Lol, my horse is a mare.

Sasha was interesting at the last show.


She stepped of the trailer super relaxed, and she seemed very mellow. She schooled perfectly, and when we showed, our first round started out perfectly. It was a tricky course, and she was nailing it. Well, until the long approach to an oxer. Three strides out, she sucked back against my leg, so I closed it but not enough, and she stopped. Circled back around, jumped it, continued on our way. Perfect after that. Of course. So I got 5th in the class (half the horses refused, I was the "top" refusal lol) I figured, alright, she's being good, next course is our time. Nope, she got really strong and obnoxious, we left a stride out of a line, and she fought the whole time. Yayy, bit swap time.


My trainer tried to change her bit in the little waiting area. She flipped out and was backing up and rearing. Of course. Eventually we got her in her full cheek and then she settled down. However, she was swinging her butt out and backing up randomly in the waiting area, and all the horses gave us a large clearance zone lol! Our next two courses were a little better, but we didn't place in either of them. The last course we definately should have placed (quiet, all distances + changes, placed below horses that broke and were not pretty jumpers/movers), but the judging was super weird. Oh well.


In the eq flat, the first direction was a little fast, but the second direction was perfect, and my eq was good. I pinned 6th. Under people who's horse was bucking and crow hopping the whole way around. Woww. The hunter U/S had 13 horses in it. It was perfect until halfway through the last canter. A horse charged up bucking behind us, and Sasha freaked out and took off. Ohh boy. I was so so mad, I thought we bombed it. I placed 5th? Um, alright...not going to complain, but I so didn't deserve that!


Oh, and my lesson Friday was epic. I did a line around to a diagonal in and out. She was perfect through the line, but really strong through the in and out. Well. We jumped into the line, and she landed crosscantering. I couldn't figure out what she was doing until 3 strides out from the other jump (6 stride line) and so I half halted her a little late. She swapped her lead, and by then our distance was shot. I should have gone for the long spot. Instead, we got an itty bitty little chip, and she was practically under the jump. She stopped, slid into the jump, threw her head up and backed up. I was on her side with one foot in the stirrup and the other practically dragging on the ground. I knew I was either going to fall painfully or I could just sort of step off. I chose option two, and I got right back on and did it again.


She was perfect in my lesson Saturday. I'm going to just hack her around tonight, and I have a lesson tomorrow. Yay, funness.


It's been a crazy year. So many ups and downs, highs and lows. At the beginning of the year and this blog, I wouldn't canter her on my own. Now, we're showing 2'6" semi successfully. This year was all about getting her quiet and relaxed. I didn't care about ribbons, yet I ended up 5th in both my 2' divisions, and 4th in Open Pleasures even though I've done it twice. It's been a crazy journey, but it's only just started. I have several good years left to show with this horse, and it's only going to get better. We've both grown up and improved so much this year, and we've taught each other so much. She's taught me to be so much more confident with bad behavior in the ground and in the saddle, and my riding has improved so much. I've taught her to relax and quiet down, and  that life isn't a race. I can't wait for what next year will bring.


Until next time,
Cruce<3

...Well it's been a while!!

Hey everyone! I've been around. (; So anyways. So so much has happened! Sasha has been so perfect at shows lately, and we've moved up to 2'6". I've jumped her up to 3'6" in my lessons a few times, and she jumps it so effortlessly! She just canters to it, hops over, canters away without a second thought. I've ridden her with no hands: literally just dropped the reins and steered with my seat and legs. She has been amazing. I was reading through all my old blogs a while ago, and it's amazing how far we've come. This is the horse I was scared to trot and canter on my own, and here we are, cantering with no hands and jumping stirrupless (oh yeah, jumped stirrupless the other week.)


Here in New York, we have already had snow, and she's been wearing her light/midweight blanket. Yeah. I'm not sure if anyone's noticed, but it's barely November. She's already worn a midweight.


She was a little fresh last week, but I was really really busy and couldn't ride her a lot. =/ So I feel bad. I have a show Sunday at Skidmore College, last one of the year! The official "finals" (Eq only) were the other weekend. She was awful my first round; tense, running through my hand, not responsive to any aids, etc.  She got swapped into her full cheek after being in a single jointed eggbutt for a while, and we shortened her martingale a hole. She responded a lot better, and I won the round. Then there was the "classic" round. I got a first round score of 75.5 and I was in the lead until the last person who got a 76. Yep. Well they decided to test. Sasha completely missed a change, which she has NEVER done, and then she wouldn't stop when I asked her to, which dropped us from 2nd to 3rd. I was really mad. >=( Then the person in front of us in the victory gallop wouldn't go faster than a lazy canter, and I wanted to go, but couldn't.


So yeah. She was perfect in my lesson last week -- shocking, because it was on a Wednesday and she hadn't been ridden since the show Sunday. We did a line because that was all that was set up in the arena, and then did a rollback to the second jump, which was 3'. She practically stepped over it. We did the same thing Saturday, but it was barely 2' because I was riding with my friends who have very green horses. She was really strong, but it was (hardly) kept under control.


My life, ttyl <3

Hey hey heyyyy!

So, I'm baaaaaaaaack!


Right. My first ride back was oh so interesting. ;) So I get on and am a little wobbly, I can't post right, etc, but it got better after a while. Sasha was really good considering I was flopping like a fish! Her canter felt soooo nice, my trainer said she has been really really good. It was quiet, but I could feel the impulsion and her pushing from her hind end.


