Moving Day

Sky and I are going through some change. Change is hard, but Sky and I are both pretty experienced with it.

Friday, I went to the barn despite the rain and thunder figuring it was my last chance to use the indoor! I think I might have spent more time talking than riding but that’s ok. I, obviously, chatted with Christina about all the drama – about the news that Robyn and Rich were going to ask Sarah to “shape up or ship out” and what that meant for her. I tried to convince her to talk to them and maybe carve out a better position for herself instead of leaving as she was planning on giving her notice, but she seemed too worn out on the place to try again.

I talked to Ginny, too - Ginny who is cooky and funny and perhaps a little crazy, but nice just the same. She went on about her horse, Fred, and how she was recovering from her fall last year. Cassie was getting Fred ready for a 4-H qualifying show in the aisle, doting over his every stand of mane.

So, I did ride a bit and even loped (both ways) – she did well.

Saturday was our “moving day”. I met Lisa at 2 at the barn. When I got there, there wasn’t a soul around. (well, Sarah and her so-called barn manager were around but I avoided them). I knew the Kelly’s were at the 4-H show and I did feel bad that I hadn’t had a chance to talk to Robyn about when Sky was actually leaving. I got my stuff all together and I did feel a bit sad. It’s not that I don’t like it there. I like the rings and the trails and the barn is ok. I don’t really mind Robyn and Rich. For a few minutes I wondered why it was that I was leaving. I tried to remember the changed stalls and the nearly-missed feedings… I tried to remember the times when there wasn’t a soul around to ride with and the needless spats I’d had with Sarah. When Lisa backed into the driveway, I was ready to go.

When all that was left to pack up was Sky, Robert (the Kelly’s son) appeared to inquire what was going on. I felt bad for the kid, but not really. As I chased Sky around to nab her from her grass, Sarah appeared and chatted Lisa up. She left before I got Sky out of the field – Lisa informed me that Sarah had told her that “all nine of my horses are out of here tomorrow morning and they don’t know yet”… mmmm.. the plot thickens. Weird.

So, we took Sky to Lisa’s and put her in a stall with a half-door between her and the herd. There was a lot of squealing and she did smack her face once, but other than that, it was ok. Lisa and I took a quick ride with a couple of people who came up to see her and then hung out for dinner. After the ride, I spent some time in the yard riding around – loping her too. She did great that time, taking off on the first stride I asked for and keeping relatively calm.

Sunday morning, I get a call from Robyn, who reminds me that I left Sky’s winter blanket at the barn and to tell me that Ginny’s horse, Fred (gulp) DIED on the trailer on the way back from the 4H Show on Saturday. Holy F***Balls! Yeah. Robyn was sobbing uncontrollably and told me something about Fred being scared of the carts at the show and having gotten himself worked up and that the vet said he had a heart attack on the trailer! Poor Ginny must be devastated – Cassie too! AND she was full of surprise to tell me that Sarah had packed up her horses and left AND taken Natasha with her daughter and mini horse with them! I cannot help but feel bad for them. I immediately called Christina to tell her what was up.

When I got to Lisa’s, I rode a quick half hour and then we let her out with the herd. It was funny because she squealed once to Onyx, who she knows anyway, and that was it. No pushing around, not sniffing and kicking… good. I’ll go up today to see how she’s doing and hopefully ride. The rain has been brutal. There’s been so much drama going on, I am in need of time to just enjoy my horse.

C

Progression

I have a theory that one either has time or money and that it is only the truly blessed who get both at the same time. I have this theory because it holds true to my life so far – I have had jobs that left me plenty of time to do what I wanted, but not the funds and I’ve had great jobs that paid well but left me no time to do the things I now had the money for. And let’s not forget the scenario of not having time OR money, which I have to admit I’ve been through as well.

The reason I bring this up is because I have this conundrum now. This is not necessarily because there isn’t any money, but in my married life there is only so much money for the horse. (When I was single that budget was much larger!) So, I have to make choices and this means sometimes missing out on things, like last week when I chose to go trail riding instead of showing, which made it possible for me to get a lesson from John as well. And since my lesson went so well, and I can see and feel the improvements that we are making together, it makes me feel that that progression is more important that ribbons.

