March 2012

Week 2.5 of riding bareback

I never expected to be having great schooling rides bareback. We’re walking and trotting bareback and I’m not losing my seat any more. The differences in how Kasane responds to my aids are subtle but amazing. For a while, we had trouble free lunging. She’d race from one corner to the next and not pay attention to me. We’ve had several weeks of primarily lunge line work using larger spaces. We’re still working...

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Her Highness all curled up

Saturday it poured and poured and poured. We had several inches of rain over the weekend. In between rain showers, I went to the barn to play with Kasane. I walked out to the field and found her laying down. She was so cute and tired. She let me walk up to her and kneel next to her. So happy to have fingers scratch the long hair under her chin. So very cute....

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Apassionata: The Beginning is coming to North America

Oh my. This looks like a show geared for horse people. According to the Apassionata site: APASSIONATA has been Europe’s most popular live arena show for nearly a decade, thrilling more than five million fans across 15 countries with a breathtaking display of the beauty and the bond between horse and rider. Now APASSIONATA comes to North America to take audiences through a magical adventure featuring more than 40 horses, with exhilarating equine...

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Riding in the Prestige Venus K

Today was the second day of the test ride in the Prestige Venus K monoflap. Yesterday when I rode, it was in the small square ring behind the barn. That ring is on a slight incline and not quite large enough to have a straight line for any distance. Kasane did very well in the small ring yesterday, but I didn’t have a chance to ride in the larger ring because of a...

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Comparison of saddle length

For comparison purposes, here is a picture of Kasane in the Courbette Magic Dressage. I took these pictures to show off the new saddle pad, but they turn out to be pretty good at showing the saddle fit. See how long the saddle panels are? You can tell by where the saddle comes over her back — it comes over her lumbar. When you look at the front of the saddle, see how...

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Saddle fitting pictures

Here are pictures of the saddle fitting. After the saddle fitter took Kasane’s measurements, we went through most of the saddles in the shop to find one that fit me and had short enough panels for her. Most of the used and new saddles I sat in didn’t fit my seat bones. The Prestige Venus K monoflap fit my seat and was so very comfortable. (It is the pretty saddle with the fancy...

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Bareback

No saddle that fits properly so we’re going to ride bareback. This should be fun since Kasane isn’t crazy about having dangly legs on her side without the saddle. A good learning opportunity. My legs are going to be in great shape. Related Images:

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Dressage saddle fitting for Kasane

Day started early. I was at up at 7:45, tried to go back to sleep, dozed until 8:15. At the barn to meet the farrier by 9:30. Groomed Kasane and Prize and then had their feet trimmed. The farrier said that both of them had great feet, so that is always good news. No thrush (foot disease), no strange cracks, no blemishes. Just good strong feet. We had a full house today with...

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