Weekend

I always forget the computer camera flip the words, but I'm sure you know what it says anyways.
Hoping this will give some good tips/advice or whatever to help me improve my position while doing flat work.

I tend to ride with my leg to far forward and then when I move it back to where it should be at the canter Ponys like "Oh, go faster? Okay."

We had a free ride on Sunday, she was sooo good! We did lots of work on getting the left bend, she's still a bit stiff, but it's coming. And there was almost no crazy canter towards home! Actually there was not crazy, she got a bit quick, but most of the horses do, so I'm not to worried about it. We'll see how she does on Tuesday when there's actually jumps in the arena. Then we might be back to crazy mare.

I got to work both Saturday and Sunday, on Saturday I had to bring the jumps out of the outdoor arena, holy crap they are heavy! Still it's an awesome job. =)

On an irrelivant note, my grad is on the 29th of June, and I kind of don't want to go. It's just going to be sooo long and yeah... that's kind of my only reason, which is not a very good one.

I have pictures of me and Pony, but I look sooo fat on her. I don't really care if I look like that most of the time, but some how it just seems worse when she's so small. It's like how small standards make 3'3" look high and the bigger standards make it look small.

Rodeo Mare!

Indeed, Pony seems to think that the rodeo will make a good career for her.

We had our first complete jumping lesson outside today! It was interesting to say the very least. On one long end of the arena there was a triple combination, and then off the second long side there was a vertical and next to that, a second vertical on an angle.

First we did the grid both ways (to and from home) and she did great, at the canter she was very good away from home, but got stronger and stronger heading to home. Not much of a surprise because that's what she like last week too.
We seem to be making some progress on getting more of the left bend too!

As for the jumping, the jumps were small 2'-2'3" thank god because she was CRAZY! Going away from the out gate (which is also on a slight down hill slant). Anyway, she got way out of  control going home over the grid, after the second jump she was just out of control!! I turned her towards the middle of the arena and tried to get her to just relax and stand, but then she started doing little rears and kicks. She is a crazy mare!
K says she just has loads of energy and then she stood on a long piece of grass(?). Well that's what K thought too when she picked it up of the ground, so maybe?
After that we trotted around for 10-15minutes to try and burn off some of her crazy energy.
Anyway, after that we didn't end up doing anymore jumping towards home. And for the most part she was really good, she did listen when I asked her to slow down and collect, but after the second jump in the grid she did start to get quick again, but nothing like her first freak out.

K also thought that it might have to do with how I carry my lower leg. That it should be farther back than it is when I ride flat, which is where it tends to be when we jump and she's so sensitive to leg that she might think I'm asking her to go faster when I'm not. So on Thursday K's planning on tying my stirrups to the girth and I'm going back to the library to find the book about correcting riding position


Me and my friend N where talking about the classes we're planning on entering for the SM show coming up, I guess we can't cross enter and do 2'6" and then 2'9" which is what I wanted to do. She's doing the 2'9" and 3'4".
So that's what I'm doing as well! Aren't you excited? Apparently that's what we jump normally! I was so insanely surprised, I didn't think that at all! Usually we do about 2'9" but then there's usually a couple other jumps that are 3'4"! Isn't that insane?! Especially for Pony!
The good thing about SM's opening show is usually not a lot of people go, so even it's horrible, not many will see!

I need a show name for her! For the little ones I don't have to use Lil' Miss (thank god!) so what do you think would be a cute name for her?

Thursday/Weekend & Work

Yay! I have a job at the stable!!

Thursday we did our warm up outside and it was nice...except for all the mosquito's. That was gross, but once we got going it wasn't to bad. Pony gets a bit crazy at the canter outside, but over all she did pretty good, the more time we spend out there, the sooner she'll (hopefully) relax.
For the jumping part of the lesson, she was really good, except at once cross pole, the same one that I fell off at last time, but I didn't fall off the second time! Hooray for grippy ass full seat breeches! One of the jumps was HUGE (for a pony), around 3', fan jump. The first time I held her back a bit to much, she still did it, but it wasn't as easy as it should have been. The second time around I just grabbed mane half way up her neck and let her have her head and we did great!

Still have lots of  work to do with getting her to bend to the left easier, she's really good to the right so sometimes she over bends. But once we get the left bend more easily, circles and jump courses should get a bit easier.

Sunday, Pony was away at a dressage show with K, sounds like they did well and Pony was well behaved, but she doesn't like goats.
I got to ride Kokanne today! He's so cute and ridiculously friendly!
His saddle feels so weird! Pony's has a really low cantle and pommel, but his doesn't and it's the weirdest feeling ever. It shouldn't be because that was the same saddle I used with both Diesel and Tommy, but whatever.

