But Fleck saves the day!!!

And we had an awesome weekend after all!!!! 

I sooooo needed that too. I'm sooooo mad at work right now.... I think if I hadn't been able to get away to the horse show I would have quit. So... yay :) Feeling so much better now... It was a fabulous weekend!!!! Such fun friends and fun ponies and fun dogs.. 

So we got there Friday and worked on dressage. Beth totally gave me a new plan that really helped supple Fleck and unlock the resistance at the base of his neck. And it's so easy too. I had to leg yield him out, but to the point of throwing his shoulder out and almost overflexing his neck in. Like Kim was having me do awhile back... trot straight but have his head to the inside. Then once he was unlocked I could close the outside rein, touch him with my outside leg and bring him into the outside aids with my inside leg. I just have to remember that inside leg. It's all the same stuff everyone (including Beth) has been telling me all along but now I'm finally able to unlock his neck and shoulders first which then ALLOWS the rest to happen. Yay!! I can do it at the walk, trot, and canter. And she pointed out that what I felt was too much bend and flexion was proper bend and not nearly as much as I was thinking. :) So whoo hoo. We quit with that for the day.

Saturday was a super early day as my dressage was at 8:03. But Hannah and Jamie braided the night before for me and we put the slinky on Fleck. Hee hee.. I wasn't sure how it would work because I was afraid he'd rub all his hair out. But he was awesome... as usual, and the braids looked great in the am. I'm totally doing this from now on!! It'll save me some serious time in the am. So we got warmed up and Fleck felt great!! Our test was pretty darn good. I felt like he was a little.... not quite forward enough. It was a nice test, but we didn't go for brilliance. But that's okay. That arena is just tiny!! And like I said, it was a nice test. All 6 and 7's and one 8! Our halt probably would have been an 8 too but I screwed it up. Argh.. So we ended up with a 35. Not too shabby for us. I think that put us in 6th or 7th place of 9. Then we got ready for stadium and went and warmed up. Fleck was ALL FIRED UP!! Like bucking and hopping in place! He seriously couldn't wait for his turn! The course was tough but looked like a blast. A double and a triple!!! Whoo hooo. So we went in and we jumped the first four fences awesomely... Then as we landed off of fence 4a, which was the two stride... I felt him drift left.. and it crossed my mind that he was drifting and I just... sat there! And did nothing. So Fleck drifted past his spot and quit. Doh!! Bad Mommy! So I circled and he jumped it great that time but then I got flustered and let him get long and flat and I was all discombobulated up there. I resorted to high hands, pinching knee and getting by on a wing and a prayer. Fleck pretty much said "fine... if you aren't going to fix it... I'll just do it myself' and got us around the rest of the course with only one more rail. So... 8 points and 1 point in time were added to our score. Ugh.. Or more than that because we somehow ended up with 60 penalty points. Ugh.. I was so mad at myself... And Fleck was PISSED at me... he was prancy and bucky and just mad. So we went back to warm up to fix me and Fleck was still jumping great but I just couldn't get the hang of him. It was like he was so fired up that I wasn't putting my leg on because before I could even think go, he was already bouncing up into the canter and dragging me. And I KNOW I need leg, but.. my brain wouldn't do it. But we finally ended on a good note and quit to avoid punishing him. And then it was beer thirty! 

