December 11, 2013 - Looking forward to a lease!

Hello!

So this week I had 2 lessons, one at WELCA and one at my other barn.

The first lesson:
So we had another flat class this week because it was -36 without the windchill outside!!! I got to ride this beautiful little mare named Pearl. She is very cute but is really hard to get into any kind of frame. We worked on flexion and bend as well as riding drills which was fun but I will have to admit we got yelled at a couple of times for not getting it right. That is pretty much all we did other than working individually on turn on the haunches.

The second lesson:
Lessons at my new barn are ALWAYS exciting and the small class sizes allow a lot of jumping and horse options. This week I rode a mare I was trying for a possible half lease named Miley and we worked great together! She is really hard to catch (so I made sure to bake some molasses cookies this week) but other than that she is a total sweetheart. I am pretty sure she will be my new lease <3 We got to jump a course, and even an oxer which is new for her! As well I rode her bareback and she is so comfy!

Thanks for reading <3

December 6th 2013 - New stable = new adventures

Hi guys! I have pretty much been M.I.A. since June this year, and its so hard to believe that its almost 2014! So the most important news I have is that I started riding at a new barn! We were referred by friends and it was probably the best decision I have made re: my riding career as of yet. This barn is way more competitive, way more fun and allows me to jump a lot higher than I have been jumping. Moving barns came with a lot of new things that I was so not used to; I had to go buy my own grooming kit (expanding now of course!), I bought a gorgeous black saddle pad and tendon boots to match and of course I had to buy something for myself (half chaps). I have to say I was thrown in head first, the first lesson there I was jumping oxers! This barn has a HUGE outdoor arena and a heated indoor which is great for those who live in -30 weather (yuck). We do a lot of different things now including: bareback, cross country and trail rides. I am still riding where I used to ride as well but that is a little bit too hard on the wallet, so I am probably going to have to quite coming the new year, especially if I pick up a lease at my new barn. I am trying out a pretty little mare in my lesson this week and her name is Miley. She has a lot of jumping potential but she needs some work both over jumps and on the flat. I am hoping I can half lease her! Recently I have been riding spell (remember her from earlier posts?), Bliss (also from earlier riding days), Justin (a gorgeous appaloosa gelding at my new barn) and Phoenix (an adorable bay mare from my new barn who has wings!) They all have taught me a lot, and something different and I really appreciate the opportunities I have been given. Anyways I cant write forever so I will send out updates on how my ride on Miley goes! Thanks for reading ;)

June 30, 2013 ~The Show~

Hi! I know it has been almost 2 weeks since this show, and even longer since my last post but I have had finals and homework and sleep time. Now I will probably be posting a lot more than I used to because it is Summer Break. I am actually really excited and hoping I can get to 3000 page views. As well something new I am doing is some of these posts will also be available to read and comment on, on Tumblr.

Anyway I rode Spell for the show :)

We had to memorize and ride a handy hunter, and a working hunter. Spell of course was very exited that she was in a show again! We actually worked well together just like before. Although our first jump was a little bit shaky and she wouldn't pick up her canter for the flat part of the show.

So after everything was done I placed 2nd and got a blue ribbon, which I was rather happy about given I was riding a crazy mare with a lot of jump!

That is pretty much all that happened, it was fun and exciting and I realized that I need a new helmet (hopefully neutrally colored this time)

Thanks for reading,
there will be another post up soon!

June 15, 2013 lesson #37

Hello!!!

I fully realize that this post is a little late, and yes I am writing this in French class :) 

So the last lesson we had our final jumping class until the show two weeks from now. I rode Caffi as usual and I feel we worked really well together despite having some problems our first lesson together. It was a fun lesson and we got some super good jumps in. Unfortunatly I am not riding in next weeks lesson, and probably won't post anything next week to make up for it because of finals.

We:

- warm up at walk (flexing, bending, square turns)

- warm up at trot (flexing, suppling, square turns, leg yielding)

- warm up jump down quarter line (both directions)

- 4 jump course

- jumping without stirrups

Jumping without stirrups was really fun, and my instructor bugged me for holding Caffi back but he was really excited about jumping, and the stirrups banging against his sides encouraged speed. I think I got the release down, and my legs eventually stayed in place but it was a fun class overall. Caffi is pretty speedy over a course especially when he is hot. I don't mind a fast horse but I think he would be great for jumpers :)

After our lesson I volunteered for a birthday party at the barn, and I got to side walk for a little four year old boy riding Gemini, a dark liver bay mare. He was smiling a lot and it was so cute. When we trotted we had to hold onto him pretty tight so he wouldn't bounce off! After we asked him if he was having fun and he replied "I don't know!" it was so so cute. That is why I love my job volunteering there!

