Friday, August 17, 2012

Merrily, Merrily

I realized somewhat sadly that I hadn't posted in awhile.  Mainly there just hasn't been anything going on. This is that slow area of the year(for my eventing) where I'm just starting to get the mare back in shape from summer hiatus and working on the skills we need for the fall eventing toolbox.

I think I might have ridden four times since the last post. Disappointing, and depressing but the weather, my job, and lots of other things have just made it impossible. Mostly its been the weather. It's either too hot, or raining.

And if I haven't said it before, when it rains at my house for more than ten minutes my riding area becomes a quagmire of dangerous slippery ground which I will not force my horse faster than a walk on unless I want her or me, or both of us to have a broken leg.

But weather and work got together on the schedule and I was able to ride yesterday while super hubs continued with the never ending mowing. Someday I'm going to have a fabulous tractor which will make all the pastrue mowing sooo much easier.

Back to the riding. I set up a baby oxer, a warm-up X, and reset the spook fence( vertical with one pole set at 2ft and a flat 1x6 set upright sort of wall like to make it look scary. I also made a mini log pile jump. Previous to yesterday's ride I had been canter baby X's with the High Queen to build both our confidences. Hers so that she could see we really could just happily canter along, and mine that Seneca was not indeed running off with me. I also changed the mare's bit and she seems happier with it, though I don't think it's legal for dressage. It's one of those Stubben EZ control bits that becomes more mullen mouth like if she pulls.

We warmed up, doing a bit of leg yielding here and there, but I wasn't pressing for more dressage stuff. As dressage is the least of our problems. Then I popped her over the X at a trot a couple of times, then cantered a couple.  She did pretty well. I think I'm still clinging with my hands because she wants throw her head down, toss and yank after the fences. Must work on not clinging.  After the X we popped the spook fence and the High Queen never for a second felt like she was going to dodge it. YIPEE! Of course now I have to make a new spook fence.  Then we trotted the baby oxer. I was expecting her to try and run out but happily she did not. 

I can't recall if we cantered the spook fence, I know, my memory sucks, but what I do recall is that we cantered the baby oxer! It's a tiny oxer, not more than two foot, but it was fun. Bigger oxer next time, new spook fence, and maybe a baby vertical for the warm-up instead of the X.

What's up next?  Well the local park has some baby (lower than 2ft) xc jumps I'd love to canter over. So I may try that this weekend.  And we have several horse trials/CT's coming up.  Two in September, one in October, and one in November.  And I've decided instead of doing the expensive (I calculated it to be $600) Wardaca Starter Trial, I am going to do the closer(less expensive) Calais HT in November as the end event for the year.

And GOOD LUCK to TEAM S.H.E as Sinead and Tate make their bid to conquer Burghley again!

So until my next adventure with the mare-beast, keep it between the flags everybody!

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