Neck Straps and Training Differences

All I can say is that I want one!  Just got back from Woodside Horse Park, but only had time to watch the Beginner Novice and Novice rides.  I can say that a HT is a lot different from my old hunter shows.  First, the warm up was crazy!  Some of those horses must have been crossed bred with a rabbit or a deer. I loved the variety of horses from Arabs, Quarter X's and ?  Plus, the cutest ponies too.  Jumping style was all over the map.  I am really not sure how some people stayed on.  This is where the Neck Strap or Jump Strap would come in handy, even in stadium.
 Gina Miles rode with one and she was showing in Beginner Novice Horse.
Here is a nice picture of You Know Who.  It's just part of the gear.  I wish more people would ride with them.  Maybe they think they are better riders than others, but from what I saw........!  Come on people!  From now on I will never leave home w/ out one.

Now, I have a bone to pick about jumping techniques.  My horse stops, and yes I know I created this problem.  We are getting better, and I am in it for the long haul w/ her.  Some trainers want you to beat them, others not.  Some want you to back up and then jump it or make a circle before the attempt.  I can truly say that beating my mare will not get you anything but a pissed off red headed cow: not good.  She hates to back up, thus this seems to work.  We are jumping such little things, so there isn't the fear of not getting over it.  What we lack is forward!  I am being told that my current trainer lacks good advice because we use the back up and very little beating.  The jury is still out on this, but I feel we are moving forward.  OK, very slowly.

Lone Tree

Well, we made it back from our trip to Lone Tree.  Love that place.  Only got two short clips of video of our rides.  Sat. lesson was really good.  We worked on ditches and we really did jump some small roll tops.  I had one stop, but she was willing after that.  Sun. we worked on down banks and up banks.  We also had more stops.  I cantered into the water and up a small bank to a log.  At the end of the lesson we were able to jump a small course.  I was thrilled.  As far as her spooking, we did have a moment on Sun. morning.  She came out jogging and was so focused on the pasture horses that I almost chickened out.  I decided to go off on my own and worked on transitions between the gates and leg yields.  She settled down after five minutes.  My friend came on her 27 year old lease.  He was so good and she had never jumped a horse before.  She was so thrilled.

Great Clinic

Well, it wasn't pretty and I did learn a lot.  We have to learn the go button and to trust each other.  Our first day was the worst and of course I only have clips of those rides.  The temp. was around 90 so we were both lacking any ambition.  I also had a great lunch which did come back to haunt me half way through the lesson.  She was pushing through my left side.  Every stop she pulls left too.  Lexi wanted me to lift her up in front before the jump.  OK, I get that , but she doesn't even have to try to get over them.  I think that I stop riding three strides before the jump. 

Day two was much easier because the weather was cooler.  We worked on forward to compression and then did two clean changes during the gallop warm up.  Who knew we could do that!  Not one stop either.  Two day clinics really are better for us.  I need to ride to the connection every time I ride plus, sink more into my left heal. 

Road Trip May and Goals

May is going to be a big month for us.  We have a mini jump clinic this weekend and then we are going to Lone Tree.  Lone Tree has a great water feature plus mini banks with logs scattered through.  Goals are to smile, have fun, and laugh.  Need to get use to people galloping up my back and hold on as my horse bolts.  I know this is all part of the sport, but seriously!  My DQ shows her ugly self during these times.  I think people need to watch the area around them and realize that there are other riders on reactive horses.  I just need to practice more and have my barn friends run their horses up our bottoms. 

Goal for the summer is to break into first level.  The connection is almost there and what do I have to loose at this point.  I think I will show in T3 and First Level Test 1.  Going for the full rated show in July due to the lack of schooling shows in my area.  Then Oct. is just around the corner with the first horse trial.  They offer an intro. class, but everyone is giving me a bad time about it.  I know the class is below our level, but I have a mare who only jumps if the moons are aligned.  I do envy others whose horses jump anything even though the rider has climbed up their necks or pulled on their faces for support.  I still love my mare even with her issues (OK, we both have issues).  Hope to have video of our clinics!

Jump Vest

Yes, I know I look like I'm going white water rafting rather than riding my horse, but the two of us have a history.


OK, this is not me and I really don't get the ad, but I love this vest and I did order it from the UK.
They had the best prices, and I chose custom colors too!

I think people have a perceived view of a rider who shows up in a helmet and vest.  They must think that the horse is "Hell of Four Legs" or that the rider is lacking major confidence.  Well I am happy to say that I have put my vest to good use.  It's not just a trend and yes it's hot, snug, and really ugly. It sure beats broken ribs. 

I had a debate with a guy at my barn on how a helmet can save your life.  This same guy has been thrown or fallen off several times and yet it hasn't knocked any sense into him.  I gather he can't wear his cowboy hat over it.  Darwinism at work.

We had a great lesson of Friday and I rode her cold out of the trailer.  No room to lunge, so I put my big girl pants on.  I am learning to let her determine the distance.  I really want to help her, but this just makes things worse.  This is an older video of our lesson 3 months ago.  I just wanted to show off my vest.  I love baby blue and navy.  I think a splash of yellow would have made the vest pop.

Jumping Lesson

We are going to ride in a lesson on Friday.  The fun part is the trailer ride there and warm-up.  My last lesson two weeks ago, caused a stir.  It was Easter weekend, so I decided to get to my lesson early to avoid any traffic.  Well, we got there 2.5 hours early.  No problem, we grazed and did a lot of walking around, and then more grazing. 

I enter indoor arena and notice who was riding.  One large Friesian and a young girl with two ponies.  I think, no problem my mare has seen this before.  Well, the Friesian was lacking forward, so there was a lot of whip action and then the ponies turn into little dragons.  My mare looses it and rears, but all I hear are panic voices around me.  We are under control, but I did lack confidence after that.  I think people should keep their voices down instead of shouting about a hot horse.  I got right to work and had a great lesson.  Later I hear that a rider had asked if my horse was green or young.  She didn't want to ride near me and I totally get that.  I can't wait for the day when people will notice how well behaved my mare is and not make such a grand entrance.  By the way, she really is jumping me out of the tack now!!  Love that feeling when they bascule over the fences.

What I learned:

• Stay cool even on reactive missile
• Ignore others and focus
• Be positive and smile

I hope this weeks lesson is just as eventful!

Crazy People @ My Barn

You know if you board at a public barn, there are always those people that are a bit off or just plain nuts.  I suppose it's better than a barn full of DQs.  The same DQs that run over you with their 17 hand I can't steer yet and I need the whole arena.  The same ones who can only work on changes across the diagonal and that's all they work on.

Well, at my barn we have better boarders.  Those that can't pay, take off and leave their horses or beat them.  We have this new gal who just came in with this nice Morgan stallion.  First of all, geld the poor thing then send it to a real trainer!  She says she is training him to, rack?  I don't know enough about Morgans, but it sounds like she wants a park horse out of him.  She puts chains on all four feet and then shouts at him while hitting him with whips.  Last week I think he had enough because he flipped over on her.  She then beat him for it.  We are all taking notes on this and have told the barn owner. 

Our newest boarder isn't mean, but claims she teaches Classical Dressage.  Well, all she does is passage around the arena.  She purchased her horses from a south of the boarder trainer who has taught them all those pretty tricks.  First of all, take the double off!!  I wouldn't normally pick on a person like her, but she claims she's a trainer!

Come on, get your hands out of your crotch and ride the dam horse forward from behind!

I think I'm an OK rider, but @ least I know what a proficient trainer should look like.