 I decide to pop over a few jumps. She's pretty good, so I decide to do a line. Well. I do it, she rushes a little, not badly, and we land and turn sharply because someone is on the rail there. I lean a little, and Sasha cuts in really fast and shakes her head and goes faster. I half fall off, but then pull myself back in the saddle, then all of a sudden I fly off. That was stupid. I hit really hard, and had the wind knocked out of me pretty badly. I was lying there moaning and I just couldn't stop! After I catch my breath, I get back on and do another jump. She was awesome, so I called it quits. OH! My friend was recording me on her iPhone and caught the fall! So I need to see if I can get that up.


The next day I have a lesson, and it went fairly well. I did a diagonal line and jumped a 2'6" oxer. She was pretty quiet, she got a little fast at one point but then settled down. It was raining, and she treated the rain like bugs and was shaking her ears and swishing her tail.


I rode her three days ago in my new monogrammed baby pad =) and it was pouring. I rode inside, and I couldn't get her to move! Not literally, but she kept breaking at the canter and I had to squeeze really hard. I ended up making her canter a really fast circle and then I just took my leg off and got a normal canter.


I rode in the mud two days ago. I trotted and cantered her over one of those little flower things that go under jumps, and she kept trying to go around it, but I didn't let her. I cantered her in a circle with one hand, and she was really good!


Yesterday, she was in the peak of her heat, which is when the backing up + rearing + bad refusals always happen. Also, the footing was a little slippery from the mud which makes her quick sometimes, the gate was open because a camp was visiting my barn for a field trip and they were getting pony rides, and the kids not getting pony rides were watching me ride and whooping and screaming every time I landed from a jump. Guess what? She was the best she has ever been. I put her in Noodle's (my friend's horse) bit as my trainer asked, and she was really good. It was a double jointed Happy Mouth D ring. She was going in a Korsteel Full Cheek Dr. Bristol before. I was amazed at the difference! She only got slightly quick twice, after a diagonal going home while doing a lead change in the middle of a mud puddle, and she hates going through puddles. I did a line to a single diagonal and jumped around 2'9", but it was really built up -- lots of poles.


=)) So I went to the local tack shop today and got her a D-Ring Happy Mouth (my mom calls it a baby bit lol), as well as new breeches (ripped a pair the other day -- snagged on my safety stirrup while I was dismounting! Oops!), a leather halter [spoiled myself!], a black lead rope (not paying $30 for a leather LEAD ROPE), more supplements, braiding bands so her mane lays flat for braiding next week, my mom ordered me one of those horse bracelets for my birthday in 3 weeks, and I think that's it. Yeah.


I'm riding later on today. Ugh, I have to do 14 stalls tomorrow, and I did 8 last Saturday (and next as well) and 8 on Tuesday. I'm at a show Wednesday - Sunday next week and am trying to pay it off. Sasha is also getting "married" tomorrow! Awww my baby is all grown up! You know what this means -- cake and carrot crunchies!

Vacayyyytion

Yeah, I'm currently in the Outer Banks...no riding for me until the 11th haha!

Sasha update: Well, I had just been doing the normal, just hacking her and having lessons, and they were going fairly well until last Tuesday. She decided to be a witch, and not listen. When I half-halted in a line, she would fling her head up and rock back, then launch forward again obnoxiously. This escalated into her backing up randomly and shying away violently a few strides away from the jumps. When I would turn to circle her, she would resist then suddenly wheel around in a mini-rear and charge off. She was so obnoxious haha. I know I started it, but if she gets a little tense and does something wrong and you correct her too harshly, she will suddenly go downhill and be awful.

Of course, after this one awful day she decided to be PERFECT. She's always like that. If she/we have an awful day, she will be perfect for the next week. So after that day, it was really hot. I had to ride in the indoor. The horses got their hooves done Thursday morning, and I hacked her bareback after for 15 minutes. Our canter didn't go so well. >.< It wasn't awful, but she was a little fast and it took a circle to get it under control lol. There were a few "oh sh-" strides where I thought she was GONE and then she would settle haha!

Friday in my lesson, things were back to normal. I started riding like I normally do (I went through a week/phase where everything just felt...off. She wasn't as soft as normal, and I felt like a complete beginner again.) Well, I did lots of flatwork in my Friday lesson, and just did an in and out in the indoor. It was like 95oF out and humid. I only jumped up to 2'3", 2'6", but it felt PERFECT! My instructor and I were talking about it and we agreed that if she's quiet and it's hot, what's the point in proving we can go any higher? He said she can jump 3'6" any day, but why bother if I'm about to faint off her from heat exhaustion? =P

I rode around Saturday morning and did a lot of transitions and flexibility and bending exercises, and popped her through the in and out. I then left for vacation! I already missed her by 12 o' clock on Saturday. I left the barn at 11:30....I have my trainer riding her every few days, friends giving her treats, sending me pics of her, and free lunging her for me. Oh, and my trainer says his goal is to have Sasha ready to do the 2'6" when I get back. She can easily step over the height, but whether she can get around a course at a show CALMLY is the real question. Honestly, I feel that when it's not a baby baby jump she listens better. The next show is a week after I get back, a charity/benefit show. I'm pumped! I am going to work my butt off the week before. After that, the next show is a four day thing, then a handful of local shows, and then the Skidmore Finals! I am so excited for next year, I think she will be so responsive and good.

Oh, and Colby updates: Apparently, he's an awesome trail horse, just needs arena work. He got a few days off after doing a lot of trails last Saturday, and I didn't really have a lot of time/energy to ride him after that, but I'll keep working with him when I get back a little.

Fun stuff.

Helping out with my barn's camp is tedious haha.

Now that that's out of the way....

