Day 2

Yesterday was jump school day.

We love jump school days. Hehe. It was a gorgeous day too, warm but not too warm, and it cooled off quickly by the time I was turning River back out a little after 7. He was quite giraffe-y and looky at the beginning but chilled out eventually and we put in some nice work over two baby cross-rails. Set up some cavaletti too, but they were too close for anything but walk (I'm still figuring out his stride) and I was too lazy we didn't have time to get off and change them.

I do believe he may learn to be a jumper despite me--it's adorable to watch him already start to prick his ears and lock on as we come onto the line for the baby rails. Right now it's leg, leg, leg to keep him from slowing down and walking over, but he never ever stops. Just very slow and very careful to organize all the legs before we jump over the thing. ;P

I on the other hand am obviously weak in my position and was kind of flailing all over the place. More two-point drill for me. I'm also going to watch a lesson with another instructor tomorrow--she is a hunters and jumpers instructor and we'll see how it turns out, if it's good I will try to start riding with her occasionally.

Overall a good day and we had fun. :)

We're Back, Hello Hello

Proof that he's alive

Huh well then that was a bit longer absence than expected.

Contrary to what may be popular opinion, the Creature is still here and quite alive and we found a splendid part-board place for him that I am quite tickled with. He's maintaining weight beautifully, his feet are much better (even though our new farrier is not so good as our old one), and I am even getting back into riding lessons periodically. Some dressage work is doing us both good, and he's popping over baby cross-rails like no big deal. We've been on a few little trail rides and we even gave my best friend her first unofficial riding lesson.

I'm having a tough semester for reasons that shall be elaborated on later perhaps. For right now I'll just say I'm not currently teaching and that was not my first choice. But it gives me more time for Monster. I don't know how long we'll be here, but it is a good place for him and I'm trying to enjoy it while we've got it.

As part of trying to hold my mental and emotional game together (lack of outside structure + incredibly unstable future plans = highly stressed me), I'm throwing some more jumping and dressage practice in. Much as I do enjoy dressage, I'm no good at doing it independently yet, and jumping will always be my first love. I know enough dressage to mostly hold us together at the moment, so I think it's time to diversify and experiment. And as part of trying to remain accountable to myself (ha ha), I'm going to try to post on our rides, even just a little blurb. So here's to returning to blogging (maybe)!

Good Rides, New Things, Question

We haven't been riding as much as I'd like (do we ever?) but our rides have been great!

We've been out in the fields, trotting in the fields with no runaway nonsense, on trail rides, and in the arena. River's trot-walk transitions are doing much better and he's beginning to learn walk-halt properly (right now we do a lot of circling!). Canter is still a work in progress--his canter is sooo lovely but he doesn't have the strength to carry himself properly in it for very long, so we don't do a lot of it. He played lesson horse when my grandparents and brother came out to see him--and decided he doesn't like that at. all. ;) He was good though!

Sunday we put him over his first tiny baby crossrail under saddle! He's been over them in the round pen before, but not with me aboard. He was an absolute champ, very brave on the approach, trotted right up and over it, no big deal at all.

The grass sugar has been doing a bit of a number on his feet. :( They're not bad--he's fine in the arena or on softer surfaces--but he is a bit more ouchy than he was during the winter. I may need to get him boots for summertime; we'll see. However, he is gaining lots of weight and otherwise looking fantabulous, so I'm not complaining!

And, finally got a decent sweat mark on him and my saddle apparently bridges on the middle sides. It's not making him sore but still. :( Boo. I'm thinking a shimmed pad may be the way to go since he's still gaining weight and also since I don't have the money for a new saddle right now! Any suggestions? What have you used and like/don't like?

