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Monday, January 9, 2012

The Fresh Prince

Let it be known that I am NOT ... I repeat NOT complaining about the weather. And it's January. In Indiana.

This photo was taken on Saturday. All weekend it has been a comfortable 45-50 degrees. The arena footing has been great and we have fit in 3 rides in a row. Holla.

Saturday: Um, so Saturday Hampton, like many of the horses these days, had a wild feather up his ass. There must be something in the air because I am getting multiple reports of horses who are normally mellow having bucking fits, spooking and acting like morons. Thankfully, I managed to have a super ride with only one scoot/leap/head toss movement. I thought he might buck but I yanked his head up in time. Otherwise, he is about as forward as Hampton gets without being a squirrel. We worked on lateral work (leg yield, shoulder-in, haunches in and some ranvers), forward and back and some turn on the haunches. I didn't canter because I was scared I would be bucked off. I decided to end the session on a really good note and not push my luck. I do not consider myself a chicken - I consider that smart riding! :)

Sunday: Hampton was back to his normal, mellow self. But we still had a super ride. More of the usual lateral work plus some cantering. Leg yielding at the canter away from and back to the rail. This has become much more easy for Hampton lately. We also worked on cantering on straight lines - forward and back around the ring. After my lesson with LAZ, I realized that we need to canter more on straight lines. He is old enough to do that now and it is a definite hole in our training. We also worked on some half steps (they are getting there, still need more implusion) and ended the day with a relaxing trail ride with Lilly, JJ and their humans. Hampton cracks me up when he instantly switches over to trail poneh. His neck gets long, ears go to the side. He has a nice walk in the arena but heading away from the farm he is easily outpaced by Lilly, a 14.3 Walker and JJ, a 14.2 Quarter Horse. Yet my 17.1 TB cross always ALWAYS lags behind. *sigh*

Hey camera lady you got treats?

Monday: I decided at first not to do lateral work since we had done so much the 2 rides before. But as the ride went on, I realized he really does need it or he becomes "ping-pongy" and unsteady in the bridle. The leg yields and shoulder in are really good for him and I have a much better connection afterwards. We also worked on canter-walk transitions. They are getting better. He comes above the bit a little but I am not too worried about that as long as his big butt is under him. We worked a lot on forward and back at the trot and some serpentines. I had wanted to run through First-1 but forgot my book with the test.

He is otherwise sound and happy. His feet are in remarkably good shape especially since he has been standing in a swamp for more than a month. I've been debating giving him his "bib" trace clip but I think I may wait another month just in case it decides to get super cold.

I see that CAF has added a second week of Event Camp ... I am so, so tempted. I don't know how I would afford it but .. where there's a will, there's a way. Right?

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Naked man on a stallion

Does anyone else subscribe to Warmbloods Today?

I was reading the newest issue this morning and BLAM-O:

At least he's wearing a helmet?

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

On the saddle hunt (lets all groan together in 3 ... 2.... 1)

>>> Sorry for my rambling last post. Might have still been a bit hungover. And sometimes that is how my brain works. Might explain my anxiety issues. haha. <<<

I am looking forward to this weekend as it's supposed to be in the 40s and sunny. This forecast = riding! I hope the arenas will be thawed. My plan is to do 1 day of "work", 1 day of stretching and 1 day to hack and trail ride.

Below is a short video of part of our jumping lesson at CAF. (Thanks Amy!) As you can see, Hamps is in a downhill phase of his growth and training right now. Jumping through the grid really helped, but it's something I should probably work on at home. I have not been pushing him to be uphill so far because of his age and because I prefer to let him lower his neck and raise his back. But it's probably time I start to ask for his poll to be a bit higher. Also, it really shocks me how SLOW he is going. To me, it felt like we were going at a nice clip. But watching this video, I see that he needs to have WAY quicker feet - especially for jumping.

(Also, you will hear LAZ comment on how Hampton is really tuned in to my anxiety. You will see me nodding my head in 100% agreement. This was the first time she has ever taught us or really seen us in action. Love her!)

Also ... *sigh* ... yes I'm going to say it. I want a new jumping saddle. I currently have a collegiate close contact, and it's a perfectly good saddle. But as you can see in the video, it puts me in a chair seat. It is difficult for me to find my balance in the saddle and give proper weight aids. I also tend to jam my heels down in this saddle (a bad habit I have broken when in my dressage saddle).

But overall, I was pretty happy that I kept my shoulders (mostly) back over the jumps.

Any other comments/critiques welcome. I have more videos I still need to ~~overanalyze~~ take notes on and then I will post them too. :)

Monday, January 2, 2012

News, notes, "goals"

Sadly I did not get my New Year's Day ride in. 1) Because I was hungover and 2) It was snowing horizonally. Hampton didn't seem too disappointed.

We have otherwise been rather "unplugged" the last couple of weeks.

I did ride when Sampson's owner come up from Missouri to ride him. Sampson was very well behaved and she seemed to really enjoy him. She comes from a saddleseat background so I think I may have totally confused her when I was giving her pointers. Also, she was amazed that Sampson would stop when she merely tightened her core. :) I love teaching people dressage and watching their faces light up.

I rode Hampton, who was fine but the arena footing was crap so I never really got the push I wanted.

Sampson hopped on the trailer this morning to head back home.

Hampton and Sampton

I'm debating whether or not to take in another training horse. Probably not.

Hampton is losing weight again and it makes me furious. I could board him at a place with an indoor for the amount of extra money I am spending on feed and alfalfa cubes. The roundbales they munch on all day have very little nutritional value. It works fine for the air ferns, but not for horses like Hamps or the TBs. It is so frustrating. I am going to up his cubes first, then the grain. It hasn't even been that cold, and he's been wearing a blanket. Going to start him back on UGuard just in case, too.

As for 2012 goals ... I'm not really making any. I HOPE to attend the adult dressage camp at FHF in the spring. From there, I really want to attend a USDF show at Lamplight, a couple of CAF shows (and do starter and BN combined tests) ... and perhaps a clinic or 2. I decided not to attend event camp at CAF. I just can't see how that can happen money wise. But hopefully I can make it down to CAF for lessons a few times this year. :)

No idea what will happen with my job. For the time being I plan to stick around here and see what happens. I think I am going to go back to school so I need to get the ball rolling on that.

Also, my best friend is moving away and that makes me sad. I will be hauling her horse (to friggin KANSAS) for her, so major roadtrip in the works. The last major roadtrip I went on was to California. We drove 30 hours straight through.

I lost my mind and sang Miley Cirus for 2 hours straight.