
Frumpy & Tired
This weekend was about the holy trinity – ponies, friends and alcohol. Sometimes these combine in amazing ways, and sometimes they leave you showing up for your Saturday morning lesson feeling less than stellar.
Less than stellar for your first lesson in over a month.
For your first lesson in over a month where your trainer busts out some awesome exercises, that are simultaneously super fun and ridiculously hard. I think I said at one point, “This lesson points out all our worst flaws at once.” Plus, Simon was super psyched about life and more importantly – about jumping again.
Personally, I was proud at myself for getting out of bed and making it to the barn. It’s not shocking to me that the photos were less than stellar, but there were some good moments.


There were moments when I thought, “Will I ever learn not to learn and hunch forward?”


There were moments when Simon said, “FUCK YEAH WE’RE JUMPING CROSSRAILS!”

If you’re curious how difficult trot jumps are on Simon when he’s had close to a month off from jumping, just read the expression on my face.

That is me saying, “I regret that last cocktail.”
Trot jumps aren’t as hard as canter – trot transitions though, just ask Simon pants.


Horseback riding. It’s a beautiful thing right?
The crowning achievement of our lesson was cantering through the trot poles. Because I was feeling tired & frumpy, I stopped riding him about a stride out of the poles. Instead of keeping a steady contact, sitting up and talking to him… I just flopped and said “Do what you will.” Well, he cantered… but he cantered in a perfectly calculated way.





After the “canter” poles, he pranced around as if to say ,”Wow that was a really hard exercise but I sure did it well!”
It was also hot and humid as all get out. Summer is not over in Texas. We ended our lesson with a pretty ugly course, but one that had little over excitable nerd horse listening to me well. As for me, I was pretty much ready to fall off my horse and die in a corner. Shockingly enough, that didn’t happen and I survived to go cross country schooling the next morning… but that’s another blog post.

34 thoughts on “Frumpy & Tired”
Ha, I know these cantering-trot-poles feel. Tucker is like, “Let me show you how clever I can be!”
I really love the third pic down, cantering the single pole. Great expression on Simon, great focus on you.
I saw that rolly picture when I was editing and busted out laughing. Haha. It really wasn’t all bad. There was definitely done good in that lesson too.
Update: Still giggling over that face. Especially after seeing pictures of similar trot jumps from Val from Saturday and my inability to ride them.
Hahaha he’s SO PROUD of himself for cantering those poles. NO TOUCHY!!!
I can totally relate to regretting an extra cocktail the next morning when you’re riding face.
Looks like you all had fun!
This was the best story ever! I have to say, with the exception of the canter trot transition photos, look how happy Simon is! He’s like BEST DAY EVER!!!! I’m thoroughly impressed with his cantering the trot poles too. Partly because he was so amazing at it, and party because my horses refuse to move faster than forced. If I was all do whatevs! They would probably just stop moving entirely.
He really did think it was best day ever. Was extremely curious why we even bothered trotting anything and only jumped tiny jumps.
Such grace through those poles!
And hey. Not only did you get some great face pictures (and have a great outfit), I LOVE that second picture. So fancy!
Hopefully the next lesson we’ll get pictures of we’ll actually be on our A-game. There are some fancy moments lately!
Simon looks so happy. Love the crossrail picture. Also I love your face! I can totally relate. I have a bunch of my riding faces caught on camera.
Oh my… love that he’s so enthusiastic about his job at least?
The zoom set of pictures… girl, you had me laughing. Thank you. I can totally relate to facial expressions caught on camera. Great story telling.
That zoom photo…so many lolz!! I’ve been there. 🙂 Simon looks SUPER SUPER THRILLED to be jumping!
1. I love your shirt. LOVE
2. I make that face over every. single. jump.
3. You stayed on… which is better than I did!
4. I freaking love Simon. LOVE HIM.
I love him too. Even when I’m hungover and tired, he makes me laugh.
I can relate to cursing the extra cocktail!
Wow look at him fit in those trot poles! 😀
OKAY… Maybe I like to look at the pictures before I READ your blog. sooo here I am wondering why in the heck those canter poles are so close together… THEN I realize that you were supposed to trot!!! LOL 🙂
Yeahhhh my trainer isn’t special, but me & my horse are. 🙂
Dear Simon,
Thank you. I really, really needed a laugh today. Please keep your mom laughing too. Cantering trot poles was a good one. Keep up the good work.
So been there! But jesh, I’m impressed with his canter trot pole skills.
You guys look great!
Gotta love his enthusiasm! I’ve definitely made that face before…
ugh trot jumps are the actual worst thing EVAR. ugh. love your expression tho – i definitely relate! (ooh and i like the shirt a lot too and am sooooo pumped to read about xc schooling!!!!)
dude, that ‘canter’ pole series is downright impressive! FUCK YEAH CANTERING TROT POLES!
Ah, this post makes me laugh. Bacon and Simon could canter all the trot poles together!
Haha- I love the “do what you will.”
I make that face pretty much the entire time I ride. 😛
Your horse is much the happiest pony ever in these pictures! So cute!
That face… EPIC. Anyway, for having that much time off, you guys look pretty great. Even the ungraceful pictures. ^.^ Simon is definitely glad to be back in action.
Hah! At least I don’t have the only special horse. Except, my filly will trot the first pole, canter, then sort of trot, or some special gait.
Why do you have to make it so hard on me???
The zoom photo is my favorite though. I never understand how people can look perfectly poised while riding. I look like your zoom photo in basically every riding photo my entire life. 🙂
I make horrible riding faces too!!
Henry is always perplexed my trot or canter polls… for a horse that jumps i just don’t get his horror at them lol
I love the second picture, his expression is so cute and hes so shiny and pretty!!
Simon is so so proud of his job and his mom. What a great guy you have
I LOVE the zoom in shots on your face. I don’t even want to know what my facial expression is like when I’m riding. And I’m still recovering from last night’s lesson. Sigh.