Jump skewl!

We left the sandbox and decided to jump over things yesterday. :)

Over the tarp!

OMG my position is not terrifying! Not perfect, but at least not terrifying!

weee!!!

Here are some videos of Hampton jumping around at the farm yesterday. We haven't jumped in a while, and it sort of shows. :)

Here's a crossrail .. trot down the hill to the bending line. (5 strides)
For some reason I actually RIDE the damn bending line well and it's quite pretty. I have always had a weird thing about bending lines, probably just inexperience, in that when I jump in I have steering issues and end up screwing it up. This one is pretty good for us!



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Here's a 2-stride in an out, and a canter to a fan of purple planks. We are a little crooked coming into the grid, but somehow it's pretty smooth. As I watch these videos I realize how easy this is for Hampton. He just canters over. lol.



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Here we are hopping over a fake liverpool, aka  a tarp under a jump. He thought about stopping, or maybe just needed an extra peek but I tapped him and over we went.



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HOWEVER ... the tarp from the other direction did not go so well. We canter over the fan and "rollback" (not really a rollback), back to the tarp. You see him waiver, swap leads, try to run out on me. I could have ridden better and I needed more outside rein, but I kept my eyes on the prize and he DID go over (or sort of through, oh well!) This is the video in which I say "You little SH!T!! GET OVER!" ... So uh, sorry if that offends your ears.



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Here's the bending line to the fan again. This is more of our green-bean moments. It isn't horrible, but crooked and awkward.




We are getting better! :) My instructor wants us to move up to Beginner Novice but I am going to do another Starter event (or 2) to build on our confidence. Next year we will tackle the BN division.

Hamps has been his usual, wonderful self on the flat, too. Still trying to find a ride to Octoberfest but I think we will be ok. :)

Wordless Wednesday: Hipsters

Bye bye Bruise news

Today I said goodbye to Bruise, my blue truck.

No more paying $20 to get up a hill!

And said hello to this yet unnamed sexy thang:

Part of me is sad to get rid of Bruise. I'm giving up the freedom and convenience to haul Hamps whenever and wherever I want. BUT I no longer have to pay $800+ a month in just car payments and gas. SO ... it came to a point where I was just fing tired of stuggling paycheck to paycheck. Something had to give.

Now I can afford to go to small shows again. Or take lessons. And even eat.

If I can find a truck to rent or borrow. :)

Can you blow my whistle baby

Well our entire network system has crashed at work. So now I have time to blog. At least the internet is still working.

I mailed in my entry for Octoberfest. As you may recall, we were very successful there last year. I enjoy the Hoosier Horse Park and its only an hour and a half from me now.



Here I am, PRAYING my way around a jumper course last year
at Octoberfest.

 I pondered doing dressage and a combined test on Saturday - like we did last year. But then I remembered how tired Hampton was after all of that.

So for Saturday, we are just going to do 2 dressage tests (First 1 and First 3). I am going to scrap the CT's, but stay for Sunday and do some jumper and hunter classes. I don't think we'll go school cross country this year. Well ... ok I'll leave that as a big MAYBE.

I'm debating 2'3" classes or go for the 2'6" jumper division. Maybe warmup with a lower class and then move on? I'd like to try some hunter classes, too, just for fun. And so I can break out my Taylored Sportsmans again.

Rumor is that we MIGHT participate in some trail classes or other fun classes as well ....

Other than that I quit making a lot of show plans for the year. We all know how well those plans turned out for 2012. Oh well!

Super news coming later this week .............

Motorin'

Here's a photo of us playing with half steps/piaffe in hand.

He has moments where he really gets it! But I don't do this more than once a week. It's good for him to learn now, but I don't feel a need to drill it. I want to keep it playful and non-stressful.

One of the ding-bat OTTBs was running around a paddock last night next to the arena - snorting and flagging his tail. Hampton decided that he may like to light up and act like an idiot, too! This resulted in a "conversation" and oddly ... after I clobbered him and gave him a stern growl, he turned into Mr. Super Dressage Horse. Easy off the leg, round, good contact. Made the half pass easy. There was some mild tension but ... I like that horse better than half asleep Hampton sometimes. That is the nice thing about Hamps, it's fairly easy to channel that extra energy into something good.

**Edited to add: I don't think ALL OTTBs are "dingbats." :) It was this one in particular who was acting such. I love OTTBs and know plenty of good eggs. Didn't want any readers to think I was racist against OTTBs. That is all.

Womp Womp.

I had to reschedule the Aquatread trip since I am in the middle of selling my truck and getting a new car. It's a bummer, but not a big deal. I'll take him over there soon.

Other than that, we have been doing fitness rides (trot for 20 minutes straight), ground poles, and lunging. Now the weather is cooler I have added some lunging back into the routine. It's really good for Hampton and I always have a good ride after a 10 min lunge.

We've also been doing more piaffe/half steps in hand. Video to come of that!

Other than that, here are some random Hampton photos from the past week or two. :)

Hamper

His mane is getting out of control.

Kitteh plots my death.

A bit on budgets.

If you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you know that I have frequent meltdowns concerning my finances. I am sure there have been dozen of blogs stating something like:

"Should I sell my horse?"
"I need to sell my truck"
"Where will my next meal come from?"
"I need to move barns for cheaper board"
"Shoot me"

... Well, I did a quick run of numbers this evening as I am STILL struggling with being able to afford things.

I am spending at least $400 A MONTH on GAS!!!!!!!!

I knew this, but for some reason it just hit me.

I need to trade the truck in for a fuel efficient car. Doing this will 1) cut down on gas expenses and 2) hopefully lower my monthly payments.

It makes me sad to give up the ability to just go hook up the trailer and go somewhere. But, on a good note I will still have my trailer. I can either borrow a truck, or rent one. Yes renting cost money but in the meantime I will be saving. On another good note, perhaps I can finally stop overwithdrawing my checking account and suffering from panic attacks when I don't know where I will get food or gas. Hampton won't have to move to a primitive hillbilly farm and maybe I can afford to go to a horse show.

Now ... car shopping time.

Shoot me.

Underwater basketweaving

One of the great things about living in Kentucky is that we now have access to some seriously swanky horse farms. Take, for instance, one of the top TB rehab farms in the area (they rehabbed this year's Kentucky Derby favorite) ... has an Aquatread. And they just so happen to allow haul-ins to use it!!

It's $35 to haul in for a session so I made an appointment on Monday to haul Hamper over there. He has never seen an Aquatread before, but I imagine he will react to it in typical Hampton fashion.

"Human, what is this?"
"It's an underwater treadmill, Hamper. You need to walk on it for a while."
"Seriously?"
"Yes."
"Hmmm, let me ponder this dilemma."
"Here's a treat Hampton"
"OK!!! I'll do whatever you want!"

What are the advantages of Aquatreads?

• Properly controlled exercise in the treadmill adds significant tone and conditioning to the back and stifle muscles. (Hmmm, know any big bay geldings with sore back and stifles? ....)
• Promotes bone density and encourage muscle development, while minimizing injury.
•  The water takes 40 to 60 percent of the horse’s body weight off the horse's legs.
• A safe, controlled environment

I am curious to how Hampton will feel under saddle a day ot two after this session. Will report back with details. :)