So there is a girl from Sasha's old barn who has been helping with my barn's camp [still not sure why...whatever haha]. Well, she rode Sasha a lot and was going to lease her if I hadn't bought her. I let her ride Sasha a little today, and they were both so good! ^^ I hacked Sasha a little before she got on, and it was raining on and off. Sasha was pretty good, I did some no stirrups work, and cantered her over some ground poles, nothing fancy.

Well, here comes the funny part. The girl who rode Sash and I were talking about how fun it would be to buy a green pony, put some miles on it, then resell it. We were talking about this while going through a pasture to grab some horses for the campers. There's this cute little four year old 14.1 ish bay gelding that was munching grass next to the horses we were getting. She goes "awww he's so cute!" I go "That's Colby, he doesn't really do anything." We instantly stare at each other because BAM! that's our pony! We won't buy or resell, but he's definately my project. Apparently, he bucked a buch of people off [no, really, he was barely broken in -facepalm-] I talked with the barn owner, and she's thrilled if I get him going a little. I rode him today, and it was interesting. We let him run around in the indoor, and then I went to tack him up. The saddle goes on without a fuss, and then comes the bridle. Well....that was interesting. He flipped out and started spinning around in the stall because he's so touchy about his ears and face. That will need to be worked on. I eventually remembered what we did with a horse at my old barn that had the same issue, just not as bad. We took off the noseband and browband, and so it was just the bit, the crownpiece, and the throatlatch. We [my friend helped] unbuckled the side, then flipped it over his ears and refastened it.

I bring him into the indoor arena, because he is awful in the outdoor. I start basically from scratch. I lay over his back, etc. I get on with my friend walking him, and then he was fine. I then have her let go, and I just walk for about 10 minutes. He was super green, needing big opening reins and very basic aids. After a while, I make my friend come walk/jog next to me for a trot. Again, he was being so good that I had her let go and I just trotted THE FREAKING MOST COMFY HORSE EVER around a few times, then reverse etc. It was a pretty short ride, but I want to take it really slowly with him.

Yeah. So you will get Sasha and Colby updates. He is honestly the cutest little thing, probably a Morgan or Arab cross, dark bay, long mane, gorgeous head.

Show News! And awesome lesson!

I promised I'd be a better updater!

Anyways. So Saturday comes around, and we're shipping Sasha and a friend's horse to the show. My instructor was supposed to be at the barn anyways, and he was going to make sure the horses got on without a fuss.

After a while of waiting, we call him. Turns out, the car he's had for two days broke down. Yeah. So he was carless. He is currently using my dad's car haha. So, we decide to load without him. I get Sasha on the trailer without a fuss, she just walks right in. The second horse, Music, would not go in second, as we later discovered. So we unload Sash, open up the partition, and eventually get Music on. We then try to put Sasha on, who also doesn't want to go in second. The whole thing took about 30, 40 minutes. -.- Oh well. We get the show grounds, and I have a lesson. That was, um, interesting. Normally Sasha doesn't care about new places, but she went berserk. She was spooking, fresh, backing up for no reason, flipping her head up in the air, and not listening AT ALL. My trainer ended up getting on her for a little bit she was so obnoxious. I was considering not showing at that point.

I do all my show prep anyways because we figured she might settle down by the next day. What do you know, she's perfectly quiet in the schooling ring. I had trainers that saw her Saturday ask if I drugged her. No, actually, I didn't thanks for asking. I got four thirds, a fourth, a first, and $10 from my stakes class. She was really strong one round, and started flipping her head up really badly and getting fresh, so her martingale got shortened a few holes. I'm quite happy, actually. I almost wonder if she was in heat because she was slightly obnoxious for a few days before the show. She wasn't awful, but she felt a little off from her normal way of going.

Right, so she got Monday off, and then I had a lesson today. It was awesome. I rode with Chiara and Noodle and one of my barn friends who just bought a super cute OTTB a week ago. She's a little green and has little jumping experience, but she's an awesome mover and can JUMP. Right, so the lesson started with some flatwork, then cavalettis. After going through those, a little crossrail was added at the end. Then, and in and out, then a triple, then a four jump gymnastic. Eventually, Chiara and I were just riding, and the girl with the OTTB stopped so that we could jump higher. It was so fun. The first jump was just a regular, meh crossrail, to a slightly bigger crossrail, to a 2'9"/3' vertical, to a massive crossrail. By massive, I mean the cups were set on the top holes on 6' standards. Biggest crossrail I've ever done haha.

She was really good, and she stop once and ran around once, but both were my fault. =[ But it was a pretty long, fun lesson.

It has been waaaay too long!

Sorry for abandoning you guys! =[


I'm not sure what happened. Either way, it has been theeeee craziest few months. Sasha has been the worst and the best she's ever been. She has been AWFUL whenever she goes into heat. I mean rearing, going crazy type awful.....yeahhh. She settled down since one incident where she randomly reared three strides out from a jump...I got super mad, whaled her with my leg, made her go to the jump and GALLOP after until she realized she was stupid. She didn't rear again lol.


Anyways, the show in my last post was awful. She schooled perfectly in her elevator bit, she was swapped into her snaffle to show, she took off one round, and promptly got thrown back into her elevator bit. Legal shmegal. We didn't place, due to the illegal bit, but she stayed under control.


At another show [Sasha's old barn!] several weeks later, I rode Velvet because Sasha was in heat/crazy haha. We did pretty well, I SOMEHOW managed to sit her canter. It is a super crappy pony canter. It was fun, considering I hadn't had a lesson on her since November and rode her about three times since then. xD


The next away show was at my old farm again. It took TWO. HOURS. to get her on the trailer. When we arrive at the show, my mom goes to back her off, and she spins around [I'm still not sure how....] and tears down the ramp. Anyways. She was strong, but in her snaffle bit and kind of listening. Except she decided to start being a jumpy little witch in our flat classes and she started spooking at things that she had just gone by without a fuss. Oh, and she took off in my hunter flat class at the canter. It suckedddd. I don't remember our ribbons, but they were meh.


