Reiten und Fahren.
Thursday I had another lesson with Carrie K. from the North valley. I admit I haven't done nearly so much active riding this pregnancy as I was with the last two, Regardless I'm trying to get what I can from these lessons. I wasn't able to make any last month so I'm going to try and double up this month. I'm not sure if I'll try for one in November, but we'll see! I definitely plan on picking back up in February and see where we go from there. I'd like to rotate between Kash and Kitt at that point, but Mr. Fancy can wait to make his debut until I am no longer expecting. He tends to be a bit of a knucklehead the first time to a new arena and I don't need that.
Anyway, we worked on moving her hip over and leg-yield both nose and tail to the rail. She's much better going left than right andbwe discovered that when we put her on a circle. To the left she was volunteering a shoulder-fore position and to the right she was a bit stickier.
We had some really nice tail to the rail yields (not quite a shoulder-in) in the trot that she held well. I like the idea or her holding her "shape" better on her own without a reminder to keep crossing over. I just started reading Nuno Oliveira's "Reflections on Equestrian Art" and one of the things he mentioned is that the horse should carry the movement, whatever it is, until there is an active change in request. That means when properly trained and conditioned you should be able to "shape" your horse into a half-pass, travers, etc. and have the horse maintain it until you request a new movement or transition with minimal rider correction.
It's so nice finding an instructor who actually knows what they're doing and can make me feel like I'm moving forward and learning things. I know I have missing pieces and it's so nice to have started finding them! I'm still debating if I should try a lesson or two over at CARA to have a go on more advanced horses, but the things I've heard lend me to think the horses have not been trained in a manner that one might term as "classical."
I should have written about it the day of or Friday, I'll try to be better about that next time.
Sunday we packed up and headed to California. The boys got their first trip to the beach Monday and after wearing them out thoroughly we had lunch and visited my grandparents.
Opa insisted on sending us off with money for dinner and Chris was super stealth sneaky and phoned in dinner for them tonight. Italian and carrot cake from a place we found while we were there.
We drove home today and had an uneventful drive. This week is pretty booked up and the schedule is filling nicely for the winter months.
I can't remember if I mentioned Marty and Dave acquired a puppy from the shelter while we were in Utah. Her name is Charlie (sp?) and she is some Poodle cross, possibly a havanese. She looks a little like Appy, but taller and lighter colored. Rolo was not sure what to do with her at first, but Marty managed to get them to settle in and now they run and hase each other around until Rolo passes out because Bulldogs got no stamina.
Tomorrow I have four or five lessons. We need to hit Costco for some vitals. I do not have the art class because they are on their fall break. The farrier is coming tomorrow, Chewy's bloodwork came back good so I can stop with the SMZs (yay!), and I am making my way through month six. Ten more weeks before the Nudge has permission to disembark.
Also Kelhan and Baby Puppy looked pretty sporty in their sunglasses on the drive home.
Ah yes, and after sharing a hotel room with the boys for two nights we have discovered that Kelhan still is a Grünter. Just not as terrible as he was while an infant. He only grunts and mumbles occasionally rather than constantly, but it's still enough to get you up to check on him only to realize he's still perfectly asleep.
Anyway, we worked on moving her hip over and leg-yield both nose and tail to the rail. She's much better going left than right andbwe discovered that when we put her on a circle. To the left she was volunteering a shoulder-fore position and to the right she was a bit stickier.
We had some really nice tail to the rail yields (not quite a shoulder-in) in the trot that she held well. I like the idea or her holding her "shape" better on her own without a reminder to keep crossing over. I just started reading Nuno Oliveira's "Reflections on Equestrian Art" and one of the things he mentioned is that the horse should carry the movement, whatever it is, until there is an active change in request. That means when properly trained and conditioned you should be able to "shape" your horse into a half-pass, travers, etc. and have the horse maintain it until you request a new movement or transition with minimal rider correction.
It's so nice finding an instructor who actually knows what they're doing and can make me feel like I'm moving forward and learning things. I know I have missing pieces and it's so nice to have started finding them! I'm still debating if I should try a lesson or two over at CARA to have a go on more advanced horses, but the things I've heard lend me to think the horses have not been trained in a manner that one might term as "classical."
I should have written about it the day of or Friday, I'll try to be better about that next time.
Sunday we packed up and headed to California. The boys got their first trip to the beach Monday and after wearing them out thoroughly we had lunch and visited my grandparents.
Opa insisted on sending us off with money for dinner and Chris was super stealth sneaky and phoned in dinner for them tonight. Italian and carrot cake from a place we found while we were there.
We drove home today and had an uneventful drive. This week is pretty booked up and the schedule is filling nicely for the winter months.
I can't remember if I mentioned Marty and Dave acquired a puppy from the shelter while we were in Utah. Her name is Charlie (sp?) and she is some Poodle cross, possibly a havanese. She looks a little like Appy, but taller and lighter colored. Rolo was not sure what to do with her at first, but Marty managed to get them to settle in and now they run and hase each other around until Rolo passes out because Bulldogs got no stamina.
Tomorrow I have four or five lessons. We need to hit Costco for some vitals. I do not have the art class because they are on their fall break. The farrier is coming tomorrow, Chewy's bloodwork came back good so I can stop with the SMZs (yay!), and I am making my way through month six. Ten more weeks before the Nudge has permission to disembark.
Also Kelhan and Baby Puppy looked pretty sporty in their sunglasses on the drive home.
Ah yes, and after sharing a hotel room with the boys for two nights we have discovered that Kelhan still is a Grünter. Just not as terrible as he was while an infant. He only grunts and mumbles occasionally rather than constantly, but it's still enough to get you up to check on him only to realize he's still perfectly asleep.