Friday, December 28, 2012

Sick

haven't gotten out of bed all day... it sucks... i feel horrible... i can't wait to be better.

Henry got a trainer ride today and they said he was good.

Being that I haven't able to eat anything all day or get out of bed, i doubt i will be riding tomorrow morning.

ugh!

Thursday, December 27, 2012

The After Math

So hubby and I were both sick on Christmas- awesome right?!

But I did get some awesome presents!!!

From hubbs-

Wellfleet Hunter Girth by Smartpak
Back on Track Saddle Pad White
Tailored Sportsman Trophy Hunter Charcole

From my dad-
Harwich Rubber Reins

From my father in law-
Smartpak Fleece Cooler

Money from my mom

A Santa Cruz Sweatshirt from my one brother

And a random mix of candies from others.

I def was blessed this Christmas!!!

Today I went out to ride/take a lesson. The indoor arena was packed hard hard hard so we rode outside in the big round arena.

This is a picture from the summer- it's much wetter then this right now lol
It was a bit sloppy but its better then riding on solid ground! There were puddles and my trainer insisted we ride through them- i cried at the thought of all the sand/mud I was going to have to clean off Henry and out of my stuff later.

It was all flat work today which is fine since I am still not quite well from Christmas. We worked on some counter canter too and that was a good feeling to accomplish. Henry did awesome and I felt like I wasn't to shabby myself lol!

enjoying some grass

beautiful weather today

Another lesson tomorrow and then again Saturday.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Twas the morning before Christmas

and Karley headed to the barn to ride.

There was no one there but my trainers friend S... she sometimes lessons with us and is a great rider. We both tacked up and rode. We had the WHOLE arena to ourselves and then BAM came the ponies from above. Funny thing is that we were talking about them bombarding our nice hack and laughing at it happening.

3 wild ponies and 1 old quiet one. This poor kid almost got bucked off like 10 times.

Henry took it all in stride and we did our thing- trotting on a lose rein, with contact, canter departures being crisp, counter bend at the canter both ways, shoulder in both ways at the trot... good boy over all for sure.

I lunged him before I got on and he was a WILD stallion- bucking which isn't normal but I am glad he got it out!

Cooled out while chatting with S... untacked, groomed, grained, filled his water, cleaned his stall and gave loves.

Boy does he have a nice view!

He refused to smile for a pictures so I had to settle for this...



Merry Christmas!

When I showed this to the hubby a few days ago... he rolled his eyes at me and smirked :)


But for real.. Merry Christmas to everyone. I hope that you all have a great day with your family/friend or whom ever you spend it with. Give your ponies extra kisses!

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Oh Saturday!

Wait you mean you don't get up nice and early, layer on clothes half asleep and head to the barn for a lesson when it's pooooring outside on Saturday mornings?!

Arrived at the barn.. made the all to far trek in the rain to his stall, got Henry and had to convince him to step into his flooded paddock to get out of his stall and head back to the barn. I was quite wet as was he when we got into the barn.

Groomed, tacked up, hung out for a bit as I had no intention of lunging and eventually texted my trainer as it was 9:15 and she wasn't there. She misread her clock and was on her way so I hopped on and warmed up. He felt forward but not bad.

Trainer arrived and we got started... with no stirrup work.

Flatted.. Henry felt so forward at the canter- not bad, not scary, not ok. It was making me frustrated. With my trainers help- we worked through it, stopping- backing up- canter- stopping- backing up- canter, you get the idea.

We moved onto an X back and forth. I have been working on staying quiet with a closed leg jumping and following Henry rather then "going" into my two point.

E took her turn and did awesome for not riding all week and being sick!

My turn... right lead to vertical on the diagonal, left lead to another vertical, left lead to and oxer. I can tell that he has gotten in trouble in his training rides- he was strong and a bit rushy to the jumps as in he had a guilty continence lol. Lots of whao and half halts but keeping my leg to support. Nothing was awesome but it wasn't bad either so I will take it as a win. :)

Cooled out while L and then C took their turns and did fab!

Untacked, groomed, cleaned tack, chatted, took him back to the swimming pool paddock and messy stall, cleaned the stall, tried to create a trench in the paddock for it to drain (didn't work), grained, gave kissed and headed home.






Not sure about Sunday, hack Monday, probably off Tuesday, going to try and lunge Wednesday but since I will be alone with B that may be asking a bit much (a 2 year old and a young horse mixed sound like tons of fun esp when the 2 year old is always on the move), lesson Thursday, lesson Friday and lesson Saturday... we better be freaking perfect Saturday after three lessons in a row lol!

