And Then There Were Two

Red Mare made it safely to Washington!

All ready to go.

Her new owner booked her into a transport from Edmonton to Langley on Nov 17.  We were given a window of Nov 29 - Dec 2.  This worked well because the plan was for her to have a few recovery days at a vet clinic in Langley before they drove up and hauled her across the border themselves on the 4th.

Then it snowed 30cm and was -30.  The shipper postponed due to roads and weather (understandably).  They told us they would pick her up between 7-10am on Dec 3.  I waited at the barn until 10:30 and then had to leave to go to work.  I finally managed to get a hold of them via email (after calling a dozen times and leaving multiple messages) only to be told that they meant Thursday morning.  Since I had already missed one morning of work I was not about to wait around for them to show up so I told them to have the driver call me when he was an hour out. I finally got a call at 11:45 (window was still 7-10) letting me know he was an hour away.  He finally arrived and we got her loaded at 1pm, 3 hours after the 3 hour pickup window!

At least the rig was what they said it would be.

To add insult, my coach had asked me who we were shipping with about a week before as she had a client just down the road who needed two horses shipped to Vancouver.  When she got to the barn on Wednesday she asked me why my horse was still here.  Apparently those two horses got picked up on Saturday, when our booking was postponed due to weather and road conditions!  The shipping company gave our booking away and then lied to us about needing to postpone.

She loaded like a pro and settled right in.

With all the delays, the mare did not get any recovery time in Langley but hopped right back on a trailer to complete her journey.  Thankfully she traveled well and made it to her destination safely.  I got a text letting me know she made it safely, drank a full bucket of water, ate her hay and laid down and went straight to sleep.  Good Mare!

Excited new owners!

I wish Jennifer and Cary all the best with her and I as much as I will miss her, I'm glad she found them.

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

Where The Red Mare and I Part Ways, In More Than One Way

So my last post about the mare saw me falling off when she reared and went down.  After that the mare and I hauled down to Alborak to clinic with Sandra Donnelly.  I hoped that all would go well but I also really hoped that the mare would show her obstinate side so that I could get some help.

Well horses being horses, the mare was a complete rockstar.  The only run-out we had was more pilot error than anything.  On the morning of the second day I also showed the mare in an Extreme Cowboy event, mostly because my mom was doing it and the mare's done it before so why not.  She warmed up well and we were the first ride of the day.  When I went in and asked her to pick up a canter she started bucking.  And I mean bucking, not just hopping around.  My rein snapped and I bailed off.  Turns out, in Extreme Cowboy, you have 60 seconds to catch and remount if you want to continue.  I got back on the mare and managed to complete the course without an issue.  I've never seen her buck before or since so I'm not sure what happened but I quickly loaded up and was off to have a great second day to my clinic.

The mare got a mini vacation at my moms horse before we did the Cochrane HT.  We had a great weekend.  We had two XC refusals but we jumped the ditch and finished on a number!  Things were really looking up.

It's the last fence.  Can you tell I was pleased with her?

The next weekend was the Sidesaddle Clinic at the BarU (which is a whole post on it's own).  The mare was a delight the whole weekend, even jumping aside!

So much fun!!!

And then there was Thompson Country HT.  What a weekend.  I thought dressage on Friday went pretty well but I felt I was tense and our corners definitely lacked polish.  Turns out the judge disagreed.  We were sitting in 1st out of a very competitive division of 30+!!!!

On Saturday we were having a good warm up for XC but it was excessively hot and they were running behind so we just chilled out for a bit.  When we were only a few riders out my coach had me school the vertical and then come to the oxer.  The vertical rode perfectly but the mare stalled out in front of the oxer and then tried to pop over it but just crashed through it.  I popped off, mostly landing on my feet.  After getting cleared by the paramedic I got back on, schooled the vertical a few times and re-approached the oxer.  The mare slid to a stop and spun out left (witness' said it was a very dirty stop) and, you guessed it, I came off again. I landed on my feet again though.  So the ground jury eliminated me after getting cleared by the paramedic.  I didn't even know you could be eliminated in warmup :(


To say I was disappointing would be an understatement.  I had reached the end of my rope.  Between the rearing, the bucking and the stopping I was getting scared and discouraged.  I'm a good rider but I also have a physical limitation with my weak ankle that also compromises my balance.  After the rearing incident I had contacted a trainer friend of mine to inquire about putting some training on the mare.  We had decided that she would head down in August since the trainer would be gone for 10 days to go to Rebecca Farm.  She was at the event and offered to take the mare a few weeks early as she had room on her trailer.  So I loaded the mare into her trailer and wished her luck.

