Solo XC Schooling!

Or how I accidentally make people uncomfortable by always doing shit alone.

I got an AMAZING XC school in on Friday at home with the B - I scurried to the barn to get out there during daylight, and Bailey was a rockstar. It had been rainy all week (and rained again on Saturday) but the B really impressed me; she was aggressive and forward to the fences, but also super careful. It was a little awkward to ride, but I appreciated that she was putting an extra stride in when she felt she needed it. We didn't have any sliding into the base of the fences and Bailey was very confident. She got fatigued more quickly than I expected; the unseasonably warm weather had both of us panting, and she recovered well. She was still willing, I just felt like after about 20-some minutes over fences she started to loose steam. I learned my lesson and kept her over the BN sized things, and she was much happier and more comfortable feeling than going over some of the bigger fences. I know she can jump them, I just left them too late into our ride for her to be jumping easily in that weather.

Has scope, but can sometimes be a baby about the weather
(not every horse can be Foxie, after all)

Sunday, however, couldn't have been more different. I was worried about being too cold rather than overheating her; I was wishing I had grabbed her a quarter sheet, but luckily I DID have a cooler in my trailer, so at least I got a good configuration for bringing the damp horse home. I arrived and dropped off my paperwork, found out everyone else who had scheduled a school had cancelled because of the cool, windy weather, and the barn owner gave me a quick tour of the XC and the trail to it on the gator. She seemed kind of worried that I was utterly alone, and at that point... I was too. I had planned to have someone with me, but everyone fell through in the end and I was kind of shaken and disappointed. Bails had loaded pretty easily, and came off the trailer with no drama. I was extremely pleased with that,  and she was surprisingly ok to tack when tied to the trailer at our destination. She was looky, but wasn't pacing uncontrollably and I didn't have to chase her around to tack her. The XC course we schooled on was a bit of a challenge to get to; we had to go down a hill in the scrub/trees, cross a wood bridge with a fast moving, high creek underneath, and then up the hill, which was black dirt and quite muddy. She had a bit of a spook at the bridge, but walked over on try #2 and I was thrilled and could have turned around and gone home at that point. She was so much more ridable than I anticipated in that situation, and I was SO happy I didn't have to get off and walk her across (or wait for the barn owner and the horse she said she was going to hack out on to check on us).

Once we got up the hill, it was game on; after some initial excited spooky/lookyness, B didn't quite "settle" but  did enthusiastically go to work. The course had a ton of friendly log fences of various complexity, and we started with that, and a small ditch (which was an absolute non-event; GOOD MARE!). We moved on to the variety of other fences, and at this point I was so sad I didn't have anyone with me for photos, or a helmet cam... because it was great. No hard stops, tons of try - it wasn't perfect but it was trainable and ride-able and was just a fantastic experience all around. We schooled a variety of fences from ST through Novice. I felt like I was able to have a good combo of harder questions and easy stuff in between to keep her brain from frying. Other than a lot of Bailey happy dancing and a lot of happy galloping after fences, it was very controlled and smooth; I'm not going to stifle her willingness to go forward any more than I am going to not pat her and let her dance when she's happy. She's getting better and better about coming out of it or keeping her serious face on through courses, so as long as she continues to refocus, I have no problem with her being expressive (though I am sure some people who don't know her think she's super hot/crazy/possibly malicious).

I don't have enough words to say how happy and impressed with her I was... but I will say that I've finally managed (as of Sunday, at least) the horse that I was really hoping I'd get out of Bailey when I bought her. She's finally mature enough to go to a new place and jump and not get fried. She's taught me a lot this year, and I think both of us are coming into experiences like this really differently mentally, which is a very positive thing. I did call it quits eventually; I noticed that my riding was kind of thrown off when the Barn Owner was up with us (Bailey was distracted by another horse, I was distracted by feeling like I was being watched) so that was definitely something I need to work on going forward.

Bailey was a bit sweaty down her neck and still felt fresh, but we had jumped almost everything I felt comfortable with and so we strung a handful of fences together and called it a day. She was lovely to untack and loaded SO easily I was shocked... I was able to pack up and get out of there in about 15 minutes, which was amazing. Bailey seemed quite happy and refreshed (albeit eager to get out) once we got home, and I'm hoping she will be in a similar state tonight; she is going to get a bit of stretchy work and lots of treats and snacks for being such a gem yesterday.

Plus she's good looking.

Other than some bank work at home, and possibly a bit more bit experimentation, I feel like with a few productive schools at home this spring she will be able to spend the spring schooling and going to smaller shows, as long as this productive, brain-screwed-in attitude continues!

Anyone have any tips on overcoming "someone is watching me" type anxiety?

