Show Season

Being that it is now show season (oh how I wish I was rich and could show every weekend at all the shows!) I wanted to talk about showing.

2013

Do you show?
As much as I can... Hubby's schedule doesn't allow for much but I appreciate what I can do.

2013 (i was just barely prego with Addi here but didn't know it lol)

What do you show in?
As this last show I did the 2'9 and 3' ... planned to do the 2'6 but after doing a warm up class and trainer making me school the 2'9/3' stuff I decided to take the plunge. Henry is better at 3' so it was really no big deal once I got over the mind game. Going forward this season, I will do the same and try to refine and better our trips :)

2015

Do you show rated or local?
Both... Rated is so expensive so I can't afford more then one or two a season. Local/Schooling are much more do able but then again they don't all have the height I want so it's a fine line. I feel like Henry is too nice for schooling but not quite nice enough for rated... blah.

2013

What are your ultimate show goals?
I am really comfortable working in the 3' and getting good at that... Maybe one day I'll be brave and move up to the 3'6 but def not right now. Much less competition and more ribbons there though lol!! So tempting so tempting!

Back to Back

Hubby works a long weekend this weekend but I was able to get three great rides in this week!

Our courses for Monday and Tuesday

Monday there was another group lesson since it was a holiday and I was able to partake! :)

Flatted with everyone, including some no stirrup work blah!

We warmed up over the orange.

I *think* the course we did was orange down, right turn to the blue line, left turn to the green, left turn to the in and out, left turn to the red oxer then single line.

Of course we had to break it down a little and fix the issues... nothing major just my steering :)

Thanks Nicku!! Pic of the oxer in the in and out- don't mind me elbows!

Tuesday Kat and I had a lesson, normally there are some kids there but they weren't there.

We flatted, thankfully not to hard since we both had ridden the day before.

Then we warmed up over the orange again.

Course was orange up, left to the green, left to the red line, right to the in and out, roll back to the right over the black wall, roll back to the left over the red single.

Then we did the in and out backwards adding in the black wall as a benging line ish.

Then trainer got a wild hair.. or was feeling confident in my skill? Anywho she had me do the blue oxer (top left in the pic) to the red single.. but on a straight line so i was jumping the jumps on and angle in order to stay on a straight line. I did that back and forth a few times... I was pretty cool actually. Yay for Henry being broke and able to do crazy stuff!! lol

Thursday I went outside and hacked.

Worked through my paced and warming up. Then trainer had me ride one handed (think western) and work on really getting Henry to listen to my leg and neck reining a little ... Henry likes to hang on the left so she was having me give him nothing to hang on. I did think at the trot and canter.. lots of circles and going all around not just staying on the rail.

BoTing before our ride

Then I worked on some counter canter including circles.

He was great, we were both sweaty at the end.. went for a walk around to cool out and then I sponged him off and cleaned his man parts.. you are welcome Henry.

Part of the out door arena

John 15:13

I've been in a funk lately and haven't blogged or ridden much... I lost a dear friend of 17 years this last week in a senseless way- It angers me. Hug your loved ones... I have been spending lots of extra time with mine.

Thursday I was hoping to jump in on the 4 pm lesson BUT hubby didn't get home till 4:40 ish sooooo a hack it was for me.

I had all my stuff out and ready to tack up once hubby got there... and the arena to myself :)

I flatted around and then went to work...

- No stirrup work
- Counter bending
- Moving his hip both ways

Great workout for us both!

Cooled out and groomed him all up .. then we went outside to graze a little while I braided his tail.

Hubby works all weekend so turn outs for Henry till Monday.

Anyone else have Leg Protection info they want to share? Please :)

Lets Talk Leg Procection

Legs-

What are your fav every day boots for your horse?

Or do you go without?

Maybe you prefer to polo?

Do you wrap up all 4 or just 2?

Do you use something for turn out or just riding?

I am either an Eskadron or Polo girl myself.. and of course bell boots to protect those shoes :) And I almost always do all 4.

