Sunday, September 30, 2012

Over Committed

Um yeah I over committed myself this weekend...

Saturday- hubby worked so I am single mama, hosting a baby shower, cleaned the house, dinner and then time with the family at my father in laws house.. Was able to sneak turn out time in for Henry- hubby did it for me while he went for his run and I was cleaning the house.

Sunday- was supposed to have a lesson but I needed down time- we went to breakfast and then walked around a car show that hubby really wanted to go to, I am doing laundry, making food (for the bbq) and dishes now, we have a bbq in a couple hours and then hopefully to bed early as I am BEAT. Henry got turned out again today..

Two days off isn't exactly how I wanted this weekend to pan out but I had to much stuff on my plate and needed to scale back a little so that I could get things done since oh yeah, I have to work Monday. DANG job that pays all the bills!

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

Friday, September 28, 2012

Um Yeah ... Thats MY Horse!

Juliana showed up today so I let her have the ride on Henry since it's really his trainer ride day and I like him to get the ride from her... I am so glad that I did cause um this is what they did (along with other stuff haha)...

3'6"

Probably 3'9" :)

I am so proud and my trainer gave him major kudos today!

Turn out tomorrow(Saturday), lesson Sunday, hack Monday, lesson Tuesday, off Wednesday, lesson Thursday, trainer ride Friday, lesson Saturday and off Sunday.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Oh Henry ...

Tonight was not our finest lesson.

We were not on the same page at all.

He was not there  in  our lesson.. it felt like he was TRYING to find something to spook at.

Flatted on  my own and then my trainer came down for jumping.

I was off- had to  ride him  pretty aggressively to the jumps and couldn't make myself remember to keep my freaking back flat.

Lesson again  tomorrow so here's to a better  ride and attitude for me. :)

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Sept 25th 2012

What a different horse I had last night from Monday nigh- thank goodness!

I rode with music last night, one ear bud in and one out (so I could still hear if something needed to be heard). Since he was so fresh/jumpy on Monday I didn't want to be able to hear what he heard so that it wouldn't worry me. I am not sure if it really helped but what a world of a difference our ride was.

Started out long and low... changing direction a lot... sitting trot... canter with good transitions... walk/canter without stirrups... sitting trot no stirrups... posting no stirrups.

Cell Phone pic in the mirror, i know quality lol

He has the crazies mane ever! I wet is and brush it to the right every night.. doesn't help!

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Aye...

WILD horse in the round pen!

Go, halt, backup, go, halt, backup... you get the idea. The top middle of my back is killing me now- used mussles that aren't normally used that much I guess.

He was sweaty as heck when we were done... goal was to keep his mind on me and get a hack in.

Lesson tonight got moved so I am hacking tonight, turn out Wednesday, lesson Thursday, lesson Friday, lunge Saturday, lesson Sunday.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Saturday + Pictures...

Saturday I had a lesson. There were only 4 of us which is a small group... It was a good group though. Mona raced us at one point- I could feel Henry ready to explode as I was encouraging him to go so I only partook in a little cause I needed his brain to be there for our jumping ha!

I have come to the realization that once I get over the first fence the height isn't an issue anymore... but until I do that first jump, my mind takes over.

Anywho we did a little X left turn to the rainbows and yellow/black oxer line, right turn to the gate, roll back to the right to the black and red oxer, left turn to the wall vertical... Henry and I were struggling at the gate jump... I was freezing at the last minute  when I saw the distance wasn't good and he was being sticky when I would ask him to go. We finally got it and did the course through twice - leaving out the 1st little X the second time through - so jumped like 11 jumps in a row which was something I haven't done in a long time.

Anywho lesson went well, I hung out to watch the lower group jump and cooled Henry out. Headed up to the ban, un-tacked, gave him a Vetrolin hose down, scrubbed his back legs with cleaning shampoo, cleaned tack, grained him, cleaned his stall and cleaned/filled his water.

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

Now... Lesson pics...

Thanks Kat and Andy!!

9-11-12

9-11-12

9-11-12

HORSE SHOW!!! :)

9-16-12

Cute Boy- Warm  Up

OF Class

OF Class









Thinking Hard LOL

Love this!
 

