So we had our VERY first jumping lessons!! After coming to a mutual agreement that jumping isn’t so terribly and completely AWFUL for us, we actually had quite a bit of fun.
To begin, I’ve learned two very important things:
1. I am COMPLETELY out of shape for jumping and have been assigned 50 squats a day (I hope to get up over a 100 too). I’ve also assigned myself some pilates as well.
2. Sudi is a BUGGER and needs to trust me more.
On the first topic – yes, I am not anywhere near in the shape I feel I need to be. Having never really ridden in a good close contact saddle before, I’m realizing that it feels completely different than my all-too-comfy all purpose, and thus requires a good deal more leg strength than I’m used to exerting.
So, I do 50 squats a day - and then-some if I can take it. (Today, for instance, I’ve done a total of 70) It’s more out of fear – I can’t handle not being able to ride. My heart rate really jumps up when I do them too, and thus my inability to breath (which is directly correlated). So I’ve been working hard to rectify this.
When jumping, it’s important to note that breathing IS COMPLETELY essential. I’ve been diagnosed with “exercise induced asthma,” but I really think that’s a PC way of saying that “Dude – you suck – GET IN SHAPE.” So hence, I’m getting my butt in gear.
Secondly – Sudi absolutely and without hesitation has GOT to stay in front of my leg and TRUST me. Trust, for some reason, has always been an issue with him and a challenge. (Just ask the mares in his field that try to push him around. He’s completely OBLIVIOUS to them!) When I’m on the ground, he trusts me a bit better, but unfortunately it’s not transferring to the saddle. Again, something we’re trying to work on.
Will insisted that we have got to repeat our exercises as often as possible. One x to a simple bounce or one stride combination. Basically, it’s stuff that we should be able to canter over without any real thought going into it. Also cavaletti work never hurt us either. *grin*
I never made any excuses for Sudi to Will over the weekend (and I, in fact and on purpose, did NOT mention that we’d just started our canter work). This scared me a bit, but wouldn’t you know we pulled through anyway? We were even getting our leads!! This ALONE excited me. Sudi got over his desire to buck, but it took a while and some strong leg to convince him otherwise. Will also gave me some good tools to handle the head shaking/bucking issues – for which I’m very thankful!
On top of all this learning, I had 4-5 near death…er…close to falling off experiences. J For the first time in my life, I was THRILLED that Sudi has the huge neck he does and could support me continually being thrown up it when he did his “baby” leaps over the crossbars we were schooling.
Well here are some videos from the weekend! (Oh and I’ve been told that I gotta be a “better alcoholic” next time too…don’t really have any ambitions to work on that one though – hehe).
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
The One with a Year in Review
What a year 2008 has been. I started this blog as a reminder to me for the end of the year of all the wonderful experiences I knew I would have. And I have be so amazingly fortunate!This time of the year always and unreservedly gets me down for some reason. And in retrospect, a lot of things have gone wrong. Too many accidents, too many horses lost, too many vet bills. However, I am a firm believer that the good we’ve had consistently outweighs the bad. (If this were not so, we wouldn’t be in the horse world now would we?)
Recently, I feel like I’ve had a solid dose of reality. I’m a dreamer – always have been. I always have the highest of hopes for both my horses and myself. It’s something I have to cling to. But recently, with reality striking ever so fiercly, I’m doubting my riding abilities, my pony’s abilities (which also makes me a BAD BAD BAD mom), and the notion that I’ll ever be able to ride the way I want. I haven’t fallen off, but my confidence has been shaken as if I had. You’d think I’d get more confidence from lessons, but I feel right now that they’re only pointing out how well I DON’T ride. Or how well we don’t do something. Or how I’m daily letting my horse down in one form or another. I want to work harder and ride better, but I’m also full of constraints and excuses. In all, it’s a lot to overcome really. Bluntly put: It’s HARD.
But, as they say, if it WASN’T hard, it wouldn’t be as worthwhile, would it? So – one of the way God helps me make it through the frustration and disappointment, is reminding me of EVERYTHING He has given me. And it’s also MY job to remember all the Good he has given me.
To start:
He’s given me two fantastic boys. Even though I feel our relationships are still growing, I’m loving every minute that they are in my life.
