And I have lots of blogs to catch up on.
I did my free ride on Sunday and was excepting Pony to be out of her mind crazy because she hasn't been ridden in two weeks. K was going to start riding her in the second week but life gets in the way, so Pony had some extra time off.
Surprisingly enough, she was not insane. At all.
Her trot felt slower than usual even when asking for more, but I suppose she's lost some cardio after her time off too. So we did lots of trotting and circling etc. It's finally nice here and we can ride outside, but because I was worried about her being crazy (even under normal circumstances she's crazier outside), and I forgot sunscreen so we stayed inside.
At the canter she had more speed but was not up to course pace at all. So I'm kind of worried about the jumping lesson tomorrow because we are both out of shape, it's really hot out and we'll be riding outside. So I'm kind of hoping that K won't have us do anything to high or difficult this week, just so we can see how it goes. Not to mention the last few times we rode outside they didn't exactly go well.
At the canter she was okayish. She really had a bit of trouble picking up the leads, but I'm assuming it's because she's out of shape and not wanting to work very hard.
We did a lot of circles, but at first they were more like ovals because she was refusing to bend her neck and turn her nose in even a bit. Even to the right which is usually where she has more than enough bend, but she was not having it. She did not want to respond to "give-and-take" or anything. Which is why I'm a bit worried about tomorrow.
Fingers crossed for smallish jumps, an easy course, for it not to be to hot and for Pony not to be insane.
Showing posts with label Free Ride. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Free Ride. Show all posts
Monday, August 15, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Free Ride & Rider Fitness & Fitness Goals
Went to see Pony this afternoon, she was pleased to come out of the bugs! It poured rain this morning so we had to ride inside today and it sounds like we'll be in all week.
Over all she was really good, we did a lot of trot work, collecting, extending, sitting.... We worked on more leg yielding and she listens really well but she can get a bit crooked and starts to lean in and falls towards the wall. And sometimes it's difficult to feel if she's really crossing over or if she's just moving on an angle. On Thursday we worked on building an "up down" momentum rather than forward "so think piaffe", which was also the goal today, but it's still hard to know if it's exactly right without some there to watch, which is also something that needs to be worked on. I need to be able to notice that stuff for myself otherwise we won't improve over the free rides the way I'd like.
But she's getting much better at bridling up at the trot and walk. She likes to carry her head low, which isn't that much of a problem until her head is below her whithers. So she's starting to carry her head up a bit more, the other thing we're supposed to work on is getting her to tuck her nose a bit rather than sticking it out.
So, rider fitness is probably just as important as the horses.
I love working out and running, but because of diplomas in June and then last week being so busy I didn't get to the gym as much as I would have liked. It's amazing how quickly you can lose cardio endurance.
Saturdays Training Session
Cardio: walk @ 3 for 2 minutes
jog @ 4 for 10 minutes
run @ 5 for 5 minutes
sprinter intervals x 5
- 30sec @ 6
- 1 minute @ 5.3
Weights: Pink kettle bell : 10 swings
10 swings each arm
5 snatches each arm
5 snatches + over head press each arm
Blue kettle bell: 10 swings x2
Core: Plank 30 seconds
Leg lifts 10
Stretch
Over all it was a fairly easy workout, the kettle bells are a lot of fun, but you have to watch out with the over head press so you don't smash yourself in the face.
Today's work out (no trainer)
Cardio: run 12 minutes @ 5 (would have liked to make it to 20 but I haven't run in a while so the
stamina just isn't there)
walk 1 minute @ 3.5
run 1 minute @ 6
run 30 sec @ 5
run 1 minute @ 6
walk 5 minute @ 3.5
Stair Stepper 10 minutes
- 45 stairs per minute
Core: 10 burpees x2
plank
-45 seconds
-30 seconds
10 sit ups x4
10 Russian twists x3 with 6kg medicine ball
30 seconds V-sit with 6kg medicine ball
Weights: 12.5lb barbels
10 triceps x2
1- biceps x 2
Stretch
GOALS:
-by September 7th 2011-run and bike a total of 960km (length of the Pacific Highway) with the ultimate goal 13 296km (distance from closest city to Sydney) by July 19th 2012.
