Last Saturday, Horsemasters sponsored a clinic at Rivendell Farm for rating for a Bronze or Silver Mounted and Unmounted tests (specific to Pony Club). Isis and I went to the clinic with Max (horse) and Ro (owner). Isis loaded beautifully. She walked on without any trouble and stood next to Max in the trailer quietly. Isis and Max got along well. Isis even let Max eat out of her hay bag (first time...
Continue reading...Riding
Isis and Sierra
I got out of work later than I wanted and went to the barn. First time I was able to ride this week. (First week after daylight savings time.) Something about working hard to leave at 4:30 and then getting out and realizing it’s actually 6:00 pm… and I only had 30 minutes to tack up and ride before it was dark. The ride started off pretty well. Until Isis’ barn buddy came...
Continue reading...Riding in the Courbette Magic
I rode twice over the weekend in the Courbette Magic dressage saddle. Both times, Isis and I had really good, productive rides. She is more responsive to my leg (longer stirrups, legs in right place… yup). The more I ride in it, the more I like it. One of the ladies at the barn mentioned that she thought the saddle looked a little high in the withers. It doesn’t feel that way when...
Continue reading...Courbette Magic Dressage Saddle
During my riding lesson on Tuesday, I did an experiment: I dropped my stirrup and rode as if I was in a dressage saddle. Big different on how Isis responded. When you ride dressage, your seat is different then when you ride hunt seat. In dressage, you ride in a “balanced” seat: you sit back farther so that your upper body is up and down instead of leaning forward. Your stirrup length is...
Continue reading...Riding lesson
Isis and I had a riding lesson this afternoon/evening. I hadn’t been able to ride on Monday. I had to make up time from Friday when I left early to take Stella to the vet’s. My instructor asked me what I would like to work on. This was the perfect opportunity to work on problems pointed out by the show: How do you correct a horse who isn’t listening and is more interested...
Continue reading...Horse Show Report
Back from the show and man was I tired! I had been worried the show would be cancelled because of the rain we’ve had (plus the forecast). The show was on, luckily. I felt really good about our preparation for the dressage portion of the test. I was very nervous about the cross country part. We had only ridden on a cross country course once during the practise clinic a few weeks back....
Continue reading...Riding Lesson: Share the enthusiasm!
Isis was *great*. I mean GREAT. We were relaxed and rode the dressage test twice. She did very well. She’s learned where to stop and could probably ride the pattern by herself (even though we have only ridden it like five times). She stopped square and stood quietly. Only pulled on me once. Big improvement. The second part of the lesson focused on jumping. Isis gets excited and tends to rush when we...
Continue reading...Riding lesson
I had a riding lesson today with Isis that went surprisingly well. We rode her first dressage test today (Introductory Test B, a simple walk-trot test). Last time I had ridden something like that was in college (been a looong time). We rode the test three times. The first time was just trying to get through the different movements. She tripped four times during the first run-through. She also pulled against me a...
Continue reading...I rode!
I rode today! =) Isis and I rode with another person at the barn in the front pasture. It was Isis’ first time there undersaddle. We were both a little nervous. Overall she was good (and would have been better if I had calmed down a little). It was nice to be back on her. I should have a riding lesson next week on Tuesday and Isis is scheduled for a massage too....
Continue reading...Riding…maybe
I might have two offers to ride horses for other people. I never thought about doing that, until I realized how out of shape I’ve become from not riding. SO… I’m going to take up the ladies on their offer. I’ll have to bring some fo my gear back from Tennessee, but hey better to be used than not. Yay! Riding! I wish it was on my girl but at least this will...
Continue reading...Miracle Mare: Above and Beyond
A friend of mine is working on a book and had asked me if there were any situations I’d like to share where my horse had gone above and beyond what might normally be expected. My initial reaction was ‘Where do I start?’ I have lost almost half of Isis’s available riding time to medical issues. Isis had two boughts with laminitis and recovered fully with little to no rotation and the farrier...
Continue reading...Thoughts on Riding
Isis and I had a mixed ride today. I think it was more my fault than hers. I’ve been thinking about this a lot. She might have been reluctant because I wasn’t clear in what I was asking (probably because I’m still learning and figuring it out). She didn’t want to whoa when asked — instead she would walk for 6-8 additional steps before coming to a stop. She knows whoa. It’s the...
Continue reading...Riding Lesson!
I know I should be taking it easy with my knee and evrything, but some times you can’t keep a girl down. I had a riding lesson today on Isis. I was out at the barn by about 10:00 AM and met the other two ladies who were also riding. (Two sisters who own two Belgian/Thoroughbred horses who are brothers by the same sire.) They went first, so I had about two hours...
Continue reading...Rode the Grey Wonder Mare™
I rode the Grey Wonder Mare today, for the first time in several weeks. She was amazing. The best trick I’ve learned with Rajiyyah is to let her warm herself up doing free lunging. Her concentration is much better after she exercises herself for a little while. So much improved overall. I wasn’t going to ride, but she did so well… We rode any way. She did very well: walk, trot, leg yields...
Continue reading...Riding Finally!
Yesterday I went out to the barn after a yoga class and before evening dance practise. It was really nice to see the girls. I’ve missed being around them while all of the house stuff was going on. There is nothing quite as nice as having your horses nicker for you when you walk into the barn. It was very hot out at the barn — mid-90s and high humidity. I only worked...
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