You are the light thats leading me to the place where I find peace ... again

Title is a lyric from one of my fav bands, Lifehouse, song Everything.

It's Friday It's Friday It's Friday!

So last night I took B to the barn with me and planned to try and ride with her, for the first time without daddy or someone there to watch her.

We got Henry, tacked him up and then I hopped on. My trainer was there giving lessons so B wanted to sit on her lap. Then they went on some golf cart rides to take horses back to their stalls.

I was able to get in a good 30 min ride, woo hoo! It was just a hack, get Henry moving around.

I did work on halt to canter transitions a little and he was great!

The Chiropractor came out yesterday too, Henry had a nice adjustment. I love getting a text from the Chiro saying how nice of a horse I have, totally makes my day!

Hopefully a trainer ride today and lesson tomorrow for us!

I enjoyed reading this recap from a GM clinic at Boyd and Silva Martin's place. You all should read it!

Question: What are ya'll favorite body shampoos and mane/tail shampoo/conditioner?

I feel like I am in a rut... I have tried a good 6-8 different ones and I keep going back to Vetrolin for the body and Infusium 23 for mane/tail.

Video woot!

So not only did Hillary come out to our lesson and clean tack, she also took video!

Warm up Video

Part of the course Video

Last night B and I went up to give Henry a little turn out, walk Louie and grain them both.

B loves Buster so much!

While walking Lou, B squealed when she saw Buster and told him how much she loves him.

So dirty!! He rolled as I was just about to go get him.

Love it when Henry trots over to the fence to wait for me when he's turned out :) Of course he ruins that when he's pushy to get to his grain ugh! Men... lol jk!

Going to take B to the barn with me tonight and try to ride, this is the first time I will have tired this without someone "babysitting" her so we shall see how it goes, hopefully good!

Hopefully trainer will hop on Henry tomorrow and I have a lesson Saturday.

Hello Tuesday, I wish you were Friday!

Day 30- Fav Pic

Hello Tuesday!

Got Henry, groomed- could tell he was feeling a bit sassy- lunged and hopped on.

Lyssette brought Hillary out to our lesson as she was in town, so we (including Kat) all hung out and chatted while we waited for our trainer.It was nice to meet a fellow blogger (other then the three that I ride with lol).

I started warming up a little and then our trainer came.

My body was hating me, I was on the 3rd lesson in 4 days so yeah I am hurting. I got yelled at a lot to life my chest/keep my shoulders back, I suck at this.

Cantering felt better then trotting on my body, I think our canter was ok since I got yelled at less.

Worked on frame, stopping and backing when he gets heavy, square corners, keeping me weight in my right stirrup (I like to put more weight in the left stirrup but somehow I am able to keep my upper body straight by just cocking my hips) and straight straight straight horse through lead changes!

We jumped... it felt really sucky. Henry doesn't care much for anything under 2'6 so I feel like it's a big fight between us.

We did...

Warmed up over the X Vertical (1)... back and forth. Then I did a course... 1, left lead to 2, right turn to 3, bending line to 1, left turn to 4. It all felt bad.. the only think that felt eh was the oxer and maybe the second gate (4). Trainer said it wasn't all bad but since he was in a rushing mood I needed to hold more- which gives deeper spots (which feels like crap to me).

I have been working on more pace to the larger jumps (well larger for us) so I need to remember he has to wait to the smaller stuff. Never thought I would rather jump bigger then smaller haha!

Cooled him out, hosed him off, grained Henry and Louie, filled waters and gave kisses!

Here's to a better lesson/ride next time :)

Hoping my trainer rides Henry sometimes this week... since the ws is gone and not available anymore. We have to work out a new schedule.

Off today, hopefully my trainer will ride him Th or Fri and lesson for me Sat.

Lots 'O Pictures!

Day 28: Barn Pets, George (left) and Pepper (right)

Saturday's lesson came around and Hubby and B came to watch AND take pics! :)

Tacked up, lunged and hopped on.

Trainer had us hack around, Henry was is a mood... strong, opinionated, spooking at a chair (that we have seen a million times) and really sensitive (I was letting him know I wanted a frame but by no means was I being rough or crazy with my hands, trainer even said I was ok- he was just in a mood). I tried to ignore the drama queen.

Of course he would be a punk when hubby finally comes to watch ugh!

Then we moved onto jumping...

Warmed up over 1 with the group...

Back and forth back and forth.

Then I did a course...

1

Left turn to 2

STRAIGHT after the jump and a right tight turn to 3

Long Right turn/approach to 4 and 5

We did this a few times having to get specific fences "right"... the pictures of a compilation of all my trips.

Thankfully Henry loves jumping and despite our discussions earlier in the lesson, he was good to jump.

Yay for hubby taking pics!!

Sunday was turn out day.

Monday was a special lesson becuase of the holiday.

I did the flat part of the lesson and then he was schooled (since there wasn't a training ride Friday) for the OF portion.

We did lots of shoulder in and haunches in for the lesson, I worked on keeping his hips straight and my corners sharp... we rode inside since it was raining we flatted inside, I haven't ridden inside in a long time but he was good.

While Henry was being jumped, I got to hop on a pony in training... oh man does he take a lot of pushing but he is cute and was fun!

Untacked Henry, hosed him off, cleaned him up, took him home with his grain and gave kisses.

Lesson tonight, turn out/off Wednesday, hack Thursday, idk Friday and lesson Saturday.

day 29: riding goal, do a Derby!

ALSO, Check out Lindsay's blog and contest!