Those Goals

The other afternoon I went down to the local TSC (all we've got for feed store, but better than nothing right?!) to get River some thrush medicine--he had a very minor case going on and making him ouchy. It's much better now! Anyway, while buying many things I didn't initially intend to (oops, lol), I met some folks I used to ride with at the old barn. And that made me lonely for Coach, and for my old riding buddies; even if they weren't my level, they were someone to ride with. And that almost made me sad, so I came up with some goals instead to distract myself. Besides, it's getting toward winter and we need something to keep us going. Winter here is theoretically much easier than in Michigan, but really it sucks because nobody in my immediate area has nice indoor arenas, so you have to ride in the frigidness. Well, nobody has them except the really-expensive-barn-folks, which we are decidedly not.

Anyhow, without further ado, the goals:

Both of Us Goals:

• One or two lessons with Coach over Thanksgiving and/or Christmas breaks (depending on how River's goals go...)
• Dressage video lesson sometime this winter??
• Increase fitness
• Regular riding schedule

River Goals:

• School walk/halt/backing transitions till they're soft and easy(ish)
• Hill work, trot/canter sets, and general conditioning work
• School walk/trot transitions 
• Stretches and massage regularly--loosen up that back and hind end!

Me Goals:

• Finish out the 2-Point Challenge this month!
• No-Stirrup November next month?? (eeks...can't believe I'm actually thinking about that...)
• Figure out just how River likes his feet trimmed so they continue to improve
• Strength training and stretches/yoga--alternate days so I'm doing something 5-6 days a week

We'll see how all that goes, especially my fitness--it's one thing for me to work on getting my pony fit, quite another to commit to my own torture. Haha. And if I can really find the time, especially after the time change!

Good, Bad, Yesterday

Old picture, but old picture is better than no picture right?!

 --Yesterday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day so no school! I went to do community service with a group from my college.  Good! :)
--Silly organizers thought I could survive working hard from 9 till 3 with no lunch.  Bad. :(
--Cleared brush at the therapeutic riding center instructor D runs and got a whole lot done.  Good!
--Got extremely sore and exhausted from clearing brush for 5 hours straight with no lunch.  Bad. :(

Part of our awesome brush-clearing job!

 --Went for lesson right afterwards (after wolfing down a bit of spaghetti).  Good! :)
--Coach told me to ride Tanner and he's strong.  My arms....! Bad!
--Switched off to Fringe because she was being hot and intimidating the girl who was riding her.  Fringey-goose calmed down somewhat once I told her off of her naughtiness. Good!
--She still pulled my arms off, generally speaking.  Bad.
--Rode with a bunch of other people of varied skill levels in the ring and she was (overall) decent.  Good!
--She tried to kick a little girl and her pony.  BAD!  Bad bad Fringe! Lol fortunately she didn't actually but came too close for my comfort!
--Trotted 18" jumps with a little tiny tiny spread (about 6" or so) and she actually started jumping them and cantering off!!  YAY good good good! :)
--Had one refusal when I had my crop in the wrong hand and couldn't use it to correct her diving out.  Bad.
--Went for a nice trail ride since she was blowing pretty hard and she was fantastic, not worried at all.  Good good!
--Discovered Rhapsody's catch halter is now off.  BAD bad bad bad ughhh well I know what I'm doing on Friday...

So tired of seeing this...!

That was pretty much how yesterday went.  Lol.  Overall it was good, but I was utterly fried by the time I got to bed.  I did find the catch halter and stuck it in my hidey-hole so nobody should take it.  It's nobody's fault it's off; one of the students took Rhapsody out and apparently hadn't heard the stories that are flying about how terrible she is and how much she needs a catch halter.  ;)  Eavesdropping on stories about your own project horse is highly amusing; I recommend it to anyone in need of a chuckle or--ok it's true--a good ego boost!  

Well it's off and running again for us I guess.  I am 100% planning on getting the halter back on Rhapsody, but if it's pouring rain I won't go.  We'll just have to wait and see.  Wish us luck! :)

Goals for Winter 2012-13

So everyone knows that wintertime is pretty much training time, unless you live in a super-horsey area where they have fun shows all through the winter.  And we don't live in such a place.  Well there is one barn that keeps saying they're going to have a winter schooling show series, but so far they've canceled it two months in a row.  That doesn't make us happy.  But...anyway. 