When you try to get him to trot he drifts away from the wall and just doesn't want to trot until you cluck at him and really press for it. He has a decent trot once you get going though. He does a similar thing at the canter, but seems more willing to do that. I can't remember which lead it is, but I think it was the right lead, was soo smooth and balanced it felt like riding a big red cloud and it was trippy because it almost felt like slow motion.
But his other lead was really...not. It wasn't horribly anything, but not quiet as fun as his other lead.

I was talking to K after and she was like "What?! You found his canter smooth? You're the only one that's ever said that!" Haha, so maybe I'm just crazy =P.
It was a nice change, but it was weird, the height and how much longer his neck is compared to Pony, but I like him.

As for work, it was pretty decent, just feeding the horses today.  Didn't have to move any of the horses except for the two that needed to come in. I was going to clean some of the tack just for something extra to do, but I have a cold and so decided not to this time...slacking..
I should get to work next weekend to because K has another show, so that's exciting and Pony isn't going so I can ride too! Yay!

I have some pictures of me and her, but they're on the other computer so I'll post them later.

Slave Lake

Wild fires are an annual problem in Alberta, but this is the first time, that I can remember, where one has actually reached a residential area and destroyed (so far) 40% of the town.
All 7000 residents were evacuated and are staying in shelters while they wait to return and see the damage done to their homes and neighbourhoods.

I don't know if you've heard anything about these fires on your news or not, but we have approximately 120 wild fires and something like 26 are out of control. Although they seem to have the one in Slave Lake are under control, there is a large one heading farther north. Guess whats up north in Alberta?
The rigs, the tar sands (don't start with environmental stuff, I am already aware). If that catches fire, it could burn for years. They've evacuated the rig and shut down production (according to my news source) and are sending fire fighters and water bombers to try and control that one.

Firefighters have been flown in from BC and Ontario and Calgary and Edmonton are sending up equipment and men to help fight. Unfortunately last week was insanely windy, keeping all the helicopters and water bombers grounded and feeding the fires.

Most of the smoke is going north and Yellowknife has gotten a lot of it. Last year the smoke from the BC fires was blown through my town, it was horrible, since there's no where to get away from it and the skies turned grey.

How terrifying is that? Can you imagine being told you have to get out of your house because your town is on fire? Everything you have is gone, buildings like the school have burned to the ground, some families have nothing left. They had to drop everything and run.
'The town is gone'


"The town is gone," one woman told CBC News. "There's nothing left. There's places where there should have been houses, and they're gone. We lost everything."

Slave Lake is in the red circle, and it's about 250km from my town.

CBC News article on Slave Lake fires

Tuesday

I'm soooo tired, I don't even want to write this, but if I don't I'll forget what happened by tomorrow.

She was actually pretty good, and didn't run out on the first jump! Yay! She did run out at two others, just being naughty. She got a smack on the ass at the skinny jump and got all pissy (hence her nickname Pissy Pony), but she has to learn that she can't run at a jump just for the hell of it. Then second one she didn't get a smack 'cause I fell off and she took off as per usual. But she slowed down and came back much quicker than usual, unfortunately the cheek piece on her jumping bridle broke though, so that sucks ass.

We have to work a lot more on getting and keeping the left bend, because she just keeps getting stronger and stronger on the right.

K is taking her to a dressage show on Sunday, so I hope they do well! Going out to the barn on Friday so she can show me all the stuff to do for afternoon chores and ride Pony, then Sunday I do afternoon chores and ride Kokanne. Exciting! =)

$$$

Yay, 9 followers! Awesome!

Oh my jeez, show clothes are insaaaaanly expensive!!

To Get:
- either new half chaps or tall boots (preferably tall boots, half chaps aren't accepted at AM shows)
- breeches
- at least one show shirt with rat catcher
- a show shirt without a rat catcher
- helmet cover (or new helmet)

So, we went looking for tall boots/half chaps. No luck with half chaps with I don't mind, I can use my hillbilly ones at home and then use tall boots for shows...and at home. No point in spending a crap load of money and only using them a few times a year.
I tried on a pair of  size 8 wide, by Ariat, which fit nicely until mid way up the calf. Because I have ginormous calves. Would need to get them stretched a bit so I can at least zip them up. They were $375!! The Tuff Rider ones were not as nice and only $85. Going to the English tack store in the city because they usually have better prices.
I also think I should talk to K, because I need to know which boots to buy. I like the field ones, but they're for jumping and hunters. Dressage needs to be special, so you need dress boots instead....the only difference is the dress boots have no laces. Fail. I really hope I get to work for K, if I have to buy two pairs of Ariat or Dublin boots, plus a new helmet (and other no horsey crap).
No luck with breeches either, they didn't have the full seat ones I really wanted. They did have Tuff Rider, which I don't like, I have two pairs but they both keep getting little holes along the inseam and I hate having to repair them all the time.

