Dressage stuff

In what feels like a lifetime ago Aimee came over and took some pictures of Prisoner and I, then I went and took pictures of her...and we thought we were cold.  HAHAHAHAHA!  Whatever the temp was then would feel balmy now.  Oh Idaho.  My phone informed me that the high tomorrow would be significantly warmer than today, 28 degrees, actually phone I don't appreciate hearing about how 28 degrees is warm.

This is what we do when it is less than 20 degrees

In all reality I would ride in these temps, except it rained while the temps dropped and the arena resembles concrete currently.  Fingers crossed the forecast doesn't change for the worse as right now it is saying that riding could happen on Wednesday.

How was this a week ago???

So back to our great dressage ride!

Black bridle, brown reins, I need to remedy this

 We played with wrap liners and decided that Prisoner is too much of a pony for them to look good.  He seriously has the shortest front cannons.

Yeah, I've got all the colors

 I warmed him up with lots of changes of direction in a stretchy trot, he really loves powering around.

Vroom vroom

 After he was feeling loosened up I added in some leg yield and shoulder in.  He is slowly starting to understand this concept, but I am working to get him more supple about it.  I would like him to move looser and freer in the side to side stuff.

Solid three tracks

 I hope that as we gain more suppleness all around that he will track up easier.  That is definitely currently his most weak dressage thing.  I almost think it is a bit confirmational, like his legs are too short to reach each other in the trot.  Tudor has long legs for days and tracks up with out even trying and even has a somewhat weak hind end.

But who care, he has the cutest face

 It ended up being probably one of our best flat schools.  Short, sweet, and to the point, Prisoner just seemed to understand the job.

Love the bend from nose to tail

 One thing that has seen significant improvement over the last few months have been our trot to walk transitions.  He used to just throw his head in the air, right at that last moment as the trot turns into walk.  The solution has been keeping him thinking forward and straight through the transition.  Now when we have a bad trot to walk transition we can blame it all on me.

Pretty horse, fugly riding

 All of his other transitions are pretty spot on.  We get the correct canter lead 99% of the time and his is willing for upward and downward between gaits and within the gaits.

Point those toes

 He actually has a very powerful trot that throws me around if I'm not careful, possibly I need to do some planking or something.  Maybe that would fix what ever the heck it is that I'm doing here:

Just no

 Seriously though, how cute is my horse??

Notice the silver tail

 Side note from the dressaging, his tail is not dirty in these pictures, those are white hairs you see.  I swear he is trying to grow a trendy silver tail.

Short fat pony legs...and human legs

 He still leans in a bit at the canter, but not bad for being 15 months off the track.

Please come back thawed arena

 He has a very fun canter to ride, he is willing to collect for small circles or to go big around the arena.  After we canter his trot always gets better.

BAM!

 I like my position in half of these pictures and in the other half I can hear my dressage trainer's Swiss accented voice telling me to sit on my back pockets.  My plan is to actually get in for some dressage lessons towards the end of December or in January.

There we go

 I look forward to those sore dressage lesson muscles, they are so satisfying.

Swooning at how his neck is developing

 I have been working to push my hands towards him so that he reaches for the bridle and builds a better topline, but I need to watch that I don't drop the contact.

Sitting up better

 I also need to spend more time in the canter.  I am bad about a few good circles each way and calling it a day.  I need to make use of all those coolers I have from race wins!

Work that boot P-Diddy

 He stands up a bit better to the right, but he struggles more to turn.

Wild mane!

 Our goals for next year are to break into the 20's at our events and if the budget permits maybe hit up some dressage shows.

Should have worn my spurs

 I love his willingness to try new things.  This summer he struggled with body soreness, but in the last month or two it hasn't flared up at all!

Whoops, too bent

 Can I just say that I love how curvy he is!?  He really isn't fat at all, he is just building up some great muscles.

Reasons they need joint support

 In case you are wondering why I am sporting nearly rust colored breeches?  They are warm and fleecy and wind proof, that's why.

Favorite canter shot from the day

 Check out that hind leg reach!

Favorite trot shot

There you have it, dressage stuff.

Partners

My last two jump sessions with Mr. Prisoner have been really great.  Nothing super challenging, but through both of them we have felt like a team.  We have been working hard to get to that point.  When things sort of slowly melted down this spring and summer I went back to the basics.  Trotting cross rails and tiny verticals.  Sometimes we put the jumps up a bit, because jumping, but over all I tried to keep it low key.



