Fitness quickie

 Too much dressage lately, so Dan and I needed a breather. I've been non-stop and this weekend was no different. After working 12 hours Friday, I volunteered to scribe at Ashland's show Saturday, which meant another long day. I left at 8:30 am and got home at 6ish... and then hung out with Mike so I didn't get to ride. Today Dan had his massage with Kathleen at 1, so we got up early to go ride. I still had to hitch up too, but we managed to get to Ashland and had time for a 1.5 hour ride. So yay! We just did fitness. We mostly hacked at the walk but we did do a 10 minute trot, followed by two 3 minute canters. Then we did a little sprint. It was fun. Then we walked some more. And then we jumped two small jumps and the ditch. Then we headed to Athens to meet Kathleen and then home. Another long day. As will be tomorrow. But finally Tuesday I will have a bit of a breather! Freddie in the am and then a jump lesson with Jacel. :) Then back to dressage. ;) 

We loved all the gallop lanes that they had mowed. And.. we were tempted by the new XC combo. ;) ha ha! It was a HUGE tree! Although had that extra little trunk not been attached, it might have been an acceptable prelim jump. :) 

Baby steps... but progress!

 Rode with kelli... took a massive effort but got haunches in both ways at the canter without breaking!! Tried all the things Rana and I worked on but added doing it on the outside of the arena, so mentally... we didn't have very far to go so it wasn't as intimidating. maybe?? But it sort of worked. Got some nice trot work too. Then Kelli was done but Dan was power trotting like a fool so I did a few lengthens which felt really nice and even got a few beginning steps of piaffe into the halt. :) And I mean very beginner baby steps, but.. it was fun. 

Then took a quick walk around the small lake and then chatted while the boys grazed.

Groom session with funny

Lesson and bareback hack

 Today was lesson day but Kelli and Marvin really needed a long trail ride, so... we did both! We went to Ranas for a lesson and had a good ride. We still are struggling with the stupid haunches in. Sigh... We warmed up and she reminded me of the haunches in on the figure 8, with no change of bend exercise. So we did that. Then we did a little bit of trotting and she reminded me to keep the bend but to be careful that he's not just bending his neck in, especially to the right. The bend must come through the barrel and back. Then we went to the canter. And, that of course led to the haunches in again. Sigh... It's me! Well, and Dan too. Basically I just have to be quicker at catching him. As Rana pointed out... he doesn't have that many tricks and he uses them repeatedly, so... stay ahead of him. Basically... for now, almost overbend him because when he is overbent, he can't invert and brace through his neck. As soon as he gets straight.. he inverts, braces, and then he can't keep cantering so he props and stops. So I have to stay ahead of him with that. And to my credit, I did get better and caught him a few times before he inverted. I've also got to keep him in front of my leg. When I have to get after him to keep him going, then my body position falls apart! So ride with my thighs, not my spur. Then I can keep my lower leg off of him except for the occasional pony club kick to keep him cantering. Or more than occasional. :) But it works! Because by the end of my ride, he was cantering and forward and in front of my leg. Granted I had to kick almost every 1/4 of the circle to make sure he stayed in front of my leg but it'll get better. So then we got our forward canter... did a circle with kicks to make sure he stayed in front of my leg, and as we finished the circle, we came off of it into the haunches in. I have to keep my inside leg off of him... which is annoying because in theory, that's what creates the bend, but... not yet. Right now.. it's just blocking him. And my right shoulder keeps dropping, which collapses my right core, which makes me draw up my right spur. Sigh... so I need to ride around a bit with my right hand up in the air to stretch out my core and really keep my right shoulder up! This helps me bring that right shoulder forward for the correct positioning for the half pass right. So yeah.. it was a struggle. BUT... we did get about 3 or 4 total steps of legit half pass at the canter. :) And then we tried the other way. Ha ha. That was a disaster too. For the same reason, but a different way. Argh... I need mirrors so I can practice and see what whackadoodle things my body is doing!

So anyways... Dan got rewarded and a rinse off cause it was steamy. We hauled to Ashland and I threw on the bareback pad and the grazing halter and off we went. He was super and it was a beautiful day. We all had fun. :) 

Musical Ponies

 Dressage.... still struggling with canter half pass/haunches in. 

Rode with Liz... hopped on Party... look where I'm going.... don't do as many steps at first, keep my outside shoulder back.  She hopped on Dan

then I got back on and tried it on Dan. Sit to the outside. start from centerline, not rail... don't expect too much. even do outside of arena and reward the good

then a long hack... splashed in the lake. him and party are a good match

Cheer up Ride

 Long day working with mike... them Becky's party ... no time to ride... but had a quickie. Hopped on bareback and jumped the keyhole jump :0 

Felt better

XC lesson.... well poo

 Humbling XC lesson... Dan went beast mode, I chickened out. Hormonal. 

Sound again!

Nice dressage ride. Felt pretty good except still struggling with the haunches in/half pass at the canter. And at the end was swapping in front and falling out of the canter. Concerned about hind end vs just wonky and out of balance. Then went for a short hack with Kelli and marvin