I really want to start working Harry first again.
I worked with Brie, which was fine. She was a firecracker today and even cantered on her longe, which she hasn't done in a while. But it took me a while to work out the skip in her step in the beginning and then we flew around the arena in a corto much faster than I wanted, so I was working on slowing her down. The fun show is in 3 weeks and I'm not expecting to win or anything, it would just be nice to make it through the class alive and not excused! So maybe I'll just keep working her first the next three weekends.
But I miss working Harry first. I got him second today and didn't really know how to handle him. We're supposed to be working on his largo, but I really enjoy his collected corto so I never want to and then when I go to, I don't know fast he can go without breaking or pacing so it's frustrating. Just as I was started to get frustrated with him, my brother decided that he wanted to play horse show with everyone riding. This ended up being a good thing because it took my focus off of being frustrated with Harry and put it on listening to my brother's speed commands.
I feel bad that I was angry with Harry. He's really a good boy and I know he's trying. It's just me who doesn't know how to get what I want out of him. This is why I want to work him first, because I feel like after my mom rides him, I feel like I can't work him as much because he's tired and I feel bad asking him to do a lot. I wish I could ride every day...then I'd have so much time to figure him out.
Showing posts with label fun shows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fun shows. Show all posts
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Day 179
Happy Halloween everyone! Well, almost Halloween anyways. Harry was sure in the mood today.
We rode for such a long time today. I started off on Brie. I need to work on her flexibility because yesterday when Paco rode her he said that she was very stiff on her turns. This could be something that I had just gotten used to, but I need to work on it. I don't want her to be sore after riding just because she's not flexible. So we did lots of circles, spirals, serpentines and reverses and she was compliant. She had a bit of a fast streak, but she never broke into a canter on the corners, so I was proud of her for that. Apparently she was worse off for my mom later on when we switched, but I think it might've been just that she was angry because she was getting tired.
Before my mom rode her though, my brother and I switched. I just got to walk Nina around, which is all I ever want to do when I ride Nina. She's so laid back and relaxed. I would just bring her out on trails all the time, she's perfect for it. But after a short time on Nina, I switched with my mom who had been working Harry for a good chunk of time.
She's been trying to work on Harry's largo since he paces when he goes too fast because his legs can't keep up with his brain, so he was flying around the arena today. I wanted to get him a little bit more collected so we did our corto and crossed the sounding board and then walked to cool.
While all this is going on, Samantha, this little girl who comes for lessons, was riding Tobacco and Jane was riding Taco, while Kimmy was riding Sadie. Jane insisted that I ride Taco because John was popping in and out through out the day to see how Taco was doing. So I hop on. First thing Taco does is speed away with me and start cantering down the long wall! I try my hardest to remember to not pull on his mouth because he manages to get a hold of the bit between his teeth and pull away with the rider, so I'm quickly pulling and releasing to try to get him to slow down the first lap around the arena and then pull up to Paco, who directs me to pull his head to the wall to get him to slow down until he realizes I mean business.
So after a couple of laps around, I finally settle into Taco and we understand each other. He performs beautifully! This was probably the best ride I've had on him to date. He takes the board perfectly and I'm so glad that John was there to see it. He sent me this picture he took of me and Taco.
I would love to show him for John and Jane. He's so much fun once you know how to handle him. There's a fun show coming up in December and I fully intend on dragging Brie down there to get back in the hang of showing again since we need to beat our nemesis this year!
Before my mom rode her though, my brother and I switched. I just got to walk Nina around, which is all I ever want to do when I ride Nina. She's so laid back and relaxed. I would just bring her out on trails all the time, she's perfect for it. But after a short time on Nina, I switched with my mom who had been working Harry for a good chunk of time.
She's been trying to work on Harry's largo since he paces when he goes too fast because his legs can't keep up with his brain, so he was flying around the arena today. I wanted to get him a little bit more collected so we did our corto and crossed the sounding board and then walked to cool.
While all this is going on, Samantha, this little girl who comes for lessons, was riding Tobacco and Jane was riding Taco, while Kimmy was riding Sadie. Jane insisted that I ride Taco because John was popping in and out through out the day to see how Taco was doing. So I hop on. First thing Taco does is speed away with me and start cantering down the long wall! I try my hardest to remember to not pull on his mouth because he manages to get a hold of the bit between his teeth and pull away with the rider, so I'm quickly pulling and releasing to try to get him to slow down the first lap around the arena and then pull up to Paco, who directs me to pull his head to the wall to get him to slow down until he realizes I mean business.
