Dressage Pony Has Skills.... Rider is Mediocre at Best

I only have dressage lessons every other week since my instructor's (let's call her IY) schedule is packed full. My plan is to continue to ride Dee in these lessons since Stressage dressage is our weakest phase. Anytime someone cancels, I have first dibs on their spot to have the occasional lesson with Ritchie.

For the first lesson back after the holiday break I ended up riding Ritchie. I've been struggling with sitting in his saddle and wanted some help. It's got big thigh blocks and my knees keep trying to creep over them. I also wanted to get an outside opinion on some of the crookedness I've been experiencing.

Kentaur Elektra. I find it less than ideal

Unfortunately IY confirmed my suspicions about Ritchie's fancy new saddle (Shimmer-E bought it for him a couple months ago). While it fits him well and is an 18" seat, it is actually too small for me. It's got a fairly deep seat and rides small. I'm obscenely long from my hip to my knee for someone who is only 5'6" (for reference, my jumping saddle is an 18" with a long forward flap and it fits me wonderfully).

For now I will be doing all my riding in my jump saddle (thank goodness it fits both horses). I may struggle to keep my upper body tall while doing dressage in it, at least I actually fit in it.

My other main concern was straightness. With Dee I struggle to ride straight becuase what feels like straight is actually crooked. We've been working on re-training my perceptions and I was concerned this would colour my perceptions of Ritchie.

Thankfully my thoughts about when we were straight and when we were crooked were spot on. Ritchie is stiff to the left, wanting to bulge his ribcage in and drift through the left shoulder (completely opposite of Dee). To the right he's super bendy and I have to be careful to keep solid outside aids to ensure he's maintaining the correct bend.

Random smile photo to break up the text monologue.

IY really liked him though. She told me that he is going to make me a very quiet and effective rider since he is easily offended. She also laid into me harder than she ever has before (and I've been riding with her off-an-on for something like 7 years). She saw me bump him with my inside leg 3 times without getting any response. I know this is how to deaden a horse and I still do it. So she stopped me and had a frank discussion about how I need to be more assertive, ask once and then correct with spur or whip. Basically, I need to rise to the level this guy is capable of, not him sinking to mine.

Every lesson I have with her ends up with me having sore abs. Every. Single. One. Apparently I am lazy about my core without someone reminding me 8-million-times. Now you add in super bouncy, swingy fancy-pants-warmblood and my ab muscles were crying. But he's so sensitive it was really cool to see how much my core control affected his movement.

Basically by better engaging my core I was able to help him achieve more loft and swing in his gaits. It only lasted a few strides before both of our muscles would get tired and wimp out, but those strides were beautiful!!

Also, if anyone is looking for a pretty cool young horse, one of Ritchie's babies is for sale. She's super cute, scored well at her inspection (including an 8 for movement) and super personable. So pass it along if you know anyone looking, the weak Canadian dollar could make her someone's pretty cool bargain. (Also, when she sells, Ritchie and I get a bigger show budget)

Because when you're born on May 4th, you must be Leia

Red Mare Finds A New Home

She sold!

I"m so excited.  Not only because my budget will go back to balancing but also because the mare found an incredible home!

A couple drove up from Seattle (which Google Maps tells me is a 15 hour drive!) this weekend to come try her out.  I really liked them from the get-go.  The husband is an equine vet and the wife is just getting back into riding after a 10 year hiatus.  They're looking for something solid and sane to allow her to get back into the horse world.  They wanted something that can do multiple disciplines and is comfortable hacking out.

After a quick demo of me riding, she hopped on and it went really well.  The mare highlighted some of her weaknesses and it inspired her to really sit correctly (if you half halt without backing it up with leg the mare will stop).  Both of them really liked how she's been there, done that and hasn't been pigeon-holed into one slot.

I was shocked that the mare really liked them, especially the husband.  She's normally quite aloof an will rarely take cookies from strangers but she took cookies from him right away and was constantly checking back for more.

So on Friday it's a quick trip to the vet to get her coggins and paperwork done.  Shipping is currently being arranged, and then she will be on her way.

I'll miss her but I'm so very glad that she has found an amazing home where she will be loved and used.

And now I can get serious about shopping for a new saddle to fit Dee.

The mare and her new human

Red Mare Comes Home

Well since there has been very little interest in the mare it was time for her to come back to me.  I couldn't afford to just leave her with the trainer indefinitely.  So for now she's back with me and her and Dee are vacillating between best friends and enemies.

I've ridden her a few times now and I have to say, I really, really like this horse.  It's just too bad she needs someone else if jumping is on the table.  If I could afford both horses long term I think I would keep her and make an effort to conquer dressage-land!   Sam and Anne both did a fabulous job so she's soft and supple like she never has been before.

 But alas my finances are slightly strained by three, I cannot so here's hoping she sells quick.

In the meantime she'll get a clip and some work to combat the fat and fuzzy :)

Tough Decisions

For months now, almost everyone in my life has been after me to sell the mare.  I have felt that I wanted to keep at it.  I kept at it.  I sent her for training. I didn't want to quit, give up or fail.  A conversation with a casual acquaintance changed everything.

Sometimes it goes well

Selling the mare is not giving up.  It's not quitting.  And it sure doesn't make me a failure.  The conversation made me realize one very important truth: I'm too important to get hurt. At this point I don't feel safe jumping the mare, especially on XC.  Even when everything is going great I'm always nervous and slightly terrified.

That may sound narcissistic and egotistical but I truly believe that I need to put my safety first.  I've already suffered one major and life-changing injury due to a fall and another one is in the cards if I keep falling off. If I fall off on XC there is a greater possibility that I will get seriously injured or worse.

The trainer has done a fabulous job with the mare but it comes down to confidence.  Both the mare and I require a partner who can lend us confidence.  This deficit of confidence is contributing to the downward spiral that is our partnership.  It's time for the mare to find a partner who can give her the confidence to succeed and it's time for me to find the same, I think we will both be happier.

If I only wanted to do dressage and trail riding I would keep her in a heartbeat.  I love this horse.  I love riding her, but I want to event and for the two of us, this is not going to happen.

So we decided that I would not bring her home.  She is with the trainer to be sold.  It breaks my heart to sell her because I look at her sale ad and video and think, "I'd buy that horse."

I am confident this is the right decision for both of us but it's still hard and part of me hopes she sells fast so that I can move onto the next chapter.

Our happy place