He’s put me at a barn with horsey friends and people with similar goals. He’s also put them above my riding level to keep me humble. In all honestly, I’d rather be here than have an issue with pride. But pride would definitely be the easier route. :-D I have a hard time not always being the best!
He gave me lessons with ThREE big name trainers this year: Jon Holling, Will Faudree and Hokan Thorne. What memories and lessons I will cherish from these guys.
He gave me the opportunity to ride a full sibling to Theodore O’Connor – an experience I will NEVER ever forgot.
He gave me several great shows to attend where we did remarkably well considering!
My list could continue to grow, but these are some of the highlights. I’ve felt VERY fortunate to have the experiences I had.
As this next year grows closer, I’m placing my goals, life and more importantly – my horse, in God’s hands. I’ve found that my future without God’s control is not much of a future. I’m sure He has great things planned for us, and I can’t wait to find them out!
PS - I will blog about the Will Faudree lessons soon!! - We had a blast!
Friday, December 19, 2008
The One with the Winter Update
After Fall, Christmas is my favorite time of the year. The weather here around this time never really gets unbearable. In fact, Sudi got a bath last night, and I didn’t even have to blanket him as the barn temp was a very comfortable 70 degrees!
The barn is getting semi-decorated for Christmas. All the stalls have stockings hanging from the doors – and some even have presents! (I wonder what yummy treats Santa is bringing this year?)
Sudi has decided that candy cane is a definite favorite of his, although Kehbir has decidedly different opinions. Despite my efforts to actually KEEP the candy in his mouth, Kehbir ALWAYS finds a way to adamantly SPIT IT OUT. Which is sad. Not even the goats like it then. So – I gave his candy canes to Sudi. No point in wasting!
Today we’re getting ready to start our Winter holiday by heading up to Southern Pines, NC. We’re going to be spending a, hopefully non-rainy, weekend with Will Faudree! I’m not entirely sure what to expect yet – but I hope he can give me some good ideas to get Sudi’s jumping career off the ground. (yippee!)
Last week, we had a dressage lesson with Susan Selvey, and she gave me some VERY good ideas of how to get Sudi using his core/abdomen muscles better so that he lifts his back more correctly. What a DIFFERENCE this has made! I feel like all the past work I’ve done has simply been band-aids to getting a headset rather than having him really powering through from behind. He’s moving SO much better, and I think he’s understanding as this type of movement comes so much more naturally (and WILLINGLY!) to him.
I’ve figured out that he’s quite a bit weaker on his left hind end than his right – and you can even see this some in his muscle development. I’ve had Amelia (my Horsey Chiro/Massage Therapist) out too check him out, and she thinks he must have damaged his SI joint as some point in his childhood. However, as he’s not in any pain right now, we’re simply trying to help him develop more correctly by forcing him to use that side of his haunches and working him correctly. When I finally get some light to use (I am relegating to riding in the dark for now), I’ll be working him over more trot poles and cavalettis. Interestingly enough, my farrier ALSO noticed yesterday that he wasn’t using his left end as much as his frog is not centered in the hoof. I find this all terribly fascinating and helpful as I structure his work plans and try to better his learning.
Well I’m packed and ready to fly out the door for our trip. Hopefully I’ll have some good videos and pics to load from our trip up north! Happy Holidays!
The barn is getting semi-decorated for Christmas. All the stalls have stockings hanging from the doors – and some even have presents! (I wonder what yummy treats Santa is bringing this year?)
Sudi has decided that candy cane is a definite favorite of his, although Kehbir has decidedly different opinions. Despite my efforts to actually KEEP the candy in his mouth, Kehbir ALWAYS finds a way to adamantly SPIT IT OUT. Which is sad. Not even the goats like it then. So – I gave his candy canes to Sudi. No point in wasting!
Today we’re getting ready to start our Winter holiday by heading up to Southern Pines, NC. We’re going to be spending a, hopefully non-rainy, weekend with Will Faudree! I’m not entirely sure what to expect yet – but I hope he can give me some good ideas to get Sudi’s jumping career off the ground. (yippee!)