Wintertime is schooling time.  Therefore I am coming up with some goals for this winter's schooling, for myself and for the ponies.  Everybody says good goals are SMART--Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-centered--well I don't know as all of these are SMART, but for me to set any goals is pretty exciting!

For Mwah:

• School verticals to 2' or higher
• Work on oxers
• Strengthen my position and leg
• Transitioning in and out of two-point on the flat
• More stirrupless and bareback work, especially at trot and with just one stirrup

Fringe (mostly mounted work):

• Work bareback all three gaits
• Do trail rides at least a couple times a month
• Jump crossrails and verticals to 18" at trot and canter
• Work on getting her slightly quicker off the leg
• Desensitizing to crop

Rhapsody:
Groundwork:

• Get a breakaway catch halter on her  done!
• Catching work--catch, treats/petting/grooming, release
• Learn all 7 Parelli games
• Further desensitization

Mounted work:

• Walk/trot patterns
• Loose-rein work
• One-rein stop at walk
• Half-halts at walk/trot/canter
• Canter work on the rail

Brandi:
Groundwork:

• Learn all 7 Parelli games
• Stand nicely for mounting, both from block and from ground
• Cross-tie well and calmly
• Thorough desensitization program

Mounted work:

• Walk/trot patterns
• Loose-rein work
• One-rein stop at halt and walk
• Sustained canter on the rail

Should keep me busy enough I think.  Plus exercising my favorite Miss Lass whenever requested. :)  Does anybody else have goals for this winter's schooling?...or summer's schooling if you live in the southern half of the world?

Fun with Lass

Oh my goodness I love this horse!  :)

We're back jumping together again!  I've been waiting for this day for ages! 

Now it means no more Lass free rides, which is sad; I'm currently going through a bit of withdrawals as I'm not going to be riding till Friday.  Haha.  But it's worth it!

Sunday I went out and rode her a bit over jumps, and dragged the Brother along as my spotter/photographer.  Lovely ride and she was obviously just as happy to be back as I was.  :)

Forgive my position, I don't know what happened to it here! :P

Then we had lesson on Monday.  Gymnastic again.  I am bored silly of the gymnastic.  Lol.  Usually Coach doesn't have us do the same thing three lessons in a row, but we were riding with a different group and they hadn't done it yet.  So Lass and I demonstrated and it was fun.  Didn't go much above 12-18" as one of the girls had a pretty good fall when her horse bucked going through it, and Lass is after all still coming back into work.  We had just one "moment" where I took a bit too much of a hold on her mouth between jumps, after which she was a bit grumpy.  But overall a great lesson and a great way to come back!  Also I got to ride in Coach's saddle, which has officially spoiled me for life.  Especially compared to the rock-hard, awkward saddle I usually ride in.  ;)

Happy.  :)  I love this horse.  Have I said I love this horse?!  And I'm insanely glad that she's back!  And Rhapsody came up to me in the pasture when I went out to get Lass, too, and let me scratch her face!  I suppose this is why horses are addictive. ;)

Next Level...I Hope??

Had lesson today with another girl I haven't ridden with before.  Rode the Mr. Wild through a variation on the same gymnastic we did last week--pole, bounce, vertical, bounce to about a 20-24" vertical in the middle and about two strides to a smaller crossrail at the end, followed by a diagonal one-jump line.  Overall it went well.  We had our moments of everything-going-right and many more moments of everything-going-not-quite-right!  Haha!  Nevertheless Wild is pretty good about telling me when I'm riding really badly, and there were only a few times today where he "hinted" that I might be getting too close to his limits (fortunately his hints consist only of hyper squirrelly-ness, nothing dangerous!) Coach was hinting that we would do "fun" things like riding the gymnastic without reins and/or stirrups, the ideas of which, to be honest, scared me to death!  I was almost glad we didn't ride so well so I didn't have to do that--especially the no-stirrups stuff.  I think I should at least be able to canter stirrup-less before I go jumping without the things!

