Nothing new here...

I haven't updated because nothing has been going on. I'm still crazy busy, and super stressed all the time, and feeling like a failure quite often. Let's see...I think Luke's been ridden twice in the last week.

Thursday I lunged him in side reins and then got on him. He was really really good, and picked up the right lead on his first try. Then threw a hissy fit and gave me crap about his left lead. Seriously? But we finally got it, and then Jen got on and rode him around a little.

Yesterday, Molly rode him. She said he was really good and picked up his leads, and then she took him on a trail ride. So I'm sure he had fun. He loves her, and she loves him, so it's perfect.

I have a lesson tonight, hopefully he'll be a good boy. I'm going to lunge him in side reins first...it gets him in the right mindset to work. I'll update after my lesson if there's anything worth reporting.

Ay yi yi

Can there please be more hours in the day? I don't have time to do anything that I want to do. I feel like I'm slacking in all areas of my life - friends feel like I'm ditching them constantly, but it's not like I'm doing it to go ride, because ponees are feeling neglected too. Luke was a jerk on the ground last week, and he's always perfect.

Anyway, I'm not sure if anyone reads this even, but it's good for me to keep track of my progress. I have GOT to start riding him more. I do better during the school year when I don't have to work 40 hours a week.

Molly is gonna start riding him once a week for me, which is super exciting. So hopefully I'll be able to ride him at least three times a week and lunge him once. That would be 5 days. I gotta get moving though....Grand River is in less than a month. Yikes!

So my goal for schedules for next week will be:

Monday: Molly ride Luke.

Tuesday: My turn! Hopefully work on flatwork and a little bit of jumping if he's doing well.

Wednesday: Lunge in Side Reins

Thursday: Day off for Luke

Friday: Outside riding - flat work and jumping

Saturday: More dressage

Sunday: Day off

So hopefully we'll finally start getting somewhere. We're doing very green at Grand River. *sigh*...it would be Baby Beginner Novice if I could just get that right lead. Oh well...one step at a time!

We did it!

We went to our dressage show and had a great time! :)

On Friday night, I got out to the barn and discovered that Luke had scraped himself up on something. I stuck him on the lunge line and he wasn't off, but he kept swapping leads behind going to the left, his good direction. I thought maybe he was just being silly. He didn't seem sore so I decided to go ahead and show. He got a bath on Friday night, and then I braided his mane and stuck him in a hawaiian print sleazy...he looked hilarious.

Saturday I got to the barn bright and early - around 7:30. Threw Luke a flake of hay and his grain and packed up my stuff. Once the boys were done eating, we threw them on the trailer and headed off to the show. It was right down the road, like a 5 minute drive.Luke unloaded like a champ, and calmly surveyed the scenery before dropping his head to graze. I tied him to the trailer while I changed, and then we went for a walk. We walked around a while, and then put his saddle on, and then went back down to the arena to watch Molly ride. After her test, I put my bridle on and hopped on. He was perfectly calm and relaxed. He wasn't really reaching for contact, and he was a little distracted, but he didn't spook at all, or speed up or anything. So I was a proud mom.

We went in and did our test - I've done a lot worse, and possibly done better. I blew a movement by walking a letter too early, and she didn't think I was very accurate. She said I was really tense and I needed to relax...but I'm way more relaxed than I used to be. We ended up with a 56% and 4th place. I was really happy with him. I think next month we'll go xc schooling, and then in August, do the Grand River Hunt mini trial and the Bath Pony Club mini trial. Possibly some more dressage schooling shows too, because that's what really needs work.

Show's around the corner!

Yikes! I need to get with the program!

I've been slacking lately when it comes to riding...between working 40 hours a week and feeding horses 3 days a week, I haven't had much energy to ride alone. Thankfully, Molly finished drivers' ed last week, so I'll hopefully have someone to ride with at night!

On Saturday, Jen came over and we had a tack cleaning party...it was a lot of work, but fun! I cleaned and oiled or conditioned my running martingale, 2 bridles, and my saddle. My bridle looks brand new, and my martingale looks amazing too...I'm so glad I made the effort to clean everything!

I had a lesson Wednesday night, and I still love my new saddle. We shortened my stirrups, which helped my leg sliding around problem. We got some nice flat work in, but I was really looking forward to jumping some stuff. But a tornado watch happened just as she was setting up jumps, so we didn't get to jump OR practice my dressage tests. As soon as I was untacked, the storm let up...of course. I have a lesson one night this week, so hopefully he will be good. Probably won't get any jumping in though because we have to practice for the show.

I'm riding him in Intro test B, and Mandi's gonna ride him in Training 1. Cross your fingers for correct leads! I predict they will have no trouble - I'm the one that has trouble getting leads...but it might be better since he got his feet fixed. I haven't really been motivated to practice too much lately. I'll ride tonight, hopefully tomorrow, and Thursday for sure though, and then Friday I'll ride him a little bit and then he'll get a beauty treatment...bath, clipped, and I'll probably band his mane...I think it would look better than attempting braids. Molly and Atticus are showing too, so it should be a fun time :) Luke and Atticus are totally in love, so hopefully they will keep each other calm.

