more dressage at home

 sunday after shockwavapalooza

found a sore spot left lumbar

good ride but falling into old habits

photos still on phone

Xc schooling at pine top

 xc at pine top

photos: model, pine top schooling and on fire

dressage at home

 good ride at home. overall less quick and more balanced but maybe more braced in neck and less soft in topline. but had good moments. canters felt nice. got two lovely walk to canters. worked on our transitions being quieter. overall great ride. did some canter serpentines. leg yields. tried trot half pass. acceptable for starting out one way and not happenign the other. did some lengthenings but still not really any change except one time a slight change. worked on halts. 

good pony. 

snuggled with christy but didn't get any body work done. 

Fitness-ish Hack

 Today was COLD! So cold! And busy. We had Patrick at 7:30 this morning and it was a windchill of 24 degrees. Brrrr!!! They all got their feet done and then they got to go back out while I went inside and got feeling back to my toes and fingers. I ate a bowl of cereal and then tried to decide what I wanted to do. I was still soooo cold! But after I sat my toes in front of the space heater a bit longer I got motivated. I figured I would go ride her at Ashland because on Friday Liz was coming for a lesson and then Christy was coming for bodywork, so we can't go to Ashland then. And then on Saturday we're going XC schooling at Pine Top, so.. felt like it was a good day to go to Ashland. Plus it was cold enough that a long hack was probably better than dressage. Except by the time I got decided and warmed up enough we didn't have much time because I had a dr's appt in athens at 3:30. But we made it work.

 

We got to Ashland and I put the dressage saddle on. Dumb choice. My stirrups are too long to ride in the woods for more than a walk. They're bordering on too long in the arena, but definitely too long for the bigger trot and canter in the fields. But we made do. We did some hills and trotted a good bit. Then we had a nice canter on the gallop track. Then we went back to the cross country field and trotted into the water. I thought perhaps that since we did it a few days ago.... but nope. She slammed on the brakes and spun at the last minute. BAD Funny! Seriously... you're gonna get us a refusal for that nonsense! She danced around for a bit but finally went in and then of course she was fine to trot right in after that. Ugh. Guess we'll keep working on that! Then we did a nice pretty trot in the field and a nice pretty canter and then another nice trot. And then I had to go! 

 

But it was a nice day and we got some good work done and had fun!

Jump Day

 went to ashland to jump. whole farm to ourselves

hacked to lake - tons of turtles. then went to xc and did banks, ditches and water. water is still an issue, especially banks to water in and out today. but got it. then popped a few. stopped at triple log... darnit. i just need to ride. then jumped in stadium. trotted in between chunks. much calmer. good girl. swapping behind... pain? Stifles? ovaries? ugh...

then went back to lake and did some more trotting. scared of geese but geese were brawling. ha ha

good day!

photos: jump day

videos: geese fights

New Hacking Spot and new friend

 Went for a hack with Karen and Alf at Heritage.

good place. got lost kinda of... did the little loop twice. ha ha. whoops. fun trails, but narrow and steep but found some spots for trotting. fun bridge. funny was good with alf. made faces a few times but he was also up her butt a bit. good pony

little canter in the field at the end.

fun!

photos: heritage, cuties, and beautiful day

Pre work ride

 Okay, so... daylight savings isn't soooo bad. Although I was exhausted yesterday and ready for bed so early. I still didn't get to sleep til after 11, but.. better than midnight. I didn't have to leave for work til 10:40 am, so.. I was hoping to sneak in a ride. I got up at 7:30 and then decided to hit snooze for another 30 minutes. I got the ponies fed, ate breakfast, did some laundry and then decided I had just enough time left to ride. 

