Strapping on the life preserver

Wow, can't believe it's been almost 2 months since I updated the blog!  I've had QUITE a few good rides, I'm still riding Kiara every Wednesday and LOVING it.  I got to ride Trainer's CCI3* horse a few weeks ago ... NOT at the walk for an hour, but for an hour w/t/c.  He's coming back from an injury and has a very specific regimen of dressage stuff he's supposed to engage in on a daily basis, and I learned what it felt like to REALLY get a 17.1 hand horse trotting forward enough to a good dressage test.  Let's just say it's NOT Like hacking a hunter ;)

Did a few gymnastics over the last few weeks.  Cantered through 5 one strides with a placing pole; that was FUN, and good.  The jumps ended up around 3', so a fun ride.  Another gymnastic I did was trot a vertical with 5 placing poles; it began as 2', ended up at 3'6.  WOW!  She was amazing through it, as the jump got higher, I found I could really just sit still and she was right there for me.  The cantering gymnastic was trotting in; a placing pole to an x, one stride to a vertical, one stride to a TALL crossrail, 2 strides to another TALL crossrail.  She was actually pretty spooky, and I really had to work to help her make it through the distance AND keep her from getting wiggly.  Trainer didn't make the last big X an oxer since Kiara is a little ... um, FAT right now.  Besides, she was pretty looky-loo with those tall crossrails.

I titled my blog post "Strapping on the life preserver" because today I FINALLY zipped myself into my xc vest!  It has a belt that clicks in the front, and I always feel like I'm putting on a life vest, lol.  I've been riding for a year and a half at a fabulous facility with a FULL xc course, Intro to Prelim, but I've never ridden out on it.  I had a chance once, but it was knowing full well I'd have to be "beating" the horse over every jump, so I bowed out of that one.

2 weeks ago, I hacked Kiara down the course and rode her on the tracks between fences at a walk.  Holy heck, she felt like she'd spook and spin right out from under me pretty much every second of the ride.  She spooked at the tall mustard growing, the tall grass, the jumps, the wind, the rustling of leaves ... she felt VERY tense.  I kept at it until she FINALLY stretched down into my hands and took a deep breath.  Back to the barn we went.

Today, I showed up when trainer said to, only to be told I was supposed to be ON at that time, not just arriving.  Grrrr. So I had to run to the pasture, grab Kiara, knock the dirt off, and rush rush rush.  I worked myself up a little bit, because I'd hoped to somewhat zen out, but it was not to be.  To top things off, I could NOT find my neck strap, so I grabbed a loose stirrup leather and put it on, but it was much tighter that I typically like; however, it was better than nothing.

As we walked down, she was working HERSELF up, head up and snorting.  We made our way down, and she spooked at the other horse that was already down there throwing a hissy fit.  We made our way past the other horse, found a track that wound through the mustard, and picked up a trot.  We approached a series of jumps, and she spooked.  Approached more jumps, another spook.  Kept going, and she finally began to focus on the job at hand.  I made it all the way to the end of that particular lane, and had some room to work back and forth a little.  There was an Intro log right by the start box.  VERY tiny.  Walkable in fact.  So, we walked over it both ways.  She relaxed a little more.  Trotted back the other way with MUCH less spooking this time, turned around, and walked the log again.  No biggie!  Trotted over it both ways.  I snagged the neck strap just in case, but she hopped over with no drama.  Landed with a bit of a head shake and a crow hop, but came right back to me.  Walked over 2 more Intro logs on the way back, and she was starting to feel pretty good.

Made it back to Trainer who was at the smaller water complex.  She went over my position at the canter.  I had to bridge my reins, lean INTO her neck, move my stirrups more towards "home" position, and stand straight up to stop.  I felt VERY awkward leaning on her neck, but Trainer insisted this way allows the horse to just fall into rhythm and YOU not to pick and pull on the way to the jump.  Makes sense to me!  There was another tiny Intro log that we trotted over, and I worked on keeping my knuckles in her neck the whole time.  Strung together a baby hanging log, canter thru the water.  She CHARGED into the water w/out a single hesitation.  Trainer told me to go trot an Intro Palisade jump on a path we hadn't gone down and gave me the "rules" on the course for when a horse stops.  You clear it 3 times, and you GET THE JOB DONE.  I gulped a little, headed to the jump, and she was so busy spooking at the mustard that upon arrival at the jump, she popped her shoulder and attempted to canter right by it.  I pulled her up, put her nose right on the middle of it, and reapproached.  She hopped over it big and crow hopped on the landing side, but we were over.  Came again and it was better.  Came the 3rd time and no problem.