Friday, September 21, 2012

Quick Update

Thursday- I had a  lesson. We worked on lead changes pre jumping...yeah workout to the max! But I was determined to make progress. It got better, not perfect at all but better...

Then  we moved onto jumping... did the line back and forth (rainbows to yellow and black oxer) with lead changes after. Then moved onto the gate oxer with a U turn to the red/black X oxer. Took a bit for me to get my distance right- short ..  long (though my trainer said it was ok cause I stayed with him)... then right woot!

Friday- Trainer ride... they said he was awesome. Jumped him about 3'3 (which really means like 5 foot cause I swear she always underestimates the fence height!!! lol) and he got almost all his lead changes. I jokingly said it was cause of my hard work Thursday night :) LOL!

Lesson tomorrow...

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Hey Lesson

Had a lesson last night.

Hubby and his dad picked up hay for me (I feed Henry and extra flake every day as it's cheaper then paying the BO for an extra flake). After they unloaded the two bales I went to get Henry... I am really not going to enjoy trucking down there in the winter but I can't afford in the barn.

Tacked up the wild steed and waited my turn in the round pen... I actually took my girth home to wash it and my show girth was at home as well so I had to borrow a lesson girth for the lesson. Anywho ran the wild man around and then hopped on and headed down to the arena. I am sure going to miss riding outside in the winter...

We hacked around on the flat-
     -I worked on bending him through the body (not just the neck) through my corners
     - Traveling straight down the long side
     - Smaller posts aka keeping my bootie closer to the saddle :)

Then we moved on to an X back and forth and getting changed, oh yeah and keeping my reins short enough haha! Then only the line... the first time Henry tried to go left or right cause that is what we had been doing so it was an interesting ride... did it a few more times, holding for the 6 strides. Then jumped the wall/vertical... then move onto an oxer. I was having a hard time seeing the distance for some reason but got a few good jumps in with changes or him landing on the lead so we called it a day.

He is off today, lesson Thursday, trainer ride Friday, lesson Saturday.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

AMEN! :)

Relax...

Well kind of... Bay and I met Sean at the barn last night with dinner. We turned out Henry and Louie and then ate our Subway.









Then we moved onto graining, cleaning Henry's stall and filling both horses water buckets.

Bay was being a total ham so I had to take some cute pictures of her :)






Lesson tonight, lunge Wednesday, lesson Thursday, trainer ride Friday, lesson Saturday.

Monday, September 17, 2012

T H E Recap

So here are the results from the show... 
Eq Flat - 2nd
Warm- Up OF- 3rd (Thanks to Juliana for schooling him in this    class)
Hunter OF- 3rd (Thanks to Juliana for schooling him in this class)
Eq OF- 2nd
Hunter Under Saddle - 2nd
Eq Flat- Canceled

We got Reserve Champion in our division. 

Loaded up the trailer around 9:45, got to the show around 10:45 and the Hunter classes were starting. We were in the last division so I tacked up and got on without rushing... hacked around for a bit and then waited and waited and waited.

Juliana came and schooled Henry in 2 OF classes which was really nice. At first I wanted to do "well" in all the classed but then remembered that the point of coming to this was to school and correct him when he was to strong.

Overall a good experience for Henry and that is what I wanted.

I don't know what our next outting will be. I asked about going to a show in Oct but my trainer said it probably won't happen but that we can trailer out to another barn and school.

Anywho pictures to come once I get them :)

Henry gets today off/turnout, lesson tomorrow, lunge Wednesday, lesson Thursday, trainer ride Friday, lesson Saturday.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Quick Show Update...

More to come tomorrow but ...

Our loot... plus we got a Res Champ but they will be mailing that ribbon :)

Ribbons and Picture




One day we will have a blue :)

Friday, September 14, 2012

Back in working order

Henry was better today then he was last night. He will get hind shoes on  tomorrow morning.

The trainer ride went well. My trainer changed around the course this morning so that we had something different and new to jump Henry over. He jumped well and didn't flinch.

