Summer showers bring... Blogger visitors?

Ok... where did my slacker self leave off... last week Tues night lesson was canceled. That left me with a Wednesday morning lesson, mostly to my lonesome. Did the normal WTC stuff in the indoor, plus a little work at extending and then collecting at the canter (long vs short side). Mr Magic took a few laps to figure it out, but it was nice to feel the difference.

Then I jumped a cross rail in the middle of the arena. I just couldn't get my groove. I trotted it back and forth uninspiringly then we went over at a canter then looping back around to canter it again. Blah. I was oddly tense and took a few awkward distances before I finally relaxed and got after his butt enough to get us a decent enough jump to allow us to quit.

Monday since I had worked the night before (and I didn't know there was a lesson in the am), I rode alone in the afternoon. It was weird muggy, summer shower weather. Another gal was hacking about the indoor so I quickly tacked up a dirty Magic and put him through his paces while we had some company.

Tried to be mean to myself and did two-point and no-stirrup work. Magic was twitchy at the open side, so I tried to keep him occupied. I really need to work at getting his attention before we reach where he spooks, proactive not reactive. At one point he decided he didn't want to go to the right and we started that backwards sideways sliding awesomeness, which I finally learned to dig a spur in and get after him. He finally put his head down and trotted on nicely. I'm slow but I learn.

Oh yeah, and I found my new favorite music for hacking is old school rap..... like Snoop Dogg, Warren G era. Its got a nice beat, and keeps me feeling in charge. That's right, I'm gangsta :)

weird Monday weather- but pretty clouds

 Tues night, we had a surprise visitor Hillary (yay fellow Blogger in the flesh). It was great getting to meet her in person, she's as cool as she sounds in her blog.I was a hot mess thanks to no sleep and a screaming toddler all day (poor sick baby).

 Poor Magic was finishing up two kid lessons when I arrived, doing his walk/trot duty like a champ. At least he was all warmed up.

 We went down to the outdoor and all sat around talking until our trainer finally caught up to us. I had to put a LOT of leg on to keep our pace at the trot, but I got plenty of canter,    go figure...

 Then some jumping. Yep still a chicken :) I was really tense and wasn't keeping enough leg on Mr Happy when he decided to try to die off like 3 strides out from the fence. I was at least relieved when my trainer saw my jaw hit the dirt when she told me to do the same jumps including an oxer as Karley. Glad she has confidence in me lol, but I was happy to trade it for a low wall with a rail.

So I ended up doing our crossrail with a vertical around left to the wall around right back to the crossrail again. I was not pretty but hey I stayed on and we didn't take anything out so I guess that still falls into the success category.