Oops...

So i missed a few days, sorry!

Friday my trainer was at a show, or on her way so I rode Henry. He was a good boy... we just hacked, worked on transitions- even added a few halt canter ones :)

Grubbing on some grass after our ride

Saturday he just got turned out.

Sunday I lunged :)
Henry to the Right 4-29-12

This week isn't quite set yet on the rides but i think it will be... Monday hack, Tuesday Hack, Wednesday trainer ride, Thursday lesson, Friday trainer ride, Saturday show :)

Rodeo Practice

Henry was practicing for the rodeo on the way walking to the barn (it was super windy so all the horses out in pastures were a bit wild), I tacked him up and then headed out to the round pen to let him blow off the "rodeo" steam :) He was super lazy and then BAM all the horses around outside started going crazy running around and Henry joined! It was awesome- I did lots of roll backs with him to get his focus back on me and tire him out haha.

On to riding... Worked on keeping Henry straight- riding about 3 or 4 feet off the rail so that he really had to listen to me and not use the rail/wall for our guide. We also had a nice composed canter which I appreciated... to the right he was a little more of a pain but from where we have come I can't complain.

Then we moved on to jumping... back and forth back and forth- then we added in asking for lead changed after the X as well. Woo hoo for moving forward! Henry jumps really round and I need to work on keeping my shoulders back, with his reach/round jumps it feels like he pulls me down so I HAVE to get this fixed asap.

Here is a picture for of Henry after our ride as I was putting him away :)

Hack tomorrow, turned out Saturday.

Oh and I paid my trainer for hauling and training/schooling tonight (for the show) and I am sending my entry (fees+ schooling cost) tomorrow so it's on for May 5th :) Cinco De Mayo means we will need to drink lots o beer!!! (Right Lyssette?!)

Two word...

No Stopping!!!

Trainer ride went well- it was raining so they rode inside. Jumped him and no stopping happened! :)

Sending my entry (schooling fee + other fees) in for the show next weekend. Decided on just taking him for exposure and not going to do any classes :)

Lesson tonight, hack tomorrow.

GOOD boy Henry!

Such a good boy tonight!

I attempted to lunge BUT he was soooo lazy so I hopped on and got to work. There was a beginner ish rider getting a lesson so we worked on lots of steering and staying out of the way of her. I rode for about 45 min and that was with only one walk break- so needless to say it was a long process to cool him out and for him to dry.

After trotting around for a while, changing direction and working on being soft and supple I moved onto canter, halt, walk canter transitions. I wanted him to really be listening to me and not just going through the paces. He was pretty good and I was proud of him.

Then we walked for a little bit and then got back to more of the above ... then ended with some more trotting and changing of direction with changing the bend.

Henry was a tired boy after our ride... note the pictures below :)

That was hard, I am tired!

Umm mom the water is rising!

Tomorrow trainer ride, Thursday lesson and hopefully a hack Friday.

**on the dl... i MIGHT be going to a show on May 5th to just school Henry and get him exposed to the world outside the barn.

4-23-12

Monday are Henry's favorite, not! So my goal was to just hack and have it go well.

Tacked Henry up, lunged and hopped on. He was a bit lookie and jumpy cause there was one rider using her dressage whip quite a lot- I kept telling Henry it wasn't for him- he settled in and we were good.

Walk, trot, sitting trot, canter, change direction, change the bed, move the haunches over, active walk, halts, sharp transitions...

It was a good night :)

Hack tomorrow, trainer ride Wednesday, lesson Thursday, no trainer ride Friday cause my trainer and two riders are going to a show so I am going to try and ride him after work.

Relax

Henry Hanging Out

Sunday is Henry's day off (for now, might change to Mondays). He got turned out and groomed :)

April 21st

Lesson day... It was a super nice day, maybe a little too hot as I got a nice burn. There were 7 of us riding which was a nice group... almost felt like a flat class :)

We went through the motions of hacking, even some no stirrup work.. I had practiced this as well on Friday when I rode Louie since he is nice and smooooooth haha. Today I was on Henry so it wasn't as easy/smooth but it's all good.

My trainer commented on how good Henry was looking today- I have some nice blisters on my pinky fingers to show my hard work to help make him look good! It should be interesting how I am able to ride Monday.

I warmed Henry up over the X that the group was jumping, back and forth a few times. Then Juliana got on him and jumped him over some bigger stuff. He jumped well and even cantered a whole course- woot! Lead changes are still a work in progress but he is doing really well - I think.

Day off tomorrow, hack Monday, hack Tuesday, trainer ride Wednesday, lesson Thursday, trainer ride Friday.

Better :)

Henry looked better today... they just hacked him, no jumping.

I rode Louie- hacked him. It was nice to ride another horse but I love Henry too.

Lesson tomorrow, off Sunday!

Not Quite Right

Henry wasn't quite right tonight... he wasn't lame but he was definitely stepping short in the hind end. He just got his feet done today so I am hoping he was just a little tender. I lunged him a little and then hopped on to see how he felt... and it wasn't quite right. I trotted him around for about 10 min to see if he would trot out of it but he didn't do I cooled him out and hopped off.

He got a nice hosing, about a 15 min grass eating session, groomed again b/c he rolled and grained/loved on.

Tomorrow is a trainer right and I am going to ride as well- feeling a bit under the weather and might need to take the afternoon off :) Lesson Saturday and Sunday off.

April 18th 2012

Henry had a trainer ride today. He was good... it looked like he was a bit strong on the flat. He jumped well- no stopping and my trainer moved one of the jumps around so that it wasn't in the "normal" place... the other 5 jumps were but he jumped all of them well. So proud :)

Lesson (or hack) tomorrow, trainer ride Friday and Lesson Saturday.