Good - ish- lesson

Flatting sucked.. still heavy and numb hands. Oh and it was like 58 deg outside, um hello it's not winter yet. All the horses were a bit high, nothing out of the norm for Henry and really he wasn't bad.

Any who flatted inside and the headed down below to jump. Started over an X back and forth. Then moved onto an X to the vertical/wall. Lastly we did a little course.. X to yellow/black oxer to vertical/wall to X to rainbow oxer. Had a few "oh crap" moments but had some fences that felt really good too :)

Lesson Saturday, off Sunday, lesson Monday, lesson Tuesday, off Wednesday, hack Thursday and then show Fri-Sun.

Weight Lifter?!

Hi, my name is Henry and I am heavy. I like to hang on my moms hands causing them to be numb and for the skin on her pinkies to get rubbed off. I plan to make her a weight lifter, maybe even bench all 1200 lbs of me...

But seriously our whole ride was trot, halt, back up, trot, halt, backup, trot, canter, halt, backup, walk, halt, back up, trot, canter, halt, back up... you get the point.

He doesn't like to go with contact. If I just give him a lose rein he is better but we can't go around life w/o contact...

Lesson tomorrow and I hope to get some help cause right now I hate the segunda bit, it does NOTHING.

Even though he tried to pull my arms out of the sockets, I still game him his goods- I am a sucker...

Lesson Friday, lesson Saturday, off Sunday.

Spring- er Fall cleaning

I added to my wish list page today.. this was brought about because last night I decided to clean out some breeches. I have 2 pairs of schooling breeches that I don't use, ever. They are in great shape so I offered them at a very discounted price to a friend.

I moved over two pairs of my "show" breeches to schooling, so now I have 4.5 pairs of schooling. I say .5 cause one pair is on it's way out.

That leaves me with 3 pairs of show breeches and none of those I love...

This Friday is pay day and I have set aside some money to get a pair of new show breeches and clippers.. WOO HOO!

Any advice on breeches? I don't like low rise to show but I don't like the classic hecka high ones either. Id like higher end breeches as well... help!

Double Day

Poor Henry.. He had a trainer ride this morning and a lesson with me tonight. I didn't know that they were going to ride him this morning ... I wouldn't have ridden him for so long and hard last night! Oh well... They said he was good this morning and they they jumped him bigger the they have in the past. Woo Hoo go Henry!

Lesson tonight was pretty good. I didn't have to lunge since he was ridden this morning... MAN WAS HE A SLUG! Lots of leg leg leg for me tonight. (side not my right ankle has been popping and going numb- so weird and hard to ride with)

We flatted... I really working on lifting my hands and bending me elbows a lot, oh and also keeping them soft- even when Henry is strong.

Warmed up over and X with the other two riders and then moved onto a course... verticle to oxer X thing to a verticle to an little oxer.

My eye was off  tonight .. I was so distracted by my numb right foot. I couldn't see a distance to save my life and when I did Henry was not playing along- he was tired.

Andy was there taking pictures so maybe if I am lucky he got a good angle that will make it look like I was semi competent LOL!

Off tomorrow, hack Thursday, lesson Friday, lesson Saturday.

Happy Monday and Video

Hubby took a few videos... i don't feel like this highlighted our best work during the ride as he took them at the beginning- but you get the point.

Henry was defiantly fighting me tonight and looking at everything... awesome ;)

Canter to the right

Canter to the left

Canter to the right - 2

Sitting trot change of direction/bending

Feeling vulnerable posting these BUT this is good for me, I have so much more strength to gain and growing to do.. but man Henry and I have come leaps and bounds from day one :)

Pictures what what!!

Husband brought this home tonight- YUM!

Here are a few pictures from Tuesday's lesson... enjoy! :)

Henry making sure Andy is still taking pictures of him lol!

Good boy bending through the corner :)

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

Oye Ve

Dear Body,

I know you are tired but you sucked today. We had a lesson, I needed you to keep your head in the game. You felt weak, uncooperative and though my brain knew what I needed to be doing, you weren't complying. I guess this is all part of the  learning and growing process. If I could wipe that lesson out of the record books, I'd love that.

Here's to a better lesson Tuesday.

Karley

Off Sunday, hack Monday, lesson Tuesday, off Wednesday, hack Thursday, lesson Friday and hopefully a trainer ride Saturday.

Thrusday's Pictures

Now if only I could photo shop my head onto these pictures...