- -be able to do plank for 2 minutes straight
- -run/bike at least 6 times a week
- -do yoga everyday
and that's all I can think of for now.
Over all she was really good, we did a lot of trot work, collecting, extending, sitting.... We worked on more leg yielding and she listens really well but she can get a bit crooked and starts to lean in and falls towards the wall. And sometimes it's difficult to feel if she's really crossing over or if she's just moving on an angle. On Thursday we worked on building an "up down" momentum rather than forward "so think piaffe", which was also the goal today, but it's still hard to know if it's exactly right without some there to watch, which is also something that needs to be worked on. I need to be able to notice that stuff for myself otherwise we won't improve over the free rides the way I'd like.
But she's getting much better at bridling up at the trot and walk. She likes to carry her head low, which isn't that much of a problem until her head is below her whithers. So she's starting to carry her head up a bit more, the other thing we're supposed to work on is getting her to tuck her nose a bit rather than sticking it out.
So, rider fitness is probably just as important as the horses.
I love working out and running, but because of diplomas in June and then last week being so busy I didn't get to the gym as much as I would have liked. It's amazing how quickly you can lose cardio endurance.
Saturdays Training Session
Cardio: walk @ 3 for 2 minutes
jog @ 4 for 10 minutes
run @ 5 for 5 minutes
sprinter intervals x 5
- 30sec @ 6
- 1 minute @ 5.3
Weights: Pink kettle bell : 10 swings
10 swings each arm
5 snatches each arm
5 snatches + over head press each arm
Blue kettle bell: 10 swings x2
Core: Plank 30 seconds
Leg lifts 10
Stretch
Over all it was a fairly easy workout, the kettle bells are a lot of fun, but you have to watch out with the over head press so you don't smash yourself in the face.
Today's work out (no trainer)
Cardio: run 12 minutes @ 5 (would have liked to make it to 20 but I haven't run in a while so the
stamina just isn't there)
walk 1 minute @ 3.5
run 1 minute @ 6
run 30 sec @ 5
run 1 minute @ 6
walk 5 minute @ 3.5
Stair Stepper 10 minutes
- 45 stairs per minute
Core: 10 burpees x2
plank
-45 seconds
-30 seconds
10 sit ups x4
10 Russian twists x3 with 6kg medicine ball
30 seconds V-sit with 6kg medicine ball
Weights: 12.5lb barbels
10 triceps x2
1- biceps x 2
Stretch
GOALS:
-by September 7th 2011-run and bike a total of 960km (length of the Pacific Highway) with the ultimate goal 13 296km (distance from closest city to Sydney) by July 19th 2012.
- -be able to do plank for 2 minutes straight
- -run/bike at least 6 times a week
- -do yoga everyday
and that's all I can think of for now.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Lease Ride & Australia Photos
AHH! It would have been a perfect day to ride outside today, except K has asked that we don't use the outdoor ring until they get a change to drag the footing. So we were stuck inside. =(
She did well today. She seems to be getting more flexible to the left, but only on circles. Still need to work on that for serpentines. We also practiced leg yielding, but she really just wanted to run to the wall. Which is weird normally she does pretty well with those. Lovely canter today too! Always exciting. Nice and quick but not rushy and unpleasant.
AUSTRALIA <3! (since I didn't have much to say about riding, I have pictures!)
<---Creepy clouds at the San Francisco airport
<---Navy Base and ships in the harbour
<---Bridge from the ferry
<--On the pylon thing. That's my mums Canada sweater in the right. And you can kind of see a group of people climbing up the bridge a bit above the baldish guys head.
<---Downtown Sydney from the ferry. And all the trees are in a really pretty garden/nature park thing. With loads of cockatoos, which are cute but more annoying than any crow, seagull or magpie here.
