Tuesday, March 10, 2009

I had a couple of good lessons this weekend with Miss. The weather was beautiful on Friday, and since my brother no longer needed me to babysit, I made it out to ride after work. Tacked Miss up in the dressage saddle and had a short dressage lesson. She felt really great in the trot, canter still needs some work though. I'm not consistent enough in my aids and Miss is a horse that you need to be consistent otherwise she doesn't know what you want.

Saturday we had birthday cake to celebrate Miss's 21st birthday (we like any excuse to have cake!) I was going to have a jumping lesson with Astrid. However the evil little pony managed to dump her a few times and so she was too sore to ride Kaye. So I ended up working on dressage again. And I managed to get a couple of nice canter departs. Bonnie had me riding a shoulder in and then asking for the canter. First couple of times weren't real great. I actually had to really crack her with the whip because she wasn't listening (completely my fault, I had way to much spur on her for the shoulder in) But on the fourth one we nailed it. I kept her flexed and on the bit. All in all I was very pleased with how our lesson went.

Sunday I rode with Kelsey and Rachel. We started out jumping just a single fence. Then added another one to make a bounce, and eventually added a third fence as a bounce. I shortened my stirrups another half hole on Sunday to jump. I need to have shorter stirrups with her (I ride Miss on the flat in my jumping length on every other horse) Last week I felt like I was reaching for my stirrups too much over fences so I thought I would try shortening them another half hole. But the I felt like they were too short and I was up out of the saddle too much. I didn't feel very secure and actually a couple of times I felt like I was almost falling off. I got very nervous for the three fence bounces, and our first time through was bad. I didn't let Miss move on enough and we were very slow going through. Bonnie made me get off and kneel down to kiss Miss's nose and ask for forgiveness! I think Miss probably thought I was crazy getting off to kiss her int he middle of the lesson! Second time through was better, but still I just didn't feel very secure. Bonnie then turned the last fence into an oxer and I begged out, not feeling comfortable with the exercise as verticals, let alone oxers. I guess I need to play around with my stirrup length over fences, and find what I'm comfortable with. I also need a lot of practice with oxers, I tend to get a little nervous about them.

Anyway, I have Friday off this week. Yay Spring Hoiliday! The dentist is coming out in the morning, so X will get his teeth done. Maybe if it's warm enough he'll get a bath as well. I did ride him for a few minutes on Saturday before Vicky got on for a lunge lesson. He was not too pleased with having to work, and so I threatened him with Bonnie. :) He really hates when I do that!

I think I've figured out our show schedule for the summer. At least the recognized shows.

  • June 19-21 Lost Hounds HT in Edinboro, PA
  • July 3-5 South Farm HT in OH
  • July 25-26 Gemwood HT in Dayton, OH
  • August 15-16 Erie Hunt and Saddle Club HT in Edinboro, PA
  • September 9-13 American Eventing Championships
Of course the AECs all depend on getting qualified and having the money to go. Lost Hounds and South Farm I'll be going for sure. Gemwood and Erie will depend on if I can get qualifying scores in the first two. But I have a plan. We'll also probably do some mini trials this summer. I'd like to take X to some and maybe even Naughty after she somes back.

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