Big Day for The Boys

Yesterday was a long day for me and a big day for the geldings.  Jardi phones and says Greg will be there around noon and if I want Jamaica feet trimmed I can meet him there, so I goes over at noon.  Well Greg got hung up in hussar and was late and Jardi had to take Neil to Physio so I was there waiting for him to show up.  i decided while I was waiting I would just ride Dinero in the arena then I am close by for when Greg comes.  And the horses he was shoeing were tied to the rail so he could just start anyway without me.

I have been thinking for a long time I would try and ride Dinero in my English saddle and I thought this was the perfect opportunity cause I don't want to ride out yet so arena it was.  I was a little unsure how I would feel in it cause it has been a long time since I rode English and last time was awful, I felt like I was slipping to the side with every step especially around corners.

Dinero thought I was a little weird with this tiny saddle I put on him.  I was kinda worried the cinch wouldn't fit when I could hardly get it done up to the bottom hole on each side, but once I had it on and he moved around it was up to the third hole on one side and second on the other, so seems to be the right fit for him.

Well then I was worried about how the heck I was gonna get on, I was sure I couldn't mount from the ground and I had never asked him to stand by the step in the corner by the poles, but then I remembered there was a oilfield pylon I have used before to get on and it works really well cause its is round so even if they move they don't usually get too far from it.

Well that worked good, I got on and then he wasn't sure if he should move or not,I am sure it felt really weird to him, but I actually felt comfortable. So I asked him to walk and we walked a couple time both ways around the arena and then I asked for a trot.  He was pretty good, a little unsure but after a couple rounds he was fine.  So we did a couple figure wights and some more walking and then trotting again and then I decided that was enough for us and he was soo good so I couldn't complain.

We only rode for about 25-30 minutes which was okay with me.  And turned out good cause just as  I got off, Greg showed up.  I put Dinero away and went to visiting.  I don't get a chance to visit him very often so it was kinda nice.

After the others were done, we got Jamaica out and he was really good.  Kinda a little fighty when pulling his back feet backwards, but he got over that really well and Greg is sooo good and patient, he trims the puts the foot down the files and puts the foot down.  So all in all a good experience for the boy.  I forgot to take pics of his feet while in the alley so I tried to get them in the stall afterwards and I got weird things on the side of my pic which I finally realized was his whiskers!  But they look so weird in the picture.

Scrapbooking

This past weekend I spent at a scrap booking retreat.  It conveniently is at the place where I board my horses for the winter, so I got to ride each day as well.  That is actually how I met Jardi was through her bed and breakfast when me and my mom wanted to go away scrap booking for the weekend, i phoned a bunch of places and she said they were open and not busy, so we picked there.

After visiting with her all weekend and seeing her horses and place, I said something about taking lessons, and she said to call her in the spring when it go a little nicer out, so in March or so I went over and she said she had her stud ready for me, well this was all wrong according to everything I had ever been told and she had never seen my ride and I was pretty nervous, but I went for it and am sooo glad I did cause he was amazing!!  I was just taking riding lessons, but she let me do some fun stuff like rollbacks and spins, that was soo cool.

I kept going back and eventually took my own horse and learned a lot on him and she still cant get rid of me, lol.  I have had lots of fun there and every year we still go back and scrapbook there even though she doesn't run the bed and breakfast anymore, she does it just for us once a year.  And it helps that she scrapbooks as well, although only when we do the retreats.  I got a lot done this year, about 30 double sided pages, not the most I have ever gotten done, but pretty good for 3 days with breaks to ride between.

I never rode on Friday because we were late getting there and I was enthusiastic about scrapping.  But Saturday I got my girls up and we were gonna ride outside cause it was so nice out, so me and Jardi went out to the coulee and since I had Razz, we thought we should do some trotting cause I have only trotted her outside a few steps before, well she was really good, not getting super excited and not even going super speedy.  She was going faster than Jardi, but not too bad.  Next thing I know Jardi is on the ground cause Twister lived up to her name and twisted in the air cause she saw a deer that was still hidden, |I turned and went back to make sure she was alright (which she was) but Razz was more scared about her being on the ground than of the deer which Twister was still staring at.  Luckily Twister never run off, so she got back on and we went back home.