Here is a random mashup from July (thank you google).  We played with jumping in a hackamore, and while not my favorite long term it certainly was useful.  All that chilling out paid off and we had two very successful shows in October with jumps ranging from 2'6" to 3'3".  Height really isn't the issue for him, straightness and power are.  If I allow him to get crooked or under powered that is when most of our issues rear their ugly head.  Our new good habits are getting to be just that, habits.  Which, leads us into feeling like a team again.  He knows what I'm doing, I know what he is doing, together we get stuff done.

Like this

 I have to apologize for this video.  I was capturing it from the fence, and the first half is totally blurry, but you can still see a blob jumping and also some kick ass lead changes.



The two stride is super tight and the first few times I was happy with, then we took a little break.  The second set of jumps (when video is less blurry) the second time through he got long and instead of sitting up and woahing I just sat there wondering if he was going to do it one stride.  Gah.  He stuck in two (good boy) and then promptly told me after the jump to man up.  The next couple times I had to earn his trust back and then we finished well.  My favorite part of the ride was his honesty and willingness to work with me.   Then yesterday I figured I should jump again since there was snow in the forecast (and yes it is currently snowing).

Like a boss

The jumps were totally tiny, but I had tires scattered around which had the potential to blow his mind.  Guess what!?  They didn't, he was super duper awesome!  I love him.



One more screen shot to leave you with.

Swoon

Hello stretch and knees.

One Year

Thank you Facebook memories for letting me know that a year ago we said goodbye to Mojito.  Not exactly a cheery start to the day, but I know I made the right decision as I have no regret, just some lingering sadness about unfulfilled dreams and missing a friend.

He loved to be loved

I was planning to write about a song for Prisoner today.  I often share songs that describe a feeling or motivate me, but I struggle to find a song that could be my horse's theme.  Aimee's horse, Courage, though?  Every other song I hear on the radio seems like it could be about him, possibly due to his being a queen/diva.  Prisoner on the other hand is a little more self contained.  He seriously has just recently decided that snuggling is actually an acceptable pastime.

Blinded by the bling

I'm sure that part of his hesitation to come out of his shell is a reflection of my own hesitation.  I've gotten very attached to horses in the past only to have their owner take the ride back, or they die, or they end up showing a lack of aptitude so I sell them.  That last one may sound harsh, but I have goals.  I know it will be difficult to reach them, I might be 50 by the time I even get close, but I'm never going to get closer if I don't start with a somewhat suitable horse.

I think he is suitable

The struggle now is for me to get rid of bad habits (in my body and mind) gained from years of unsuitable horses.  Prisoner isn't easy, but I don't think 'easy' comes with the territory of wildly talented, so I won't complain.  He is skilled, but needs lots of training.  I am skilled, but need lots of polish.  Together I think that we can really go places.  The last several months have been such a time for growth and introspection.

All for you buddy, all for you

I can't even begin to tell you the number of horses I've ridden in apparent preparation for this one.  I've always looked at each challenge I've overcome with a horse as a time to build a new skill set.  Often when the horse is less of a big challenge and ready for true forward progress in their training I get moved on to the next horse.   'Thanks for dealing with all the sh*t redheadlins, time for you to start back at the beginning with the next project.'  I really have actually enjoyed all of that, but now I have my own horse past lots of his sh*t and guess what!?  I get to keep progressing with him.  He doesn't have a different owner to take him away.  He shows heaps of talent I can't wait to hone and polish.  I finally get to work on myself.  We get to be a team.

At our first adventure together

Circling back to what I was saying about my own hesitation preventing Prisoner's personality from really blooming.  I used to give a horse everything I had, heart and soul, but when our time together would inevitably come to an end, I would be shattered.  I started to protect myself, if I was going to train horses for people I couldn't let my soul get involved.  I've gotten away with keeping myself one step removed, but Mr. P isn't going to accept that.  I need to jump in, we need to build our faith in each other so that we can do the impossible.  Because isn't that what this crazy thing we all do with our horses really is?  Every day that we climb aboard a half ton animal and convince ourselves that we can control it with some leather straps held together by bits of metal, we defy the limits of possibility.  The moment I want to do more than cruise over a few jumps or elevate our ride from twenty meter circles to actually dancing I have to be invested.  I know this doesn't apply to everyone, maybe we can blame it on my red hair.

