Day 201

Guess who's back!
Yeah, after going to the doctor on Friday, it turns out that I don't have a stress fracture in my foot and am good to go! I have to admit, after not walking on it for about three weeks, it's really sore today.

I guess I just expected Harry to be wonderful and for us to have a magical moment because I was able to ride again. As if! He was absolutely dreadful. I even got so fed up with him longeing that I asked my mom to help me out (imagine that!). Eventually he calmed down for me longeing, but then riding was a trainwreck in itself. I felt like I was fighting him the entire time. Now that we've taught him and encouraged him to largo and go fast, that's all he wants to do. I spend a good 2/3 of my ride trying to collect him and get him to slow down. His passes across the board were awful because he kept going out of gait at the end because he'd speed off of them. To add on top of it, every horse on our side of the barn was out in the arena today, along with the horses that Nick was training, PLUS Nicks' daughter Brianna kept running around and squealing (she's 6). Harry almost fishtailed out into her once and I felt bad and scared and I'm sure Nick gave me a dirty look but I couldn't bear look over at him after that, even though Brianna should have definitely not bolted out into the arena so close to where I was working. Ugh. Chaos.

After all was said and done, I got on Brie. Good old Brie. It's so bizarre, going to her and having great rides after I used to cry about how she wouldn't listen to me either only a year ago. While it's frustrating to be dealing with Harry's quirks still after two years of owning him, I need to look back on how long it take to make real progress with Brie and how much of a change there is in her. In short, it took me, on my own, shoot I can't even remember, at least 4 years and a month's supply of mare hormone balancing supplements to get to where we are now together. And while I may feel some days like today that there is little hope for Harry and I, at least there is hope.

Day 86

There has to be an off day once in a while.
There was a little barn reunion today. It was good for Harry because he has to get used to lots of other horses riding around with him. After lunging him in the round pen and then a little more in the arena, he's getting the hang of it. I'm just a little worried about finding a good, clear spot to lunge him at the fair.

Speaking of the fair, I can't believe it's next weekend! I have so much work to do! I have to work tomorrow with the show bridle and Brie's saddle since that's the one I'll be using.

Anyways so back to Harry. He still won't walk on the wall. I'm settling now for just going straight on the inside of the arena. As long as I'm out of everybody's way and not causing a distraction, hopefully it won't matter. He wasn't gaiting properly today. It was kind of like Brie's crow feet but less extreme. Maybe it's from trying to get him to tighten up a little bit but now I'm just going to get him to do a consistent corto and largo. We can work on Fino all winter. He kept screwing up on the soundboard but hopefully tomorrow he'll do better since Saturdays are always warm-ups. I've started working more with a single rein and he seems to be adjusting to that pretty well.

Nina is doing much better. I didn't get to ride her today since now we're getting down to pre-show mode. I can't wait til the fall and I get to start working more with Nina for the winter.

Canter fest with Brie today!! I didn't go out because it was super hot, plus the landscapers were out with the industrial mowers.

Days 63 and 64

Sunday

It was soooooo hot out today. Harry was dripping with sweat just from lunging. That also meant he was tired enough to cooperate =] He was fantastic gaiting today. We worked for about an hour. I also stopped lunging him around the pole, since Paco pointed out that there aren't any working poles at shows. When I lunged him without the pole it was quite successful. He didn't bolt away or get really close to me. We worked inside then went outside. I was a little nervous about riding him outside since the last time I rode him outside was when Ray was training him and he kept rearing. Harry was perfect. He was rushing the soundboard a little bit. It seems like getting him to not rush the soundboard and get a more relaxed walk is the key to winning at our next show. I also need to find where his largo is that way I won't break into a canter and lose points.

Apparently, Nina was really bad today. My brother is having a hard time lunging her since she keeps wanting to walk on top of him. He's been using the carrot stick in order to push her on from behind, never actually touching her, just holding it out to make sure that she would see it behind her.

I never thought I'd look forward to riding Brie as a break. She's been doing fantastically the past few weeks. She's perfectly calm and just goes along. It's almost like she's an impostor horse! I'm so pleased with her and hopefully she'll stay like this for show.

Monday

It was thundering really bad today. When we walked into the stable, Harry was in the corner of his stall corner, shaking. We calmed him down and got him out. He was really wary of the rain outside the barn though and kept looking behind himself out the door at the rain. I was nervous riding him today because I didn't want him to freak out and bolt, causing me to fall or something. But he actually did pretty well. Everytime I saw a big lightening I prepared myself for the cracking thunder that followed it and he was pretty good. He only got freaked out really bad once and that was when we were cooling off. I stopped by one of the large doors looking outside and he saw the huge lightening and immediately stiffened up and bolted away from the door when he heard the thunder. I held on and turned him that way he wouldn't have the chance to rear up though, and he was a little shaken after that but I walked him until he calmed down. He was also rushing the board again today. I'll really have to work on that.

I didn't really pay attention to Nina today except for after I put Harry away. She kept sliding off the soundboard on the side. I think it's just a matter of the rider centering themselves over the board so she knows where to go. Other than that, she's been fantastic letting us put the jaquima and the bit on and has been keeping her head down really nicely. I hope she gets her act together before the Michigan show.

Once again, Brie was the dream ride today! I never thought I'd reach the day when I could just plop on and barely move my hands and use my leg then entire time to control her speed and direction. I just love that horse more and more every day. I feel like this time training her has been such a success, but we'll only find out when we hit the next show.

Michigan, here we come!