Yes I have ridden for 7 years and never had a canter session without stirrups.  Don't ask.  I think everybody's assumed someone else already taught me that stuff.  Well...that is my big secret...ha.

I really feel like I have gone downhill in my riding skills but I think it must just be that I've hit the "next level" and therefore have more to think about.  When I look back over the last almost-year of riding (it's been nearly a year with Coach! Can't believe it!), I know I've improved massively.  Now I'm just struggling because I can really only focus on one thing at a time.  If I focus on squeezing my ankles to ask for the jump, I round my back.  If I focus on arching my back, I don't release in time.  If I focus on releasing, I misjudge my distances or round my back or forget to squeeze!  Or all of the above!  Ha.  There's just much more to focus on these days.  So I dearly hope that means I'm at least playing around with a higher level than I've been at.  If not I should have to be sad.  Haha.

Also gave Lass her little workout and she was very nice, sound and forward.  Coach says I can canter her on Wednesday if I can make it out. :)  Definitely planning on it.  Might get some Rhapsody time in while I'm at it, too! 

Two Feet!!

At long last! Still need to strengthen my position a lot.  But the point is we jumped two feet! 

Fringe & Rhapsody Work

So I put Fringe over a little jump again last lesson.  She was being supremely lazy which didn't help matters; however I have been having difficulty managing my own energy levels, which doesn't help me much when I need to ride lazy horses!  So we trotted over the baby jump many times and once or twice actually got a jump over it.  Haha.  Coach put her over once or twice and actually managed to get Fringe's feet off the ground both times. 

Ay well I should rather that she be lazy than crazy spooky.  Even got out the crop today and she wasn't much worried by it, at least on the shoulder.  Behind my leg she was a little nervous but got over it quickly.  After half an hour or so of jump practice, we pulled off her tack and I walked and trotted her around the arena bareback.  And she was super good.  She called a lot to the other horses but wasn't worried by the lack of a saddle at all.  Impressive since she's only been ridden bareback once before this (early this past summer).

Then I went off to Rhapsody, who Coach had kept in but hadn't been able to work.  She was a crazy nut having been inside all day, but after a long time of Friendly game in the round pen, she calmed down quite a bit.  Then I worked a bit on moving off direct pressure--she is super sensitive to that; I hope we can make it a good thing--and bending to a stop.  I like to teach all my "babies" to bend to a stop as I'm personally a pretty big fan of the one-rein stop.  No, it's not perfect...but it can sure help!

So we did that a while but then kids started running around climbing trees and horses were going out to the fields and Rhapsody lost focus.  So I went back to Friendly till she calmed a bit, then took her up to the barn, groomed her, and managed to get her out of the barn without killing anyone.  Seriously, I need to come up with some good way to announce to everyone in hearing range that "I'm working with a crazy young horse right now, GET OUT OF MY WAY!"  Ha.  Maybe running over a couple people once or twice would help? Just kidding, I promise...

After that, Rhapsody was entirely un-calm.  So the trip up to the field with Huge Dog (which I've never actually seen but it has a monstrous voice) barking behind the hedge, and the world nearly dark, and hyper pony trying to gallop down the way...was...interesting.  But we didn't die nor did we get hurt.  Then hyper pony decided to run off before I'd finished taking off the halter, which was also...interesting...however I got the sense to let go before she ripped my arms out, and fortunately the (nice) halter fell off of itself.  I have to come up with a way to cure her of that habit!  Any ideas??