Anyways thanks for reading, and I will try to post again later next week if I have time. Otherwise I might 

post this week as well, who knows?

June 8, 2013 lesson #36

Hello!

This week was a weird week at riding. When we arrived and headed down to the barn all of the horses were switched around including my newly acquired Spell! I was extremely sad/unhappy to be riding a different horse, although I did warm up to him quickly.

His name is Caffi and he is a chestnut gelding :) he is actually silly looking and is like riding 10 different horses all at once! He was just started in jumping lessons just lately.

This week:
-warm up (flexing, square turns, forward walk)
-warm up at trot (square turns, leg yields)
-sitting trot
-no stirrup work
-canter work
-2 cross poles (one handed jump, no hands!!!)

Caffi is actually a fantastic jumper, and he gets a little bit excited :) the thing is one of his legs is shorter than the rest of them so he looks really goofy when he canters and trots. He also is very lazy until he sees a jump so lucky me!

I actually like him but I wish I was riding spell! For the show I put down:

1.Spell
2.Caffi
3. Bliss

June 1, 2013 Lesson #35

Hello everyone :)

This lesson was super fun and even more challenging. I was so happy to be jumping again! I also got to ride a different horse. Her name is Spell (Spellbound) and she is a tall, flea bitten grey mare who loves to jump! We even got to ride in the outdoor arena which was a great change!

Our lessons was:

• Warm up - flexing, forward walk, square turns
• Warm up at trot - flexing, square turns, leg yields and ground poles
• Practice cross rail to jump over
• 4 jump course then a 3 jump course

Spell used to do Hunter jumpers when she was younger, and before she was donated to our riding program. She has a love for jumping, and she has a lot of speed that you have to control otherwise she gets a little bit nutty. We got to pick our own jumping course, and riding spell over both courses was so much fun. She jumps so smoothly and has a great canter. She also has auto flying lead changes so I don't have to worry about the leads.

She is totally different from Elvis and that is why I love her! I asked for her to be put on my year end show list as well, because I thought we did really well together <3 In case you were wondering she has melanomas on her neck, and that blocks part of her breathing but it doesn't hurt her and it doesn't stop her from loving to jump!

Here she is:

www.facebook.com

Thanks for reading! Have a good weekend :)

May 25 2013 Lesson #34 (and theory lessons #1 an #2)

So I know that I have been missing in action for a whole lot of lessons, and posts. However I have been very busy, and we also have had theory classes the 11th and 18th of may. I also missed the may 4th lesson due to other commitments. I also have some very sad news...

IN MEMORY OF: Our lovely, 30+ year old, flea bitten gray mare Snowball was put to rest after a bad episode of colic. She died peacefully and out of pain. We will always remember you snowpony, and may you rest in peace.

http://welca.ca/horses

I will update you on the theory classes first :)...

Theory #1 - May 11, 2013

• Went over putting a bridle in the figure 8 pattern
• Took apart a bridle
• Put it back together
• Went over exercises and work on the equisizers*

*If you do NOT know what an equisizer is click HERE

Theory #2 - May 18, 2013

This was a really interesting theory, we were all transported down the road to the whitemud equine showgrounds! In the dirt arena there was a clinic for everyone to watch. The man teaching the clinic was awesome and had a great sense of humor. As well we watched riders training their horses and it was cool to hang out with my riding friends and talk.

What we did in the May 25th lesson:

• Warm up, going large around the arena - Circles, square turns, flexion/bending, forward walk etc.
• Group trot continuing work at trot, getting the horse supple and round
• 3 loop serpentine at walk,trot
• 3 loop serpentine at rising, sitting and canter both directions

Elvis and I were reunited after the Higgins ordeal haha, and I love him so much!!! Here is a side picture of part of his head, it was the only picture I could find :(

Also this picture is from part of a video that Elvis was featured in before he was a lesson horse, and started jumping. The video link is available HERE. The fleabitten grey horse at the beginning of the video is Dandy who I used to ride, and I have mentioned many a times!

Thanks for reading please comment, and follow :) I love you ELVIE!!! (bad nickname for him I know)