Moving along

(Awesome screeners I know)

Lesson Tuesday night was cold and dark, but no where as bad as it has been. L was running late so Karley and I jumped while she warmed up. Holly already had a pretty intense jump lesson earlier in the day with the WS so she was pretty nice and tired for me. Not dead tired, just actually needed a little push, and not acting like everything was going to kill her. It was sooo nice.

At least I'm not looking down anymore

We jumped a baby X, a vertical, and the lattice panel. Holly really only disliked the little baby X. Dag nabbit, she likes bigger jumps. Great, guess I'm not going to stay in the baby jump classes. We worked on lead changes. Ugh. I really have to get my ass back in the saddle and just suck it up and push her. If you make it through the video, you can just barely see her do a super smooth change at the end. Little princess can do an awesomely smooth changes... if she wants... We will get there.

Wednesday morning I had another lesson. It was actually super nice out, so we went down to the outdoor arena. It was pretty dang hard, but dry, and since was a bunch of old barn girls back on winter break, we kinda needed the space. Holly was really good, soft and responsive, and slowly she's carrying her head higher where it should be more and more. I was dog tired, so I appreciated her not being silly or stubborn.

OMG I'm working again?!

I expected to jump, but then our had me hop off and cool a pony so the WS could jump Holly through some lines. I was nice seeing how she goes for someone else. She really is quiet to jump if you don't pick or apply too much leg. J stayed on Holly and I stayed on pony while we all went for a walk around the property. It was super nice getting to

enjoy hacking out a bit in the sunshine in December.

Sweaty girl finally filling out

I'm out of town this weekend, so it will be all trainer/ WS rides until I'm back. Poor poor Holly.

First "Show" and other such things...

Quick catch up...

Lesson Wednesday that was so exciting, I can't even remember much of it. Lots of halting and backing, and avoiding the rope jigglers wiggling their horses across the other end of the arena.

Saturday I was super late and we rode in the lower arena, so Holly was wound up. After bounding around the lower bullpen and a few little spooks later, she realized we were going to keep working and settled in. I love that she had her blonde moments, but works through it. Jumped a little x, right towards where she was spooking. Another rider's man was standing there (what she spooked at) and finally he was Vanna White-motioning me past him, down the rail (face-palm). Finally got it right and quit.

Sunday = Show! One of the other trainers had her little schooling show. It was very small and low key. It was also in the 40's and windy as all hell out. Awesome. I had ditched work a couple hours early, squeezed in a power nap, ditched the kid, and dragged the hubby toting our camera down to the barn.

I got lucky and was able to snag the trainer's Butet. Cleaned it up, applied very generous amounts of Vetrolin Shine to my fuzzy beast and tried to run some of the crazy out in the round pen. Walked her down the the arena since it was so crazy windy and there were people milling about in blankets carrying chairs etc. Got on and got straight to work. Lots and lots of trotting....

Ended up doing the W/T, W/T poles, and W/T/C classes. They went really fast. Got 2 seconds places and a first. Not exactly a big wins (we won candy), but hey I'll take them since I don't have anything else under my H/J belt. We had great representation from our barn, two adorable kids, and Karley, L, and I, pretty much half the people in the show.

And on to pics... just a little sampling....

Yup, super brave pole trotting ;)

Sigh.. flap flap flap... darn elbows

avoiding super scary tree area

the elusive smile 

Wordless Wednesday... kinda

Brrrr...This is not Cali Weather - Challenge Day 5

No lesson tonight, so after watching another trainer's students jump a big oxer a few times, I finally ran Holly around the round pen until she seemed to have taken the edge off and got on. Karley was already done so it was just E and I initially. Holly and I got right to work and did some sitting trot, both of us struggling to accept being forward with contact. I moved into a nice forward posting trot, with mixed results on frame, but hey we're working on it.

