Happy New Year

No too much going on here.  Christmas has come and passed.  Work is ramping up.  I have Monday off.  Got my little house rented.  We are having our one day of winter today, and I'm missing it. Heading to the barn with the man in tow for lessons and a NYE party at Marcea's tomorrow.  We'll be doing our own good luck dinner at home Sunday night, since he opens on Monday.

Lessons are going well when I have them.  Walk/canter transitions on the flat.  Up transitions are not too bad.  Down is...interesting.  So far, I've gotten canter-trot-walk and canter-halt.  Still working on figuring out the canter-walk, but we're getting closer.  Jumping is good.  Pony loves jumping, and mom's learning to go with it.  Hopefully with boy in tow, we can actually get some video of this weekend's lessons.

I do not do resolutions.  I do have plans, though.  So far they are as follows:

1.  Rejoin Weight Watchers and lose 30 pounds.
2.  Beginner Novice in the April Fools Rocking Horse show.
3.  Pull my credit rating back to the "good" status it has always been by getting the credit card under control.
4.  Paint in the house.

That's about it.  I have a much more detailed list that I put up at home, but these are the big ones.

I hope you all have a safe, joyous, Happy New Year!

Randomness

Before I get started, I just have to say bah-humbug.  It's my blog and I need to vent.

I am not able to participate in Christmas this year, at least not the way I wanted my first married Christmas to be, with a tree and decorations and baking and cooking and coziness by the fire.  My brother is still squatting in my house, and his shit in the garage has blocked the access to the attic. What was supposed to be a short stay when he found himself without a home in April has turned into me spending all the money I have just to get him in a place to be able to share a house somewhere else.  So no presents for basically anyone this year.  No firepit in the backyard.  No Christmas trip with my man.  My candles for the windows are in the attic, as are the ribbons and bows used to make my wreath every year.  It's the first year since 1993 I haven't had my little tree on my desk, because I can't get to it. No show in January because I spent my show money putting him in a position that he would not be arrested for not having a valid drivers license once he's out of my house.  Adding insult to injury, the renter at my other house bailed on me in October, not paying rent and leaving a hell of a mess, and I'm having to spend all my spare time cleaning, painting and getting rid of all her crap. And no, I will not rent it to my brother.  If he can't be bothered to pay me anything for crashing at my house for 8 months, I cannot trust him to actually pay me rent, and I need the money.  I would sell the house, but there is no real market for an 888 square foot patio home.  And while I'm thinking about it, can anyone explain why everything in the world is due in December?  Property taxes, insurance, USEA fees, condo dues, car registrations, etc?  Ok, rant over.  Yes, I feel moderately better.

***

I have no content, since I haven't ridden in, oh, 3 weeks or something, other than a hack after working the start on cross country at the trials last weekend.  But I have some pictures.

Like this one, which shows what happens when the black tornado known as Rory gets a hold of your boots.

And of course the offending puppy.  Can't be angry, he's too cute.  And now they have more character.

Flowers from my now husband received for my birthday.  So cheery!

The strange color change that showed up on Violet's shoulders (equal on both sides) when she was first clipped.  We think maybe the dressage saddle is the culprit?  Changed that up and now they seem to be fading.

The best way to do evening chores..

A shot of Violet's home.  She's so very lucky! That's her waaay out there in the blue and red sheet.

Heading to the farm to do chores tomorrow, since Marcy had her (please god) LAST surgery on her clavicle.  I'll hopefully get in a lesson between helping in the barn and lunging a bunch of ponies.  It's going to be cold (38?) here, but only like for a day and a half.

Saturday jump lesson

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Mine was good.  A little strange, since the new husband and I did it separately, but that's how we do.  I always go home for the big family holiday, and he works retail, so he had to work.  He spent the weekend working in our rental house (cleaning up after some nasty people...ick, and thank you honey) when he wasn't dealing with everyone out shopping.  I did not get to the barn this weekend, so instead, I bring you a post about last weekend's jump lesson...

It was a beautiful day.  The boy and I drove down to the farm, since it was his weekend off.  Lesson was scheduled at 1.

Pony was happily tucked in with her hay in her back on track sheet.

Got tacked up and ready to go for a jump school.  It's not very often we have the jump ring set up with all the fancy jumps left over from the show, so we should take advantage.

The boy and I walked up to the ring, where I discovered Violet was going to be a very willing partner. She just came out ready to work.  I worked on my own a bit on the shoulder in work that we did in our last dressage lesson, while waiting for Marcy to get there.  Of course, as soon as I see the golf cart heading our way, the jump ring is overtaken by a group of four riders and their coach, who were very nice and willing to share the ring.  They just wanted to run through the course, getting ready for the schooling show in December.

We stick to one end of the ring, continuing to work on the shoulder in, and putting Violet into that outside rein.  We did quite a bit of canter circle, down the fence line to the gate, teardrop loop back to the fence and counter canter.  Violet was fantastic.  When we were done warming up, Marcy said something about this being the day we really wanted to be in the dressage ring!