Overall happy with the evening though.  And now I shall close this incredibly long epistle and get ready to ride tomorrow!  Hopefully I can catch Rhapsody again and we'll have fewer shenanigans! :)

Almost

Almost we got to a show this weekend!  A very small deal close to home but still.  However the matter of trailering proved our downfall, as neither Coach nor I have a rig and so we stay dependent on the generosity of others.  Poor Coach.  I feel very sorry for her; she tried so hard.  She is trying so hard.  I have the most awesome Coach, in case anybody was wondering whether I still think that. :)

Rode Rusty last lesson as he was my second choice for the ended-up-non-existent show.  And I have more or less remembered how to jump, thank goodness!  We weren't flawless and my back still needs serious help but much better than before.  That's a relief! In the meantime I practice sitting and standing correctly.  Sigh, bad posture strikes again.  Anybody who knows how to fix my rounded back please let me know!

Miss Lass was going sound over the weekend!  Yay!  Especially yay because Coach is trying to get us to a show next Sunday and I should feel much better riding Lass than riding Rusty as I haven't had lessons or free rides on Rusty regularly at all.  

A rainy start to the week, so we wait, and hopefully plan out our show for next Sunday! :)

Overthinking

Had lesson on Wednesday this week because it was so terribly cold and windy Monday and Tuesday (leftovers from Hurricane Sandy I believe), and we have only the outdoor arenas, so we cancelled Monday lesson. 

So on Wednesday I went over and rode Mr. Wild again.  We had some great flatwork at first at walk and trot; I pretty much know how to get him on the bit now and after I get him on the bit I can let the rein out gently and he will stretch down nicely.  He even kept himself stretched down a bit from time to time, which is huge for him!  He is a master of the ostrich neck.  Ha.  But there was very nearly no ostrich on Wednesday, even though we were trotting poles and doing circles.  Naturally I was very happy about that! 

Then we went on to do a very simple, very small figure-8 course.  And there is where I lost it.  I do not know what happened to my ability to jump.  It's just gone!  It's immensely frustrating!  I guess I wasn't doing as badly as I used to, because Wild wasn't getting squirrelly and wasn't diving out on jumps, but it felt dreadful nonetheless.  Maybe it feels worse because now I know how it's supposed to feel.  I was behind him, ahead of him, holding him back, releasing too soon, doing everything but riding with him doing what I was supposed to do!  Sheesh poor horse.  He was very patient with me, thank goodness.  And we did have about three good jumps out of the whole time.  Two of them were the last line we did, which was a good note to end on. 

I think I'm overthinking the whole jumping thing.  I'm picking it to pieces and then I have to think about each piece as I'm riding.  Just doesn't work.  I know how to do it, I know how to do it well.  I just have to quit thinking and ride!  Ha.  :)

On a better note, I rode the Bay Boy a little bit and he was good!  No bucking and a very nice, free canter.  Yay!  So apparently I have not lost all my riding ability; that gives me hope that jumping shall return to me when I start just riding.  ;)  And I'm supposed to start riding Paradox and Rhapsody again.  :)  Maybe I will get some pictures.  I keep trying but it keeps not working...haha...

In Which We Finally Leave Home...

Well not really.  Just drove a few miles up the road for a lesson elsewhere.  But it was still kind of exciting! The middle-and-high school IEA team was having a jump lesson at our local equestrian facility and Coach kindly told me I could come too.  So I did of course.  ;) 

I rode Lucky, a little Pony of the Americas that I haven't ridden in forever, since she was sold.  And tried to remember what it's like to ride a lazy pony.  Gah it has been too long.  I could barely get her going well forward for the life of me, forget really in front of my leg!  Ha so that was kind of frustrating especially as we were jumping some bigger (not huge okay, just like going on 20"-2') jumps and every last time we'd get up to a rail she would start looking at it all funny and thinking about stopping.  Cross-rails were okay, but not those verticals!  Sigh...she wasn't like this last I rode her; then she was super eager to jump anything.  Don't know whether it was me or her.  I was exhausted all day so that definitely didn't help matters. 