She was actually being really good considering my trainer had text me the previous day telling me she was "very bright". Then another gal entered the arena and hopped on her little mare. The owner is sweet, but the horse is super spooky, so of course she thought she was going to die as we were just passing her on the closed end of the arena so Holly took off like the hounds of hell were nipping her heels. We settled ourselves, got our bearings and got back to it. I had my I-don't-wanna-deal moment, and then we went back to the suddenly safer open end of the arena, and let the other owner work her mare through her thing. Cantered both ways, it was wiggly. but I worked really hard at sitting back, and finally started to feel where my body should by (non-fetal riding).

Cooled her off, and someone got her new blanket. It was a super steal on Cyber Monday. Hollyberry Plaid. Very fitting for my princess.

Real lesson tomorrow, ugh. Trainer rides, Thurs, Fri, Lesson Sat and poss show Sunday.

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Challenge Day 5      Holy moly, I completed a challenge... ok well not in 5 days, but I at                                              least got the 5 posts in, and updates to boot :)

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21. Favorite class to watch at shows.

What i'm watching depends on where I'm at. I love watching team penning, and I love photographing bronc riding. I also love watching anyone jumping big. I love seeing that hang time, and how well a horse and rider can work together. Since I really only attend schooling shows of late, I like watching the jumpers (ooh bright jumps) and the little pony's flying pigtailed girls over baby jumps.

22. Whats in your cooler at shows.

Basic stuff. Legal drugs, sandwiches, water, lots of water. Gatorade if its hot, and lots of snacks. I don't like to eat when i'm nervous, but man I could eat half a cow when I'm all though. 

23. One thing about showing (or riding in general) you wish you 

could change.

Didn't I answer this already? Still the money. This is was too expensive of a hobby. I keep thinking, start a photography business, make Holly my mascot, then she's a write off right? I think I just need to get creative. ;)

24. Your ringside crew.

Ha, we will see. My trainer and my poor husband. I know my mom would be there too, but lets be real sometimes moms are a lot of work. 

25. Best prizes. 

My first Endurance ride I won a t-shirt and a buckle. It's not super fancy, but after 50 miles I was dang proud of it. We ended up riding alone, my first endurance ride. It was my 18th birthday and through the Santa Cruz mountains, ending at the ocean. We almost fell down a steep cliff, and other such awesome events. 

Challenge Day 4- and Muddy Magic Does Gymnastics

Rode Magic Sat am lesson. I was running late so of course my trainer decides I have to ride Magic, who stood in the far corner of a sloppy pasture, and had clearly been trying to go camouflaged with a full body of mud camo. Awesome.

Only L and I really rode, E's horse was off, Karley was elsewhere and M couldn't ride. More torture for us, (yay)! Hubby unfortunately didn't come so no video (boo). We did the normal WTC, including me ending up pathetically hugging Magic's neck, thanks to the workers loading some chairs for our trainer just outside the arena. Could have ended worse.

Magic and Ramone

Then we did a little gymnastic, starting with trot poles and one jump and working up to 3 cross rails with fairly tight one stride apart. We trotted both ways with combos of 1,2,and 3 jumps, then cantered the 3. I really like gymnastics, which are easy on Magic, who pretty much is point and shoot with jumping. It was well timed because I had to sit back more, a big problem of mine lately.  Since usually on a single jump my mind is pretty much screaming I'm gonna die!... I mean relax! bouncing through 3 jumps gave me time to actually pay attention to what I was doing, not just shut-down survival brain mode. Novel Idea. :)

Challenge Day 4

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16. One thing you'd like to change about your horse. 

The spooking. Enough with the spooking. Nothing can kill us in the indoor, except maybe my trainer, but I'd die first, so chill already. Other than that, Holly's proving to be pretty good natured for a mare, with big pretty eyes, and a very honest ride.

Princess giving love...
ok looking for her grain...

17. Your horse's future. 

Uh..... Trail horse extraordinaire? Oh wait...I'm a pseudo-H/J princess now.... Schooling shows are in the future, possibly very near future. Time, money, and nerves likely won't get me too far past little shows, and I'm ok with that. I'm in my 30's, this is all for me now, I don't care as much what others think, I just want to challenge myself while still having fun.

