Working hard

 Today was just a day for hard lessons. But at least this one was more fun. ;) 

Danny and I rode with Liz today. I put the peter horrobin saddle on because I figured I'd have to ride in a saddle for the show. Although I am hopefully going to use Kaitlyn's DP western saddle instead of my english saddle. Which, sadness that it won't be my western saddle. I'll pick up Kaitlyns Monday. Although, supposedly our (me and Sharon's) saddles will arrive on Monday and then all Mark has to do is oil, add conchos' and get my fender stamped. So... not sure I'll have mine by Saturday but maybe???? Although not sure I'll get to ride in it before Saturday. So.. we'll get Kaitlyn's Monday and then I can ride in it Mon, Tues, and hopefully Friday. Then show Sat. But... maybe, just maybe I can get mine Friday and ride in it Friday and then show in it Saturday??? 

Anyways... I rode in the PH dressage saddle with long stirrups and my bosal. And he was good. We walked around a bit and did a tiny bit of trot and then we started practicing test movements. We didn't play with the leg yield but started with the serpentine. Oh my gosh I have such a mental block on it! Although, in my brain, I think Liz was screwing me up. She kept telling me to do a ten meter circle, change bend to the other 20 meter circle, then back to another 10 meter circle. But... that meant I went from quarter line to quarterline but then to the rail and then back to quarterline. And the drawing shows more of a flattened circle in the middle. So I was trying to do what she said but couldn't wrap my brain around it. And then add in the fact that I'm trying to ride it quarter line to quarter line vs off the rail... and add in the fact that my arena is too big so I'm just sort of winging it with the dimensions and don't have rails for half of my arena... So it was extra hard. THEN... I'm so dumb.. .we had a pole to mark the end of the arena near C, but not centered in the "large arena" but instead centered in my whole arena and my brain kept making that C instead of where C actually was. Once we moved the pole down, it helped me way more than it should have. Ha ha. I'm so spatially challenged. Anyways... once I started thinking of changing the flexion/bend to the same flexion/bend as I would on a 10 and 20 meter circle, but rode the pattern I had in my head that helped. And Liz also told me to make sure that I kept the bend the whole way around from A to the quarterline and then to centerline, then change my bend at centerline and keep that bend the whole way back to the other half of my circle on centerline before changing the bend again. I was riding too much of a straight line with a straight horse instead of a bend to a bend to a bend. Ahhhh. And by focusing on my bend changes being at centerline helped immensely. But good golly that pattern has taken me so long to figure out. We had to run through it about 20 times before I got it. Ha ha. BUT... once I got it, we got some really good ones. Although Dan was not really wanting to bend today. I had to use more inside rein than I wanted. And really step to the outside stirrup. AND.. keep my head turned to the outside (really straight but feels like to the outside). But then it was pretty good! Oh, and I have to keep him slightly slower paced so he doesn't fall on his forehand. 

So phew... once we got that under control we talked about the canter. Liz pointed out that this test really set you up for success but that you had to ride it properly or else it would be easy to "fail". The serpentine really put you on a nice inside bend for the canter depart but if you didn't ride to the outside, your horse would fall in and you'd get the wrong lead. Ooof... good point! And then, we realized that it's a 15 meter canter circle not a 20 meter circle. Ooof! That's gonna be hard on the right lead for Dan. Whooops! I may have been a bit too optimistic on this test. Kind of like T-3 with Funny. But oh well. It is really showing the holes and things we need to work on. So we decided I would cheat a little and aim for a 18 meter circle to the right and aim for a 15 meter circle to the left. But I had to very much ride my serpentine almost to a leg yield coming back to the rail for the canter depart. I need to sit very much on the outside hind and make darn sure I'm looking to the outside! So that I can help him lift that inside shoulder instead of falling in on it. But it worked and we got our leads every time. Then I need to make sure that I support him the whole way around the circle and really sit back and up before the downward. Then sit the downward (not post) so that I can support him into the nice trot. And, stay slow. The right lope (hee hee... I keep saying canter but technically now I should be saying lope) is harder especially as we start to get towards the final quarter as he starts to fatigue, so I really need to support him and almost leg yield him out at that point. We practiced it a few times but not too many cause he was getting tired. 