<--St. James
<--St. Mary's. Really beautiful cathedrals. Haha, once when we got back to Canada, there was something on the news about Sydney and this cathedral and I was all excited b.c i was there once, and then I almost cried 'cause I miss it soo much (the country, not the church (and I know I'm a loser =P))
<--More creepy clouds and the good truck with it's cute little yellow legs.
<--A view of the rocks from the bridge. This is first area they started to develop in Sydney. Its sooo beautiful!! In the red building, is Pancakes on the Rocks (so yummy!), a candy store that makes their stuff by hand and some gift shops.
<-- I believe this is the museum, but I'm not 100% sure. That or it's part of St. Marys but I don't think so.
<-- this is what my sister got at Pancakes on the Rocks. Mine had caramelized bananas and pecans and I think they were butter milk with vanilla ice cream. Sooo yummy. Good thing we walked around downtown for the whole day or that would have been a lot of calories!
She did well today. She seems to be getting more flexible to the left, but only on circles. Still need to work on that for serpentines. We also practiced leg yielding, but she really just wanted to run to the wall. Which is weird normally she does pretty well with those. Lovely canter today too! Always exciting. Nice and quick but not rushy and unpleasant.
AUSTRALIA <3! (since I didn't have much to say about riding, I have pictures!)
<---Creepy clouds at the San Francisco airport
<---Navy Base and ships in the harbour
<---Bridge from the ferry
<--On the pylon thing. That's my mums Canada sweater in the right. And you can kind of see a group of people climbing up the bridge a bit above the baldish guys head.
<---Downtown Sydney from the ferry. And all the trees are in a really pretty garden/nature park thing. With loads of cockatoos, which are cute but more annoying than any crow, seagull or magpie here.
<--St. James
<--St. Mary's. Really beautiful cathedrals. Haha, once when we got back to Canada, there was something on the news about Sydney and this cathedral and I was all excited b.c i was there once, and then I almost cried 'cause I miss it soo much (the country, not the church (and I know I'm a loser =P))
<--More creepy clouds and the good truck with it's cute little yellow legs.
<--A view of the rocks from the bridge. This is first area they started to develop in Sydney. Its sooo beautiful!! In the red building, is Pancakes on the Rocks (so yummy!), a candy store that makes their stuff by hand and some gift shops.
<-- I believe this is the museum, but I'm not 100% sure. That or it's part of St. Marys but I don't think so.
<-- this is what my sister got at Pancakes on the Rocks. Mine had caramelized bananas and pecans and I think they were butter milk with vanilla ice cream. Sooo yummy. Good thing we walked around downtown for the whole day or that would have been a lot of calories!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Stiff?
Had a lease ride yesterday evening, mare was really good for the most part.
She had a really great canter to the right (no more crazy rushing canter!) so that was good. She had a nice forward trot and we worked on leg yielding a bit. She's wonderful!
I love this mare!!!
On the left lead though, she really didn't want to pick up the canter to the left. Pinned her ears and flicked her head around, she did get it after a couple tries and we just cantered half the arena. She was fine at the canter, so I'm guessing she's just a bit stiff from the show?
She also got vaccinated (for strangles I think) Saturday after the show, so it could be that too.
Hopefully she's feeling better on Tuesday.
She had a really great canter to the right (no more crazy rushing canter!) so that was good. She had a nice forward trot and we worked on leg yielding a bit. She's wonderful!
I love this mare!!!
On the left lead though, she really didn't want to pick up the canter to the left. Pinned her ears and flicked her head around, she did get it after a couple tries and we just cantered half the arena. She was fine at the canter, so I'm guessing she's just a bit stiff from the show?
She also got vaccinated (for strangles I think) Saturday after the show, so it could be that too.
Hopefully she's feeling better on Tuesday.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Much Better
Had a free ride with Pony today!
She was sooo much better at the canter than she was on Thursday. Still a bit to quick on the left lead, but to the right she was great.
