Feels like home again

Training wheels are off and we're flying solo for a while.

While it's great to be at home with everyone under one roof, there are certain things I miss about being away.

We put the pedal to the metal and seriously ramped up arena time. We've been actively schooling since last Friday and finished up the eight day marathon yesterday with being able to gallop and trot steadily over the hills for the first time in weeks. We were both happy not to see an arena for 45 minutes.

Somedays are better than others.

There are some days where we nail a sold canter- halt or a not so large pir. Then there are days where tempi's are non-existent. But for the most part, the solution to the bad days isn't to back off, it's to pick up again the next day and work on it until resolved.

The last official lesson was Wednesday. In a packed arena, we went through our paces. Sinari, recovering from a bad week of being in season and non-stop schooling indoors, was still a little stuck on the right, but was on target in the deep footing, giving good lateral work (baby zig zags), good changes and improved mediums. Her warm up is getting more consistent. I got picked on (and validly so) about the curb rein. 

I've received what seems like two months of marching orders. Smaller pir's, stronger mediums, work on the tempi's, and get the halts down. I've also received the order to get current tape on the mare at least once a week.

So far we're right on target for a June show. Hopefully it means completion of my bronze, L program requirements, and being able to focus the summer on solidifying other levels.

It also means revamping an entire kur. I've been listening to new music and coming across different things and sent a few ideas onward.

Boy you've got to see what tomorrow brings

It's been a long time since I posted something about Sincere.

To be honest, what can you write about a yearling? He eats, sleeps and has a basic lifestyle. 

Sincere is a bit more advanced in the fact that he loads and has been some places. At this point he hasn't shown anywhere (or at least publicly, the vet clinic doesn't count), hasn't really begun work and hasn't experienced much of the world by himself. 

About two weeks ago, I made the decision to move him to where Sinari is to begin training. This is a huge change for him. It breaks him away from his normal herd, it puts him in a concentrated situation and mentally/physically starts preparing him for his future life.

It's also the first time I've been able to consistently touch him on a daily basis since he was born, it's also the first time I've really watched him move in a long time on a decent surface and had him evaluated.

In short, I have a really nice horse. Where he'll go is beyond me, but I think he'll end up in the dressage arena.

Minus some minor mishaps (he thought picking a lock was great fun), he's been progressing every day. I started started free lunging to develop his gaits, he's had multiple baths, is in the process of getting his mane razored to a respectable length. Over the next few days he'll start wearing a bridle, and go out for walks around the grounds.

The idea is to aim for the Spy Coast Young Horse shows which are taking place down the road from us. The series starts later this month, and I figure it would be a good place to start.

Gone baby gone

My time in boot camp is slowly coming to a close. We've been intensive, daily work for the past five weeks, with only, maybe a handful of non-riding days due to weather or out of town status. It's been a non-stop marathon of learning and creating a program for the next few months.

The away part of the program came to a close in the past week.

The pony and I traveled all of 10 miles home and the challenge of working without training wheels or daily eyes is only starting. I'm slightly scared about backsliding, but I know help is only a phone call and video away.

Sinari has gained so much fitness over the past four or five weeks, we bumped up the schooling to all of fourth level. The changes are clean and pretty, but I need to learn to count. The mediums come and go, but they are getting better Her current favorite trick is to drop her shoulders and run. But by far her lateral work can be considered an easy 7 if the tempo is kept up.

April has flow by and so has our goal list:

-Gain more elasticity in the trot
Definitely more power, but could have more sit.
-Ride anything over 15 hands.
Didn't get to do, timing and the fact I was shipping horses around like mad, I only had time for one.
-Make the most of the next six weeks
Almost up, but it's been a thrill of an adventure. Can't wait to do it again.
-Finalize saddle
Sent the cheque
-L Program
Finished up session C, preparing to do sitting hours and find a 2012 final session site.
-Just ride damnit.
Achieved! 

May Goals:
-Not allowed to drop the shoulders on the forehand
-Small Pir's
-Accurate 3's and 4's.
-Mediums/extensions
-Sitting hours
-Nail second/third level
-Find boots.

Pride in the name of love

I have become the Epsom salt queen.

Not for the pony, but for myself. In the past three weeks, we've taken a total of four days off. Two purposeful, the other two due to weather. Even in high winds and so-so weather we rode.

But I've discovered muscles that haven't been existent for sometime, and some that still need developing.Still figuring out the mediums and extensions, still need to make the pir's smaller, and the tempi's are coming along very well.

The pony has been progressing rapidly, consistently and what seems like break through after break through. I'm the one who occasionally has the brain fart, over shooting (!) the centerline and conceptually getting my head wrapped around some of the exercises. By far she excels in the collected work and lateral, it's easier for her to work in the canter, but the trot stuff is coming just nicely.

