I want to make this a "short and sweet" kind of post, but I doubt that will ever happen. I can seem to condense what I want or need to say in any small form. There has been something on my mind that I wanted to talk about, but I think I may just come back to that another time. It's a good subject and one that every rider *should* be able to relate to.
Anyway, today's lesson was GREAT! Worked a little bit on the flat, getting that nice bend going on our circles and making sure I don't let her haunches drift to the outside. She's got that big ol' apple bottom booty, it's not becoming of a lady to be swinging that thang all over the place. It does not attract the right kind of attention... if you know what I mean ;) Maybe if she was workin' the streets, but no. Not allowed. Unless she wants to work the streets to pay for shows, I'll reconsider.
She was just fantastic today! Was a little lazy, had to really work to keep her forward and in front of my leg. Pointed her at our first "jump" (two trot poles then a small oxer) and she was confused, hahaha, when we got to the oxer she didn't stop but I could feel her go, "wait... OH! Jump. Okay I'm awake now." I couldn't stop laughing at her reaction. We hadn't jumped a little course like today in a while. Poor thing was still slightly asleep, but when she realized we were jumping, it really woke her up and she became much more forward. Did trot poles of three, turned left--worked on bending in that turn, then bend with another left turn towards our diagonal line. She was much easier to keep straight these days. Two trot poles, she had a hard time figuring out her feet there..she would slow down and it kept throwing me off; I would have to REALLY use my thigh to push her forward while she's looking down at the poles, trying to figure it out, then we're right there at the oxer--sit and really push her forward and over it. The poles really slowed her down (as my trainer said they're supposed to; keep her paying attention to her feet) and OMGosh I had to use so much core, thigh and leg to keep the energy going. But she went over it every time like such a good mare. She is so quiet now and cantered away each time nicely. No pulling, no rushing, I love her. She popped me out of the tack a few times, lol, but it's okay. I tried to just stay up and out of her way to figure herself out for the most part. After doing that line a few times, we added a gate jump on an outside line. She was super to that each time as long as I kept up a good canter tempo. Then after doing those two, we added in a flower box to the other outside. LOLOLOL had her trot to it first and she stopped. Not a dirty "AH" type of stop. More like a .... "trot, trot, trot. trooot..trrroooot....trooooot... waaaalk *me trying to push her back into our trot* waaaalk...oh lets sniff the flowers." -_- Let her sniff them and check them out as if she's never seen or jumped the flower box before. Circled her and came back at it... popped right on over it :D SUCH A GOOD MARE. Put it all together and worked on that for a bit. Our last round was just fantastic. She got her footing better to the first jump, the oxer felt so smooth and balanced, cantered away quietly and continued onto the outside gate, cantered away quietly from it to the flower box... smooth as butter. I love my horse. She is really becoming a broke thing <3
Another lesson next week then our first Dressage (schooling) show that weekend! Super excited. I'm certain she will be a bit silly, but she seems to come down and quiet fairly easy. We are doing Intro A and B, Test of Choice: Intro B. I thought of doing C and I am certain she would do just fine, for her first Dressage show at a completely new place, I felt it best to keep it simple.
I also decided to cut down on the amount of time she is ridden per week. We have been working so hard the last five months and I do not want her to get burned out with work. Currently being ridden and worked 4-5 times a week (one of them a lesson day), she is not in any heavy competition to be needing that kind of work load. So, I am cutting it back down to 2-3 times a week. I'm now starting to ride a few other horses at my barn and that will be good for me, give me some more time in the saddle with different horses and it will give Gertie more time off. While riding or working the other horses, I plan to turn her out for at least 30min until as long as I can (if no one else needs the round pens and the barn isn't busy--I don't want to be inconsiderate to others) to just be a horse and have some down time. She has earned it with how hard and how good she has been working. I do not want her to become sour to work and riding. I want her to continue to enjoy it and have fun. This is me putting myself in check for the well-being of my horse.
Oh and a few ladies at the barn and myself have started yoga. AH MAH GAHSH!!! It was awesome but man am I sore. I knew I was really tight in a lot of areas, but now I can actually touch my toes! Haven't been able to do that since middle school, hahahhaahaha!! Totally worth it and I feel much better. We plan to go again next week and I plan to continue going at least once a month. Hubby also wants to go when he gets back from this deployment. I think it's a great idea. I already felt great riding the last few days. Good reminder that I was not as in shape as I thought I was -_-
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