I wonder if it has anything to do with there not being any other horses in the arena today or what.
Hopefully I have another lesson on Tuesday and that she's done with all this "testing her new rider" stuff, but we'll see.
She was sooo much better at the canter than she was on Thursday. Still a bit to quick on the left lead, but to the right she was great.
I wonder if it has anything to do with there not being any other horses in the arena today or what.
Hopefully I have another lesson on Tuesday and that she's done with all this "testing her new rider" stuff, but we'll see.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
The Bad Kind of Excitement....
Had a little to much unnecessary excitement on the highway tonight.
Nasty weather today has made the highways a bit treacherous, on the way out they weren't to bad, there were sections where you could feel the wind pushing against the van and snow was blowing over the road. I didn't see anyone in the ditch and there weren't a lot of other cars on the highways, which was good.
On the way home it was a lot more wind and a lot more blowing snow, plus the added bonus of black ice. There were more drivers too.
So, I was about 3km from the turn off into the city, and there is a huge big rig truck ahead. He was slowing down but not stepping to break so there were no lights. I stepped on the break to try and slow down behind him, I did...then we (meaning me and the van) hit some black ice. She (the van) started to fish tale, and not just a little one, but wide swinging ones across the other lane, so I cranked the steering wheel in the opposite direction, over compensating, we turned and slide around to the left and back to the right a couple times. Heading towards a bridge, and really, in a semi out of control vehicle is where you want to be heading, what with the nice cement supports. Actually, with all the snow drifts there was no way we'd make it there. Anyway, thank god for ABS breaks, otherwise we would be in the ditch, but we stopped a few feet short and no one was hurt. No one was anyone near me, so me and the van posed no risk to them while we were swinging wildly down the road.
As for Tommy, he was okay. He has a really flat trot, and I've decided that I don't really want to use the crop, I get why people want to use them or need them, but I think, for me and Tommy anyway, it's kind of like taking the easy way out. I'd rather have to work harder to get him to do the work. That might be a bit different for when it comes to jumping, but we'll see. So yeah, flat trot, but we did lots of circles and some serpentines, unfortunately there were a couple other people there. The one lady is really nice, but the second is the best dressage rider at our barn and she kind of acts like she owns the whole arena. She's so annoying. I like watching her ride, but I hate riding with her. You try to do your thing and stay out of her way at the same time, but she makes no effort to stay out of your way. We pass left to left, but she was like "try not to get so close, he's being a bit crazy." She was polite enough, but at the same time its kind of frustrating because I ALWAYS try to be out of her way but then its harder for me to focus on what I want to be doing with Tommy as well.
He was less than great at the canter, he had trouble picking up the left lead and trouble keeping it, always dropping it at the gate and doing this rushed trot when I asked him to canter, even when we were starting from a balanced trot. Once we finally got it, he did well at the circles and what not. But at the right, not much better. He picked up the lead okay, but it was kind of impossible to do our 20m circles and other exercises because the dressage rider kept getting in the way.
Going out again tomorrow after kick boxing, so hopefully there will be less to no people in the barn.
Nasty weather today has made the highways a bit treacherous, on the way out they weren't to bad, there were sections where you could feel the wind pushing against the van and snow was blowing over the road. I didn't see anyone in the ditch and there weren't a lot of other cars on the highways, which was good.
On the way home it was a lot more wind and a lot more blowing snow, plus the added bonus of black ice. There were more drivers too.
So, I was about 3km from the turn off into the city, and there is a huge big rig truck ahead. He was slowing down but not stepping to break so there were no lights. I stepped on the break to try and slow down behind him, I did...then we (meaning me and the van) hit some black ice. She (the van) started to fish tale, and not just a little one, but wide swinging ones across the other lane, so I cranked the steering wheel in the opposite direction, over compensating, we turned and slide around to the left and back to the right a couple times. Heading towards a bridge, and really, in a semi out of control vehicle is where you want to be heading, what with the nice cement supports. Actually, with all the snow drifts there was no way we'd make it there. Anyway, thank god for ABS breaks, otherwise we would be in the ditch, but we stopped a few feet short and no one was hurt. No one was anyone near me, so me and the van posed no risk to them while we were swinging wildly down the road.
