Sunday lesson (and another try at video)

So Sunday we got another lesson in.  And of course, that one was jumping.

On tacking up the pony, I discovered that Saturday, I somehow managed to shorten my stirrups to jumping length for my dressage lesson.  That might explain a bit...  I knew those suckers felt short.

Anyway, at least it lead me to being able to carry forward the flat lesson to the jump ring!

We learned a very cool thing.  If you turn the pony onto the line and then let go of her face she will carry herself to the fence as long as I keep leg on.  She has learned how to lock on to what I want her to lock on, based on leg.  It's a little thing, but felt A-MAZE-ing!  Who knew we could actually get to the whole directing with leg instead of hand, thing.

For the first time, I was able to feel what stride I needed in a line to get to the next fence.  First couple of times through the first line, I steadied for the 6.  Well, the first time we propped the six, the second time I learned to sit up between the fences to get a nice six.  After that, I discovered the forward 5.  That was pretty thrilling.

I also worked on being able to sit up and steady into the corner and then letting go and riding forward to get the forward stride over the fence coming out of the corner without shooting her at the fence.

I have to continue to work on actually looking up.  I'm doing better looking to the next fence, but I still need to look up over the fence, not at the base of it.

If I biff a fence, I have to be able to forget it and move on, remembering to be more supportive to the next fence to restore her confidence.  Of course, the one we will biff will be the cross rail.

We put together a full course of 9 fences.  The first half was on the left lead, which is Violet's easier.  The second half, which will always be harder for me because everything is moving so damned fast and there is so much to remember, was on the right lead.  At this point, I should just plan on fixing the lead immediately on landing, instead of looking first.  By the time I see that she's on the wrong lead and bring her down, we are past our distance.  See above comment about everything moving too fast.  Mary's brain does not work that fast, apparently.  Anyway, we worked on that, and the second time I did the course, the second half was much better.

Overall very good lessons.  I'm very happy with where we are.  Which is good because next weekend we are making a brief foray to a local HJ series for some jumper classes!  Should be interesting, because there should be people there we know from our former lives as walk-trot crossrail mavens.  I believe we will probably be doing a couple of 2'3" and 2'6" classes.

After that I have been warned that I will be working my way into the cross country field.

So now that the first dressage break is over at Rolex, I should go back to pretending to work while watching, lol.

And just because I want to see if this crap will work...

Lesson recap (and continued video woes)

First just let me say that so far, I am utterly frustrated with this whole blogging thing.  What is the point of getting video if you can't share it.

This is what I get when I put it up directly from the computer:

That was supposed to be the video of the first half of Marcea's test with Violet a couple of weeks ago.

This is what I get when I put it up from YouTube:

Yeah, so you get nothing.

On with the update.

The biggest takeaway from this lesson is the need to get my elbow back.  I am much better at bending them than I used to be.  Some reason, I always thought with my short, fat arms, and Violet's short neck, that I should hold them straight and in front of me.  No idea why, but it's what happens.  Now that I normally carry them bended, with my elbow at my beltloops, I have to work on bringing them back beyond that.  Not for a normal way of riding, really, but more for warmup when we are working on suppling.  If I exaggerate then, when it comes time for actual riding, I won't have to think about it so hard.

I see some of these in my future. 

The rhythm is supple to the inside by pulling the elbow back, then connect the outside by simply raising that shoulder blade.  So the outside shoulder blade is popping out your back, and the inside is going up.  This can be done at all three gaits.

Leg yield is a work in progress.  Could not seem to figure out how to go forward and sideways at the same time this week.  No fricking clue.  Marcy said it looked better than it felt, but I've seen the videos.  Didn't look so good either.

When working on canter transitions, work into the up so she steps up into the canter.  I also have to work harder at finishing the downward transitions, especially to the walk, otherwise she will just collapse to the walk.  This is especially hard for me when I'm tired.

Amazingly at the canter, if you continue to work the shoulder blades and elbows, the pony does not pop her right shoulder out.  We're still working on the straightness, which you would see if we could show video here, but trust me, we're still working on it.