Anyway, my lesson – John brought Sky a new bit and even though he said they would help her, I had my doubts… she’s been in curb bits before and all she has ever done is play with the shanks. So, I was expecting her to toss her head and grab at the bit with her lips and be a mess. I was so wrong! She held a beautiful headset with the slightest tweaking and didn’t pop her head up half as much as she did with the snaffle. Lovely.

Then, Mr. Crazy John Toli asks me if I could go down another notch on my stirrup. I quickly responded with my best skeptical look and put my faith in his opinion. I told him I’d try it. FYI – I can barely reach the stirrup with the bottom of my foot now, but I got used to it fast. I think the longer your stirrup, the less you are able to rely on your feet for balance and the more you have to rely on your hips and butt to keep you in the saddle, which I’m ascertaining is the point. It’s a good thing that I’m someone who doesn’t like change, but is willing to do different things for the greater good.

So, I feel like we’ve accomplished a lot – I got a new bit to play around with and my seat has changed again with the stirrup length but John was not done. I should have known. He knew I wanted to start loping again so we were gonna. Oh. (I forgot to tell him that as much as I love a good canter, it’s also when my fear of falling, hitting my head and becoming a vegetable kicks in)
Overall, it wasn’t so bad. The first time we tried, she hopped into the lope and I was so anxious about it, I couldn’t relax into it. We tried again going the other way and it worked out much better. John told us to work on the departure and concentrate on that part, which is good because I won’t have to worry about her going so fast, but just get her off to a good start.

Then, he had us work on our lateral work…. Work on… We do this all the time! The only thing was when he tried to set down a pole, um, while she was OVER it… She took the movement well, it was the sound of PVC on sand that gave her a spook… She’s so FUNNY – it was like “oh… oh gheeze… what are you doing… ok, I’m moving! Whoaaaa.” I think she trusts me enough not to dump me, so she just shied away and then we moved on. She’s always been great at sidepassing etc.

So, that was my lesson. I’m excited to work on the new stuff and get that right. John says he’s proud of us and how we are doing and that means the world. I can’t wait to take her to East Corinth this year and let everyone see how much she’s grown!

Anyway, other than riding, the horse drama continues. I’m apprehensive about leaving MMF, which we are on Saturday. Any change is always hard and I have a hard time knowing if I’m doing the right thing or not. Robyn and Rich aren’t bad people and they try (sometimes). I hope Lisa and I still get along when I’m at her barn and I hope she won’t mind if I don’t want to show EVERY weekend. I hope she’ll want to do other stuff with me – camp and trail with the horses and go new places. I hope Sky does well at Lisa’s barn and is happy.

Until next time, happy trails.

C

I left my show clothes at home

So, I had a choice to make this weekend… show or trail ride… the age old question. Honestly, I struggled. On one hand, I wanted to hang out with Lisa, who I haven’t seen in a couple of weeks and I did want to add to my ever-growing collection of ribbons. But, on the other hand, I am short on horse funds, a little tired of the scene and a little sad for some good old fashioned riding (you know, the kind where you actually go somewhere!)

So, I got up later on Sunday morning and was grateful not to be out of the house at dawn. I got Sky ready and Betsy rolled in right on time. Bear Brook is much larger than I thought, and I found myself spying down every trail we passed on the road to check out where it might lead.
After we deciphered the overly detailed map, we headed down a trail with the attitude that if we got lost we’d find our way back eventually.

Despite having little to no audience, I matched my shirt to Sky’s saddle pad – no reason not to look good!