Last week, we had a dressage lesson with Susan Selvey, and she gave me some VERY good ideas of how to get Sudi using his core/abdomen muscles better so that he lifts his back more correctly. What a DIFFERENCE this has made! I feel like all the past work I’ve done has simply been band-aids to getting a headset rather than having him really powering through from behind. He’s moving SO much better, and I think he’s understanding as this type of movement comes so much more naturally (and WILLINGLY!) to him.
I’ve figured out that he’s quite a bit weaker on his left hind end than his right – and you can even see this some in his muscle development. I’ve had Amelia (my Horsey Chiro/Massage Therapist) out too check him out, and she thinks he must have damaged his SI joint as some point in his childhood. However, as he’s not in any pain right now, we’re simply trying to help him develop more correctly by forcing him to use that side of his haunches and working him correctly. When I finally get some light to use (I am relegating to riding in the dark for now), I’ll be working him over more trot poles and cavalettis. Interestingly enough, my farrier ALSO noticed yesterday that he wasn’t using his left end as much as his frog is not centered in the hoof. I find this all terribly fascinating and helpful as I structure his work plans and try to better his learning.
Well I’m packed and ready to fly out the door for our trip. Hopefully I’ll have some good videos and pics to load from our trip up north! Happy Holidays!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
The One with All the Cold
The problem with cold is…well mainly that it’s cold, and I get this overwhelming urge to hibernate. This is why I live near the beach. Unfortunately, the weatherman has yet to realize this. He keeps forecasting all this really nasty, windy, rainy weather in the 30’s. Yeek. Even Sudi says “No way man – where’s my hay and blanket???”
Despite the crazy weather, however, I’m STILL attempting to figure out some sort of riding schedule. (Wow, my inner thoughts are even mocking me!!!) Due to daylight savings time, I now get the privilege of riding during the week in the arena under minimal lighting (But hey – when the moon is out, it’s like an extra spot light!!). Sudi, however, is definitely not a fan. There are ghosts and goblins in the ring at night. In fact, regardless of my most valiant of efforts, the cold seems to also zap his memory of ANY recollection of forward thinking and getting “through.” *sigh* (Three year olds! Ya just can’t do anything with them sometimes! Hehe ;-))
Weekends I do try to spice up some. Sud is just now figuring out some jumping work, so I’ve been making him some “baby” sized grids to work over free jumping so that he can get some of the basics out of the way without ME to interfere with him. And on top of those, I try to just take him out to hack some and get him used to doing a little hand galloping and trot sets. I think these times are his absolute favorite – I think sometimes he wishes he were a race horse.
I’m also attempting to get in some dressage type lessons over this winter, but I keep getting rained out. I’ve scheduled twice now on consecutive weekends to only get bummed out. Will Faudree, however, is still an option over the holidays, so that may be my Christmas present to myself. ;-D
So for right now, I’m just going to arm myself with a hot coffee/tea/chocolate, and “kick on” as they say. Hope you're having a fabulous Holiday season!
Despite the crazy weather, however, I’m STILL attempting to figure out some sort of riding schedule. (Wow, my inner thoughts are even mocking me!!!) Due to daylight savings time, I now get the privilege of riding during the week in the arena under minimal lighting (But hey – when the moon is out, it’s like an extra spot light!!). Sudi, however, is definitely not a fan. There are ghosts and goblins in the ring at night. In fact, regardless of my most valiant of efforts, the cold seems to also zap his memory of ANY recollection of forward thinking and getting “through.” *sigh* (Three year olds! Ya just can’t do anything with them sometimes! Hehe ;-))
Weekends I do try to spice up some. Sud is just now figuring out some jumping work, so I’ve been making him some “baby” sized grids to work over free jumping so that he can get some of the basics out of the way without ME to interfere with him. And on top of those, I try to just take him out to hack some and get him used to doing a little hand galloping and trot sets. I think these times are his absolute favorite – I think sometimes he wishes he were a race horse.
I’m also attempting to get in some dressage type lessons over this winter, but I keep getting rained out. I’ve scheduled twice now on consecutive weekends to only get bummed out. Will Faudree, however, is still an option over the holidays, so that may be my Christmas present to myself. ;-D
So for right now, I’m just going to arm myself with a hot coffee/tea/chocolate, and “kick on” as they say. Hope you're having a fabulous Holiday season!
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