Friday, December 21, 2012

Good Bye 2012

What a year.. A year ago I never thought I would be where I am now with Henry. Despite his naughty behavior this week, we have really come leaps and bounds.

He was ok today (finished really well) in his trainer ride so hopefully tomorrow we have a good lesson :)

Lets look month by month at pictures...

Jan 2012

Feb 2012
March 2012

April 2012
May 2012

June 2012
July 2012
Aug 2012
Sept 2012
Oct 2012
Nov 2012

Dec 2012


We also went to our first horse show...


and second
and third
and fourth





I can't wait to see what 2013 brings! Hopefully some horse shows, maybe a George Morris clinic and more growing!

Thanks to all my wonderful readers who follow along with this little blog I created to keep track of our progress :)



Thursday, December 20, 2012

He is an ASS ...

(Wednesday) Uh oh Henry... not the text I wanted to get about you.

He stopped with the WS who was riding him and she came off... must have been extra dirty cause she is a better rider then me (though I was proud of myself for not coming off Tuesday- we have come leaps and bounds, well I have...). It was the same jump he stopped with me at (again proud that it wasn't just me he was being dumb with at a little panel oxer thing). Anywho she is ok, was really really really pissed so he got in big trouble. He didn't stop again.

My trainer said that she is going to have J ride him a few more time over the next week since he is home from school.

Grained him last night and told him i loved him even tho he was being bad.

Today J rode again... my trainer said he was better- no stopping. He was supposed to get today off but when you are a bad horse, you need extra under saddle time Sir Henry!

I will blanket and grain tonight.

Tomorrow is our normal scheduled trainer ride and Saturday fun lesson.

Does someone want to clean me tack?! It really needs it!


Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Not one of our finest moments

Last nights lesson was not one I would like to reenact, ever.

He was being good on the flat, even responded well to our shoulder and haunches in. He felt a little strong in the canter but my trainer said it didn't look to fast.

Lyssette went first jumping. She rocked it.

Then it was my turn- back a forth on the X thing... he was fussy with his head and I was having a hard time collecting and setting him up for the change without him being dramatic.

Then my trainer made the X and oxer and she told me to support him but ride like nothing had changes- bam last min dirty stop ... UGH. Henry I thought we were over this! I was pissed and he was being an ass. It's not like I was being any more rough then normal when he stops and gets repomended- he was just mad that he was getting in trouble.. well buddy then don't stop! We had a good long run of no stops- why tonight at a freaking tan panel and tan pole?!

We worked more on the oxer to a panel, both going both directions.

I was not to pleased with my horse walking away from that lesson to say the least.

I needed to move my normal Thur morning lesson but my trainer is booked during the other times that I can come so Henry is getting a trainer ride today, off Thursday, trainer ride Friday and lesson for me Saturday. Heres to a better ride Saturday.



On a better note, I got to open my Christmas present from my father in law last night so that I could use it on Henry- it's a fleece sheet from smartpak for layering under his blankie for more warmth. He NEEDED it last night as it go down to 30 deg- BURRR!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

I can't think of anything to put here...

I like when I can wear a top to work that I can wear riding.. just saying :)

Here is a little video of last Tuesday. There are some rough spots to the oxer lol and a nice halt into the wall at the end (yes I did that on purpose, Henry likes to haul bootie so I have to remind him that I am the boss lady).

Monday night I went and rode with Kat. It was a bit chilly but nothing like what it was Saturday Morning!

Got Henry, tacked up, put him on the line for like 2 min and he was a dead head so I got on. I rode in the Segunda. He was great for like 30 min, them BAM he got heavy. UGH. One day Henry you are going to have to go in a big boy bit- we can't show in a Mikmar (don't be alarmed, this bit isn't that severe- it just makes him carry himself instead of making or trying to make me do it :) ) Anywho once the heavyness started we did lots of stopping and backing in a frame.

I told my trainer that I wanted to have her watch my ride him in the Segunda tonight so that she can help.

I am sure it didn't help that someone with a very high horse was chasing it around the round pen, in the slick mud- DANGER!

12-11-12 lesson pic


Lesson tonight, hack/lesson tomorrow, off Thursday, trainer ride Friday and lesson Saturday.

Also, I wanted to give a shout out to some blogs that I love reading... There are more but here are a few!
Charlie and Me
A Fillys Best Friend
Riding Again
Shelley
Hillary
Julie
Lindsay
A Good Time to Review
Kat
Maggie Bright
Carly
Serenity Now
L Williams
Sprinkler Bandit
Ruffles
Kelly
Kiss Me Im Irish
Keeping it Loki
Beka
Eventing in Color
Calm Forward Straight
Contact
Megs
Nicku
The P's
Project Runway

Monday, December 17, 2012

Oh Happy Day...