Strung together log at the water, turn and go thru water, over hanging log, then down over an arched Intro log about half way down my warm up lane.  She ate the distance to the log and b/c it was so small practically tripped over it.  After the hanging log, she tried to crow hop so hard that Trainer hollered at me to fix it, but I was so busy laughing I couldn't do anything about it.  Finished up by doing the hanging log into the water to a BN coop, then on around to a BN green painted roll top type jump.  Coming to the coop, I sat down, got in the "back seat", pressed my knuckles in her her neck, and she jumped it well despite being a little surprised.  The turn to the rolltop was a PERFECT spot for her to duck out to the right b/c it was off a left hand turn, but I sat back, growled, closed my leg, and OVER she went!  I walked her back to Trainer on a loose rein w/ LOTS of pats and praise, then we did that one more time for good measure.  The 2nd time, she was like a BEAST.  Flew over the hanging log, charged through the water, took the coop like a star, and was looking for the center of the rolltop.  GOOD GIRL! I had SO much fun, she was GREAT.  Pleased, proud, and excited to go out again soon!

And, the BEST phase!

Um ... where is THIS trot in the dressage???!!!

Sorry this post has taken FOREVER!  I've been a bit busy and not in front of my computer.  Sunday dawned clear and cold after a small rain shower Saturday night.  Tiki was clean and happy and snug as a bug in his nice heavyweight blanket and his snuggly neck cover.  LR took him for a little walk and he was happy and interested in his surroundings, but not silly or googly-eyed at all:)  Good Muffin!

We went down to the xc course and staked out a spot to watch the Intermediate and most of the Prelim.  The course seemed to be riding very well; I'd walked the Prelim coffin and was quite impressed by the sheer SIZE of it.  Big wide ditch, and big logs in and out.  It rode beautifully, with barely any peeks by any of the horses.  I really fell in love with PP, it's such a lovely farm, and the footing couldn't have BEEN any more perfect.  Saturday we'd walked the course, and without further ado, I present ... the course walk!

Lincoln logs; easy as pie!

Garden Gate, NO problem

3, teeny coop

4, little cabin I would have worried over 2 years ago:)

5 was through the water, he was PERFECT!  Even cantered through it:)

6, the "faux ditch".  He jumped this nice and big!

7 was a nice little bench with a bit of a down hill landing and a long downhill gallop to 8

Cute little hedge jump; he again jumped this LOVELY

A simple, solid log with a downhill straight ahead to the mushroom

Mushroom was a nice 10 or so strides down then up a hill.  He got a tiny deep here, but did great

11 was a cabin he's jumped many times (thanks Marty!)

12 were barrels he's pretty comfortable with by now

13 was the ONLY jump of concern.  It was a pretty big brush into the woods.  It was a light to dark question, and the jump itself was a little spooky.  LR was prepared to sit up, close her leg, and swish the crop if needed.

About 3' with the brush

Up to the armpit on landing!  No worries though, he was PERFECT

Next was the tiny little canoe; a little wider, but very small

15 was a quick pass through the water, up to ...

The world's tiniest log

a little palisade that he jumped well, finishing with ...

A planter that seemed WAY smaller than the one at May-Daze;)

He didn't hesitate, overjump, or otherwise act silly.  He marched around picture perfect, according RIGHT to plan, and LR got to feel how lovely he is over the solid stuff.  She wore my watch to keep an eye on time so he didn't incur any speed faults, and managed to keep a good and even rhythm and finished well within optimum time.  Another double clear moved them up 4 more spots to finish in 10th.  Not too shabby!  I'm SO proud of both of them, it was a GREAT weekend!  Tiki has grown up to be such a big man, and he's learned his job so nicely.  

I've made a crucial decision ... I'm 100% going to May Daze again.  AND ... moving up again.  We're going to go for Training.  No reason not to!  He can handle a trakehner, he can handle a coffin, he can handle big and wide and gallopy.  I've watched a few helmet cams from T, and I don't see anything he can't handle with grace.  We will work on our dressage, we'll go schooling one more time, and I will make it to where I've always hoped we COULD.  Exciting times!:)

Such a big boy:D