Anyway, the trail was a little rocky and I worried about Sky’s feet, but overall it was great. We walked and trotted a little, with Betsy’s horse, Harvey leading the way. They must have made good friends in the trailer, because Sky took his lead well as we went through mud and such. Sky chose to boondock me through a big tree limb, though and my left arm is a little worse for the wear!
The trail got rockier and rockier and then we came across a steep incline lined with natural stone steps…. Gheeze… how are we going to get up those? Well, Harvey picked his way right up, no problem.
My lovely horse tried to turn around! Literally… it was like “ok, I’m done, let’s go back to the trailer!” But I turned her back and edged her on and after a good five seconds of deep thought on the subject, she lurched forward and powered her way up the steps. I felt like Rocky! I could practically hear the music!
Betsy and I cursed ourselves for not taking a photo of the steps but were unwilling to go back. We went by a beautiful marsh and then met more than one mountain biker, hiker and dog walker. Both horses spooked a little, but took everything well. I am amazed at how well Sky takes a bike… she used to be terrified. She even led a little as we went on.

After a couple of missed turns we were headed back… We trotted a bit to beat the thunder we heard rumbling in the distance and then Betsy asked me if it was ok to canter… after a decidedly long pause, I yelled back that I would try.. so Harvey lopes off and I urge Sky to lope as well. She kicked into it with no problem (and by that I mean the “ooh I get to run” buck I was expecting). I even got her to collect some as we went along. It was great! She did break back to a trot at one point and then kept trotting faster and faster… I was urging her on but she wouldn’t break back into the lope until I literally told her it was ok to – then she was right back in it! Funny!

It started pouring as we drove home, and I was grateful we weren’t on the trail. I did feel a pang of guilt and missing-out when I heard from Lisa about the show, but it’s not the last show I’ll have the opportunity to go to. It was a good day and that’s all that matters.

Oak Rise – 2

So, I went against my better instincts and took Robbyn up on the ride to Oak Rise this past Sunday. When I got up on Sunday morning and heard the pouring rain outside, I nearly called her to say that I wasn’t going… but then I remembered Christina was stuck going to coach Elena and I couldn’t leave her alone with them all day. So, I went.
The good thing is once we got there, it did stop raining. Plus, we parked close to John’s barn and I got to hitch Sky to his trailer for the day. The bad thing was that it was a bad day to be associated with Majestic Meadow and although I was lucky enough to be able to separate myself from them, Christina wasn’t.
Let’s start with the bad stuff… that way it’s more fun to get around to the good stuff.
Christina and I got there early with Elena, who leases Colorado so Colorado would settle in. Christina tried to get Elena to walk him around and get him acclimated, and it seemed to be going well for a while. Robbyn came back with her daughter, Cassie, and a student of theirs with two other horses and all seemed to be fine until their first class. I watched the class in horror as Colorado overall acted ridiculous and behaved poorly going around the rail. Elena did the best she could but barely made it out of the ring with her 6th place ribbon…. Then Lily (Cassie’s three year old) nearly knocked the ring steward over when she went to accept her ribbon… SO EMBARESSING!
Christina basically got bullied into riding Colorado in the practice ring for Robyn, and finally got him around, but she convinced them to scratch him from the rest of his classes. Cassie had an out of control horse which everyone seemed to want to ignore – she was cantering in the practice ring, which is against the rules, and when I tried to tell them so I go attitude from both mother and daughter. Then, Lily got out of control in not one but TWO of her classes, but Cassie managed to get Reserve Champion anyway… that chapped my ass.
When Robbyn tried to finally leave, she had a flat tire on her trailer, which was a fiasco. It took over an hour to get it changed and for her to pull out with her first round of horses, which was actually a good thing (which gets us to the good stuff) because Christina and I got to hang out in John’s barn for his BBQ while we waited for a ride for the horses. It was a good way to relax.
And now for more good stuff – Sky rode fabulously and I think I did ok too. We got 4 of 5 in equitation (I was so robbed, but whatever), 2 of 5 in pleasure, 2 of 3 in Discipline Rail and 1 of 3 in Trail – the last of which got us another PAC point! I was very happy with how I rode and I think that Sky did great too… and that’s all that matters.
It’s funny because I knew that’s what John would say when he got to the show when I told him about my equitation class and how I thought I rode well but didn’t place great – I could hear it in my head but it was so great to hear him say it too… I think Sky and I are both getting more confident. I’m getting her goat lately, like when she doesn’t want to go in the ring at the end of the day or into the woods for a trail ride like she did to me last week – I’m beating her every time lately and she gives up more and more easily. We’ll have to try the water crossing again soon!