I'm getting excited and nervous all at the same time!

YAY new saddle!

:) :) :) :) :)

I finally got to ride in my new saddle last night. I love it...it fits us both really well and is suuuper comfortable. A way better fit for me than my Wintec was. I might have to punch holes in the stirrup leathers though, which will be a pain, because I have no idea HOW you punch holes evenly in two separate leathers. Oh well...I'm hoping they don't stretch too much and I can keep them on the top hole.

It's weird getting used to leather again...it's kind of creaky, but I love it. I need to clean it well, and my bridle. I don't know that I've EVER cleaned my bridle...EEK! So I'm determined to take better care of it and my saddle from here on out.

Jen came out with me and set up some jumps for me. We warmed up with flatwork and he was really relaxed...more than I've felt him relax in a long time, especially since he hasn't been ridden since I fell last week. He was mostly above the vertical, but he wasn't really flipping his head or anything, so it didn't bother me. It took a few tries because I'm out of shape and haven't been working on it, but we got the right lead! I think I'm gonna stop riding with spurs till I get back in shape. They're just baby spurs, and when my leg muscles are strong, I can keep a steady leg...but right now, I'm slip sliding a little, and I don't want to accidentally get him with them.

Then we JUMPED! Yay :) We did a crossrail with a few strides to a 2' vertical, and he was so cute. He rushed a little at first, but we didn't run out or refuse anything...I need to keep working on looking UP though. She also set up a little arrowhead for us, and he was a star...he was a little confused at first, and tried to jump the side, but once he figured it out, he was good to go. he even went through it pretty straight! Yay!

I have a lesson tonight, so hopefully it goes well. I'll update tomorrow, if I'm not in agony from sore muscles!

Goals!

Okay...I need to stop messing around and get serious about my riding. Luke was doing so well for a while, but he needs to be ridden more than twice a week. It's not that I haven't wanted to ride, I've just been unmotivated. Now that Melissa can ride again, and now that I'll have a new saddle next week, it's time to get motivated!

So I figured I'd write out my goals and my summer schedule, and update along the way! :) Good plan?

Goals
- Get out and go places without it being a huge deal.
- Go out of my way to make new places a positive experience for him - don't just throw him on the trailer and go...make sure he gets to run around at home first, and then sit and observe for a half hour or so before I tack him up and ride.
- Break 60% on a dressage test...I shouldn't even be happy with THAT for a score, but it would be progress - we've been getting mid to high 50's.
- Slow down a little on cross country - Luke loves being outside, and will trot or canter happily up to jumps, but loves to take off for a few strides on the backside. The waterford is helping a little.
- Learn to BEND - enough said!
- Accept contact a little more.
- HAVE FUN!

Summer Schedule:

June
June 6th - Dressage Clinic - it was awesome, we learned a ton!
June 27th - Dressage Schooling show - Intro Tests A & B - possibly have someone else ride him in Training 1 or 2.
June 28th - Stone Gate? (Probably not...but I am looking into the possibility)

July
July 11 - XC Schooling at Hackamore Farm - maybe
July 12 - Hackamore Farm - maybe
July 17-18 - South Farm Mini Camp!
July 19 - South Farm Mini Trial (Either Very Green or BBN!)

And hopefully XC schooling a few times

August
August 2 - Grand River Hunt
August 9 - Buckeye Horse Park/WRPC
August 23 - Bath Pony Club
August 30 - Buckeye Horse Park Hunter Pace

September
September 6 - Bath Pony Club Hunter Pace
September 13 - South Farm
September 20 - Grand River Hunter Pace OR
September 20-21 - Stone Gate Farm H.T in the Starter Div. - hey, a girl can hope!
September 27 - Stone Gate Hunter Pace (And my 21st birthday! :) )

October
October 4 - South Farm Hunter Pace
October 11 - Magnolia Waynesburg Hunter Pace
October 18 - Chagrin Valley Hunt Hunter Pace

Whew! That was exhausting to type out, let alone think about competing in all of those! I probably won't make it to all of that because it would be $$$, but those are the ones I'll be choosing from. I really hope I can do all the fall hunter paces, and am looking SO forward to mini camp!

Now...I just have to stay motivated towards these goals. I can do it!

Tomorrow - lunge work, a little flatwork and "XC Schooling" in the back pasture.

Dressage Clinic Update!

We went, we saw, and we conquered! Haha, not really. It was really fun though!

When I got to the farm Saturday morning, Luke was standing in his stall looking all sleepy after breakfast. I pulled him out and stuck him on a lunge line. He was not amused. For the first five minutes, it was like pulling teeth to even get a trot. Then he started cantering and bucking and got most of his excitement out.