We had a good time at dinner too and Fleck got a nice sunset graze after his good work that day. Sunday was a later day so we slept in a teeny bit. He was nice and happy with tight cool legs in the am so after his little walk, pee, and hosing off of poultice, I left him with alfalfa and went to go watch some of the prelim XC. I had walked the course Friday for fun and... man, it looked like FUN but also like a really tough course. And the ditch and wall was the fifth fence on course so I would have likely been eliminated or retired right there. But the rest looked fun. So anyways, I finally got to get ready and Fleck and I were ready to roll. He cracks me up. He was half asleep while I was tacking up but as soon as we hit warm up... I could hardly control him. We did a lot of cantering instead of walking and trotting... a lot of sideways movement instead of stopping or walking.. But.. with Beth's help I got it figured out. And HALLELUYAH! we figured him out!!! It's so simple, but for whatever reason I was finally able to put it all together. Beth said that he likes to lengthen as he gets closer but that it scares him and he doesn't like jumping from the long stride, so he shuffle steps and loses energy. So... she told me to shorten him to the jump but KEEP THE LEG ON!! If he gets there short, then perfect... if he gets there and I see the slightly longer distance, because he is short and balanced and bouncy, he's right there ready to move up to the longer distance. Aha!! And it seriously worked!! As long as I kept my leg on. I was able to manage the fire breathing dragon and he jumped like a boss! So we were ready!! We took a few minutes of walking (or attempting to walk) to let him catch his breath, then jumped one more and then another short breather and then it was our turn. He was ON!! I had to circle him around the start box because he was so fired up. He was bouncing... literally bouncing!! They were laughing at me at the start box. He was the VERY happy appy. He shot out of the box like a rocket and we were off. It was probably one of the most perfect XC courses we've had. He nailed every single fence. We were in sync over every single fence. I saw every single stride and was with him. And he was tearing it up between fences! It was SOOOOOOOOO much fun! I almost may have to just be a professional training level ammy. hee hee.  It was a really fun course. He ate everything up and jumped everything with his big boy panties on. I'm soooo proud of him. And of me... I shortened him up to a nice bouncy energized gallop and we were just spot on! We made time easily despite me letting him take some slightly longer stretches but I knew we were right on our time because of the minute markers. I'm so freakin' proud of him!!!!

So we didn't add anything to our score but because of the horrid stadium, we stayed in 7th... out of 9. Although there were two eliminated in stadium, so.. we were last of the finishers. Ha! But that's okay... that XC ride would have been worth just about anything. SO MUCH FLECKEN FUN!! 

I love my pony.... And I'm feeling SUPER confident for our redebut at prelim at FENCE. I honestly think that IF *I* could have ridden him that same way on the prelim course, he would have jumped around like a boss on that course too... ditch and wall included!!! BUT... I'm not sure I could have ridden him like that being more nervous on the prelim course. But he seriously felt super amazing!!!

whooo hooooo!!!!  

well double crap

That was not the ride I was hoping for... sigh....

It's totally my fault... I came to battle unprepared!! Beth had to cancel our lesson so Christina and I decided to jump and trail anyways. I set up some fun jumps... nothing huge, but not all wimpy stuff. But because I was thinking it would be a fun day... I didn't put on my spurs, left my crop, and rode in my dressage bridle. And I guess my mentality was more of a "let's just hop over some stuff for fun" instead of "let's prep for the horse show" without realizing it, so..... It wasn't a great ride prior to a show.

He jumped the first few low jumps just fine but then I came to the oxer and he stopped. Christina said I picked and shortened and never added leg. So I came back with a lot of leg and he stopped again. Argh!! So I smacked him a bit. Came again and he jumped it. So we carried on and then he stopped at the coop a few jumps later. So I smacked him again, even though I believe that one was my fault too. So then we jumped and it was scattered crazy jumping and he was bolting on landing. So I got mad and smacked him, then started crying because I knew it wasn't his fault and I was still smacking him. Sigh.... Christina talked me down... And then I really started riding and Fleck took his punishment like a man and manned up. We even got to the swedish oxer on a cross canter, crooked and way to the left.. and he jumped it!

We finally ended with some really good jumps. And Christina pointed out that maybe it was a good thing to get the "brawl" out and done with before the show... that way I'd ride sharp and correct at the show. Yep... good point. And once I got in the right mindset, it was fine.

So then we went for a hack and had fun splashing in the lake! It was a good day after all. Now just a few more days of work and then off to Pine Top!

blehhhhh

So... I need to remember to NOT work my ass off prior to a horse show. Sigh.. I don't know what I'm thinking sometimes. Between the 82 hr week, then the 40 hr week, then another 82 hour week coming up... the bad weather, the stone bruise, and the missing shoe.... Poo.. Just POO!! 

