Whoopsies. I inadvertently lost my amateur status in the horse world by lunging horses for JM. I don't necessarily consider lunging training (it can be of course, but what I was doing so wasn't,) but USEA does. Which means that I was being compensated (in lessons) for training a horse. So, now I'm not an ammie anymore. I was pissed at first, but now I'm thrilled. I was hamstringing myself trying to keep amateur status, having to turn down schooling rides because I'd be being compensated. Now I can ride all the fancy horses and get paid in lessons to do it. Today I rode Penny, her boyfriend Zaya the trakehner, and the always awesome Rialdi. It was awesome.
I cannot count how many times I read the Amateur section of the Rule Book, yet I still screwed up. Oh well.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Caviar next?
Penny Pony has expensive tastes. First it was the Black Country saddle. We tried ten different saddles and it's the only one that worked for both of us. Now it's a Herm Sprenger Aurigan bit. She so obviously prefers it to any other bit. We've tried others and she just doesn't go as well in them. She gave JM her nicest ever canter depart yesterday. Crossing my fingers for a sale somewhere.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Opinionated Pony Toes
"I want to go forward!"
"We're standing here."
"I don't want to stand still."
"Well, you're not going to go forward."
"Fine, then I'll go backwards."
Five minutes passes, with Penny backing up and up and up and up. All I did was sit there quiet, reins proper length, not letting her go forward, since that's what she wanted, above all else to do.
Pony stops moving.
"Is that enough?"
"I'm standing here, aren't I?"
"Yeah, you're standing here, but you're acting like you're going to take off any instant."
"Fine."
Pony relaxes.
"Okay, now we can move forward."
"Finally!"
In other, freaking awesome pony news, today I discovered Penny has no poll pain. Nada. Zip. Zilch. I scratched her poll and if she was a cat she would have been purring. So, it's pretty much confirmed the improper riding/body carriage caused it to begin with. I suspect it will take some time to convince her braiding and bridle path trimming won't hurt, but it will happen.
"We're standing here."
"I don't want to stand still."
"Well, you're not going to go forward."
"Fine, then I'll go backwards."
Five minutes passes, with Penny backing up and up and up and up. All I did was sit there quiet, reins proper length, not letting her go forward, since that's what she wanted, above all else to do.
Pony stops moving.
"Is that enough?"
"I'm standing here, aren't I?"
"Yeah, you're standing here, but you're acting like you're going to take off any instant."
"Fine."
Pony relaxes.
"Okay, now we can move forward."
"Finally!"
In other, freaking awesome pony news, today I discovered Penny has no poll pain. Nada. Zip. Zilch. I scratched her poll and if she was a cat she would have been purring. So, it's pretty much confirmed the improper riding/body carriage caused it to begin with. I suspect it will take some time to convince her braiding and bridle path trimming won't hurt, but it will happen.
Monday, January 9, 2012
So many pretty ponies...
Like many horse lovers I have a habit of looking at for sale ads. My current go to place is Warmbloods for Sale specifically the Sport Ponies. So many pretty ponies and they could be mine! I have an empty stall, shouldn't I fill it? I visit the websites of my local horse rescues and even went to one recently to look at a pony. Cute and sweet but I wasn't in immediate love. There's another one, broke to ride, but is night blind. They will be assessing soon if he's rideable in an indoor or not. If he is I'll probably try him out. I want to help out my rescues, but I can't compromise what I need either.
When it comes down to it though, I really don't want a second equine right now. I want to put all my time and effort into Penny. I relish my opportunities to ride other horses, but I'm glad I don't need to worry about them the way I do my own. Or spend money on them, since Penny is not a low maintenance pony. I know if I wait the right pony will fall into my lap like Penny did, but it's still fun to look.
When it comes down to it though, I really don't want a second equine right now. I want to put all my time and effort into Penny. I relish my opportunities to ride other horses, but I'm glad I don't need to worry about them the way I do my own. Or spend money on them, since Penny is not a low maintenance pony. I know if I wait the right pony will fall into my lap like Penny did, but it's still fun to look.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Giant Horse!
