Happy New Year!

2011 has started with a bang!  Gram is really progressing in her training.  I have been boycotting the computer for the holidays, so I will make this entry short and sweet.  Over the last couple of weeks, I got to spend a ton of quality horse time!  If I wasn't in Chicago riding Gram, then I was in Michigan working with Zion.  It was great for my horsey mental health!

First Gramarye, she has really grown up... I know I have been typing this more a lot lately, but every ride she seems to offer up more.  I am still working on getting her up and out.  I can feel a difference, I just hope that Ryan agrees with me when he is back in a couple of weeks.  Our lateral work still needs help, but for now I am practicing at the walk.  I have been doing a lot of the quick transitions to get her thinking with her hind end and we have been working a ton of circles.  The canter has really improved.  I can work within the gait now, bigger and smaller without feeling like I am a passenger holding on for dear life.  Our medium trots have also improved, she no longer trails out behind.  There is still so much inside of her that I have yet to tap.  I am just excited what she will offer up next.  Over the last week, my training rides did not accomplish what I set out to do... For example one day I said, I am going to work lateral movements today.  I got on and she was not right for that, so instead we worked lots of transitions and circles until we were good.  The next day I started with some lateral work in the walk, and went into our transitions and circles, then ended with mediums.  The third day I again started with lateral movements in the walk, then mediums and ended with one canter half pass and called it a day.  Since we did so much building on basics last week, my hope is to actually work the lateral movements in trot and canter this week... of course Tuesdays are always a stretching and suppling day, so Wednesday I should have a better update.

Zion is in training with a local eventing rider, Philippa Humphreys in Michigan.  She is doing a great job keeping him going.  He still struggles with his big canter.  He would much rather trot all day.  When I went back to Michigan I pushed him probably a bit too hard in the canter.  He likes to barrel down with his shoulder so he takes tons of back, seat and half halts. I was exhausted after riding him for two days. My mom has been progressing too.  She has really developed a better idea of the feel for things, now she just needs to work on not gripping poor baby Z. :)