So yeah... after our AMAZING XC school (I'm going to focus on that!!), Fleck got Sunday and Monday off. Luckily I was able to get Kip to meet me today and get the shoe back on before our dressage lesson. And Fleck was sound.. if not really loose... It was like riding an octupus. And I guess it's just because I didn't have him really connected? I don't know. It was sort of a frustrating ride today. 

I started out trying to get his back up and it took awhile...I was trying hard not to do too much, but still felt like I was constantly fussing at him, especially at the walk. Then Cindy got a hold of us and had me halt and reinback. Ack.. it was fussy! So we fixed that (yay) and then Cindy had us walk on. She said to pick up the trot but imagine reining back first. So... in other words, really half halt and sit him on his hiney. I really like this trick!! It was really helpful for me. So then we did the same thing from the trot to the canter. Good stuff! 

Then she had to sneak away for her meeting because she ran late, so I let Fleck have a breather. Peri helped me with the turn on the haunches. I just cannot get it!!! Still, going left.. I screw it all up. Peri told me to ride it by starting it with a haunches in instead of shoulder in. That actually really helped. It's essentially a half pass pivot. Not a shoulder in pivot. So that helped, but of course I'm blocking him with my left hand and left leg. And I have to really get my right leg back to keep him from stepping over with that inside hind instead of turning. Well, when I do that.. it works for a step or two and then I get all scrunched off and off balance. Sigh.. but we did make progress.

So then Cindy came back and we went back to work. We did some canter three loop serpentines and one was bad (I was leaning forward, rushing, and sliding side to side instead of forward with my hips), and one was good. Then we did some canter half-pass. Although I doubt it was a real canter half pass. BUT.. I did have two or three steps of what felt (and looked in the mirror) like a true canter half pass. Yay! But in the process of that... we sorta had an all out come apart! Fleck isn't truly in my outside rein on the right (tracking left) so he's too strung out and then bracing on the left rein. So I try to correct it on the left rein, but instead I should be connecting him and putting him together and upright on the right rein. I felt like I was really trying but I just couldn't hold on to him long enough. Argh... so we had a freak out, but then I managed to get it. And then we had a nice canter to walk, so we quit with that.

So .... good work, but a little frustrating too. But oh well. I've got stadium tomorrow with Beth, then it's a day off because of work, then off to Pine Top! I hope we can get back to last Saturday. I think mostly it was because of my mood. I'm just grumpy because I'm sick, haven't been sleeping well, and am sick of working and working and working!!! One day off to myself is just not enough. Especially when you add in the bills, the grocery shopping, the laundry, the inventory for the e-clinic, etc... I'm just .... tired and grumpy. 

But I'm sure that Flecky will cheer me up tomorrow :) Maybe I'll even sneak in a trail ride first. That always cheers me up. AND... my jump saddle should arrive tomorrow too!!!!! So yep.. reasons to smile. I'll feel better soon!

This horse is on Fire......

Alicia Keyes style ;)

Fleck was awesome today! I had so much fun. We went and had a XC lesson with Beth and Fleck was awesome!!!! She had us warm up how Buck did.. Lots of forward and collect and forward and collect in the canter. Basically, when I close my leg, that means MOVE NOW! He should shoot forward. And he did :) I was giggling because usually the collection is the harder part. But he was pretty good with that too. So then we warmed up over some jumps and it took one or two but we got our groove on. We even rode straight and corrected our left drip mostly! Beth asked "who are you and what did you do with my student?" because I was riding so well too. I was so proud! I still let my leg slip and I still did plenty wrong, but in general, I was pretty darn good!

Fleck was hilarious! He really was on fire! He was rarin' to go and would go immediately into the "start box canter" and even got a little feisty! A few times I had foamy froth flying back in my face! hee hee. But then he was all go and as soon as I pulled him up, he would immediately go down and eat grass. Ha ha... It was chomp, chomp, gallop, gallop, stop, chomp, chomp, gallop! hee hee..

