Sunday Funday

As I mentioned before, Sunday was awesome!  Alyssa came to the track and we groomed and hung out.  Then we ran back to my house so I could so a little homework (boo) and grabbed some lunch.  Then we headed to the barn for all the riding.

I rode Gigi first and she was great, I took her to the fancy dressage barn for a lesson on Friday (where she of course decided to act like a redhead) and we continued to work on things from that.

Video still

I was actually quite pleased with the lesson and the instructor worked us hard and was very complimentary of what I've done with Gigi.  We even did some trot half pass that she told us was perfect, yay!  This mare has the most incredible lateral work in the trot, and her canter is finally getting strong enough to work on a little there as well.  That stronger butt is also helping her trot lengthenings.  One weak spot we are working on is the free walk to working walk transition.

Fancy feet 

Love this 

Incredible lengthen for her, now to keep the mouth shut

quiet moment

Master of freewalk

Building up the topline

Check out that shine!

After Gigi, I tacked up Miss Priss (Diva).  She started out much more amiable than the day before, but still very much in heat.  We walk trot cantered and she was forward and more consistently on the bit.

Air time

Such a classy looking mare

All the pink

Must get my shoulders back!

Then we started jumping.  The only one she hesitated at (but still went over) was a cross rail with placing poles in front and behind it.  She got up to the jump and was all 'what is that pole doing over there?'  After that she was game, and more coordinated than last year.  I look terrible over fences on her, lots to work on there.

Flowers are no big deal

Hello tail swish

Black tubes are no big deal either

I will start putting the fences up for her as she doesn't even have to try with her long legs.  She can literally just trot over a large cross rail.  We also did two small verticals, one with a black tube under it and one with flowers under it.  Diva picked up this cute slow canter towards several of the jumps, I think she actually has an easier time figuring out her timing in the canter.

One of my very favorite pictures

Monday I rode her again (no pictures:( this time) and tried sprinklerbandits kk bit on her.  She has been fussy and I just wanted to try a few things.  The main thing I need to try is getting her teeth done.  Anyways she seemed to really like it to start and then she didn't seem to like it, lots of fit throwing.  Between fits she again jumped quite well.  Sprinklerbandit and I were discussing Miss Priss and came to the conclusion that the beautiful bridle I've had on her the last few rides (also sprinklerbandit's) may be causing some of the strange head issues.  She usually goes in a figure 8 which eliminates pressure along many of her teeth where as the crank (which is well padded and not that tight) goes right over the top of them.  So if she is already having teeth issues the crank isn't helping.  Back to the figure 8 it is, until the vet comes and floats her teeth.

Thanks to the amazing Alyssa for all the amazing pictures!