However!  We didn't actually have any stops although she thought about it a lot, so that was a good victory!  And toward the end she started to go more forward on the flat.  If we'd had more time to remember my Pony Club kicks and how to use a crop, maybe I would have been able to get her more forward over the jumps.  Lol.  ;)  My jumping form was also a bit "rusty," to borrow Coach's word;  I blame that on my general tiredness and stiffness.  I think I need to jump a bit more, maybe jump some more lazy horses!  :) 

I should be going to groom and do warm-up rides at a show this Sunday but I have a Biology field trip.  It would have to be this weekend!  Stupid college!  :P  So I am going to free-ride today instead, provided it doesn't rain.  Chao all and have a great weekend!

Back at Jumping

Fun times today!  I feared it was going to rain yet again but fortunately it didn't and we had some nice temperatures for riding (in the 50s/low 60s, I think we're all going to die of hypothermia) and not-too-slippery grass.  Went and rode with one of my younger friends, C, who's getting back into riding at least for the short-term.  She was working on canter on the rail and I got to ride Mr. Wild over some direct and bending-line courses. 

Wild and I have had our difficulties in the past; I like him to no end but was always holding him back too much and he would thereupon toss his head and get squirrely, refuse jumps, dive in, and generally throw a fit.  At first today we worked in the neck stretcher and he was very calm, sensible, and even a little slow; the Coach had to tell me to "get him to go a bit faster" over jumps.  After a bit Coach took off the neck stretcher and raised our verticals on the bending line to a quite respectable 18" (I have brushed 18" before but this was most definitely there, maybe a little higher), and we went round the course again.  Wild tried getting head-tossy but I decided to give him the reins and pretend we were riding a jumper course, and we promptly ripped through the first line like nobody's business.  Then slowed down a wee bit and finished up on the bending line with a great over-jump that surprised me just a bit, but I recovered well so they say and we finished up nicely. 

The Coach is happy.  So am I.  :)  And I'm hoping to go to a clinic with a local hunter-jumper judge in a couple weeks.  With Wild.  Should be interesting as he's not exactly your ideal hunter horse.  But we shall learn a lot I hope.  :)

Groundwork Reflections: Fringe

After my time with Rhapsody on Friday I went out to see what other havoc I could create with the ponies.  ;)  Since most everyone else and their horses were over getting ready for a show on Saturday, and/or horses were resting after chiropractor/farrier visits, I decided to go catch the Fringe for some groundwork.  If I must be honest I am dying to ride her bareback (yes, I am crazy), but decided to leave that for another day.  ;) 

Fringe was very eager to get going, unusual for her.  In fact when I picked up the halter to put it on her, she shoved her nose right into it--she has never done that before and has always been something of a lazy girl (except when she's trying to bolt to kingdom come) so I was delighted! 

We went to the barn, I groomed her lightly, and we went down to do groundwork in the round pen.  Though other people ride her occasionally, nobody else does groundwork with her, so I always have to do a bit of a "refresher course" when we get started again.  She did very nicely on most everything but I can begin to see where my inexperience has caused some problems.  She needs extra work on a couple basic areas--mostly moving off rhythmic "air" pressure--before we can do much more.  I tried doing some very basic lateral groundwork but she got utterly confused and unhappy, so I pulled back and we went over a little jump on-line instead.  Overall though I was very happy with her attitude and it left me very happy.  :)  A nice session and things to work on for next time. 

Some Days...

Last lesson (on Monday) was awesome.  Rode the Coach's Thoroughbred, had an utterly fantabulous time, and got some very nice (and exciting!!) positive feedback from the Coach herself.  Lovely day. 

The Coach then told me I could free-ride her horse today if nobody else needed ridden.  So as I got there when no one was around (as usual), I went off to see if I could get Rhapsody for groundwork. 

No luck.  Absolutely. no. luck.  She will take the treat, but then it's "no thanks" to anything else.  So I decided, fine, if that's going to be your attitude, I don't give freebies.  I'll catch you and then you'll get your treat.  No luck there either.  I feel like we've gone straight back to square one.  So frustrating, especially after all the progress we were making!

