Eye Candy

ok well not exactly eye candy, but here is some media from last Tues lesson. I crack up at how tense I look, Buster having some spunk actually looks fun when watching, I guess it was just me being surprised and not feeling 100%... and just me the self preservationist :)

 I need to either start taking more lessons, or take on a lease again, this once a week allows me too much down time and makes one not so great ride feel like more than it should. I'll figure something out.

Well OK Then...

So I spent the whole last week feeling crummy, like the nauseous, achy but can still drag your self to work because its not quite that bad kind of sick. Considering I work with sick people, it was bound to catch up with me eventually. Got to the barn and found our trainer finishing up a long line lesson with one of her Groupon lessons on Buster. She offered to go grab my saddle so I could just keep him bridled and switch tack. Since I felt like I might yak at any moment this sounded like the path of least resistance so I happily agreed.

I hopped up on Buster and began to walk him in his usual pokey way around the arena waiting for the others in our "ladies night" lesson to arrive. Everyone finally got on and we all got to work. Lots of posting (ugh) and then some sitting trot. I promised myself that any time we were doing sitting trot I'd drop my irons, so I did. Our trainer said that's how she knew I was sick, I was offering to do more work. I have to work on not letting my thighs drop down. we moved into no stirrup posting trot (which I find impossible) so I just sat a faster trot. When we went to pick our irons, I struggled and Buster happily dropped to a walk to accommodate. This got me yelled at, and another lap added onto everyone riding without stirrups (eek).
More posting trot and two-point work. Buster makes you work to keep him driven into the corners and maintaining a speed that's decent.

L had set up a gymnastic, 3 jumps in a row, so we warmed up over the last X at an angle. So, Buster is the quintessential pokey, beginner lesson horse. I get lots of flak for riding him because he's a super easy ride (other than motivation). I don't know what got in him last night but as soon as we started jumping, he suddenly got a wild hair up him and all but ran at the fence. It was the weirdest behavior from him. we thought at first he was just following the others since we warm up as a group and he is a bit of a follower. He kept breaking his trot into a canter for the last two strides to the fence, which totally threw me off (who was this horse?!). E and I took turns doing figure 8's around the arena to the X. Buster was super strong (that just sounds wrong when describing him) and I ended up doing lots of into-the-wall turns and backing up. It wasn't my easy ride, but it was good work for me and Buster.

moral of the story: Never expect an easy ride

No riding until next Tues, unless I can squeeze another lesson in somewhere :(

Big Girl Panties

So I have come to the conclusion that I am just a worry wart by nature. Its just who I am and what I have to work with. It won't go away, so I just need to learn to channel the inappropriate energy and thoughts in a positive way...

Jumping Capt 

I also realized I only rode once a week for about a year before I had my baby so while it felt like a long time, it really wasn't much saddle time, something I need to increase to really move ahead. It is funny how all of my years riding trails etc growing up, can be so quickly overshadowed by real trainer time.






Last night we warmed up (relatively speaking in 40 degree weather) then went back and forth over an x a bit as a group. Then we switched to the x around to a panel around to an oxer. Might I add the oxer was a bit over 2', which looked huge to my novice eyes.

diagram stolen from Karley ;)

I watched Karley go then assumed our trainer would lower it for my turn. Uh no, apparently I'm in the big girl group now and get to jump the bigger jumps now. Well crap, guess I did ask for her to push me once I was riding again post baby, Silly me. Magic is pretty much a point and jump horse, which is nice, he doesn't always jump well but he will always jump. My problem isn't clearing the jump, its maintaining on the other side. I did finally start sitting back for lead changes from the x to the panel, but Mr Happy got a bit heated after my first time over the oxer and I got a bit flustered and stiff so it took a bit of circling and to get him back under control. My trainer had me go over the oxer again and again, until I didn't look so off balance, but man did my legs burn!

Things to work on:
Heels down (going to even start applying some gym time to this)
Soften up (relax nervous nelly!)
No stirrup work (sitting trot should equal no stirrups in my head at this point)

Since I only ride once a week these days it will take longer to achieve goals, and I am currently working on figuring out my next step riding wise. (ie leasing, buying, etc).

Magic Monday

Not a lot in my horsey world this week. Went out and had a lesson Monday 9am because last night was the hubby's B-Day and we went out to dinner just the two of us, enjoying some non-baby conversation for a change. It was super foggy Monday and about 36F degrees. While this made for lovely pics, it was not super fun to ride in. Luckily my new full seat breeches are fairly wind proof, helping to cut down on the chill factor.

Magic was his usual grumpy self, muddy and plodding as I gathered him from the paddock and groomed him best I could before the lesson. My trainer had another lesson to use him for right after mine, so I felt a bit rushed. We only did flat work, which was kinda nice, kinda bumming, because I still need so much work with jumping. We did some decent sitting trot work ,and plenty of two-point and posting trot ( at least it felt like plenty). I wish I had remembered to do no stirrup at the sitting trot. Magic still gave nice little bucks when given a quick swat with the crop, and after a tiny temper tantrum about maintaining a decent posting trot, my trainer told me to get spurs for my next ride. I take this to mean I am no longer such a spaz with my legs that she trusts me with them now lol. We did lots of circles at the canter, in different spots and different sizes since grumpy was resistant to turning off the wall. It wasn't the most fun ride, but it was good for me, I really need to work on my assertiveness. I'm better but no where as aggressive as I need to be.

I quickly cooled him off and untacked him for his next lesson. Its always funny watching a trainer go from yelling at you to being all patient with a total beginner.

Lesson next Tues... not sure what else...

Goals, Dreams, and Attitudes

My first ride of the year was a little interesting. Went out this am bright and early and trudged through a TON of mud to get Magic.Mr Happy wasn't real enthusiastic to leave the remnants of breakfast in the chilly 30-40 degree weather. I tacked up quickly, only to have to wait for my trainer to arrive. I worked at some of the mud balls on poor Magic, not that you could tell. We got to work, and I realized how fast I lose conditioning. Lots of posting, and some no-stirrup work (ugh). I worked at keeping Magic from moving like a lethargic snake, and Magic worked at bucking every time he got swatted with the crop (naughty boy indeed!). Magic is an odd duck, he actually improves his attitude once you move into cantering and jumping, he doesn't hate work, just the boring stuff :) We just jumped an x back and forth at a trot than a canter. It wasn't anything much, but the jumps are not super low anymore, and since someone else was getting a lesson in the arena with us, there wasn't a lot of room to spare.

GOALS for 2013:

-Increase no stirrup work to posting as well as sitting trot
-Stop looking down over jumps
-keep my heels down!
-Enter at least 1 schooling show this season
-go to the gym at least every other day (when not riding)
-work more (more $$$)
-fix my many issues of position (hands, elbows, etc)


DREAMS for 2013:

-Buy a horse (not unobtainable, but there's whats in the budget, and what I'd love)
-Buy quality matching tack for said horse
-Buy proper show attire (boots and coat mainly)
-Enter a show (and do more than W/T, W/T/C)

ATTITUDES for 2013:

-Decrease road rage to internal monologues (so baby does not learn to talk like a sailor before tying his shoes)
-See more of the positive side of things.
-Bring my obsessive cleanliness from work home.

evil kitty guarding my saddle

Lesson Monday (Tues is hubby's B-Day so sparing him barn time), then not sure as far as horses go (work Weds thru Sun).