When she is good, she is so good!

Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde

So before my horse went on a week's vacation at my mother's I wanted to get out and school Beaumont x-country one more time. So I convinced my coach that our Wednesday night lesson should be at Beaumont.

Isabel and Martini showing us how it's done, after the incident.

The mare started out really well.  We jumped the Pre-Entry and Entry parts of the train and then our coach had us jump the Pre-Training coop in the train.  Mare sailed over it like it was NBD.  We moved over to the new complex and did the Entry line a few times before she had us do the Pre-Training bench.  I will admit that the bench freaked me out a little so I let the mare duck out the first time.  But the second time I actually rode it and she just popped right over it.

The pipeyard also went superbly until we went for the Pre-Training coop with two half circles cut into the bottom.  I got the first actual fear response from the mare.  About 12 strides out she got a good look at it and started snorting and refused to move forward.  I got her going and she slammed on the brakes in front of the fence.  I made her walk up to it, she sniffed it and then we were good to go.  I planned to trot on the reapproach but the mare picked up a canter 4 strides out and carried me right to the fence.  The other girls also all had refusals at that fence, on much more experienced horses.

We also jumped the airplane on the first try.  Considering last time this jump brought out a rear-and-spin I considered it a vast improvement.

The jump she would not jump...

Then we moved onto the farmyard with the black and red feeder that caused us grief at the event.  Let's just say it caused us more grief.  After 2 run-outs my coach told me to hold onto the right side of her face and keep her moving no matter what.  What comes next is slightly fuzzy but the mare went to go left, I blocked the run-out and she reared straight up, cracking me in the nose.  She then went over to the right.  I think she tried to spin left but I had a hold of the right rein and she lost her balance because everyone says she just kind of crumpled.  Descriptions vary but I think she landed on my bad ankle and I cracked my head hard enough that I needed a new helmet.

Too bad Tipperary doesn't have a frequent buyers card.  This is my third helmet in the past 18 months.

I got back on and rode for another 20 minutes, schooling banks, the ditch and the water all without issue but it was decided that I shouldn't try the feeder again that day.

This day was the straw that broke the camels back.  I don't know how to deal with the mare and her tendency to flip a switch and turn into Mr.Hyde.   The fence is not big, it's not even that scary but once she got it in her head that she didn't want to jump it I was unable to convince her that that is an unacceptable answer.

It's time for me to get some more help than my coach can provide.  The mare is going for training for the month of August.  We will see how that goes and go from there.  It's disheartening to have to send her but something has to give, and I would prefer it not to be my body.

Lesson Time

For the first time in weeks it did not rain on Wednesday so I was finally able to have a jumping lesson.

I have been riding the mare in a hackamore at home lately so I threw that on so the coach could see it in action.  The consensus?  We both like her in it but we both really like how it forces me to use my legs an core.

The whole lesson focused on keeping her slow.  Very slow.  When she gets fast she takes one step to the side and we are already blowing past the fence.  There was a two stride set up and I could keep her nice and compressed until after the first fence, at which point she takes off.  So we worked at stopping in the middle.  The goal was to stop with enough room to trot the next fence.  I was struggling to get the stop but as soon as my coach said "You were a western rider, sit your butt in the saddle and make her stop" it clicked.  I was able to get the stop and we had one trot stride to the fence.

We then put it into a course and I rode like I was going to stop but then asked her to keep going.  It resulted in us getting 3 strides in the 2 but at least I was in control!

So Shiny!

There were lots of tight turns that really forced me to turn with my body and legs since if I tried with my hands the mare shot her head up into the air and didn't even try and turn.  The hackamore really highlights my shortcomings.

