slightly less sick.

I can breathe a little now and almost smell things, amazing! I have also done something besides sleep all day I also have slightly more energy which is a good thing. I got sooooo behind last week after being gone for four days and then getting sick for five.Horses have been severely neglected to the point where they are going feral and have spiky burr hair. I have some serious detangling and cookie feeding time ahead of me today. Joy has stopped coming to the fence when I throw the hay over, choosing instead to glare at me from a far, probably because she feels ignored, she is touchy like that. If Joy doesn't get enough attention/cookies/brushing and general adoration then she gets very aloof.

I really hope to ride today and work on getting poneh a bit fitter, I really want to take some lessons soon and would love to do another event but cashey money is really tight and will have to see what will work financially. Especially since I have to buy hay for the winter soon. I am going to work her like we will show again this summer and if it doesn't happen then she will at least be that much further in her fitness and training.

More horse trial stuff

Today was great!

This morning I picked up my friend to head back to Cobblestone, Joy was a pain to load again which is so disappointing because I really felt like we were over that, she was sooooooooooo good for awhile. My friend had stadium today and I had the option to ride stadium or try schooling cross country again. I decided to school, and I am so glad I did! I started at the beginning of the course and jumped the first two fences, she felt really good so I took her through and jumped the first 7.

Next we went by the scary water and watched another horse jump in and out for a bit and then I asked her to step in, she got all tense and I must work on not looking down at the scary thing. It was weird water being in a shaded hollow, not at all straightforward. But she walked in with some encouragement and in no time was trotting through comfortably. I went back to the trailer and got some water since it was another scorching day. She still felt good so I went to the startbox and counted down and did the whole course, Joy was fantastic! It was a perfect ride. Forward and energetic without being being tense or out of control. We had a nice canter throughout and she was looking for the jumps and enthusiastic about going over them.

I could have ridden stadium but instead schooled over the practice fences in the warmup and called it a day, we ended on a good note and both had a great time. I really enjoyed hanging out with eventing friends, everyone was so nice. I am definitely hooked!

Cobblestone horse trial update

So, we did it!

Trailered out to friend's barn last night and schooled a little over their x-country course, Joy was terrible, just fizzy, spooky and unfocused, she eventually settled down and was ok but still very looky. I gave her a bath and put her in a pen at the barn for the night. Stayed over at my friend's place, which was fun, she is my eventing fairy godmother and has been amazingly supportive, helpful and kind.

Joy was a pain to load this morning, doing the setting back refusing to go in thing, very frustrating since she had been loading so nicely. But we really haven't trailered much recently so need to work on it again. She got to hang with her boyfriend Baxter (my friend's tall, dark and handsome TB) they are cute together.

My friend dressed me all spiffy for dressage, and made Joy look pretty, I guess even if mare-mare is being a tweak she can look cute!  Joy did better then I expected in dressage for how excited she was, I remembered my test and she listened fairly well, got mostly 5s and a few 6s. Judge said in the comments we are a nice pair but she needs to be more submissive to the bit and relaxed, which is what we have been working on, nice to know I am on the right track. Joy has been schooling really nicely at home so I hope next show she will be a little more relaxed and responsive. Joe surprised me and showed up right before I went in the ring, which was nice and I got some good pictures.

We had a big break between dressage and cross country so I got watch a lot and to help my friend, and Joy got some downtime, I am glad she ties well and doesn't mind being alone with her hay. My sweet friends bought me a fabulous embroidered saddle pad for cross country, it is purple with Joy's show name and it looks so great!

Cross country was a blast, she did awesome on most of the course. I missed the course walk the day before so just did a short one before dressage. I had one refusal at the second fence but she popped right over on the second try. We got through the rest really nicely, she needed lots of encouragement but was having fun. We had issues at the water jump, at the beginner novice level we just had to go though the water but she flat out refused so we got dismissed off the course, I was super bummed since I only had two jumps to go before we would have finished our first ever course.

So going to school cross country again tomorrow and school stadium, should be low pressure and fun.

going to pick black berries now :)

Good weekend

It is hot again! yesterday was a scorcher but we still got tons done, got my corner posts set for the arena and a lot of pasture weed whipped.We had a lot to do since it rained everyday last week! But pasture maintenance got me thinking about boarding I have friend who have had nightmare experiences with boarding, on both ends. Horse people tend to be absolutely great or crazy avoid like the plague. As much as I love having my horses home, There are advantages both ways. Biggest thing is when you have limited time you often have to sacrifice ride time for care time.

I was lucky enough to board with some really awesome people before I got my own place, the first place I had Joy was a boarding and lesson barn, some of my friends had issues getting the barn owner to do extra feedings and such but it worked out fine for us since I was working off my board and spent a lot of there, Joy was happy in the big fields. The next place I took her to was a friend's farm and that worked out awesome, this friend has a really nice, small setup, with a great barn and safe pasture. I was super happy to leave Joy in the hands of such a knowledgeable and capable horse person, I felt totally comfortable with everything even when I was several states away, in West Virginia.

