Wednesday's lesson was on Sammy.  I hopped on, and when he started to trot, I thought I was going to fall off!  What happened to my easy lesson?  Sammy was really strutting his stuff, to the point M had me raise my stirrups a hole.  I spend the whole lesson concentrating extra hard on not getting jarred loose from the saddle.  Kim, how do you stay on this guy at the horse show??

Anyway, before the lesson I had declared that I would make him canter in a nice, slow little ball, but after struggling so much to just keep my seat steady, I started having second thoughts about even wanting to canter him.  Of course it's not really an option, and off we went.  I used a horse in front of us for a blocker, and really worked on keeping him slow.  And slow he was!  It's the nicest he's ever cantered for me, but my arms were so sore by the time we were finished.  For an old boy, he still has some nice moves.  My next challenge is keeping his head and neck straight.

I found out that there is a Morgan show this weekend, and so there wouldn't be any lessons Friday or Sunday.  This really bummed me out, as the weather is getting beautiful, and the first show for Blondie is in just three weeks!  I'll be in Chicago the weekend before, so we don't really have a lot of riding time to get our act together.  And there's no lesson on Wednesday, because they have to go pick up a horse.  Boohoo.  At least M let me double up on a lesson Monday night.  Maybe I can pick up another one the following Monday?

Spring is here!  Is it going to stay?  For the sake of my blooming flowers, I sure hope so!

First off, I warmed up Harley for Brooke.  He was a little stiff, to say the least.  The horses had their shots last week, and Harley, ever the sensitive beast, was not faring well after his.  I felt really bad making him trot and canter.  I'm sure he stiffened up because he was just standing around, but he moved like a crippled old man.  He was moving a little easier at the end, but he was still really gimpy.

Next, D warmed up Blondie.  She looks so pretty when he's riding her!  She holds her head up and tucks her nose in, and looks like a million bucks.  Then I get on and she turns into a shit.

I think I did better with the full bridle this time, and it helped that she didn't give the door a second glance. Now, however, I'm having trouble turning her.  The one time I didn't ease up on the inside rein.  I don't know what I suddenly changed so that this is now a problem.  Hopefully I'll figure it out fairly quickly...

She flat walked very nicely at first, and D even commented how nice she was being.  Then we reversed and she started to jig and eventually broke into a canter.  Then D told me to make her canter 10 time around.  If she doesn't want to walk, then she's going to work harder instead.  After we shifted back to a walk, she was pretty as pie.

After putting her away, I stayed and watched Sara, Laurie, and Audie ride in a group lesson.  Sara rode Woody, and he was being such a huge turd!  Every time he turned the far corner by the in gate, he broke into a canter.  By the end of the lesson, Sara was a pink as her shirt! 

D didn't like how lazy Gio was being, so after telling Laurie to make him give her more twice, he finally waited until they trotted by and cracked the longe whip across his rear.  Good thing Laurie's a good rider, because Gio didn't like that one bit and started hopping around. He did step up, and looked really cute the next time around!

Aurora

The weather is getting so nice, I'm getting really pumped about the fast approaching show season!  It's hard to feel enthusiastic about anything when it's 20 degrees.  It's good thing that spring is finally starting to roll into town, as I am down to only one package of hand warmers.

Wednesday, M asked if I wanted to ride Jimmy, who was in the barn, or Wild Child, who was outside.  I picked Jimmy, because he was already in.  D was shoeing horses, so a few of the horses had been put into any stall that was open, so after shifting them around, Jimmy ended up in the aisleway.  I asked what martingale I should use, and M asked D what he thought.  He wanted to know who was riding Jimmy, and when I said I was, he quickly corrected me. I, it appears, was going to be riding Aurora.  Uh, ok, if you say so.

Aurora is one of the younger horses in the barn, and I've never ridden her before.  She's younger than Blondie, and that to me was a small cause for concern.  D assured me that she's more broke than my psycho mare, so I started getting her ready, thinking that I would have to tighten my helmet a little more than normal.  Just in case.

After I had her bridled, D said he had to tie her tongue down.  Why for? I wondered.  So she doesn't take off with you, they told me.  Tie it!  Tightly!

I was a little nervous before I hopped on, but after Aurora failed to show any of Blondie's stupid tenancies, I started to relax.  My steering could have used some work, but she just tracked around the arena, intent on her business.  When it came time to canter, I admit that I freaked myself out, and it took a could of tries to get her moving.  The first time I didn't have her set up correctly, so it was just a wasted effort, and then M said I was digging both legs into her sides.  I have figured out that I hate asking a horse to canter; once we're doing it, I'm fine with, but getting them set up is a skill I have definitely not mastered!

