All ready ...

Horse clean

Tack Clean

Car packed

Clothes laid out

5:30 am is going to come way to early!

Testing out my saddle post cleaning :)

Last lesson before the show

Last night I had my last lesson before the show.. dun dun dun.

Henry was good.. I felt like we had a solid ride on the flat. He was composed, I was soft, he was in the frame and I think we looked good! :)

Then we moved on the some jumping... nerves kicked in. After a few times back and forth I felt better. He was good, we worked on leads after the jumps.

I am sure that I am going to be freaking out at the show but I've got to suck it up and be brave for both of us. Henry has been working so hard for me and being honest and I need to support him and be sure that we are going to jump everything- no doubt :)

Hack today, trainer ride tomorrow, bath/show prep tomorrow afternoon and the SHOW Sunday :)

Catch Up

Tuesday Henry had a trainer ride and I got to go watch. He was good and this was the first ride that they rode him in the segunda bit... Juliana made the same comment as I did, he's still heavy but not horrible. I still like the pelham best :)

Anywho they jumped him and he was good.. even did a few random jumps that aren't our norms (the other trainers) and he didn't even bat an eye- my trainer gave him cuddos.

Tonight I am going to hack and Juliana is going to also get on him.. we are going to do a course since thats what we will be doing at the show and we've got to practice some :)

Hack tomorrow, trainer ride Saturday along with show prep and the show Sunday. I am not thinking about the show so that I don't stress out haha!

Oh and our ride schedule is all funky.. I am not liking it but I am backed into a little corner with some schedules.

Sunday hack/lunge, Monday Hack, Tuesday trainer ride, off Wednesday, Thursday lesson, Friday hack/lunge, Saturday lesson/trainer ride.

AMAZING ride...

Tonight I had one of the best, if not the best ride to date on Henry. There were two other people riding, one person and a nice well behaved horse and another on one that was rearing, spinning and running through the canter. The well behaved horse quickly exited the arena when the crazy one came in haha!

Henry took everything in stride and wasn't worried about the crazy horse- proud mom right here! He was lookie out the ends of the arena, it was super windy so whatever.

My goal was for a good frame, good transitions and enjoying our ride. All of those things happened... our transitions could have been better but whatever it's all good.

I decided to go to the show Sunday... Henry will get 3 training classes and I'll do 3 classes- one jumping and 2 flat. The jumping one is pending him being good with Juliana in the training rides :)

Trainer ride tomorrow, off Wednesday, trainer ride/lesson Thursday, hack Friday, trainer ride Saturday, show Sunday... dun dun dun!

He was pooped after our ride - haha!

June 24th

Worked Henry today.. he was sluggish witch is A-Ok :) Then groomed and loved on him. I also vacuumed him, a first. He didn't care about the vacuum but the hose was scary I guess ha!

There is a local little schooling show next Sunday, I am contemplating going. It would be good for Henry but adding up all the fees, trailering and the classes (they are a but on the expensive side i think)- I am not sure it's worth the money. We shall see :)

Going to try and get off work a little early tomorrow so I can ride, I worked longer days on Thursday and Friday so as long as I don't get caught up in something I should be able to make it happen.

Not how I planned it to be...

No horse show... honestly I am really bummed.

Henry got Friday and Saturday off- just turned out. I worked hard all week to prep for the show and felt a bit discouraged that we didn't go so I needed a breather...

Tomorrow he will go back to work. Monday hubby has a softball playoff game/games (if they win the first one). Trainer ride Tuesday. Trainer ride Wednesday. Lesson Thursday. Hack Friday.

June 21, 2012

I am tired... another bullet post :)

- kinda hacked/kinda lessoned tonight
- rode and got a few pointers here and there
- clipped up Henry, cleaned up his legs, gave him a good post ride groom
- grained and loved on him
- grained and loved on Louie
- tomorrow I will hear if we are showing or not...
- tonight Lyssette let me know that as of right now there are 5, 5, 9, 5 and 10 people in my classes SOOOOO if those numbers stay the say that means I will ribbon in three classes no matter what!!! LOL ... though knowing my luck each class will blow up to like 50 peeps :)

IF i get the go ahead for the show- tomorrow I will hack, bath and pack.

