I haven't felt like updating lately, or my computer has been down, or I haven't had internet. I don't know what's been up. So anyway, I figured I'd use my hour or so before I have to leave for school to give the basics of the most memorable rides I've had in the last few weeks.
After the "great canter" ride, Elle got a day or two off where we practiced trailer loading/trailering. The first day, she went right on but wanted to get back off. Rinse, repeat about 20 times. She finally got in there and stood, so we called it a day. The second day, she went on, stood, Matt put the buttbar up, and we went down to Walmart (because it's a close ride and has a big parking lot to turn around in). She seemed fine. She got antsy when I was making her wait to get off, and tried to paw at me! I was not having that. After a sound beating (not really), she stood and looked bored. Unloaded nice and got put away for the night. So, I think that whole thing that I thought was a huge issue, is going to be fine.
The next night, I rode outside under the lights, and she was kind of looky and silly, nothing bad though. I don't really remember anything from this ride!
Wednesday 8/26 I rode and didn't have a great ride. She was kind of...volatile? Just wanted to go, not use her body, and both of our minds were kind of everywhere. I've sense learned that when she comes out like that, cantering some circles really does us both good. Oh well. It was just an icky ride.
Thursday 8/27 was my lesson with Lisa Aylward. It went pretty well. She gave us some good tools, but Elle was not at her best that day, so that wasn't great. Something that I find working really well that she gave us was insisting our downward and upward transitions are soft, and doing them in rapid succession. It seemed to help. Also, small circles to get her off of her forehand before I asked her to lengthen made it feel like she was actually using her butt and back. So, like I said, the lesson was good, but I just didn't feel myself be energized OR tired at the end of the ride. She kept commenting that it was a lot to process and that I must be exhausted, but it just was not anywhere near the intensity that I enjoy in a lesson - maybe because I had BORING, "schooling" lessons for so long. So, I think I might take a few more lessons with Lisa to learn some stuff, but then definitely switch over to Morgan Adair when I can afford it.
The next memorable ride wasn't until Friday 9/4. I came out at night and decided that instead of working on how she is using herself, I'm going to work on a little bit of stamina. Even though we don't have a track or field, which is where this stuff is fun, I knew how long I wanted my intervals to be and I measured it out a little bit. 1 time around the ring at the walk = 90 seconds, trot is 45s, did not count the canter (yes, I was counting, I didn't have a watch on!) After a few walks, I started her up at the trot and wooooowhee she was hot! Spooking, blowing, being silly! So, as I had planned, we did 10 laps at the trot, for about 7 1/2 minutes of trotting. Every 2 laps, I switched direction. Then, 2 laps at the walk. Went to bring her up to the canter, and a big buck! Not a dirty one, a hot-as-heck one. So, I pushed her forward and she got super strong and on her forehand going down the longside. So, we did 6 circles, went down the longside, 6 circles, and went down the other longside. Then, 2 alternating laps of trot, and cantered the other lead, the left. The left is her much harder lead, so since she had cooled her jets a little bit, we did 2 circles, longside, 2 circles, longside, etc. Then, walked 2 laps. Then, went back to trot for 4 more alternating laps, and finished up with 4 canter laps, switching after 2.
It felt good to go out and work. While this is not the HARDEST ride we have ever done, it was the most work I have asked her to do with a small quantity of breaks. The walks were much longer than we normally do. I like this kind of work, and want to use it once or twice a week. I wasn't asking for round, or gorgeous, I just want to get her muscles and heart ready for longer, faster work. The first time I bring her to an event I want her to be able to canter for the five minutes and jump without feeling sore, tired, or out of breath!
Tuesday 9/8 I had a pretty good ride - she was offering to be round all on her own, and I was seeing glimpses of that great canter I had at one point. I thought it would be a nice idea to pop her over some jumps, which was super stupid in retrospect because it was getting dark out and I didn't have the lights on. The first couple were the best jumps we'd ever had together - she actually made a little bit of a bid for the jump, so I knew she was going before the last possible stride, and I didn't get left behind at all. We either landed on our lead or did a simple change, and did our circle. I then went to trot over a big (the poles are big) CROSSRAIL, and she stopped. 3 times. I understand that it was getting dark (stupid, stupid me), but I did make she that she knew it wasn't ok to stop, and we did get over it, then went back and did our easy, nice fence once more. I'll be more careful next time, I know that especially while she's young I need to make jumping feel safe and right for her, and present her in the best possible way. She doesn't need to be clever yet, she needs to have confidence in both me and herself.
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