Ponies!
Alright, I haven't done a pony ramble in awhile.
New York seems determined to run headlong into my rushy-canter fears and trample them out of me the rest of the way. George did a lot to unknot them (ironically by bolting on me that one time), but New York is forcing me to get rid of the rest! Lots of outside rein half halts and not tensing up are required, but I'm learning that yes, I can stop him. No really. The breaks are there!
Someone let him get the idea into his head that if he ran around like a nut he'd be done faster. No, sweetheart, don't think so.
To my great amusement this former open level jumper, who used to clear 5 foot fences...jumps ground rails. Not just sometimes, but all the time. They are ground rails, you dorkface, what on earth do you think you're doing? Ground rails are for staying on the ground!
We've taken a step 'back' since the horse change. With George, we were working on some second level movements. Right now with New York, I think we're back to all first level stuff, but we're cleaning it up. Better canter transitions, figuring out how to get New York to go in a straight line (HARD! What a wigglebutt), Trot/halt/trot transitions, getting INTO THE GOD DAMNED CORNER NO REALLY NEW YORK INTO THE FUCKING CORNER.
Augh! Corners!
I have no idea what I'd SHOW at because uh...I don't. But I finally bothered to figure out what level of stuff we were practicing!
Also, riding in winter...brr. Takes dedication and insanity, let me tell you. Good thing I have plenty of both.
My trainer also put her oldest boy down last week. :( It wasn't really a surprise--nearly 24 year old TB with dropped pasterns from DLSD and little appetite. Reading up on DLSD it seems it might be genetic--I do hope that he got it from his sire, not his dam, as it would suck if his two half siblings ended up with it as well. :( BB is already retired and has been for years, but Junior is still trucking along. He doesn't do lessons for adults anymore, only kids because they are lighter, but definitely still going!
There is little to mourn in Brio's passing--he lived a rarely charmed life for a horse. A "surprise! the mare you bought is pregnant!" baby, he was with my trainer from start to finish, and enjoyed nothing more than being loved on by small children. He had plenty of that throughout his life. I just hope that my trainer deosn't have to say goodbye to anyone else for awhile!
And that is a general poneh update!
New York seems determined to run headlong into my rushy-canter fears and trample them out of me the rest of the way. George did a lot to unknot them (ironically by bolting on me that one time), but New York is forcing me to get rid of the rest! Lots of outside rein half halts and not tensing up are required, but I'm learning that yes, I can stop him. No really. The breaks are there!
Someone let him get the idea into his head that if he ran around like a nut he'd be done faster. No, sweetheart, don't think so.
To my great amusement this former open level jumper, who used to clear 5 foot fences...jumps ground rails. Not just sometimes, but all the time. They are ground rails, you dorkface, what on earth do you think you're doing? Ground rails are for staying on the ground!
We've taken a step 'back' since the horse change. With George, we were working on some second level movements. Right now with New York, I think we're back to all first level stuff, but we're cleaning it up. Better canter transitions, figuring out how to get New York to go in a straight line (HARD! What a wigglebutt), Trot/halt/trot transitions, getting INTO THE GOD DAMNED CORNER NO REALLY NEW YORK INTO THE FUCKING CORNER.
Augh! Corners!
I have no idea what I'd SHOW at because uh...I don't. But I finally bothered to figure out what level of stuff we were practicing!
Also, riding in winter...brr. Takes dedication and insanity, let me tell you. Good thing I have plenty of both.
My trainer also put her oldest boy down last week. :( It wasn't really a surprise--nearly 24 year old TB with dropped pasterns from DLSD and little appetite. Reading up on DLSD it seems it might be genetic--I do hope that he got it from his sire, not his dam, as it would suck if his two half siblings ended up with it as well. :( BB is already retired and has been for years, but Junior is still trucking along. He doesn't do lessons for adults anymore, only kids because they are lighter, but definitely still going!
There is little to mourn in Brio's passing--he lived a rarely charmed life for a horse. A "surprise! the mare you bought is pregnant!" baby, he was with my trainer from start to finish, and enjoyed nothing more than being loved on by small children. He had plenty of that throughout his life. I just hope that my trainer deosn't have to say goodbye to anyone else for awhile!
And that is a general poneh update!