We're NOT jumping today Dan... NOT

 Good gravy! Today was.... a day. It was a pleasant enough day that I only had to adjust 5 horses, it was warm, and while there was a lot of driving, I was still home by 4ish, even with stopping at Kroger for a last minute gift. And I had planned ahead and drug the arena and moved some jumps and set up the cavaletti's, so... I tacked Dan up and off we went. 

I took the pivo out so that I could use it to see how collected his trot gets over the cavaletti's and thus compare his regular trot and also compare our version of the collected trot. Sounds good right?! Right... except.. freakin' pivo. I swear... that thing is not only worthless, but worse than worthless because it makes me so irritated that every time I look at it it's facing the pasture so I get so irritated at it and it messes up my ride because I need to go circle back behind it to catch it's "eye" again. I'm not sure it's even worth bothering anymore. It just makes me so cranky. Which isn't fair to Dan. So I told myself to just ignore it and ride. 

We did our transitions. He's getting better and better! Our canter to walks are almost getting smooth, although still a few too many trot steps. BUT.. not abrupt so progress! And his upwards are mostly good if I can remember to keep the inside bend. Then we did some trot work and tried to get some collection. So then I went towards the cavalettis. And good gravy! I don't entirely know what happened but Dan basically tried to bounce through them. Which.. is utterly impossible. Bless him though he did his best to get us out, and at the the last one he basically launched me over his head and I hit my pommel hard with my gut and then whiplashed back. Okay. NO... we're NOT jumping today Dan. That was yesterday. So... we tried again. Yep, same deal. So then I (sadly... and regrettably) ripped his face off, because.. Dude... just trot! We tried again and this time he walked through them halfway then halfway jumped. Okay.. what the heck? We did not have NEARLY the struggles at Rana's. I walked them repeatedly.. they are 5 footsteps apart. Maybe they're higher than Rana's??? so then I tried taking down the first and third one and just making them poles on the ground. Nope.. that didn't work either. So... I just gave up. What the heck?? I have no idea what's happening. The only thing I can think of is that they are too tall, but... I mean... their cavaletti's? I thought they were fairly standard. Guess I'll have to build my own. Or just only do cavaletti's with a competent person on hand. 

So we just quit with the cavalettis'. I knew Dan was a little irritated as here he was... doing his best to be clever with his feet through this tiny impossible grid I set for him... meanwhile I'm ripping his face off... and getting mad at him. So... we went back to the canter and fun stuff and he got lots of praise. Partially because he needed to be told he was a good boy and partially because... he was honestly really super! We had some seriously lovely canter half passes!! And even held the counter canter!!! We also did some simple changes, some three loop counter canter serpentine, and some fancy trot halfpasses! Keeping my outside elbow at my side has really helped with the canter and trot halfpasses. We did a medium or two and then called it quits. I'll have to figure out the cavaletti's another day. 

Then he got a rinse because it was that warm and in theory I'd like him to be clean for Freddie tomorrow. Then he got dinner and then he got adjusted. He's holding up nicely! Tomorrow morning new shoes and then... if it doesn't rain, a lesson. But it's looking like rain. :( 

Jumping Bean! What a good boy

 Oh, I love my pony!!! He's such a star!

 Dan in the fog this morning! Because yes, it was steamy this late December morning. 

We had a jump lesson today! Jacel said we were going to work on basics and form since it was the off season. Agreed! She said that we were going to do a low wide oxer to help get a proper bascule. Not just an upright jump or a long flat jump. She said that Dan is starting to use his knees but he's still not basculing as nice as he can. We also did a grid and while the grid started as all x's, she then changed the 2nd and 3rd jumps to be bigger. She said that was to get them thinking and looking rather than just going through the motions. She said that's why the big jump courses always have one or two bigger fences.. .to keep the horses thinking and looking. Cool! I never actually thought about it, but it makes sense. 