Just keep hacking...

I went up and hacked last night.

Rode in what we hope to be our new show bit...




At the beginning of our ride we had a little fight but he decided I was awarded boss lady status. WOOT! He went well in this bit and I worked really hard at being soft and having a long and low headset. I did lots of transitions and worked on him staying where he belonged.. in the indoor ring his attention is everywhere but me it feels like so it wasn't till the last 15 min of my ride that he was fully to my liking engaged and listening ALL THE WAY AROUND THE RING.

Trainer ride today and she's going to ride in the above bit to see how she likes it. Lesson tomorrow plug mane pulling and clipping. Hack Friday plus a bath and packing the trailer. Hopefully SHOW Saturday and Sunday :)

June 16, 2012

So I am not feeling chatty.. this will be a post of bullet points.

- private lesson was good
- I get confused if I am supposed to have contact on his mouth or a loose rein (still contact but not tight) and let him stretch down (when i hack on my own i go loose cause thats how i want him to move ha)
- when doing a really forward trot i feel like i am all over the place despite being told im not ha
- Henry take a lot of work to ride
- Henry is so spookie inside and better outside despite the crazy wind

- the horse show may not happen this weekend despite what I was lead to believe

- i have a long hard week ahead of me with riding, work and life but I can do it so bring it on....

Hack tomorrow, trainer riding Wednesday, lesson and cleaning Thursday, hack and the rest of the cleaning Friday... hopefully a show Saturday.

New stuff

I forgot to mention that some things arrived on Friday :)

I ordered a new name plate for my brown belt with Henry's show name (All In) on it and that arrived...

Also hubby bought me a bracelet that I had circled in the Smartpak catalog quite a while ago, I think it was back when I had Maddy- but he got the name plate engraved with Henry's name on it :)

Here is a link to the bracelet

Lesson tomorrow night, hack Tuesday, trainer ride Wednesday, lesson Thursday and hack/clean/pack Friday... SHOW Saturday! :)

Hey 106 degrees

It was crazy hot today! We rode at 8 am for our lesson cause it was going to be a really hot day. Sad when it is already quite warm that early in the morning! I was sweating for sure!

To add to the heat is was SUPER windy so we rode inside. I think that Henry is actually better outside and prob would have been better to ride out in the wind then inside listening to all the wind and seeing the affects it had outside.

Anywho we had a lesson... hacked, even some no stirrups which was not fun as Henry was all over the place with his head like a giraffe. He got better as the ride went and I felt strong though I can tell you if he goes like he went today at the horse show Saturday, I am not going to be placing AT ALL. Hopefully this week will bring a better behaved horse.

Juliana got on and jumped him and said he felt really good.. ill pretend that it was because of the schooling on the flat that I did with him before she jumped :)

Friday he just got turned out. We got Subway on our way to the barn and at dinner while he hand some time out in the turnout.

Tomorrow he is getting the day off, Monday a lesson, Tuesday a hack, Wednesday trainer ride, Thursday lesson, Friday hack... Saturday show.

We are famous!!!

Henry and I are the main picture on CANTER-California's Facebook :)

Henry got a double day/ride today. He was supposed to get ridden this am but that didn't happen so they rode him right before my lesson. He was on edge when I got on... a little of moms touch and he felt better :) I feel like I am really grooving with him these days.

I got a private lesson since I was on before everyone else (since he was tacked up and ready when I got there). We worked on figure 8's and changing the bed and keeping the right amount of bed through the circle. Large circles small circles. Straight down the long side. Squarer corners. Collected canter. Counter bend at the canter. Staying in a frame through transitions.

I then hacked around a little with the lesson... walked him out ... cleaned him up cause he was nasssssty!

Cleaned the rest of the stuff up, loved on Henry, grained and put him away.

