Flyer

Last week was a "bye" week for the barn, a rest week of sorts between summer lesson session ending and fall session kicking up. The week before, I had a great lesson on Winslow, and feel like we really reached an understanding in our relationship. He's still not my favorite, lol.

Sunflowers at the Arboretum

This past weekend, my best friend (of 20+ years, we discovered when we did the math) was visiting Raleigh from Boston. It was a lot of fun showing her around and we seriously enjoyed how much nicer the weather is here than in Tampa...we were able to do things outside every single day she was here, and it was wonderful. We are already talking about planning another visit, either back here or in Boston, but it will likely be after the first of the year before it happens, which stinks. It's hard being so far away, but we always just pick up right where we left off. I'm going to sprinkle some of the photos I took with my new 70-300mm macro lens (birthday gift from mom!) to spruce up the post a little :)

Pretty purple flower at the Arboretum

Bumblebee at the Arboretum

This week, lessons started again and my new lesson day is Tuesday at 7. Looks like this will be a semi-permanent slot, at least until next August, so I'm excited to get into a solid riding routine. Currently, my brain is so confused, because I've been riding on Thursdays, so it's pretty much convinced it is Friday. It's going to be a long 3 days of thinking it's Friday!

Last night, I rode Flyer, a BIG chestnut gelding. I feel like he's probably 17.2 or so, maybe even taller. He's gigantic.

I haven't been on him since he first got to the barn, maybe a little over 2 months ago. He'd been in about a week when I rode him in a lesson and it got a little hairy! He was super green and is a ride-from-the-seat-and-leave-my-mouth-alone kind of horse. That first ride was definitely challenging for me and I almost came off him twice doing a serpentine jump exercise, because he tried to give me a lead change and over-corrected his body in the opposite direction of how I was rebalancing! We ended up stopping so I could right myself both times, and then continuing on to the next 2 fences. He didn't do anything wrong--in fact, he really was trying to do the right thing! And K said, your body is in the right spot, he just can't get out of his own way. 

Butterfly at the arboretum

I was proud of myself for sticking to the tack, and had to laugh. I knew he was trying so hard and his intention was not to unseat me!

Anyway, last night was like night and day from that first ride. He's come a long way in terms of maintaining pace, strength and balance, in a very short time! I had a lot of fun on him, but I had some issues with my ankles, which made me feel extra weak in the saddle. As a result, I had trouble keeping my body back and not catching him in the mouth or hitting his back before he completed the jumps. Oops :( He was very forgiving about it and I managed to get it together for our last round of fences.

I'm going to get back to working out again. I think 2 weeks off AND not riding didn't do me any favors at all. But, beyond that, not sure why my ankles were bothering me. It almost felt like I was over-extending, but even taking my feet out of the stirrups and stretching them while I waited for my turn didn't really help long-term.

Winslow x3

I made the "mistake" of feeling relieved the first time I rode James, because K had commented that she wanted to put me on Winslow, but he had just had his hocks injected, so he needed another day or so off. (I do love that they take such great care of their school horses!)

I was relieved because I rode Winslow in my 1st real lesson at this barn, and by the time I dismounted, I hated him. I thought he was a jerk on the ground, pushy, always in my space, and I found him to be a big jerk under saddle, too. I spent most of that ride on him fighting to keep him from dragging me forward when he grabbed the bit and threw his head down to hang on my hands. It was like he knew my core was not strong enough to do anything about it and he was determined to not only test the crap out of me, but to fling me around in the tack as much as possible! I dismounted that night and my back was sore, and I was grumpy.

Well, I'm not saying he is my favorite now, because he's not. That's a toss-up between Willie and Rocky. But, I do have a new appreciation for him after riding him for the last 3 weeks. And I feel like maybe we've come to an understanding.

I'm not sure if K is putting me on him because I had said (when she put me on James) that Winslow and I didn't hit it off, or just because Willie is still laid up and one of the girls in my group had asked if she could ride Rocky more often. Could be a little of both!

The 1st of these 3 lessons was a jumping lesson. I feel like I spent most of it fighting with him. Admittedly, after that first ride on him, my view of him was definitely prejudiced and I just did not trust him. K got after me for not letting him have his head to the fences, but I remembered him dragging me down after them and I didn't want to give him the opportunity to take the bit! Still, while it wasn't great, it went better than that very first time and I am definitely stronger now.

The 2nd of the 3, was a flat lesson to give all of the ponies a break. This was definitely more successful and I was able to get him to push from behind and come into a frame and hold it pretty consistently after a nice warm-up. 

Last night was 3 of 3, and it was another jumping lesson. After warming up on the flat, we hopped over a cross-rail a couple of times each. Heading toward it the first time, he got excited and strong, so I dropped my whip. We circled at the last minute to gather ourselves, and then hopped over it. It was just ok. After the 2nd time, cantering in, K told us our course.

K tells me he could get silly but to just sit up and half halt hard and then let go of him. Ok, got it. I was 3rd to go, so I watched the other 2 and took mental notes.

As I collected my reins, I made a conscious decision that I was going to trust Winslow to do his job and not be a jerk, and if he got fast, I would half halt hard, like I really meant it, and then let go of his face and just stay with him. 

I asked for the walk-canter transition and it was prompt and polite. 

We went around the short end and turned toward our first diagonal away from home, and I stayed away from his mouth, closed my thighs in my 2-point, kept my upper body back and pushed my right heel into his ribs to keep him straight. 

I counted my strides, found my distance and we landed, looking for the next one. 

Same thing. He thought about changing his lead but didn't respond when I asked, so we did a simple change in the corner and then headed down the long side to the single cross-rail. I counted my strides the whole way around. We kept our pace and found our distance. Landed on the correct lead and continued around the short end to the next diagonal.

Half halt in the corner, supporting with my left leg to keep him from bulging. K is thrilled with our corner, and our line is even better. She tells everyone she wants every corner to look like that!

We land and he gives me the lead change in the corner, and is proud of himself. I half halt so he doesn't celebrate, and ride deep into the corner for the final line, a straight 6 heading toward the barn. If he's going to get silly, it's going to be here.

He takes the first one perfectly, locks onto the 2nd one and takes it in stride. We landed on the correct lead, went around the corner and then came back to the walk before hopping back in line to stay out of the way.

Definitely my best course/lesson on Winslow to date!

Next week is a "bye week" between the Summer and Fall sessions, so no lesson for me. But I am back at it the following week with my new, semi-permanent slot of Tuesdays at 7 pm.