Compare and contrast

Sometimes when I feel like I'm not getting anywhere with my horse, I go back and look at where we were 2 or three years ago. Examples:

2005's walk


Spring 2008's walk


2005's trot




2006's trot


Spring 2008's trot (only photo I've got)


2006's canter




Spring 2008's canter


Obviously, T-Bone's lost some weight, gained some muscle and has started to really accept contact honestly. I ditched the hilljack huntseat garb, got my legs (mostly) underneath me and learned to sit down.
Here's to another 3 years!

Holy crap she's updating

So the horse show from last weekend went really well. T-Bone was more relaxed at the show than he has been for the past 3 months. Our tests had low scores - mostly all of my mistakes. In the First Level test I rode my 15 meter circles about 25 meters. lol. oops. It was mostly things like that. Of course, several people told me that the judges are nortorious for giving low marks, but I don't know if they were just saying that to make me feel better (or make themselves feel better). Who knows. In any case, we were 1 percentage point away from a qualifying score. Ugh. I guess that's sort of good tho, means if I can do geometry next time, maybe the score will go up. Regardless, I was so proud that T-Bone was no only well behaved, but RELAXED. Next show is this weekend up at Lamplight. I can't wait to show there.

... and now a few photos from last weekend:

Show talk

So May 17 is our first show of the season. Harmony in the Park - conducted at the Hoosier Horse Park. We're doing Training Level Test 4 and we are "winging" First 4. I'm actually way less nervous about the first level test after Saturday's lesson. The only part that's going to really get us is the trot lengthening. Rawr. T-Bone just doesn't have the strength yet for the "umph" - altho he does lengthen his stride, it won't be comparable to the warmbloods who can really propel. It's improving tho, and good thing is that the canter lengthening is no problem at all. So, I figure as long as we're really tight on the other movements, we can make up for the low numbers on the trot lengthening.

After Harmony, I'm really excited about the possibility of showing at Lamplight. We'll be showing against the big guns there, but I've never been there before and hear it's beautiful. That's the only reason I really want to go. Have to come up with some funds tho, money has been tight. And that sucks.

After that it looks like Paxton, (in Ohio) and another show in Indiana before Regionals (if we qualify).

T-Bone has been awesome lately. I need to take pics of him in his body-clipped state.

That's all I gots for now.

Ugly and hairy kids

I want to thank my very wise friend, John, for posting such awesome links on his blog. Such as the link to the Found Magazine Web site where I came across this hilarious letter.





Good times.

Friday night partying

How I spend my Friday nights.




... :-) I can't get enough of that cartoon.

Oh happy mouth

Been dealing with some contact issues lately ... ok, for the past couple of years. So, this week we have switched from a KK Ultra Loose ring bit (which has the roller in the middle, and isn't legal for USDF anyway) to a much heavier, eggbutt french link bit that looks sort of like this : (without the copper)



Most horses would take advantage of you in a bit like this, as it's super gentle. T-Bone immediately started to take more of a hold in it - which in his case is GOOD, because he tends to me quite sensative in the mouth and I've been having issues with him hollowing his back and "ping-ponging" off my hands ... he will brace his neck, raise his head and if I try to take contact he "bounces" off it. Basically it looks and feels awful, breaks all connection and none of my aids work.

So I think things are going OK so far in this new bit ... altho he now goes between "ping pong" and trying to yank the bit away from me. (to which I respond with spurs). We just need to come to some sort of agreement I think. Hopefully the clinic this weekend will help us along.

At our first show, I am going to do Training Level Test 4 (to try and qualify for regionals) and we are going to wing First Level Test 4. I think everything will go ok, and the trot lengthening is definately our biggest weakness right now. I'm not worried about the canter lengthening ... but trot is going to be tough.

... clipped legs last night. At least that's over with. Ugh. Friday he will get his first bath of the year in preparation for the clinic.

and that's it.

I'm ready for my big date!