So red

I'm not talking about being some out of control emotional wreck.  What I mean is that I have to allow the horse into my deepest recesses.  The little bits of myself that I hold back and protect for me I have to share with my partner.  It is what creates those highest of highs and lowest of lows.  I've let this happen with a few horses and those are the ones I will remember for my whole life.  It is always a gamble, but this little horse I have is worthy.  All of this overly deep blather brings me to my original point about finding him a song.  Maybe as I open up to him more, he will too and I will be inspired about what music is his.  Right now though, there is a song that is ours.

First Event Derby

Flash back friday here.  This show happened after the two day Jan clinic( day 1 day 2).

Who really needs to touch the ground anyways

 My horse arrived at the show relaxed and ready for business.  After watching Sprinklerbandit put in a good test I went and tacked up.  Prisoner cracks me up, it doesn't matter where I trailer to, he is 100% patient until I start to put his bridle on, then he decides that it is time to walk somewhere as I fumble with the buckles.

Pony face

 I did lots of walking around in the warm up, letting him relax and find out that it shouldn't be stressful.  We did eventually walk, trot, and canter.  He stayed rideable and mostly unconcerned about the other horses.

Someone needs a smaller saddlepad

 Finally it was time to go in the ring.  Other than wanting to look and the tiny arena fence instead of where we were going, he was pretty good.

Floating

 He loved the free walk as he always does. I got a confusing score of 6 on it though, with the comment good stretch shown.  Ummm, a 6?

Stretching

Still stretching

 I definitely left some points on the table.  Mostly due to getting a bit rushed here and there as well as having not practiced in an actually dressage arena and having questionable geometry.

Not really tracking up

Over all I was really happy with it.  I don't remember our exact score other than it was in the mid 30's.  No complaints there since I knew right where I could have fixed things and shaved more points off.

Derp face at the judge

Happy with the effort

I forgot my gloves, shame!

Courage and Bacon had stalls, so I figured that Prisoner could enjoy the trailer.  It wasn't too hot, and he had a nice full hay bag.  Then it was time to walk the xc course, peruse the tack store trailer, and cheer on friends before I tacked up again.  I typically get way more nervous in xc warm up than I do on course.  There is just such a mix of nerves and emotions from all the other riders, combined with the lack of control from some pairs.  Prisoner was perfect though, calm, controlled, jumping well.  Sprinklerbandit snapped this picture before I headed to the start box, it pretty much sums up how I was feeling, relaxed and uber happy.

Smiles for everyone

We headed over to the start box, chatting with friends, petting my horse, and suddenly it was time.  I had been envisioning this being the first event on our path rolex #dreambigmuch?  He came out questioning but willing.

We got this

The first few jumps were very simple logs, a great way to start the course.  Oh, by the way we were signed up for Beginner Novice (2'7").  We cantered between, but I chose to come back to the trot for the jumps so that he could feel his most confident.

Ears pricked, ready to go

We hadn't schooled this jump the day before

But he was still willing

It felt like things were really starting to roll along.  He was just a tiny bit sticky, but still willing to go forward when I closed my leg.

Green but going

 We had a nice canter into the next field, and coming into the blue barrels (back at the trot)  I actually can't remember if he spooked at the jump judges on the hill (or if a different horse in previous years did), this is what happens when you do a show write up 6 months after the fact.  Either way he jumped it well and we were on to the next jump.

It was a little coop that he had jumped on the very first try the day before.

This one

Well, right as he should have been going over it, he ran sideways.  I smacked him once with the whip and came back around, but he said game over here is my middle finger (hoof?), take me home.  I was kindof flabbergasted.  I pretended I couldn't hear the jump judge telling me to leave and proceeded to trot over cross rails on my circuitous route off the course.  This was a schooling show, with the specific mention that if you weren't dangerous you could finish the course.

We got this

While rather (wildly) disappointing and frustrating, it is horses.  I couldn't take it personally, it was just time to keep training and put one hoof in front of the others.  We had several successful jumps, and I hadn't felt my old enemy fear creeping in, so I would focus on those.  They say the good horses are never easy, so keeping that in mind we would live to fight another day.  The best part?  Being surrounded by friends (and watching Alyssa make her first Novice look like a freaking walk in the park)!

Giant bag of trail mix for the drive home?  Check.