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.

Shoulders back, leg on, hands forward

Lend me wings

That has been my mantra over fences with Mr. Prisoner.  If he is soft the jumps go well, if he is crazy I do my best to stay out of his way and let him figure it out.

Spring is glorious this year

He seems to be getting the idea and on Sunday we had one of our most consistently good jumps schools to date.

Warming up

Smiles for days

Pretty sure we have the same expression here

Sunday was generally a pretty great day, Alyssa came and played too!  Her and Bacon were awesome!  I mean seriously check out her leg and Bacon's knees!  The course I'd set actually rode really well.

You know it is me with the camera when the photo isn't centered

Not to scale

You could ride every jump in both directions, ride the lines or just use each jump as a single.  Fun times, lots of courses.  After helping Alyssa and another barn friend, I warmed up Prisoner and popped over some small warm up fences.  He was so good I almost stopped then and there.

No world beating form here, but I like how soft it is

Gate like no big deal

Just cantering over it

Never tire of his blaze face

Alyssa was nice and put the oxers (darnit Blogger how many times do I have to tell you that is a word?) back up (they had gone down for the rider between her and I).  He wanted to get excited down one line, but we pulled up and regrouped and then tried again.  Other than that life was good.

Possible pink overload

It took a few tries to nail the downhill bending line and when we finally did I called it a day.

Something about this picture speaks to me, #jumpingintothefuture

Wheee, best day!

Blame it on my gypsy soul (incase you were wondering what my shirt said.

I heart my horse

Last week my BO and I hauled over to Steph's arena for some riding on great footing.  It is the same place I had Diva a couple weeks ago with the red and black rubber in the sand.  Seriously, you could have standing water on that thing and still jump a course with zero slipping!

Having fun with Pixlr

Prisoner got off the trailer and was like, whatevs.  He stood while I bridled him up, walked around on the buckle, trotted and cantered like a pro and then went for a walkabout with no spooks.  *swoon*  I often can't believe he is really mine, I don't have to hand the reins over because he behaves.  I don't have to watch someone unravel the work I have put in, I can just keep on working with him and loving him.

That is a pony/cob sized KL Select bonnet...#ponyface

He was starting to stretch more over his topline in the canter, and was very adjustable in the trot.

Bam!

Wild tails

He still braces up from time to time, but the duration is getting shorter and shorter.  I can often just close my inside leg to push him out a bit and that will release the tension.

Look at that round and shiny horse

Looking forward to leaves back on the trees

Head coming up, but keeping a steady rhythm 

Fancy boy

Loving the shadows

I am really pleased with how his body is coming along!  Check out this picture, you can really see the difference.

This is actually a few weeks ago and I think he is looking even better now.  I really can't wait for summer and the return of dapples and true shine.  I love to joke that he is my dream Connemara/TB cross and was switched at birth.  He has the floofiest mane and forelock!  It would explain how he is supposed to be so well bred and so slow.  We are hauling back again today and I am looking forward to it, can't beat a giant arena all to yourself.  I think I will probably set up a x-rail or two as well.

Time for a nap

Yes, that is him loose, sleeping, in the wind.