Windy but Warm

Can't complain too much about the wind today - since it was 75 this afternoon and sunny!  So loving being able to get outside, if it is only to lunge.

Despite the wind gusts, sand flying, and I have no idea if she could hear me - Riva did awesome on the lunge today, WTC.

Lovely 'heart' side

And the 'black' side

L was wanting to jump Henny - just too windy, so we headed back inside to ride.  P set up trot poles to get Hennessy and L warmed up to jump - took Riva over at a trot.  Started with 2 poles and progressed up to 5.  Riva and I quit when L and Henny moved up to 2 of the poles being slightly raised. 

Video of Riva and I going over 3 trot poles.

L and Hennessy jumping.

Overall, great ride today.  Riva was forward and only to happy to 'play' with Hennessy.  Few more years and she will be jumping!

Horse Lover's 'Christmas'

Family & I headed to the Hoosier Horse Expo today - one of my fav events of the year!  We had our list in hand, and a budget - did fairly well and crossed many things off our list.  Daughter needed an eventing vest and we actually found one in Western land.  The one thing I don't like about the expo is how much Western gear there is as opposed to English.  But glad we got her vest there, since one of the sales ladies fitted it to her.  We totally would have purchased the wrong size if we bought on-line.

I still need a helmet and white beeches by April 23rd for our first competition.  I do know the helmet I want and the correct size - just have to bite the bullet and order.  I find it much easier to spend $$ on my daughter than on myself.  Still trying to find beeches in my budget that fit.  Will most likely to travel to a tack store next weekend that was at the Expo.  They did not have my size with them.

Day full of much walking - lots of blingy jewelery, belts, purses, and shirts.  I love to look at the Western stuff - but give me Dressage & Eventing anyday!

 
My lovely daughter on her Henny.

Follow the Leader

Riva had some much needed guidance on her 20 meter circles this evening, from her big 'brother' Hennessy.  L and I rode outside in the dressage arena - yes, 49 degrees and sunshine is not so bad!  We worked on one end of the arena with L & Henny a half circle ahead of Riva and I, at the trot.  We worked circles, on both reins, mostly at the trot with some walk breaks.  Riva did really well at this.  We were able to keep the horses at consistant speeds.  This exercise really helped me keep Riva on the circle and working longer than normal.

L decided to head outside of the arena to ride Henny around the pond and the perimeter of the farm.  She had walked this with him many times, but never at the trot.  Since she plans to enter quite a few combined and eventing shows this season - good to start getting him moving outside the arenas. 

Riva was not thrilled about this.  She was whipping her head around trying to keep track of Hennessy.  Never mind that she 'pulls faces' at him (as our trainer calls it) every time they get near each other - she still did not want him leaving her behind!  I kept her working for a while longer to let her know she can work with out him.

Riva did fairly well at re-focusing until I said ok to walk out of the arena.  Once her hooves hit the grass, she thought she could run after Hennessy.  She quickly learned I would NOT let her do that.  I dismounted, led her back to the indoor arean, re-mounted and put her back to work.  She was an angel inside and we ended on a good note.

At our first show at HHP, I have them stalled next to each other.  We will see how this goes - may have to stall them apart at the next show.  With L being a working student this summer, and taking Henny with her, hoping that breaks some stall bound habits for Riva.  Plus, she will have to trailer alone during June & July.  Time for the baby to grow up!

4 Wheeler - No Problem!

My husband was working on raking the outdoor jumping arena this evening, when I brought Riva out to ride.  We had warmed up nicely in the indoor.  Riva is doing so much better at holding a nice steady canter on the lounge now - I barely have to use the lounge whip.  Another boarder was starting a lesson in the indoor - so after lunging we head outside.

Brought Riva in to the jumping arena - she stood like a lady for mounting and moved right out in to a big swingy walk.  Picked up a trot after walking down the long side - no hesitation and good speed (thanks to our lovely trainer!).  Riva paid no attention to my husband going around the arena - on the 4 wheeler plus pulling the rake.  Talk about a distraction - good mare!

Only time she jumped a bit was once she got a look at the cows in the neighbors pasture.  Now she sees these cows all the time, when we ride outside, but today they must have looked different.  One other tiny spook was going by one side of the arena where my husband had stood up some trot poles and leaned them against the fence.

Riva was so fun to ride tonight - yeah!  She was forward, good consistent speed, listening - these are the rides that make all the work, worthwhile.

Lesson night

Love, love lessons with our trainer!  L and I both had lessons tonight.  L had not planned on a jumping session - the outdoor jumping arena has not been raked recently and is too hard.  L warmed up in dressage tack before our trainer arrived.  Trainer walked in and said 'we aren't jumping tonight?'.  So...quick tack change and they jumped!  She set up trot poles - up to 5 - then threw in a low vertical.  Upped to 2 then 3 low verticals and kept raising them a bit.  Henny did great - as did L.  I always get a bit nervous though watching my baby girl jump.  Especially in the indoor when they have to make a quick turn at the end of the arena. 

I warmed up Riva outside on the lunge in the dressage arena.  She went really well - one of her pasture mates was lunging outside also and I was very happy to see Riva paying more attention to me than her pal.  I put her back in her stall while L had her lesson then got her ready to ride.  Our trainer asked how Riva has been going since our last lesson.  I went over that we are having some sticking issues again and that even though she is picking up the canter everytime and when I ask, I can't get her thru the corners.  I asked our trainer if she would hop on and ride her thru canter.