Bel Joeor Blog Hop: Clipping!

This was our first clip, a version of the modified Irish.

The girls will be getting hair cuts again - and I say GIRLS because Fox is getting more work. Bailey will get clipped not because she turns into a yak... but because she sweats when she has to use her brain, which is a lot. Also, with the heated barn, I feel like they both may end up benefiting from a little extra... venting.

I haven't clipped them yet this year, because neither if them have enough hair yet, and the weather only started to get chilly in the last few weeks. The girls are wearing sheets already, but only because it's been cool and rainy. Foxie will probably keep hers on pretty consistently but Bailey's may come back off if the rain quits. I'm still worried about the heated barn and blanketing, but I think (for once) clipping will make things easier.

Here's what they have been rocking the past few years - I'm thinking Foxie will end up with a pretty low modified Irish (a la her first clip but keeping the shoulders), and Bailey will have a higher Irish clip or a trace clip. She hasn't grown a lot of hair, so I am pretty sure that taking her down on her neck and girth areas will be sufficient.

Foxie got a trace clip the next year with whimsical hips, because hips (and straight lines) are hard.

I have no good photos of Bailey's Irish, but this shows that I went pretty low on her neck...

And Pretty high at her girth.

I'm a pretty un-inventive clipper, but I haven't ever been able to think up butt bling that would actually look good - a TARDIS (for Bailey) or Fox Racing logo (the Fox) would be FAR outside my abilities, so I have generally stuck to what I know. I've done some clipping for friends (for pay) before, but because I am weird, I don't actually do my clipping with a real body clippers. Since I don't really do full clips on anyone, my little clippers seem to do just fine. They'll have it easy this year with one, maybe two modified Irish clips - unless I decide to do some clipping for $$$ again.

Time and Space

Today at work I snuck off to the bathroom to sit on my phone. Even though I sit in my email and sometimes even pop on to social media on my big desk monitors, there's something soothing about being "alone" and tumbling head first into my technology that does a little something to revive me when the day is getting down.

I looked at this picture again - a quick snapchat after playing musical halters on the girls.

It's been shocking, lately, to realize that Bailey is 7. Bailey is turning 8 next year. It seems like she's suddenly so old, even though it's only been three years since she was 4 and as wild and new as a mustang. Part of me feels like we have achieved absolutely nothing. 

Part of me feels like we have overcome so much. A very self doubt filled part of me wonders how much time we have left; if I am letting her go to waste, if I am going to let her get hurt like I let Foxie. 

Today, the part that wins is the part that misses them, both of them. I have had Foxie for 11 years, and Bailey for 3, but, really, how much time have I spent with them? Working the 9-5 to make enough money to even dream of affording their board steals me away from them. And lately, I've been so rushed and so busy trying to have something to show for what I do, to feel like I'm actually progressing and doing my sport... I feel like I'm forgetting why I own horses, on days like those.

Maybe tonight, or tomorrow I'll go see my girls. Maybe I'll spend the time with them that I've been missing - brush them until they gleam, pick out Bailey's magnificent and filthy tail. I get so caught up in the rush of getting rides in that I hardly bother to pick their feet, or stuff their faces full of treats. Because I'm too busy chasing some sort of proof that what I do is meaningful, I'm forgetting to take the time to make it so. Riding isn't meaningful without the relationship. Without being able to sit in their paddock and feel their sweet breath on my face. Without taking the time to grab a handful of peppermints and dole them out to quivering noses and pricked ears. 

Partially, I think, I am so single minded on work work working on getting them home that I'm forgetting to enjoy them as they are. And I should take the time to enjoy their silly faces and soft noses now, while I pay (ridiculous) amounts of money for someone else to care for them, rather than when I should be getting the chores done or the hay thrown. 

But maybe, in a week full of lonely days and this disconnected feeling, spending the time finding myself back would be just what the doctor (The Doctor?) ordered.

The World Is A Crazy Place

I might be super bored at work and I might have just spent an hour wandering around blogland reading. And what I've read makes me oddly thankful for what I have, while also making me very curious about what the future holds for me. Those are deep thoughts for another time - having my own place is a ways off still and reading the struggles of others is making me feel kind of silly for agonizing over a heated barn.

I'm always thankful for these two doofuses

This week has  turned into another low riding week, even though I'm XC schooling this weekend and should probably get on my red beast before then. I have a badly scheduled but much needed hair cut tonight, and it worked out that the hubs needed me to be home to take care of the pup anyways.

Its a good thing I adore him (well, both hims),  because I am also missing my ponies like crazy today. I'm feeling less silly for blanketing Bailey on Monday after our ride, but I'm also thinking that Friday is supposed to get quite a bit warmer than expected, so I may need to take advantage of my work from home day to work from a coffee shop so I can go take blankets off if it gets too warm.

