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Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Locking Left side

My lesson last night was great! It was so hot and gross that when I arrived to the barn Gram was both covered in dirt and sweaty from just standing in the cross ties! Yuck. Needless to say, the dirt turned into mud when mixed with the sweat, so she was just gross. Ryan had us work on trying to lift Gram's shoulders while working on me to not lock up especially my left side. We did more renvers than ever before, but eventually we were able to get in a couple really good trot half passes. Gram is still not strong enough to really push under herself in the canter, so the idea of pushing her haunches to the outside on a 20m circle will help her to train those hind legs. Since I struggle with my own body to the left, I think I have made this her weaker side. When I ask for a haunches out to the left, Gram tend to cross with her front legs- which is bad. I need to work on my own position to not hold the right side. Instead I have to really use my right leg at the girth, and left leg back and on; with the reins, I have to encourage her to stay traveling straight in the front. Seems easy right? ha!

At the end of my lesson, Ryan really broke things down for me. The exercises he had us doing were just as much for me as they were for Gram. I vented to him my frustrations, that I knew what he was asking me to do, I just couldn't get my left side to do what I wanted fast enough. I think I will try to ride without stirrups tonight to help loosen things up.

I almost forgot- My wonderful husband made a play list of the Lamplight rides:

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

It has been a while

So it has been a while since my last post. I will try to quickly explain why! I learned in my three week sabbatical from blogging that a show that is 5 days is too long for my family, me and my ponies. Zion went home after Lamplight, but that was not without excitement in the trailer. He loaded right away, but I thought he was going to bust through the side wall when we took Gram out and he had to stay! The horse show was a success for the most part.

Zion showed two days

Friday Training Level Test 1: 67.391% (Phillips) complete with screaming
Comments were Lovely horse with good future, just needs experience and confidence
Saturday Training Level Test 2: 67.5% (Lilo Fore!) no scream and a pretty blue ribbon.

Gramarye showed 4 days in a row (complete with a thunderstorm all night and a grumpy mare!)


Thursday First Level Test 1: 66.667%
Friday First Level Test 2: 67.5%
Saturday First Level Test 3: 63.714% brain starting to break down...
Sunday First Level Test 4: complete brain fry bomb!

The mare had a melt down type weekend. It was hot, we both do not handle heat well, and the thunderstorm made her extra cranky... she actually bit me when I was in her stall!

Once we got back from the horse show, I had major work to catch up on, which left me mostly unable to go to the barn, then Gram hurt her back, which was actually good timing because I had to go to Minneapolis for a conference. I got back from the conference on Tuesday night late (of course my flight was delayed) and then got hammer with catch up work! I spent most of my time behind the computer and on the phone and wasn't able to make it out fro 2 whole weeks! Thank goodness, Ryan was able to ride Gram a few times to tune her up... She was awesome when I finally got the chance to ride again! I have my first lesson since the horse show tonight. I might melt, but I am excited to prepare for the Kathy Connelly Clinic happening at the barn in October! We have to put the flying changes on Gram before then! So my updates should be interesting documenting the progress!