Thankful

So once again, I prove at best, I seem to be able to post a week in review... then again, I don't really have enough interesting things to say daily anyways.

Monday I got out late afternoon and hacked Louie. K and another gal, M, were taking a lesson while others hacked around the indoor with us. It got a bit crowded, which makes it hard to do your own thing, especially when the dressage ladies are constantly cutting through the middle, leaving little room to turn circles or work on diagonals myself. I guess I never feel that I have right of way before others, something I need to work on, we ALL are sharing the arena, its an equal use area (unless someone's claimed it for a private lesson). A mare was being shown by another trainer, who apparently got Louie excited, so mid canter around the ring he got a bit full of himself, started spooking and just being a butt. Yay. So then I pretty much just did lots of trotting and took my time cooling him out. He's a fuzzy beast these days so I ended up graining him in a stall while he dried off so I could blanket him before I left.


Tuesday night we did lesson an hour early since most had the day off because of Thanksgiving. We had our usual group plus C came and rode Louie (without lunging brave girl). I rode Magic, who was his usual happy (not) self. We did the usual flat work, plus some no-stirrup work (ugh). Actually I realized Magic has a great sitting trot, and I was lucky enough to not have to try to post yet without stirrups (which wasn't going to happen lol).

We trotted some poles (which apparently I cannot find the center of) and then we were broken up into groups to canter so that it was a little easier, than we took turns jumping. We kind of went by skill level, as in I, the rookie, was up first. That actually worked well for me, no time to get nervous. I went back and forth over an X a few times, than did the X around to a panel.

 It felt like a tight turn back to the panel, and I found I was always messing with my rein length, stirrups etc as I was approaching the jump. Then I'd circles the wrong way back to the X. Ah the things we learn the hard way lol. I didn't do any canter to the jump work, I was tired so since my trainer didn't make me, I didn't ask.





My video montage for the lesson ;)

More Pics: 

How Kitty Got Her Groove Back

Cookie?!

Ok, so if Monday's lesson was the "hey look, I don't feel like I'm gonna die" breakthrough, then Tues nights lesson was the "yep, still not gonna die, can I do more" moment.

Tues night I was super sore, not that my trainer cared much. It was really cold, but I didn't notice after a few laps warm up posting and two-pointing  on good ol' Magic. There was more two-pointing at a canter work than usual, and I'm now adding not gripping with my knees to my LONG list of fix-its. Admittedly once I achieved proper leg contact, I felt so nice and secure, now I just have to learn to hold it. After watching L and K jumping bigger jumps our trainer lowered the x, making me have a moment of feeling bummed I was jumping so low (say what?!). Then I remembered I was tired and sore, and probably shouldn't push a good thing right away. I still don't feel coordinated enough to steer, jump, not fall etc. I did ask to start cantering the jumps instead of just trotting next lesson, guess I really am feeling more confident, I just want to feel some progress and not have to watch video of me on the baby jumps pfr too much longer (not that I want to jump very high either). I was also told not to hold mane over the jump (geez one good lesson and I gotta give up all my vices?).

Here's some video,  My trainer finally made my hubby go stand at the end so I could have a point to ride at and see later in the video how much I was drifting. It is far more obvious when I'm watching it now.

 Probably wont ride again until next week, hack Mon, lesson Tues.

Catch up

Ok so lets see, I am apparently a few weeks behind...

The Tues after my last post (2 weeks ago) I rode Magic, and did some ugly but ok jumping. We went over different little combinations, unfortunately after watching the better gals go first over larger fences, leaving me enough time to over think everything, and my husband to wander out to feed the baby, so no video/ pics. Poor Magic had a bad case of the runs, making him a little grumpier than normal. I was still pretty nerve racked, even though he's a begrudgingly good packer. Other than my head screaming "no no no" every time our trainer said again, it went well enough.


Last Monday I didn't ride, Louie had the runs and was still under the weather, so he got some loving and a day off.

Tuesday lesson I rode him but between nerves and a rotten feeling gut myself, I totally became a big weenie and didn't jump. I just couldn't get past the nerves over if I would be able to sit Sir Bouncy after we landed and he decided to lead change. I got an earful from everyone, and our trainer let me know this was my last pass. (gulp) I did get to watch Lyssette do the circle of death, which was great to watch.

George supervising our lesson 

Karley taking her Instagram pic, me lurking in the background

Decided to take an afternoon lesson Monday, since riding in the cold and dark all the time is a bit glum after awhile. I rode Magic again, he needs lots of motivation to move, but only needs steering once in motion. C rode Louie, which was nice to get to see how he is with someone else. Karley was there while we flatted, lots of posting trot, and two-pointing at the trot and canter. We jump a small x and vertical back and forth, back and forth.

Sweetest barn cats ever!

 It felt really good after the first time or two I might even go so far to say I enjoyed it :) Hubby got a few videos, and while its not pretty, I'm not so all over the place, and I stayed on so there's that. I was SUPER sore which made last nights lesson even more fun... More about last night and more  video to follow :)