18. Your worst show ever. 

Haven't been in a real show (H/J) yet.  I did work a 24hr shift as an EMT once, then went to a "friend's" backyard show and proceed to get thrown on a horse I didn't know and added to a variety of classes, many of which I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be doing. I HATE feeling like that, if I fail a class because I suck, fine, but not because I'm riding a crappy ex-rent-string horse in an event/ class I don't understand... I did get the fastest time on poles, which was kinda awesome since I'm pretty sure I was only half awake.

19. Favorite horse show venue.  

Don't have one yet. I think they are all a little crazy. Ask me again by the end of next summer, hopefully I will be better versed. 

20. Your show day routine. 

Don't have one yet but I'm pretty sure whiskey, obsessive cleaning, and projectile emesis will be somewhere in there. 

Challenge Day 3 and Flying lead changes...kinda...

Tues night had my cold solo lesson. Lots of jumping, angled at the wall. Really pretty fun. Then we tried lead changes. I understand why they haven't been worked on much before I got her. She has quite the kickout. Trainer told me not to practice alone... ha, silly trainer, that wasn't even on my radar... 

Weds am, flat lesson in 38F weather with a nice chilly wind chill. It was cold, did lots of lengthening and collecting at the canter. Good work, but my legs were already burning. I think with some more muscle, her canter will come together more, because Tues night she actually collected after jumping and showed me a glimpse of a much more uphill, comfortable canter in there somewhere.

5 Day Challenge - Day 3

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11.  Critique Your Horse's Conformation

Ok, so I may need to take some conformation shots...

Paddling along...

So, if you break my mare apart, she's not amazingly well put together. She is a hair butt high. She paddles at the trot (albeit I think its kinda cute). Her front legs are her big negative. One is more upright, they angle inward a bit, and her navicular bones likely would break down fast if she was jumped high and hard often. 

Overall, I think she has an adorable head, and a nice TB like body. With some better muscling, and fat she should be mighty purdy come summer :)

Tweaky front legs

12.  Horse's Favourite Riding Exercise

Ha, walking on a long rein? No, really, she may not like having to trot to a jump, instead of just putting her head down and cantering like she used to, but she really does seem to enjoy jumping. So far she doesn't get to do anything crazy, but she doesn't get particularly fazed by height or oddness of a jump, just gives a bit of a hairy eye while she flies over.

13.  Favorite Spa Day Products

I'm an old school Show Sheen fan. It gets the job done. Other then that, I haven't owned my horse long enough to acquire all the fun grooming stuff yet :)


14.  Three Best Things About Your Horse

1. She's mine. Its taken a long time to be able to say that.
2. She's very sweet, she has her moments, but overall she's very honest and good natured.
3. She comes back to me. She may think the shirt on the ledge will kill her, but she spooks, then gets back to work, no long drawn out theatrics. She's just al ittle jumpy like me ;)

15.  Favourite Picture of Your Horse

Haven't taken it yet. Really, I have a few pics I want to get of her, but now its winter, and she's fuzzy, so I leave you with just a couple pics, including one of us jumping, reminding me I can do it without dying.

Well, she looks lovely anyways

Works in Progress

Challenge Day 2 - my days blur together ok?

Ooh camera!

Saturday a bunch of us just hacked around the outdoor arena. It was nice and relaxing, my princess and I have not really had much down time riding, so while I have photographic evidence we didn't always maintain a nice frame, and I still have chicken elbows, we had a nice ride. 

5 Day Challenge - Day 2

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6. Favorite equestrian book and movie?

Umm.... So its not necessarily my favorite, but when I was a tween I read "A Horse Called Holiday". It was super cheesy, but the girl was a super brave jumper and fell in love with a horse she basically got for free. I still thought jumping was crazy back then, but it was the first thing to spark my curiosity about jumping and the plausibility of me ever trying it.

