Bentley

After the horse show last weekend, I took things a little easier during the week to recover.  Tuesday I took off, and during the Wednesday lesson I rode Nyk.  It was pretty uneventful.

Thursday at the other barn was really tough because I hadn’t been pushing myself.  Standing changes the first way were torture, and my balance was off the entire time.  Gah! With Gold Cup coming up, I have to get back on track.

Friday I rode Nyk again because they are doing work in the arena and replacing damaged boards.  The different colored sheets of plywood and missing sections would have messed with Blondie’s fragile psyche.  We took Nyk outside and I drove him in the big outdoor arena.  This was very pleasant.  The weather was perfect, and he just did what he was supposed to.  I have discovered that I don’t realize when he is getting heavy on the bridle when I’m driving him.  It is easier to tell when he is walking, which we did a lot, but when he’s trotting, he wasn’t setting his head very well. 

Sunday was a great day.  Started with Nyk, and he worked well, and then got Blondie ready.  I rode her in blinkers because the arena is still being repaired.  She was very good, even if she didn’t want to set her head.  I didn’t fight with her over it, and instead worked on standing changes and other balance exercises. 

During riding sessions yesterday, I kept going to the upper barn to play with the puppy.  One of the barn help has been bring her and she stays in the entryway to the restroom.  So cute!  At first she was a little scared when I picked her up, but she quickly got over that and started cuddling.  Puppies are so awesome, and there is nothing quite like puppy kisses.  She is 8 weeks old and so far nobody has been immune to her charms.

After I put my horses away, I stayed to watch Elmer’s first day under saddle.  The guy who owns the puppy likes to break colts, so he told M he would help her with the horse.  It was pretty interesting, and by the time I left, he had Elmer trotting and cantering around the round pen, with no drama.  No bucks or rearing or bad behavior. 

Nyk and my awesome hat

Here is a quick wrap up of the show last weekend.  While I enjoy showing in the Coliseum, the fairgrounds are an utter dump.  The same trash was strewn about the grounds from the ASHAM show, and as it's the governor's fondest desire to close it down completely so it can sit vacant for the next several years, declining further, I guess it was silly of me to expect that they are actually maintaining the property.

Nyk's classes went without a hitch, but we blew the championship again!  He just gets so strong and forward on the bridle, and I can't keep him from racing around the arena.  I think that if someone warmed him up first, he wouldn't have been so out of control. 

Blondie's practice ride was the usual struggle, as she shied and spooked during her refresher in the arena.  D could get her to stay on the rail, but I could not.  She was especially terrified of blue trash cans this time around.  Sigh.

Audie and Bentley

Our first class was not so pretty, and we were 5th out of 7.  The Show Pleasure Novice class, though, was the best we've had.  She bridled very nicely and behaved herself.  We were 3rd out of 8, and I was thrilled with that. 

The championship class didn't go right from the get-go.  Blondie wouldn't open her mouth when she was being bridled, and she just started getting all pissed off in her stall.  In the ring she was acting like a total wench.  Once we got into the show ring she was spookier than the day before and she resisted at the walk.  Still, we placed, when usually we don't.  I was tired, she was tired, and we were both ready for the show to be over.

Alexis and her borrowed pony

A couple of things were very frustrating this time around.  I warmed up my horses, and I don't think I'm the best qualified to do that.  I wish that the trainers had at least warmed up Blondie so she would have gone along a little easier.  For one class, Blondie and I were left pretty much to our own devices because another rider was in the ring right before us.  I hate that.  Other trainers made sure the horse didn't kill me, but it would have been nice to have one of MY trainers within shouting distance.  I often feel that where Blondie is concerned, she is not the priority, and that makes no sense to me.  She is a reflection of her training, and I believe that she can perform better than she has.  Why am I the only one that feels that way?

Saturday was gray and rainy, so we went to Bahama Breeze for a shot of fake sunshine. This place is very pricey, but I do like to go there for a treat about once every two years.  I didn’t even order what I really wanted because they don’t have a lunch portion, and I didn’t feel like spending 17 bucks on my entree.  Dean ordered it instead, the jerk.

Settling in for my meal

We started with Fire Roasted Jerk Shrimp.  You can never go wrong with shrimp!

This was very tasty – the shrimp were served in a buttery mess of roasted garlic, tomatoes, and the bane of my existence, onions.  It was accompanied with a loaf of warm, crusty bread that was perfect for sopping up the glop in the skillet.

Dean’s Paella – this is what I wanted, but the price held me back

My lunch, salmon pasta, lunch portion.  It was little disappointing.

Despite having many of my favorite green things, basil and spinach, the mango cream sauce was bland and tasteless.  Some pepper flakes should zip up the leftovers.

Look!  The sugar packets have their logo printed on them

Dean’s banana supreme.  This was a large serving of spice-nut bread, ice cream, and bananas.  I ate the mint leaves!