Once we get the hands figured out, we have to get the motor running.  If she is not listening to the leg, don't nag.  Boot her once if needed to clarify what is being asked.  Or run your heel up her ribcage with the inside leg to get her to pay attention. Kind of like a tickle.  This actually worked quite well.

All in all, it was not an easy lesson.  It was hot.  Like what felt like hounds of hell, hot (although I know, nothing like we will see in August).  I know it just felt that way because it was the first real heat we've seen this year and I sit all day in an over-air-conditioned office, but good lord.  Halfway through I broke out in goosebumps, which is never good.  Need to remember to hydrate BEFORE I get there.  I just hate to drink on the 2 hour drive, or else I have to stop.

Anyway, there are definitely things I have to keep working on.  But there was so much GOOD in the lesson.  I ended with some great canter.  I actually sat the left lead canter, which is huge.  I'm getting the trot work better from the beginning.  And then I saw the video.

I know it's not much, but when you don't really see how you look but once every year or so, it can be pretty amazing to see the difference.  Violet is so very fancy.  And I manage not to ruin the picture, which is more than I could ask for.

So now I have my resistance band set up at my desk, and am working the muscles that impact the elbows (traps, I would guess) every time I stand up.

Firmly wrapped around the monitor holder upper thingy.

Sorry there's no video.  What can I say.  I'm technologically challenged, and have not been able to get any help, other than from Emma.  I tried, girl, I swear!

Just because I love this pic.

Weekend teaser (and wanted Blogger help)

So, this weekend was pretty full.  I will have a full recap sometime this week, once I get all my thoughts on paper.  And once I figure out how to do any of this media stuff.  For some reason I can't get blogger to upload any of my videos.

Let me say that again, I HAVE MEDIA!  And I cannot for the life of me figure out how to post it.

Sorry, I'm very frustrated with this.  I mean, I never get media of me actually ON my horse.  I have some and I can't share it.  And I'm bursting because I'm actually mostly proud of it.  As in, when I saw it on the iPad, I kind of teared up.

When we started with Marcea, it took us 5 months to get to this:

Walk-trot crossrails class in 2011.

Five years later, and this is what we have now:

Dressage lesson on 4/23/16

Yes, I can say it, my pony is fancy AF.  And I have elbows that bend.  

So, I'm just going to leave that there.

Hope you all had great weekends!

Weekend update: And a beautiful weekend it was!

We had one of those rare spring weekends here in Florida that remind me why Spring is my favorite.  And it didn't start out that way.

 What seems like all week, we had been in the midst of a N'oreaster.  I know that seems strange for Florida, but we get a few of them each year here in Jacksonville.  Gray, misty, icky, coldish, wet, very windy.  Just not good weather.  As a matter of fact, when the boy and I tried to go for our beach walk on Thursday (part of the new exercise routine) we only made one mile.  It was blowing 25mph and colder than all get-out (not really, just felt that way in Florida attire and wet windiness).

Handsome man walking on a better weather day

But the barn is 2 hours away.  South.  West.  Not right on the coast.  Yay!

Saturday I headed down to the barn in the afternoon.  I knew Marcy was at the show with Riley, but there was some hope she might make it back to the barn.  But if not, that's no problem.  I haven't been on in three weeks, it doesn't matter if there is a lesson or not at this point.  It was very strange to head into the property, as I have gotten used to people being all over the place and it was empty.  Not even any schooling ship-ins.  Probably because most everyone was at the last show of the Florida season at the Florida Horsepark.

Dwerpy pony, I think you're wearing that wrong

So I get Violet all tacked up and no Marcy, so I head out for a long walk around the perimeter of the property.  It was such a beautiful day, clear and breezy and cool.  Breezy enough that I could feel the air coming through the vents of my helmet.  This is a feeling I love, strange as that is.

I had the whole place to myself.  And it was beautiful!

After our walk around the fields, I checked the barn and still no Marcy, so I went and played in the sandbox a bit.  Violet gave me what I have always called the "big trot" right off the bat, which is truly refreshing.  I used to have to work for 40 minutes just to get 5 strides of that trot, and now, unless she's mad, she goes right to it.  We worked on half circles on and off the center line, with my keeping the inside hand up and towards the neck instead of leading.  We worked on getting true leg yields without fuss off the quarter and center lines, with reaffirming circles once we hit the wall.  We worked on true 15 meter circles instead of 20, with the leg yield step out into the outside rein.  She was fantastic.  Sometime while I wasn't paying attention, it got cloudy.  