So after a couple of laps around, I finally settle into Taco and we understand each other. He performs beautifully! This was probably the best ride I've had on him to date. He takes the board perfectly and I'm so glad that John was there to see it. He sent me this picture he took of me and Taco.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Day 134
Sunday
Today, two things were accomplished:
1. We got Harry in the trailer.
2. We gave Harry a bath.
I spent two hours trying to get him into the trailer.
It started off really hopeful and then we hit a big roadblock. We started out just calmly looking at it, examining the ramp. We played the YoYo game a bit and I got him to come up to the ramp and put one of his feet on it. After that, he kept trying to jump into the trailer, but never actually jumped in.
He kept rearing into the jump and flailing his legs up in the air. I kept trying to get him to just walk into it, but he wasn't having it. He kept rearing up, jumping sideways over the ramp, never onto it. We got the nose chain to wrap over his nose on the leadline so that he would feel something if he tried to rear up again. After an hour and a half, I was still patient, but I knew I was no where near as strong enough to pull him sideways when he goes up to knock him off balance. A couple more rears with the nose chain on and my mom suggested that I give him to Paco, who was watching the whole time (quietly, thankfully. If he had been telling me what to do I probably would've bitten his head off), and grumpily I handed Harry over.
He looked so concerned when I walked away and knew that Paco was there, like, "Oh crap, this is a man." and tried the same thing with Paco, except Paco was able to give him a good yank back down. He got Harry into the trailer, and I was sour that I wasn't the first one to get him in. After a few walks in and out and teaching Harry to not race and rear out of the trailer on his way out, it was my turn.
He was like an angel. Once he knew that he wasn't going to meet his doom if he stepped onto the ramp and sat in the trailer for a while, he was a little cautious, but wasn't scared. We've decided that, no matter how long it'll take, we're going to do this every weekend. It might suck for the next couple weekends, but after that he'll get better and faster at getting in and out, and by show time, it'll be a breeze.
We gave him a good scrubbing and after he smelled like peaches, we put him away with carrots. Brie was pretty happy that we came, didn't ride, and still gave her food. It was the best of both worlds for her! Nina looked a little depressed when we didn't take her out to play, but she was easily satisfied when we gave her carrots.
We're going to go with Jane and Annie to a local show coming up some time. We're going to bring Harry and Brie. Harry for the trailer practice and show exposure and Brie just so she can maybe start getting used to strange horses around her. It'll be good for both of them.
Today, two things were accomplished:
1. We got Harry in the trailer.
2. We gave Harry a bath.
I spent two hours trying to get him into the trailer.
It started off really hopeful and then we hit a big roadblock. We started out just calmly looking at it, examining the ramp. We played the YoYo game a bit and I got him to come up to the ramp and put one of his feet on it. After that, he kept trying to jump into the trailer, but never actually jumped in.
He kept rearing into the jump and flailing his legs up in the air. I kept trying to get him to just walk into it, but he wasn't having it. He kept rearing up, jumping sideways over the ramp, never onto it. We got the nose chain to wrap over his nose on the leadline so that he would feel something if he tried to rear up again. After an hour and a half, I was still patient, but I knew I was no where near as strong enough to pull him sideways when he goes up to knock him off balance. A couple more rears with the nose chain on and my mom suggested that I give him to Paco, who was watching the whole time (quietly, thankfully. If he had been telling me what to do I probably would've bitten his head off), and grumpily I handed Harry over.
He looked so concerned when I walked away and knew that Paco was there, like, "Oh crap, this is a man." and tried the same thing with Paco, except Paco was able to give him a good yank back down. He got Harry into the trailer, and I was sour that I wasn't the first one to get him in. After a few walks in and out and teaching Harry to not race and rear out of the trailer on his way out, it was my turn.
He was like an angel. Once he knew that he wasn't going to meet his doom if he stepped onto the ramp and sat in the trailer for a while, he was a little cautious, but wasn't scared. We've decided that, no matter how long it'll take, we're going to do this every weekend. It might suck for the next couple weekends, but after that he'll get better and faster at getting in and out, and by show time, it'll be a breeze.
