March 23 2013 Lesson #26

Hey everyone! Thanks for all of the views I have been getting lately, I am hoping to make 2000 views soon!

So today I rode Elvis again, my gorgeous boy ;) He was super great once again, and I think he is really starting to trust me! When we dropped him off in his paddock he almost completely refused to leave the gate. He has this strange attachment to me, and I have no problem with that :)

Today we:

• Warm up at walk
• Flexing
• Square turns
• Flexing at trot
• Square turns at trot
• Straightness
• Trot across the diagonal over verticals (F to H, M to K)
• Cool down

I was so super proud of Elvis this week, because he didn't refuse a single jump. That was great for him! He did trip over this one jump though, but that was entirely my fault! On the last jump, he actually jumped it and landed on the correct lead and everything. He is such a good boy.

Its funny because Elvis and Bliss have this thing against each other. Actually I think its just Elvis and his big ego, but whenever Bliss comes anywhere near him, Elvis pins his ears and tries to kick. If I tap him with my crop or give him a kick he gets over it pretty quick.

I love you Elvis!!! Thanks for reading. Please comment or follow this blog! Help me reach 2000 views

March 16 2013 Lesson #26

Hey everybody!!!

I cant believe I got this lucky! I am now allowed to ride Elvis in our jumping lessons too! He is now the horse I ride every week and I am so excited to work with him. He seriously is the most gorgeous horse in the barn :) I was super surprised to see his name next to mine on the board when I showed up last week!


In our lessons I have to be careful because he doesn't really know how to jump yet, and since he is only 12 he still has a long time to learn :) He is all legs.

We did:

• Warm up on long rein
• Flexing
• Rounding
• Flexing at trot
• Sitting trot
• Sitting trot no stirrups
• Trot over ground poles (rising, sitting, 2 point)
• Trot over cross pole
• Grid (with 3 jumps)

This is what a grid looks like, just we jumped smaller <3
http://www.wylie-eventing.com

Elvis did very well with the first 8 things, and I am so proud of him for sticking with me that long. This was only his 2nd ever lesson and he had to jump on top of it! We got over the first cross rail fine and dandy, but when there was a second one added only 1 stride away and I think he got confused as to how to get in the stride and get over the jumps. The first 2 times he got over the first and refused the second, but eventually he slowed to a walk and got over it that way then jumped the last jump on the grid. The very last round was easily his best, and he    did fantastic! He even over jumped the last jump, and finished with a

forward canter circle <3

Elvis is definitely one of my favorite horses now, and I am so privileged to be able to help teach him jump. Might post a picture soon 

I love you Elvis!!

Thanks for reading, please comment or follow this blog :)

Help me reach 2000 views!

March 9 2013 Private Lesson

Hey everyone! Catching up on my posts today! This is the third one so far! :)

Today was a really fun private lesson, I was riding Bliss again. We ended up being a tad late for some reason so I really had to hurry to get him in from the paddock, and take his blankets off etc. I still made it in time thanks goodness!

He has been a really good boy lately, although he has been super hot. He needs exercise almost daily while some of the other horses don't need as much. I suppose that is the morgan/arabian blood in him!

We did:

• Flexion on a long rein at walk
• Flexion on a shortening rein at trot
• Cross rail over a short diagonal (multiple times)
• 3 jump course (which had some tight turns)
• Vertical

The vertical that was added to a 2 stride line down the quarter line, after my second time around the course, was the biggest I have jumped by far. It was almost 3 ft. and it scared me at first but trust me Bliss is very very capable. I really love jumping verticals now, and I really want to further my career in jumping. I am hoping that I can lease a horse soon, and start with some shows in summer :)

Thanks for reading! Follow and comment! Luv you guys

http://www.nadachance.com/horse_show.htm

March 8 2013 Lesson #25

Hi everyone, seems as though this post is late as well!

This week was a little bit different, I got to ride a newer gelding to the lesson program named Elvis. He is a 17.2 hh black and white splashed gelding, who by the way is absolutely gorgeous!!! There is no denying his beauty. He has a very soft mouth, so you have to balance using your legs and your reins :)

It was a pretty simple on the flat lesson, and I suppose I will be riding Dandy next week again because Elvis unfortunately he is only used on the flat now due to that fact that he is a little sore when he jumps. I was the first one to ride him in lessons, so it was his very first lesson! I am so happy I got to ride him! I also do NOT have a picture as of now.

What we did:

• Flexion at walk
• Square turns
• Supple
• Flexion at trot
• Flexion around a 20m circle at trot
• Flexion around a 20m circle at canter
• Group trot

This is really all we did, because ALL of the horses were acting out, and were being a tad silly on this day. Oh well I was really lucky to be able to ride him while I could, and I am thrilled that I was picked to ride him. I have a private lesson soon so I will update you on that too!

March 2 2013 Lesson #24

Hello everyone sorry this lesson post is late!

I rode dandy again! Yay! It seems he really is starting to trust me now, which benefits us both thanks goodness. I was getting kinda tired of the bolting :)

         
     We did:

• Forward walk
• Flexion
• Rounding
• Supple 
• Trot (flexion) Without stirrups

From here the class was without stirrups for the most part

• Cantering
• Jumping a cross rail from a square turn down quarter line (w/ stirrups)
• Jumping same cross rail (without stirrups) :)

http://jenntirrell.wordpress.com/2011/04/10/riding-without-stirrups/

Jumping without stirrups was a new one for me, and since I was riding dandy I was sorta scared of the outcome of that (since he bolts) but I found it super easy, and lots of fun to jump without! He even bolted after and it was easier to stay on since there wasn't the push back from the stirrups. I actually want to learn how to jump bareback soon as it sounds like tons of fun as long as you have the balance and the right horse.