My dessert – chocolate island – this was divine. 

The mousse was light and fluffy, and the sliced almonds gave it a nice texture. The brownie was disappointing, though, and had the consistency of a hockey puck.

Lunch with tip what a whopping 65 bucks.  I don’t think it was worth it this trip, and it will be a while before we go again.  The service has certainly improved, and we were approached by several servers to inquire about whether we needed anything. However,  I am still suffering from sticker shock.  They need to seriously tweak their pricing scheme.

Leela

The week has been pretty uneventful, other than being very busy.  Had mixed success during the week with both horses, but had great rides today. 

Tuesday I rode Blondie with a show bridle, and she was her usual skittish, spooky self.  I am getting better at giving on the bridle, even when she is being stupid, so all was not in vain.  Bad habit that continues to plague me – I hold the right curb rein tighter than the left, and that just pisses her off.  Now that I am aware of this problem, I am better able to correct it, because I at least think to check the reins now.

Wednesday was Nyk’s turn, and he was a very pushy pony.  We used his training bridle, but he forgot his Ws – whoa and walk.  M had to remind him after the lesson.  We started with a draw rein, but that was just making him bury his head between his knees, so after a few trips around, I rode him with just the snaffle rein.  It is still weird riding without a martingale, and I think that was freaking me out a little.  It’s not like he’s going to go anywhere, he just develops a deafness when he’s asked to do anything slower than a trot.

Friday we rode outside with the show bridle, and Nyk sort of remembered how to walk.  He got a refresher on this, and we walked, and walked, and walked.  I was having a problem keeping him up on the snaffle, but it was because I wasn’t catching him fast enough when he started dropping his head.

Today was a great day at the barn.  The weather was lovely for a ride, and both of the horses worked well in their show bridles.  Nyk went like a little trooper, and because Blondie had plenty of company in the ring, she didn’t even think about getting stupid.  The key to keeping her from getting silly is to work her with another horse in the arena, and I am really starting to think it is as simple as that.  I hope there are lots of horses in her classes at the show next weekend, so we can both relax and concentrate on showing, not getting scared of ghosts.

Me and Blondie

Wow, I can’t believe it’s already been a week since the horse show!  It has flown by!  The euphoria is starting to fade, so it’s a good thing that there’s another one in two weeks.  I am counting down the days.

I am all fired up now with the successes at the show. I was finally able to see pictures of Blondie from the show, and I had her head set the best I ever had!  Now I have to work on driving her forward and getting more impulsion so she trots higher. 

Nyk is easy to show, but I need to concentrate on keeping him slow and driving him forward, too.  I decided to take him to Gold Cup, and we are going to mainly drive there to get qualified for OKC.  The Spring Show is in two weeks, and I’ll be driving and riding him in two classes each.  Blondie will be in three riding classes.

Lessons during the week were really hard!  My legs were sore after riding so much over the weekend, and then we did no stirrup work every night but Wednesday.  Ouch!  My thighs have been cramping up, so I need to remember to drink more water with the warmer temperatures.

Tuesday I rode Nyk, and while we didn’t drill him every hard, I worked on the sitting trot serpentines.  I started with no stirrups, and tried to work into using my irons.  My seat just wasn’t deep enough to keep from bouncing around in the saddle, though.  I haven’t discovered the secret yet, but I won’t quit until I figure it out!

Wednesday night was Blondie’s turn, and it was so frustrating.  She wouldn’t stop pulling on the bit or shaking her head.  I wish I knew how to make her stop doing it!  I guess I must cut her some slack for working so hard during the weekend, but that doesn’t mean that she can take advantage of the situation.  It is very aggravating when I try to be light with my hands and give on the bridle, but she then takes the opportunity to drop her head.

Thursday I rode Lucky in a show bridle, and we did so much no stirrup work!  Lots of cantering circles, which I really felt the next day.  S also didn’t like that I was holding my arms out so much, which was a result of riding Blondie the night before, so she put a whip across them and had me trot around, keeping it balanced.  So hard! I was able to keep it perched precariously across my arms for much, much longer than previous attempts. Yay!

Friday night was a fantastic lesson, one of the best I’ve had with one of my horses in a long time.  Again, lots of no stirrup work.  Posting trots with inside iron dropped, or with both dropped.  Ouch!  I rode Nyk, and didn’t have much trouble doing whatever I was asked. 

Today, I rode Blondie, and she was good until the end of the lesson, when she started spooking at the back gate again.  Then I drove Nyk, and he was great.  He likes to drive, and he looks really cute doing it.  Only problem is keeping him at a flat walk.  He thinks he is a roadster packed into his classic pleasure body.  We will do well driving, IF I can keep him from jigging down the rail.

This morning, Sarah rode Congo.  That was fun to watch.  He is a skittish two year old.  Sarah, you are more gutsy that me, by far!!  You did great!  It was funny watching D running along side them with the lunge line, too.