I get to ride him in the Mikmar Sunday which is nice- yay brakes and balance :)

Hack and cleaning tomorrow and show Sunday!

VOTE!!! :)

http://www.doversaddlery.com/photocontest.aspx

Search: Successful Day at the Show

Henry and I say thank you!

A little off

Henry was a little off in the hind end last night. I trotted him to see if he would be ok but my trainer said to put him up... so I did. We talked my my farrier and are going to put hind shoes on him to see if that helps. There isn't a heat or anything but with his full workload he might need all 4.

We are going to check him again today and if he's ok he will get a trainer ride.

Prayers that he is all good! :)

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Spoiled Boy

The rough life of Henry... LOL!

Lesson tonight, trainer ride Friday, hack/cleaning Saturday and show Sunday.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Almost had a spill...

Had a lesson tonight. Henry was slow moving and not sure why in the world I was taking him out- he needed more then one day off. I agree, we both needed a week vacation... BUT we are  in training so lessons  are a waiting!!! :)

Tacked up, attempted to lunge which lasted like 30 seconds and then I got on. I could tell he didn't have any crazies and I was going to need all the go he had.

Headed down to the lesson with Kat and Erica... we flatted around- my trainer told me to work on keeping my post low but a forward trot- man was that a challenge.

We cantered a lot because I think she forgot about us when she was talking to the eventing trainer haha! Henry was weird in the canter tonight- he was watching the horses walking around up by the barn, listening to the shoer, watching Andy get in and out of the car, watching the pony run around calling for his friend who was being ridden and periodically paying attention to the chaos that was going on at the Western barn across the street.

We walked and rested for a min  and then moved onto jumping. Started with the panel back and forth. Then moved onto the bog X with ground polls in front and back to make sure that Henry was paying attention. And then onto the black and yellow big-ish oxer. Back and forth... got in a bit  to deep one time and almost ate it... I am still not sure how I didn't fall off- I was on his neck, wrapped my arms around it and then pushed myself back into the saddle- shocked I was still on. Everyone laughed, including myself. I came back to it again and did it a few more times and then we ended. Erica jumped a little more and then we headed back up to the barn.

Horse show this Sunday. I plan to do the Eq flat class for the division before mine to get a tour of the arena. Then we are going to do 5 classes in the 2'3"-2'6" division
Warm- Up OF
Hunter OF
Eq OF
Hunter Under Saddle
Eq Flat

Lunge Wednesday, lesson Thursday, trainer ride Friday, turn out Saturday and show Sunday.

Here is where we are going Sunday: http://www.mhaoakland.org/index.html

Day 3

Sunday was another early morning and I was feeling it haha! Another fog of a morning... Fed Henry and gave him a quick groom. My trainer suggested that I take him into the round pen that we spotted behind the super fancy barn we were staying in.


Henry was loving the fancy footing and wanted to roll but I had already cleaned him so that wasn't happening!

I then returned him to his stall and let him finish his breakfast and hangout till it was our time to ride.

We did 4 classes
Long Stirrup Eq- got 2nd
Warm up Hunters- didn't place
Long Stirrup Hunters- didn't place
Short/Long Stirrup Hunters- didn't place
* same goals as Saturday for the OF classes and despite him being really really heavy he was awesome... again the fence height was to low.

Before un-tacking Lyssette took my picture...





Then I took him back, un-tacked, gave him a vetrolin rub down and put him in his stall to hangout and then went to eat and watch Lyssette.

After she was done we packed up, checked out, she gathered her loot, we loaded the horses and headed home.

Once we got home we put the boys away, fed them dinner and cleaned up all of our stuff.

I bought one picture from the people who were at the show. It won't be here for 3-4 weeks they said.... so I will share that when it arrives :)

Off Monday, lesson Tuesday, lunge Wednesday, lesson Thursday, trainer ride Friday, not sure about Saturday cause Hubby is working and possibly a schooling show Sunday.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Day 2

Saturday was an up and at'em early day. Loaded car, ate breakfast and headed to the show.

We checked in and Lyssette got tacked up and I don't really remember what I did... Then I remember helping her wipe off  her boots and made sure she didn't need anything before her class.