So we started over a small vertical.  Now mind you, this whole time I'm dodging elementary riders that are trying to do the course, sticking to the one fence in the ring that isn't on the course.

Back and forth figure 8 over the vertical, which is going up after each pass.  Concentrating on getting the bouncy canter before the fence.  In front of the leg and maybe a longer stride, but not faster, more up and down.  Concentrating on the counterbend to the fence to keep her in the outside rein.

Because in Florida, we have bugs at the same time clipped ponies wear sheets.

As soon as the other riders each did their course and exited the ring, we moved on, starting with the little vertical bending left to another vertical.  From there we moved to the other end of the ring and did three jumps on a semi-circle, vertical-vertical-vertical, concentrating on keeping her in the outside rein, which put us on a better line.  We did this forward and backwards, then continued to add.

Going to the right, we had the three verticals to an oxer, left hand turn to a vertical.

The first time we did it, Violet about jumped me out of the tack going over the oxer.  I lost all my reins and had to get myself back together for the 6 strides to the vertical.  I managed to get over it, but I lost my line.  We had to do the end of that again,  So we rode the oxer to the vertical again and Violet was spot on.  She is just jumping out of her skin right now.  Marcy said she was really tidy, especially over the last vertical.

I was hoping to be able to see it on video, as the boy was trying, but there was a mix up with the buttons on his phone and we missed it.  So no video.  But it was a great day, and a lot of fun.

A beautiful sunrise over Violet's field.  We are so lucky to call this home.

Show Day 2: Cross country

So after a fantastic stadium round, which left me grinning from ear to ear, we headed back to the barn to get ready for cross country.  A few times, my brain tried to say "I'm nervous" but I just ignored it.

There was nothing on this course we had not done.

There was nothing on this course we hadn't done harder.

It was just one big loop, out the gate to the wishing well/intro trekhaner/mulch box kind of fence, left turn to a bench and out to the main field, right turn up the big hill, left through all the fences around the sunken road, left turn to the edge of the field, back down the hill to the water, left turn and back up to the front field and end where you start.

I lost my map.  I swear I will get the hang of getting all this media stuff for posts in the future.

Roll top heading to the water

My job was to get Violet in front of my leg before the first fence and keep her there.  Know that when we get up to the top of the field around the sunken roads she will be distracted because there are so many fences, make sure I ride each of the fences coming to the water and that the fence after it (about 7 strides) will require me to get her in front of my leg again.  Trot the mound (which was numbered) before hitting the little fence on the other side, which had been moved out further than when we had done the same combination.  Keep my eye up over the ditch and don't forget to ride all the way through the finish flags.

So we did that.

Through the water

I was puffing like a freight train the whole time.  I took a break when I got over the feeder before the mound and trotted waaaaay too long.  And when Violet said "look it's getting dark and I don't want to canter the ditch in the woods since I can't see it" I let her trot again.  So we were over time.

Over the feeder before the mound

I gave not one single fuck.  When I got done, I had a grin on my face.  My girl and I had done something I never thought I would ever do...EVER.  And...we had fun!

In the end, I was way over time.  I finished with 10 time faults, and that dropped me to 7th place. The fact that I kind of let the pony down and didn't get her the placing she deserved hit me on the way home, and there was some personal beating about the head and shoulders (not physically), but all in all, I'm happy.

We finished.  With a score.  And a ribbon.  That was the goal.  Even better, Violet is as confident as ever and I have a desire to try that again sometime.  Due to work, not until March or April, but it will happen.

Success

Show Part II: Stadium

I know, it takes so long between posts.  Unfortunately, I have to do it at work since my computer at home has decided it will no longer recognize any internet connection.  Looks like my Dad bought me a winner last year.  But enough excuses.

So, I jump judged in the morning for the Intermediate, Prelim and Training divisions.  It was a beautiful day and a great way to keep my mind off of the events to come for me later in the day.  After judging (no significant issues on course for any of the levels, really.  A good start for a lot of people, or a good move up for some others), I went back to the barn, watched the Novice riders warm up for cross country and then head off for their courses, and then it was my turn.

We were actually a bit in a rush, to be honest, but I got dressed, Violet got dressed, and we headed to warm up.  Warm up was not too much of an issue.  Violet appeared to be game as ever, and jumping well, and we didn't run into anyone, so that's good.

Ok, so when I walked the course on Friday, I thought maybe my head would explode.  There were too many fences, they were set for Intermediate so they were huge, and I just couldn't wrap my head around them.  We walked it again Saturday afternoon once it was set more to something I could figure, and after watching all the riders ride the course, I wasn't so worried about getting lost.

I forgot to take a picture of the course map, but this is at least close.

The course.  Kind of.  As much as I can remember. 

