Jump Lesson: Ridable raptor

Today was jump lesson day! I opted to do Funny solo and do Lyric in the group. So we set out early and were hoping to do a warm up hack. We ran into Laura and Astaire and so we went on a little hack with them. I had wanted to do some trotting and cantering in the field before our lesson so we left Laura and Astaire in the field and headed back to the dam, doing our trots in the hay field. We were able to canter a little and then trot up the hill to stadium and make it in time for our lesson. 

  

It was a good lesson. We worked on ridability. We talked "theory" which I love... Jacel mentioned that just like kids... we have to have rules and punishment, but... we can also allow them to make mistakes and try again. So for example.. her son got in trouble and they told him he couldn't do his dirtbike season. But then he made an effort to change his behavior so they allowed him to go back and do the rest of the season but he did miss the one event. Had they held their ground and insisted he stay out the whole season, it would have just made the kid mad and resentful. So... there were consequences for his actions but... then when he showed that he was trying, he was rewarded for it. I have to do the same for Funny. She can be sassy but not outright rude. So when she tunes me out and rushes through my half-halts... I'm allowed to be loud and "yell" at her and make a big half halt and stop her butt. But it doesn't mean that I continue to yank on her face and assume she's going to be naughty. I give her a chance... can you go politely with soft half halts again? Yes... good girl. But if you get super naughty again, the half halts get louder again.  This gives her the opportunity to learn and rewards the try. Which, will hopefully keep her happy and wanting to work and me not dead. 

 

We had fun though. We did some trot poles and some canter poles and then put together some jumps in a course. And Funny was a good girl. She's definitely getting a little bit easier to ride. 

Progress!!

 Kelly lesson

MUCH improved!

Ridable Raptor

Today was a cross country lesson! Whooo hooo!

 

She did walk away from me when I went to catch her but she felt great under saddle, so... I don't know. We got on early enough that I was able to do a 30 minute warm up hack in the woods, trying to stay in the shade. When we got to the cross country field to warm up, she was actually pretty good. I even braved a canter! And... it was civil. Whoo hooo.

 

The jumps were set up for some terrain questions so we played with that! We warmed up trotting fences up and down the hill. Going up the hill was normal but going down the hill, I had to ride with my thighs a little to help balance her. She was good though. And we managed to stay balanced and land without falling on our faces. Yay! Of course we didn't actually really trot the fences. We kind of sort of tried. I was giggling because it was like a fly ball dog! She was quiet and still, but then when it was her turn... the slingshot got released! Off like a rocket! But she really was trying to listen and behave. And it got better the longer we rode. 

 

We played over a bunch and Jacel even sent us over some bigger fences! I swear one or two of them were training level! Ha. Probably not, but they were definitely novice. We did have a near disaster when she didn't listen to my half halt (I need to remember to alternate and not just haul on both reins) and she got a bad distance to a big roll top and it felt like she almost rotated over it. But she was catty enough and kept herself upright. After that, she listened a little better (or maybe I rode a little more effectively) and we had a nice jump over. Then I lost my phone! But luckily I found it at the base of the jump. The pants pocket is not quite strong enough for jumping and cantering apparently! Thank goodness we didn't squish it. 

 

Then we went to the water and Jacel had us canter the roll top, then through the water, then up the up bank. That roll top was big! But Funny was like "whatevs" and just rolled on through. She was so brave we did it again for video purposes and as she was nearing the bank out of the water, she felt like she stepped in a hole. Her one front leg just disappeared beneath her and she almost faceplanted in the water. Unfortunately it was about a stride away from the bank! Somehow she managed to get herself up, pick us both up and take a big flyer to the up bank and cleared it. Well, she hung a hind leg a little bit, to which she took great offense. But holy cow... way to save our bacon Fun! I thought for sure we were going to chest the bank or something. (It's not that big of a bank, but big enough that it scared the tar out of me!). 

 

 

Then we carried on and did some other jumps, including the bigger up bank! And then Jacel was like... do this, to that, to the sharkstooth. Eeeks! I asked if I could show it to her first and Jacel was like "No".  I replied with "because she's not going to care about it....okay". And she didn't. She leapt over it like it was nothing. SOOOO much fun!