I had set up a vertical at the prelim bank and there was a coop already set up. AND... someone had left three handy barrels. So we were set! We went up and down the novice bank and worked on me. I need to not balance on his face, but not get left behind. But definitely don't jump ahead. Although our one fence that was a little scary was more because of his long strung out canter than me truly jumping ahead. I need to go with him, so that he can land and carry on. So then we did up to a bounce pole, then up to a bounce barrel. So to get him moving forward, Beth wanted me to land and go. Well, dumb me... landed, let my leg slide back and goosed him with the spurs. Poor kid.. he threw his head up and porpoise bucked about 8 times. Ha ha.. Oops, sorry budyy! After that though, Fleck was great and moved forward at each landing. Without me goosing him. Then we did the prelim line. We started with the vertical on the bendy line to the up bank to the coop. He NAILED it!! It was awesome. Then we turned around and did pretty darn well down too. Then Beth set up a single barrel (Not upright) with no ground lines and said if I came downhill and did it perfect, she'd buy me dinner.. and a milkshake! I asked if she set it upright... would she buy my saddle? Ha! She said NOPE! But I didn't get dinner... or a milkshake. It took us two tries. But only two tries. Then we did the one bank to the other bank. Then we ran our loop de loop thing. It was fun.

Then we did some mini courses and jumped some roll tops in a line up hill and downhill, then the coop to the water in. And Fleck jumped like a big boy. Jumped in, not puttered in. The stutter step is ONLY allowed at down banks. And I MUST keep my leg on him to avoid it from becoming more than just a stutter step to help get an extra peek. Then we did the ditches and trakenhers and he did well when I rode forward. I think we finished with another mini course which ended with the water. It was great! I am so proud of him.

So then we went to the lake to soak his knees and Fleck was pawing.. and then suddenly tried to go down. I managed ot keep him up, but... apparently he lost a shoe. Doh!!! Mannnnn, we just got over the abscess. Oh well... It was such a good day! He was awesome and rarin' to go.. and I rode well and even managed to ride my plan and fix issues as they were happening. It was a glorious day!!

Minus the missing shoe. ;)

Hog Heaven! Sounds about right!

So.... not much time to ride this week because of work Sun, Mon, and Tues and then the day practice Thurs, Fri and Sat morning. So that meant that I needed to ride Wednesday. And of course, Wednesday was super cold and windy. But... I WANTED to ride! Not only did I need to ride, I wanted to ride. So we did. I bundled up and put Fleck's quarter sheet on and we braved the weather. We had a pretty good dressage school. Again, no stirrups! We worked on what we worked on with Hokan. Mostly getting him stretched over his topline and connected. Then I did a few movements from the prelim test. We had some good work and probably one of our better leg yields off the wall to our bad side. And we had some good canter work too. Of course we also had some spook and bolts when the wind was especially brisk!! Silly almost half TB. :)

Then we did a quick trail ride because once we stopped working.. it got cold!! 

So yep... Can't wait til Saturday! It's supposed to be back up to the 60's or higher. Not like today... high of 45 with a windchill of 35!






No idea how we managed this!! I got off and this is what his bridle looked like. Hee hee... I guess he rubbed or something at some point. Doh!! Fleck's trying to bring back the side pony! :) I'd say he's ROCKIN' it!

Dressage Weekend

So yay!!! Flecky is still sound. Guess it was either a bruise or he popped the abscess. We'll find out at the next shoe cycle I guess. Either way... I'm happy!

So on Friday I got an email saying that they need a rider for the GDCTA Scribe clinic and I had offered to help, so... I was riding 2-3 at 1:45 on Sunday. Ackk!!! I haven't ridden a straight dressage test in eons! Like... literally a year! And 2-3 at that! Egads... 