Here is  Henry and J who is the working student who rides him for the trainer rides (while my trainer instructs). She's off the college so the ball is mostly in  my court now- which I am ready for..

Hopefully I'll have pictures jumping this high with that eq sooner then later :)

It's Friiiiiiday night and I juuuuuuuust... got paid...

Except I didn't get paid, but I am super stoked that it's Friday!!!

Back on track...

Wednesday Henry got the day off- it's almost impossible for me to get out and ride him on Wednesdays.

Thursday was a trainer ride. He was strong (as he was Monday for me) but other then that really good- though he did have his giraffe moments so it was nice to see that it's not just with me haha! They jumped him through one of the grids that the 3 dayers had set up and he did really well :) Proud mama!

Friday was a lesson for me. On of the kids that rides and has a pony got there a little after me so we ended up taking a lesson together which was fun. She is normally really quiet and I am sure intimidated by the "adults" so I chatted a lot with her. We wanted down to the big arena together and then started hacking around.

My trainer started by having her follow me around, weaving in and out of the jumps changing the bend. We did that for quite some time. Them moved onto cantering- we each work on our own things- mine was of course keeping the giraffe under control and then counter bending.

Moved onto jumping... we started with an X back and forth. Then the jumps were raised for me... I did a course- X, right turn to a square oxer, left turn to the rainbow oxer and a right turn to the black, red and white oxer. Lots of leads and straight lines were needed... hard work but I didn't freak out that the jumps were not small.

Jumps were put back down and the other rider did the same thing.

Then we jumped a little more working on an oval with a tighter turn with two jumps.

The girl and I went on a walk around the property to cool out and then back to the barn to clean up and head home.

Lesson tomorrow (Saturday), probably off Sunday, hack Monday, lessons Tuesday, off Wednesday, hack Thursday and hopefully a lesson Friday... oh and maybe a trainer ride Saturday since hubby works.

nom nom nom

clean stall, clean water, extra hay and grain- SPOILED!

I am a little obsessed with his stall being clean and tidy haha!

Tuesday Lesson

I was tired tonight.. gave the lesson all my energy and still got flack for it. I am trying to just do it even when what I do isn't enough... bare with me as I push through.

Henry was good and I felt like our ride went really well for how exhausted I am. I was definitely ok with how our ride went and will continue to strive upwards :)

Didn't jump big but jumped and got lead changes.

Not sure what tomorrow holds, Thursday trainer ride, Friday I am going to  try and ride and Juliana will prob jump him big too, lesson Saturday.

Oh Monday- We love you!

Both Henry and I don't like Mondays.. enough said! :)

I went out to ride and found my poor boy with about 4 big bites- where his bootie and back meet. It wasn't under the saddle so I still rode him.

Tacked up, lunged and got on. He was not so much fun to ride... super lookie so after a lap of trotting we went to canter work. I cantered around the in my 2 point for a while and then back to sitting, working on lengthening and shortening his stride.

Worked on circles around the jumps and him being balanced in the circles... through this we encountered a few freak outs at the stone panel in the arena. One side says our barn name and the other side is painted like a stone wall- apparently it was going to eat us alive.

Lots of canter work and "fights" equals a tired Karley...

Cooled him out, untacked, hosed off, cleaned Henry, fly sheet and mask on, cleaned tack, grained, cleaned his stall and put him away.

On a side note... hubby and I found glass in Henry's stall. I've told my trainer and will be talking to the BO today- needless to say I am NOT happy. I've found trash, paper towels, plastic, staples and now glass in the shavings.

Kept a few pieces as proof

Lesson tonight, lunge or off tomorrow, trainer ride Thursday, trainer ride Friday, lesson Saturday.

TWO days of good pictures!

Yeah you read that right.. here are pictures from Tuesday AND Thursday :) Enjoy (i am adding the good and bad ha!)!!

I will start with Tuesday (8-14-12)

There is a pony and a horse whos pasture is by the arena, as you can tell by this pictures- Henry wants to participate in their party.

Now Thursday (8-16-12)

"I don't want to listen, dropping my shoulder and hooking left sounds good to me!"

Smile!

