Wednesday, April 1, 2015

lessoning thru the blahs

It was windy and snowy on Saturday (ughhhhh) so we ended up still in the indoor for our lesson at OF. Hopefully it was the last time for a while!! It was a good ride tho. 

Trainer P recently shuffled around the students in each group, moving some of the younger kids to an earlier lesson, with more advanced teenagers joining our group. The outcome is that things moved along more quickly - the six of us could canter simultaneously and everyone was prompt in taking their turns jumping. I like it! 


Except, our flat work was interrupted by some persistent coughing from Ms Iz. She'll kick off every ride with a few coughs followed by some snorts when we first start trotting. But this was a little different - it started pretty much when she stepped off the trailer and never quite stopped. We got some *very* nice trot work accomplished, but practically no cantering... 

*cough cough* - isabel

So when we moved on to jumping I rode Isabel pretty delicately, and she was more than happy to just kinda shuffle along to the deep spot. 


A few courses were interrupted by circles for Izzy to cough a bit - and maybe work out whatever was bothering her (we were thinking maybe she just had some hay caught somewhere in there). Mostly tho we kinda just blahhed around over the fences. 

happy ears engaged

P encouraged me to push for a little more tho - to pick a spot and really ride to it, and that Isabel would perk up if I did that. And of course she wasn't wrong (this is why she's a pro, I suppose haha). 


So once I put my leg on and started riding Isabel to the fences we got some nicer jumps (shocking, I know), and our last course was as close to an even and consistent rhythm as I thought we'd get for the day. So I hopped off immediately and loosened Izzy's girth, in case maybe she was feeling a little constricted through her chest. 



P suggested that I take the mare's temperature when we got home, and monitor her for the next couple of days... Isabel's temps that afternoon were normal, but she spiked a fever that evening. Poor pony! Details tomorrow...

28 comments:

  1. Oh no! Feel better Iz! Hope it isn't anything serious!

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  2. Poor Isabel. Its because spring is apparently NEVER coming :( It is NOT supposed to be 34 deg the first day of April!

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    1. no, and temperatures fluctuating 20+ degrees in a day probably doesn't help!

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  3. Poor Izzy-mare!

    Looks like she was having a lot of fun jumping though!! Hope it isn't anything serious.

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    1. she's such a good girl - pretty sure she likes the job even when she's not feeling 100%

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  4. oh noes! hoping it's just a little cold thing and she's back in the saddle soon (har!).

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  5. Oh man I hope she is feeling better soon! The lesson still looked great, regardless :)

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    1. thanks! we had a fun time despite the worries

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  6. Hope she feels better soon! Sounds like you did a great job making the most of the ride

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  7. Spring flu is going around! Hope she feels better soon!

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  8. Aww, Iz, feel better soon!

    Miss Emma, I haven't been reading your blog for a long long time, but there's something I think you haven't been acknowledging over this long, long winter (though I did see a hint of it in your goals post). You seem to be much more comfortable and confident over bigger jumps! I feel like there's been a distinct move-up since the early pictures I saw of your schooling adventures. Be proud, girl. :D

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    1. thanks Nicole. i've pretty much been working my ass off at getting back in to the swing of things for, ohhhh, three years now? but you're right - there was some sort of shift this winter. not sure exactly what yet but once i can figure out the words there will be a post :)

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  9. I'm with Nicole! First thought in my head: Wow those jumps are big! Yay for you and Izzy's confidence!! Also, I hope she's feeling better ASAP.

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    1. thanks! isabel's confidence is really my lifesaver ... (tho her small size also makes things look big from her back, so there's a double edged sword haha).

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  10. Looking great out there despite the cough!

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  11. I thought the same thing as Nicole and agifthorse! You two are owning those bigger jumps!

    I hope Izzy is feeling better in no time.

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    1. thanks! we've certainly been taking our time at moving up, but i'm ok with that :)

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  12. Poor Iz :( Ries always has two warm up coughs!

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    1. it's kinda funny how they have their little routines - she coughs like 3 or 4 times then snorts twice and it's allll good. not this time tho, poor girl's a little sick :(

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