Our last show, at my barn, was good! =D It was all outside, and it rained and rained and rained and rained the day before. The arena was kind of a little bit sort of really flooded. Anyways, Sasha's old owner was there. We talked a bit, I updated her on Sasha and I's shenanigans, etc.


GUESS WHO GOT HER FIRST CHAMPION RIBBON IN TWO OR THREE YEARRRSSS????? =_D Sasha was a little strong t first, but she settled. I got three firsts, three seconds, and two thirds....and I know she can go a lot better than she did.


Right. So towards the middle of June, I was riding Sash in a lesson, jumping crazy courses, etc etc. I was told to just canter calmly up an easy outside line after doing rollbacks, broken lines, and other crazy stuff. Sasha canters around the corner, sees the TINY, PLAIN CROSSRAIL, and stops dead and backs up. No matter what I did, she wouldn't go over it. She backed up, she galloped over it a few times, flipped out every time she saw it, etc. She finally trotted up to it calmly, started jumping it, I released and mentally went "yessss!" and then....she ripped backwards, fell on her butt, sent me flying [onto my feet like the classy person I am], slipped and almost fell onto the ground [the side of her haunches hit it] then jumped up, spun around, shook herself off and stood there patiently. After that, it went downhill even worse until my instructor ended up getting on her [I smashed my face on the saddle going down, couldn't breathe, and COULDN'T GET HER OVER THE FREAKING JUMP] after an hour of not going over the jump. That is the only time I have never been able to get Sasha to listen after a certain amount of time. Anyways, I get back on and do some other things with her, and she settles and snaps back into being an angel after another 20 minutes. Of course.


So then, a few days later, I'm popping over a few jumps on my own, and I jumped ahead ONCE [bad me! I know better!] and she slams on the brakes and twists her body. Totally my fault. Again, I land on my feet. If you're going to fall, fall with style!


I just remember two lessons. One of them I did a line and a broken line. The end jump of both was a three foot oxer. What do you know, little mare steps over it as if it's not there! She listens, is adjustable, and perfect!


The other one was yesterday. First, I first did crazy amounts of flatwork indoors while thunder and lightning quickly pass over the area. Then, I went outside and started with a little line trotting in with a little oxer at then end. We work on adding and subtracting strides. Then, I do another line, same thing, except with a not so little oxer. Finally, [I feel like I'm doing fourth grade English again lol] I canter a diagonal then canter up the other line.


Yeah. So I've been jumping Sasha on my own, and doing little courses. I make some pretty crazy ones up haha.


OHHHH! And we got our own trailer. A gorgeous, new Eclipse two horse straight load ramp with no dressing room but two saddle racks and six bridle hooks. Sasha now walks straight in. It was really funny, my instructor and I quickly loaded her last night after my lesson when the sky was kind of gray again, and there was some distant thunder. We get her on in under a minute. Then, we let her sit on there for minute with us up in the front of it, the ramp and butt bar down. My instructor then tells me to back her off. I take my time cueing her to back because of what happened last time I unloaded her. She's about to take her first step back, and all of a sudden it starts pouring, so we just chill in the trailer. It starts thundering and lightninging [?] really badly, but she just stands quietly in the trailer being fed treats. Eventually, the storm settles slightly but there's still rain. We back her out of the trailer into the rain, and she practically trots back into the trailer! Mission accomplished!


Today, we decided to drive the horses around so my mom can learn to drive the trailer before the stress of the show. We load Sasha and Velvet on [both walked straight in, no hesitation] and drive around. We drove to my house [our neighbors giving us interested looks lmfao xD] and back to the barn. Sasha bumps her head going out but had her headbumper. We tried loading her back in after that, and she was still fine. We worked on getting her backing out quietly with her head down.


And I've finally started cantering her bareback. I've done it with a halter [stupid friends pressuring me] and then did it in a bridle repeatedly after that.


In summary, [4th grade English again] Sasha has been very responsive and amazing lately. And I'm showing this weekend! Squeee apparently this may be my last show at 2'! Took long enoughg! xD


Love you! Thanks for being patient! <3
Cruce

Words can't describe my life.

So what's up?

I'm showing tomorrow! First "away" show!!!

I have had a superhectic week. I had a track meet Wednesday for school, then a lesson, and it was superhot and I changed from my track clothes while dripping in sweat to my breeches, so I was sticky the whole lesson and ugh. Sasha was meh. I did most of the lesson inside and then did a few jumps outside. She was pretty good. My new hobby is to ride bareback + a halter to cool out and then go graze while on her back. It's really fun lol. Anyways, I've been riding a lot this week and with finals coming up for school it's been insane, along with friend, boy, and school drama...yeah. 

The outdoor had some big puddles when I rode in it yesterday, so that was...ahem, fun. At one point, Sasha and I were trotting along, and I figured we could just go through the puddle while we were circling. Nope. She stopped dead at it, and it took a lot of convincing to get her through. Next time around, she quickened as I turned her so I just supported it thinking "Yay! She'll just march right through!" Of course not, that would be, like, reasonable =P. Sasha leapt over the puddle and cantered away. Fml.

I got to the barn bright and early to let Sasha run around the indoor. She had a little run around, and then I turned her out for a couple hours while I cleaned stalls and packed all my show gear. I then lunged her for a while [I was told to make her tired] and then I packed all my gear, wrapped her, and off we should have gone, right?

Wrong.

