Wordless Wednesday: Happiness is...

...and yes the hives are back... :(

Ressurection

Ok, trying again to dust the old blog off. Honestly a lot of posts I end up waiting on media editing, then they get so outdated they sit in the draft folder, shelved and unloved...

I have been making a solid 2 lessons/wk lately. Its better than 1/wk. For the most part our weather has been awesome (with the exclusion of one lesson that included jumping in a light rain) and we have been enjoying the outdoor arena again.

Not an Eq Princess 

Yes, I said jumping again. Trainer finally gets that I am in no hurry to jump anything over long-stirrup height. Sometimes I just do the one cross rail warm up and WS gets on, sometimes I do a little 2-3 rail course. Since I don't do height, trainer makes sure I do plenty of turns and changes lol. Rollbacks with lead changes are hard for princesses.

Here mommy, lets pretend these are taller

Holly isn't real happy at baby jump height, she gets rushy because she is sure its work to be done fast so she can get on to the real stuff. Tuesday I warmed her up, she was slightly looky at all the moved-and-stacked-things along the rail (as were all the ponies), but otherwise very channel-able with her energy.

Every once in awhile she cleans up for baby jumps

Then we jumped. She was kind of a sluggo to the jump. Then she'd take off, needing a strong half halt or to stop and reverse. Nothing horrid, just fussy. Then I let another girl jump her a bit (that's another story) and she was exactly the same. Its nice sometimes getting to see what is happening from the ground. The WS that usually rides her is light-years better than I ,so its never a fair comparison.

Then I hopped back on and asked for a little more jumping. Yup, little weenie me asked for more. Trainer  had us do a cross rail away, rollback to another cross rail. Princess was a little upset over seeing the other horses leaving while she had to work again (even though L was warming up  wonder-twin  Ramone around us).

So bored mom

We had a little fight discussion, got over it, and ended with some good pace before and after the jumps.

Then I watched L jump like a boss and we headed up to the barn. At this point it was just us (and hubby) and we had a nice long conversation about all things horsey, which was so nice. With kids its soooo nice to have non-kid related conversations every once in awhile.

Eventually I'll edit some video, new computer doesn't have editing software (that I like) yet so slacking.

SHOWing Off

OMG, I've written like 3 different posts in the last month, then scratched them, either feeling they were whiny, or out of date by the time I was ready to post...

I've been riding sadly like 1-2 rides/wk. I have hopped on a few other people's horses to cool them for WS and finally see Holly is way easier to push gas and when I'm not fetal, her canter is pretty nice. It takes a lot of open hip for me to sit still. I even jumped a bit. (Not so) shockingly I may miss it a little.

The one pic she bothered to actually jump baby xrails

So, I'm more confused now than ever, because we went to a schooling show almost two weeks ago, and I totally fell in love with my mare again. 

Duh. Something has snapped in my head over the last few weeks in the process of looking at other horses that has changed the way I ride her. I stopped being such a ninny and start riding her like the rider I am capable of being. We are working, not hairy eyeing the corners, not hanging our head as heavy as possible. Once I set the rules in a few laps, she became the horse my trainer kept telling me I had. Again, Duh.

So, back to the show. After working all night, I went with two kids and another AA with a green bean QH to a local show. It was kinda weird having one of the more trained horses of the group because I haven't shown a lot, but Holly has a completely different persona when we trailer her out to a show. Game face was on.

She got a quick run in their worlds smallest and hardest round pen, then we went to work around all sorts of things she wasn't so sure about being around in the outdoor. 

By the time I had gotten on, the indoor where all the flat classes were held was already being used, so we went into there for the first time, while being judged. It has stalls surrounding it and people walking all about, horses calling out and a judge sitting in one corner Lots of new things to pretend like we didn't see while being hunter princesses of the flat.

We must have done pretty well at that because we became the Queens of 2nd place. To the same, really schooled grey horse and rider. Kinda felt a little shady since she won 1st in Eq, Pleasure, HUS classes every time. Since I had prepped almost nil and had worked the night before (yay for being to tired to get nervous) getting a bunch of red ribbons was A-Ok in my book. Especially in eq, I'm not your most graceful rider. 

My only 3rd I managed to cue a counter canter (seriously mare, when do I ask for that?!) instead of a canter to the right, leading to this slug of a pace and in a panic, I did the worlds worst lead change near practically into the judge. Um, yeah, I blame sleep deprivation. New rule: if in doubt, return to trot.

That moment where you feel so 'at home' on a horse

WS hopped on Holly for o/f classes. I kinda wanted to do the baby crossrail classes (i.e. < 2ft), but honestly it was kinda hard to when even the kids were starting at 2'-2'3".  Considering a nasty storm blew in during the last class, Holly was amazing, She hasn't schooled over flower fill in a long time and it was straight raining on her for the last round. She got 1st in all her o/f classes because the WS, J, makes all horses shine their best. 

So, of course almost two weeks later, the high has worn off, and I'm still torn between my really pretty, trained, sweet mare that I don't really have time for, and a possibly smaller, easier unknown new project. I get bored admittedly after a few years with things, and am trying to sort out what I really want to do with a horse and have the time for with work, house projects out the kazoo, and two very active small kids....

Guess I'll keep drinking wine and playing the lotto while I sort all this out ;)

Equestrian center turned winery... awesome wine and scenery :)

This Cheat'n Heart

So years ago I was half paying attention to TV and hubby commented on this cartoon commercial that he couldn't believe they were advertising on cable. I perked up, confused at who used a cute little cartoon of people looking like they were dating. Hubby had to explain the Ashley Madison website. For those that had no idea like me, its a site where you can basically find others who want to cheat with you.... (hubby is lucky I trust him lol)...

My point? I've been perusing horse ads. And I told trainer if she caught wind of anyone wanting a horse that fit Holly, she could show her. It totally feels like cheating.

Cheating lol

I got Holly right after I had my first kid, and knew realistically I may get too busy with two kids to keep a horse that needs more saddle time like her. But she is pretty and lets my kid feed her treats without nibbling on his fingers. And since I started thinking of dealing with her as temporary, she honestly has been easier to ride.

I better get a cookie for this

Taking each ride on its own helps me to not get overwhelmed when she is being a spooky butt. Then the behavior usually stops because duh, she reacts to me more than anything.

She honestly is the kick-ass hunter horse I wanted her to become when I got her, its just now, my desires have changed. I really feel like  I want something shorter, less intimidating to my son, so I can start getting him interested. Less intimidating to me lol.

No pony for my bday? Guess I'll ride the dog

Plus judging by how many cars I've had, I'm a little ADHD when it comes to things. I'm likely just getting that itch to see what else is out there. That's why it feels like cheating, she's done what I've wanted, and here I go looking for something else.

Cake!!!

Yesterday this little stinker turned 1. Love her so much :)

Not sure where that last year went.

More horsey stuff tomorrow promise.