Tomorrow I am going to try and lunge, lesson Saturday and off Sunday.

The trainer rides are going to move around cause others schedule's changed... I am going to ride Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays- oh and every other Saturday. Henry will get trainer rides Tuesday and Wednesday.

Next week I am going to take 2 lessons since we have a show and my trainer is going to ride him Wednesday so I'll have lots of days in the tack pre show.

Yes that means I finally decided that I am going to go to the show... going to do 5 classes on Saturday and then we will be there Sunday cause L. Williams has the Medal class'.. Ill hack around Sunday to give him more exposure but it won't be stressful.

I am hoping for a good ride/experience and some ribbons would be nice since this will be our first show.. last time was just hacking.

Tuesday and Wenesday.. then comes Friday right?!

Tuesday I hacked. Rode in the Mikmar again and it was better the second time around. He was much more supple and in a frame. Still working on that frame in the canter- well going into the canter, once we get there he is good- not great but good.

Wednesday was supposed to be a trainer ride but it didn't happen. I turned him out on my lunch.

Tomorrow he is supposed to get a trainer ride and I am having a lesson.

Friday he is supposed to have a trainer ride but I don't think that will happen.

Lesson Saturday.

Going to have to figure out the trainer ride stuff cause it seems like scheduled are changing and not in my favor lol.

what a weekend...

Rodeo practice Friday and my horse didn't show up.

Rodeo Saturday- we were to be on and warmed up at 2:30 pm... at 2:10 my horse still wasn't there, found another (a friends horse who I LOVE), tacked up and was ready.

i am the last one in the line- all the way to the left/top in the pic

Rodeo Sunday- the horse I had to ride was HIGH... I tried to ride her how and get a connection with her. Ran in with the flag, all went well stopped in the middle of the arena in our spot to let the queens run in and she got nervous. I talked to her, relaxed and walked her in a cricle... as the queens started to run in (kinda at us) she freaked, I continued to sooth her but it didn't work. She reared and spun and got me off. I jumped back up and got on her, finished our run out of the arena. The mare is young, had never been on an end (the one other time she had done grand entry she had been sandwiched between horses) and later I was told doesn't like to stand still... awesome.

Anywho I made it out alive and in once piece- though I was embarrassed even though there wasn't anything I could have done.

Monday I went up to see Henry and turn him out/lunge him. I had less then an hour so no riding was in order. It was not and he wasn't very wild but he needed to be worked some.

He has a new neighbor pony who he's quite smitten over... he wouldn't even pay any attention to me, just posing for her ha!

Hopefully a ride tonight, though I am thoroughly exhausted and feeling really burnt out. Trainer ride Wednesday, lesson Thursday, trainer ride Friday.

Thursday + Friday =

The weekend!

Thursday Henry got a trainer ride. I didn't really see much of it but they said he was still a bit hard headed from my ride Wednesday ha!

Friday I took half a sick day so that I could go to the rodeo flag practice. I snuck up and rode Henry before the practice... he was ok- better then Wednesday. We used the new bit. It felt good but one ride won't show all its colors. Worked on holding the frame all the time- even when we change pace (up or down) or something catches his eye.

I also did my last 2 point time- 8 min. I thought I was going to die. My goal was to double my start time, 3.5 min... so I am proud I was able to do that and a bit more.

Rodeo tomorrow and Sunday- doing flags for grand entry :)

One more picture from Tuesday for your viewing pleasure... over jump much?!

Whats up with my face?!

Why can't i jump and make a normal face?!

Tuesday and Wednesday + Pics

Tuesday I had a lesson. I tacked, lunged and got on. He was still a little up so I started working him before everyone was there... thought I'd get a little walk time before the actual lesson started but nope- my legs got a good workout :)

We hacked, he was good- soft and good frame. Worked on some counter bend at the canter. Trotted polls- pretty much hit them all every time, he wasn't getting the right rhythm ha! Jumped with polls leading up to the jump- he went better cantering them then trotting.