Movie wise, I pretty much can enjoy any movie with a horse in it. Although the guy in War Horse drove me nuts! My first 'horsey' movie was "The Last Unicorn", ok, not quite a horse, but who wouldn't want a unicorn? This movie seriously haunted me for years, until I finally tracked a copy down. Much to my hubby's annoyance amusement I still get a hankering to watch it occasionally.

7. Most common riding misconception?

I agree with most, that the horse does the work. I wish they did, I'm sore more days then not. Some horses are pretty amazing packers, but there's still certainly some muscle use on both parts. 

8. 2 riding strengths and 1 riding weaknesses?

Ok. Strengths: 1. Umm...Ummm....ok... I'm to stupid too quit? Really its a positive, I get scared, beat up, worn down, but I keep going. 2. I can be taught. I actually have pretty fast comprehension when not scared outa my wits. Sp those moments when I'm riding, but not feeling eminent death, I'm quite receptive to being taught.

Only 1 weakness? But there are so many to choose from.... Fear. I am a nervous person, I worry about practically everything, so obviously hurdling myself on a 1000 lb animals over jumps isn't exactly a calming thing for me. I get tense, then I ride not-so-awesome. Nothing some hypnosis and whiskey can't fix right?

9. Least favorite thing about horses and/or riding?

Besides it being a complete money suck? Not having enough time/ resources to be at the barn more. I would love to live closer to my horse.

10. What do you feed your horse?

Currently balancing out her Oat hay/ grass/ alfalfa. Then there's the (hopefully) temporary grain: senior/ strategy mix. Her grain is also getting spiked with Mare Magic to see if it takes the edge off. She seems calmer, but I don't want to assume that its truly helping yet.

Love when we can both just relax

Onward and Upward! + 5 Day Challenge

Tuesday night lesson (yes I'm that behind). My bright eyed mare and I worked through some spooky business and got to work. Insert short video of flat work. I love my mare's little paddle trot, and when I manage to pay attention long enough to really hold her in a frame its pretty comfy. Her canter is still hard to relax into, but I will get used to it. 

We jumped a little x that clearly wasn't challenging our ponies enough, so it got raised to a bigger x, then a vertical that as I came around the corner suddenly looked mighty big to me. I shut up and we jumped, albeit I was super stiff, but I love my mare because she happily jumps even when I'm wavering in confidence. Wisely no one told me I have moved up into the 2'6" range until I was done. 

Boring flat work

Not my best work, but I stayed on, and no crazy bad distances

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(And because I'm as usual late to the game)

5 Day Challenge: Day 1

1. Most influential person on your riding. 

Well really it would have to be my mom. She was the one who took me on my first trail ride. Silly mom never imagined the obsession she started. She also got me into a volunteer program that not only got me my horse fix, but taught me I could work harder then I ever imagined, and survive. 

2. Piece of tack you would love to splurge on 

A saddle of some ridiculously comfortable and customer design. I don't even know enough big names, to properly dream. For now it would be a new Butet because I know i like those. :)

 

Warren G baby

3. Top 5 riding playlist

Well.... I'm kinda all over the place with music, I can float from jazz to rap to country to rock in one car ride. When I was listening to music while riding, I varied between music like the Black Keys and Nero, to old school rap (like Tupac era), which worked really well. Apparently getting my ghetto on calms me down ;)

Louie last year because
 I couldn't find anything recent

4. Most important aspect of your barn 

Well the coolest is the awesome views, but really the indoor arena is the most important. Our horses may hate it, but it keeps me in the saddle.

5. Three winter riding goals

1. Suck it up and jump whatever my trainer throws at me without becoming a stick figure.

2 Work on turns (we both drop our shoulder, getting her hind end around properly).

3 Find a saddle we both like and use it regularly.

Yesterday

...all my troubles seemed so far away, 

now it looks as though they're here to stay...

.... Sorry, channeling my inner hippy with some Beatles.