I grabbed Funny and did a speed groom and tack. I got on and we headed up to the arena. It was pretty this morning... quite warm and slightly foggy after all the rain. We did a little shoulder in at the walk and then we went to trot since time was running low. She started out quite good and overall we had a pretty decent ride. She got a little squirrely and was tossing her head a good bit, but after a little bit of an arugment, we both agreed to compromise and we got a happier connection. Tracking left is still harder, but we had some good moments. It's definitely better when my body cooperates. She got a little fussy again today and a little proppy but no bucking. (I do think that's a pre-heat thing because she's not been glaringly in heat but snuggling up close to Dan and I think I noticed her in heat today, so hopefully that's all it is). 

We cantered and the right lead canter was lovely and the left got really quite nice. Then things got a bit quicker again but I did manage some really nice trot after too. Then we played with shoulder in at the trot, and sitting trot, and she was really good! She did peter out at the end but a little bit of leg kept her going. And we tried a half pass at the walk which was decent. I forgot to try it at the trot. Oh, and we also had a most lovely upward walk to trot transition where I finally nailed the balance of asking with a whisper and not yelling at her and actually getting a response. Whoo hoo! Now to repeat that every time.

We finished with the nice shoulder in trots and then a normal lovely trot to a nice stretchy trot! Like a really nice TRUE stretchy trot... not just running on her forehand. She got bouncy!! And then we got a nice downward to the walk and a nice walk. So we quit! And then my alarm went off as we walked out of the gate. Ha! Good timing. 

 

She got untacked, treated, and then a quick rub down with the rag. Luckily she wasn't too sweaty as it was a shorter ride and still slightly cooler. I tossed her out and then went inside, changed clothes, made my coffee and was putting my shoes on when my first appointment called and cancelled. UGH!! They got stuck at work and wouldn't be home til 1, which is when my 2nd appt of the day was. Man... I could have ridden longer had you called 15 minutes ago! Or gone to Ashland had you called yesterday! But I get it... she even went to work early to make it home on time but unfortunately she got stuck there longer. Oh well. I ended up going to Hobby Lobby to get stuff to make my hellhat fancier, so that was fun. 

quick groundwork

 soggy rainy day, so did the raised and widened serpentine a few times and trotted the raised trot poles twice

quick and dirty ;) 

Psalm 19:1

 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

   

Today was a glorious day! Mike and I woke up early and drove to Blueridge for a train ride. It was cool. We got home around 5 pm so he told me to go play. So I did! The sky was just so beautiful with the sparkling sun, the dark clouds, the bright crisp blue sky, the big white fluffy clouds and the darker storm clouds, and then the (stinky and awful) pretty bradford pear trees. So ... I hitched up lickety split and then grabbed Funny and away we went!

 

 

We got there and tacked up as everyone else was leaving. PERFECT! The skies were a little threatening but we ended up having a glorious ride. No rain until way later tonight. I did sign up for the arena so I didn't get in trouble but we started out on the trails. We headed out to the XC field for the sunset and a little snack. Then we headed to the lake. As we got almost to the lake we must have spooked a deer because we heard a rustle and then all I saw was a flash of white over the edge of the hill down Raccoon Loop. Funny was upset and tried to spin and bolt once or twice. But I got her settled enough to get a photo of the gorgeous sunset on the lake. We missed getting her golden unicorn horn though because the sun had sank just low enough that our unicorn horn line disappeared. Once she realized there wasn't anything, we headed down Raccoon loop and crossed the bridge. Then we took sideways up the hill to the XC field. 

  

 

When we entered the cross country field the sunset had backlit the eastern sky and it was lovely! I let Funny snack some more and then we went to the water complex. I wanted to trot the water. She was hesitant to go in at first. It was really deep. But I got her in without a true refusal. Then we walked out of the up bank and when I tried to go down it she said no. So we went back in and out the up bank twice more and then we did some circles trotting. Ha ha.. Holy cow!! I thought her trot was hard to sit before, but she was so bouncy in the water! There's no way I could sit that trot. hee hee. I was giggling. Then we walked back out and when we came back down into the water, she said no at first, but then I did get her in. We did it two more times and then I gave her a snack. It's still not perfect, but it got better. 

