This can be summed up really quickly and easily…
Highs: XC Schooling
Lows: Feeling like utter poop
I’ve been feeling a little meh since I got back from Philly but Sunday it seemed to move from annoying allergy like symptoms to full blown My Lungs are Broken with all kinds of interesting fluids leaking from my face. Of course I have way too much work to do to take an actual sick day (ha, I even worked half a day on Sunday) so I’ve just quarantined myself in my office. Maybe if I cough loudly enough people will leave me alone. I almost never get sick so surely it’ll go away soon. I hope so, I have a lesson tonight.
Enough whining, back to the fun stuff.
Saturday four of us from the barn loaded up and headed a couple hours down the road to XC school. We haven’t been out XC since our event last November, so it was good to knock some of the dust off. Henry started off a little behind the leg but found his groove and popped right over everything. We kept it pretty easy and simple especially considering that with all the rain in the past few months we’ve hardly jumped much, period. Or ridden much, period.
I’m kind of reconsidering my spring show plan too, but feeling indecisive about exactly what to do. I don’t think I’m really ready to think about it, I feel so behind the ball at this point from the lack of consistent riding. At least the weather for the past week has been good, and the next week looks great too, so maybe things will finally start to smooth out.
I’m also strongly considering buying the PS of Sweden hackamore bridle and switching the regular mechanical hackamore sides for either star hackamore rings
or Orbitless rings
I still really prefer jumping him bitless, but the mechanical hackamore is too much leverage and the sidepull isn’t enough whoa for XC. I was thinking maybe something like this would be a good in between option since it’s got a little bit of leverage but not a lot. Thoughts?
Also – if anyone out there would be interested in trading a dressage Ogilvy for one of my jumper Ogilvy’s, let me know! Otherwise, darn it, I guess I’ll just have to buy another one…
breedrideevent.com 
I have no experience with those rings, but they seem like a great idea! I have no Ogilvy to trade….But there may be one in the mail on its way to me…woot woot! Hope you feel better soon!
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Sorry to hear you’re not feeling well….I swear it wasn’t the northeast that did it to you! Haha.
1.) Those $900FBP saddle pads are AWESOME!
2.) YAY for XC schooling, you and Henry look bad ass
3.) Super jealous that you have 60 and 70 degree weather headed your way. This morning I almost busted my ass walking out to my car because we have a sh*t ton of ice and freezing rain. Fantastic.
4.) “Oh darn, I’ll have to add another Ogilvy to my collection.” And I’m shocked that you’re buying an PS bridle 😉 #firstworldriderproblems
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It was definitely Philly that did it to me.
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don’t think it was Philly but maybe the walking tour of Valley Forge in 20 degree weather/?? HMMMMM??
🙂
PS I want a pad with the logo on it and send me the link for the bonnets when you get a chance 🙂
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First of all, I am so in love with your logo and your pad. Like is it weird I want one? 😉
XC schooling looked like fun! I am so envious of your weather. With that forecast I am sure you will get plenty of time in the saddle.
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XC looked like fun! I really like those hackamores, seems like a perfect middle ground
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Logo looks great embroidered!
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Very similar to the LG Zaum I used on Fiction before (technically the same). I found that it acted more like a sidepull than anything else and the reins moved awkwardly. Didn’t work for me, but may work for Henry!
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I’d love it if it acted mostly like a sidepull with a little bit of leverage in the whoa.
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Ogilvy pad or half pad? I have a dressage pad with the memory foam inserts I would sell :).
As for the bit, I say mechanical because if you don’t need it, then don’t touch it…but things change on cross and you may wish you had those brakes. Bit suggestions, happy mouth Mullen mouth for a horse that is super sensitive!
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I definitely want an Ogilvy. As to the mechanical -even very light contact tends to get him curled up behind the bit, which is the last thing I want when cantering up to a solid fence, so I don’t want to use it on XC. I tried a happy mouth mullen on him a couple times and he totally hated it… I think it was too much plastic in his tiny mouth. Honestly, even the Nathe he goes in now is a little too much most of the time.
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I meant…Ogilvy dressage pad or Ogilvy half pad(like dressage Ogilvy hp) LOL… Have you tried a waterford? I know what you mean about the curling up, my old guy did that with everything except the mullen mouth…it’s hard to find a bit that works. Whats his mouth shaped like? Small lips? Low palate?
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Ogilvy dressage shaped half pad. Did try a waterford yes, he thought he was going to die. He has a very low palate and very little room for a bit in general, which I think is why he’s never particularly loved anything of the milllions I’ve tried. Dentist recommended a very thin bit but I don’t find that he’s any better in that. The two best are the Nathe and a thin eggbutt but he’s still just light years better bitless than he is in any bit.
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My guy William is the same…tiny little mouth and low palate. It’s a struggle. He wasn’t fan of the hackamore either. I would think some showjumper out there has a modified hackamore that might work…wish you luck in finding something that works.
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Those star/orbitless rings are interesting! I’ve never seen that before.
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Interesting set up! Love the saddle pad!
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Soooo happy my horse wears bits. I can’t even imagine.
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I haven’t looked since I don’t like loose ring, but is there a difference in thickness between the nathe and the sprenger duo? I currently have some kind of no name knock off mullen D that is still slightly thick for Stampede. Also, I haven’t looked into it but one of the tack shops in my area started carrying Beris bits which supposedly come in various thicknesses and flexibilities. Stampede used to curl behind the bit when I had a happy mouth but the additional flex to this other knock off bit I have really helps. If/when he goes back to work I plan to get him the Sprenger Duo.
Where can you get those bitless rings? I ride P in a sprenger short shank sometimes but I would prefer to have less leverage. I already use a leather chin strap. I have been keeping an eye out for a cheap sidepull noseband, but the rings look interesting.
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Logo looks awesome embroidered – now to get it on all the things so your fan club can be readily recogniseable when stalking you guys at events ☺
PS: how’s that list of awesome euro shopping sites you mentioned last post coming along? Honestly I need that list like a hole in the head – but you are an awesome bargain hunter and if i can piggy – back i wanna know where all the fun stuffs can be found! *pretty-please-with-a-cherry-on-top*
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I had actually forgotten about that, so I’m glad you asked!
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I REALLY love the saddle pad embroidery. It looks very very cool.
So does that ring go on just a regular side-pull? Or does it need its own special bridle so that there’s more leverage?
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It can go on a regular bridle, just needs a strap across the nose and under the chin. You could easily use curb straps for that if you didn’t want to buy the special ones that they make for them.
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the logo turned out SO WELL!!! really interesting bitless options too – might look into them myself as my mare felt slightly overwhelmed after our first outing with the new (so-heinous-it’s-awesome) mechanical hack…
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This is a link to a woman who rides dressage and endurance. She talks about a slightly different style of the ring hackmore.
http://fit2continue.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-whole-bitless-better.html
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Have you looked into a bit with a rolled leather mouth piece? The it gives you the whoa but since ties leather it’s soft and forms to his mouth. I know an eventer in TN that uses one on her mare.
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I’m bringing my horse and moving in with you! We had so much snow here last night and it’s only going to get above 0 celcius mid march *Cries* I need to ride!!! AHHHHH. Awesome logo btw! I am also interested in going bitless, although I have 0 experience with it….
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