We hopped on the trailer (Good boy Luke!), and off we went. When he came off the trailer, he looked around, and promptly started to graze. I stuck him in a stall and went to watch the canter group go. I learned a lot just by watching them.

Then it was our turn. I was nervous because I was afraid Luke was gonna explode, but I shouldn't have been worried. He was a little looky warming up and I thought he was going to explode, but he didn't. After a few minutes of warmup, our group lesson started.

I'm out of shape...or I just don't work hard enough in my riding time at home. I'm used to lots of walk breaks. We trotted for a good ten minutes. Luke wasn't winded, but I sure was. We worked a lot on bending (I did get used as a good example of using my corners though! Even if he was counterbent through them). She said that if I work on lateral flexion first, the rest will come, and he will start to be more supple and through and come into contact better. She said sometimes you have to sacrifice prettyness for accuracy. She said not to worry about him being on the bit, that that will come.

We did some circles, which weren't TOO terrible, but he still wants to speed up to get through them quickly. I should have worn spurs, I could NOT get him off my leg for anything. I wear spurs at home, but I figured I wouldn't need them for the clinic. She said that I just have to convince him that he wants to bend.

We worked on centerlines, and he actually came down centerline pretty straight. I was very proud of him. Then we rode our test. We just did Intro A. It wasn't the best test I've ever done, but it definitely wasn't the worst. It was better than at some shows, and I didn't even practice for Saturday! She said that she would like to see him a little less hollow and tense, and more relaxed, but that it would come with training. She really liked him and said we made a nice pair.

I feel a lot better now that we've gotten out and gone somewhere and it wasn't a disaster! I think the key is just to lunge him before we leave, and make sure he has plenty of time to chill once we get there! Now on to the dressage show at GreyMack on the 27th. I think someone was taking pictures on Saturday, if I get any, I'll post them! :)

New saddle and other fun stuff!

Sometime in the next week or two, my new saddle will be here! I'm super excited :) It's an older Crosby Olympia, but in great condition. I can't wait to try it out. Hopefully it will be a better fit than the wintec was. Luke's not too picky or hard to fit, so it will probably work out as long as it works for me.

We might be going to a dressage clinic on Saturday too :) If Molly's dad doesn't have to work and can take us, we'll be going to a little barn down the road for a ride-a-test clinic. It would be a great experience for Luke, who will hopefully not spaz out at everything. Silly boy.

On the 27th, we're going to a dressage show in North Canton. Hopefully that goes well too. I might make someone else ride him :)

Mini camp at South Farm is next month...crazy that it's coming up so soon. I'm sooo excited for it. That will probably be the first mini trial we show at too. I could possibly get a ride to Stone Gate on the 28th of this month, but I seem to have really bad luck there. I probably need to suck it up and go and have a good experience and get over it, but I'm nervous to now. It's like a mental block or something.

Hmm, I think that's all for updates. Luke had a couple of weeks off because his feet were long, but he just got new shoes yesterday and I was very impressed with the new farrier. Hopefully we have a few good rides soon that I can post about.

Cute Picture

I haven't posted any pictures in a while, so here's a picture of Luke looking cute that my friend took today. Just a camera phone picture...I'll get new ones soon! I'm about to go out and have a nice gallop hopefully...at the very least, a long canter!

His Cuteness:

Crazy Busy!

Wow, I haven't updated lately, really. I've been so busy, I don't even know where to start! From last Saturday (the 16th) to this past Saturday, I took care of the barn so Mandi could go away. I knew it would be hard work, but I had no idea how much, I guess. I cleaned over 100 stalls last week, crazy! So, by the time I got done with everything, I didn't usually have much motivation to ride. I did ride a few times though.

Molly and I took a trail ride on Monday, and had a really nice time. Found a couple little logs to jump in the woods and had a nice gallop in a field...just what I needed. Luke was a good boy too.

On Thursday, Molly and I set up some jumps. As we were getting ready to tack up, some people drama happened, and I wasn't feeling much like riding. Molly convinced me too, and I ended up having a great ride. Luke jumped everything I pointed him at! We had one run out, cantering a 2'3" vertical...I think he does best if we trot towards it, and I sit and wait, letting him decide if he should canter. He picked up a canter 2 or 3 strides out, and jumped it beautifully...it was the best feeling in the world! Aside from that, we cantered little cross rails, jumped a couple of 2' verticals, and ended with a 2' oxer...it was crazy fun!

All in all, Luke has been a really good boy! I can't wait to get my new saddle at the end of the month, I hope we both like it! We are headed to South Farm on June 7th, hopefully with new saddle in tow, and Luke behaving like a good boy! I think we're just going to do the crossrails in schooling jumpers, and not do a dressage test. He gets so uptight, that we don't usually have good tests. We'll see how it goes...I might be able to sign up there for one. If not, there's always next time. I think this summer will be full of fun stuff!