Bad Bad Me......

Ugh.... I said I was just going to try to figure it out... I wasn't going to get frustrated... I was going to appreciate that my horse was trying......

And nope... big fat bucket of nope. I tried.... I tried to figure it out, but it works both ways and then it didn't work both ways and I am still just as confused as I was before. Sigh....

But at least we had a pretty trail ride afterwards...which I spent apologizing to my pony for putting up with me. Sigh....

And...... Crashing down we come.....

Luckily I mean metaphorically.... or emotionally..... whatever. I didn't fall off. Just sooooo frustrated with my riding ability....



Beth lesson..... haunches out on a circle..... understand the concept, but can't visualize what is happening as it's happening..... feels like shoulders are out when tracking to the left and haunches are in...and nose is in..... but my brain can't fix it......

ughhhhhh

Fantastic Lesson

We had such a good lesson today!! We worked on lots of little stuff. Stuff like keeping the canter strides more forward, by using my sliding seat. And to keep my butt in the saddle. We also did some counter canter work. Cindy made me do it the hardest way.... True canter.. then cross the diagonal and then continue on the counter canter... short side and then long side. We had to really think about acting like the wall was on our inside. But once I had that visual it was a lot easier to maintain. We got it :) 

Silverthorn Show

First part of test 1-3

Second part of test 1-3

Good pony!

Smartass

 Today was a Beth lesson day. :) I went to the chiropractor and then the bank. Then I came home and did reports during the hottest part of the day. Then I headed to Morning Run to adjust Butters before my lesson on Dan. Dan seemed so excited to be back at Camp. Traitor!! You don't get to stay! 

 We tacked up and headed to the arena. Cindy was super and let me borrow the monoflap again. I started my warm up and as we hit the far end of the arena Danny went from 17 hands to 18 hands!! DONKEY!!! Um.... I'm pretty sure that the donkey has been there EVERY time we're here AND the entire time you were at Camp with Beth here. He was on full alert though. He was stock still and staring! Then he'd turn and stare at the mule and the ponies, then back to Donkey.. then back to mule and ponies.. then back to Donkey. I finally got him to go back to work. Goober. 

We started warming up and I told Beth that he was behind my leg again and it was so frustrating. And he didn't feel quite as lovely. She said she could tell... he was already lacking "structure". Sigh... Oops. Back to putting him in his box and insisting he stay there. And sure enough.... I ended up getting some LOVELY work out of him. I still have to push him into that right outside rein and ask for more flexion to the right. We did a few transitions and Beth reminded me to keep him connected and not throw him away during the transitions. And.. when I asked for the canter, I got the right lead every time. :) Yahoo!

So then Beth said she wanted to work on some changes. She said that it would help me get that canter and maintain that canter. And that until we were able to keep the lovely canter and get it consistently... our jumping wasn't going to improve. And that once we did get that canter.. the jumping would automatically improve. And it's not like Dan doesn't get the idea of a course, so... works for me. She set two cavaletti's 3 strides apart and had me get a nice collected canter and then canter the poles. We went in a circle on the left lead and she said that once we got into the poles on a nice stride (don't aim for a change if he didn't come into it nicely) we could turn right after the second pole. And as he lifted off to go over the second pole, I was to swing my "Hooker hips"to the left and shift my body aids from left lead canter to the right lead canter. Beth said to exaggerate it at first so that he understood what we were asking. She said that if we didn't get the full change to just come back down to the trot and go back to the left lead and try again. So we started and the first two times we pooped over the first pole. Beth said that this was pretty much what happened with jumps too. He is good around the turn but then gets behind my leg and I don't do anything about it. Sigh... Yep. But I swear I was trying. I almost fell off I was trying so hard! Seriously... pony club kicking is hard when it's 90 degrees and feels like 100. So.. then Beth told me to dig my spur into him. And that makes sense... he's still responding to my leg.. and I won't fall off. ;) Hopefully. So anyways... we got that accomplished and went back to the changes. So... the next time we went through, Dan swapped on his own after the first one. We laughed and praised him. He's like "Sucka's... I've got this!". Only it was because he was falling in on that shoulder so it was easier to swap. So we tried again with him straight and not falling or leaning and he swapped partially but the next attempt he swapped on his own again. So then Beth said that we would just do it over the first pole and skip the second pole. And we got it twice. So then we went to the other lead and it was tougher. Which we knew it would be. But not that tough. :) Yay! We got it a few times and then went back the other way and got it again and then quit with that. :) I joked that Beth was going to be in trouble when I got multiple changes during my counter canter work in my dressage tests this weekend. She said "Nope.. because your body needs to stay on the correct lead" which means he shouldn't swap. Sigh. Yep. :) 

 So then we went for a little cool down hack. We braved the donkey, although he didn't really see him well because the mule and other horses were in front of the donkey. The cows were fun though. :) 

Beating the Heat! ?

 Today I decided that I wanted to ride and I wasn't going to have time to do it after most likely. So I got my hiney up at 5:30 am and was on Dan by 6:30. It was still hot! And soooo muggy. But it wasn't too terrible. The bugs were kind of bad though, so next time... ear net and fly spray. We walked around the front field and did a little bit of exploring. Man.. I need to bush hog and spray weed killer. 

 So then we went to work. And ugh.. it is so hard to do any good steady work in the front field because the footing is just so... uphill, downhill, and varied. So then we headed to the "arena" because at least it's flat. That was better but it was hard to do some of the first level test moves. We rode without spurs and without the whip and worked on forward from the leg as well as did some regular stuff. 

 We had a good ride. And he was pretty sweaty and foamy so he got a quick rinse and then got to go in his stall under the fans. I changed and then I had a client show up. Danny soooo wanted to be his friend.  :) So.. yep, we'll have to do this a few times so that I can get some extra rides in. Although Lucy did offer to let me come and ride earlier than 9 am. :)