Really, yesterday was a morning group lesson. It was chilly and still kinda muddy outside, so like 7 or 8 of us were squished into the indoor. We actually did a pretty decent job of spacing out, and no one ran into each other, even with some of our horses scooting and spooking at the open end of the arena. We had to break into two groups to canter, which was kinda nice, getting to actually watch Karley and L ride without worrying about running into anyone. 

We did some basic back and forth jumping over an X, then a small vertical. Other then the fact that I was getting left a bit behind since I was posting for some reason right up to the jump, I felt pretty centered in my trainer's Butet. Definitely getting a new saddle :) Holly was really good, not surprising for her 6th day of work (only 1 other jumping). I really have to work at not letting my brain kinda just go into pause mode as I approach a jump. She needs me to help her find a good distance, and gee I kinda have to be present for that. I wish I was quieter looking, but towards then end, when my eyes stayed up, we looked/ felt pretty good. 

After I finished, Karley and L did a tight little bounce, and the rest of us went for a hack down to the cross country field and played around. I'm gonna miss being able to hack around once it stays sloppy out. 

1st World Problems... my saddle isn't working for us....

OK... a quick (ok really long) recap...

Fire in the Sky!

I rode Holly Thursday in the indoor because it was foggy and cold. We did some jumping, not super pretty. We finally ended up just practicing coming off the jump and stopping straight into the wall since I was a spaz with turning. Surprisingly hard, she was determined to turn, wiggle, etc. Got my spurs taken away half way through jumping, so that way my weak leg wasn't bumping miss-touchy-sides coming off the jump. Took Holly out of the arena and hacked down to the CC stuff. She likes that area, we walked over the little stuff a couple times, and called it a day.

Saturday rushed to the barn after a totally awesomely grueling night at work and rode Magic. It was cold and windy again so we rode in the indoor. The usual WTC stuff, then everyone else got to go hack out and I got flogged over a cross-rail and lattice panel. Its nice getting to feel myself do it right with Magic (mostly), so I can not be such a spaz with my mare. My in-laws stopped by to steal the boy, so it was kinda cool having them see me jump. They called my trainer a 'task manager', my MIL is so polite ;)

Tuesday night I had a lesson on a very bright eyed mare. She really just scoots and slides, but still it takes up a lot of my energy getting her to just work, but I love that she gets over stuff  after a few laps. She always comes back to you whether she's nervous or pissy. Honestly I felt a hot mess the whole time, like I was pitching and sliding forward, I couldn't keep my legs forward enough, and kept curling up.

Insert Wednesday morning, I rode in one of my trainers saddles... a old, amazing Butet.... Uh yeah, my Pessoa (which I liked until now) to an amazing, soft, balanced Butet with a bigger pommel, deeper seat, better blocks, etc. It was like suddenly I could ride. Wait, its not all me?! My trainer instantly commented on the difference, I was able to sit my mare's canter, shoulders back, heels down, not falling on my face..... So.....

my Pessoa

Butet

Any idea's on middle of the road saddles? I need a deeper seat, more forward flaps, with decent knee blocks (kinda dug the thigh blocks too)...

Obviously its kinda a need to try in person thing, but any ideas of what brands/ models I should look at? I totally don't mind used, but need to be around the <$1000 mark (since I will have to sell my cheap western saddle and the Pessoa to raise funds).Otherwise I'm just perusing the super used Butets, hoping someone will need to sell on fast and cheap ;)

Share the road

This month apparently is going to be about wonky work schedules and flexibility, so instead of Monday morning and Tuesday night, I rode Tuesday morning. I was supposed to ride Magic to do some jump schooling, but since my trainer woke up sore, I ended up having a flat lesson on Holly. It was fairly crowded in the indoor because it was a bit foggy cold still, with even a little bit of light rain. After running again like a nutball in the round pen (never mind she had just been turned out the night before and ran like a wild pony), we got to business.