A Circuit Horse You’d Love to Own

It's the second blog hop is here! Brought to you by She Moved to Texas!

What’s a horse showing on the AA Circuit that you wish you could own?

I agree with Laure, I'll take them all! :)

But for real, it's a toss up between Brunello and Jersey Boy.

I think I will go with Jersey Boy... 

 He is so cute and look at those knees!

One day I would love to do a Derby, I love how he always looks so chill and in his element when he's out there!

Whats not to love!!!???

Join the hop!!

Hip Hip Hooray!

3 day weekend!!!

Day 26: throwback, the day Henry arrived!

Thursday panned out to be a better day then I thought. Hubby ended up being home so I was able to take a lesson.

I got to the barn before everyone else and the lesson that was supposed to be going on never showed, so trainer said I could tack up and we could go jump outside.

Tacked up, ran Henry around and got on. He was C A R A Z Y in the round arena.

Climbed on and we went to work. Hacked around and trainer had me do a few laps galloping because well Henry was still high.

Then we did some lead changes.. she had me do a little forward of a seat, put my knuckles in his neck and to jump shift my weight... we had some great changes and a few that weren't. But over all a win.

Then we jumped...

Started out warming up over 1 back and forth.

Then I did 2 with a short approach back and forth. I had maybe 6 strides till to jump and I had to pick up a canter from  halt and jump the jump.

Then I did 2 off the right lead, left hand roll back to 3, U turn to 4. We did 4 a few more times and also did if off of the left lead cause that is my weak side.

We were both lathered in sweat at the end of the lesson.. but it was good to have a private, haven't had one in a while.

Cooled him out, hosed and vetrolined, grained while I iced his legs. Took him home, gave kisses and took Louie for a hand walk- he's rehabbing and his mom is gone at school so I'm babysitting during the week.

Grained both boys.

Headed back to the barn to finish leaning my tack and watch Erica and Lyssette in their lesson.

Twins! lol

Love this boy SO much!

Turn out today, lesson Saturday and turn out Sunday... hopefully a lesson Monday!!

Equine Aid Review

Kate with Lucy had a contest and though I didn't win, but Equine Aid contacted me and sent me some samples.


Now Henry is a good drinker, I have a trash can sized barrel in his stall with water and I keep that full- he also has an auto water but I like to make sure he has enough water all the time. We have had the water turned off at the barn for broken pipes or what have you and the small auto water isn't enough cushion in my opinion.

I planned to use the packets at the horse show Sunday but my bucket kept getting taken and used on other horses much to my disliking so I never was able to use it.

I did though get to use it this week and Henry seemed a little confused, as was I by the swamp like look of his water, at the beginning but it didn't detour him from drinking his water. He played with it a little but seems a-ok with the Equine Aid.

I saved one packet for the next show becuase off property is where I think it will be the most benificial.

I also ordered some to have in my show stuff :)

I'd defiantly recommend it!

Go and LIKE them on FB :)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Equine-Aid/347789095322375

No Lesson?

Day 23: Riding Picture

Tuesday night is the normal ladies night lesson.

I got to the barn, changed, got Henry and got him ready. No one was there so I texted my trainer... I guess the lesson had been canceled but Erica and I weren't aware.

I ended up turning Henry out and cleaning all my tack from the show... I figured that one more day of turn out/relaxing wouldn't hurt him.

With tack clean and horse loved on/turned out I put him away and went to pick up B.

Guess the lesson got moved to Thursday but I don't know if I can get a sitter so...

Day 24: Action shot

Hopefully I can get out to lunge him tonight, Idk Thursday, trainer ride Friday and lesson Saturday.

Make sure to go enter Lauren's contest at She Moved to Texas!

Rought life of Henry

Monday after work I headed out to the barn to love on Henry. Gave him a Vetrolin Lineament sponge down and then we found the tinny little bit of grass on the property and munched on it. I chatted with Tyler (trainers daughters retired horse) while Henry played lawn mower.

Then we tried to take some confirmation shots but he wanted to be as long to me as possible, leaaaaaning towards me lol. Oh and standing square, whats that?!

Put him back in his stall, filled his water and gave kisses.

Lesson Tuesday, something Wednesday, off Thursday, trainer ride Friday and lesson Saturday.

Don't forget to check out Hillary's contest! I am eager to try SNM even if I don't win :)

Show'n

Got to the barn at 6:10 am and since I was all loaded up, I helped load hay bags and then sat around till it was time to load.

Henry Loaded like a champ and he rode to the show with the ponies :)

Got there and Henry was a bit antsy so after checking in, I put him on the line for about 5 min to move his legs around. He was an angel and then stood and munched on his hay.

I watched the W/T classes and then got warmed up when they were over.

Rode in 2 flat and got:
2nd Equitation 18+ AA
3rd Hunter Under Saddle 18+ AA

I was a little, ok a lot nervous going into the jumping because we had only warmed up over the 12 inch piles of polls, they are so not jumps! lol

We did well tho! Didn't know I was supposed to halt in my Eq class but it's ok, we still put in an ok round :)

1st Handy Hunters Open 2’3″-2’6
2nd Low Hunters Open 2’6
3rd Equitation over Fences Open 2’3″ – 2’6″


Handy Hunters 2'3- 2'6

Eq Hunters 2'3- 2'6

Low Hunters 2'6

Proud of my boy!

Turn out Monday, maybe a lesson Tuesday, hack Wednesday, turn out Thursday, trainer ride Friday and lesson Saturday.