Get bent

We're back in the full swing of training, and the weather, time and everything else is cooperating for once.

Sinari, despite the odd days on and off has come back exceedingly well. With the support team firmly in place, her work has improved. The ground has even softened up to go for a canter or two in the fields.

We have decidedly gone back for the next few sessions and reaffirm and build a finer base, which she's already benefited from. I haven't worn my spurs in about a month and until recently, worked in the snaffle.

The joy about Sinari is that she has most of the tricks already programmed. She's always been really crack at the changes, and things like the tempi's are really no issue. 

It's just now about making sure that they are solid enough to go forward by next summer to the FEI.

In the meantime, I am aiming for a small winter show at the start of December. Third level.

No one said it was easy

April lent itself to more schooling, more lessons and undoubtably more work to do.

Sinari, as she is fitting up, is becoming stronger in the FEI work. While I doubt that will be confirming PSG by fall, we will most likely be to that point to run through the entire test.

I've begun to think about next year already, which is unfortunate because this year isn't half way done yet. I would like to be at Devon if we qualify, the CDI in my backyard and with the Gladstone Pony Championships getting underway, I would like to attempt to qualify for those as well.

To compete with the best, you train not only as smart as you can, but as hard and with the best. I feel incredibly lucky to receive two opportunities to go out and play. First is with Christoph Hess, the I Judge, the second, I can't announce yet, but just being able to sit on the sidelines and watch him in action is something I couldn't imagine happening.

Recapping April:

Her pirouette work has come a long way, her left is better than her right, but she is turning, and with the dozen or so new exercises that Sharon and Patience have given me to work on the next 30 days,  my favorite of which is the canter-walk-canter transition in the pirouette. Sinari doesn't think it so amusing.

Half pass has improved ten fold, but still needs work. I think it's due to me finally learning to deflect the outside shoulder an sweep the outside hind under. She's more straight, and vertical but gets a little cranky still. We managed to pull off a number of good ones in recent weeks.

Half halts better, not as bad, but still need to be sharper.

 

More educated transitions through the gaits came late this month thanks again to Patience who had us road trotting around the arena to transition to passage-y steps back out to road trot medium. Sharon capitalized on it, working in and out of half steps making sure that the transitions run clear.

 

Saddle that fits properly. I finally got something as an in-between of the Duett and a custom. Vicky lent me her old Ideal Jessica, which fits far better (except it needs extra girth holes) than the Duett. Sinari has an appointment with County in two weeks. Can't wait to start rolling with them.

 

I didn't get to school through PSG at least once, but we schooled a number of things from it.

 

And we're back in the double bridle two to three days a week.

May's goals are:

Four and three time changes (we do them but I'm not counting them)

Pirouette and half pass.

Transitions, transitions and more transitions

Piaffe/passage

The inside-outside connection.

I've been bad about updating lately. The nice weather, erratic schedule and good amounts of work hasn't allowed me to do much for writing.

Aside from the saddle issue, Sinari is doing well. She's dropped about twenty pounds and has begun to fit up into the the spring work.

We're almost six weeks in to the meat of the work and it's more or less about cleaning house at this point. She knows all the movements, it's just assuring them and strengthening them. Give it another six weeks and we should be rocking things out pretty well for FEI.

Recapping March's goals, we should be there soon:

The adjustable outline/ the accordion

Getting much better. Now systematically progressing utilizing stretch warm up in the front part of the week to a full ramped-up FEI outline by the end. 

Lateral work, specifically half pass. Needs more flow, and of course, the zig-zags.

Started breaking these down into baby steps again. First stabilizing the bend then adding in more generic lateral work. Got several good ones in the past week, but needs to be more comfortable in the gaits. 

Pirouettes

Smoother, but still too large, especially after the third step. Working haunches in regularly to narrow it down. Better at the walk than at the canter.

-Transitions out of the halt to canter. She gets jiggy (not that I mind, it will come in handy for piaffe), and becomes stoppy at the up transition (resists contact). I want her to become comfortable with the transition itself.

Haven't worked this in a while. So a bit sticky still.

Tempi Changes (at least green ones) and regular uphill, straight changes.

Score! She does tempi's too bad she's whip smart about them. 

If the weather will allow- conditioning.

Went out a few times, but nothing to blow out in. Now the ground is parched and hard. Can't really win.

April's Goals:

Pirouette work

Half pass

Half halts

More educated transitions through the gaits. 

Saddle that fits properly

School through PSG at least once.

Double bridle.

Rolex is in two weeks and the shopping is supposed to be fabulous. On the list is Back on Track, a Shadbelly, sitting in saddles and talking to my breeches peeps. Can't wait.

Dream on

It's getting cold, and the days are growing shorter, and I'm retreating back into my indoor more and more these days with the odd gallop out on the crisp, indian summer afternoons.

The season is over and I'm breathing a temporary sigh of relief until December when we begin all over again. This temporary sigh includes remastering the freestyle, redoing a few websites and getting through second level.

Not to mention catering to my "real life". You know, significant other, potentially going back to school and J-O-B.

No one said being an amateur was easy, no one said the sport was a cake walk either.

Don't get me wrong, I love to compete. It brings something different to the table every year. But by Regionals time though, I'm ready to call it a done deal. This year wasn't any exception. I competed two under saddle for the first time, next year I might have three to four at various levels.

It also leads me to re-assess my goals. Everyone has a laundry list of stuff that they would like to accomplish short and long term, and I'm no exception.

Next year:

• I would like to earn my final scores towards bronze (just four away!). Be schooling/showing fourth level.
• I would like Bella to be confirmed first level.
• I would like May's foal to be going to the MSEDA breed show (preferably beating up on all the warmbloods;-)).

Long term:

• Confirm piaffe, passage, changes with Sinari.
• Condition Bella for second level.
  
• Qualify for the two year old jack pot with May's baby.

Then there are the lofty, perhaps unattainable, such as going after the Brentina Cup. Yes. I said it. I have the odd ambition to qualify for the Young Adult class. I know, I have sucker for punishment written all over me.

Unfortunately, due to rules, I can't qualify with the pony (no ponies or mules allowed) and I don't have a Grand Prix (or I2) horse. So I have a stick horse's chance in a fire so far.

Compounding the problem: you need to qualify via three (3) competitions with an average of 62 percent or better, and I think they need to be CIC* or larger. Luckily, there are two in my area, Paxton and Kentucky Dressage Association. The third international would be in Lamplight, a solid EIGHT HOURS away.

Like I said, it's a huge reach, but for some reason my crazy ambitions have a way of turning out.