tough lesson

Today was a good lesson but not a great lesson. It just didn't feel as successful. But it was helpful. They can't all be rainbows and unicorn lessons. ;) We did grids and worked on bendy lines. And she did all the things. And she jumped an angled jump without hesitation. (Which, at the Lucinda clinic earlier in the year just this year she didn't understand angled jumps). So.. there was a lot of good. I just felt like I didn't ride as well. 

 

We started with a grid. And Funny clocked through it. She was putting in two strides whereas Laura was putting in three consistently. But... we did get three strides in one or two parts of the grid a time or two. So.. there's that. ;) She did get quicker the more we did the grid. She was rushing. And she was also fussy again. She would stand and be chill when it wasn't our turn.. on the buckle.. but then as soon as it was our turn, it was immediate fire breathing dragon! The whole rearing up/popping up front and back instead of just going forward. Or going straight into the canter vs picking up a trot. But that's not that unusual for our jumping lessons, especially with friends. 

Towards the end of our lesson she seemed to get tired because she felt behind my leg a little and a few times we got to the jump and she sort of fizzled. Or at least that's what it felt like. Maybe I'm just too used to her running at things and didn't give her the support she needed. It did get better when I did what Jacel told me. And.. I got confused. Although I feel dumb for getting confused. She was telling me to move her barrel with my inside leg. And I was doing that... riding her almost in a leg yield. But she meant more of a ride the inside hind into the outside rein. I wasn't supporting the outside ... just sending her sideways. And not trapping/holding that energy I created. Oh duh! I need to think more dressage and engagement vs just leg yielding. But I don't want to confuse it with collection.. because I'm not shrinking her.. just adding more power. So... engagement vs collection. 

The other reason I felt "off" was because I was pinching with my knee. Jacel was telling me to shorten her step to build power and prevent her from rushing by closing my thighs. Which.. I can do in the dressage saddle. But when I tried it in the jump saddle I was pinching with my knees. And then in an effort to not pinch with my knees, I wasn't holding with my seat. I had to think about lifting the saddle into my crotch... lifting her back and withers... and tigthening my "three points" of my body in the three point. Like.. tighten my crotch for lack of better words. Instead of just closing my thighs. Tigthen and lift my thighs/crotch. And when I thought of it like that, it got better. But I didn't get to that point til the very end of my lesson. Argh! But once I did that.. and kept my hands low, she was able to get a better balance and lift and sit vs just running and inverting. 

She was a good girl. And it was a fine ride. It just was frustrating that it took me that long to figure out. Oh well. We're gonna have some icky rides here and there. And overall it was still better!

After our lesson we went for a quick hack around the lake with Laura and Smarty. 

 

Super Star!!!

 Today was a good day!! I went to Jacel's farm to help her ride Drago for the first time. And I took Funny for a lesson and a trail ride. It was only 45 minutes away and a beautiful drive! There was no one on the road and it's out in the country. We got there and I was able to toss her out in the pasture while we played with Drago. She was a good girl. A little silly but not too bad. And it was sooo nice to get to help Jacel ride her boy! He was so good. I seriously am considering breeding Funny to his daddy, Bodie, at some point. I've been so impressed with all his kids. And especially Drago. Anyways... it was successful and fun. 

Funny let me catch her although she was enamored with Drago. :) I tacked up and headed to the arena. Jacel was on Moose and just walked her around while she taught me. And her arena is kind of spooky... woods on 3 sides and her dogs running in and out of the woods. Funny was a little distracted but not too bad considering it was a brand new place and the dogs blended in with the leaves. 

Jacel had me ride her in a square at the trot, haunches out in the corners. And then if she was distracted and looking, a slight wiggle with the inside rein to get her attention and inside leg. She said that eventually the slight wiggle would turn into a slight squeeze of the ring finger and slight inside leg and that's all it would take. And, she's not wrong. Even by the middle of my lesson she was going soft and round and sitting with just a slight squeeze of the inside hand and my inside leg. We also did some 10 meter circles when she was distracted and worked on getting a more collected trot (Ie... a true working trot for us) by using my thighs. She had me close my thighs and squeeze both hands every time I sat on the post. And wow!! It really did work. Funny got more and more through, more and more balanced, and more and more sitting on her hind end. I wasn't being pulled forward and tipped onto the withers anymore. And she stopped kicking out at my inside leg. She stopped slinging her head around and was more accepting of the contact, yet it was still a super soft contact. And it was self-carriage! I could give my inside rein and nothing changed. Whooo hooo!!! It was awesome. She really felt incredible. We tried for a few "lengthens" which were harder because instead of allowing, I started asking and that threw her off balance. But I'll get the hang of it and she'll appreciate that and be smoother. We did have one really nice upward transition but then she couldn't hold it. But it was so cool how responsive she is to my seat and thigh and core aids and how I can be so quiet and soft and she's so much more willing that way. FUN!!!