As for Tommy, he was okay. He has a really flat trot, and I've decided that I don't really want to use the crop, I get why people want to use them or need them, but I think, for me and Tommy anyway, it's kind of like taking the easy way out. I'd rather have to work harder to get him to do the work. That might be a bit different for when it comes to jumping, but we'll see. So yeah, flat trot, but we did lots of circles and some serpentines, unfortunately there were a couple other people there. The one lady is really nice, but the second is the best dressage rider at our barn and she kind of acts like she owns the whole arena. She's so annoying. I like watching her ride, but I hate riding with her. You try to do your thing and stay out of her way at the same time, but she makes no effort to stay out of your way. We pass left to left, but she was like "try not to get so close, he's being a bit crazy." She was polite enough, but at the same time its kind of frustrating because I ALWAYS try to be out of her way but then its harder for me to focus on what I want to be doing with Tommy as well.
He was less than great at the canter, he had trouble picking up the left lead and trouble keeping it, always dropping it at the gate and doing this rushed trot when I asked him to canter, even when we were starting from a balanced trot. Once we finally got it, he did well at the circles and what not. But at the right, not much better. He picked up the lead okay, but it was kind of impossible to do our 20m circles and other exercises because the dressage rider kept getting in the way.
Going out again tomorrow after kick boxing, so hopefully there will be less to no people in the barn.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Free Ride
Tommys' perked up again today.
Had a lovely bouncy canter, and he didn't keep trying to drop to a trot.
Our circles were better today too, managed to remember to keep my whole leg back on the circle rather than using my heel and pointing my toe out.
We did some large figures eights and serpentines at the canter, I don't want him constantly doing simple changes, but we need to work on our downward transitions. Especially going from canter to trot, he usually has a really quick, unbalanced trot when we come out of the canter and takes a while to get it back. So I want him to have a nice smooth downward transition.
Going to the gym tomorrow! It's going to be sooo crowded though, not looking forward to that, the chance of getting any piece of cardio equipment is slim.
My weight loss program starts again this Thursday, well the first meeting anyway. Quite excited, but worried, my trainer that I've been working with for a year or so now, is going on holidays in February. So that means I get someone new for about six weeks, kind of sad, she's very good and loads of fun. All the fit techs are lovely though, at least the ones I've met, we'll see who I end up with.
School starts again tomorrow, not excited, but happy to have something to do during the days again.
Had a lovely bouncy canter, and he didn't keep trying to drop to a trot.
Our circles were better today too, managed to remember to keep my whole leg back on the circle rather than using my heel and pointing my toe out.
We did some large figures eights and serpentines at the canter, I don't want him constantly doing simple changes, but we need to work on our downward transitions. Especially going from canter to trot, he usually has a really quick, unbalanced trot when we come out of the canter and takes a while to get it back. So I want him to have a nice smooth downward transition.
Going to the gym tomorrow! It's going to be sooo crowded though, not looking forward to that, the chance of getting any piece of cardio equipment is slim.
My weight loss program starts again this Thursday, well the first meeting anyway. Quite excited, but worried, my trainer that I've been working with for a year or so now, is going on holidays in February. So that means I get someone new for about six weeks, kind of sad, she's very good and loads of fun. All the fit techs are lovely though, at least the ones I've met, we'll see who I end up with.
School starts again tomorrow, not excited, but happy to have something to do during the days again.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Monday
Had a lease ride today. Tommy did really well, he's been getting a really nice canter during our flat rides lately. Ones' that are nice to sit and were you don't need to be in a slight two point.