Overall it was a productive ride but it sure wasn't easy.  My abs hurt by the time we were done, which I guess actually is a good thing.

DogDog is liking being a barn dog!

Beaumont HT - Sunday

Since I didn't ride until later in the day on Sunday I got to sleep in again!  I got up and went and walked my x-country course once more and watched the prelim riders go before going to pick up the mare.  It was nice and relaxed morning.  The mare is completely content to stand at the trailer by herself all day.  I have to say that it is really nice!

I love my truck.  And thanks to Isabel for letting me use her trailer

We got prepped and hopped up on to warm up.  We did a ton of transitions in our flat warm up in an effort to remind her that I pick the speed.  Our over fences warm up had a few bobbles.  We had a couple of run-outs at the oxer and she tried to run-out when we took the vertical at an angle but I was able to channel her over it, at the angle I asked for.

We sure look the part...

In the start box I was very nervous again but at least this time I didn't feel like I was going to vomit.  We had planned to trot the first fence to start on a good note and it turned out to be the right choice.  She was a little wiggly but I growled, spanked her and she decided jumping was a good idea.  A short "S" shaped canter to the next fence (which was the one that saw me fall off at the derby) and she popped over no problem.  We had a fairly long canter before we doubled back to Fence 3.  This was the fence with the Pre-Training fence in the line.  The plan was to keep as close to the fence to get a straight line.  This backfired slightly.  She spooked hard at the fence and I twisted my bad ankle.  We then had a run-out at the jump.  I represented and had yet another run-out.  This was the first time she didn't jump on the represent.  I got her over it on the third time and the official photographer got a fabulous shot of us over it.

I trotted into Fence 4 to get her mind back in the game and she responded well.  We then cantered up and over the little hill to the coop at 5 and she flowed right over it.  We cantered into the water and to the Pheasant Feeder at 6.  We picked up yet another run-out :(  No problem on the second time and the train that was next rode beautifully.   Fence 9 was the headstones and unfortunately we picked up our 4th run-out, effectively eliminating us.  I jumped her over it and started the long walk to the vet.

I was made to dismount by Control (via jump judge) and walk on foot.  Unfortunately my ankle was incredibly bad and I could hardly hobble.  It took me 10 minutes to get to the vet.  Thankfully Isabel met me there and walked the mare back and I was able to hitch a ride on a quad to my rig.

Isabel then hooked up her truck to the trailer and took the mare home so that I could go home and ice my ankle.  Turns out I sprained it.  It was bruising by the time I got home.  I guess it's time to look into a brace that will actually fit in my tall boot.

It was a very disappointing end to the weekend but I'm choosing to focus on a fabulous round on Saturday.  We are heading back out next Wednesday to school and then I'm off to Cochrane for a clinic with Sandra Donnelly.  We will get this figured out.

Photo by A Sharper Image

Beaumont HT - Saturday

My ride times: 

Saturday -Dressage @ 12:28

              -Stadium course walk at 3:00

Sunday-X-Country @ 1:23

One of my new favourite photos of the Red Mare

It was very strange to sleep in on a horse show day.  I got to the barn and loaded up the mare shortly before 10 and was on the grounds for 10:30.  I decided to braid at the trailer because she actually stands better at the trailer than she does at the barn.  Braiding went quick, that is until I got to her forelock and then it all fell apart.  She was not interested in me touching it, never mind braiding it.  In the end I could not get it braided with the time and lack of help.

Dressage was on grass so I tossed in little corks and headed off to warm up.  Our warmup was FABULOUS despite the fact that my coach was nowhere to be found!  She was forward but contained, supple and responsive.  We did a bunch of spiral in and out to loosen up her shoulders.  I was feeling pretty good so I headed over to find out how many riders before me.  The whipper in stated I was in now, and I needed to get moving.  I should have told her that I wanted to take a few minutes (since they were running early) but I was flustered and managed a single trot around the outside.  The mare has never seen a dressage ring and was confused why she wasn't supposed to jump it.  She was tense and very, very looky.  I remembered my test and managed to complete my goal of keeping her speed and stride under control, no running since 20X40 is small!

