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!

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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.