I never rode Gypsy that day cause I was a little worried about Jardi but all that happened was a bruise, so On Sunday I thought I better get them both rode. I rode  Gypsy with Charlene out on the trail, she has been Riding a 3 year old of Jardis that she is trying to sell (Billy).  It was uneventful and so we came back and rode inside with Razz and Ricky, we had made up a pattern and rode it, it was very simple, but we were afraid to make it too long because we might forget it.  It had a full lap around the arena, two figure eights, stop, backup, one and a half turnarounds (or a small circle then a half turn for Razz), then a full lap the other way, then a 2 more figure eights and stop in the middle.  It was interesting even though the horses thought we were crazy I'm sure.

On Monday I rode Gypsy in with Ricky and Charlene and Jardi wanted to see our pattern, so we did it and then she thought we could do it at the lope!  That meant lead changes!  But we did it and Gypsy got the lead change the first time each round but not the second one, I think it was my fault though.  She tries to turn her head too much into the spin too, so I have to hole her head straighter, otherwise it was really good.  I also rode Razz and she was really good, and is figuring out when I ask for a trot I mean to stay at a trot, not lope.  I have been asking her to lope from a walk and its getting clearer to her  think.  I skipped out on riding yesterday cause the roads were soo bad after going to the dentist I just wanted to go home.  So I did and was glad for a day off, maybe this afternoon will be better.

Tuesday Lesson

Today was another lesson and I rode in my English saddle again. I think I am finally getting better in it, cause now I notice I am not slipping from side to side when I trot. I also wore my spurs today cause its so much work to get her to canter without spurs, cut I was a little afraid my legs weren't still enough to wear them. Jardi says they are, so I wore them and we got two laps around the arena without Princess slowing down till I asked and me not slipping sideways! I was so proud. We spent most of the lesson at the trot and she was pretty tired at the end of it, not from overwork, but its hard for her to trot when she is kinda lazy.

Razz was really good again, she tries to be bad sometimes and its kinda frustrating cause it's just a step here or there or pushing on me, nothing major, but always trying something. I think I am gonna bring her home on Sunday. I would like to bring Bailey up for a month or two, but I might have to wait till summer and just trailer her over for lessons, cause she gets stressed in the big herd, even if they don't bother her.

Tuesday Feb 16

I had an awesome time this weekend and got so much done. I love having a break to get some done like that.

The weekend was very cold, and windy, which I was hoping for nice weather so I could ride as well, I went out on Sunday for a while and rode Princess, but it was really cold. My mom came out to take some pictures as soon as I got off, so I had to get back on so she could take some pics of us.

Yesterday was really nice, sunny and above freezing. So I went and Rode Razz and she is still having trouble turning right. I didn't turn her hard at the corner and she kinda run into the wall and stepped on some poles. The next time round, she turned a little better, but still very stiff. I never rode Princess, but I dd brush her and trimmed her bridle path.

(the cats staring at Princess eating cause they are outta cat food)

Today I rode Princess in the lesson and have never worked so hard in such a short amount of time. Wow I was exhausted. we did a lot of trot and jogging. I am okay at eh jog, cause we sit trot and Princess is very smooth and she likes to go slow. At the faster trot, we are supposed to trot, and this means I have to kick her more which puts me outta position and then we are expected to post. I was so tired, but it made me realize how much I still need to work on . I may try my spurs again next time. I hadn't been using them cause I want sure about my leg position, but the instructor says they don't move that much (which kinda surprised me).

(Clara enjoying a bone)

I rode Razz after a break and coffee and I thought that was enough rest, but I was still tired. I gave her lots of opportunity to do the right thing at the lope by not asking for a lope till I got a nice right turn at the trot. This took about 15 minutes after we had warmed up. I actually ended up riding her for about 45 minutes, and was feeling pretty tired when we quit, but she was being really nice. After I had unsaddled her, i massaged her neck a little and she seemed to really like it. I try to do that every time but sometimes I forget. I also rub where the hackamore sits on her face and she really likes that.

(Clara and Chevy getting some lovin from my Mommy)

Now I need a bath and rest up so I can ride even better on Friday, I heard something about Cavelletti, but I'm hoping its not for me.

Feb 9, 2010

I rode Princess in my English saddle in a lesson today and it was good. We trotted over poles and it sure made Princess lift her feet up and pay attention to where she was stepping. This of course is after she had a snorting session at the poles. They fortunately didn't bite, so she walked over them. I never did much lope again, about a lap and a half until I lose my balance.


