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From Craigslist to FEI

A blog about how a lifelong rider/trainer made the (very) long progression to FEI and beyond.

My thighs... my brains...they burn!

8/27/2015

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By some sort of mysterious coincidence, I don't have any pictures from the past week.  OK, I've just been wicked busy, most of my riding/horse time is either after dark or without my phone on me, and also tired.

Last Thursday, I had a first lesson with Grey Horse and Amanda.  We were effing awesome until my lack of fitness showed up at the end and I sucked.  I mean, its a good sucking, but it is a little weird (but not unexpected) to be the weak link on a horse team for the first time in forever.  So our homework?  2 Point Trot Sets.  Fair enough and a big part of why I went this route.  I was also kinda bitchy to Amanda when I couldn't perform or think out the instructions, but she pulled her part by telling me to shoosh and lecture me.  I'm so glad she does this for me on the occasion I need it. 

Friday, I pulled Grey Horse to the barn and we did our first set on the track.  I believe we did 3 miles and about half of that was in 2 point.  I probably could have done longer but first day, I didn't feel like exhausting myself for the Saturday torture I'd signed up for:

Lurena's!

I finally got back in touch with her and we had set up ONE dressage lesson (I decided not to be suicidal with all I've done this week) so that was Saturday after I taught my dog training peeps that morning.  The lesson was really good, really hard, and I didn't get too sore but I think Grey Horse might have a smidge (it was really tough stuff for him).  He didn't complain though (he's a saint) and we have more homework to do.  Some of the fun things we got to do were walk-canter transitions and shoulder in and some other 2nd level things basically.  My brain vaguely recalled this stuff from decades ago but the execution was a bit meh.  We have loads of homework and I have to get my head right on how to cue a trained horse properly but we're on our way.  Lurena was very complimentary of the Grey Beast and my riding (yet) again.  It's hard to not feel good leaving there :)  The only bad thing about this day was that our saddle/saddle pad combo rubbed some skin off Grey Horse's scar on his back and made it kinda gross so we're ordering a sheepskin pad for that and dressage.

Sunday was supposed to be a "See Where Jade Is With Me" followed by riding another horse kind of day, if not two horses ridden.  Instead Jade was an anxious mess and we worked on some simple focus and bending type things.  Overall we survived but I made the decision to just train her like I do my other projects in the past.  Her two main themes are: I wanna be on top of you AND This is too hard, IM OUTTA HERE!  Since she's only 4 and I intend to keep her a while and do super awesome epic things, we're just stripping things down like I should have done earlier.  She is better than when she came, but she's a smart and headstrong mare so I'm just going to be fair and lay it all out for her in order.  Also, Edison got caught up in the super firm steel cable fence and sliced himself to hell.  Nothing was super deep but he feels like poo.  He was a rockstar about being tied (first time) and being rinsed/cleaned/medicated in the wash rack (also first time).

Monday turned into an unexpected car shopping day so my goals of riding horses everyday was shot but I figured one day wouldn't kill me.  Then Tuesday I brought Jade to the house to do round pen work and she just lost her cool.  It was like she'd never worked with me before so I guess I'd say the good things were she was forward and responsive?  We definitely have a ways to go and even though I know we need to do some work, it was rough seeing her in shock.

Wednesday the Hubs decided to go actually GET a car he'd found coupled with Tuesday's football practice being moved from Tuesday to Wednesday.  I did put on riding clothes and went to kiddo's football practice in silent protest (and optimism).  Practice was out at 8:00PM and I had convinced myself I could get dinner, eat it, set the kid on his path to bed, do the barn, then come home and ride one of the "good" horses.  I got everything done except riding so I guess that's a win?  I also worked with Jade in the barn aisle on some ground work and she was super polite.  Very yes ma'am and attentive without the worry we'd ended with on Tuesday so that was good.  I just have to remember that it'll go faster with her since she's not really "broken" than it did with Arthur or Nigel.

Today is Thursday so that's Amanda lesson day and I should be able to ride Katy I think as well as some ground work with Jade before wrapping up the evening.  Fingers crossed my real life doesn't get in the way :)

Also, I've decided I really need to work on a name for Grey Horse so I don't look lazy/heartless when people ask his name.  I thought Patrick was the front runner but now Ian is passing it so that might actually be it.  We'll see.  I suck at naming things.

Also, also, the barn guy FINALLY got me some numbers and I basically just decided on the dog area add on.  If I can move them over out of the stall area that will give me four 10x20 stalls to use and I might get brave and have an aisle added on to that so that I can have a true shedrow.  My plan is to have them out as much as possible so spending all the $$ for a "real" barn/big barn doesn't make logical sense to me right now.

Some cool things I bought this week:
  • Ecogold Triple Protection Pad (Grey Horse Jumping?)  Mostly just seeing if this helps him out and his scar.  We've been using our Thinline and its a bit meh for him.
  • Steffen Peters SMx Luxury Shearling Dressage Pad (Grey Horse Dressage) Grey Horse needs something that won't rub him raw so I'm thinking this is it.  It feels fabulous so I can't see it not working. 
  • Bobby's English Padded Dressage Flash Bridle (Grey Horse Again)  He didn't have a dressage bridle and the one I bought when I bought him is actually too big for him so I'm trying this out plus swapping him to my go to German Silver Ovation Loose Ring Bit.  I don't think he cares about his bit much but I like the loose ring feel vs baucher for dressage it seems.
  • Tekna Open Front Jumping Boots and Hind Boots (Grey Horse but for funsies)  I've been wanting to try these for years but none of my horses needed/deserved them or fit into their sizes.

I also tried out Riding Warehouse for the first time this week and it was good.  Super fast shipping and good prices so yeah.  Go RW!

Final thought is man, I'm tired.  I get that I should be but this is a bit ridiculous.  I realized the last time I was this bad off it was low iron so I broke out my old anemia things and it's helped out.  I'm trying to find the desire to lose weight/look better in the saddle/feel better/blah blah blah but with everything going on I'm not terribly motivated to lose those 10 pounds I've gained from being reckless this summer.  It'll come off but I just can't focus on making all the good choices right now.  Soon though. ><
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