For real I am happy today.. not sure why cause it's a Monday and I am exhausted. Maybe it is because of this...

Christmas goodies my co worker brought today

Lets see... Saturday I had a lesson. Henry was good- I didn't lunge cause it was like 30 deg outside and I was to cold/frozen stiff to do it. We hacked, my left hand was no numb it hurt. On our walk break I moved my fingers a lot, open close open close to try and get the feeling in them and make them not hurt. Off to canter, change direction with a lead change... then onto jumping.

I joked with my trainer after the lesson was done that I bet she never thought I would be game to jump so much and go FIRST to everything- she laughed and said she knew it would come and then chuckled at how I was going to freak out next show season when she makes me jump 3 ft classes- AYE!

Anywho we jumped the X back and forth to warm up. Then I went first- X to panel to oxer to X. Then X to panel to oxer to X to panel.. then she had me go up and down the oxer a few times working on clean changes after the jump. I left feeling good - the jumps weren't high but I felt like we were able to do the "technical" things that were being asked- tight turns, long approaches, short approaches, lead changes, straightness...

Walked and cooling him out as others took their turns.

Sunday was just a turn out/clean up day. I got to the barn and put Henry out- he ran around, rolled and acted a fool.

I cleaned his stall, fixed the mats that had all shifted, cleaned his water and refilled it, delivered all of my barn families presents to their tack trunks (no one was there so it was fun to put them in boxes and know that they will have a surprise)...

Henry wants treats!

Barn decor by Lyssette

Then I went to get Henry and put him away... he was finally calm but muddy legs!

Yuck- thanks Henry

I let him graze a little and then put him away and headed home.






Hack today, lesson Tuesday, hack Wednesday, lesson Thursday (maybe- I have a work thing and I am not sure I will be able to squeeze it all in), trainer ride Friday, lesson Saturday.



Friday, December 14, 2012

Ready for the weeeeeekkkkkkeeeeennnnnddddd

Henry had Wednesday off...

Thursday my lesson got moved to the afternoon since my trainer was busy in the morning. It was freeeeeezing outside. Who knew it could be so cold during the day in CA?!

Tacked up and put him on the line expecting a wild stallion.. nope he was SLOW as molasses on a cold day. Gave him a min to make sure he wasn't holding it in and then got on and to work. He was sluggish but it was ok..

We working through warming up slowly and then flatting around while my trainer chatted and set up the jumps.

Then the guys came and did a quick drag of the arena ... while that was going on I jumped a little vertical back and forth for a bit. Yep trying to make sure ever ride/lesson I have something crazy is going on LOL... Henry will be a chap at horse shows :)

Then we moved onto jumping... worked on going straight and strides in a line- either a slow compressed 4 or a normal 3. Henry is much easier to do the 3 (C and Louie had an easier time with the 4) but I was able to work through it and get it nice both directions with both distances. We also added in an oxer/pile of polls (basically everything that wasn't being used on the line was piled up under the oxer lol). He was stick the first time but good the rest of the times.

Cooled out while C took a turn on Louie... walked a bit more while chatting with her and then got off.

Groomed, let him hangout in a cooler and much on some hay left by another horse in the extra stall, got his grain, blanketed and headed to his stall.

Nom nom nom

His tail.. hard work here folks!!


Trainer ride today... he was good :) So proud! :)

Lesson tomorrow!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Why does it feel like Thursday?!

Monday...

LONG day at work but still was able to leave in a timely manner, get to the barn before dark and get Henry.

The round pen is still a mud pit so a quick lunge inside was a must- thankfully everyone was done riding just as I was going in to ride.. I joked with Kat that we scared them all away ha! He wasn't very high so a quickly ran him around and got on.

My goal was to just hack and work on no stirrups. I feel that went well lol... my thighs were burning so that is a good sign right?!

I also really worked on thought about pushing his hind end through the corners and he was much better about it- getting better each ride.

Funny story- there was a mud puddle and he literally jumped it the first 3 or 4 times we went "over" it... aye Henry just trot/canter - not jump.

Cooled out and put him away.



Tuesday...

What more could you want from a lesson then a big ol tractor and semi, men in the dark unloading the shavings off the semi with the tractor and people falling off?!

Yep that equals a good lesson to me too- NOT!

Henry was actually really well composed and when I went by the "scary" end, I would bend him to the inside and tell him he was a good boy and we only had a few mild spooks... others were not so fortunate.

We started with some no stirrup work- owch is all I have to say.