No lesson on Friday night because there's a judging show that M is taking a couple of horses to.  The short break actually came at a good time, as I am swamped with CMX galley copies to review. 

 I suck - I didn't proofread this entry, either - sorry!

What a lovely day!  The weather is starting to improve, and maybe spring is here to stay!  It was nice not having to wear a pair of long johns, though I did pull on a pair of heavy wool socks.  I hate having cold feet.

Yesterday at the show I asked D when we were going to start using Blondie's show bridle.  He already has been, so I asked when I would start using it.   The first real show is in a month!  When I got to the barn today, he had the girls get out the show bridle.

D warmed her up first, and then I got on.  He told me to just walk at first, and try to get a feel for the bridle.  He is thinking of putting us in an amateur park class, depending on whether or not she is flat walking for me.

We starting trotting, and I wasn't using the snaffle rein enough.  Then she stopped and started back up and spinning around and I couldn't get her going forward again.  It's so frustrating because I don't know what to do to get her going forward again, and that's why I get into so much trouble riding her.  Do I whack her with the whip; if so, where? Do I loosen up the reins or pull her one way or another? Do I kick her, pull her mane, or just get off and forget the whole thing?  It's very discouraging.

D mentioned that he thought the saddle tilted me forward, because it did for him,   and he had someone get a riser pad.  I got off and he put it under the saddle, and had me try riding with it.  I didn't feel like I was tipping forward all the time, and was better able to sit back.

Then we started off again, with D shaking the bag whip and banging on the wall. When Blondie started scooting, he told me to just sit, that posting was for amateurs.  That's good to know, since I never seem to be on the correct diagonal when I'm riding her anyway!

He kept the lesson short, and then suggested that I ride Harley in a full bridle, but M wanted to work him in one first.  I ended up just riding him with a german martingale.  During our ride, Kim and Sammy had a driving lesson, and when D started snapping the bag whip around, Harley collected right up and it felt like he was trotting really cute.  He is such a sweetie; maybe in 12 more years, Blondie will be, too.

After Kim's driving lesson, Sara had to run her five laps around the arena, with Kim egging her on the entire time.  During her punishment for blowing her diagonal and losing her class, she had to yell, "I've been taking lessons for 10 years and I'll never blow my diagonal again," or something equally humiliating. She was supposed to run with a ball between her knees and her toes turned in, but, sadly, nobody could locate the ball.  For the last lap, Zoe, and Audie joined Sara and Kim, and the group ran laughing around the the arena.  Or maybe it was the spectators laughing at the group. 

After everyone cleared out, I cantered Harley, and I think I understand how to tell if he's on the correct canter lead now.  He cantered nice and slowly, and after a few circuits around in each direction, I called it a day for him.

While Audie and Laurie were riding, I went and changed into the suit I bought on eBay.  I wasn't sure if the pants needed to be altered.  M liked it and said the shirt I picked for it was really nice, too.  She checked the legs and said that even though they were a little long, I would probably be better off to just leave them because of the flair by the boot.  I'm glad that the suit met with her approval, because I purchased a matching hat and gloves last week.

Ignore the typos - I'm too freaking tired to proofread this! 

After getting the horses unloaded and bedded down Friday night, I tacked up Blondie for a quick lesson.  M rode her first, and Blondie was not the best behaved horse I have ever seen.  She was skittish and jumpy, and M really had to fight with her to get her to stay on the rails.  After both of them had worked up a sweat, she had me hop on.

The first thing she did was chide me for being so tense.  I tried to relax, by not having developed any trust in my spastic horse yet, this was not so easy.  It also isn't helping that she's in season.  She is a bigger b!tch now than before!  Just in time for the horse show, too.

My ride wasn't too bad; she trotted fairly well, I kept her straight, and she cantered when I asked.  We had a couple of bobbles near the seating section, because she's afraid the bleachers are going to leap up and eat her, but it wasn't anything too bad.  Laurie and Audie brought Gio out while I was finishing up, and after throwing a cooler over a very sweaty Blondie, I went to watch them.

Gio was giving Laurie quite a bit of trouble, so M had her canter him.  And canter him, in an attempt to wear him out.  It worked a little, but he wouldn't walk straight, either, and when he starting drifting into the center, he starting turning and getting stupid. When Audie hopped on, he was very well behaved, so he was either extremely tired, or he likes little girls.

After getting the horses put away, we headed to Applebee's for some dinner.  It was about 10:30 by this time, and I was really tired.  I hadn't slept the night before, I was a little anxious about the following morning, and I'm usually in bed by 9:30 because I get up so early for work. 

I had the Cajun tilapia, and it was a little light on flavor.  It was on the low cal portion of the menu, so I guess low fat equals low flavor. Kind of disappointing.