We ended up with a 58.5% for a 62.3.  Not what I was hoping for but fair.  Our scores were quite consistent.  A few 5's, a few 7's but mostly 6's.  We need to work on keeping that relaxation inside the little white fence but that will come with some miles (and if I remember to breathe).

I then settled her in with her hay bag and headed out to walk the course.  There were some questions that I anticipated being difficult but I felt all we doable.  I felt that fence placement was actually a bigger question than the actual fences. My coach and I devised a game plan and I felt confident we could deliver.

15 minutes before it had been sunny and clear

At this point the skies were starting to darken and I popped the mare into the trailer and took cover myself because it started to pour.  There was a ton of rain and hail over a 20 min period so Stadium got pushed back.  We watched the last of Pre-Entry go and then walked our stadium course.  It was full of turns and interesting fences.  Once again we came up with a game plan.  I was going to take big corners, focusing on inside leg to outside rein and be scarier than any fence out there.

It worked!  We didn't have a single run-out or refusal and we only pulled one rail.  Fence 1 was an oxer (seriously, this is 3 shows in a row we start with an oxer, it's like it was designed for me).  Mare tried to run out but I got after her and we stalled out a little bit and then deer jumped.  She didn't even look at any other fences.  We pulled a rail at fence 8 because I sort of forgot to prepare for the turn and she got flat to the jump.  

Needless to say I was ecstatic after exiting so it was high fives all around.  My coach told me it was the nicest stadium round she has ever seen me ride!

After that I was super happy to load up, drop the pony off and return for the competitor supper (lazy perogies!!!).

It was a good start to the mare's first event.

Derby Photos!

Fence #1

She does the tail flip on a regular basis

Fence #11, the big one now looks tiny under my horse

I sure need to work on short reins and looking up apparently!

If you look closely you can see the bank we are actually going up is much smaller than she is jumping

Final fence, and my favourite photo

Rain, Rain Go Away

So we are headed to our first event of the season this weekend and it's been raining off and on for the last two weeks.  It seems to consistently rain on Wednesdays when I'm supposed to have a jumping lesson.  So I'm feeling under-prepared for this weekend.  Mare had Monday off after the derby, Tuesday we went for a short hack down the road (4 miles in 30 min), Wednesday it stormed like mad, Thursday the arena was too wet to ride so we went for another jaunt down the road.  I'm hoping to get a jump school in this afternoon before I give her a bath.

Ducky photobomb!

I will also get to see Riddick at the Beaumont event for the first time since I sold him a year ago.  Here's hoping him and his new owner have had an awesome year!

It's going to be a great weekend and the mare is going to jump all the jumps!  (Wish me luck, I may need it(

Derby 2.0

Well I've been waiting to post about how the derby went last weekend until I had the pictures (!!!) to go with it but since it's taking a bit I'll just post them later.

The day started off on a sour note.  Somehow I managed to get a bee in my shoe.  I thought I had stepped on a nail but turns out I got stung.  Good thing is now I know I'm not allergic to bees!  Bad thing is holy bejeezuz did getting stung on the bottom of my toe hurt.  Between my ankle giving me fits and the sting on the other foot I hobbled around like a crippled goat.

After that we got the horses loaded and were off to Red Deer.  We got there only to find out the times had been pushed back by 30 minutes.  Which turned out to be good since our coach was running behind.  When she got there we headed out to walk the course.  Considering the week before Beaumont had felt small and short, this one felt big and long and both were designed by Barry Tyerman.  There were a few fences that I had some concerns about but figured the mare likes them bigger anyways.

Fence 1 was a max height ramped oxer with a short gallop to something that was apparently forgettable... 3 was a big, dark roll top with only a couple strides until we went down a steep hill and winding track through the trees.  4 was a vertical grey wall with 8 strtides to a natural table.  Then a long gallop  back up a hill to a brand new light coloured thing.  Long gallop to a tan and brown box then a right turn into the infield.  The first fence in the infield was an unassuming vertical with a black picket (this becomes important later).  Then through the water (wasn't flagged but made a nicer line) and a left turn to a vertical 2 stride.  A tight left run to an oxer that was between the two stride and then a short gallop out of the infield to a BIG rampy fence.  12 was up the bank and then the final fence was a big square oxer.