So eventually I gave up as we weren't making progress and there was nobody to help me, and caught the Coach's horse (who will do just about anything for a treat!) and brought her up.  But a little bit of groundwork showed that she was sore on the left front, so I did the groundwork, groomed her up, checked her hoof and leg, found nothing unusual, and turned her out, after writing a note to the Coach to let her know.  Annnd then I only had half an hour left, and the other horse I've been wanting to work was scheduled for a lesson, so I went home early.

Sucks.  Haha.  But I gave myself a good pep talk along the lines of, "Some days are like this, you need to accept that this feels bad and then recognize that you did the right thing as far as you knew to do it, and that's what counts," and now I feel better.  Plus it gave me time to clean up my dear old paddock boots I wear all the time, and they needed it.  And I developed a new plan for next Friday which hopefully will make it more productive than today!  

A Good Way to Start College Again

...is riding baby crossrails on the back of an adorable Arabian gelding who's currently not getting worked much because he's decided to start bucking. :)

I seriously need to get a picture of my latest "advanced project horse."  He is just so cute! 

Lesson today with another instructor since the Coach is out of town.  Between working on sitting all gaits correctly (post coming on that, I have discovered why bareback was always my nemesis!) and trying to ride proactively to avoid problems with the horse--to protect his reputation and whatever else, since he is for sale, I shall call him Bay Boy--I had a grand time jumping again and working the Bay Boy without restraint.  Usually, because of his head tossing and sometimes obnoxious tendencies, he's on a martingale or neck stretcher, but we couldn't find either, so I rode him in just a full-cheek snaffle bit and regular headstall. 

He really is good, he doesn't need the martingale if you keep your hands up and let him know once or twice that throwing his head in your face doesn't go.  He does need to learn to carry himself better but I seriously suppose he has some physical issues with the way he goes around with his head cocked to one side half the time when you take a feel of the reins, and a quarter of the time even with no pressure whatsoever.  Hopefully some chiropractic work will help him feel better and maybe help him carry himself better. 

We had fun though, he was really locking on to the crossrail, but also responding beautifully to half-halts from my seat and cantering off the jump nicely.  And I only got left behind once when he massively over-jumped the thing.  Ha.  One bucking session but it was my fault, I asked for too much bend in a canter circle and about the time I thought, Ooops, this is too small!  he slipped a bit and then started bucking.  Not a good response but at least I know what caused it. 

So the instructor is happy he got worked, I am happy he was good overall, hopefully he is happy he got hosed off well and put out to pasture with lots of grass.  ;)  School starts tomorrow but at the moment I feel like I can conquer the world.  Ha isn't it funny horses can make you feel so great one minute and then knock you right off your pedestal the next.  Guess it's what makes riding so addictive. ;)

Fringe--Jumping under Saddle

Well I thought I wouldn't do anything too exciting.  But we got out to lesson and the Coach is putting up her gymnastic line and me being me, decides, oh forget it, I'm going to try.  If my foot hurts I'll stop, that's the main thing.

So we did it!  Positioning ground pole, 4 trot strides (or 1-2 canter), crossrail, bounce, second crossrail, bounce, final pole and out.  Our first few tries were a bit goosey because we had other people coming in the ring and Fringe spooked a bit at that, but by the end I put her over it both directions and she went beautifully; acted like an old pro at this jumping thing despite the fact we had three other horses and junior riders, two instructors, two friends-or-relations, and a dog all running around our jump field.  The only bummer was that my foot started hurting at the end so I had to quit and couldn't put her over more. 

Not till we headed up to the barn after turning horses out did the Coach kindly tell me, "So how does it feel, you're the first person to jump Fringe!"

You didn't tell me THAT!  

