Thursday, October 28, 2010

Horse Camp

How cool is that? And bigger than I can even fathom. Three and a half days, with a horse and eleven other horse/rider combos, doing thinking living and breathing pretty much nothing but dressage and horsemanship.

And to have that given to me, out of the blue.

I am overwhelmed, I am speechless, I am grateful. It brings tears to my eyes and butterflies to my stomach.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

epilog to prolog

Working backwards, I guess, I had a mahvelous time in the costume contest. But that was very little in the way of riding.

I was well pleased with Rolinette, my ride in the show, and the progress we've made. Our score was 63.2 and I was .8 out of first (got second -- strangely my first red ribbon in the newest collection). Got 7 in both canter circles and an 8 in one trot circle. Canter transitions up were prompt and obedient but not forward until the second stride ever. Canter transitions down tend to be a bit against the hand and we'll be working on that -- hopefully with some lesson help there. I'd determined to push the free walk, did, got a jig step -- you pays your money you takes your chances -- that's fine. I did what I wanted to do and am well pleased.

The stretchy circle is something else again. I mean, it is better than it was. But it. is. not. good. I think I will work this winter in the fields (because she seeks out the contact best there) and then try to bring that into the arena. The Friesian propensity to get behind the bit is quite difficult to know how to correct. She's got some lengthening . . . she could move up.

Before the show I rode as I said I would . . . Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Friday was very windy so we didn't even approach the judge's stand -- one doesn't want to create issues. I don't specifically remember now the others.

This is, I think, the end of documenting every ride. For now anyway.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

yeah yeah yeah

I did ride another time that didn't make it on here. Am I tired of the chronicling? (that's how you spell that? really?) Maybe. I'll take it to the last horse show and then we'll see. Maybe I'm just tired as it has been -- not full, not busy, but relentless time sucks -- lately.

I did a typical arena ride, with the ladies, had fun, Rol was good. I'm just not gonna worry too much about the show -- it will be what it will be. This coming week I will try to ride Monday, Tuesday and Friday.

And evidently I rode twice since I posted here, Wednesday and Thursday. We did take Friday off. Wednesday was windy and she was strong and we tried like crazy to relax. Our stretchy circle isn't likely to be much better than last time I'm afraid. But hopefully canter will be better, and I'll be more aggressive at the free walk.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

rode, finally

We didn't really, totally, take two weeks completely off. Last Tuesday I hopped on bareback and we walked (mostly, trotted enough for me to know that I can't trot bareback on that horse for long at all, and cantered enough for me to be happy but mostly walked -- there is so much you can to at a walk). She was a lot of fun bareback in that I could just almost audibly hear her thinking, "umm, hey, did you realize you forgot the saddle? Are you sure you won't fall off?" But once she got used to it (and assured herself that I wasn't going to fall off), she was fine.

Today I finally made it on again. Saddled during the sunshine, got to the trot serpentines and it rained. Not hard but it was chilly and not my saddle so we went inside where we waited the short drizzle out then finished the work out. She was great considering how long she's been off. A few almost really good upward canter transitions. One almost decent stretchy circle. She's really just a lot of fun to ride.

A bit less than two weeks to the show. T3. And costume, bareback.