She was pretty easy to keep from gawking at the many things going on outside the arena, but she apparently has some spatial issues with other horses in the arena. This is kinda surprising to me, since she's done the breed circuits with her last owner, so she should be used to this by now. Which means its probably me. Awesome. She was doing ok until another gal came flying across the arena doing a lead change (and frankly caught us both off guard with how close she got) which sent Holly into a little tizzy, spinning and scooting away. Which was kinda badly timed since I was currently standing and weighting my stirrup to adjust my saddle. I pitched outward and got a nice close-up view of the wall but luckily held on with minor spazziness, much to my trainer's
amusement.

OMG I hear clippers! Lucky not for her...yet

We worked on having a nice frame, then letting her stretch out and relax at the trot, as long as her head stayed out of peanut-roller territory. Also did some shoulder/ haunches in, working on getting her hind end to move better off the leg. I was surprised no jumping, but frankly my back hurt so I wasn't going to push it. I then hacked her around the property, all the way up to our old arena, where she was a little looky/ light in front but came back to me, and relaxed. Although her last owner took her out on trails, she clearly hasn't hacked out alone much, I hope to use the good weather left to hack her around more after lessons, I think its good for their brains, and I kinda like walking her around all out little CC stuff like the bank and logs.


And princess got some new boots. Trainer got them for cheap because they weren't marked from the local tack store. We will see how she does with the neoprene, but I like the way they look (next time I'll remember to take a photo of them on).

Part Deux... finally caught up...mostly...

This tree needs a swing :)

This last week...

Monday had another lesson. Lots and lots of trotting and two-pointing, Holly was overall good, she's so responsive its like riding a worm sometimes. Did all the WTC stuff then some ground pole/ tiny jump work. Nothing super awesome, just moving along. Its funny because some of the times she felt awkward from on top, she looks pretty spiffy on film. (Feel free to skip the boring ground pole stuff for the super exciting baby vertical jumping half way through.)

Tuesday was our ladies night lesson. Nothing big, other than Holly being a superstar and not spooking at anything, even in the scary dark. For more info, read L and Karley's blogs. ;)

Friday I rode while my trainer rode another gal's new horse and the WS rode a pony. We did a ton of trotting waiting for everyone to get on, then went down to the outdoor and did more. Holly's so wiggly and response sometimes its ridiculous. Its a learning curve for both of us for sure. After jumping pony, the WS jumped Holly up to about 2'6"-ish. Other than plowing into an airy vertical on first run, she did well, even with an in and out that was a bit tight for her big stride. She ducks her head like a stride out from the jump, and being already a little downhill, it kinda feels like your going to roll forward on her neck. I'm hoping we can get her head up before i learn to somersault down a horse's neck. I'm pretty sure there's some photos and video, but I'm kinda too lazy right now to go find, edit and post it.

And in other awesomeness... another contest! This stuff looks great, who doesn't love yummy scents while cleaning: http://www.equestrianathart.com/2013/11/rider-review-contest-higher-standards.html

Catch-up... part 1

Yep... I'm that behind lol..... 

Week before last....

Wednesday - Lesson bright and early. Rode Holly with Magic's owner. Holly wasn't thrilled with the folded up liverpool on the side of the outdoor, nor was Magic, but other then that she was good. We did lots of trotting, working on straightness and pace, then went back and forth over the surprisingly hard ground pole (insert eye roll). Nothing super exciting. Always nice watching Magic's owner ride him, he pulls the same crap, but she's much more assertive with him, so it always reminds me to get after him. We both went for a walk around the property with only a little fussing, and no spooking.

Flap them arms ;)

Saturday- I rode Magic with the ladies. L rode, even sore, like the pro she is, and Karley had her hands full with some tight turned fun on Henry-no-brakes. I felt super nauseous (which I found out my coworker from that night before also had gone home feeling that way too). I think a big part of it was all the patients coming in to my work with nausea/ vomiting, there's a certain since of impending illness when surrounded by retching people for 8 hours at a time.