 

 

We had a blast! She's really getting fun on cross country!

 

 

Dressage and a dip!

 I almost didn't ride today. I worked 13 hours yesterday and was exhausted. I slept well and slept in til 7:45 but... after feeding ponies and eating breakfast, I was so tired, I could have crawled back in bed. (I read something today about how night owls really struggle to function on a normal work cycle - and yeah... like I always say... going to bed at 2 am and up at 10 am is my ideal cycle... but it explains why I'm exhausted, fall asleep while driving, yet can't sleep during the night). I debated crawling back in bed too! I really did. I also debating staying home and just doing chores and catching up on life. Or going shopping - I need balsamic vinegar and I want sparkles for my helmet and boots. Or... I could bathe the boys... and/or do groundwork. Or heck, even bodywork as none of them have been adjusted or chiropracted recently. 

 

But then, I decided that I should probably go ride. Ashland's arenas were going to be closed Thursday and they were having their show Saturday. And since Funny is my only current ridable horse... and I did NOT want to do arena work with her at home... I figured we might as well go to Ashland. Maybe we could do a hack and then do a tiny bit of arena work again. I don't know... why the arena's being closed Thursday motivated me to go ride on the trails today makes sense... I don't know. I'm tired. And heatstroked. But I went. And I'm glad I did. We had fun. 

 

Of course I realized that I was going to be pushing it to get back in time for Cheese's vet appointment, but I had time. It was too hot to ride much longer anyways. I tacked up in the dressage saddle and we headed out. My plan was to do a short hack, trot some in the field, and then do a more focused dressage ride in the field and if she was good, move it to the arena. So that's what we did. We hacked out and then when we hit the gallop track, we did some trotting and cantering. She was very quick today! And a bit more bracey again. I tried to keep my hands low and just... send her into the contact. At least at this point she's not as angry about the soft contact. She's just not soft in it yet. We happened upon Missy and Indy and Coach and another girl, so we stopped and chatted. Funny turned on the charm but as soon after sniffing with Indy she squealed at him. She wouldn't even let Coach think about coming closer. Sorry guys! We headed our separate ways.

 

I let Funny stop to get a drink but she wasn't real interested in the lake and I didn't push it because we had the saddle on. So then we trotted in the woods to the cross country field and then trotted in the field. She was less quick than originally today but still overall a bit over tempo. And again, still a bit more bracey today. But at least above the bit vs behind the vertical. We managed to get in some nice moments and overall, it's still improvement from before. We trotted in the water complex some too. Then we trotted up the hill and headed to the arena. She spooked hard at the boat again. Such a spooky brave chicken. She was afraid of it but still went but jumped sideways because... I don't know, maybe a bug moved. 

 

We got to the area in front of the arenas and she got quick and a bit anxious. Ugh. So... I kept the reins long and just let her amble into the arena. We walked on a loose rein the whole length of the arena and I gave her a cookie. This isn't a battlefield.. it should be a place where we can have fun... show off... build harmony! Sigh. So then we trotted and even cantered. And honestly.. that's probably the best she's been in the arena in a LONG time. She was still a bit quick and still inconsistent in the contact, but overall... much less rushy... a bit more balanced on her hind end, much less fussy in the bridle... she was happier about the connection and didn't fight it. She was more responsive to my half halts and was super soft to the downward aids. And it held even after we cantered! Whoo hooo! I was torn between quitting and rewarding her too soon and wanting to push it a little build to build on it. So... I pushed it a little bit and then gave her more cookies and then let her amble out on a loose rein. She got lots of verbal praise too!

 

Then I decided since we still had 30 minutes, we could go to the lake. I pulled her saddle and my boots and put on the bareback pad and we headed out. Unfortunately we were short enough on time that it meant she had to trot and canter to the lake a good chunk of the way. She even jumped the little hanging log next to the open oxer near the lake. From a trot and pretty landed in a trot. I think she's tired! 

 

We got to the lake and it wasn't exactly cool and refreshing. It wasn't hot though at least! Funny actually even pawed and splashed a little bit too before she rolled. She picked a deep spot at first but was smart enough to not go under (unlike her big brother). We played for a little bit and then we walked back to the trailer, untacked, got a good rinse, and headed home .Good pony!!