very affordable. Hopefully shell only be laid up a few days before we are back at it!

At least our lesson Saturday was a good last lesson before shes laid up for a bit

With all that said, I am very excited about it...and nervous because what horse mom wouldn't be!? Dom is also eager to see how it will help us with some of our recent training struggles...although some recent tack changes have seemed to significantly improve some of these. More on that to come soon!

So any one else do join injections? If so, how did you decide on when to start them and how often?