After the flat work we moved onto jumping. I opted to go first so that i could have lots of time cooling Henry out which makes my waiting time after our ride less :) We all did the X back and forth. Then I went first on the little "course"... Oxer off the left lead to a panel 3 strides to a sharp right hand turn to  three more strides to another panel, left lead to the oxer again. Did this a couple times and then I was done...

Cooled Henry out- because of all the time and walking he wasn't that sweaty when I got off, score! I like going first!

Grooming, blanket, back to his stall, grain/hay and kisses...

Off Wednesday, lesson Thursday, trainer ride Friday and lesson Saturday.

Pics/video of lesson to come :)

Sunday, December 9, 2012

MERRY CHRISTMAS to me...

All I was for Christmas is...

A PONY! Ha just kidding, but I can dream right?!

I sent my family the following things :)

Girth to match my bridle

Clippers

Breeches

BoT Pad

Reins

Cooler


Friday, Saturday, Sunday...

Friday my trainer said Henry was really good- yay!

Saturday we had a lesson and there were 8 peeps in the lesson... I don't mind riding with a crowd but a crowd with such varied skill level is hard.

Henry was good- a bit fresh but I didn't lunge so what so I expect?!

We hacked around- even some no stirrup work- KILLER... this horse is bouncy and until you try to ride him you have NO IDEA what it is like ;)

Moved onto jumping... Jump the little panel, a long straight ride to the rail and then a tight roll back ish turn and then a long approach to another panel, quick left turn to the X and then a nice approach to the first panel again. Did this a couple times and then we were done. He was better... Henry tends to get fast and heavier throughout a course so it was nice to be able to accomplish a whole go without falling apart.

Today he got turned out and was a ball of mud after...

Hack Monday, lesson Tuesday, off Wednesday, lesson Thursday, trainer ride Friday and hopefully a lesson Saturday.

Screen Shot from 12-4-12 lesson

Friday, December 7, 2012

Video and Picture- Oh my!

We all know I love pictures! :)

Here is a short video (thanks Kat) from Tuesday night's lesson. This was when we each went individually so the chaos was less cause the other 4 riders weren't moving lol.

Really cool shot of us Tuesday night :)

Henry is getting a trainer ride something today- hope he is good! Lesson for us tomorrow.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Seriously... is it Friday?

You know it's a rough week at work when you have two blog posts with titles asking, begging, pleading for it to be Friday.

I had a lesson today... there were three private lessons going on in our one indoor arena with three different trainers as well as another trainer riding a horse. (two dressage and me jumping LOL)

Henry was good- I wasn't able to lunge cause of what was going on in the arena and as you all know I didn't ride last night soooo this was a first. But he surprised me :) We flatted and working on shoulder and haunches in both directions... really pushing him around the corners and making sure his hip is moving off my leg and that his shoulder doesn't meet the wall first.

Then we moved onto jumping.. my trainer set up this bix X oxer thing... Now there were two people lunging at each end while I was jumping so I worked on going straight back and forth over the oxer. First trotting and then cantering. He was actually really good to the jumps too- despite there being crazy horses on lunge lines :) I was able to be really really soft with my hands which isn't often with Henry cause he is so strong.

Our straightness after the jump was a challenge as he was sure he knew what we were doing despite it not being what we were doing.. I got this mom just sit up there lol. Anywho we worked it out.

My trainer is going to do something with him tomorrow and I will have a lesson Saturday :)

TBT .. where Henry and I started- thankfully we are leaps and bounds better now LOL

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Hey Racoon?!

Lesson night!

Got to the barn, grabbed H man, heading back to the barn, groomed, tacked up, got on... yep no lunging. There were far to many people in the arena for me to try and lunge. A little cantering both ways and we were good to go.

It was an odd lesson... I know all the chaos is good for the show ring but Henry isn't fazed by that stuff so it's not something I need to work on, I want to have a lesson where I feel like we are working on things and really pushing ourselves. Last night didn't feel that way. People were all over the place with steering, stopping, cutting me off, running up my horses butt .. you get the picture. Thankfully Henry was good and didn't mind but it makes it hard for me to get a good lesson in. I am paying good money for this lesson and have access to an amazing trainer- I want to get all I can out of it.

Off my soap box...

As we were flatting I kept hearing this funky noise in the corner- I got looked at like I was crazy.. then when we were jumping it came back loud and clear... come to find out it was racoons in the rafters of the arena!!!

Back on track...

We flatted, then jumped over an X for a while. Henry was SUPER lazy over it ... no matter what I did it felt crappy.

L and Carlos took their turn... walking a panel, trot sans stirrups to the X and then canter the oxer and back to walking the panel. As always she makes it look easy.