Baby warm up jump

 So in between dry heaving, I managed some decent jumping. My trainer in all her sympathy only made me go a few times, just apparently higher then I've jumped before (2'6"). :P

 Its funny, I have been all why-am-I-jumping-I'm-too-chicken thoughts again, but really I've jumped better lately then ever. Fake it til ya make it I guess.

Foot Loose

Friday, stayed up after working a long night and had a lesson. it was meh, alright. I'm not spectacularly responsive when up for extended periods of time, so I felt like Holly was all over the place solely because of me. She's sensitive on the left, and lord knows, my legs tend to wiggle, so we end up squirming about when i'm not on my A game (or as close as I get these days). The WS was supposed to jump Holly, but after getting quite worked over by a pony, she wasn't able to. I ended up cooling a very sweaty pony out while she recovered, making me realize how quickly you acclimate to bigger horses, and how tiny 14.2hh now seems.

new cooler- oooh aaahh.....

Came out and turned Holly out Sunday night... as a spectacular windstorm descended upon us. She was a spook monster, but I really couldn't blame her, so i just made sure she knew not to run me over, and got to watch her explode in the round pen.Went home and proceeded to lose power for several hours... We finally went to bed, the technology withdrawal was too much for us ;)








Tonight was group lesson. Holly was mysteriously missing her back left shoe, then while trotting around, i heard this tinking sound, and caught sight of her half-off shoe flopping around in the mirror. Well I was going to try her barefoot in the back anyways, guess she decided it was time.

It seems our start time has crawled back to about 6pm, meaning by next week it will be pretty dark by the time we start. Which means pretty much guaranteed only indoor riding in all its spooky wonder. I'm learning I am just incredibly slow to react, which means Holly gives me every "hey lady I'm looking at something scary!...Hey lady I'm gonna react!... Hello... lady fiddling around on my back, here we go?!". Yea I'm feeling kinda sucky right now. I just need more saddle time on my lady, I know it will come... hopefully...

L and Karley jumped their boys, then L jumped on Holly and put her over a cross rail then worked up to the line of 2 lattice panels. I got to cool Ramone out while she jumped, he didn't feel that much bigger surprisingly, and he just spent the time flicking his ears back at me while watching his mom ride the pretty new mare who calls to him from down the barn.

Another lesson bright and early tomorrow am.

Seriously slacking blogger

Super long, so feel free to just look at photos ;) They are all from last Tues and Friday...

Ok, so I'm like so behind, I'm not even sure what I've missed.

Last Tuesday I rode Holly and Karley and I survived a dust bowl of an arena. At least the lung clogging dust made for good pics.

I worked on  ground poles with my lady to work on straightness, and keeping a consistent speed. She's very sensitive on her left side so its easy to get squirrely with just a little spur.

The video isn't really interesting, so I'll keep it to myself :)

Friday I rode Magic to keep up on my jumping skills (or lack there of). J ended up jumping Holly, which was awesome getting to see the difference in what I am used to jumping (Magic) next to my new ride.

Of course J has awesome eq, and makes even the awkward distances look better then my best (something to strive for right?).

 We jumped variations of a line and a little vertical with parts of a tree under it. Neither horse cared much that the jump had sprouted a tree which was nice.





Monday morning I rode Magic again in the indoor (too dark so no pics), after quite a long weekend of working nights and still trying to have a horsey/ family/social life during the day.

Crazy mane

 I rode with the kids (yay moving obstacles) and my trainer rode Holly. She showed me some tips to keeping her head up, etc.

We did two ground poles down one side then around to one on the other side. Since they were set in from the rail, it felt like I should have barrels at either end to make the turns at a good canter. My arms are tired, Magic and I both got our workouts for the day, poor fuzzy beast.



This am I rode Holly again. I was already super tired and felt like I was kind of a hot mess. Didn't turn Holly out first and she was the most spooky, twitchy she's been. Which wasn't bad, just caught me off guard. i'm thinking she may be having her special mare time... ahh mares.

Tree- not a problem

ugh- excuse my eq

J on my Holly

done!