The polls that we hit every step ha!

Focus ha!

Wednesday I hacked. My trainer was around and had me work on a few things... Henry was in a BAD mood haha! We fought, fought and fought some more. We worked on lead changes- he was strong, dropping his shoulder and running... it was awesome. He is so strong and even though I am doing my best to set him up, be quiet and balance him he is stronger then me and he knows it. Trainer assured me that the new bit that is coming will help. She said I did ok and I said I need lots of work- ha!

My back and arms were and are sore from our fight.

Crazy thing is that Henry wasn't even tired at the end of our ride. Aye!

Trainer ride today, hopefully a hack tomorrow and the weekend off because of the rodeo :)

*Thanks Kat and Andy for the pics :)

A little of this and that

Sunday Henry got the day off- just turn out. Hubby went for a run while Henry and Louie were out munching on grass and found this:

I insisted he kill it- yuck! I get all freaked out just looking at the picture. I don't do snakes and REALLY don't do rattle snakes!

Monday my trainer hacked Henry. I watched a little of it and it was good to see her ride him and I also love it that shes able to feel/see what im working with :) She said that no matter what I have to keep lots of leg on him and eventually he will get better about his frame. She was also going to track down some bits to try.

Tonight is our lesson- got moved from Thursday, tomorrow I will hack, Thursday will be a trainer ride, Friday I will do my best to get out and hack (rodeo flag practice at 1 or 2 pm so we will see how motivated I am), Saturday and Sunday Rodeo so Henry gets two days off :)

I had to share this- pretty awesome mom haha:

Suprise Lesson

The normal Sat am lesson was changed to 7:30 this morning... I got up at 6:30 in order to make it out and hubby was no where to be found. Come to find out he went to the gym and didn't get back in time for me to make the lesson- it  was almost 7:30 when he got home. So I crawled back into bed and went back to "sleep."

I made it up there around 8:30 expecting to just hack as I had been told my trainer had plans and needed to leave early.

Tacked, lunged and headed to ride. Low and behold I got a casual lesson :)

Trotted a few laps and then cantered a TON in 2 point. I didn't have anything to time it with but my legs were on fire! Good burn for sure!

After we were cantered down and I had done my own thing for a while my trainer told me to work on some lead changes. Going left to right was better then right to left. I feel like my arms are about 3 feet longer then when I arrived at the barn this am ha! I need to work on softening Henry to the left cause man was he STIFF when asking for the lead change to the left.

Juliana hopped on Henry and jumped him around. He did awesome and my trainer raised the jumps pretty good size for him to jump. She even commented that this was the best hes jumped to date :)

I'll have to go measure how big he jumped tomorrow but needless to say I was proud and excited. One day that'll be me :)

It's been great to ride Lou and build on my skills so that I can be a better and more confident rider when jumping Henry!

Off tomorrow, trainer ride Monday, hack Tuesday, trainer ride Wednesday, lesson Thursday, hack Friday and RODEO Saturday and Sunday :)

Pictures! and a lesson :)

Pictures from last weeks lesson :)

So happy with how awesome Henry looks!

Got a bit left behind haha

Lesson last night was on Louie as Henry got a trainer ride earlier in the day and I thought that 2 rides in one day was to much since he is coming back from being funkie. My trainer also agreed that I should ride Louie since he is good for my confidence and jumping practice. I get to jump bigger on him then Henry :)

We rode inside to start- it was way to hot but I tried to keep focused and cool. Hacked around on the flat, 2 point and no stirrup work.

Then three of us headed down to the outside big arena and 2 of us jumped. I am still trying to get the "feel" of Louie jumping but am really grateful that I am allowed to ride/jump him. He's nice, knows his job and allows me to progress. I've got to remember to get him more forward in the line and hold my right rein to keep him nice and straight.

It was a good ride :)

Henry is getting his teeth done today and a trainer ride, tomorrow I have a lesson... I am going to try and ride Sunday if I have time cause Monday hubby has an early softball game so no riding after work for me.