The people we were originally trailering with had a step-up trailer, and no amount of convincing would get Sasha to jump up. Half an hour and a very stressed Sasha later, we decided to use another person's ramp trailer. Ten minutes and a bumped nose with a patch of missing hair and rope burned hands later, she was on. I got a ride with a person whose horse was trailering with Sasha to the barn where the show is. It's my old barn, it was awkward!

Here's where my already stressful day gets worse.

I went to unload Sasha, who broke a light sweat but otherwise seemed fine. I went to unload her, and she backs down fine at first. All of a sudden, I think she realized SHE WAS FREEEEE! and she launched herself backward. Her head flew up and SMACK! hit the edge of the trailer ceiling quick hard. She was shaking her head a pulling funny faces for a few seconds, so I calmed her down and she seemed fine.

I had a two o' clock lesson, and I was supposed to be at the place just before one. It was now 1:30 thanks to horses that don't load. We need to buy a trailer so badly, we've been looking without luck. 

I get her saddle on, and then as I'm putting the bridle on, a chunk of forelock falls out. I went "Oh no! Your beautiful forelock, I hope you can't see the damage!" I figured she had just rubbed some forelock out as she hit her head. I inspect her forelock, and as I was about to be satisfied that her forelock was still gorgeously thick, I see red. I look again, and I see an inch, inch and a half long gash that is completely split open. I got really scared and upset and feeling that it's all my fault and I bring her out. My mom [a veterinarian] shows up at that point and inspects it and reassures me that it's no big deal, and she puts some ointment on it.

I then go have my lesson. Sasha was so so good! She got a little quick a few times, but it wasn't terrible. Towards the end, she a] started getting attacked by flies and b] her cut started irritating her because I guess the swelling spread and the bridle was pressuring it. The moment we figured it was starting to interfere, I got off. We managed to get some basic coursework done. I just found out I'm doing the 2' this show again. >.< It's because apparently last show didn't really count as a show because no one showed up so I get to do it again...fun stuff.

I was told by my instructor Sasha cannot leave the show tomorrow until we have a head bumper. Of course, none of the tack shops in the area had them when we went today, so we'll have to go out to one in Saratoga. Crap.

I spent forever prepping Sash and my tack. We decided to stitch up Sasha's gash. My mom did it. She was sedated, antibioticed, anestheticed, everythinged. She was good, and woke up after a little bit, got walked around, ate some hay, etc. At this point it's past 8, I've been at barns for twelve hours straight, I'm dying. I'm brushing Sasha, and then my bff's guy she's been talking with calls -- from her phone, obviously. >.< He just randomly starts talking to me, so I told him to stfu and I hung up on him. It made my day. I then had to go back to my home barn, pack Sasha's breakfast grain, and go home to clean my boots and shower.

I need to sleep now, ciao! <3

I must be crazy.

....but life would be considerably less fun if I wasn't!

Yesterday's lesson went well. It was pouring rain, and the outdoor was FLOODED, literally, I think it had an inch of water throughout it, so I was inside with a snaffle bit. I had a lesson with Noodle and with a horse named Ripley. We're all around the same age and experience, so it was a blast. We were mostly alone in the arena, and we did a ton of flatwork. Extend the walk, collect the walk, two point, trot, post, sit, collect, extend, reverse, turn on the haunches, canter, extend, collect, etc. We [very surprisingly] didn't drop our stirrups. We started off jumping a little crossrail on a circle and stopping after it. We were supposed to get in our two point and just basically not touch our reins and let our horses find the distance. It was a little unsettling to not hold Sasha to the fence, but she was very good. She cantered a stride in front of it once or twice, but she made the distance work every time. <3

After doing that a few times, we did the crossrail to a diagonal in and out. They were the only two....obstacles? in the arena, but we had to do it as smoothly as possible otherwise we had to turn around and keep doing it. Sasha was very good. She gets a little strong to diagonals - I'm not sure why, most likely something I'm doing, or maybe it's the long ride to them - but she only did it once. I was trying to collect her to the jump because she has a giant stride and this was a little bit tight for her, but she was fighting me a little. She took a long spot and leapt over the first jump, got no release, and then settled down. I did the usual canter a circle on a long rein after the jump to get her to relax, and that worked very well. It's amazing with her; she can be racing around like a mad woman, but if you simply loosen the reins and get out of her face, she will drop her head, blow out a big breath, and lope around.

The second jump became an oxer, and she started listening better after that. We only jumped up to 2'6", 2'9", but it was done well, so I'm satisfied. I remember when I first started jumping about four years ago how 2'3" was HUGE. Now, it's a baby warm up jump. Or when I lost my heel over 3'? Now, I'm very comfortable at that height and my leg stays solid. 

I walked Sasha around outside once the rain died down to cool her out, and I put her away and did my stalls [I do Sasha and my mom's pony's stalls on the weekend to help with board.] I was hanging around the barn for the afternoon, and after doing some things, I got bored. Sasha stayed in because it was on and off heavy raining, so I got an idea. Here's where the crazy part comes in.

She had her Baker on, and I threw her halter on with a lead rope clipped to either side. See where this is going? I led her out to the aisle, got one of those jumping block things, got a friend to hold her, and got on. I was ONLY going to walk her up and down the aisle with someone leading her, and then I decided she was being good after a few steps, so then I walked down the aisle alone. Then I thought, hey, why don't I go into the arena? I went in and walked around in the middle, out of the way of the lessons. She was being very very good and stopped on a dime and was very soft. My friends [gotta love barn friends <3] then go "Hey, you should trot Sasha!" I went, "no, I'm too young to die! =P"

After a few more circles, I start to think "Hmm....maybe I won't!" And I trot her around a bit. Yup, definitely a screw loose. Bareback with a halter. My friends got some cell phone pictures, I should put them up if I can.

