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. :)

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!

Goodbye, Hello

(and a long catch-up post)

Bye-bye babies

Goodbye: I have left the barn I was riding at. In some ways it was a hard decision and in other ways easy. There are certain things and certain attitudes I will not work with, and when those things aren't changed and I am expected to go along and/or agree with them, I can't stay. Plus my schedule is super busy. I'm working a job and a half this summer, and next school year thinking about working three jobs to get the hours I need. Plus 16 credits of school and an additional 5-plus hours a week of field experience for my education classes. Adding all those up and deciding I was tired (in more ways than one!) was the easy part.

The hard part, of course, was leaving my babies, and leaving the free "miles" I was getting. But Rhapsody, anyway, is scheduled to go into (advanced-intermediate, I hope) lessons this summer, and Brandi and Farewell could do the same (once Farewell is feeling better, but that's another issue). Paradox is staying as a broodmare. Surge is the only one left, but the folks that bought Fringe were possibly interested in picking up Surge as well, last I heard. As far as my riding, we'll find something. Which leads me to the next part,

Hello!

All this time I have been continuing to take lessons with my coach over at her place, just not advertising it to the world. ;) First we were getting ready for my first combined event (cue much excited screaming and jumping around), but then it got cancelled because of too few entries. So then we were going to this great big hunter show two hours away, but then we decided perhaps not the wisest thing to do for our first time out, and besides the horses look kind of rough (Coach kindly did not mention me, which definitely would look a bit "rough" too! lol). So then we were going XC schooling with a couple other people this Sunday, but it's going to rain. Bummer. Lol. So now it's just lessons and maybe we'll go school XC later this summer. I dearly hope so. :) :) I'm jumping around 2'3 to 2'6 now at the highest and it is SO so so much fun. Oh I love to jump. Lol.

Coach also has a horse in training that I could potentially exercise ride, and I'm going to be contacting friends who are "in" the horse world in this area to see if they know of anything. 

The really potentially exciting thing is, though....wait for it..........


I CAN AFFORD MY OWN!!!!!!!!!!!!



My accountant mom crunched all the numbers and she says it's possible, so that means it IS possible! Cue MUCH excited screaming and jumping around! And then getting freaked out! Lol, so I called Coach last night and we talked. She is all for it, though she'd like me to take the horse on something of an extended trial before actually buying it, of course. The major problem right now is I don't have a guaranteed place for a horse if we found one. There's a barn nearby (like 10 minutes nearby!) that I would love to board at, but they don't have openings at the moment. However, we are on the edge of the country so to speak, and there is a regular farm just down the road with lots of fields. Also I have a couple friends that have boarded horses in the past and might still be willing to. It wouldn't be ideal but it might be something in case I found Mr./Ms. Perfect Horse and the other barn hadn't opened up yet.

In the meantime I'm "window shopping," so to speak. Post coming soon on what I think I want. Yikes never thought I'd see the day I'd do this. :D

Without Changes, Nothing Gets Better...

I firmly believe that's true, and things are definitely changing around my life--yipes.  Lol. It's one of those things where, at the end I'm pretty sure that everyone will be happier and that it'll be a good thing for me; however, in the middle it's not bad per se, but it is confusing and I don't know what to expect next!

However, I will be quite busy over spring break with ponies, I dare say.  And I'm going to be really, really trying to get some more pictures! For lots of reasons!  ;)  Spring break starts this Friday!  YAYY!!

Tonight I go ride Jumper, the horse I'm hoping to ride in the hunter pace, for the first time, and meet her owner outside of Facebook.  Fingers crossed it goes well and we all get along!