By the time we got to the hotel, it was after midnight.  I'm glad that I checked in prior to going to the barn, because I was able to go right to the room and get ready for bed.  M bunked with me, and Laurie and Audie stayed at the Hampton, too.  The plan originally was to go swimming and chill a little, but this never seems to fit into the schedule.

I didn't sleep very well, but I managed to sleep through the alarm.  I woke up just as M was finished getting ready, and thought briefly about trying to sleep for another half hour.  Instead, I got up and prepared for the show.

After a shower, I head enough time to go to the lobby and get breakfast. I sat in the eating area, because for a change there wasn't a ton of noisy kids running around.  I really liked the Hampton Inn, and won't hesitate to stay at another.  Everyone were extremely friendly, and though not the greatest free breakfast - that honor still goes to the Embassy Suites, the french toast sticks were tasty, and the coffee was really good, too.  Not as savory as my Keurig single serve coffee, but good none the less.

After loading up my car, I headed over to the barn.  The show was supposed to start at 10, but the judge and the photographer were late.  I could have stayed in bed another half hour!  Damn!

Robert rode Blondie in the first class, and she was a bit of a handful for him.  She refused to canter.  In fact, she jumped, like a little jumping jack, when he requested she step off into one.  Later he said the stirrups on his new saddle were too long, and he couldn't get his foot in the correct position.  This made me a little nervous, because I agreed that we could just use his brand new, spiffy saddle with the pebbled pigskin seat that looked like a dream to sit on.  What if I had a similar difficulty?

It was time to warm up for my class.  The warm up area was so freaking crowded, my attempts to canter were laughable.  I finally went and stood in the middle with Laurie, D, and Gio.  Laurie was in my class, and I can't even remember where she placed in her first class.  It's all sort of a blur.  So are both of my rides.

During the final warm up before entering the ring, Blondie seemed so lethargic!  She didn't have her usual energetic trot.  I did keep her straight and along the rail like M advised, and was thrilled when she flat-walked for me. Then it was time to canter.  I asked, and Blondie wouldn't have anything to do with it.  I had to stop her and then she ran into it, instead of stepping nicely off for me.

The rest of the class was uneventful.  In the line up, the judge actually walked the line and gave pointers to the riders.  This was a first, and I liked it.  That's the whole point of the academy show, I thought.  She told me that our trot looked great, but we need to work on out canter departs.  Hmmm.

We were placed last.  This started to feel like the last academy show we brought her too.  Crap.  I wanted to do better, because I know that we both can.  Then again, if we're going to screw up, where better than the academy show?

The next class was basically a repeat of the first.  She wouldn't canter again, the first way, which is usually her strong side.   I had to stop her and then she ran into it.  Oh, and this time she decided to stop, right in front of the judge, and would not budge!  I got after her at first, but then thought it looked really obvious, so I switched my whip and waited for them to call the reverse.  

The judge told me to hang in there, and we would get those canters.  Grrr!   At least I got two of her three gaits (or two of her five gaits, if we were showing her gaited this year), so I feel a little better about that.

I hung around until after Sara and Zoe rode in their last classes.  Sara would have won her first class on Gio, but she trotted into the line on the wrong diagonal.  The judge told her if she's going to mess up, it's best that it not be the last thing the she sees.  Poor Sara!  M declared that she must run, not 1, but five laps around the arena for blowing her diagonal!  Zoe was wrong on Jimmy in her pattern class, but she swapped it right away. 

As usual, the day went by in a haze.  I never get enough sleep the night before.  I headed home, slightly discouraged, and found that I couldn't even concentrate on the 5th volume of Yakitate!! Japan.  This was a true indication that I needed rest, so I ended up going to bed at 7!  And I didn't get up until 6 on Sunday.  All that stress wears me out.

Another crappy day! It’s April 11, and it’s snowing! Then, as I was getting ready to go to the barn, it started sleeting. Wonderful!

I rode Sammy, because M believes that after struggling with him, I ride better. He can be rather challenging, but in a different way than Blondie. With Blondie, I’m always waiting for her to duck out on the corners or spin around from the back gate; her main focus is getting out of work. With Sammy, the struggle is to keep him focused on what he’s supposed to be doing, instead of what he wants to do, which seems to be going as fast as he possibly can.

Since I don’t have to worry so much about him being stupid and going anywhere other than forward, I was able to concentrate on me this lesson. I worked on sitting back, and M said that my back looked really good. I worked on keeping my knees rolled in and my heels down, though at the canter I lost whatever correct position I had. I was able to canter the rail instead of just going around in little circles.  I even tried to use another horse as a blocker so he wasn't charging full-steam ahead.  This was a lot of work!  When we dropped back to a walk, I headed into the middle to catch my breath, and was surprised that I was steaming more than the horse.  It wasn't even that cold out! 