Monday's rides went well, despite me popping a zipper on my tall boots and being forced to ride in my mostly-destroyed Dublin boots. Bailey and I got caught up in a beginner lesson (we rode in the small arena because lazy. But also testing the theory that Bailey prefers the small arena) so our ride was longer than normal because I had to wait until they were done to actually get anything done. Once the kids vacated the arena, however, she settled into the contact, came through (she had been doing a lot of the false-frame not quite where I wanted her type flatwork before then) and was really quite lovely. We got some good trot work and did some more walk-canter-halt. I really like the way transitions have been getting her up on my aids, and her halts have been improving since we started doing more transition work, and improve throughout the ride if we're doing halts. She wasn't too spooky, and even with my boots catching on my saddle flap constantly and feeling like a big fat wet noodle I felt like we did something.

The Foxmonster came out next, and I couldn't resist snapping some photos of her because she's starting to look like the beefcake Thoroughbred I know and love. Even though I know Bailey's dressage saddle isn't a good fit for her, I tossed it on (I was over the whole boot situation and was thinking about truck maintenance, not about my horse giving me a quality ride because she's comfortable) and we went to work. Foxie is rocking some impressive cracks in her front hooves, but still was sound feeling and quite obedient, even in a boucher vs her usual heavier bit. 

Looking forward, I think I'll be back out at the barn on Friday - between now and then I have a small to-do list of buying additional feed for Foxie, purchasing more coolant for the truck that I've been neglecting all summer (I started it and backed it up to the trailer on Monday - and no one died! Whoo!) and making sure my boot situation is sorted out for schooling. Luckily I have a myriad of options, but I'm still itching to get the boots over to my leather guy to get fixed. 

Today's cold and rainy weather is reminding me that in addition to winter coming, I also probably owe a lot of my equipment some winterizing maintenance - I should stop trying to force heavy socks and thicker breeches into my skinny schooling boots, and I should make sure that I have everything I need at the barn - coolers, quarter sheets, spare blankets, etc. I think this gloomy weather has finally broken my spirit - here's hoping that a little XC perks me up!

The Weeks Since

I keep starting blogs but I never post them, so I figured it was about time to report that Bailey's mysterious eye swelling apparently went down by the next day (Tuesday). Barn Friend J checked on my princess ponies because I had a super busy week from hell, and that week was filled with me being super busy while the horses saw the vet on Wednesday, and had a handful of days off. I got on Bailey again on Saturday, and was surprised by how well behaved she was.

Sometimes this face is also the devil.

That shouldn't sound alarming to most people, but there were children. And they were screaming and playing on the metal bleachers next to the arena. And Bailey kept her kimchee together. I don't even know. We did some dressage, and she was almost lazy and felt kind of sleepy. She was pretty soft (she was in the D ring on her FauxSweden bridle.

Foxie, however, was a bucking, trying to run away with me fiend. Despite being quite lame on hard surfaces/parking lot gravel, she spent a lot of time pretending she could run off with me and being silly. I also discovered that when I don't love the balance of a saddle, my back can sometimes go into NOPE mode and I decided to say fuck sensible decisions, I'm keeping the saddle that doesn't give me bruises and make my back hate life.

Either way, I think my horses think its funny to switch personalities.

Monday, Bailey was yet again, a total joy to ride. Despite missing the light entirely, she did some nice collection work and lateral work in the indoor. She was light off my leg, did walk canter transitions like a real live functional horse and actually did work. In a tiny box of an indoor. I was so impressed.

Everything was this and nothing hurt.

 Foxie was also quite soft and well behaved, and honestly I wasn't expecting much since she seemed off walking up and down the concrete aisle. Apparently her feet are quite soft, because she was fine to ride.

Getting rounder! But also doesn't appreciate being ridden. Ever. 

Wednesday, Bailey's crazy finally came out to play - got all the way up to the big arena dressed to dressage and realized I forgot my spurs. It was awful, and my reins just were not working for me and my horse wouldn't go forward in any sane way... it was awful. I finally wrapped my leg down her inside flank and ponyclub kicked her into bending, but it did very little to redeem the ride. We got basically nothing done and mostly I was just hella over her stupid self.

Always thankful for the running martingale

Saturday, I was thinking "oh shit, I have a show in a week" and dragged some jumps out to make sure Bailey's legs still knew how to leg. I swapped her into her loose ring (because weirdly enough, less bit tends to be more with the red creature) and was rewarded with a nice, forward jump school. We had a few awkward fences, but as long as I was riding, Bailey jumped everything willingly - I just had to point her at the right fence. I set up a janky jump which was, in retrospect, super confusing for the horse, since I was technically pointing her at two fences at the same time... but once we had one awkward fence, I started straightening and turning better and the jumps got much smoother and out of stride.