Kat and Me :)

*Big thank you to Kat and Andy for the pictures!*

2 Lessons... In a Row

Thursday - Had a lesson after work. Got to the barn and hubby got Henry and traded horse for miss Bayley. Tacked up, light lunge, hopped on and waiting for Kat to walk down to the big arena. Off to work we went hacking on the flat. At one point I felt like we trotted F O R E V E R... but it's good for both of us! I worked on keeping him in front of my leg and also moving his hip over in the corners- he likes to just bend through the neck.

We started over an X jumping... then I moved onto a oxer followed by another bigger oxer. Henry was good. I had some good jumps and some not so good ones.

It's nice to not feel sick, like am  going to throw up and paniced when I jump. I am in much better shape then when I got Henry and feel so much more confident in myself... back to pre baby Karley haha!!

**pictures to come from Kat and Andy**

Friday - I had a lesson again (to make up for last week). Since Henry has been ridden all week, my trainer said to just tack him up and get on- so I did. Then headed down to the big arena. We hacked on the flat- lots of changing of direction to work on bending and again moving his hip over.

Onto jumping... started with a little lattice and then moved onto a line (added in the second lattice)... then added the oxer and bigger oxer... a course the the jumps progressively got bigger haha! Then we went to just the oxers- both directions in an oval. Got some good lead changed too :)

Hubby is working tomorrow so no riding for me. Probably hack/messing around Sunday.. then I have no idea what next week is going to look like. It's the WS' last week before college so I don't know when she is going to ride Henry but she'll do 2 rides and I'll do 3-4. If it goes how I *think* it will then it will go like this... Monday hack, Tuesday lesson, Wednesday trainer ride, Thursday trainer ride, Friday hack/off, Saturday lesson.

What I am eating while writing this- Creme Brulee ice cream. It is SO sweet so I only had 2 or 3 spoon fulls.

More cookies please

Whats that over there?!

Hanging out post lesson today munching on his extra hay

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday ...

This will be short and sweet for all of you lovely blog readers ;)

Monday: Trainer ride. Went well. He jumped pretty well for just being jumped by me the last week .. thank you thank you *takes a bow* LOL :)

Tuesday: Our lesson got moved because of my trainers anniversary. I just hacked him around the in bog outside arena.

He was actually really fun to ride... we had a few moments with a black plastic bag that was dancing around on the ground outside the arena but I put his mind to work and it wasn't an issue anymore. I little shoulder in or circle does wonders!

Kat and Andy came too and took some pictures soooo those will come as soon and I get em!

Sunset picture from Tuesday (thanks Kat)

Wednesday: Trainer ride went well. Rider was having a few distance issues but I thanked her for testing my horses willingness to jump from a really crappy spot- my trainer laughed and told her to get it right :)

Lesson tonight, lesson tomorrow.

Horse show is a no go for next weekend... shooting for September 8th and 9th now.

Happy Sunday

Quick run down-

Light lunge, turned out, cleaned tack, cleaned horse and  cleaned his stall :)

Monday trainer ride, Tuesday lesson, Wednesday trainer ride, Thursday hack, Friday lesson.

Saturday 8-11-12

Henry was better today... few my horse is back!

Typically we have a lesson on Saturday but my trainer is still gone soooo a few of us met at the barn and rode. Everyone else was on and pretty much done before I got down to the big arena.

I hacked around and did my thing... the jumps are all in piles, outside the arena and in weird places so the first few times around the arena Henry and I had a few talks - yes you are going forward and by that horse eating box or stump, no the standards won't eat you alive, yes the liver pool isn't normally in a ball.

Anywho over all he was awesome!

I cooled out with LOTS of walking with Juliana and Louie. Lou kept trying to lay down so we headed back up to the barn, Juliana let him roll and he laid there not wanting to get up so we ended up calling our vet cause Sherrie (the lady who is in charge while my trainer is gone) thought he might have a but of gas colic. Luckily he is feeling better so hopes that hes ok tomorrow :) It was actually good timing for it all to happen, I had just gotten Henry and he wasn't laying down then and we were all there to help out.

Not sure what the next two days hold for me... I am going to ride either Sunday or Monday and the other day he will get off. Tuesday lesson (hopefully my trainer is back), Wednesday trainer ride, Thursday trainer ride, Friday hopefully one of my extra lessons (from this last week), Saturday I don't know- Sean works so yeah.

Promise to take some awesome cell pics for the next post cause there are far to many words here!!!

I.L.O.V.E.M.Y.H.O.R.S.E.