Out trainer is always game so up she went first.  She got Riva moving  - had to wave the whip at her a bit and growl at her a few times.  She got her up to canter - the 2nd corner she tried to push her thru, resulting in first a cow kick - then a double barrel buck - followed by one more double barrel buck.  When Riva realized not only was our trainer not coming off, she wasn't giving up!  So off Riva went :-)  Trainer got her full arena, at canter on both reins, before I got on.

I hopped up and Riva was forward, listening, lovely!  We worked a bit of trot to halt to trot transitions.  While she was not very fast to halt - she was quick to trot.  We went right in to asking for canter after that.  The first canter on the left rein - she tried to stop and buck at one end of the arena - I growled and kicked and got her going again.  Our trainer - poor thing, surely worked for her pay tonight - spent a good deal of time running from one end of the arena to another with a lunge whip to keep Riva cantering thru the corners.  But it worked!  We cantered both reins more than I have ever cantered Riva.  She does find the right lead harder and flying lead changed twice on that lead.  Note to self - she can flying lead change so when that teaching moment comes - no excuses!

Riva trotted long, low, and stretchy at the end and flowed in to a nice big walk.  She walked out so nice - think she was happy the crazy lady was not cracking the lunge whip and yelling at her to go :-)

Great lessons= sore body for me and L  Off to soak in a lovely epsom salt lavender bath - bliss!

Lunge line cantering

Sunday, Monday, and today were all good rides!  I lunged and rode on Sunday & Monday in the indoor arena.  P helped me both days on the ground when we worked canter.  Riva is doing better each time - she is picking up the canter willingly and easily.  She hasn't been rushing or getting anxious about it.  Both days, L and I walked around the property to cool out Riva and Hennessy.  So nice to get outside and have some mild weather!

On Sunday evening, I took her in the wash bay and hosed her off.  Our barn recently had warm water hooked up and I wanted to see how she would do.  Last year, she hated being sprayed - hated the wash bay.  She walked in and stood nicely to be hosed off.  She pawed a few times, and that was it!  So Monday night - full bath time.  Riva did great - got a lot of the winter dirt and hair off.  She smells 100% better!  Maybe she is growing up.

Today, sawdust bedding was being delivered as I tacked up Riva, so we headed outside to lunge.  She warmed up well lunging in the dressage arena.  We decided to try some canter work with me in the saddle and P putting her on the lunge line.  P said Riva looked really confused at first - but she was a superstar.  She didn't get silly, rush, throw her head - so proud of her!  We worked canter on both leads.  On the left, she really smoothed out and got in the rhythm.  To the right, she was tending to fall in on the circle - but did better as we went.

Took her off the lunge and worked trot in the outside dressage arena.  Went thru Intro Test B with her.  She did well, except for the walking parts!  If we could only trot the entire test...Ok, our circles still need work.  But not bad!

Riva has been so lovely and sweet this week.  Normally, when I put her back in her stall for the night, she is only interested in what is left of her hay and ignores me.  Recently, she turns back around when I walk out and visits thru the bars.  Maybe she just wants to make sure I remember to bring back her treats before I leave...but it is nice all the same.

We have full circle canter!

Wednesday was a gorgeous day - warm , sunny - my fav kind of weather.  I took Riva outside to the dressage arena to lunge.  She was lovely - forward, energetic, eager to canter.  Only problem was the arena was sloppy wet from recent rain.  P checked the jumping arena - way too wet to ride.  The other riders there Wed. evening were riding in the outside dressage arena.  So - great time to work on canter in the indoor, with no other riders!

P came out to encourage with the lunge whip.  He hung out at one end to help keep Riva going.  She was willingly picking up canter and trying.  She was in front of my leg and keeping her head up.  I was able to keep her at canter on the right lead for a full arena circuit - yeah!!  First time we cantered thru all 4 corners before she broke to trot. 

I was only able to get one side and 3 corners of canter to the left - but she was starting to run out of energy.  I had worked her pretty hard on the lunge cantering before riding.  We stitched to trot work and she stayed forward and listening.  We worked lots of change of direction, circles, change of speed .  Was really happy with the canter work - exciting!!

Thursday evening, the outside arenas were drier.  L wanted to work on jumping with Hennessy.  Riva and I rode around the jumping arena - worked on trot and ground poles.  P had set up 5 ground poles - at trot spacing - for L to warm up Henny before jumping.  He had them set up right next to the jump grid that L was working on.  Several times, I took Riva over the ground poles at trot, at the same time Henny and L were going thru the jump grid.  Both Riva and Henny had no problem with this - talk about a good distraction!

Both horses were focused and doing their jobs.  L and Hennessy did faboulus for their first jumping session of 2011.  First show is just over a month away....so hoping the weather cooperates and they can get out and jump many more times before that.

When I get a bit down about Riva and my progress - sometimes thinking we should be farther along - I look at last year and know we both have come a long way.  Last year - if I stayed on Riva and tried to ride her back up to the barn, after riding in the jump or dressage arena - she would try and bolt.  So far this Spring - she walks calmly back up to the barn and halts very easily for me to dismount and lead her in.  On Thurs nite, we evern walked over the 'bridge' before going back in.  Last Spring - she would avoid that bridge like it was a black hole!

Miss Riva got Friday and Sat nights off - so hoping for a great, energetic, focused ride Sunday night.  A girl can hope!