While we were plunged back into winter with some snow this morning (and cooler temps over the last week) the spring weather did get me thinking about my goals for the upcoming summer. The cooler weather also brought back my horse - Bailey has been wonderfully behaved and while I haven't been doing much that is blogworthy, we're churning away at the basics of balance, contact and bend. Upward and downward transitions went to crap while she was being crazy, so that occupied one ride (and is a constant battle). I've also been trying to go back to basics - I feel like Bailey gets away with a lot of inconsistency in the bridle because she goes there so easily I forget to ride. Foxie has me trained - my body automatically rides her differently, and unfortunately that position and competency doesn't cross over to riding Bailey. I spent a lot of our ride yesterday asking for and getting some decent work in a more correct contact. When I really have her, she can't wiggle, shoot up out of the contact or disengage as easily as she normally does, and I felt much more competent at pushing her back to work. She is, however, either woefully lazy or woefully out of shape, because she can't hold it for long. She did give me several steps of lovely canter that felt like it sat, and wasn't just a gravity-induced tumble of legs going faster and faster. I'm sure you can guess that I'll be going after that canter again next time!
I've continued to work on the dressage saddle oiling project, and while I have a ways to go, the leather does appear to be benefiting from layer after layer of oil. I'm going to pull it into the house tonight and continue to work on it this weekend - I'm part of the way there, I think, so hopefully I get it saturated relatively soon so I can stop worrying about it so much. Having the fitter out to fit this saddle is on my goals list for the near future, but I have to get the panels supple enough for the fitting tools first. Cross your fingers Cordia can work some shoulder blade freeing magic!
Goals wise, the warm weather (and the glut of sales) inspired me to make some plans, and a recent look at finances has helped me figure out that the show and lesson funds are about what I figured they were - negligible. I still don't feel a total burning need to show, so I think I'm ok with this; my two big goals right now are to get the dressage saddle fitted and start up monthly lessons with a dressage trainer. Here's what else I have come up with:
Bailey Goals:
- Jump 3' course by end of the summer
- Work haunches in, lead changes and maybe walking half pass?
- Confirm leg yields and shoulder in with dressage trainer
- Continue to build off-site XC experience and confidence
Lesson / Clinic / Show Plans:
- Lesson with Dressage Trainer 1x a month when weather allows (aka probably not winter)
- Show @ Carriage House Combined Trial
- Consider the following shows as finances and prep allows: Roebke's Run Schooling trials, Three Ring Circus, local hunter/jumper shows
- Heavily Consider local "clinics": Focused Riding Center clinics, XC schools off site as opportunities arise
- Attend the Hunt Pace this fall if possible (technically could bring Foxie if I chicken out).
Other Plans:
- Have the saddle fitter out to adjust the dressage saddle ASAP
- Continue trailer organization project
I feel like a wimp only having one show on my schedule right now, but as I've written before... photography has given me some perspective on show management that is less than flattering, and it's only encouraging my thought that I should try to find out what makes me happy vs feeling pressured to show. I'm hoping Bailey and I can also progress enough to go to a late summer/fall Hunt Pace with the local fox hunt. I'm not sure hunting is Bailey's sport (hello, looky spooky red horse) but it's something I've wanted to try for ages, so... might as well make it a goal. I've also discovered some local Hunter/Jumper shows that are so close to the barn I might as well look into them - though I feel like I need to scope out the dress and expectations first. It would be awkward to show up expecting a real schooling show type look and end up looking dumb in a polo with my black-and-brown tack monstrosity when everyone else is wearing coats and proper brown tack. Either way... I'm going to do the one show. If only because I really want to wear my rockin coat:
Silly? Yes. But Still going to do it.
I've continued to work on the dressage saddle oiling project, and while I have a ways to go, the leather does appear to be benefiting from layer after layer of oil. I'm going to pull it into the house tonight and continue to work on it this weekend - I'm part of the way there, I think, so hopefully I get it saturated relatively soon so I can stop worrying about it so much. Having the fitter out to fit this saddle is on my goals list for the near future, but I have to get the panels supple enough for the fitting tools first. Cross your fingers Cordia can work some shoulder blade freeing magic!
Goals wise, the warm weather (and the glut of sales) inspired me to make some plans, and a recent look at finances has helped me figure out that the show and lesson funds are about what I figured they were - negligible. I still don't feel a total burning need to show, so I think I'm ok with this; my two big goals right now are to get the dressage saddle fitted and start up monthly lessons with a dressage trainer. Here's what else I have come up with:
Bailey Goals:
- Jump 3' course by end of the summer
- Work haunches in, lead changes and maybe walking half pass?
- Confirm leg yields and shoulder in with dressage trainer
- Continue to build off-site XC experience and confidence
Lesson / Clinic / Show Plans:
- Lesson with Dressage Trainer 1x a month when weather allows (aka probably not winter)
- Show @ Carriage House Combined Trial
- Consider the following shows as finances and prep allows: Roebke's Run Schooling trials, Three Ring Circus, local hunter/jumper shows
- Heavily Consider local "clinics": Focused Riding Center clinics, XC schools off site as opportunities arise
- Attend the Hunt Pace this fall if possible (technically could bring Foxie if I chicken out).
Other Plans:
- Have the saddle fitter out to adjust the dressage saddle ASAP
- Continue trailer organization project
I feel like a wimp only having one show on my schedule right now, but as I've written before... photography has given me some perspective on show management that is less than flattering, and it's only encouraging my thought that I should try to find out what makes me happy vs feeling pressured to show. I'm hoping Bailey and I can also progress enough to go to a late summer/fall Hunt Pace with the local fox hunt. I'm not sure hunting is Bailey's sport (hello, looky spooky red horse) but it's something I've wanted to try for ages, so... might as well make it a goal. I've also discovered some local Hunter/Jumper shows that are so close to the barn I might as well look into them - though I feel like I need to scope out the dress and expectations first. It would be awkward to show up expecting a real schooling show type look and end up looking dumb in a polo with my black-and-brown tack monstrosity when everyone else is wearing coats and proper brown tack. Either way... I'm going to do the one show. If only because I really want to wear my rockin coat:
Silly? Yes. But Still going to do it.
Sounds like some solid plans!
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