So then we realized that the trot lengthen was right after the canter. Luckily after the left lead canter because I'm not sure we could have done it after the right lead. Dang... how did I not realize how hard this test was?! ha ha. Anyways, and technically it's nice because it has you do a downward, then go straight for a tiny bit, then turn across the diagonal and lengthen. Which... seems helpful at first because you have time to get them back to a balanced trot, but... harder because you have to go straight then turn. We played with it but Dan was getting tired and either didn't lengthen or broke into the canter. Ooof. I miss bareback. So we decided that I needed to sit the downward from the canter, stay sitting, and then get him back and balanced and collect the trot, then start across the diagonal and get him straight and the allow the lengthening once we hit the quarterline. If I ask/allow before that he's going to fatigue and dump on his forehand around X, whereas if I'm a little later in the ask, he'll stay in a good lengthen until I can start bringing him back down. And the way I ask is to keep my hips swinging but ask for more with my hips and slightly push BOTH hands forward. Don't use one leg (which is hard if he starts to drift or tip), but squeeze with both slightly. And probably not even... just swing and ask with my hips. But I'll play with it again when he's not so tired. We did do it sitting because I felt like he's been doing it well when I'm bareback, but... I may play with sitting vs posting next ride and see. 

Anyways... after that we let him be done because he was pretty tired. It was hot today and he was breathing pretty hard. Not terribly, and he caught his breath quick, but he was tired. And he was trying. He really did all the things I asked, even though sometimes I asked wrong. We chilled and then hacked home and I let him snack on the grass while Liz and I said our goodbyes. Then he got a little rinse. She did think he was a little muscle fatigued today. And... he probably should be. We ended up trotting for about 20 minutes which is more than he's been doing I think. (Ok, I looked.. not really a ton more, but definitely the most trotting he's done by a few minutes. And it's only been a few rides of more than 15 minutes, so... still getting back to his fitness level). 

Then tonight he got his shockwave again. I adjusted him too first. He wasn't too bad today for his adjustment. Just a little bit sore in his SI joints, which is usual for him, but I felt like he was less sore than usual. And he had flipped sides... usually it's his right SI that's stuck and today it was his left. Interesting. I did get both stifles, which... go figure. And got good releases. Though he still hesitates a bit before putting them down after I adjust them. I got some good neck releases today too. Then I shockwaved his stifles and the left fetlock/sesamoids as he was due for his last one. Then he got bemered again (also got it this am). So... he should be feeling pretty good come Saturday!

Feeling Punchy!!

 Whoo hoo!! My homemade bosal hanger works! And looks pretty darn snazzy if I do say so myself. :) I really wish I hadn't screwed up the more brown leather and had to get more, which was more burgandy. But oh well. Maybe I'll be motivated enough to try again but ... good enough for now!

 

I rode Dan at home since I had run out of time between my eye appt, Jacel lesson and then riding Lyric. But it was fine since I wanted to try out the bosal anyways. I just wish I had put all the groundpoles up because I couldn't really practice my test manuevers. Although to be fair, I have kind of forgotten what the test were anyways.  Ha ha. I need to go back and learn them again! But we played with the pattern pieces anyways. At least as best as I could estimate around the poles. We also did the poles. He was super!! I really do like him in the bosal. Although I'm starting to get paranoid that he won't be able to feel my weight and seat aids and leg aids in the saddle as much as in the bareback pad and then our rides will suck. Ughhh. I need my saddle to get here soon so I can get some practice rides in! 

 

He's still a little sticky bending, especially right, but iti was better today. Especially when I paid attention to my body. And we had some lovely leg yields. And our canters were decent. He didn't fall out of it today and I balanced him better but he struggles bending a bit more there too. We got some nice reinback too! I like Liz's technique... right rein, right leg, release, left rein, left leg, release and repeat. It works nicely! We practiced our serpentines and tried to do our barrel circles but it was hard not having an actual spot to circle around. But we tried. I'll relearn the tests and go practice at Ashland and then set up actual barrels or jump standards at home to practice that part for the obstacles! I'm also hoping to go get a lesson at Linda's farm on Saturday to practice the obstacles there. 

 

He was very good boy and seemed pretty happy in the bosal. And pretty ridable too! Of course most of that is because it makes me ride off my seat and legs. And oh, we got a lovely trot lengthen across the diagonal today too! And played with the stretchy trot. Which wasn't as good as it has been. And definitely not as good as Funny's 10. ;) We'll keep working at it. 

Good pony!

  \

Oh, and while I was grooming him today, I told myself to not be angry at his behavior but show him how to "use his words". So... I was patient and kind and watched. And when he got snarly, I stopped and did some fascial work. And... he appreciate it. And while it seemed like he needed it in lots of spots, it wasn't really that many. And then he got less cranky overall. So... I'll keep trying to listen as long as he quits screaming at me for all the things. :) Deal buddy? 

