Hello Dressage saddle!

I was so focused on preparations for the jump show that I had not spent much time (okay, no time) in my longer flap, longer stirrup dressage saddle. Well, I road in in today. I really felt like I had forgotten how to ride! I could not keep my leg on and cantering was a sloppy and bouncy nightmare. I focused on getting my lower leg stretched down and around and finally came to some sort of organized seat and felt better about my ride. At last I could work on maintaining forwardness and roundness at the trot while softening my elbows and stretching tall at the canter.

Jump for Joy!

I entered Deuce and I into 2 classes at Fox Hills Pony Club annual Jump for Joy show this weekend. Most of the weened encompassed volunteering and helping out since I am also a club member as a Horsemaster, but there was still enough time to get a few rides in too.

The plan involved taking Deuce over to the fair grounds so we could practice Friday night, after we got all the jumps hauled over and the course set. Then Deuce spends the night at and I ride my two classes Saturday mid day and then Deuce goes home while I continue to help out. 

The plan went quite smoothly and for not having been out hardly all winter, Deuce was very well behaved and comfortable. 

He arrived Friday evening calm cool and collected; looking happy to be in a new venue and interested in his new surroundings. 

In the warm up arena, Deuce was firey and quite forward! I had some help from Erin on sending him forward and back to establish some half halts and get a more responsive horse who was not leaning on the bit and running through my hands. Once I had a more of Deuce's attention and cooperation, we found a few lines to jump. Finally! that is what he wanted to do all along! I worked on staying light with my hand sand softening and keeping my leg on.  It was busy in there!! Horses going every which way and finding a line and taking it proved to be challenging, but Deuce was keen for any and all and quick to respond. . We jumped everything with no problems. Fox Hills has always been known for their creative jumps at their shows. This year was no exception, there's the big playing cards, Christmas, Eater, the skinny roll top, the beautiful stone wall, the moon/orange slices, and of course the road closed/American flag. Lots to look at and jump over!

Back in his cage of a stall, (all enclosed, with only a big screen to look out of - not very horse friendly - but quite spectator friendly when the county fair in is progress) Deuce was actually pretty content to stand in the corner and look out his window quietly watching all the traffic go by. I was relieve to see him munch hay and not be flustered about his confinement in such a new and exciting place (there were lots of horses arriving and being talkative by that point). 

Saturday morning came early and I found Deuce well rested and ready for the day.  I helped jump crew in the morning then it was off to get ready to ride. Deuce's patience continued to persist into the day as I saddled and got ready to ride. He's such a cool horse!!!

Our first class was the 2'3- 2' 6" open class. In warm up, Deuce as much more settled and ready to go to work. We focused on getting quality half halts, big forward canter and jumping straight. Then it was our turn to enter the arena.We had an okay ride, he made the corners and jumped straight though I did not have him forward quite enough and I could have done better about getting his lead changes.

Had our ride video taped:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ6EBgx7Yjg

Our second class was 2'6" Adult.  We bopped into the arena and picked up a canter when the whistle blew. Nice big circle around to our first fence, the cards and dice, no problem, then a nice big left turn around with a fix of the lead to the American flag and a turn right around to the Christmas oxer. I was a little late on the turn and so we were not quite lined up,  but he was honest and went to it and jumped cleanly anyway. good boy! Then a straight line to the skinny roll top. I did not stay strong with my left leg so there was a slight drift left again, but he still went over. Then another turn left at the far end to the orange and purple then a bendy line to the Chinese. I did not find my line soon enough to was a late turn to the orange an purple, then was out  of whack and not forward enough or on the right lead for the Chinese so we pulled a rail there. Darn it! Then a right turn, headed towards the gate, which is the recipe for his notorious popping out of the the left shoulder and running though (with jump crew right in his path). To prevent that scenario, I half halted a bit too much to balance to make the turn so he broke to a trot and then when I cued for the canter, he was no balanced and he picked up the wrong lead to head around to the blue oxer so I tried to fix it again and micro managed too much and we so we went over at a disorganized trot. We landed in  canter to head to the wall but I did not send him forward so we pulled a rail there too. Then I finally stetted down again and sent him a little more forward around the right hand turn to the two stride line on the out side and he took the last two straight and clean. 

Here's  another video of our ride:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ6p6zSEFuI

Fun day, really pleased with the big spotted boy, but I have more work to do. My focuses will be to not manage him so much. Get him straight and then soften and leave him alone... stretch tall, hands together and leg on. and let him go forward.. big strides!

Splash!

Every winter, there is a big puddle that forms in field. I caught the boys running through it instead of going around it this afternoon water spraying everywhere!!! SPLASH!!

Outfit fun!

So I found this pink and green polo that is super cute and I got it in my head that a pink and green saddle pad to match would be equally cute. So my co worker helped me design and put together an outfit that debuted at our lesson. It was too cold to wear the short sleeve polo, but it will come out soon enough. I am a dork. Deuce tolerates me... :-)  but we have fun!

Pony Club mounted meeting - Jump lesson!

Today was a pony club mounted meeting with a guest instructor, Anna Collier. Since the Jump for Joy schooling show is rapidly approaching, I was looking forward to working on our jumping in another arena of different jumps. Deuce was fantastic! After warming up, we first trotted and cantered over 6 canter poles placed 10' apart down the long side of the arena. This helped all of our horses lengthen and regulate thier stride so we could get better rhythm to the fences. Then we put a course together that incorporated going through the grid both directions. This made a huge difference in Deuce and I's ability to go forward and come back and balance.There were some difficult tight turns and some biger (novice height?) verticles and an oxer in a 2 stride, but Deuce did great with all of the new fences. He was focused and ready for jumping. What a good boy!

Ah sunshine!

There was another break in the weather and the fields are starting to dry out so I headed up to the hay fields for a stroll up and down the hills. It felt so good to both of us to be out of the arena!

The progression wave.

Just when one riding skill is improved and coming together, another training opportunity arises.  That is why we ride, right? There is always something new to work on. Sometimes its frustrating though.The roundness is coming but the consistency is not there and now he's developed a tendency to be stiff in his neck and especially going left. Of course, I don't help matters any as when he gets into his locked state, I get rigid in my elbows and then he goes around leaning and braced. Argh. I am working on softening my elbows and then sending him forward when I feel him lock up. More to work on...