XC Prep for next weekend

I heart Julie Zapapas! I wish I could get over to Aiken to ride with her more often. I had a good ride with her today. Fleck and I got up early and hauled to Aiken and lucked out with the weather. It stormed all weekend long but we were able to ride with only the briefest and lightest of mistings of rain. yay!

I was frazzled and rushed as usual. My morning wasn't cooperating with gas and potty breaks and such. So I got on and despite Julie telling me she had plenty of time, I got busy. I was buzzing in my head and going at mach ten. Julie stopped me and basically told me to "Stop and breathe"! I needed it. I don't know if she caught on to the buzzing in my brain about life and such, or was just catching on to my monkeying around on Fleck's back, but she told me that I needed to quiet it down. That I owed it to Fleck and myself, to relax and allow MYSELF this 45 minutes each ride. To get all of the other thoughts and stuff out of my head and focus on me and the ride. I was crooked and creating so much static for Fleck that he was tuning me out. And rightfully so. She told me to stop, breathe, and pay attention to my body - turn my wrist so my blasted left hand wasn't cocked, sit up straight so I wasn't collapsing on the left side, even out my shoulder blades, sit evenly on both seat bones, lay my calves (not my spur) against Fleck's sides and hold them there, and ride with even hands, giving (or rowing almost) with the reins. And to count! And it worked. Fleck became soft and supple and even and fancy! Phew... It was also fantastic for me. It's what I needed to hear. I'm too busy. In life in general, but too busy in my brain. I owe it to both of us to let go of all that crap and ride. Especially at shows, when I've put so much time, energy, money, etc into them. 

So we warmed up and he was lovely. Then instead of taking a walk break, we went straight to jumping. Julie said that why take a break and lose what we just achieved?! Makes sense. We took a breather after a few jumps. :) 

So yeah... Fleck stopped at the simple drop into the water! What?!?! Argh. I eventually got him sorted out but I think I was being almost too quiet. Julie had me focus on those same things and ride him straight, without using my spurs. She wanted me in a sitting two point up to the fences and to just canter until we ran out of room and then jump the jump. (I kept jumping ahead). We figured out as the jumps went on that I was being a bit too quiet. Which was great, because then I could whisper and he heard me and responded. But I did have to tell him something sometimes. I couldn't just abandon him. So, while I wasn't picking or flailing, I was sitting up and balancing him when he needed it, and supporting him. I think I needed to close my leg a bit more over most of them as we kinda lurched over some of them. But that was us getting used to being quieter. We also needed a bigger gallop. Fair enough. I was settling in my brain, which I needed to do. Now I know to do that but also add more leg. And Fleck will go. The other thing she picked up on is that I'm suddenly holding Fleck's mouth to the combination type fences. Not pulling back. But holding. Almost like I'm clenching the reins between my fingers - squeezing the poo out of them. I realized it when Julie kept saying soften your fingers and as we went up the bank with no impulsion I found that I was hanging on his mouth. Eeeks. SO then I softened my fingers and he went forward again! No more putzing at the base of the jumps or ditches or banks. I don't know why I was clenching. But again, once I softened, I had to let him know I was still there. 

So once I did that.. it was fantastic!! We had some bobbles here and there, but... because we could talk to each other and I was more balanced, I was able to go with him. I wasn't flopping around up top like a crazed monkey. And even with the bobbles, Fleck could hear me and do what I was asking because I wasn't hindering him. :) 

Yay!!! Good confidence boost for us both I think. And I'm really glad we did some skinny work, bank work, and apparently the water work. That was out of the blue.. though maybe I was clenching.

So feeling much better for next weekend. I'm hoping to get one more quick little jump school at Ashland before then. Just to pop him in and out of the water and maybe do another bank or something. So... we'll see. If it goes well, we'll continue on the P3D plan. If not, then... we'll abandon ship and come up with another plan.

 

Aha!!!! It's so simple!!

 

So... Look at how good he looks!!! He had a session with Kathryn yesterday and she got him to open up his withers! He was able to take a big deep long breath! Yay!! So, instead of our long 2 hour walk, I gave him the day off to let his work settle. And I was getting a migraine. 

But today we had a lesson with Beth. I decided to do some flat work since we're going to school XC on Sunday with Julie. And I'm so glad I did! It was awesome!! Fleck started off a bit mincy but after a stretchy canter, he felt amazing! We worked on our trot lengthens. I need to shoulder fore in the corner and then burst out in the lengthen! However, I need to be strong enough to support him and strong enough to be able to keep him supple too. And we got some decent lengthens!! But then I need to remember to collect him afterwards, so that we show a difference. I can't just let him run off his feet right after. 

