I Actually Took a Lesson!

It's been something like six months since I've had an actual lesson. I've catch ridden a few of my trainer's sales and client horses over the last few months. So when trainer G asked on Thursday if I'd like a free JW lesson the next day, I was of course all in. My horsey choices were the big gelding with big gaits and a general happy nature or the quick little mare with trust issues. I'd ridden them both the weekend before for the first time (she had me hop on to Adult Amateur-test them as sales horses). I chose the mare, Water. I think she's something special and just needs the right person.

Now, I'm not a fabulous rider, nor am I anything special, but this mare and I just clicked. I get on and warm up, and she feels pretty good. A little wary of the far end of the arena with the people and chairs and tables, but we get down there (G couldn't get her down the long side of the arena to that end for a month) and get stretched out. Good mare.

I pick up the headset and tell JW that I have ridden this horse once and haven't been doing much in the way of riding in the past few months. JW actually had Water as a sales horse years ago and remembered some of her quirks. As we get going, the name of the games becomes "put your effing hands down." This mare fidgets like an ADD toddler. In order to not feed into her little dramas, I had to put my hands down and let her run into the bits until she settled and came round into the contact. Once she did...it was awesome!

The week before, I'd played a little with her lateral work (she's been shown to 3rd Level). The trot half passes/SI/travers/renvers were easy. She felt like a little sports car. In the canter work, I wasn't able to get her to settle enough to go lateral without throwing her head up and worrying herself out of it. JW had us play with little leg yield to and off the wall in the canter while maintaining a "normal" canter in order to kind of loosen her up. We got to a place where playing in the canter felt like a real possibility. Little off the wall, little to the wall, then straight.

The verdict? I love this mare and want to take her home with me. Sadly, there is just no way to fund it. I did like hearing G say that Water loves me best though ;) Hopefully I can catch a few more rides on her, and I hope the perfect person comes along for her. She's a fancy little thing and I think she could go far!

Highlight of the Season

Lines and I had an awesome show season. It wasn't something I thought I'd ever get to do, and I was so lucky to be able to have him. The way things ended with his owner was really weird, and I don't quite understand why. Feelings were hurt and I have no idea what I did wrong, or what was even going on. But it ended with him leaving rather abruptly, and that kind of messed with me for a while.

He went home to live with his owner, and a few weeks later he was sold to someone else. I have no idea where he ended up, or who with. I had a wonderful almost full year with him. My plan had originally been to go to regionals at third level. I qualified, but decided that we wouldn't be competitive, it was a long trailer ride, and was far too expensive. I decided to do one last show in August at 4th level instead. It was kind of a bust, barely missing my silver medal scores.

The highlight of our show season was the freestyle I choreographed and edited myself. One judge said the music was too epic for his gaits, but whatever. I loved it, and I was the one who had to listen to the music over and over again! So here is it...mistakes and all :)

2017 in Pictures

Pony pictures, that is!

In one of our JW lessons

First ever schooling show together, and my first time riding a 3rd level test!

<3 

Saddle fitting woes meant I spent a couple months riding mostly bareback, including a weekend of JW lessons

Lines' 22nd birthday

Our first rated show together! We managed to have all of our 3rd level tests score about 60%...pretty good considering I was new at the level, and we didn't have clean changes or consistent connection!

Spent a lot of the summer bathing this horse...

Dressage at Devonwood! My ultimate goal!

Rode my freestlye at Devonwood freestyle night. SO much fun, even if my scores were really low...
Pic credit to Alanna!

Another from freestyle night. I did all my own choreography and music editing.
Pic credit to Alanna...thanks so much for coming!

Best. Day. Ever!!!

Our last show together. Rode 4th level...missed my silver scores by less than 0.5%

Still so happy with how we did though.

One of my only rides on Tony this year

Still the cutest pony ever

Rode my friend Red a couple times this winter

Hoping this guy and I can work together to have a good 2018!

2017 Goal Review

So, blogging this year was pretty much non-existent. It's been a rough year. Some goals I reached, some I epically failed on. So instead of focusing on the shitty parts of my year, I'll instead review my goals. You can clearly see where my priorities lay this year! Having Lines was so awesome!


Goals for Lines 

• Stay sound and fit so the old man can continue working in the upper levels 
• Check! He felt really good throughout the whole show season. I thought about injecting his hocks, but used Voltaren (Surpass for people...so much cheaper) and the Theraplate and regular work, and he felt great!
• Improve our connection and collection
• Well, it was never great, but much better than when we started!
• Earn my bronze medal scores at 3rd level. In the future, Tony will ideally earn my 1st and 2nd level scores.
• Done! 
• Clean up lead changes. Lead changes are a struggle for him. He's late behind every single time. We've decided to just not worry about them, as it's pretty much how he is, but it would be nice to see them improve.
• I'm not counting this as a fail, but it wasn't exactly a win either. Never got him to do clean changes, but came up with a strategy to get him really straight so that they almost looked clean. Worked for a few of our tests ;) 
• Ride a 4th level test (schooling show)
• No schooling shows, but rode 4th level in a rated show :) 
• Clinic regularly with JW through the spring
• Check! Helped a lot! 

Lines Stretch Goals

• Ride 4th level at the rated shows and earn scores toward a silver medal.
• Half success. Rode the tests, missed the scores by less than 0.5% every time. Boo.
• Have reasonably successful 3-tempis.
• Fail. I was able to count 5s and 4s, but he gets frantic, so it wasn't pretty...
• Ride a Prix St. Georges test (schooling show)
• Nope! We weren't ready for this at all.

Lines Super Stretch Goals

• Ride a Prix St. Georges test at a rated show. Earn silver medal scores. (hahahaha...he could do it, but I'm not sure I could pilot him through it and earn a 60).
• Extra nope! 

Goals for Tony

Super fail on all of my Tony goals. Poor kid. He thinks he's retired (he's not sad about this). 

• Come back into work in the spring and bring fitness back up
• Attend a fall schooling show
• Be working all of the 2nd level work by the end of the year
• Clinic with JW in the fall

Tony Stretch Goal

• Ride a 2nd level test (schooling show)

Tony Super Stretch Goal

• Have a lead change

Goals for Me

I failed on all my own goals too. I had to pick what to focus on this year, and I think you can tell from this post where all of my time and energy went! When Lines left in September, I felt kind of lost. My husband left two weeks later. I've been kind of floating along ever since. I need to get back into doing something. Anything. Once the days are longer, I'll be able to ride Tony after work. Things are slowly looking up!

• Lose weight/feel fit. I won't put a number on it, but I want to lose enough weight to feel fit and more effective in the saddle.
• Fit in my cream Pikeur breeches (see above).
• Teach at least 5 Paint Your Pony classes
• Market my art better and do more commission work