In the picture it looks small but it walked BIG!

We were pressed for time in the warm up so we compressed our 45 min warm up into 20 min.  After a quick flat we started over the cross rail and just kept circling back, moving to the vertical and then to the oxer.  We did that for close to 15 min straight, constantly focusing on bringing her shoulders up without taking back from her pace. She didn't even think about not going over any of them.

In the start box I was crazy nervous so I cracked some terrible jokes with the timers.  Before I knew it we were off.  She had a single moment of hesitation coming to the oxer but I growled and we got over it (and then I sat down early and we pulled the back rail).  Fence 2 was no issue (since I can't even remember what it looked like) and and fence 3 we had a run out to the right (which never happens for us).  I represented and we sailed over.  She wasn't sure about the footing so we picked our way down the hill and trotted through the woods.  I cut the corner to fence 4 and she just stalled out.  On our second attempt it was clear sailing and she didn't even look at the table.  If she could have squealed and galloped at the same time I"m sure she would have going up the hill.  I think it was her favourite part.

A run-out to the left (I wasn't sure she was going to jump and she took that as instruction, bad rider!) at fence 6 but success at try # 2.  I let her move out on the gallop which turned out to be very hard to bring her back from but she jumped 7 smooth as silk.  The unassuming vertical brought me a refusal.  And then she leaped into the water!  We were crooked though the 2 stride but managed to survive.  The oxer was easy peasy.  I actually brought her to a walk just out of the infield because she was pulling on me so much.  We then picked up a lovely canter and she jumped the big ramp like a pro.  Up the bank and we finished strong over the oxer.

So if you're skimming, we picked up 4 stops, were only 25 seconds over time (1875 m and 5:21 was optimum) but I stayed on!

Our second ride was much better.  The whole course rode super smooth and easy with her taking fences out of a nice gallop, coming back better and it just generally felt like a fabulous x-country round.  That is until that stupid vertical.  She ducked left, despite the growling and whip application and I nearly came off.  I grabbed my holy shit strap and managed to stay on.  I also may or may not have fit pumped I was so excited.  Again she jumped it on the second try and pulled a rail but at least she cantered into the water like a solid citizen.  I lost my reins over the first fence in the 2 stride and just squeezed my legs and grabbed my neck strap.  I was very proud of her for saving my butt there.  The rest of the course was great.  I trotted some since we were quick and we finished only 12 seconds fast.

The second ride gives me hope that there is cross country horse in there. We may not have taken a placing but I was happy with our day.  Now to just figure out how to jump the fences on the first try every time.

And because I hat post with no pictures here's how I spent my Saturday.  Shaving a friends cats.

We only did half of Ninja before she ran out of patience, so we left her like that :)

June Goals

I've always been a big believer in goals.  I firmly believe that writing you goal down is one of the best ways to achieve it.  I've got life goals, 5 year goals, 1 year goals and now I'm delving into monthly goals.  I want them to be achievable, measurable and I want to be accountable for them so I am going to track them here.

June Goals

-Ride sidesaddle at least twice a week
-No stirrup work (or bareback) for at least 45 min a week
-At least one no pressure ride
-Complete an event with a number, even if it's K2 high (I've got two chances for this one)
-A jumping lesson (or show) without a single run-out or stop
-DON'T FALL OFF
-Make a concentrated effort to get fitter (so I don't run out of steam before the end of my course)

So there you have it, nothing earth shattering but important nonetheless.

Derby Time!

Sunday was the first cross country show of the year.  Isabel was awesome enough to come out and pick me and the mare up and we were off!  I had entered Entry, knowing we could have some issues but height isn't really our problem, steering and confidence are. So for better or worse we were giving 2'6" cross country  go.