Nothing to do today except ride and do stalls. It should be fun!

Good, iffy, very good.

What does that seemingly random order of words have to do?

Why, that's my lesson tonight!

I had a lesson with Noodle and the like teehee. I did half of my flatwork in the super crowded with small children having lessons indoor and half outside. Sasha was very soft and responsive. It made me happy lol. I started jumping, and she was pretty good. When we were hopping over  single crossrail/verticals/walls/etc. she was good. We did a line, and the first time through she was nice and quiet. Then Sasha got stronger and stronger. At one point, I went to a single because she was getting quick and I halted her. I walked until a few strides away from the jump and softened my reins a tad. Usually, she'll ease into a trot and lightly pop over the jump, and then canter away calmly. Nope, she took one giant canter stride before the jump, leapt over it, and galloped off and didn't stop for a while. Did I mention the arena has no corners to stop her in? The whole thing is gently rounded grr. >.<

So, I got mean. My riding instructor and I both agreed she needed her elevator bit on. I hopped off, took her to her stall, tied her up outside it [the crossties were taken] and put that nice, lovely, large bit on. She usually goes in a full-cheek double-jointed snaffle, and I put her in that when possible. However, if she's not listening to that, it's time for her to get a little lesson.

After that, she was so so so obedient. I felt almost like I was cheating she was so simple haha. Ah well. I'll ride her in it for my next few lessons outside, but she'll be hacked in her snaffle so she doesn't get dull to it.

Oh, before I forget haha, I didn't attach one of the reins properly, so I jumped, pulled her up, and the rein came off! It was my inside rein, so I just pulled her into the fence, hopped off and fixed it. Chiara fell off because Noodle got quick, she got ahead of the motion, and he stopped. Don't jump ahead children!

I'll hopefully see some of you guys at the local May 1 show. Hopefully it'll be bigger than the first show lol! I'll be [most likely] moving up to Children's Eq.

Weeeee! =D

I am having creativity issues tonight.

Anyways, I went to the barn tonight [duh!] I bought classy black polos for Sash for her back legs...leather open fronts on front, black polos on the back. It looks really cool lol! My mom had a lesson with her adorable Appy, and I just rode. My instructor let me do the course when my mom was having a break. He went "Go ahead and jump. I'm not going to really coach you, I'll just tell you everything you do wrong at the end."

-.-

Sasha was pretty good. My current "bad habit" [I always have one for a few months, then it usually switches to the opposite habit until I get a new issue haha just kidding....kinda] is I steady her with my hand to the jump a little too much, but then I don't support her with my leg enough and she stops. It sucks, I really need to work on that more.

Anyways, I did a little cavaletti to a crossrail, to a diagonal plank and pole jump, then to an in-and-out. She was pretty good, a little strong during her lead changes and through the in and out the first time or two, but she settled. Considering I wasn't really being instructed, I think we did fairly well.

Our next show is in two weeks on the first. I'll trailer in the day before so I can school over all the jumps. It's my old barn, it's possibly going to be awkward with my old instructor. It was awkward with the owner of the horse I used to lease when she showed up at the show with my friend. I was just like "....So....how's Midknight?" Tis barn also has very colorful jumps and a giant butterfly jump and a rolltop. Joyjoyjoy! ;)

Guess who was fantastic on Sunday?

SASHA!

I got to the show, and the outdoor was flooded, which made me very glad I was only doing the 2'. I did the Pre-Special Hunters and Pre-Children's Eq. I'm now doing those divisions without the "Pre". Only two others barns and a few individuals showed up, and nearly all the divisions didn't fill. >.< There was a show the day before, so we're assuming the weather/that show caused the emptiness. 

So anyways, I get on Sasha to just warm her up a little in the indoor. She was perfectly quiet, lazy, etc. A lot of people from her old barn were at the show, and they were petting and cuddling with her. Her old neighbor pricked his ears up at her and kept watching her. It was so cute! <3

Anyways, Sasha was stopping quite a bit during the schooling, so I really had to ride her up to all the jumps.

Later, I "officially" schooled her. I went in for my first eq round, and It was all going very well, but then I didn't send her enough out of a corner when she was getting strung out during a lead change, so she stopped. Besides that, it was a very nice round if I may say so. I did not pin in that class [there were seven people in my division.] I was satisfied with that round. Then, in my second round, she got fairly quick and started ignoring my hand, so I really had to get after her. We got fifth in that round. In my eq flat, we were having a very nice round, but then this little pony charged and then kicked out at her, so she freaked out and swapped her lead. I had to pull her back to the trot and ask for the canter again. Oh well, we still got third. ^^

In my hunter rounds, the first one I did the wrong course, but it was also a very good round D=. Then, our second round was AWESOME! Sasha crosscantered a corner and missed a distance, so we got second. I was very proud of her! We won our flat class, and overall got reserve champion. Not bad considering one round went off-course! =]

I need to head down to the local tack store now...Have to get her Vitamin E+Selenium supplement that is for her back. She had the slightest sore back when we got her, and apparently it's a muscle disorder from lack of those vitamins. Her back is better now, but yeah. She still needs them.

Bye! <3

Showing Debut!

Tomorrow, Sash and I are showing! We have had a rough and busy two-three weeks, which included a mare in heat, one rear, stress, Chiara being lost and then found, more stress, doing a 4-5 stride line in 3, doing a 3 stride in 4, and everything in between.