We gave him a good scrubbing and after he smelled like peaches, we put him away with carrots. Brie was pretty happy that we came, didn't ride, and still gave her food. It was the best of both worlds for her! Nina looked a little depressed when we didn't take her out to play, but she was easily satisfied when we gave her carrots.
We're going to go with Jane and Annie to a local show coming up some time. We're going to bring Harry and Brie. Harry for the trailer practice and show exposure and Brie just so she can maybe start getting used to strange horses around her. It'll be good for both of them.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Day 70
Last practice before the Michigan show this weekend and I have such a good feeling about this! I rode Brie probably for the longest amount of time since we got Harry. It was oddly strange but fantastic at the same time. I never really realized just exactly how sharply she can reverse when you emphasize your leg rather than your hands. It's beautiful. I just hope she sticks to that little trick when I'm showing her this weekend! I also got to enjoy her love of largo (it's verrry close to a fast canter) which I haven't done in a while. We bought the local farm/show/overall event magazine today while we were getting thrush medicine for Nina and I saw all of these shows I'd love to go to. They're all non-pointed (sad) but it'd be so fun to do them with Brie. Like the Water In a Cup Class, Egg and Spoon race, you know, all that jazz...
One thing I'm really interested in is barrel racing. Not like the super competitive kind, just the kind for these little local shows. It sounds like a blast and Brie is a racehorse in spirit. Annie does barrel racing with her horses, so maybe next time she comes out I'll have her show me the ropes.
I worked with Nina today. I do not understand that horse. She's so easily bored, she was looking at everything else except me and I had to keep grabbing her attention. She was completely relaxed for the Friendly Game, as I suspected she would be. She's getting the hang of the Porcupine Game. She gets it more with the back end than the front end.
So I tried something new. I went and grabbed a bucket, which makes the same plastic noise as the hoof stand, and wiggled it around her legs. She was shaking like a leaf again, but she calmed down. I just kept shaking it and petting her, assuring her that it won't jump up and eat her. I looped a string through the handle and then started swinging it around her legs. She was pretty good with the front legs but very nervous with the back and kept trying to run out on me. After about a half hour of doing that, though, I was able to kind of knock it against her legs like the stand did yesterday without her really moving. I also was able to flip it over and pull her legs out to rest her hooves on it. I think it was a success.
There is something I'm more nervous about this weekend than showing Brie though. My brother is backing out of showing Nina, so I have to show her.
Literally, I can count on both of my hands the number of times I've ridden her. I don't understand the logistics of her training (I actually think they're kind of stupid, the ridiculous things you have to do with your hands and reins to keep her going) and I know I won't be able to get her out of a trot. I know we won't place. My brother, on the other hand, totally loves the logistics of her training and is just being a chicken about it. Maybe we'll just have to make him suck it up and ride.
One thing I'm really interested in is barrel racing. Not like the super competitive kind, just the kind for these little local shows. It sounds like a blast and Brie is a racehorse in spirit. Annie does barrel racing with her horses, so maybe next time she comes out I'll have her show me the ropes.
I worked with Nina today. I do not understand that horse. She's so easily bored, she was looking at everything else except me and I had to keep grabbing her attention. She was completely relaxed for the Friendly Game, as I suspected she would be. She's getting the hang of the Porcupine Game. She gets it more with the back end than the front end.
So I tried something new. I went and grabbed a bucket, which makes the same plastic noise as the hoof stand, and wiggled it around her legs. She was shaking like a leaf again, but she calmed down. I just kept shaking it and petting her, assuring her that it won't jump up and eat her. I looped a string through the handle and then started swinging it around her legs. She was pretty good with the front legs but very nervous with the back and kept trying to run out on me. After about a half hour of doing that, though, I was able to kind of knock it against her legs like the stand did yesterday without her really moving. I also was able to flip it over and pull her legs out to rest her hooves on it. I think it was a success.
There is something I'm more nervous about this weekend than showing Brie though. My brother is backing out of showing Nina, so I have to show her.
Literally, I can count on both of my hands the number of times I've ridden her. I don't understand the logistics of her training (I actually think they're kind of stupid, the ridiculous things you have to do with your hands and reins to keep her going) and I know I won't be able to get her out of a trot. I know we won't place. My brother, on the other hand, totally loves the logistics of her training and is just being a chicken about it. Maybe we'll just have to make him suck it up and ride.
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