Saturday, September 10, 2011

Rocky, Roxy and Spruce Meadows!

So I had a jumping lesson with Rocky on Thursday, and he was super good. He seems to be getting back into the working mood quicker than was first thought.

He took two longs, the first one I was ready for so I could stay with him and then the second one was a big surprise because there was a short distance so I don't know quite what he was thinking, but I'm glad he uses a bit less bridle instead, then I don't catch him in the mouth. (Side note! Watching the Spruce Meadows Masters today, and Eric Lamaze was using a bit less bridle with his horse! Not Hickstead sadly but I thought it was quite exciting because I've never seen a pro rider use one.)
Anyway I can't really remember to much about the rider, other than the jumps were larger and he was great!

Today I worked at the barn in the moring and got to ride Roxy as well! She's quite a lot of fun, not in great shape either so we didn't do a whole lot. She's a quarter horse and K's advice was not to think she would be slow just because she was one. She has a lot of pep and was ready to trot as soon as I got on! But we just walked around to start with and when I asked her to trot, she had this super weird stride/motion, she was trying to canter with her front end but trotting in the back or vis versa, and then trying to post and pull her back to a real trot was one of the weirdest sensations. Eventually she came back and we could trot properly. She's got a nice trot when she's not doing...well, whatever that movement was. She also has a really nice canter when she's not breaking to the trot but she's out of shape so it's not a big deal.
I also did a quick hack with Rocky, and not bucking today! Lots of sweat though, poor guy, he's got suck a thick mane and it was pretty warm this morning. Not like yesterday which was 35 degrees Celsius, but still hot. He did well over the trot/canter poles and only stepped away from the mouting block twice before standing nicely.

Speaking of Spruce Meadows! We used to go to the Masters, but we haven't the past couple years *tear* it's so much fun I loved going. This morning was Suncores sponsored event and the one tonight is the BMO Nations Cup and tomorrow morning is the CN National. There's so many awesome riders this year, and some are so young, it would have been fantastic to go! I even cheered for an American! But only because she's a student of Eric Lamaze, and cause she's so young, like 17 or something. But she did amazing and almost beat her coach out, I can't remember her name though, Catlin something. Eric Lamaze won though, of course, since he always done. They said he's won $3 million at Spruce, Ian Miller "Captain Canada" has won $2.8million.
There was a young Dutch rider who was amazing as well, Stephanie Van something.
But my favorite new rider is Canadian Tiffany Foster, she only found out three days ago or something she would be riding for Team Canada, but she seems like the nicest, most enthusiastic person ever, and she's an amazing rider, I really hope she makes the Canadian Olympic team.
Looks like Canada is in 5th for the BMO cup, France, Britain, Mexico and someone else in the forth, America? I don't know. Netherlands in 6th, but the first three have a rider left, so Go Canada!

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