So Saturday I headed out to ride. No stirrups again because I'm being a good girl. It was COLD and windy and brisk and miserable. Fleck was quite spooky and didn't really settle down but we managed some decent work. We ran through the test twice and the first time was wretched. The second time we accomplished it but it wasn't pretty. But at least we accomplished it. Lucy was working on the arena fence for the show next weekend so I decided to quit with that and go for a trail ride. Man was it cold!!! By the time we finished, we were both shivering. And I had on fleecey breeches, long underwear, a long sleeved shirt, polar fleece sweatshirt, and my vest with fleece lining. BRRRR.

 (this was taken with my "solarize" option on my phone. It FELT this cold!)


So then Sunday we headed to High Point... dirty, unclipped, unbraided, but neat and tidy otherwise. ;) We warmed up and the footing was pretty bad where we were warming up. It was frozen and pocketed because of all the rain and then the freeze. So we tried to stay in the smoother areas. I worked on just getting him supple. Then Danielle, the new working student, came to warm me up. Since we only had about 10 minutes, we worked on the canter transitions. I told her that I was having a hard time keeping him cantering when I tried to collect him and that our 10 meter circles were too wide. So she watched us and said he was bulging right. She had me really get him into the left rein by leg yielding out a bit and shoulder in-ing. So then once we got that, our canter transition was much better, especially if I didn't lean forward. Then as long as I maintained that outer rein, our canter was great as was the downward. Like.. surprisingly good. At least for us. :) So then we did our ten meter circle and since he was drifting out, she told me to take my inside leg off. Well duh! I did and turned him with my outside aids and it was amazing the difference it made. He suddenly turned and stayed in a 10 meter circle. YAY!! Then we played with the turn on the haunches. Sigh... I just cannot coordinate my aids for that darn movement. Either way. One was is too rushed and more spinning, the other is not forward. Argh.. oh well. Then we had to go ride our test.

Sandy Osborne was the judge who was teaching the scribe clinic. She's .... tough! I think she was very correct and very right in her scores and I loved that she used the whole scale. But she's true... she doesn't give out any points just because. So I was extra nervous. We went in and Fleck was great... but I panicked. I didn't even feel that nervous but I just focused on the test only. I didn't ride my horse, the gaits, the balance, the rhythm, or anything. I just rode the movements. And sure enough.. we got all the movements in the sense that we did them where they were supposed to be, without breaking gait, and he picked up the counter canter. BUT.. it sucked!!! He was running, on the forehand, not connected, not supple, not engaged, etc. Not his fault.. he did what I asked.. which was to just do the movements. So... I got nailed for it. And she basically said that we weren't ready for that level. Which is no surprise. We're not! I will continue to ride 2nd level at schooling shows but no way are we showing recognized yet. I think we're capable of 2nd level work when I can focus on the gait and balance but not when I try to run a test. So.... it was pretty much what I knew and was expecting to hear. And it was sorta nice to have the reminder that yes... I really need to get my act together. I know he can do it... So... now I'm all motivated to go out and hit up the schooling shows and practice RIDING in my tests. :)
 
I actually really like 2-3. It's a great test for Fleck. I think he does the SI to renvers pretty well, the canter work is all last, and it comes right after the walk, so no worrying about jigging and getting worked up as much. So.. we'll see. I guessed we would score a 55 if she was generous. We actually got a 57, so... not too bad. Especially considering I haven't ridden a true dressage test in a year or so and we had only run through it twice the day before. :)

Now two days off because of work and then we'll play Wednesday!
 

Well poo!

So... it was cold and icky out Saturday and since it was "Mike Day"... I opted out of riding. Really wishing I hadn't because on Sunday Fleck was lame. :( Well poo! We had a fun XC day scheduled with Beth at Ashland. I spent almost an hour carrying standards and poles out to the field so that I could work on some technical stuff. And because it was so wet out I did it by hand, not with a truck. Argh... So then I got all tacked up... studs, boots, martingale, breastplate, etc. Walked him down and as I picked up the trot, he suddenly went lame. Almost three legged lame! What on earth?!? So I hopped off... nothing in his foot, nothing in his boot. Got back on and he was better but obviously off. So... I did some cantering thinking maybe he was just locked up in his stifle and that would smooth him out. He was happy enough to go too! Not like when his knees really hurt and he just didn't want to. So we cantered a bit and then trotted and he seemed almost sound. So I thought I'd see what happened. He's got scabs on his hocks from sleeping and I thought maybe he busted one open and it just smarted. Well, we trotted over a baby log and he was happy to do it.. but still off. So I quit. Not worth it. But... almost worth it...argh! I was really looking forward to the jumping lesson. And we had a photographer... Sigh... oh well.