So we started off through the grid and he was PERFECT! We were going to let him mess it up himself, but... he's a rockstar and just bounced through like a straight A student. :) So then we upped the second fence fairly big and after the grid, we were to go to the one stride. So off we went. The bigger fence caught him off guard and he knocked it. And I was too worried about the cross canter and didn't ride to my fence straight (we swooped to it). We got through it, but it wasn't ideal. So we went again. Much better this time! Dan paid attention and then I rode correctly. I rode the barrel through the turn (leg yielding essentially to move his rib cage which softens his body) and then I softened my hands a little and brought them up a little, kept my shoulder blades back, and my knees out. And it was okay. It was better. He was always a little bit chippy into the big X and then had to really reach to get out. BUT... he reached up with his withers. The second time through I thought I was going to get launched he leapt so big over it, even with the long spot. So then we added the low wide oxer, which surprised him at first, but it was fine. And then after doing that a few times, which he corrected himself and began to jump it quite nicely, we added the outside line. That got a little wonky too. Then I was asking Jacel what I was doing wrong and she pointed out that being me, I was taking things a little bit too literal. This is where I need to ride by feel.... But I get so hung up on doing what they tell me, because otherwise... why would I pay them?! But... sometimes I forget to feel and/or realize that things change. Basically... she said that yes... I do need to push my hands slightly forward to encourage him to poke his nose out a little and come up into the bridle and lift the front end. Because before, when I held him too much, I was basically pulling him onto the forehand. So in the very beginning of the lesson, I needed to do that for a few fences. But then I didn't have to because he was getting fired up and in front of my leg and in the bridle. So at that point... I just needed to be soft and following and soften.. but keep the connection. I went from softening to throwing him away again. And damn, it's such a fine line. But... I could totally tell the difference. When I thought about keeping the connection... it was PERFECT!!! We came around to the cross rail one stride to the oxer and he totally nailed it! Our striding was perfect and it didn't feel long and it was just.... perfection! YAHOO!!!! So yep... same thing as our last XC school. Don't get too soft Holly. Hold his hand. But yep.. he was on fire.. going, in front of my leg, jumping up through his withers!! And they weren't tiny fences either. YAY!

So then we went for a hack to the lake for a drink, and then around to the creek crossing and up the hill on hoot and holler and then up the hill on the XC field and finished up. Rockstar!! I can't wait to see what 2022 holds for us! If I can just get brave enough on XC. :) But dang, if I get that ride out of him... I will be brave!

 

 

 

 

Chaos, but good work

 

Good gravy! I spent the morning doing chores and got the barn cleaned. And then finally I was ready to go ride. I walked all the way out to get Dan and then headed back in. Funny and Fleck didn't follow us, so... apparently, when I took Dan out of the gate I either forgot to close it at all or just didn't latch it fully. I was preoccupied with getting a small water bucket and a doctor pepper for my headache apparently. So I loaded Dan up and headed towards Ashland. I got to the TSC just about when Mike called and said that Eddie had texted and the horses were running in his front yard. CRAP!! Mike was at the office, so... I turned around and rushed home as quick as I could. I left Dan in the trailer. The neighbor was walking his dog and said that they had come up and said hi and sniffed noses but then one of his dogs barked and they left. He said they were down at Eddie's neighbors. So I headed that way. Luckily they were in Eddies' neighbors front yard but then by the time I got there, they had snuck back behind Eddies house. They came right up to me luckily and I got them haltered and we headed back.

  

Unfortunately Funny must have wiped out on the concrete because when I went to turn her out and saw her left side... she had road rash all down her knee, her stifle, her hock and her fetlock, and her elbow was all ripped up. Good gravy baby girl!!! So I rinsed all the blood and assessed. It was mostly just scraped up pretty good although there was a good bit of loose flesh at her elbow. At least the opening was distal so it would drain and not pocket. At this point, Fleck was screaming in the stall and Dan sounded like he was going to flip the trailer over. So I turned her out as she was ambulatory on all four. Then I realized Fleck was a hot sweaty mess but he trotted off, so I just left him. I checked on Dan and he was still standing so I decided to just go ride. Nothing was bad enough on Funny to need stitches (nor would that elbow hold stitches anyways) and she was sound enough. I mean, she was a little sore but go figure.. she had serious road rash. 