Yep, story of my life. >.<

Sasha was really strong and energetic the last two weeks, no matter how much exercise she got. I'm pretty sure she was in heat. I was going to do the show tomorrow, then I wasn't, and now, it's go time. We had a HORRIBLE set of lessons last weekend. The Friday lesson was okay, but Sasha was pretty strong, and we missed our ditances a lot. I figured Saturday would be better. Nope, couldn't even trot up to the line without her TEARING up it. I rode all week, and none of the rides were particularly soft or stellar like she has been going. After this week, I wasn't sure about the show.

Anyways, so I rode yesterday and did fairly well. Sasha was soft, quiet, more or less where we could have her be to show/"okay". She kept missing her change after one jump, and then was scrambling and rushing to get her back end.

Today, it was PERFECT! The only thing we could want more are sharper changes. She's been sloppy with her back end again. But Sasha was quiet, soft, quiet! My riding instructor told me "canter into this line in three strides, but close your leg a hair to get the distance, otherwise you'll get three and a half." Guess what? The whole lesson, we got four strides cantering in to that line. She never rushed any jump, didn't rush after, nothing! We got there! A few months ago, I was worried about cantering her on my own. Now, we're lazily doing courses!

I also started taking her on the trails. She was a little hesitant and worried at first, but she got through it.

I am so tired. I have been up since 6am, rode at 9am, and cleaned tack, stalls, buckets, the pony, anything and everything. I need to get my show stuff together and clean my boots....ugh, too much work!! 

So a full show report with videos and pictures should be expected tomorrow night. It's a home show [now people that know my area can stalk me lol]. I'm only doing the 2' eq this show because that way it is in the indoor arena, at a height she can trot if all else fails, and then I'll move up to the 2'6" eq next show.

Should be fun! Wish me luck!

=[

http://saratogian.com/articles/2011/04/05/news/doc4d9b7960c0cd0717426618.txt

Guys, I have news with Sasha too, but I'm not up to blogging ATM. That's my friend who rides Noodle. Please, everyone, help find her.

Shows = eh, not so much...=P

I helped out at a show last Sunday. Let's just say, it didn't go down too well. One person showed an EPSM Hano at the show in the 2' baby hunters and did pretty well considering the horse was only just recently started O/F and doesn't have solid lead changes. She didn't place, but he stayed calm and that was their main goal. He got a second on the flat though, yay! =D 


Noodle was a little difficult haha. He schooled fine, and so he was brought into the 2'6". He wouldn't go away from the horses - he sometimes get separation issues, and he ran around a lot of jumps. They entered him in the 2' after, same results. =/ Anyways, there was another girl who has a very stubborn pony, and he was stubborn too. They are probably getting her a new pony because she is having problems with him - he's too green. Ah well.


I'm showing on April 17 at my barn. I'm a mixture of really really excited and nervous. I'm only going to show in the 2' stuff for that first show because, if all else goes wrong, she can trot over it haha. Plus, the 2' is in the indoor, so she has no where to go if something happens. I'm also hoping to do the Open Pleasures. I can walk, trot, and canter Sasha with no contact and a long, loopy rein. I can two-point my canter, and basically place my hands on her withers and she just lopes around haha.! =D 


I rode in the outdoor the other day. It went alright, considering I have only ridden her inside. I rode her in the indoor for 25-30min walk, trot, canter. She was a little nervous and fidgety outside, so I only walk/trotted. I think some of her "fidgety"ness was because she needed to pee haha...I brought her back to her stall and yeahhh...=P


So, overall, life has been good!

Wow!

So the last few days have been fudging AH-MAZING!

It feels like I'm finally under control and handling Sasha well. =D I...

Wait for it......

Jumped a course with Sasha! She was so good Friday over a single that I went right on to do a diagonal than turn sharply to take a jump right off the rail...oh yeah, this was only using half of the arena which is 180 x 80ft....so it was 90 x 80ft, not exactly huge. Sasha wanted to get quick between the second and third jump, but the turn was so tight [nearly a pivot] that she had to slow down. I also did my first line with her since the trial ride. Not a huge achievement, but I'm happy. She wanted to get quick at first and get four instead of five strides, but we sorted that out.

I rode this morning, and did the same course. She didn't get quick at all! I was ecstatic!

So yeah, I'm really happy. I'm just annoyed because I'm leaving to ski for a week tomorrow. =[ Just when we were getting places!

Sorry I've been bad.

I know, I was bad AGAIN. >.< I'll try to make it not happen again [o.O]

Anyways: Friday's lesson was meh. Sasha got a little strong jumping, but I halted her a few times after the jump and that smoothed things out. Saturday's lesson [my Sunday lesson was moved to Saturday morning - horse show season.! My RI is teaching at shows on Sunday now.] went supercompletelyfabulouslyAWESOME.! I got Sasha going the best I ever have!

She was lunged for about 15 minutes and then I got on. I worked a lot on the flat - spirals, circles, the works! Sasha was very quiet and responsive, and I worked her on a loose rein. My RI wants me to do that to encourage her to stretch down, extend and relax so we can collect her later and get her on the bit. Baby steps. Anyways, the jumping went well. Sasha and I need to work on her flying changes a little - she was getting sloppy/I wasn't collecting her enough so she was getting lazy with her hind end. Uh-oh! That needs to go! =] I spiraled in after the jump, but Sasha barely needed it - she was nice and quiet to begin with! It was an exercise.

I have this week [and next week.!] off from school. I don't have Feb./April break though. I clipped Sasha's legs, whiskers, ears, and bridle path. I expected her to flip or spaz because it's Sasha and she is usually a spaz haha....she was really good! I did it over two days because she was touchy with her ears so I worked on desensitizing her. No ear plugs or anything, my mom and I were just like "let's try and clip her ears!" The clippers are really really quiet though - you can barely hear them over the birds tweeting and the horses trotting in the arena, etc.