Heh well actually it feels pretty awesome now that you mention it, and what's more I continue to be amazed and delighted that I can actually enjoy this jumping thing, even on a greener-than-grass ex-racehorse Arabian that two months ago nobody but me and the instructors would ride.  And what's even more have I said I am so proud of this Fringe girl?  Like so so proud.  She's getting prepped to go to the shows now.  Yay!  Even if I never get to show her myself I'm proud of her anyways.  :)   

happy

Sooo Monday we had a jump lesson.  And

MY CONFIDENCE CAME BACK!!!!

I can't precisely say just how exciting that is.  I have never been that confident in English saddle but have improved a lot since starting with the Coach.  However Monday was just something else.  Riding a big, hot, big-strided Thoroughbred who belongs to my trainer, and who was being somewhat strong and pushy, and jumping baby 12" courses at trot and canter, and I. didn't. care.  I have gotten my Invincible attitude back!  Wooo!  I think I may get back to being thoroughly in love with jumping yet. 

And, since that and training are the two main things I really really am absolutely fascinated with when it comes to horses, it's good I've come around and not let my silly little fears get in the way.  :) 

I am...I am delighted.  Actually something past delighted.  I have been in love with jumping ever since my unknowing parents innocently took me to a Richland Park event ever so many years ago.  We went for the cross-country day and that was just the end of that.  No matter it took me something like a year and a half (or more) of asking and working and trying, plus an interstate move, before I finally got to hop over anything more than a ground pole (my dear trainer D. wanted me to stick with Western and training and not leave her barn, if I don't miss my guess!).  No matter that speed freezes every brain cell in my mind.  No matter that I'd only been on two horses in my life that could ever remotely qualify as "hot" or possibly be jumping (let alone cross-country) candidates.  No matter anything!  I was going to learn to jump!

Well now I think I'm back on the road again.  Seven months, it's not too bad, not for having to erase two years' worth of confidence destruction.  Sure feels good at least. :)

I Got Pictures!

Sooo at long last the Brother (and the Father and the Grandparents) all came over to the barn with mwah on Friday and courtesy of the Brother I got like almost 300 pictures of myself.  And the horses. 

It was awesome.  Although now that I actually see myself doing the things the Coach has been reminding me not to do for ages, I cringe and want to go hide my head.  Hey maybe this will remind me to be good.  :) 

First we did groundwork with the Fringey and that went fine except she was very sore so we did just enough for me to see that she was sore even on the grass, and then we stopped.  Hmm so I give you these pictures of that...

 

Then I had intended to work with Rusty but wanted to just do groundwork with him and since the Grandparents were there I thought maybe I should get a horse to actually ride.  So after some consultation I went and got the Coach's horse, Wild.  He is a 4-5 year old Mustang and she started him and has brought him along.  He's super nice, rather squirrelly when he wants to be, and lots of fun.  Since by definition I had four spotters, I decided I could jump without feeling too dangerous.

These photos were the most revealing.  :-/  Annnd I look like a 12-year-old, which is amusing.  :)

 Legs too far forward

 Looking down, not bending elbows, didn't get this headset nearly enough

 Leaning forward, not sitting up, can we say not relaxed horse?!

 Motorcycle-style corners

 This is off the little jump in the background and not too bad for once though my back could be straighter.

Holding too tight

:D  Well it is good to see your faults, one in particular I couldn't stand to look at and deleted.  Lol.  However we did have some good points.  For one, my heels are usually down now!  For another, I didn't get left behind at all which is great, although we didn't have any bigger jumps I tend to get left behind instead of falling forward if I'm not "with it."  And another, we didn't have any super-squirrelly-ness, which means I was generally looking up and riding forward.  So I'm happy.

I'm not happy that my summer class tomorrow means that I will be sitting inside re-learning algebra when I could be out with the Coach having a lesson and helping her ride a horse afterwards.  But college is necessary.  Sadly.  Lol.  

But I am happy I shall indeed have a lesson tomorrow even if it's not the one I'd hoped for! :)