We got one fantastic canter transition on the right lead, did a circle with me concentrating on not collapsing to the inside and pointing my chest to her outside (left) ear while keeping her going by putting leg on with the lead.  We did a circle at the end of the ring, then rode the long wall and worked on getting into the corners without breaking.  She was fantastic!

Then we started to do the same on the left lead.  About the time we got partway through the circle, the spitty rain started coming sideways.  This is one thing that is very distracting to the pony.  She does not like water on her face.  Ever.  Not from a hose, not from the sky.  She does not appreciate it.  Needless to say, she broke a couple of times, and our transition was not very good.  So we worked on that until she gave me a good balanced canter with a bend and with her ears indicating that she was listening to me, and not being pissy about the rain.  Once I got the good canter and she was back with me, we worked on our stretchy trot both directions.  Then we were done.  

This was the first time that I can remember that she has been so with me from the time I got on.  Was everything perfect, no, but you can sure tell that someone that knows what they are doing has spent some considerable time getting some buttons installed, and she was willing to accept my fumbling around.  I was proud of myself for insisting that she came back to me in the rain, and that I remembered all that stuff.  Nice to know I haven't completely lost it.

And after all that, she was barely sweating.  Pony is very fit.

When I got back to the barn, about the time I was starting to clean tack, Marcy came in with Riley and we got her all unpacked and repacked, got all the chores done and headed to the house for dinner, beverages, cards and laughter.  This is becoming a habit.  I think it's one I can get behind.

Sunday morning came early.  We headed out to the barn and got everyone in and fed.  I pulled Violet out and tacked up, including the draw reins, per instruction.  We have started using them on jump days.  Now, I know I was always taught you don't jump in draw reins, and I would never consider doing such without the oversight of someone who knows better, but we don't use them to draw her head down.  We kind of use them like side reins in that they are a way for Violet to fight against herself instead of me.  Sometimes she gets to where she just doesn't want to listen when jumping.  You get to the jump field and she is all excited and just basically says "I KNOW THIS PART!  YAY JUMPING!" and totally ignores what you are trying to say.  Once you get going, correcting anything in a line results in her throwing her head in the air and saying "I KNOW EVERYTHING, BUG OFF!"  and can lead to some very interesting jumping efforts. The draw reins help this.  They also help me stay soft and light on her and are teaching me a bit of tact.  So really, they help us both.

Anyway, I started warming up alone.  Marcy was doing me a huge favor by coming out and giving me a quick lesson before going back to the horsepark with Riley to complete their event.  V warmed up great, and we started by trotting poles.  We worked on remaining ridable and me being able to go with her when she gets to the poles without anticipating, and get my eye looking for the next pole.  As Marcy says, she doesn't expect anyone to see a distance 6, 7, 8, 9 strides out.  She expects us to be able to feel the rhythm and feel the horse leave the ground, no matter what the distance is.  We need to be able to ride the canter.  So then we started cantering the poles.  We did three on the right lead, then would halt and back up a couple steps, then pick up the left lead and canter another.  Once we did that successfully, we added in an oxer instead of the last pole.

Poles only

After the fact, I thought to myself, awesome, I went from cantering poles to a 2'6" oxer with no other fences between.  You know, usually you do a couple crossrails, then a vertical.  Nope, straight to the oxer.  

Adding in the oxer

Anyway, we did that, then we switched directions and did pole, oxer to oxer.  Then we did pole to bending line.  Then we did bending line, oxer to oxer.  Always halting and backing up whenever we changed leads.  Not over asking for the canter, and concentrating on looking at our fence until I found the line, then looking to the next fence while keeping the current fence in my peripheral vision while riding the canter and staying consistent and making sure I release enough (I grab a lot of mane...every time.  Big fear of hitting my sensitive girl in the mouth.)   After about the fourth time, we had done really really well with it, and that was it.  Lesson took about 30 minutes, and Marcy was loaded up and down the road by the time I made it back to the barn.