So back home we went and I ended up bringing Danny back out to play. Which was fun. Poor Fleck was worse by the time we got home. Really ouchy and holding his foot cocked. It was a back foot so I wasn't super panicky. I knew it wasn't his knee, so... I was okay. Mostly. Luckily, my BFF is super vet and she said she'd stop by on her way home that evening. So I uploaded everyone else's fun pictures while I waited. She got here and it looked like it was an abscess. He was definitely tender in a very specific spot near his toe that was hot and soft. And he was walking toe to heel and resting that foot. So... soaking and wrapping commenced! I was hoping that it would pop quickly because it was so acute and so painful!

 Not so though. The next morning he was still off and ouchy. So more soaking and more wrapping. Although I will say that he was MUCH better. But not quite right. Tuesday was the same. I cancelled my dressage lesson. :( Then Wednesday rolled around and he looked 95% sound. So I thought well... I'll just go for a nice slow walk hack. He's going to be walking around in the pasture anyways.. and I don't weigh much... and maybe some forced exercise will force it to come out! So we went over to Ashland. Despite the sunshine it was bitter cold! I rode in my dressage saddle so I wouldn't be tempted to do much. And I was a little worred about his jump saddle and his back. Christina chiroed him while she was looking at his foot and she said his back was a little tender. So anyways.. no stirrups day four for me. We did some trotting in the fields and he was actually pretty sound so I trotted along. Unfortunately we hit a patch of gumballs and suddenly Fleck was lame again! Holding his foot up in the air lame. Argh.. I got off, checked him out, and within a few minutes he was putting weight on it again. We headed back in and by the time we got back to the XC field he was 75% sound again. So then I started to wonder if it was a stone bruise. It just seemed like he was okay until something touched it or pushed on it and then he would be super sore for a bit, then just slightly sore, and then gradually better. I guess an abscess could potentially do the same thing to. So we headed back and he actually wanted to play and canter a bit, so I let him. 

Then on Thursday he looked much better so I headed out again for another trail ride. This time I was hoping to jump the jumps I had spent the hour putting up. I had to take them down today so.. it was my only chance. But I was brave.. and put on my jump saddle without stirrups! Day four! We mostly walked on the trails as Christina wasn't feeling great, but we did some trotting. Fleck felt great! Of course I cheated and gave him some equiox. Although I gave it because of the jumping not because of the foot, but I figured it couldn't hurt either way. I knew it wasn't a tendor or anything... and a bruise or abscess wouldn't be hurt/made worse by a little bit of pain relief. So Fleck felt great so I decided to do a bit of trotting and cantering in the field. He still felt great so I thought I'd at least jump the angled line I set up. It was supposed to be a Doug Payne exercise he posted about in Practical Horseman, but I'm not sure I set it up right. It said to set up a vertical in the middle. Then walk 25 feet from the standard and place another standard. Then make it a jump perpendicular to the middle jump. We did this on both sides, so it was a triple with two strides on a bending line IF you did it parallel... but if you did it perpendicular... I saw no way to jump it without....??? No way to jump it! So I made it parallel and Fleck rocked it!! He stayed straight in the middle of all three. Whoo hooo!! We did it 3 times and then I called it quits. But go me too for not having stirrups and still keeping a pretty decent position.  :)
 
So... it wasn't the big schooling I wanted, but at least I got to jump some of the stuff I set up. He gets Friday off because of work and then hopefully Saturday and Sunday he'll still be sound. So far so good. Then it's a long week of ER and day clinic work so I'm hoping to squeeze in many rides. Because soon it's Pine top!!!