My turn... she put up the panel a smidge. Canter panel to the X to the Oxer... did it a few times and then I was done. He felt blah over the first two jumped and then great over the oxer. The last time that I did the oxer I saw a spot, closed my leg and asked him to go forward and he did.. I was super proud.

Kat (ok really Andy) took something on the camera (video or pics?) so when I get those I will share :) I am hoping he got a pic of the oxer cause it felt good and I am hoping it looks as good as it felt ;)

Off today, lesson tomorrow, hopefully a trainer ride Friday and lesson Saturday.

This last weekend we went to the Christmas Parade downtown :)

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Is it Friday?!

"Quit worrying about what other people think and just be who God made you to be. If you will run your race, God will take care of your critics." -Joel Osteen Ministries

Today has SUCKED at work... two of my problem customers have lived up to their names.

On a better note, I got to ride last night. There were two people finishing up as I arrived.

I got Henry, groomed, lunged and just as I was about to stop him and get on he went nuts- tail over his back, calling and running like a race horse lol. I let him do his thing and then got on. I knew my time was limited as the few people let at the barn were chatting and wrapping things up to head home. I am not one who rides when no one is around so off to work we went.

I got a good 40 min ride in with almost no walk breaks so it was a great workout- I mean ride. :) My goal was to do LOT of counter bending, haunches in, shoulder in... especially to the left. I also did some spiral in and outs at the canter. I worked on making the corners of my arena round and then square. Lots of sitting trot- I've got to learn to sit Henry's normal speed trot.... Last but not least I worked w/o my stirrups for bit each way- posting, sitting and canter. After going to GM I really got a reality check that I need to be able to do more w/o them... so time to really work on it. I think I rode for like 8 min w/o them and felt like I was going to die ha!

LOL I guess it was a hard workout for him too

Arena to ourselves

Smile :)

Tired boy!

Lesson tonight, off Wednesday, lesson Thursday, maybe a trainer ride Friday and maybe a lesson Saturday if I can find a sitter.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Break in the Rain



This weekend it poooored.. today we have a break in the rain. Not like it's going to dry anything out but it's nice not to run full speed to your car every time you need to go somewhere or get inside.

Henry was off Sunday... Went up twice tho- once to check and make sure he was dry since it stormed like crazy Saturday night and Sunday and once to put a thicker blanket on him since the weather is nutso!!!

I changed the bit on my bridle... 

Going to start hacking once in a while in this bad boy... this is our "show" bit


A couple of Henry's blankets need some TLC so I took 2 in today and will take the other two once I get these two back.

I have 1 Baker blanket and 1 Baker sheet, they both need D rings added for leg straps.

The Big D tag ripped off and is a nice hole :)



His neighbor ripped a hole in the neck piece on top- guess he wanted some air?! lol

Saturday, December 1, 2012

First Lesson of the Week

Typically we get three.... so being that this was the first one of the week didn't bode well for us LOL!

Tacked up, lunged... got on.

Hack hack hack.. there were only three of us so it was a nice small group with lots of attention where it's needed. We were good sans the shoulder in to the left- this is a problem area and I have been working on it, but Rome wasn't build in a day or week.

Onto jumping... E went first. Then a couple jumps were raised and it was my turn. X to panel to X to oxer... figure 8- we can do this. X ok... Panel- no bueno- jumping way left and then dropping his left shoulder and hauling around the corner. I felt like no matter what I did he was just dead to the world and hanging on my left hand. My trainer had me go straight and stop him. Eventually after much frustration and many trips over the jump he was better and we moved onto the oxer... that went better.

L went and looked good... one day Henry and I will be able to be as composed as her and Carlos.

I mean like I said we normally have 3 lesson so this week wasn't normal. More practice make me a better rider and rides like this make me a better rider. It was horrible but it is frustrating when leads and his steering aren't there.

Took forever to cool him out since he was a bit sweaty, ok a lot sweaty form our workout.

Eating grain while he was drying

Walking so he would finish drying... eyes closed and wind in his hair LOL
Off Sunday, hack Monday, lesson Tuesday, off Wednesday, lesson Thursday, trainer ride Friday and idk Saturday (hubby has a special outing at work so he won't be home till the afternoon- trying to find a sitter).

Friday, November 30, 2012

Hello Water

It's POORING outside as I speak...

Last night got what I intended to be a quick lunge in... H was HIGH so it took us longer then I anticipated which made me late to picking up B but so is life.







He only looks calm in these pictures.. notice how sweaty his neck is in the head shot. And my phones flash made his eye look CRAZY!!!

From last weeks lesson... I like how I am balanced and in a good position post jump :)
My trainer did something with him today- not sure what but she said he was good.

Lesson tomorrow.