In other news I went trail riding with eventing friends Sunday, It was super fun! I really had a great time and Joy was a good girl despite some minor teleporting.We rode to the river, it was super high from all the rain we have been having and felt so nice after a hot sweaty ride. I love riding with eventers (at least these ones) since they can ride and we can do all the things I love such as gallop up hills, they don't yell at me if my horse spooks and don't randomly tale off without saying anything. Eventing friend brought me a present, Joy boots! so we are basically set for a show if I can scrounge a vest. Very exciting!

I should have done my outside stuff this morning, when it wasn't crazy hot. I swear my brain has fallen out I keep going to do something, forgetting what I am doing in the middle and wandering around. It is supposed to be up to 90 today, blergh.

I should go get Popsicles :)

River pic from last year :)

Eventing University was a complete success!

Joy was perfectly wonderful. We tried cross country and stadium for the first time, got some great dressage tips and hung out with some really nice people, especially the owner of Joy's new boyfriend, Baxter (she likes them tall, dark and handsome!) I am officially in love with eventing and I love being able to take my horse to new places and enjoy her.

On Sunday it was cold and windy, spitting snow in the early morning. We had Cross Country first which I was unsure about simply because I haven't done it but I decided to have a positive attitude and try my best. I shouldn't have worried! Joy was perfectly happy and we jumped a lot of great obstacles. It was a mixed group so we started out slow, the instructor Amy was super nice and encouraging. After some little logs we tried a ditch, bigger logs, a coop, a bench thingy and big jumps. We did most of the Beginner Novice jumps on the course and a few Novice ones. Most of the big stuff was around three feet tall and fairly wide and Joy was perfect. We had one refusal at the tire jump but she popped over it second try,and we jumped a lot of stuff. I need to work on keeping my shoulders back and collecting her before the jump so she has support to get over it.

Stadium was with the same instructor after a long break (I ate lunch and talked, Joy got to flirt with her new boyfriend) I haven't jumped courses in years so it was good practice for me to try and remember everything, we started over some little cross rails and progressed to a small course with one in and out and an oxer. We worked on staying balanced and relaxed with our rhythm (hard! she likes to speed) and me keeping a good position, I think if I had a jumping saddle it will help me keep the leg back but right now I just want one saddle that fits perfect, don't care what it is!

Dressage was good, there were only three of us and my friend (riding Joy's boyfriend) left after her horse came up lame :( So we worked on relaxation, rhythm  and balance.I wish I had dressage early in the day since that is a true portrait of how Joy is on a daily basis and not when she is kinda sleepy and mellow. But I still feel we got some good feed back on the areas we need to work on and I got some really nice connection with her, she looks like a totally different horse when she relaxes her neck down, We got some really nice basic exercises to work on balance and connection so that was super!.
 

Everyone was super friendly and nice, so different then the dressage show we went to last year! I got lots of nice compliments on Joy, on what a cute little jumper she is and how much personality she has. The jumping instructor was very encouraging of us sticking with the eventing and remarked on what a strong bond we have and how much Joy trusts me.

I am glad Joe didn't come with me, he would have been freezing cold and bored, not to mention worried about some of the jumps we did, I think he might like it if we played "my little pony" instead and I just brushed them a lot although he is very supportive and happy I am having fun, he just worries about me getting hurt. There was a professional photographer there so hopefully will be some good pictures soon, although I reckon I will look like a super dork in all of them.

All in all a wonderful experience and I am very happy to have gone, now I just need to get a job so we have some extra money this summer I can do more events :) The day after I was so sore, actually still am in spots, especially my inner thighs, abs and shoulders. Definitely going to keep up doing Pilates and start doing the evil that is Yoga.

Things are getting interesting! If all goes well (and according to plan) Joy and I will be attending a Eventing Clinic on April 17th, I am alternately elated and freaked out. I'm also really wishing I had a instructor or coach to help me fill out the forms, I am stuck on the question "Horses Experience" I mean in general riding we have a really solid walk-trot and canter, working on submission to the bit (collection) and balance. We can put down a solid Training Level Dressage test. In the jumping in the woods over fallen trees and brush category I give us an A+. In trail riding we are really really great, and generally galloping in fields goes well. But I have never Evented and I am worried if I put down none for experience we will be stuck with the walk trot over poles ponies.

I have a vet coming out tomorrow to pull blood for the Coggins, I didn't plan on going to anything so soon in the spring so luckily found someone who can come out so soon since we will be spending four days in the UP leaving on Wednesday. Baby is eating her noms, so we won't have to eat her, she is gaining weight, I would still like to see more on her. I need to pull another fecal on her, so annoying having to worry about parasites. I guess I got spoiled with Joy being healthy but she has always gotten good care so it is not like it was an accident.

I rode Joy this evening, in the big back field. She was all go, but got some really nice canter transitions. She was impatient and is getting pully on the bit. Like wanting to stretch down into my hands, I have to work on not throwing her away but remaining consistent in my contact. Also have to keep my position consistent since she is a big tattletale, when I am balanced and soft so is she. She also makes this chomping at the bit that sounds like fap fap fap, which is hilarious.

hmmm bed time...