One variation of the jumping, although it's not really drawn right.  And we did other versions, switched directions, added in more trot poles, etc.  I'm just having trouble remembering how to draw...

It was a fantastic two days of lovely horsiness that I needed oh so badly with what all is going on here at work and at home.

You has treats!?

Then I went home, ate lunch, and headed out to the softball field for my first game of the season (I missed the first two).  Um yeah, I haven't played in two years.  I can still catch and throw (good thing, since I'm the catcher), but batting?  Yeah.  Not so much.  I mean, I've never had any power, but I could usually connect. I actually hit the ball on my first up to bat, but it didn't make it past the pitcher.  Second time I went down swinging. Ouch.  No worries though, we lost 20-2 and that wasn't because of me.  We have a history of starting out slow.  And having to scrounge players from other teams, since our players tend to not show up. But it was a beautiful day, and I was doing something other than sleeping on the couch.

Beautiful day for softball.  Not so much for beach walks.

I got home, the man shortly followed, cutting my weekly call to my mother short (thankfully.  I can't stand when they run to the normal 3 hours, ugh).  We went out to the beach to try to walk, but the tide was up, and it was windy and cold again.  I hope this weather pattern breaks soon.  We try to get out there 2 or 3 times a week, and were working on 3+ miles a walk, but this weather is killing that.

Then we went home, ordered stromboli and greek salad and got caught up on Bates Motel and Scandal. Overall, it was a fantastic weekend!

Lack of focus

I know I haven't posted anything yet this week.  I have to say, I have written a post probably three times since last week, but haven't posted it because I didn't want it to be a whiny downer.

Fact is, I don't have anything to post about.  I didn't go ride this weekend because my brother had to unexpectedly move into my house.  I've not been sleeping trying to figure out his situation, and it's got me a bit down.

I read so many other blogs, and I just have to say I'm a bit jealous.  Everyone is getting their first competitions going, or trailering out to gymkahnas or clinics. With the season moving north, my barn will be going off to compete in GA and SC.  I will not be going.  

This coming weekend is the same.  They will be going to Ocala to show, which means no lessons.

And it all makes me wonder if I should just put the whole blogging thing aside for now.  I don't really have much to contribute.  Other than pretty pictures.  I still have tons of those to sort through from the spring show.  That should keep me busy for a bit.  So at least there's that.

Violet's debut part 2: Cross country

Sunday started out early.  I got to the barn and went and took care of my judging duties, then came back to the barn just in time for Jane to start getting Violet ready for cross country.  I again got told to sit down.

While she and Marcy got ready, one of the other rider's mother's decided we should celebrate a beautiful day with a mimosa.  We loaded up 5 people (3 mimosas) and 2 weiners in a two seater golf cart and headed out behind Marcy and Violet to meet them at the cross country warm-up area.  Marcy walked, trotted and eventually cantered around a very busy cross country warm-up area.  I am used to warm-up during a schooling show.  This is kind of mad.  At one point, other rider's mother asked where she went off to.  I located her doing her thing in a quiet area away from the other horses.

Heading into warmup

Unfortunately, we sometimes have an issue with Violet with cross country when other horses are around.  She gets very concerned about leaving the group and will play on the other side of the fence.  Cross country schooling in a group is problematic, and I always flat schooled her away from the other horses.  She will chase the other horses if she gets the opportunity.  We are always aware of that when putting her in these situations.

Warming up on her own

And going the other direction

Anyway, she seemed to warm up pretty well, and she was jumping fine, even with some shenanigan's going on with Lauren Keiffer's horse.  Remember the one that was difficult in stadium?  Still difficult in cross country warm-up.  But she is very tactful and dealt with the situation very well.

Lauren on her greenbean with Marcea on V in the background.

Shiny pony

A pop over the crossrail

And the little vertical

Then we head to the cross country warmup fence

We headed to the center of the cross country field so I could get some pictures.  And I got some great ones. Just to let you know, I did not use any filters on any of these pictures (except the last one because it was dark and the ribbon was reading as blue).  This is just the way they come out. Violet is that shiny and the grass is that green.