I always put something on him during turn out cause lord knows he would hurt himself out there doing some yoga or crazy move for the ladies!

Weekend Rewind

Love hearing all of your thoughts on helmets :) Thanks for the input!

Friday I was possibly going to have a lesson but trainer had an emergency come up. I hacked anyways since hubby was working a long weekend so Henry needed to get out.

It was SO windy but overall Henry was great. Everyone was huddling down in the closed side of the indoor arena... I used the whole arena as always. At times I circled the open end half since sometimes it is impossible to tell what the people who ride in the morning are doing.. lots of random circles, stopping, turning and what not without warning or disregard for whos around haha!

Henry was great! Flatted- working on straightness, counter canter and just going through the paces. Gave him a good workout :)

Saturday He had a day off with some turnout.

Sunday was a day off.

Monday I lunged.. hubby worked Sunday and Monday night so I had about an hour and a half from leaving the house to getting back to the house. I wanted to hack but it wasn't in the cards.

Henry was NUTS so I am glad I got him out and ran him around.

Hopefully a lesson tonight!

To Helmet or Not

Helmets-

Do you follow the get new after it's been 5 years from the manufacture date?

Do you replace after ever fall?

Do you wear a helmet?

Whats your brand of choice?

Whats your thoughts on helmets?

I am a CO lover and I replace after the 5 years are up. I ride on average 4 days a week, sometime more sometimes less... so after those 5 years I figure it has seen enough sun and taken a beating. I always ride Henry in a helmet, especially when I am jumping... I figure why not.

Jump Around

Tuesday I had a lesson.

It was so stinken windy so trainer had to try and yell at us or say it as we went by haha.

We flatted around.. did some lead changes- Henry's favortie :) Thankfully I am stronger and more confident so his right to left is a shorter ordeal then in the past, maybe he is more broke too lol!

Then all moved into jumping...

I warmed up with the kids over the X... then I waited.

Once it was my turn, I did the X to the green single, left turn around to the blue line right hand turn around to the black wall.

Then I did the the black X to the green single, left turn to the blue line, right turn to the green oxer, roll back to the right to the red in and out.

I did the green oxer roll back to the red in and out a few times.. I needed to stay right over the green oxer and left over the red line :)

Don't mind the cell phone pic lol

Henry was awesome!

Wednesday I had about an hour total to get to the barn, do something and get home... so I lunged. Just wanted to get him out and moving around.

Grained, filled his water and gave kisses.

It's supposed to storm thursday so I tucked him in with his rain sheet and some fresh shavings.

Hopefully I'll be able to get a ride in Thursday afternoon/evening if hubby gets off work at a decent hour.

Calling all the expert equestrian shoppers!

I am in need of your help with belts, thick belts... I think like 2 inch ish ones and don't want to spend $150 on one. 

Mango Bay made these cool Turkish belts (I think that is what they were called) and I bought one but it doesn't look like she's making them anymore.... 

Most of my breeches have the wide loops and I'd like more then one belt to chose from :)

Do share  your favs and where to get them!

Cliff Notes

Thanks for all the nice comments about coming off :)

I am grateful that Henry is ok (it was super uncharacteristic of him to get tangled up) and that it was no big deal... I was more sore from the hard workout during the flat part of the lesson then the fall haha!

Friday Henry had the day off, lucky dude.

WS rode him Saturday and she and trainer said he was awesome. They jacked the jumps up and apparently he was perfect, proud mom :)

Sunday he got some turn out...

Monday I hacked. There was a lesson going on and another person hacking so I just tried to stay out of the way ha!

Henry is so heavy on the left side so I continued some of the flat work we did Thursday in my lesson to the hack, lots of counter bending to the left while tracking right.

It was SO windy outside and I was surprised that he was as good as he was with no lunging and having not been ridden the day before. Thanks Henry :)

Lesson Tuesday!

Oh Hey Dirt!

