Finally :)

Nothing big, just had a nice lesson. Arrived late but still earliest lol. Grabbed Magic, gave him a little extra grooming love since he is a shedding beast if you touch him with a curry the poor boy just explodes with hair.  Since I got on before G, I had lots of extra sitting trot and posting trot laps. Then we did two-point at a trot and a canter. Soooo much easier at a canter. For the first time in a looong time I felt comfortable with Magic at a canter, he behaved despite another horse being sassy, circling and fussing around us and actually picked up his leads like the proper boy he is.

G and I then trotted some poles, then poles to a bitty cavaletti. For once it didn't look so big (after the first pass, lol). We worked on straightness and cantering out, I need to push him to lead change instead of letting him break to trot. It was a bit harder with a horse being dumb in the corner you are jumping towards.

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/00slvrgt/media/Horses2013/kat2.mp4.html

 (sorry not able to directly post it today- argh)

 If you ignore my floppy hands, bad legs, and overall awkwardness, you can see in the video I don't look like I'm going to be sick the whole time I had lesson. I felt like at least at times my core was properly engaged when I posted, and... I feel dumb saying it, but its like I finally figured out how to open my knee without losing lower leg contact as much. Hello, not rocket science, just a little slow on the uptake, lol.

I knew I'd start getting  confidence back eventually, but it was nice just feeling even a smidgen of it since I took my flying leap into the dirt. It's not like i had a ton of it to start with.

Oh Rats!

            I had recently been hearing this  weight shifting and scratching sound coming from overhead when in our master bath at night. At first my ever-sleepy brain, kept thinking "gee the upstairs neighbors are noisy"... then I remembered I now live in a single story house... which meant my upstairs neighbors were not human or welcome.... Our best guess is recently a rat (or family) have decided to shimmy up our palm tree and scurry into our attic. ICK. The joys of living near open fields I guess....

I need this lil girl at home

           Anywhoo, back to horse world. Tues morning lesson started off with me running late, only to arrive and find the my trainer was running much later... So I leisurely got my stuff out, and started to meander out to fetch Magic, only to see a white blur tearing around the property. It seems another boarders horse was being walked to the mare motel after weeks of stall rest and decided to take a few victory laps while out. Why she was walking a pent-up TB without a stud chain is beyond me. He was quickly cornered and eventually succumbed to the lure of carrots. Much to his disdain, Magic got some extra grooming love.

          Once my trainer arrived we went down to our big outdoor since it was sunny and not particularly windy for once. The footing was crumby, watered but not dragged, but at least it gave me lines to follow right? Apparently it was two-point torture day and we did the normal WTC. I am still a nervous nelly when it comes to sitting a lead change, to me, it still feels like a bolt. Once again we did lots of circles, me constantly trying to keep them big and even, finally realizing (duh) to look ahead, like I do while driving. We also worked on half-halting, and backing, asking Magic listen to my hand, and not drag me around. I am a slow learner these days ;)

          Then we did a set of trot poles (3), the middle being about the size of a railroad tie. It was a great exercise in rate control because I couldn't keep posting if my rate was off. We did lots of random stopping and backing before and after the jump, until there was no assuming that we were going to rush over the poles.

Handsome boys-  Henry & Louie

Insta-goofiness

My trainer and I talked about my leasing Magic so get extra saddle time until I find myself my own pony. I love that that's finally a possibility... Ah, fussing baby calls...

Wild Pony Herds and Horse Eating Trucks

Lesson on Tues am started with my trainer and the other rider running a bit late. I leisurely got Magic ready, not that he enjoys getting groomed. When we were almost ready, suddenly we hear a commotion and low and behold, one of the other trainers pastures had broke open, allowing her herd ponies to run amok around the property. It was really rather entertaining, since the property is relatively closed in, they kept circling the mare motel, Henry (All In), and my old lease buddy Louie were certainly amused.

Magic got a little excited in the cross ties, and was still a little up when  I got on. We did lots of trotting right off (ugh thanks Magic) with pretty much a stop and back along each side of the arena.  He was heavy and cranky but nothing really bad. We actually had to work on slowing his pace for the sitting and posting trot which was kind of nice to have some impulsion for once.  His canter was actually pretty well behaved, except at the horse-eating tractor side of the arena, we really had to keep working at bending and not cutting the corner.

The other gal riding, G, and I did some ground poles then my trainer added a little caveletti into the middle. It looked huge to me. Then I felt like a weenie because I knew it wasn't and that Magic would pretty much pack me over it if I keep him lined up, but I still got a bit nervous (aka stiff). When we switched to facing the horse-eating open side of the arena ,Magic started getting dumb after the jump, and since I am Miss Slow-to-react, he spooked at a truck parked at the end of a breezeway, just within sight. I tensed up, then after a breath got after his butt, but I always react a little too slow, so I have to fight him  longer. Then I had my big weeny moment, and pretty much begged not to do my trainers imfamous "one last time", wish got me a shut up, get over it... just what I needed.

Yes...its tiny I know ;)

 Of course Magic basically slowed  until he walked the caveletti so I had to do it again... but by then I was over it enough to not mind.... Ok so back to square one with jumping... awesome... argh... Oh well, gotta keep pushing.... and I've come to realize this is mostly just to have fun, if I never jump big that's ok, I am the financial provider to an amazing husband and little boy, I have to stay safe too.




I also should soon have some extra $$$ in the budget... like about perfectly the amount board would be...hmm... :)

Sunshine, lollipops, rainbows...

Ok, well sunshine anyways...

Ended up having a solo flat lesson Tuesday. I have been doing a sleep-deprived sloth impersonation lately so I had no energy. Since it was surprisingly warm and sunny, without as much chilly wind, we went down to the outdoor arena. There was a little dressage ring set up in a corner with poles and standards, which I pretended was my whole arena for the lesson.

Lots of work in the corners, bend Magic, bend... I had my new pair of half chaps on which felt a bit stiff but all faults are mine, not gear. Better with my shoulder back, but still wrestled with proper leg position. My trainer had me crossing on the diagonal, making large circles, etc at the sitting, posting and canter. It was actually what I really need right now, an Eq overhaul.

Then we did  some ground pole work.We trotted in and  out of the 'arena' over the ground  poles down the sides and thru the corners, working on being in the middle of each pole without bulging or wiggling. It was great practice for quick turning and using hand and legs to keep Magic heading where I wanted  without being squirrely about it. Cooled off and headed up to  hose the sweaty beast off.

I was having stirrup length issues... I think my legs are uneven lol