Didn't really look for a helmet, my friend is going to lend me her velvet one for now, but I've had the same helmet for like 7 years and it's take a lot of beatings and still looks okay, but a new one would be nice. Not at the top of the list, but still an idea.

This is when it would be nice to have money like the circuit bitches at AM! =P

So yeah, more shopping on Thursday.
Lesson tomorrow! Hopefully we can finally ride outside again.

Thursday and Sunday. Show Schedule?

Holy mother of hell Thursday was a scary day!

Both me and N where kind of bored at 2'6" so we asked K if we could jump higher today and she said yes. So we did.

It was one of those days where everything seems harder than it is. It was also a "think sports car" day for Pony. The jumps were about 2'9" but I think the Swedish Oxer was around 3. That was a TERRIFYING jump. It's practically at eye level for Pony and me (not actually, but that's what it seems like). The first time we either knocked the whole thing down or just one rail and the second time we did the opposite of the first. The third time we just did the line, a one stride to the three stride with the oxer, and made it over! Yay! Pony's such a good girl, my little sports car!

Today I went riding with L, although it's nice to have a riding buddy, its really annoying when they keep you trapped on the rail and want to warm up and do all the things you need to work on when she doesn't want to get out of your way. Especially when you don't want to offend them or be rude so you can't really get away to work.
She was a bit spooky at the wind and the jumps against the arena wall, but still good. I reallly want the wind to die down because central Alberta seems to be trying to steal Chicago's title of "the Windy City".

I almost got to ride alone today, but the only way to have done that would have been to go to the show with L today. Actually it was all planned out and was probably going to be fun. She was going to get up before 6, come get me at 6 and then we'd go to Timmys, then get her horse and groomer up. Her mum would be there with the trailer and take us to the show, my dad would come get me at three so I could go riding and workout. Probably would have been a decent day. But this was good too.

So excited! L has a load of old show stuff that doesn't fit or she doesn't want so I can potentially buy them for cheap! Including a realllly nice hunt coat 'cause mine isn't comfortable. I'm not totally sure whats wrong with it, but something is. It just doesn't fit quite right, and she was a nice show shirt she wants to get ride off, which is good, because a couple of the shows we're planning on going to require the really nice stuff. Damn hunters. That's whats great about jumpers, polo shirts are totally fine, but nooo hunters and dressage have to be special. Haha, oh well, hopefully all will go well.

Possible Show Schedule! =)

June 18th- SM open show
                   -Jumpers start at probably 2'6" and possibly 2'9" have to wait for K's thoughts on that.
                   - English equitation and pleasure. Not sure about these two yet.
June 19th- WW Dressage Bronze Show
                    - L thinks we should do a dressage show before AM, so we might do this one, but it's also the                         day after the SM show, so we'll see about this one
July 9th- R4R
               - Jumpers, same height as SM or even 3', we can do it at home, but not sure if we should bother at
                 a show
July 15th-17th- Hunter/Jumper Novice AM
               - Shows at AM are SCARY and I've never been there, but it's one of the nicest barns in the area
                  and their shows are serious competition ones and that's kind of scary, so we'll have to see about
                  this, but I want to do at least on AM show this year and I think this is the one N is going too and 
                  it would be awesome to have a show buddy for this terrifying experience.
August 14th- Hunter/Jumper KF
                       - This one I can do either hunters or jumpers, but jumpers don't start until 2'6". But I can
                          compete in both classes at the same time because the arenas are right next to each other
                          and the hunter classes usually run way behind schedule anyway.
August 20th- SM open show
                     -same as the first one in June
August 21st- WW Dressage Bronze Show
                     -same as the one in June, but if I go to the SM one in June and not WW, I might go to this
                     one instead of the one on the 20th
August 27th- R4R
                    - Pretty much the same as the last R4R show
September 11th- Hunter/Jumper KF
                           - Same as last KF show
September 30th- October 2nd- Hunter/Jumper/Dressage AM Harvest Show -Bronze
                           -Haha another scary AM show

AM shows are insane, at least that's what everyone who's been there tells me. This is were all the circuit bitches and crazy horse people show up. The ones with the imported warmbloods and think they are soooo much better than everyone so instead of unloading in the parking lot like everyone else they unload in front of the barn blocking everyone elses way to the the lot. Leave their shit everywhere and get in your way ALL the time because they think they are sooooo much better. Ahh circuit bitches, such a treat!