Introspection.. TOA :)

I am finally jumping on the Owls Approve Hop!

Introspection

What would your horse change about you?

I think Henry would like me to be more brave.. He loves to jump and is better over the bigger stuff. 

I am getting more brave but still working on it. 

I have learned (finally) that it is not fun to jump him over the 2' stuff.. he leans a lot, feels like we are rushing and he doesn't respect it. He feels so much better over 2'9 +.

So here is to more shows at 3' :)

Final Day of the Show

Sunday was a separate show but at the same location we had been at all week. We had to leave early so hubby could get to work, I thought about doing some morning classes but slept through my alarm so I decided to have a chill morning and give Henry a nice hack around before we headed out.

Best horse ever :)

Watching Kats flat class from the best seat in the house :)

Also, here are two OF pics from Friday (i think) compliments of M :)

Henry had Monday off with some turn out.

Tuesday we hacked. Trainer had me work on counter bends at the canter in a circle spiraling in and out... and just hacking around, nothing too strenuous :)

Here are two videos of the 2'9 rounds on Saturday thanks to L :)

https://youtu.be/dDiLmVwudvE

Horse Show- Days 3 and 4

Friday was the first day of our division. We were set to do two 2'9 OF classes and one flat class.

Mini Flake shavings in braids = not happy Karley lol

There were 19 people in each of my classes... my hope for ribbons quickly went out the window and my new goal was to get around having good rounds.

We had our pace, jumped all the jumps well, made the distances and did knock anything down.

Henry was awesome, I rode well and that is all I could ask for. Trainer was happy with what we did and said not to be discouraged.

The U/S class was hilarious, SO many horses in one ring. Thankfully Henry is so chill and didn't mind the chaos :) We didn't place but there were so many really fancy and expensive horses, to be expected at a rated show.

Out for a walk and grazing after being a good boy

All tucked in for the night.

Sat am at the show, seriously love my life!!

Saturday was our big day, two more 2'9 OF classes, one Eq, two 3' OF classes and one US.

Lunging Sat am.. you can tell he is wild lol

There are pictures coming from the 3' OF classes. Henry was awesome, I rode ok and we placed in one of them (there were 10 in the division). I also placed in the US class :)

Hubby video'd the 2'9 rounds, I placed in one of them.. trainer thought we should have placed in both but it's ok. Henry was great, I felt like I rode well and I did it without thinking I was going to die!

Video 1 of the 2'9

Video 2 of the 2'9

Henry was DONE with pictures lol

Sunday was no showing for me so that concluded our showing... I felt like we did amazing. I can't wait for the next show!!

Sunday recap next...

Horse Show- Days 1 and 2

Wednesday we headed up to the show.

After we got unpacked, checked in and settles we schooled... all three arenas.

Started in hunter 2, with the baby jumps.

Then to the jumper ring- jumped a few courses in there and had a blast doing it.

Finished in hunter 1, schooled some 2'9 and 3' stuff. Henry was awesome, I felt good ... SO I scratched the 2'6 (except the warm up) and did the 2'9 and 3' divisions. (more on that to come)

After we were done I cleaned my tack, bathes Henry and ticked him in for the night.

We stayed in RV's - DEF the way to go with kids!! Naps and snacks are accessible at all times and BBQ'ing at night for the win!!

Thursday was the first day of the show. I didn't have any classes for my division so I signed up for two warm up classes- 2'3-2'6 and 2'6-2'9.

Here is a video from the 2'6-2'9 round, thanks to hubbys phone :)

More to come....

T-2 Days till Departure

Peace offering from B :)

 The horse show is getting real... fast!

I have been riding and taking lesson jumping lots... working on pace and distances so that we have it down pact for the show.

Henry it awesome as always, I on the other hand am the one who needs practice.

I have almost everything packed at home. Gotta finish that up tonight. Grocery shopping is about 80% done.

Going to pack the trailer and my tack box Tuesday.

Chiropractor comes out this afternoon to make sure Henry is all comfortable and ready for the show.

Last lesson before the show tomorrow and then we leave Wed.

Trying not to over think it and get nervous BUT we all know that is a joke lol :)

Horse Show Snacks....

What are your go to horse show snacks? What must you have at the show?

I am always so nervous that I never eat much and always drink too much and make myself feel funky... oh the joy of nerves!