 

Then we tried the canter. And yep.. there's the feral! ha ha! Honestly though, she's not even feral... she's just soooo big in her canter. Sitting and shortening is not her thing. So we tried to shorten it by squeezing my thighs and then instead of swinging my hips, more lifting my hips up and down to help pick her back up into the saddle. And by golly, it works! It's very hard for her. Much harder than at the trot. But she was trying. There was some change. Not enough for a horse show, but... for where she's at, a big improvement! She's trying! And we got a few steps of amazing bouncy lifted round canter! And then she'd fall out of it and break to the trot. That's okay girl! It's hard and I know it. It's hard for me too. She was getting pretty tired so we didn't spend a lot of time at the canter. We just got a few good steps both ways and called it. GOOD PONY!!!

 

Then we went for a trail ride down the road. Poor Funny was tired. But she was game. She was so sweaty even with her half clip as it was 75 degrees today!! But we started off and a minute or two into the ride Moose slammed on the breaks, spun 90 degrees and spooked. Funny was like "what!? I don't see anything" and just waited for Moose to get her act together. Moose kept doing that and eventually Funny just ignored her. Ha ha! She had to march ahead a few times because Moose was not having it. Hee hee. Poor Moose. She has had 2 weeks off and is herdbound. Whereas Funny was not herdbound and had just spent 40 minutes working her butt off. So we got to a section where we went up a tiny little red dirt hill to hit the dirtbike trail section (vs the road) and Moose said no. Funny was like "It's cool girl, I'll go first, follow me" and nonchalanty walked up it. She only jumped once and it was when there was a big squirrel or something making noise and Moose jumped too. But then we came up on two dead hog carcasses. Apparently they hunt that area a lot and toss out the carcasses on the side of the road. Moose was losing it and Funny was good for a bit but then smelled the death and wanted to spin and go home too. Luckily she was tired enough that I was able to encourage her forward and once she got past a certain spot (not sure what since it was the smell and we had already passed the hog bodies) she breathed and marched on. It was funny though because she was snorting like a warthog. Ha ha! There's a pretty church that Jacel wanted to show me so we were fighting to get them that last little bit so we could see it. Totally worth it! Such a pretty little church. Then we headed back home. And Moose was better but still a little goofy. Funny was such a trooper. She literally just walked on the buckle with her ears pricked and didn't flinch at Moose's shenanigans. Even when Moose sort of bumped into us. I'm so proud of her! She really is turning into such a rockstar!

 

I hosed her off and then we loaded up and headed home. How crazy that I'm hosing her off December 27th!! And not even with warm water! Well water! Although it wasn't that cold. I didn't even put her back on track on for the ride home as it was so warm. 

I'm so excited about her. She's really getting to be so ridable and so much fun. And such a professional about her work too. Well.. ha ha! Maybe professional isn't the right word... I did spend a good bit of time getting her to settle. ha ha. But for her... she is settling. :) 

I lied.. I'm sorry!

I didn't have it in me to go to Ashland twice today... and I really wanted to ride, so... Funny had to do some arena work. Sorry chick! I know I said you'd get some time off/relaxation rides, but... you have. ;) 

She was slightly feral. Of course. We started out fairly quick and she was a bit reactive and kicking out again. (She is in heat). But we managed to try to do our homework. We were making some progress and then Mike showed up in the pasture. She had to stop and stare and I had to wait til he got close enough to hear me (too many motorcycle and mustang rides). He said he wanted to make sure I was okay since he didn't think I was riding anymore and didn't see me. I asked him to take a quick video while he was up here, so he did. I was laughing so hard though because Dan was also up there watching so he went up to Mike and was sniffing him for cookies. But, he was being polite and had his ears up, so that was encouraging. Mike told him he had nothing and then Dan started to turn and put his butt in Mike's face for butt scratches. Mike was so confused and kept turning to get away from Dan's butt. It was like a slow motion cat chasing the mouse around the tree cartoon. Hee hee. I was giggling. Then Dan gave up and Mike went to come through the gate but shocked himself three times on the electric fence. I couldn't help but laugh... I know, I know, he's coming to video me too! 