There was another lady in a lesson while I was riding. She seems nice, and I can only assume she rode Tommy in a lesson last Monday, because she kept watching us with this weird look, like she wanted to be riding him. Who can blame her? He's only the cutest horse at the barn! Assuming she is the one who rode him, I'm glad she rode YJ instead. Her leg at the canter isn't very steady and Tom absolutely hates that. You have to have a quite leg with him, otherwise he goes crazy! With a super fast canter, and he just won't listen.
But then again, it might not be her at all. But I do know there is someone like that thats' been using him in lessons.
My darn van kept getting stuck in the stable parking lot though. It was really warm today, so the snow was super soft, and the van would sink into it and not want to go forward. In the end I just left it where it stopped.
So very excited for Friday since it's my last day of classes before winter break!
I feel bad for the sports casters that interview hockey players during half time. They're so sweaty and nasty, it must smell awful. Speaking of smelling awful, went to the gym tonight! And didn't stop at McD's for a burger and fries. I rarely do, but I've been craving them for the past three days!!
There was another lady in a lesson while I was riding. She seems nice, and I can only assume she rode Tommy in a lesson last Monday, because she kept watching us with this weird look, like she wanted to be riding him. Who can blame her? He's only the cutest horse at the barn! Assuming she is the one who rode him, I'm glad she rode YJ instead. Her leg at the canter isn't very steady and Tom absolutely hates that. You have to have a quite leg with him, otherwise he goes crazy! With a super fast canter, and he just won't listen.
But then again, it might not be her at all. But I do know there is someone like that thats' been using him in lessons.
My darn van kept getting stuck in the stable parking lot though. It was really warm today, so the snow was super soft, and the van would sink into it and not want to go forward. In the end I just left it where it stopped.
So very excited for Friday since it's my last day of classes before winter break!
I feel bad for the sports casters that interview hockey players during half time. They're so sweaty and nasty, it must smell awful. Speaking of smelling awful, went to the gym tonight! And didn't stop at McD's for a burger and fries. I rarely do, but I've been craving them for the past three days!!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Free Ride & Some Other Stuff
Ended up riding alone today, =).
Over all it was a good ride. Though we should do some work on turning on the forehand and haunches. Also did the same transition exercises from Thursday. Seriously have to find some new exercises for us to do. I saw a book the other day called 101 Ways to Improve Your Riding. So might check that out, see if there's anything helpful. For me, not so much Tommy.
Also had training today. Lots of cardio today! Not sure if I'll be in any pain tomorrow or not. Have to work on my eating though, otherwise I'm not going to lose any weight at all. Though I've been told I look skinner =) so that's exciting. So I guess body comp is changing, even if the numbers aren't.
Over all it was a good ride. Though we should do some work on turning on the forehand and haunches. Also did the same transition exercises from Thursday. Seriously have to find some new exercises for us to do. I saw a book the other day called 101 Ways to Improve Your Riding. So might check that out, see if there's anything helpful. For me, not so much Tommy.
Also had training today. Lots of cardio today! Not sure if I'll be in any pain tomorrow or not. Have to work on my eating though, otherwise I'm not going to lose any weight at all. Though I've been told I look skinner =) so that's exciting. So I guess body comp is changing, even if the numbers aren't.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Yay Tom Tom!
Had a free ride yesterday and my friend couldn't go because she was at a concert. Which I'm quite glad about. We did lots of circles and transitions. On free rides I try and ride bareback a bit, so we did that. He did soooo well!! Had a nice trot, and he picked up that canter right away, so we didn't have that horrible bouncy, uneven trot that he usually starts with. And it was a lovely balanced canter too! We went around the whole arena, rather than just doing circles at the top. The only bad bit was the trot coming out of the canter, we had a really bad, choppy trot, but it'll get better.
Getting my industrial bar on Saturday!!
Soo tired!! Had a meeting with my trainer but she's in the ER, so that's definitely not good, but she did give me a workout to do on my own.
Getting my industrial bar on Saturday!!
Soo tired!! Had a meeting with my trainer but she's in the ER, so that's definitely not good, but she did give me a workout to do on my own.
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