I toodled around on Foxie in the saddle that doesn't make my back hurt (yay!) and called it a day; of course, today my plans have 100% changed from Saturday Event Derby to Sunday XC Schooling, but either way - hopefully I'll have new media and new exciting things to talk about come Sunday afternoon! Tonight, I plan to dressage (again) because Bailey needs to learn to behave in an indoor when its winter. She will also get a blanket, since it's supposed to rain and be cold this week. I still need to figure out when I'm riding the rest of this week, but as long as I get a ride in Friday or Saturday, I probably won't die on Sunday. So that's definitely a plus.

I have no words.

Except lots of WHY

Seriously mare?!

(Reminder, this is the second swollen facial area in as many months.)

Not Writing, But I am Riding

And just like that, it's been over a week since I posted. Whoops.

If I haven't been writing, I've at least been riding, which is probably better for my mental health than anything right now.

Here's what the girls have been up to:

Saturday:
Bailey went XC (lightly) and despite being spooky, was generally a good girl. She had a hard look/stop/bailey I wasn't even pointing you at that fence moment at the new "Tiki hut" jump, but cruised over the corner (albeit awkwardly on round one) and was obedient through the barrel jump and ditch coffin. The ground was pretty chewed up from the clinic the weekend before, and while I ended happy, I didn't have the footing or bit I needed to do anything life changing.

Foxie went for a trot set which reminded me how boring and flat her trot is, and how easy Bailey is on my joints (is that even a thing?). She came in showing that she was in substantially better fitness than the last time I let her canter out, which made me very happy indeed.

Monday:

Bailey did some dressage, while Foxie got flatted in the bareback pad.  I don't remember anything life-changing happening, so that's what I've got.

Saddle is still pretty. 

Wednesday:

Bailey show jumped in the outdoor. After having a person around to do fences for me, I was a little apprehensive setting my own fences. I pretty much left only one jump up at a sizeable height (3'3 backrail on an airy oxer) and then spent my ride time loping around the other jumps trying to not make eye contact with the big oxer. I finally grew some balls and pointed B at it... and it was perfect. She's really made a lot of improvement since we moved to Woodloch, including being more of a heat-seeking missile to the fences. She's starting to take me there, and now that I know what 3'3 feels like (awesome and easy) I think I'll be a lot bolder, which hopefully will mean that Bailey will get over the last of the spookiness and we can get on to having fun at other courses. I did jump her in her slow twist, which lives on a grackle bridle vs my fake PS of Sweden that I've been using a lot lately. However, her royal highness took offense to something, because there was lots of high headed "I'm going to REAR!" threats as well as some general shittiness about my spurs and crop.

Saturday:

I fully expected to jump Bailey again (ok, I was kind of addicted to that oxer) but the arena was devoid of jumps (WHYYY) and I was too lazy to set any, so instead we ended up flatting in the upper outdoor and hacking out on the XC to lope around a few fences. Which was probably good, because the minute we entered the upper outdoor, Bailey decided that two men walking out from the BO's house were TERRIFYING and she half reared and spun, and then spent a while being spooky and nappy and stupid.

So fall has finally hit the brain. Eyeroll.

When I finally got some work out of her (leg yields, shoulder fore, canter work) one of the barn rats and I rode out to the XC. She was generally kind of hot and excited, which meant she really took me to the fences with no refusals. The ditch had water in it, which resulted in a hairy eyeball moment, but she went and went easily over whatever else I threw at her. She even jumped the BN picnic table with about 3' to spare (or so it felt) but it wasn't awkward. She went out in the regular mouth dee ring on her fake PS this time, and while she was high headed and rear-y again, I'm thinking that behavior was more environmental vs the previous jump school was very clearly something to do with me touching her face.

Foxie did some lovely bareback dressage in the upper outdoor after I got Bailey taken care of; I put the BOT sheet on her when I arrived and that seemed to make her much more comfortable to be ridden. However, that doesn't stop her back from being super uncomfortable (still) even with the bareback pad, so I think we'll be working in a saddle going forward. Just to save my butt.

Looking into this week, the girls won't get a lot of ride time in; I'll ride today, but can't decide if I should try to make it to the barn Wednesday after work. The vet is coming out that day and I generally give them the day off after vaccinations, anyways, and I have a late night appointment...We shall see. I'll probably ride on Friday to make up for it, and then we'll be back to full steam ahead!