So then we went to the canter. Ha!! Poor Beth. I love that she takes the time to talk me through it. She wanted me to flex and counter flex him but only at the poll. And we did this at the trot too. I was to keep the inside bend in his barrel and neck, but change the flexion back and forth at the poll. At the canter, going to the right, she said that we get too bent in his neck. So she wanted me to keep his neck straight! Which meant really holding that left/outside rein. However, when I do that, he tends to counterflex. Nope, no longer allowed!! So that's why she keeps telling me to keep an active inside rein too! Duh!! So yes,keep the neck straight with a firm outside rein, and keep my inside rein active and low, to keep the inside flexion. But just enough to get flexion, not enough to cause him to fall in. So then Beth pointed out that when I did that, Fleck would try to bulge his right/inside neck in and that wasn't allowed either. It was because he was falling in. So now... I've got to sit to the right (thanks for point that out too Kathryn), keep my right leg on him so he bends around my leg, keep the inside flexion and keep his neck straight! Harder than it sounds! Easy enough, but hard for us. Bad habits are hard to change. And it requires a whole lot of core and right leg. Which is apparently weak on me. But yep.. And it's the tiniest little bit of flexion change that causes the whole train to derail. If he goes slightly to the outside at the poll, then his neck bulges to the inside, then his barrel follows. Sigh... But now I know! And now I need to get greedy!! And keep it! And I think it just might be easy enough. Because that canter...wow!!! It felt amazing... straight, supple, powerful... Sweet!!! And that's to the right too, our icky side! 

So then we went for a short hack with Hannah. A nice change of scenery. 

It started getting darker and darker when we got back. And we didn't make it! It downpoured just as I was loading the ponies up. Oh well. :) Rain won't melt us. :)

But more gallops

 

So.... back to work!! I was really hating that I didn't ride Sunday. So I meant to ride Monday, but Sunday overnight was insane. Then I thought I'd ride Tuesday, but Monday was insane. Ugh... So finally, on Wednesday, it was time to ride! Regardless of how exhausted I was. But I manned up and we did another gallop set. It was hot and humid by the time we got out there, but it was my only option.

We did 15 minutes of walk, 20 minutes of trot, then three gallop sets. The first one we did was 4 minutes and Fleck was going!! He was galloping like a beast! He did start breathing heavy again. Which is still worrying me. But he was happy to go. We did the 4 minutes and I gave him a three minute breather, but even before then he was trotting again. So then we did 3 minutes at a slower canter because at this point, he realized that perhaps he didn't want to run like a fiend. Then another breather, again, during which he was ready to go, and then our final 3.5 minute gallop.

And finishing with a little trot to the lake to soak!

 

But oh my!!! The goose poop was very intriguing to Fleck. Hee hee. He kept snorting at it and splashing at it. Hee hee.

 
Oh, and go me! I did three 2 minute sets of two point while Fleck was trotting today! That's 3 times as much as I did last time. :) 

Lazy day...so much for go time.

Ugh... I needed this! Rough rough week, and it's not even over yet. I picked up some extra shifts and it seems like suddenly every one wants to have their horse adjusted. So, on top of working the Sunday overnight after grid day, then riding Monday morning and then adjusting 8 horses and 1 dog Monday afternoon, and then playing Tuesday and then working the Tuesday overnight, I also worked my usual Wed, Thurs, and Fri overnights. I was exhausted!! It was not slow at work at all either. It was non-stop. So I only managed to ride Saturday. I probably could have ridden Sunday. But instead I went to visit with Mom and Ken with Mike and then when we got home, I opted to nap instead of ride. I really wish I had just ridden, but it was probably smart. It was slammed Sunday night again and then again Mon and Tues overnights. 

So, we just took a nice fun ride. We started in the dressage ring and ran through the dressage test. Then Judy showed up, so we finished with a nice hack with her and Cash. Fleck was thrilled to get to see his buddy again and Judy and I had fun chatting. I didn't get any pictures as it was too much fun chatting. 

But it did my soul good. :)

Intervals... it's Go time!

Fitness day!! We did 6 plus miles in a little over an hour. We walked for 15 minutes, trotted for 20 minutes, and then did three 3 minute canter/gallops with 2 minutes in between. Oh, and we saw a deer!

Then we soaked in the lake to "ice" his knees. Of course I iced them for real too back at the trailer.

It was a gorgeous day. They had just hayed too, so it was yummy smelling as well as yummy looking. It wasn't even that humid out, which was fantastic!!!

Grid Day Fun!

Aww Yeah!!! Fleck was a rockstar today!! Which was fantastic after two days ago and the frustrations there. We played over a very similar course and while we didn't do the downhill line and allow me to redeem myself after our drift, we did redeem ourselves. Fleck was on fire again! Despite having hives and so many skin issues, his right knee was swollen. Poor kid. In my defense, I didn't realize it until we got here. And he was sound. And very happy to play! 

And know what else?! I like my position in most of these photos!! Go me!!! Progress is good. :) The Clam!!! Hee hee... whatever it takes. Whatever it takes. :)
 

War horse!!! Flecky says "Bring it"!

Jump Lesson at Wishing Tree

Ha ha... No pictures from my lesson, but Fleck LOVES his Cur-ost supplement. :) Hee hee...

Today we went to Beths' for a jump lesson. She had some cool jumps set up. We had fun, but unfortunately it was a tough day for us. I just couldn't get my act together. Where's Hannah when you need her?!? Ha ha. "Get your life together Holly"! Anyways, we did fine, but I was letting him drift left and fall in, thus missing my distances and my lines. 

Argh... we had to keep at it a few times before I finally got it together well enough. Poor Fleck. He didn't care though. He was having a blast. Go figure :)

Oh well, we'll get it together. It wasn't horrid. It was just not fantastic, like I wanted it to be.