 

Of course then once Dan and I left I got all worried and freaked out, but.... we got to Ashland and Kelli did his mane. Then we rode. And he was so good! We started out with our lateral walk work and then we did our transitions. Walk to trot to walk to trot to canter to trot to canter to walk to canter to trot. He's getting better so quickly with those. Then we did some lateral work at the trot and then worked on collecting the trot some with just my seat. Ugh. I'm so out of shape... that core work had me huffing and puffing. We also played with the canter and did some three loops and some simples and some halfpass. And wow!! His canter half pass is getting SOOOO good! Granted we fall apart back at the rail but.. it's getting so good! And we did some canter work before... where I let him canter normal, then held him with my core til he collected, then let him go normal again. He's really listening. And sometimes he listens too much (ha, or I ask too much or don't support enough with leg and seat aids) and he breaks, but he's really getting good at it. To the point that I think it's helping the half pass as I felt some real wither lift! Yay! We had some good medium trots too. 

 

Afterwards we went on a short hack with Judy and Teller, her cute 4 year old Appendix, and also Kelli and Marvin. It was such a pretty day!

Luckily Funny was fine and alive when I got home. Just stiff. But she got another rinse off, some bute, and some honey antibiotic spray, so... fingers crossed it's all just superficial wounds. And the sunset was amazing tonight too! Luckily I was able to get some photos of them all. Well, not Fleck. He was in the stall. And he was still sweaty and hot so I rinsed him off since it's going to only be a low of 58 tonight. And yes... it is Dec 26th!! It's been a warm Christmas!

So.... fingers crossed that we can get a change on Dan soon because I think if I can keep him sound, this may be the year of the bronze!!!

 

Christmas Day

Merry Christmas!!!

Mike and I slept in a little and then I fed the ponies before we did Christmas. After we did Christmas, the animals got their Christmas. The ponies enjoyed their carrots with the tops still attached. :) They're such goobers. It was such a nice day, Danny got naked time!

After Mike and I had lunch and watched National Lampoon's Christmas, I decided it was time to go ride. My plan had been to take Funny and Dan and just hack. Except when I walked outside the wind was a blowing! Our inflatable unicorn was at the end of her tether. Oh my! But, then I saw Funny and Dan grazing in the pasture, non-plussed by the wind so I thought... what the heck! Let's do it! 

We loaded up and off we went. They were both perfect! We had a good time and Dan and I showed Funny some new spots that she had never been. We passed a few dear but that was it. There wasn't much else going on. The beavers had been active and their dam is huge and filled that lower area so much that the little bridge is almost under water. Which makes me a little worried... that it's going to rot that wood. But we had no mishaps and the kids had fun. 

Ahhhhh.... good day. Glory to God in the Highest.

Christmas Eve Fun

BRRRRR!!! It was a chilly ride this morning. But it got much better once we got moving. We have Christmas at Mom Searls at 1 today so Mike wanted to leave by 11. And, I'm actually kind of proud of me. Despite staying up way too late, I got up early enough to get out the door, get to Ashland, put in a 45 min to 1 hour ride, untack, get home and get showered and changed and ready for Christmas by 1o:58! Go me!

 

Before we left, we met the Christmas unicorn!

But anways, it was chilly but we did a quick walk around the little lake and then headed to the dressage arena. I did a little bit of our lateral homework, focusing on keeping the walk steady and crisp and not letting it get lateral. Then we did some transitions, working on our homework. It's getting easier! We did lots of trot to walk to trot and then added in some canter to trots to canters and then even some walk to canter to walks. The upwards and definitely improving. The downwards are still hard, but we're making progress. 

Then we did some trot half pass work and then some leg yielding and then went onto the canter. We played with the half pass and holy moly!!! He's got a legit canter half pass now!!!! The only problem is that when we hit the rail, we panic. We've gotten to where sometimes we can hold the counter canter for a tiny bit, or I can ask for a decent downward to trot. And once today... we even got a legit simple change with very little walk steps in between, so.. it was almost a change!! Then we worked on our collecting work and got some nice decent trot. But man.. my core is getting a work out. It's like I can't breathe when I use my core, so I'm huffing and puffing. ha ha! Time to start running! So yep. Then my time went off and it was time to go so we did one or two nice medium trots across the diagonal and down centerline and halted, somewhat non-dramatically! Then a quick untack and home we went!

Fixing the Feral

 Lesson: transitions, transitions, transitions....  cavalettis' Except we forgot how to fancy prance. We're beach bums now!!! ;) 

Working on that dressage bod!