 

Then we headed up to the arena and did some dressage. She was pretty darn good. Overall I would say she wasn't as quick or as fussy for more of the ride than my last few rides without Liz. She did get fussy and quick after we cantered but it took until we cantered. Although she was a tiny bit fussy when we went to turn left some. But, we got a great shoulder in at the walk down the long side. Both ways! Then we got a fairly acceptable half pass at the walk both ways, the right was better. Then our trot was great and our leg yields were better. We took a breather and then did some more and cantered. The right lead canter was quite nice but we never managed to get the left lead that lovely. It was acceptable though. Then we finished with a very nice trot and a nice walk. And then we were running out of daylight so we headed in.

The little tiny christmas tree with the solar lights was still there and it was finally dark enough for it to turn on. And it blinks and flashes. Funny was eyeballing it but then when it blinked she would flinch. We got closer and holy cow, she was flinching so much I thought she was having a seizure or was tying up. Ha ha! Not really, but kind of. ;) She was silly. She's so darn jumpy! But she was brave and finally stopped flinching. 

 

Good pony! We made it home and got everyone fed and inside long before the rain hit but it's now currently storming with lots of thunder and lightning and rain. I'm guessing the arena's will be closed tomorrow at Ashland. I probably should have taken Dan so I could have practiced my dressage test but I can do that Tuesday I guess. And Funny and I had fun!

 

Piaffing and a 10 canter!

 Lesson with Liz. peaceful zen funny to start

jean's interns drilling stripped screws.. nervous... later spooked at liz's jacket falling off the fence

settled nicely and quickly despite being hot and spicy. i'm getting better at finding my balance now matter where she slings me. and getting quicker. then she gets quicker to settle with me. 

liz complimented me. said i looked like a 5 star rider! my position is definitely improving and getting better. 

remember, especially with her, to not lock my elbows.. keep my elbows more at my side... longer reins, shorter arms is more elastic and kind and giving then shorter reins, longer arms that lock. don't keep giving forward.. i know it's an effort to soften and let her go to the bit, but she's ready for a bit more contact. and the proof is that she isn't getting heavier at all. she's still very soft in the mouth. 

riding off my seat and aids. upward to the trot.. i'm still yelling. use both legs at the same time.. gentle squeeze. sometimes still too much, so cluck. softly and the jduge won't hear. much better, although left is easier. right still more explosive. tracking left i still have to keep my head turned right (actually straight) and my shoulders turned left and my seat turned left and then she's lovely. and when i add weight into my left seat bone, OH MY GOSH!! ANGELS SANG! That was the most amazing canter... i felt her inside hind just reach right up and forward and her back lifted and i could sit easily! ahhhhhhhhhhh. amazing. 

liz told me not to let anyone tell me to make her more round... she is so uphill and needs to be more up in her neck. if i try to get her round, i'll shut her down and send her hind end behind her. 

hot today and did some piaffe on accident. but getting her to compress more and more and not be so rushed and out of balance. 

keep my hands wide..don't lock my head. she was locked at the AA joint and I get that way too. nod my head if needed... move my elbows... 

when she gets tense and I told her "we can't do it out of tension" i also have to get out of tension. if I breath, she breathes. ahh.... 

REALLY fun ride. That left lead canter was amazingness. and the downwards after, just by closing my thighs. amazing! 

hacked back and snuggled with dan then walked the rest of the way. Oh, and put my saddle back far enough (i hope) and did the fake telephone pole serpentine a few times too

photos: 3-26 piaffe 

Riding at home

 Good ride. did pillar work first

good trot to start but then amped up. but got some really good work. played with shoulder in and half pass at the trot. got a nice lengthen once.. other times just ran. good back to working the one time too. left lead canter still not great but better departs. tracking left in general better today because i remembered to look right, tip shoulders left, tip seat left, and stay "behind" the motion almost. And not cross my left rein.. though i can go straight back. slight counter bend. right lead canter was lovely!!

good pony.