El-Stop-O

So, I have to tell this story – it’s not the usual Monday update, I know, but it’s funny.
John had me working on slowing down and stopping the horse by using my seat and using my reins last when I had to… this is to teach the horse to slow down and stop without showing it – it took a while for me to get it while trying to learn on one of their lesson horses, but by the end I kind of sort of got the idea.

So, when I got home I tried it on Sky a little and she easily slows from a trot to a walk on seat alone. I figured that they had taught her a little of this in New Mexico at Josh’s.
Yesterday, I went out on the trail with Lisa for a short bit and I made Sky lead on the way out and on the way back, be behind. She did good and seemed to have a lot of confidence going out. I need to work on this more, because I want to surprise my friend Beth in East Corinth (Sky wouldn’t lead on the way out last year).

So, we got back and Lisa had to go but Sky and I stayed in the yard to work a little more. I loped her off and she’s taking off beautifully. So, as we lope around I use my seat to slow her down and try not to tuck her in so much and she does a beautiful job (in my opinion anyway). As I get ready to ask her to slow down, I decide to try to use just my seat and get her to go down to an easy trot or even a walk. Lope, Lope, Lope … ok, “I want to walk…..now.” and I so I put my hand down, squeeze my butt and push my hips forward (or whatever version of that I’ve got going on now, it’s not perfected) and boy did the breaks go on! Sky stopped DEAD in her tracks – I’m glad I picked the dirt spot to stop! She didn’t necessarily slide, but she did screech to a halt! It made me laugh out loud, she’s so cool! I guess Josh taught her something I hadn’t used in a while!

FYI – she did it going the other way too! (Check out Sky's new mane in this photo! I look terrible, but whatever!)

A Clean Sweep

Hi all! We were lucky enough to have a mainly rain-free weekend, which is really lucky because it pretty much hasn’t stopped raining all summer!

Saturday, Lisa and I made plans to go trail riding, which turned into me and her and Betsy and a lady named Kathy. Kathy might be coming to board with Lisa, which would be lucky b/c she is really cool and has a very sweet and cute horse. She competitive trail rides and rides all over the place. So, we’re hoping that she will leave where she is and board with Lisa.

So we met Betsy at her house and wound up going for three hours, which was beautiful – we rode trails and power lines and dirt roads. Sky did pretty good – she had a couple of funny moments, the first of which when we had to maneuver around a broken bridge and over a little creek. Lisa stayed on Shiloh and went hell or high water, leaping back onto the trail. The rest of us feared broken legs and concussions and got off. Kathy and I (picture this) both hopped the creek, holding reins and tried to get out of the way while our horses contemplated how best to get over the two foot ditch with water below. I swear Sky and her horse looked at each other and counted, “ready…. One… two.. three!” They each took a flying leap over the creek and watching it made me think Sky could be one hell of a jumper!

The second feat we accomplished was letting Betsy and Lisa take off on their horses while Sky and Kathy’s horse stayed behind. At first Sky tried to run off and when I held her back she fought me a little (and by little I mean I was sitting on 975 pounds of pent up energy!). But she calmed right down and took it pretty well. I loved it!

We spent the rest of Saturday hanging out and getting Sky ready for the show Sunday. Lisa helped (and by helped I mean pretty much did it – thank you Lisa) pull Sky’s mane, which I’ve been contemplating for a while. I felt like I was chopping off my own hair but it looks really good – photos to follow.

Sunday was Oak Rise 4. Lisa went to LRSS but I was able to catch a ride with Betsy so I decided to try to increase my year-end point run at Oak Rise. So, Betsy was late coming to pick me up, and her truck continued to have trouble, losing power on the highway. I spent most of the ride down there praying we would make it and visioning being broken down on the side of I-93! But we did make it there without much incident.

We had a lot of time to hang around before our classes started, so I made time to chit chat and see some people. I talked to Carolyn, who competes with me in W/T and neither of us spotted my nemesis, Rose. She didn’t come so I was kind of bummed b/c I figured that meant that it would just be me and Carolyn in my classes, and I wouldn’t have an opportunity for PAC points or, really, any meaningful ribbons.

I was proved wrong when W/T Adult Equitation was called and there were a total of 5! I was so excited and as we were riding, tried very hard to think of what John had told me, about knowing that I was good enough to win and being confident. I pushed Sky deep into every corner and she was a marvel – she had a great slow trot and a beautiful headset and we went along perfectly. As they called the ribbons, I expected second or even third b/c I’ve never been super at equitation. Carolyn got second, which I was so excited about b/c she tries really hard and nearly always places last. That meant Sky and I were first and I was so excited!

Along went pleasure adult, (1st of 5) and western pleasure (1st of 6!). By the time that the afternoon came, it started to cloud in and thunder so they stopped the show for a while. It never really rained but we did see lightening. People bailed left and right so when they resumed I was the only one in Discipline Rail and Trail – she did good in both of them – stopping from a trot and picking up the trot from the stop in DR really well. The judge even told me so.
So, we won 5 of 5 and got the day end high point. It was a good day.

I feel a little guilty b/c Karl stayed home all weekend while I was on my adventures. I think he feels a little abandoned right now. I’m going to try and throw him a surprise party soon, so maybe that will cheer him up.

Till next time,
C

The Latest

Not much is new. Sky is doing really well and her back is mostly healed up! I hope she doesn’t get beat up anymore – I might have to go and defend her on the playground!

We rode a few days this past week – nothing special. She’s doing much better at her lope and that is good. On Thursday I went with Betsy to a Blackwater Trail Riders meeting and that was good. It’s just a bunch of local (I think it’s all women, big surprise) riders who get together for rides pretty much every weekend – it’s purely social and fun and everyone is very nice so that’s good. The meeting conversation surrounded the idea of doing a beach ride this fall and possibly going to VT for an inn-to-inn or overnight trip as well as talk about T-shirts and vests with the ultra cool logo on them. Good times.

Saturday we went on one of these rides (thank goodness for Betsy who picks me up). This one was in Belmont at the home of a mother and daughter who are part of the club. The trails were great and out of the nine horses that went, Sky was the most beautiful (I’m a little biased!). She did really well in the pack and I moved her from the front to the back (not leading, though) and she was good. We had to maneuver some big hills, both up and down and she barely breathed hard at all – it’s nice to see her get in such good shape ‘cause we’ll need it for E.Corrinth!

One part of the ride we took a trip around a big field and let the horses trot and canter. Sky led this part, which I was proud of, and loped beautifully! She was slow and collected and such a pleasure to ride! It’s a great lope, not too fast but still covering ground… I was so proud of her and nobody got it but me… but that’s ok.

Sunday Lisa and I hung out and went around to nearly every feed store in the area getting stuff for Miss Willow who’s leg is still infected… poor girl. It was good to just hang out, though, and it was a good day. I needed to get out of the house as things aren’t the greatest at home. Karl’s getting more and more depressed as the weeks go on and I’m not sure how to deal with it. I’m sad about him leaving too, but we can’t live sad all the time, either. For my part, I’m starting to see a counselor this week and I’m hoping that helps. Wish me luck as I’ve never been shrunk before.

I’m not sure if I’ll get a lesson in this week or not. Oak Rise is Sunday and I need to prepare for that.

Hope all is well with everyone. Take care,

C