Thursday I had a private lesson. Ws was riding horses too.

Post lesson begging for treats

We worked on lead changes on the flat and really getting him to yeild off the left side... a billion circles of counter bend while cantering right... cantering left and counter bend to the right was a much quicker story haha! It was cool to feel strong and able to do all these things on Henry myself. Really getting him to lift that shoulder, sit back on his booty and listen to me!

This is the jumps we used...

Warmed up over the blue X

Then did a course... green gate, right turn to the red oxer/vertical line, left turn to the black in and out, right turn to the gray oxer line.

Then we did the gray panel/oxer line, right turn to the red oxer/vertical line, left turn to the black  vertical/oxer in and out, slight veer to the left and U turn to the right back over the oxer/vertical black line.

Then we worked on the red oxer to the red vertical pace doing it in 6 and then in 7... one of the times through it Henry got caught up and did a big trip and I went flying... I ALMOST stayed on, trainer said she thought I was going to stay on.

He was a really good boy and moved right as I was falling so he didn't step on me and then he stopped.

He didn't do anything wrong.. he just got caught up. Normally he is SO athletic and can't get out of lots of predicaments so it was a weird situation. I wasn't scared or anything which was nice.. got back on and we finished out the lesson.

We are both no worse for the wear thankfully :)

It also rained on me and my saddle got wet- whaaaaaaaaa! But i made sure to clean up all up when I was done and tuck it back in on my saddle rack :)

Heading out for a walk to cool out after the lesson

I love private lessons, they kick my ass and I feel great after them ha!

Happy Birthday Henry!

Monday I hacked Henry while a few others had a lesson.

I went through a normal warm up and then counter cantered some a well.

Henry was great and we cooled out going on a little walk with some friends down the driveway.

Tuesday was lesson day...

We rode outside. Flatted around with everyone then waited out turn to jump.

Warmed up over an X and then did some courses...

Green gate to the oxer/vertical line in 6, around to the rainbow vertical/oxer in and out, around to the wall oxer/panel line in 5...

Of course after doing it twice we broke it down and worked on the issues. We worked on forward and then compressing in the lines. Also being straight straight straight.

Wednesday was his 9th birthday!! He got spoiled with lots of carrots, a long turn out and lots of love :)

Whats your type?

Do you have a type of horse?

I don't mean a nice fancy one that is a 10 mover and jumper, cause umm yeah I want that too :)

What do you like, what don't you like, what are deal breakers?

I prefer:
A gelding
Tall, bigger
A pull ride
Something nice to look at
With a good work ethic, when I am in lessons I am all work work work and I need a horse who can get in that mindset too
Good brain
Brave

Henry's the best to my girls!

OK i could go on but trying not to get too nit picky lol!

So share, tell me what you like!

Groooooovin :)

Umm it's been a tad hot this week... not complaining just lots of sweat while riding lol!

We are on a water shortage so despite Henry really needing a bath, we haven't been allowed to give them.. poor dude!

Tuesday's lesson we rode outside and did some fun bending lines and tight roll backs.

I know I probably sounds repetitive but I am just really enjoying riding Henry and love this confidence. After being on edge waiting for him to stop or coming back from having both babies.. it is so refreshing to be confident, comfortable and feel capable.

Thank you Henry for this awesome partnership!! Glad I didn't give up on you!

Thursday I was supposed to have a lesson too but trainer forgot about me lol soooo I will try to get three in next week to make up for it :)

Rode Henry anyways and he was feeling sassy :) It was SOOOO windy outside .. a lady in the arena was saying he was scared or the chair was in a new spot so it was scary - I chuckled and said that he can't act that way even is bad weather or something is in a new place.

I just put Henry to work and we went on with our ride.. after he regained his brain, we had a great ride including counter canter. He is getting so good and balanced I love it!

How Henry felt about our ride Thur.

Hubby has a crazy work week so he is going to get a trainer ride Sat since I can't get back on till Monday, mommy duty calls :)