I’ve been sick for over a week, and am kind of over it. I’d also be lying if I said this sickness had no affect on my mood. I’ve been a little bit more short than I normally would, and when I drove the long trek to the barn and rode even though I didn’t feel good – I needed my horse to be good. And he so wasn’t. To be fair, he was really fresh because I hadn’t been…
When my trainer texted me Saturday afternoon asking me if I was lessening on Sunday or waiting until Tuesday, I wasn’t sure the best answer. Simon had over a week off for his stitches to heal, and I while I was planning to ride that evening I wasn’t sure how he would be. I’m really eager to train for our next show (about a month away!), and figured worst case scenario I’d have a fresh horse. No big deal. I…
Had a good lesson last night. On Saturday I picked up my tall boots from the cobblers from getting the zipper fixed, and since then I’ve been complaining about them almost non-stop and feeling like I can’t ride at all with this slick concrete boot on my lower leg. Asked my trainer if I could potentially show in half chaps at the show, and she wasn’t impressed haha. The good news is that by the end of the lesson I…
Didn’t have a remarkable equestrian weekend. Light hack Saturday in the afternoon heat, and then I attempted to murder my horse pulled mane and tried to clip ears. Lets just say that Simon and I battled a but over ear clipping and no one won – he got his ears clipped but he was so naughty that they look really bad. Sunday I had a lesson but my head wasn’t 100% in the game. Simon is getting quite fit again…
We had our first lesson tonight, and it went swimmingly! I had both been very excited and very nervous about it, but there was no reason to be worried. I talked about my goals with my trainer and our past issues, and then we got to work. Right away I realized the pace of the trot I ride with Simon is much faster than what S wants me to have. This is familiar, because its the same message that my…
I’ve never had a sunshine and rainbows relationship with my horse. That doesn’t mean I haven’t loved them, or that we haven’t expected each other or did cool things together… but a Black Beauty relationship it was not. Simon however, has been the exception to this rule. He is my Black Beauty. When I come to the barn, he whickers to me… almost without fail. As soon as he sees my car or me walking up I get this big…
Ok, so we all know I’m a bit of a hunter snob but I think the following advice goes for any discipline. I’m not an amazing rider nor do I play one on TV, but I do know a bit about being a student of a sport. I grew up very seriously competitively figure skating, then coached figure skating all through high school, and have taken lessons and clinic with a variety of horse trainers on the east coast and here in…
Gimmicks. I hate gimmicks. Specifically, training gadgets to get a horse’s head down. I hate it because I feel like I lived it, although no one would have ever accused me of rollkur or tying my horse’s head in the stall or anything like that. German martingale? Used it. Draw reins? Used them. Different bits? Oh sure. I never abused my horse, but I am guilty as charged for using training gadgets improperly before I was taught properly to ride leg to…