Our course was 7 stadium fences and 7 cross country for a total of 1805m and an optimum time of 5:09.  The cross country fences were very straight forward with the most difficult being an up bank, 2 strides to a down bank.  The up wasn't flagged so there was the option to go up the ramp and jump down the bank.  (This becomes important later)

Stadium course (you know you're jealous of my awesome Paint skills)

Cross-country course

As we were tacking up, the skies unleashed a torrential downpour.  Rivers of water running of my saddle kind of downpour.  Turns out the mare hates rain.  She was fidgety, obnoxious and downright rude about me mounting up.  I was really glad I had corks since our stadium portion was on grass and then we went straight out into cross country.

Thankfully the rain was short lived.  By the time I made it to the warm up area the rain had mostly petered out.  The mare warmed up beautifully, even jumping the verticals at steep angles (inviting a run-out) without missing a beat.

Crappy cell phone photo at an interesting time...

When we went into start our twisty-turny stadium I was feeling nervous but very determined.  Our first fence was an oxer and I was not going to start our day with a run-out.  I rode her aggressively to the fence and she took it like a pro.  The rest of the course was not pretty as she felt very sticky and had a few deer moments but we went clear and were headed out to the cross country.  We had a nice gallop to the first fence and a few strides out I felt her back off.  I grabbed my reins in one hand and used my whip.  Unfortunately it didn't help :( She went left, and I went right.  The fall was minor and I could have landed on my feet if I had tried but since I have no desire to repeat my ankle destruction I tucked my knees in and landed on my hip.  The reins had come over her head and I've never been quite so glad I let her graze with the lead rope dragging.  She'd step on them, stop, back up and continue on.  I caught up and started my walk of shame.




Fortunately we had a second round to redeem ourselves.  The stadium felt great, until we got to fence 7 ad had a run-out.  Truthfully, I'm not sure why we had the run-out but it sure galvanized me into riding her like she was going to die if she went left.  We got over the first cross country fence, it wasn't pretty but I stayed on and we went.  The next fence rode lovely and we were off to the banks.  20 feet from the banks she slammed on the banks and reared.  These are the same banks we schooled a week ago without an issue.  Rather than pick the fight with her I chose to do the ramp and jump down.  We had another attempted run-out at the next fence which resulted in a stop.  I backed her up a few steps and we jumped it no problem on the second try.  Next was a big log pile that caused her to back off but I got aggressive and growled and we sailed on over. Our next fence was a small A-frame right before the water and I just plain ran out of steam.  When she balked I had no legs to back up my desire to go forward so we picked up a stop on the smallest fence out there.  We backed up again and jumped it with one trot stride.  She went through the water like a champ though!  The last fence was also the biggest, and one we hadn't jumped before so I was a little nervous and just rode with all I had left.  She didn't even look at it.  It was the nicest jump of the day and was a good place to call it a day.

Last Jump, apparently we jumped it at an angle

While it was not the day I wanted it still had moments that stand out (like our course had 4 oxers and not one was an issue!).  I have to say it is very disheartening to continue to have the same issue and at tiny little fences.  I'm feeling discouraged and at the end of my rope.  I can't keep falling off because I will eventually get seriously injured and I just can't afford that.  I promised myself and the mare that I would give it a solid year for us to get our shit together but there are people (best friend and coach included) that think it is time to find her a new home.  I'm not there yet, and I don't want easy (safe is a whole different story).  I'm not going to learn anything if I continue to ride the easy horses.  So I'm going to pick myself up and head to the Alhambra derby this weekend for another go at this cross country thing.

I'm not sure why but I love this photo

Chainsaws, Shampoo, Sunburns and Tack

Saturday was a full barn day.  I stopped by the Beaumont cross country course to watch Sarah ride in a clinic.  Pony did really well and the clinician spent some time with Sarah working on keeping Pony out of his favourite spot, the deepest spot possible.