T-9 Days

Till we leave for the show!!!!

Also, thanks everyone for your input into the Do you Share Well post! Love hearing all the different opinions :)

Saturday I jumped in on the lesson. Flatted with everyone and then did a warm up X on a circle with the people jumping... the goal was to land on the correct lead by turning over the fence.

Then J and I waited to jump bigger stuff... These were all the jumps we did and we did various courses.

Henry was great! Some of the distances were wonky but we worked with it and trainer fixed them so that I could get in the show mode for all the lines.

Went for a little walk to cool out with some of my barn buddies :)

Cleaned Henry up and stuffed his face with treats.. cleaned all my stuff and headed home.

I *mught* have taken my sweet time since I was at the barn sans kids and hubby lol.

Sunday he had off.

Today I hacked. It was amazing weather so I rode outside. I had the BIG arena all to myself most of my ride... I worked on our under saddle and Eq flat and also worked off the rail.. which at the end Henry was convinced I wanted lead changes so we had a bit of a clarification that i really just wanted him to go straight! It's funny how I can be doing nothing and he remembers a time that we worked on lead changes off the rail and was sure that is what we were doing haha.. smart cookie!

I took a nice long walk around the barn to cool out since we were both sweating after our ride. Cleaned Henry up and washed his tail in prep for the show :)

Lesson tomorrow!

Do you share well?

Love this horse!!

Who do you let ride your horse... or are you the only one who rides your horse? Does only your trainer ride your horse? Or are you ok with just anyone riding your horse?

Then to build upon that, if you let others ride your horse- are they riding to just hack around and have fun or seriously jumping/schooling your horse?

I don't share well and I will be the first to admit that.. ha!

I think it's because of all the hard work I have put into Henry (big thanks to my trainer for pushing me no matter what ha and J for riding Henry once in a while to keep him moving higher with jumps when I am too chicken to jump 4 ft lol) and now that he is where he is, I want to enjoy him! A horse only has so many years in them and I don't want to miss out on any of that or use it up prematurely.

I'd love to hear what you think of the above.. do share!!

Basking in the Sun

G says hi :)

I know lots of you are under snow, literally... but here in CA we are enjoying some fab weather. High of 68 here today :)

Thursday after our ride

Tuesday I had a lesson. I flatted with the kiddos and then jumped.

We warmed up over an X but I didn't add that to my pic above...

Then we did the X to the black line (domino box to stone wall boxes) away, right hand turn around to the blue in and out. right roll back/U turn thing to the pink oxer (black walls with pink polls) and then turned left. 

Henry was awesome- almost a bit sluggish which is better then running off lol. 

I was having a hard time getting the right spot into the in and out so we did that a lot... I am thankful for my saint horse dealing with me :)

Cooled our after the lesson and watched the kiddos jump :)

Cleaned Henry and my tack up.. even scrubbed his legs. Never ending battle to keep that gelding gunk off his back legs!

Henry looking cute waiting for his grain after our lesson lol :)

Henry got turned out Wed, hacked Thur and I hope to get out and hack this afternoon.

Pure Joy

I love that this girl loves riding!

Rodeo Weekend.. in AZ

Let me back up to last week...

Bath Thursday after a good hack

I had a lesson, hacked twice and Henry has a trainer ride on Friday.

His game face for our US practice hack :)

He was great for all.. I will recap the lesson..

I flatted myself as trainer set the jumps and then we jumped.

Again they were good sized jumps- go Karley! Henry doesn't need any cheering, the height is no problem for him, it's just me whos chicken ;)

We worked mostly in the two lines, rainbow oxer to oxer and the wall to the skinny domino... mostly in the wall to the skinny domino b/c I was the queen of getting in deep to the first jump.

It all boils down to me trusting Henry, keeping my pace and not holding... once I do that, its amazing how it all falls into place.

Hubby snapped this from the car.. next time hopefully he will take OF pics :)

Then over the weekend we took a quick trip to see my bff run in two rodeos because she was in AZ. We drove through the night Fri, rodeo Sat, rodeo Sun (which she won- woo hoo) and drove back home through the night Sun.

I didn't want to leave her... I was seriously SO tempted to just go with her but I have that show coming up and Henry needs me. But when she is back in CA you better bet we will be going as many places with her as possible :)