I have to remind myself of this...Tuesday he was a pill and last night he was a pill. It was hot so I planned to just work on trotting... NOT. Henry wouldn't even trot straight, in a light frame or without spooking at the shows/dust. And mind you I wasn't asking for a crazy frame- I was asking that his head not stick straight up in the air.. I had soft contact and wanted him to just plug around.

So our nice easy ride turned into transitions- w, t, c, t, c, halt, w, c, t, halt, t, w, c ... you get the point. FINALLY after lots of wearing him down and I mean LOTS he gave in. Once I got a couple good transitions both ways (ie no head in the air) in each gate I quit.

HARD WORK I tell ya!

Prob lunge today as hubby and I are going out to a fancy dinner for our anniversary. Hack tomorrow.

Grouchie horse!!!

Oh was Henry a grouch last night! He did not think that we should be working I guess... some firm "demands" from mom and about 10 min later and we were in business- kinda... a bit longer and we were really in business.

I rode last night without spurs to see how he would react and it actually went really well. I felt like he was just as responsive to my leg. I will try again tomorrow to see if it was a one time thing or not... I am thinking that I can either go without or use my little tom thumb spurs.

Last night I again focused on straightness which was better then Monday, transitions and staying in a frame in the transitions.

All clean after his workout and "shower" :)

Off today, hack Thursday, hack/off Friday, hack Saturday.

Happy Monday- HAHA

Hubby was off yesterday so I was able to get to the barn by 4:30 and on by 5:15 ish. I lunged Henry a little and he had a few bucks.. then I hopped on. I rode inside to try and stay out of the sun as I forgot sunblock. Henry was really squirmy and not straight. He was soft but man was he all over!!! My intent was to work on canter transitions so I stuck to that and added in straightness :)

There were other riders in the arena, going different directions- totally an awesome opportunity to really work on his listening to me and every "whisper" I say. As is expected with a greenie we had a little whos boss in the beginning but all in all he came around and worked well for me :)

Hack tonight, off tomorrow, hack Thursday, hack or off Friday and hack Saturday.

Watching the cute gray mare :)

Surprise... there is a horse show!

So Saturday I got a sitter so I could partake in the lesson since my trainer is going to be gone for a little over a week. Now I had heard talk of a Welsh pony show that would be happening sometime... surprise it was this weekend. So my big plans for jumping and building on what we did Friday were shot. Oh well it was a low key "fun" lesson... my best friend and her mom came to ride with us which was fun.

We flatted and then worked on turn on the haunches and forhand. Henry did pretty well for this only being our 2nd or 3rd time doing it.

After our lesson I cleaned him up, grained him and cleaned his stall (since the show was going on, the BO had the guys running around doing a million other things- not their job :) ).

Being that we are in August, I decided that I need to clean up all my winter blankets and get them ready for use. So hubby, Bay and I went to the local laundry mat (there aren't any signs saying no blanket washing) and put them in to get a good cleaning, went for a walk, put them in to dry, walked again, got dinner and headed home.

Henry - mom had all of your fancy expensive duds cleaned and they're ready for winter :)

He had today off... Monday hack, Tuesday hack, Wednesday off, Thursday hack, Friday hack or off and Saturday hack.

*Kat and Andy came to our lesson so I am hoping that some pictures come my way soon :)*

I'mmmmm back!!!

Oh man... I never want to be a single mom. I have the highest respect for woman who are!

(Back) Cousin and my mom (Front) Me and Bay

(Back) Cousin and my mom (Front) Me, Bay and my grandma

My trainer hacked Henry Tuesday and Thursday this last week while I was gone. She said he was really good and she even used him to demonstrate things to the lesson kids- GO HENRY!!

I had a lesson today. One other person was hacking so i got a good amount of attention. I flatted at will and she game me comments here and there which i really liked.

Then I asked to jump.. yeah you heard that right- I asked :) Ended up doing a vertical back and forth to warm up- trotting and cantering. Then we moved onto a mini course with lots of turns after the fence to work on lead changes. I got some great jumps and some not so great ones. I REALLY need to remember to keep my shoulders back and my back flat over the fence and after, I tend to round my shoulders so that I won't bop Henry in the mouth.

Overall it was a great ride and I am really glad that I was able to sneak in a ride :)

Trying to find a sitter for tomorrow am to watch Bayley so I can go take a lesson as my trainer leaves Sunday the 5th and comes back the 12th or 13th.

Oh and the plan is to go to the show on the 25th and 26th :)