I also have ridden Sasha bareback three times. I gathered up my courage Sunday night to cool out bareback, cooled out with a short trot session bareback Monday, and cooled out/more trot sessions yesterday. =D =D =D I was so happy!

It was chaotic in the arena yesterday, and Sash was very "up" especially at the canter, but I am a lot more confident than I was. I just sat up, half-halted, and continued on our merry way!

My dad may be looking at a 2002 Eclipse trailer on the way back from a business meeting, and if all goes well, it will be at my barn Friday night!

Well, those are the major events. Off to eat a bowl of ice cream and then ride!

Heart <3 you, Cruce

Please don't hurt me.

I know! I haven't blogged for about a week. I was busy!

Anyways. RECAP:

Last Sunday's lesson went well. I did a single vertical. I ended up trotting three foot. Um...it was interesting. It all went well, except at one point I over-slowed Sasha and then realized it, then tried to go forward at the last moment. We got a weird distance, and she stepped on the ground pole. She stopped because she was rolling around, but she was nice and quiet after the jump! Yay!

I was away for most of last week, so nothing exciting really happened. My riding instructor rode Sasha twice, so she would not magically "forget" everything lol.

Sasha was LAZY yesterday! She broke about three times at the canter [I rode for a long time yesterday]. She was really good, and I tried my two point for a few minutes at the canter. She was perfect!

I had a lesson today. I just did a little in and out. Sasha was really good. She kept getting a little quick in the middle of the two jumps, and she was thinking about doing things after the jump, but I just needed to "set her on her butt" and then soften. We are finally getting somewhere! Now, all we need to do is get around a 2'6" course like that. I do not care if I have to do a strong half-halt after the jumps. Hell, if I did not have to set her on her butt every now and then or send her forward, that would not be riding. I just want to do away with the excessive circling and halting. I really did not need to circle today. I did it just to make sure we were not going to have an issue.

Yay for progress!

Quiet Week.

Sorry for not posting in forever! It was the end of the trimester this week [yep, I had school. T.T] so I was crazy busy!

My lesson last Sunday went decently. There was some killer no stirrup flatwork. Fun. I think I bruised the inside of my thigh from stretching it down to where my stirrup leathers bulge....erghh. I worked on a little gymnastic/triple. Sash was GREAT through it, but she was a little quick after. I FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY after about two months of owning her, got pissed at her and pully-reined circled. Not the really tight circle, but when they are galloping and not wanting to slow down or circle, so you pull up the inside rein somewhat hard so they turn? Yeah, that. It worked AMAZINGLY! Sasha instantly quieted down, dropped her head, and cantered at the same pace we got during flatwork [aka quiet but with impulsion.] Oh, and I rode her sans martingale! Yay!

Today's ride was meh. Sasha was dancing around a bit when I tried to get on, but she was [mostly] good once I was on. She was nice and relaxed while we were trotting, but the cantering was a slight disaster. We picked up the canter, and all she would do was shake her head and barely go forward. Yeah....we didn't canter for long. The moment I got a half-decent few canter strides I let her walk. After that, she was tense. The vet said at the PPE that she had a SLIGHTLY sore back, but it only was obvious from pushing on it and supplements would fix it. Well, her back had been fine, but it seemed a little sensitive after my ride when I pushed on it. My mom gave her some Banamine [Sasha pulled some HILARIOUS faces! I felt so bad; we had smeared it on a treat and given it to her, and then she wouldn't eat anything but her favorite treat she was so suspicious of treats. =/ Even her favorite got a suspicious sniffing.] so hopefully that will help. I'll see how her back is tomorrow, which will determine if I have a lesson. =/ The cold weather has been making all the horses' joints/muscles wonky. Hmm.

On another note, I have to go to Canada for three [gasp!] whole days for a field trip! Do you think I can smuggle the poneh on the bus? I'm sure I can squeeze her into a suitcase. =P

Oh! I almost forgot! Ernest Dillon is coming and giving a clinic at my barn in May. Should be fun! I've heard he can be tough, but if he wasn't, I think I would feel it was a waste of money. If I'm going to do a clinic, I better learn something from it, right?! I'm already freaking out with excitement/nerves. I'm going to be wreck for a few weeks before I bet haha. I will probably clean all my tack about five times the night before.

Cruce out. <3

Yay for getting somewhere.

I had a lesson last night. It started out pretty well. Sasha was soft and almost -gasp- lazy! The nice thing about her is when she gets quiet, she will still go forward if you tell her. She just doesn't immediately leap forward. The arena was busy, so we were working down at one end of the arena. Noodle's owner and I were jumping on a circle, as well. We trotted and cantered the jump, it was probably about 2'3" - wow, huge, but it was tiny circle - and then things went downhill. The jumping of a single jump went well, but everything else didn't. Once an in-and-out was added, it just started not going well. I accidently over-bent Sasha going to the left and didn't support her enough with my outside hand, so her haunches swung out a little. She then was insecure because the midget crossrail was RIGHT THERE! and she freaked out and swung around and backed up and bucked. Yeah....my hands were shoved forward and I was was kicking her lightly but to little avail. She eventually went forward, but after that things didn't go well. When they did go well, she was perfect and soft, but every now and then, she would swing her hindquarters out and would ignore my attempts to correct her.

Arg. >.< It was frustrating, but we worked through it. I will admit, it was mostly my fault for over bending her, but she didn't have to back up and buck even when I was squeezing and doing everything I could to get FORWARD movement!

Today's ride was much better. It was just a hack, but my RI hopped on quickly beforehand. He is working on training her so she is quiet. She was so cuddly today, as an fyi. =P I rode her, and she was so nice and quiet and soft. Progress at last!