I hung out for a bit and then got ready... I tacked Henry up and put him on the line to make sure he didn't have any wiggles in him (he is used to a much larger living space then the box stall he was in for the weekend). He had a few bucks and a few tantrums at the canter but not much so I got on.

I ended up doing 5 classes on  Saturday
Senior Pleasure- got 4th
Long Stirrup Pleasure- got 2nd
Really Low Hunters- didn't place
Beginning Hunters- didn't place
Long Stirrup Hunters- didn't place
*the OF classes had a lot of people in them and my goal was to have no refusals (success), go for lead changes (about 95% success) and have fun/not die (success). Henry wasn't amused by the 2 ft fences so next show we will be doing 2'6" per my trainer.

Henry was calm cool and collected through everything. He was strong but I never felt like he was being bad. Oh how I wish I should show in the Mikmar lol!

After Lyssette and I were done with our classes we cleaned up the boys, fed, packed the car and headed to he hotel. We ate, cleaned and got ready for Sunday.

Hubby came up with Bayley which was awesome!!! I was missing them both so it was totally refreshing to see them. He took some pictures on his phone so enjoy :)






Absolutely love this!



New Stuff and Day 1 of the Show

Thursday I came home to some much anticipated stuff :)

Grooming tote for the show, clippers, new saddle pad (though I desperately want the Fleeseworks one that L Williams has), TS Hunter Trophies breeches and a new garment bag.


Friday I spent the morning with Bayley and then headed to the barn to load the horses and a few other  things  that we didn't pack Thursday night.

The horses loaded well and the drive up was good. I followed the trailer in my car so that we would have a car to dive back and forth in and so I had a vehicle if there was an emergency with Bayley... though I did get hit by a rock from a truck and a nasty chip in my windshield that grew over the drive appeared.

We got to the show, unloaded, made up our stalls, tacked up and hacked. I took Henry down to one of the spots designated for lunging to see if he had any steam to blow off. After the lunge I got on and headed to the arena where I would be showing- Hunter Ring 2. We hacked around and he was really good. Then moved onto jumping all the fences ... again he was good. I rode in the Mikmar (even thought I couldn't show in it) and had a well balanced and good horse- got all my changes too :)

I went and hung out in Hunter Ring 1 while Lysstte jumped. He was calm cool and collected and didn't flinch about anything.

When she was done we both headed back to our fancy barn/stalls for the weekend- auto fly spray, sprinklers in ever stall, wash racks in our isle, grooming stalls, vacuum, nice big clean isle way... you get the picture. I am not sure how we got hooked up with the nice barn but am super thankful!

Bathed the boys, loved on them, fed them dinner, loaded the car with our tack/clothes and stuff for the hotel... drove to the hotel, unloaded and then went over to a super yummy dinner- including awesome margaritas!

After dinner we grabbed candy, cleaned tack and went to bed... someone signed up for the 2nd class of the day so we had to be up early! :)

Day 2 and 3 coming...

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Hack before the ...

show :)

Hacked tonight. Henry was ok/good- he was spooking at who knows what but it didn't phase me which was nice. Just flatted around while two other people took a lesson.

Hosed Henry off, grained him and  we packed and loaded the trailer.. then I took  Henry to his stall and did a few more sweeps of the barn to make sure I had gotten everything and didn't leave anything out.

Tomorrow is the day we head out and a lesson at the show grounds, show Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully we get some pictures and maybe even get a ribbon or two :)

Stuff for Sale

I have some stuff I want to sell.. hopefully one of you will want to buy! :)

Coat
Grand Prix
16- Long
Darn Brown (really a beautiful coat)
Never Worn- I bought it and thought I could wear it after being prego but I lost more weight then anticipated and it is to big.
Original Price $399.00
My Price $200.00 OBO plus Shipping









Boots
Ariat Challenge Zip Field Boot
Size 7.5
Regular Height
Full Calf
Style 55201
Brand New, never worn. I bought them and was told they were Reg calf ant hey aren't
Original Price $359.00
My Price $250 OBO plus shipping



Make offers!!! I don't use either of these items and need to find them a home where they will be used :)