Blizzard left side

After coffee time, I rode Razz and she was very excited about being by our self and wanted to go quicker forever. We trotted until she slowed down and then we walked calmly for a while. Jardi came and rode her horse as well with me for a while. We had a good talk about how some horses are broker than we think they are or we give them credit for, because we knew them when they were young and silly. Like my Bailey girl, she had attitude when she was just started, but now I can do anything on her cause she trusts me and I trust her.


Blizzard right side

I put more old pics on CD today, and I still love looking at the old ones and remembering:) Pics are of a paint clyde cross I had a couple years ago, I traded him for Belle.

Feb 2, 2010

I went to see my ponies again today and we had good rides on both.

Razz I rose western again and she is still stiff when turning left, but I think it's her teeth again. By the end of the lesson, she is way softer, I think I just have to do more softening exercises without pulling on her too much. I have been bumping when she doesn't give and it seems to work better than just holding it there and waiting for her.

I rode English on Princess and I am finally starting to feel comfortable sitting in it. I actually loped for a round before I had to slow down before I lost position. She was really good though. She is really bad for wanting to stop when we walk, so I would trot, slow down to a walk and she would decide to stop after like 5 steps, so I asked her to trot some more, after about 20 minutes of trotting I had to stop cause I needed a break, and she was finally figuring out when I wanted her to walk, I actually meant to walk! It was fun.

Both horses also got trimmed today and I was a little worried about their feet being sore, but neither one seemed that way, so that's always good to know. Razz has been nervous about her feet, but she was really good today, helps we have an excellent farrier.

I started painting out basement yesterday and its finally looking like a room down there, instead of a storage facility. I will take pics after the second coat.

English Again

This morning was the monthly East Coulee Breakfast, where the community members put on a breakfast and we all go to eat it. It raises money for the community and the food is awesome and way more than you can eat, so we try to go every month.

Since its only 10 minutes from the barn where my ponies are, I thought I should go see them. As soon as I got there, the wind got ferocious, granted it might have been bad before, but the barn is on top of a hill and any wind there is worse than anywhere around I'm sure.

So we went in a visited inside for a while, then I decided I better go see my ponies and I caught them, but they wanted to stay hidden out in behind the windbreak, but I finally convinced them to come inside where there was no wind. I have to watch as I lead them together cause if I don't pay attention to Princess, she bites Razz, horses!

Anyway I just brushed and fed Razz and decided to ride Princess in my English saddle again. Wow, I haven't improved miraculously from Friday, lol. I shortened my stirrups one hole and that helped, but it just feels like I have nothing to hold me in, I guess I am too used to my western saddle. We did quite a bit of trotting and I did lots of circles, and its kinda hard with Princess (but good for her) that she slows down every time I start leaning one way or another. Its kinda funny, but gives me a chance to even up again. I'm sure it would look weird to everyone else though.

Anyways some pics of Happy Horses:
Princess (wondering why I'm shining a bright light in her face while trying to eat):


and Razz (not interested in me):

English Riding and Pain Free (almost)

Well I got inspired by Adventures of A Horse Crazed Mind to try English riding. So since I have been thinking about it for a while, I have the saddle and pads and so I thought what the heck, I can do this. Wow, I forgot I don't have any balance! I did enjoy it for the small ride on Princess, about 25 minutes. Mostly trot and walk, was feeling out of control for the corners, so didn't want to attempt a canter yet. She was sure a lot more sensitive to leg pressure without anything between my leg and her though. The best part is, I got off center and she just stops and waits for me, lol.

I rode Razz as well and discovered she doesn't like to bend her neck for some reason, thinking its still part of the stiffness, so I made it a big deal to turn and get a bend, we did many circles going left, before we could go straight again, to the right it wasn't so bad. I never noticed this before except in a tight circle, cause she turns when you pick up the rein, but its a stiff turn.

The restorers came and delivered all our stuff back and it sure doesn't look like much.



I also got an email from the guy I traded my Belgians to, and he has them driving and is gonna send me some pics of them, I'm so excited. So I sent him one of me riding Princess and gypsy getting all fat and furry. The want to see her foal, because she used to be his wife's riding horse, so I wanna get some good ones of that.

Oh ya, I am still almost pain free in my shoulder, I should never underestimate my chiropractor, he knew what he was talking about, wow, I still cant believe it doesn't hurt, except a little tender, but wow!