Despite extra curricular stuff, this is easily the best time of our lives. The show schedule has been amended, and it looks like we'll be doing some out of state traveling.

For the first time in about two years, I want to do more and I don't care how much work I have to put in.

Boot camp

I've been at a cross roads for sometime.

On one hand my barn and life is pretty good on the other hand, I'm not progressing to the point where I'm being challenged.

Before the Hess clinic, I had made up my mind to take six weeks, move house and go to a friend's barn and just train. It's the first time I've ever done this, probably not the last. But it's my effort to actually give what I want a shot. So out I went to start a sojourn. This is my test to see if I can hack it.

Clinic ended Sunday, the girl had a single day off and today, well, today we were back at it.

The pony didn't know what to make of the mirrors, the good footing and the fact that being the shortest, chesnuty horse in the barn award went to her. She has turnout again. I think she honestly died and went to pony heaven.The fact her stall is twice as big as her one at home probably tickles her as well.

But as the saying goes, the more beautiful, the more work it is.

The last four days have been a feeding frenzy of nervous energy. I didn't know what to expect, or how to expect, or what to do. So finally the day came when I got to tack up, ride out and work our tails off. It was a relief.

Immediately the stirrups and whip was yanked and a few more institutions were added. We spent a solid 35 minutes working at the trot without stirrups, complete with lateral work. Canter work was really nice and spent another 15 to 20 minutes working through that. All good, pony improved after and for the next two days while JK is out, we have work. A lot of work. 

Cruising attitude

The weather has warmed up and I'm not around my computer as much to do frequent updates.

March was out like a lion! We accomplished as much as time would allow between the weather and everything else.

-Ride as much as the weather will allow
Check. Despite downpour, we even got to the outdoor.
-Prepare for Christoph's visit
Check, but I should have watched the tape a few more times.
-L program
Check. Session B down. Session C in the works. Sitting hours scheduled for May.
-Run through third
I did this with Christoph with mixed results. But hey, we ran through third!
-work on walk turn on the haunches
Check.
-Half pass and lateral work
Good, but, really need more respect for the inside leg.
-Purchase new dress boots
Unfortunately I ran into a bit of a bind on this. I have my eye on a pair. 



Ever since March, we've been running non-stop from point a to point b. Finally, Christoph came into town and while I didn't think we weren't prepared enough we did find out a lot about ourselves during so.

We were in good company for this clinic- everything from a green broke just turned three year old all the way up to an High Performance pair of geldings. It was a huge population of 12 rides. Sinari was the only pony, and only Welsh.

Friday we went over to school, and ran into old friends and made new ones.  I spent the afternoon schooling around the arena working on minor things, and making sure we have the right stuff in the right place.

The first day I put her in the double and it didn't go as well, I'm not coordinated enough for the reins and Christoph was constantly asking me to get off the curb. She was behind my leg, and worked on creating a cruising altitude for trot and canter which seems twice as quick in the tempo from what we normally go through. It felt like we were on the verge of out of control, but at the same time it was like driving a sports car. We also worked on a ton of lateral work. She excels at the lateral work, especially half pass.

Second day, we slapped the snaffle back on and while my hands looked out of control it went better. We ran through 3-1 at the end of the day, despite not knowing the test and testing out a new saddle we muddled through alright. I was happy with her changes, and the improvement on the second day was easily marked to where Christoph cracked his infamous smile and nearly pulled me out of the saddle when he shook my hand.

But now comes the hard part.

April starts the marathon part of my season. We are temporarily staying with friends down the road to be in training with a rider and to figure out a few things for the upcoming future.

April Goals:
-Gain more elasticity in the trot
-Ride anything over 15 hands.
-Make the most of the next six weeks
-Finalize saddle
-L Program
-Just ride damnit.

Little lion man

April is the cruelest month, said T.S. Elliot, but I don't think he's lived in Kentucky in March.

Between a basketball-obsessed town (local team made it to the Final Four) and the weather, sometimes things just don't work out to plan.

Came home from Stephen's clinic and we hit the ground at first with a stumble then a solid run. The pony didn't want to leave her vacation spot, Sincere wanted to help in assisting to catch the pony, and I spent a solid hour walking up and down hills, much to my behind's amusement. 

We worked a solid three days this week (with the intent of doing four) and Sinari felt great, reeling off changes, doing consistent, difficult lines and getting good works in. Zero tension. Then the temps tanked and like the water on the ground, her back froze and everything that she could do, went underground. 

No bueno.

She feels prepared to see Christoph again, but not prepared enough to show what she really knows. Either way it will be a learning experience and I should have interesting video to post here.