Group hack in hackamore

 group hack with sharon and jamie. dan's a wierdo. but weston likes him. rode in hackamore with headstall. definitely no control when dan wants to do what dan wants to do. ugh. 

fun though. walk only. good recovery day. (ha.. 6 miles walk though)

good with sailor the dog

hunter perch

 lesson with liz. halter and jump saddle. hunter perch. liz's work is done. 

garocha pole

played with serpentine. DUH... it's a 10 meter circle, change the bend to a 20 meter circle the other way, then change the bend to a 10 meter circle the other way. 

canter work. still weak. but falls out when he's tired and i abandon him, so hold him together at the end and compress to the downward

aaaahhhhh, I love Tuesdays!

 Ahhhh... if only every day could be a Tuesday! 

 

We got up early for the dentist. We went ahead and did Dan even though it's only been 6 months, but this way he's now on the same schedule as the girls. Plus, with the weird tongue thing he did the other day... I wanted to make sure! He was fine. But that's fine because now they can get all the things in March - vaccines, dentals, adequan... although I guess coggins are in August or something. Doh! Oh well.

   

Anyways, I gave him a few hours to recover and then we headed to Ashland. I decided to sign up for the Ashland show and am going to do the WE test for practice but also a western dressage test. I looked at them and figured we might as well try for 1-1. Which, I'm assuming is equating to first level. But it has a fun leg yield and a reinback and some canter. Not a lot of canter, but a circle each way. So yay! So, we got to Ashland and I put the halter on him with my reins instead of the bit. Partly because he had his teeth done but mostly because I feel like he's not happy in the western bit. I broke down and ordered another (cheap) bosal because I still don't have any idea when I'm getting his good one. And I need it in time for the Ashland show and would like to be able to practice before then too! And it's already shipped and should arrive in 1-3 days! YAY! In the meantime, we'll ride in the the halter. 

 

So we got on and took a warm up lap around the little lake. Then we headed to the arena. We warmed up briefly and then just went straight into the test. (Or what I thought was the test... I didn't realize it wasn't a three loop serpentine so much as a three loop quarter line to quarter line serpentine). But he nailed it. My version anyways. He was super and sooooo much happier in the halter. He was softer in his neck and not braced and just more lifted in his back. So yep.. definitely going to stick to this or the bosal. We played around with some other things... did more canter... more leg yields, some shoulder ins, some lengthens, some stretches, and some centerline to halts. And practiced the reinback. And we had fun. He was super good so we didn't stay in the arena too terribly long. 

 

We headed out to cross country and I let him go in the water complex. He wanted to paw but it was so shallow and I didn't want him making holes. So we trotted a circle but it was so shallow it wasn't really worth it. And he kept trying to stop and paw. So I gave up and took him to the lake. On the way there we trotted a log or two and the upbank. On landing of the up bank he put his head down like he was going to buck, but he didn't. Phew! 

 

We headed to the lake and had a lovely splash fest! He quite enjoyed himself. Then we opted to go down racoon loop, cross the bridge and then he picked sideways. Good boy... I was aiming for some hills. We then came back out to the narnia crossing into the XC field and trotted the ditch and then up the hill. Then I wanted one more canter so we trotted back down and then cantered back up. Good pony!

 

 

Such a lovely day!! Now to just hope I can ride as well once I get my tack... the saddle.. the bosal... 

 

 

 

Good cowboy

 photos: good cowboy, I help

Rode at home. good boy. he tried. worked on neck reining, less loud aids, and better bend and connection. have to change my rein length so much. not a fan. not how i want to ride. also worked on backing up and the serpentines. got a nice canter but lost his hind end twice. transitions braced again. especially into canter but also into trot. argh. want my bosal!!!

good boy though

Short Ride and School

 

 After the show with Funny, I got home and wanted to try to take Danny out. Mike had been waiting on the tractor guy all day so he went to go get lunch (poor guy... almost 4 pm) while I waited. Luckily Sharon was good with waiting too, so I managed to get to Ashland just after 5 pm. She had to go pick her husband up from the airport so we had to do a quick ride. We tacked up and headed to the lake. We went around the lake and then headed back. It was a nice ride. Gorgeous day today, despite the winds and it being a hair chillier. 

   

When we got back, I ended up going to the arena for a little more riding since Sharon had to leave. We practiced using less rein aids and more body and seat aids. And we played with the test a little bit. But I forgot it so we just kind of toodled around. I also did some cantering and that seems to be getting better and better each day. We also worked on the reinback and did some of the straight line walk to trot to walks. He was good. We also did some leg yields. 

 

We finished and headed back to the trailer but then I decided to practice neck reining amongst the trees so we zigged and zagged through a bunch of trees. We're both getting the hang of it, although I do have to be more exaggerated. But we'll get there. 

 

 

Good pony!