Sarah and Pony (yes, he has a name but no one uses it)

 

After I headed out to the barn to hack out the mare.  Since we had the x-country derby on Sunday I wanted to take her for a good ride to take the edge off.  We started off with a brisk trot and before I knew it we had trotted almost a mile and a half!  After a short walk break, which was more for me than my horse, we started back at the trot.  We were trotting by a yard when some idiot started his chainsaw no more than 5 feet from us!  Mare reared up, did a complete 180 and took off the other direction.  Thankfully she did it so gracefully I had no problem sticking with her.  I got her back under control and turned around to go back the way we were going.  I gave the guy a piece of my mind and all he had to say was "I didn't think it would scare her".  My response may or may not have been "It's a F@*^!ng CHAINSAW!"

After that incident my ride went downhill.  She just wasn't focused on me.  In total we went 9.4 miles in 1hr20min but it wasn't until mile 9 that she stopped acting like everything was going to jump out and hack her legs off.  Needless to say it was a challenging and difficult ride.

Beautiful day for leather therapy

Once we got back I gave her a quick bath because she's not great to hose off so I am aiming to hose her every chance I get (I also don't want her to get all sweaty, stand in the sun and turn a faded orange).  Bonus was it took off a bunch of the winter hair that has been hanging on.

I let her hang out and graze while I gave all my tack a deep clean and oil.  There is something therapeutic about cleaning tack.  I may have had a difficult ride and a challenging bath but an hour spent cleaning tack does wonders for the mood.

In all I think I was outside for about 4 hours.  I am a fanatic about sunscreen since I have the complexion of a redhead without the actual red hair.  I was wearing a SPF 30 on my entire upper body (I spray myself, then get dressed so that I don't miss spots) and a SPF 60 on my face.  My face survived the day with nothing more than a few freckles but my shoulders and back were not so lucky.  The picture is from shortly after I got home and the burn proceeded to get worse well into the evening.  I've now invested in SPF 60 for my body and have added a bottle to my brush bag so that I can apply right before I get on.

Not fun, not fun at all

Next up, the challenge of finding the right bra/shirt combo for the derby on Sunday that won't irritate my shoulder and back.

One Goal Achieved, Another Failed

So I have set a goal for myself to ride sidesaddle at least a couple times a week from now until the July long weekend when I am off the Bar U for an intense 3 day sidesaddle clinic.  I want to make sure that I am in good enough shape to do it.  And sidesaddle uses muscles I didn't even know I had!

Today the sidesaddle made the trek out to the barn, where it will live for the foreseeable future and the mare and I warmed up for our lesson in it.  She was fabulous considering this was her third time in it.  We had lovely WTC with leg yield both ways!

Next up was our jumping lesson.  Just the day before I was commenting that I wanted to go a whole month without falling off.  Apparently I jinxed myself because I came off during the lesson (Friday would have been the month mark).

The lesson actually went really well.  The course had lots of tight corners to encourage me to use inside leg to outside rein and a super tight lower leg.  It was only myself and Hannah (who's horse it significantly greener than mine) so we started out with 2'3" fences.  Eventually Erin moved them up for me because she feels the mare needs some bigger fences to get her attention.  We were doing about 3' and there was even an oxer! 

On what was supposed to be our last go it kinda fell apart.  It was going well until the 2 stride where she got a little flat and pulled a rail (she hates touching fences).  It's a little blurry but we came aroun the corner to the oxer and I think I chased her to it and then she just didnt' get enough to get over it.  We crashed through it in spectacular fashion.  Rails and standards flying everywhere.  I just tossed forward onto her neck and accidetally grabbed her with my spurs.  The mare bolted towards the arena fence (apparently everyone thought she was going to jump it) and at the last minute ducked to the left.  That duck was the end of me.  I came off and broke my fall with my face :(  Thankfully I mostly rolled under the fence, only clipping my arm on the rail and grazing my helmet off the post.  But I did have a bloody nose and a wicked sore face.  

Her tail bag whacked me in the back of the head over this jump once

I got myself mostly cleaned up, hopped back on and did the whole course again.  We had one run-out coming into the 2 stride but it was completely my fault.  I was shaken up and basically looking for a way out and she obliged me.  We represented and the rest of the course went very well, including a giant effort over the oxer.  It was a good lesson despite the bobble which resulted in my first ever bloody nose.  Only sad thing was The Boy (hence why I have actual proof I ride my horse) was there and I think I terrified him.