Thursday, May 7, 2015

back into the swing of things

I set up a fun course so a barn mate and I could school earlier this week, tho we ended up keeping things pretty light since additional plans arose for later in the week that require fresh horses (details to come). But we still jumped around a little bit after a quick warm up.

isabel wins for cutest trot
The warm up fence was a 2' vertical with placing poles on either side, then there was a 2'3" coop and a hogs back that measured 21" at the center but rode a bit bigger, and a two stride line of 2'3" barrels to a wide 2'6" oxer. It felt like a good balance of heights where I'm comfortable - but still pushing the upper limit for what will hopefully be a sooner-rather-than-later move up to BN.


unimpressed by the coop
Isabel was predictably fabulous. Our warm up was light-n-easy, but I still tried to carry on with the concepts from our last dressage lesson: keeping Isabel straight between me and rhythm rhythm rhythm. I also tried that exercise of bringing Isabel to an almost-walk from trot on a serpentine and it seemed to work really nicely for getting her listening and soft. Will have to try again later when I'm not so worried about tiring the horse out!


large and in charge out of the two stride
Then it was on to jumping. My plan was to do everything once each way (except the one-way line) to build up to a mini course. Repetition only happened when we got a bad distance- which actually happened a handful of times when I'd feel good about our rhythm coming out of a corner, lock on to the jump, then allow Isabel to build on her pace and run past her distance to an awkward chip stride... oops! 


can't stop won't stop
I wasn't too worried about it tho. The funky jumps (and they were pretty funky lol) didn't rattle either of us, and we just circled back to do it again a little better. I needed to keep her more packaged up and ride to the base rather than gunning it for a leaper.... but whatever. We haven't had a jump lesson in a month and a half and I'm pretty pleased with how she feels. 


hogs back is nbd
And it's funny - trying to find nice moments on the video to get screen grabs, I realized that Isabel looked pretty unimpressed by the fences. Sure, she's jumping well and not knocking things over... but she's also not really snapping those knees up like she usually does. I suspect that this height has become boring for the mare much faster than it has for me haha... 


seriously sassy dolphin leaping!!!!
She had fun tho, I think. There was quite a bit of exuberant dolphin leaping - esp when we'd get a bit of a flyer distance lol. Nothing naughty - she's a very honest horse and stayed straight and lifted up front even when she was hopping all around, so it's not hard to ride (just a bit bouncier, I guess).... So I kinda just ignored it and legged her on to the next fence. 


let's take a closer look at that lol
Hopefully tho - if all my plans work out - she'll get to really enjoy herself in very short order :)


(we are lucky to have so many barn rats and lesson students constantly hanging around absorbing any and all experiences. they don't get a ton of exposure to jumping and coursework, so when they saw me setting up these fences, three different kids asked if they could stay to watch and take video. yes - they asked ME if they could take video! i'm grateful to have them around - esp since their enthusiasm is actually pretty infectious)


awkward pictures are awkward - and i kinda love them lol

46 comments:

  1. I spy some SP Pipers ;)

    Love Isabel's face in the last picture on the right!

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    1. they're the iron & champagne pipers that i snagged on clearance and i pretty much live in them lol - the color is perfect and what's not to love about pipers anyway?? ;)

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    2. I was just going to ask what color Pipers those were! I love them!

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    3. they really are the best color ever - just different enough to not be really 'brown' - but still neutral enough to work with pretty much anything. sadly tho, based on the price i got them for i suspect the color has been discontinued :(

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  2. Ahhh so much fun! You both look great! She is so stinking cute!

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  3. You two are adorable and I love you! Your position is SO MUCH BETTER in this saddle... I'm still like, in shock over how much more balanced and foldy you are than you were in the wintec!

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    1. it's nuts, right?? i'm kinda in shock about it too. like, i knew i could keep a somewhat ok position from all those years riding hunters... but the difference from one saddle to another is so stark! i may or may not actually have to post comparison pics at some point lol

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  4. totally awesome! i always wonder who photographs and films your lessons :)

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    1. haha it is pretty much always 11-16 yr olds lol... they're so happy just to be around horses (which i totally get bc i am the same, and always have been) that they're willing to do anything at all considered helpful

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  5. Lookin good for a whole month off!

    PS send some barn rats my way! I need some video :)

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    1. thanks - she's bouncing back better than ever!! re: barn rats - they're actually a pretty easy crop to cultivate - just gotta start chatting them up and letting them brush your horse occasionally lol, then they become a perma fan club :)

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  6. What a fun ride. I think you both look great!

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    1. thanks - she's such a good girl we have a blast even with a bobble here or there

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  7. Haha love the dolphin leaping. And aren't barn rats the best?

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  8. Emma! You are looking so good lately. I'm super jealous of how strong you look in these photos through your lower leg and core! You go girl!!

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    1. thank you! we all know it's seriously tough work.. but i'm giving major credit to this saddle (and the posting the canter practice i think has really helped my hips and core do their job better)

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  9. OH MY GOD. You taught me something. That cross rail with a center pole is called a hog's back? I've always just called it "a cross rail with a center pole". I've jumped a HOG'S BACK!

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    1. lol awesome! this might not be the most technically correct example (i think in competition a hogs back would have more spread between the three rails, with the center rail being the highest) -- but whatevs it's what i'm calling it :)

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  10. My horse crush on Isabel grows a little bit each time I see her jump.

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    1. she's got hops and doesn't care who knows :D

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  11. You two look great! Love the awkward dolphin screencap. Barn rats with photography devices are the BEST and I'm super jealous you have them.

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    1. lol the dolphin leaping is kinda hilarious- she's so very expressive haha

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  12. looking awesome! Gotta love those juniors taking pics :) Dat rump on your sassy dolphin is glorious.

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    1. thanks!! and ima tell her you said that :P

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  13. Love that sass!

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  14. Yah send me some of those barn rats! Izzy looks like she's so excited to be back to jumping, so sassy!

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    1. she's SO HAPPY to be back at it i think - fingers crossed i can keep her happy :)

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  15. What a saucy girl! She looks like she LOVES her job.

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    1. saucy is exactly the right word for it lol

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  16. Love it! You guys look great!

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    1. thanks! everything feels pretty good right now :)

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  17. Man, Izzy's got some BASS when she's dolphin leaping!!

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    1. haha right?? she's got springs in there too

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  18. Sassy mare is sassy! Those are some nice jumps and your position is looking great!!

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    1. lol she's like 'i want to be freeeee to runnnnnnn!!!' haha

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  19. omg that two stride gif is everything!

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    1. yay thanks! i am moderately obsessed with making gifs haha

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  20. Happy times!! Boy does she look like Max in that sassy pic. I have a feeling they are related! ^.^

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    1. haha i thought the same thing when i saw the footage of Max lol

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