In the box

And they're off!

Heading to the first fence

And over the first!

And the second

Over the scary log (my favorite jump) the only A on the course

A little correction in the bending line to B

And over the B

The 4 rail

Heading to the water

Pretty pony jumps pretty

The last fence

Finish!

After completion, Marcea says that Violet spent the first half of the course worried about where the other horses were.  But after the water, she took a deep breath and then was like "I gots this".  In the past, Marcea had gotten time penalties in order to give Violet a calm even ride.  This time she was able to push a bit more and actually had to slow down on the last third of the course, because she was fast.  So she came through double clear on Cross Country day and moved up an additional 3 places, to finish the weekend 7th in her first ever BN rated show.  Not too shabby for the little quarterhorse that wasn't supposed to be more than a local 2' hunter.  Thanks so much to Marcea for taking her out and letting her have a little fun!

Maybe I'll get back to jumping and give elementary a shot again sometime this year...

Violet's Debut part 1: Dressage and Stadium

Let me start by saying I have fantastic video taken by Ginny, but have no idea how to get it loaded here. Thought I had it, but no.  So you get stills.

Let's get to the fun part, right?  It is often joked that I am supposed to be a horse show mom.  I get giddy as a schoolgirl to watch someone else ride my horse.  I'm supposed to be an owner.  I'm supposed to be able to walk around and tell everyone how that star horse over there is mine.  I unfortunately do not have the funds to do that. Instead, I get to be all excited that Marcy is having fun riding my pony in Beginner Novice. She says she had a great time and the pony is fun, so we will just go with that!

After my drippy day in the car jump judging, I headed over to the barn to find the whole crew hanging out eating a late lunch.  Ginny and Pearl and Jean and JR had done their rides for the day, and Marcy and Riley were done (finishing 6th behind Buck Davidson and in front of Jennie Brannigan in a big division, natch).  

Since I am skipping in order and doing Violet before I get to the judging part, let's just say that the day got shuffled a bit.  Saturday was rough.  In so many ways.  Marcy was under the impression that dressage was running about an hour behind, but I had stopped Jeanne, the show manager, on my way off the cross country field and asked.  Through dressage judges eating lunch in the car with no break, they were almost caught up. So I let her know and she headed to change.  Jane pulled V out to get her ready and Ginny and I headed up to the dressage area in the golf cart with the wieners to verify they were not behind.  They weren't.

na na na na na na BAT PONY

Violet looked fantastic in her braids, and was super shiny. 

The weather was starting to break up, but we had a sudden bit of rain just when we headed up to warm-up.  And the wind started to blow.  With four or five active rings, the warm-up area was rather congested.  Marcy found a spot and started to warm up.  There were several other riders of course.  And one horse with a saddle and halter being held that was obviously young and missing it's buddy, who I just assume was using its bridle at that time.

Heading to the warm-up.

As we sat there watching warm-up, I saw it start to happen.  The tent where bit-check was started to blow. They had called at one point to pull the tent down at the start of cross country before I left because the wind was threatening to take it.  This one stayed.  Until Violet was warming up.  At which point it blew over into all the horses warming up around it, taking a trashcan with it.  Horses spooked, at least one reared, although no one in dressage was unseated.  The young one with a halter?  Yeah, buh-bye.  And of course it had to pelt past Violet to get back to the ship-in area.  Violet, my sane, sweet, although definitely red-headed, girl was the one horse in the area that didn't really do anything.  Marcy stopped her and said she twitched like "OK, should I get upset about this?" but then didn't do anything and settled back in to work.  I did feel pretty bad for the girl in the ring who had to stop her test while the horses all scattered about.  No one was hurt, although there is unsubstantiated rumor that a horse in the jumping warm-up went over backwards.  Jane and I darted over to the tent and helped them get it picked up and folded up and out of the way.  Then I looked up and realized my pony was already in the ring!

Warming up.  The tent was just slightly to the left of this shot.

Marcy says when she went by the judge, the judge said she didn't want to use her horn to give the time to enter the ring because she didn't want to further startle the horses, so Marcy just went without one.  