Saturday is the academy show, and M said that Robert is going to ride Blondie, too.  I said that it would be great if he rode before me, to get her a little settled down, but I usually ride in the first class.  M told me that she's thinking of switching my classes around so he will show first.  Unfortunately, this also means that I'll have to ride in an equitation class.  Boo.

With temperatures hovering in the 20's, I dug out my trusty hand warmers, bundled up, and headed off to the barn.  It was really cold standing in one place for any length of time.  I wish winter would DIE!

Sara helped me get Blondie ready, and then M and I headed off to the arena.  I must say that today was one of the most frustrating lessons I've had.  Period.  Blondie wouldn't go within 10 feet of the back gate, and I couldn't make her.  Usually by the time we hit the cantering portion of the ride, she has forgotten about the strip of sunlight shining under the door. Not today.  Nope.  She kept ducking out, at the canter, and doing this stuttery thing that totally knocked me off balance.  The first time she did this was incredibly ugly, forcing me to grab mane, which had me pulling on her mouth and dragging her to the left. 

After regaining my composure, we tried again, and again, and again.  When I complained that the only thing I thought we accomplished today was teaching her that she didn't have to go close to the door, M said that wasn't right.  At the end, I did have her attention off the gate and on me, and I kept her corners square.  This didn't make me feel any better, especially when none of the other riders seem to have any difficulty moving their horses past that back gate.  Argh!  Today was a real confidence kicker.  I am going to be able to keep her moving around the ring next Saturday?  Blondie is a bigger chicken sh!t than Harley, and that's saying a lot.  What a crappy lesson.

After escaping early from work with a dreadfully painful sore throat, I tanked up on pain relievers, sneaked in a little nap, and felt well enough to head off for a slightly early riding lesson. 

I rode Blondie, and she's rediscovered her fear of the back gate.  This is getting so frustrating!  My leg is not strong enough to keep her going forward, and the first time she spun out, I locked up on her, making her decidedly light on her feet.  She walks, trots and canters by that door at least a hundred times a week; why she has to have a problem with it when I'm riding her is beyond me.

We spent most of the lesson working her past the door.  When she stopped paying attention to it, M had me ask for a canter.  Then she had me slow Blondie to a trot and line up in the center.  Since this is the first time I've done this on Blondie, it was quite ugly. 

Hmmm, there must be a horse show around the corner because I'm getting sick.  Again!  The change in temperature is really playing havoc with my sinuses, and I've had a sore throat for the past two days.  My annoying, hacking cough has also returned with a vengeance.

After digging my cold weather gear back out of the closet, I tucked some hand warmers in every pocket and headed out into the cold.  Winter has returned!  Boo!!  Filling my gas tank today was especially unpleasant with the biting wind beating unrelentingly on my frail self.  I hate winter!!!!

I arrived at the barn in time to watch the end of Brooke's lesson.  She is off the lead line and riding Harley around like a pro!  When Harley's not weaving into the middle of the ring.

This group lesson was rather small.  It was only Maggie, Tina, and me.  The bigger lessons are a lot more fun.  I got Wildchild ready, and it was off to the arena.  Compared the Harley and Blondie, Wildchild is a tiny little horse.  She's a lot thinner, and it feels really weird to ride her.  She's like a carousel horse.

After doing the usual trotting around, we worked on halting and turning the horse in the other direction.  Apparently, I have been doing this wrong the entire time I've been riding!  The horse is not supposed to bend its neck; it should be a turn on the haunches, with a straight neck.  Evidently I was not sitting deep enough in the saddle because Wildchild kept walking off.  Grr.

Next, we practiced Maggie's serpentine pattern.  This still totally confuses me.  I don't understand when to change my diagonal.  The first time we performed the pattern, I made the curves too skinny.  We tried it again and did better, but I was on the wrong diagonal coming back to the line up. 

Lastly, we cantered.  Wildchild was actually slow at first, which surprised me so much I let her fall out of it.  Then, frazzled, she was back to her usual race around in circles self.  Oh, well, it was nice the one circuit it lasted.

*sniff*  I broke the carafe to my coffee maker!!  Again!!!  I bumped it against the sink, and it exploded!  Crap!!  I'm not going to be able to search for another one until this weekend. 

Boohoo!!!  What am I going to do until then?  Tea just doesn't pack the same punch, and there's not any place open on my way to work.  *sob*

Maybe I should take this opportunity to purchase a Senseo or Tessimo single cup coffee maker instead.  I have plenty of coffee cups. Too many, really.  Breaking a few won't be such a bad thing.