(proof that we were able to get the occasional transition within the gait and get her slightly shorter)

So then I picked Funny back up and she was awful. She was fussy and slinging her head around. She was quick and back to running. Ugh. Of course... because now we have video. doh! I tried to just ignore the fact that this was on film and ride correctly and do our homework. She felt like she was throwing me to the left and it seemed like if I sank into my right stirrup (stirrup stepped) it was better.. but it was hard to know if that was making me collapse my right side, which I think I tend to do anyways. So we kept at it and had a few good moments. We picked up the canter and she was quick again but our left lead felt less motorcycly. Mike got tired and quit videoing so I took my phone back and rode some more. She got a little better so I handed him my phone again. And while he was videoing... I took a chance and tried for a flying change across the diagonal. On a straight line.. not a figure 8. And... she nailed it! I asked and she changed. It was awesome!!! Then we did it the other direction and she was definitely a bit delayed after my ask and she got very quick, but she did it that way too. SOOOOO cool! And yes, it's a long way off from a proper change... heck, it's a long way off from a proper canter. Ha! But.. it was a clean change, on the aids (the first one) and on a fairly straight line. For our first real attempt, I'm thrilled!! I got a little bit more trot in and finished with a halt and salute to Mike. Hee hee. Overall, it wasn't our best ride, but there was a few steps here and there that were decent. And the videos are too long to share, other than the snippet of the changes, but the still shots showed some good moments. Sadly they were literally only moments. She would be nice for one stride, then fling her head. Or get quick. Or curl. And I'm sure I wasn't doing right by her. But, there were some good moments and we did get that awesome change, so yay. 

 

(ha ha.. this was right before she picked up the canter! She looks like she's in a tolte!)

We showed Mike how good she is at opening and closing the gate. He was impressed. Then we walked home together. It was fun having him hang out with us. Poor girl was so sweaty though. I had to hose her off. But it wasn't even getting cold enough to sheet tonight, so she was fine. I used warm water and she rolled and by dinner time she was dry. 

 

Christmas and a lunge

It's CHRISTMAS! 

 

And I went out to feed them this morning and something had their attention! Funny was on high alert with her tail over her bum. And then trotted off to the far field towards Jean's pasture. Dan was then interested and intently staring. I couldn't see what was bothering them. And then... I knew what was about to happen. I saw it take place but couldn't do anything about it.. and couldn't get my phone out quick enough. About the same time that Funny turned and bolted at the canter to the open gate, Dan picked up the trot to head towards Funny and the open gate. They collided right at the gate opening... chest to chest. Dan bounced into the fence post. GUYS... FOR REAL???!!! Do I really have to call Dr. Barrow on Christmas morning?? Luckily Funny trotted off sound... and Dan walked off. He seemed okay.. she seemed okay. Good grief guys!

 

They both were okay later and everyone got their carrots with the tops and apples. Funny tried to steal Dan's. Hee hee.

Then later, after I got back from my ride with Dan, I lunged Funny at home. She was sassy but a good girl. We used the equiband and got some nice work. We also straddled the pole and did some in hand leg yielding. 

 

 

Good golly she's so pretty!!!

Jumping again

We were headed to Ashland and since it was a bit chilly I tied Funny to the trailer and started the truck. I figured while it warmed up, I would put her back on track on, get the bridle in the car to warm up, and then load her up. Ha! Except when I started it up.. since it's a bit rowdy since the delete and smoky... (I got it fixed... that was not good)...she was dancing and prancing at the end of the lead line. Whoops! Sorry girl. Then I picked up a branch and tossed it out of the way and when it landed it scared her! Okay... I hope our ride goes better than this ;) ha! But we got loaded and on our way. 

 

Our lesson got cancelled but since Laura was planning to come over here anyways, we kept our plans and just jumped without Jacel. We channeled her though and told each other reminders of what we thought Jacel would say. ;) It was fun! Maybe not our best work... but still fun. She was jumping well, she was just a little extra feral. Good thing we'll have Jacel back next week. After our ride we went for a short hack.