I thought she looked great.  There were a couple of times she threw her head up, and she will never be a big mover.  She is definitely a quarter-horse type.  But a nice test.  Afterward, Marcy was happy with her, especially with everything going on.  And you can definitely put pressure on her in the ring now, which at one point was an issue.  She said the head thing was because Violet was contemplating being upset about the rain hitting her ears.  She really hates that, and was better behaved than I expected, actually.  Anyway, Marcy was happy and we headed back to the barn to rinse her off and let her rest before stadium.  And of course the rain stopped as she stepped out of the ring.

A happy pair after dressage.

So let's talk about dressage scores.  The best dressage score in her division was a 27.  Violet got a 36, which put her in 13th place.  Out of 15.  Um yeah.  The judge did not like the pony's walk.  The walk, guys. She scored GREAT on her trot.  She got an 8 on the first change on rein, 7 and 7.5 on her circles and 7.5 on her second change of rein.  She was so-so on the canter, getting 6's and 7's.  She got a flipping 4 on the free walk.  A FOUR!  Something about lateral movement at the walk.  Marcy explained that some horses move their back feet out to go forward when trying to add impulsion and that is considered moving laterally. Which makes no sense to me.  If she is tracking straight forward and conformationally, her back feet paddle out, that is considered moving laterally.  Apparently that is not allowed with the back feet, although there is some allowance for the front.  Some horses do it at the canter as well, but that is a strength thing that can be corrected.  At the walk, though?  Yeah, not so much.  I know her walk is always a challenge, but we've never gotten a 4 on it before.  Marcy says unfortunately, this judge put a lot of emphasis on it, and while the movement is supposed to be judged on both the walk and the transition to and from, she did not appear to have paid any attention to the transitions, which were great.

There was also another slight issue in that Marcy technically went off course.  Who knows, memorizing multiple tests for herself and her students, added to crappy weather and tent blowing issues made her blank out and she did the canter circles on the long sides instead of the short.  Shit happens.  Lost 2 points there which really should have been more, but the judge was afraid to blow the horn so she couldn't let her know she went off course.  So there you go.  At the bottom of the pack.

Show life is hard for a wiener.

Stadium WAS running an hour behind, so we had a little bit to relax and clean up the barn and do barn chores.  Ginny ran off to watch a friend run Prelim cross country.  Before we knew it, it was time to tack back up.  And I had to be told to go sit down and leave Jane be while she was getting Violet ready.  I am just not used to not doing my own grooming, regardless of who is riding my horse.

Marcy headed up to the warm-up.  I stood there and watched while Buck walked the course with a couple of his riders.  We watched the first few go, because Marcy has a set timing for her warm-up which involves cantering at 6 rides out or something like that.  She was currently 14 rides out, so she and Violet stood and watched.  Lauren Kieffer had a challenging ride, obviously very young and maybe unsettled by all the goings on.  The horse stopped and ducked at one fence, and I swear she went over the fence standing on the side of the horse and then got popped back on afterward.  It was impressive to watch her handle it.  They did indeed get over all the fences, and ended up considerably more confident than when they started.  It would be interesting to watch that one go cross country...

Um, Mom.  Do you see who that is in the ring behind me? 

Then it was time for Marcy and V to warm up.  I got out of the golf cart to do fences and was told to sit back down, the girls were jump crew.  Dammit, that's MY job!  OK, I'll sit and play proud owner with my camera.  Next thing you know, there they go!

In we go.

Yay, jumping!

I could see at one point in the beginning Violet said "half-halt my HOOF", but all in all, it was great.  She was a little...unimpressed...by the fences.  Apparently they have been jumping much bigger on a regular basis in training.  They were clear, and she picked up ALL OF HER RIGHT LEADS (except the first which was a bending line so it didn't count)!  This has not happened in the history of ever in the 7 years I have owned this horse.  And Marcy says she's never even gotten that from her while schooling.  So yay for the pony! Violet finished the day on her dressage score and moved up 3 spots to sit 10th at the end of day 1.  She got taken back to the barn, got a bath, had a treat, ate her dinner and was all tucked in.  So we headed off for some adult libation, pizza, rummy, loud music and laughter.