It started with a straight 7 (for the pony) strides to a bending line, to a single to a bending line to a 2-stride combination, to another single, to a last bending line up the long wall.  There was not a single line that we had not practiced in our jump schools in the previous 4 months.

We got a good pace to the first two, then got a bit of a blooper stride to the third, just because I lost a bit of pace.  I recovered well in the bending line to put in a good jump to 4.  It's a really good thing we practiced all those bending lines.  I concentrated on my line, on staying upright, on keeping my leg on and supporting, on keeping my head up, on keeping Violet in the outside rein and staying soft on the inside, and keeping the outside shoulder on my line.  All those things we've worked on.  And I must say, my brain kept up pretty good.

We got to the bending line to the 2-stride and I was a girl on a mission.  The plan was to go to the outside of the first fence, around the bend to the inside of the combo, in order to get the strides and the line.  Not sure I quite got it, as I got to the first fence of the combination quite close, which meant I had to sit down and push for the 2-stride, to make up the ground I missed from landing short on the in.

This was the oxer before the 2-stride, and I was determined!  We were on a turn, so she's twisted a little, but oh so happy.

WE DID IT!

I swear to God and all that is holy, I had all I could do to keep my brain in my head when we got the 2 strides.  We've NEVER gotten the two strides on the first try.  I guess maybe I'm figuring this crap out, finally.

So, three more to go.  Don't forget to ride all the way through the last fence.

I did it, and as I trotted out of the ring, clean, they announced that I was JUST under time and therefore, double clear!

This may have been the second fence?  Maybe the 8th?  I can't remember.

So that moved me from 5th place up to 2nd, but I did not know that.  I had just an hour to get the pony back to the barn, cleaned up, tack switched, and head out to cross country.  I was riding on a cloud and more and more convinced we would actually get this done!

I promise to have the next update (cross country) done before I leave work tomorrow.

Repost of dressage test

The last posting of this didn't work.  Try this one.

Dressage time - RH Fall show, Day 1

Ok, so We of course started out with dressage time.  I had a good, but not perfect dressage school on Friday.  Pony really seemed to be listening to me.    I was really able to push the trot especially, and worked some on the canter and getting her to give to me a bit.  I'm still figuring out the pressure needed between the reins for her.  Anyway, good school.  Nice night at Marcy's, no need for the early wakeup we usually have because the girls were working this weekend, so morning chores were mostly covered.

My ride time wasn't until after 2, so I spent the day wandering around kind of aimlessly.  Strange for me not to be working, but volunteer duties were covered.  Violet got braided and tucked back in her stall in her BOT and slinky for the day.  It was nice and cool, so she didn't get hot.

Super-pony just needs her cape!

Then came time.  I dressed up, put on my coat (surprisingly quite comfy), hopped oh so gracelessly into the saddle and headed up to the warm up area.  We had a little spook as we came around a trailer and Violet was confronted by her old nemesis, her shadow.  I was to take my test in front of someone I have tested with previously.  She's pretty well known in the area as being a hard judge.  But a fair and consistent one.  Just doesn't really give 20s.

Warm up was good.  Violet was able to ignore the other horses and OMG COWS across the street and pay attention to me, and I was able to pay attention to her and only her and that never happens.

We headed around the ring and then it was our turn.

There were a couple of places her head popped up and she was not as forward as I would like, but it felt good.  It was accurate.  I was able to get her back after a couple of moments of unsteadiness.  I actually smiled during the test.  And when I finished, there was clapping from my teammates that had come up to watch.  I can say I was proud.  There are always things to work on, but we fancy-pranced around in the white sand and actually kind of look like we belonged there.

I have included the video here.  I'm sorry, but I just cannot figure out how to get it to be the right direction.  If you are diligent, and really want to see, you can turn your head.  Sorry, but I'm just not adept at all this stuff.

So after our fabulous test, Violet got her braids out, was fed and turned out and we had a small gathering of people at the barn for a happy hour.  People included team members, parents and the show farriers (who do a fantastic job.  I can say that, since Violet sees them every 5 weeks).  It was nice and low key.

Curly head, post-braid, waiting on dinner

The next morning I got my test.  I scored a 32.3 which put me solidly in the middle of my class (5th out of 10), and was a full 8 points higher than the last test I rode and was easily my best score (Violet has one better score in the 20s with Marcea)!  We got nothing below a 6, and even got a 7 on one of our canters!  And of course, fixed our halt problem from our last test for an 8!

The best part by far was the comment written on the bottom by the judge.  "She has a wonderful attitude - you are lucky to have her.  Good Luck!".  Yes, everyone loves the pony, and it is really nice to have the judge recognize that she is special.

Yes, this special.

Derp.  Give me that apple, woman!

And oh so beautiful.

So that's how our first show experience started.  It's the only sideways video you get, but I do have some kick butt pro pictures already of the jumping, so that's to come.  Beginner Novice was the only division that only did dressage on Saturday.  Sunday coverage will come later this week.