I just looked at her

So, I was having a bad day yesterday (a story I really don’t want to get into). I had to drop off board money b/c the first of the month had already come and gone, but I didn’t really feel like riding. I should have ridden since I’d spent Monday afternoon helping Lisa clean out her overstocked dressing room in her trailer, but I just didn’t feel like riding.
So, I got Sky out (nearly being eaten to death by black flies) and took her in the barn to brush her and spend some time with her. I think it’s nice every now and then to take a moment to really look at your horse… we get so busy and hurried with trying to squeeze all the rides in that, for me, it’s pretty cool every now and then to just hang out with my horse.
Sky’s pretty funny. She sighs and gives me silly looks (if horses can actually give a looks, which I think they can). She seemed to know I wasn’t feeling like myself b/c she stood super still, not tied or anything and let me lean on her. I think she leaned on me a little too. I talked to her and told her my problems and I think she listened with a sympathetic ear.
I knelt down in the stall and she sniffed my face and looked down at me, probably wondering what we were doing, but appreciating the break from the routine all the same. There are a lot of things I love about Sky that I forget to notice sometimes. I love how her markings make her unique – kind of like a cow, but totally not. I love that you can see the veins in her face and her legs, like a bodybuilder. She has perfectly shaped ears and beautifully shaped feet. Her muscles are more defined than they were this winter, now that she’s being worked. Her crest is tall and muscled up and her hindquarters are stiff to the touch, where this winter there was a little give. Her shoulders are big and she looks capable and graceful all at the same time.
Sky’s pretty understanding – you know, for a horse. She’s been a constant in my life for two years. A lot of other things have changed but she’s always been there for me and been the same… eager to learn and full of curiosity… full of trust – willing to go wherever I take her (well, most everywhere!)
She’s a good horse and I’m lucky to have her. I think it’s important to remember that every now and then.

C

A Day of Reds

So, I had reservations about going to the LRSS show on Sunday, but I eat my words. It was good. I actually had 4 (count them… FOUR) people in my classes (of course, that counts me too!). They were all adults too – I didn’t have to feel guilty for beating a kid!
We did four classes, skipping the showmanship and halter, which Lisa won anyway. We got to practice longer and with less people which made us both more relaxed. Sky was in heat which didn’t matter much in the grand scheme of how she was acting but for her, she was a little off. She even rode with a stud in the practice ring and was fine… goes to show you all the training she had being ridden along with the reining studs in NM paid off.
The classes went really fast and I barely had time between my equitation and pleasure classes to get a drink. I stayed on the rest of the day, until I was finished which was only around 2. Not bad.
We had practiced the equitation pattern and done great, but in the ring it wasn’t so great. She was what I call “jabber jawey” – my term for spitting the bit out and pulling against pressure. That’s her biggest problem. Pleasure went better, just being rail work. Discipline Rail was good and we did a beautiful turn on the haunches when the judge wasn’t looking! Trail could have been a lot better. She dealt with the mailbox perfectly but the bridge was too scary and it took three tries to get over (she did do it!). We backed through a set of cones and that was the best part.
All in all it was a good day and we got 2nd in every single class – to the same girl too! She was nice, so I didn’t min d losing to her too badly – an English rider with a bitless bridle on her cute horse. That left us with the Reserve Champion of the day. The other riders in my classes were a nice woman about my age on a big stock bred paint who was experiencing her first day off the farm and an older lady who had a crazy forward Arab or something.
So, we have next weekend off from showing (thank GOD) and the 15th is the second Oak Rise Show. The 22nd, the week after that, is the next LRSS – I’m not sure if I’ll go to Oak Rise or not… Lisa will be gone so I won’t have a ride unless I scrounge one up and I think I should concentrate on improving more than just showing more often. I’ll think on it.
Today I’m helping Lisa to clean out her dressing room in her massive trailer – give Sky a day off!
Happy Trails. C