It hasn't been very often in my life that I've gotten the opportunity to ride a really nice horse. JM is now letting me ride her Oldenburg that I call Meatball. He oozes awesomeness.
He's so big, especially compared to Penny. I can feel each muscle move when Penny's are lost because her pony body is always moving so fast (even when we're going slow.) Meatball, there's almost pauses in between things. I've been on him twice and I love being able to practice the things we're teaching Penny on a horse that knows how to do it. I'm still figuring things out, because let's face it, I'm a horrible rider compared to what he's used to. He's being patient and kind with me and giving me things I really have no right to even consider. Today we did extended trot. That's about the most fun I've ever had doing flatwork and never before have I done it.
I'm all grins when I'm on him. How could I not be? And then I forget when I'm getting off that the ground is really far away.
He's so big, especially compared to Penny. I can feel each muscle move when Penny's are lost because her pony body is always moving so fast (even when we're going slow.) Meatball, there's almost pauses in between things. I've been on him twice and I love being able to practice the things we're teaching Penny on a horse that knows how to do it. I'm still figuring things out, because let's face it, I'm a horrible rider compared to what he's used to. He's being patient and kind with me and giving me things I really have no right to even consider. Today we did extended trot. That's about the most fun I've ever had doing flatwork and never before have I done it.
I'm all grins when I'm on him. How could I not be? And then I forget when I'm getting off that the ground is really far away.
Friday, January 6, 2012
My part
I've been posting lots about Penny and not much about me. I am doing my part, I swear!
On October 4th I got a breast reduction. It was absolutely essential (even though my insurance wouldn't pay for it.) My surgeon made me take eight weeks off afterwards. The day I was allowed to bounce again I went for a run for the first time in years. I didn't bounce! It didn't hurt my neck! And I could breathe! I cried as I ran down the driveway (our driveway is about 1/2 a mile long, so to the mail box and back is roughly a mile.) I think I ran more of it than I ever have. Oh, and for those of you thinking a mile is nothing I'd like you to note my house is at 7000'. Everything is harder at elevation. I really like to run and not being able to was a hole in my life. Plus I now have a way to increase my lung function, so I should be able to get around a course without thinking I'm going to die.
The next day I sat on Penny for the first time in almost three months (the two months post surgery and the month after I fell off her (broken finger) and she was lame.) I sat in the saddle and my shoulders just went back where they're supposed to be. For the first time in years my body didn't want to lean forward constantly. I had an awesome ride. And, like when I was running, I can now breathe.
I still need to get in better shape. I gained some waist in my three month layup that I'm less than pleased about. I'm trying to remember to run on the days that aren't too cold or windy. I'm starting yoga on monday. Agility restarts this next week too. I'm getting non-fat milk in my frappuccinos (getting rid of the frapps is not an option :D ) They taste almost exactly the same, so it was an easy substitution. Sometime soon I'll start hiking (weather permitting) since I'm also getting in shape to hike a Fourteener (14,000' mountain.) Lots to do. But there's this nice comfy couch...
On October 4th I got a breast reduction. It was absolutely essential (even though my insurance wouldn't pay for it.) My surgeon made me take eight weeks off afterwards. The day I was allowed to bounce again I went for a run for the first time in years. I didn't bounce! It didn't hurt my neck! And I could breathe! I cried as I ran down the driveway (our driveway is about 1/2 a mile long, so to the mail box and back is roughly a mile.) I think I ran more of it than I ever have. Oh, and for those of you thinking a mile is nothing I'd like you to note my house is at 7000'. Everything is harder at elevation. I really like to run and not being able to was a hole in my life. Plus I now have a way to increase my lung function, so I should be able to get around a course without thinking I'm going to die.
The next day I sat on Penny for the first time in almost three months (the two months post surgery and the month after I fell off her (broken finger) and she was lame.) I sat in the saddle and my shoulders just went back where they're supposed to be. For the first time in years my body didn't want to lean forward constantly. I had an awesome ride. And, like when I was running, I can now breathe.
I still need to get in better shape. I gained some waist in my three month layup that I'm less than pleased about. I'm trying to remember to run on the days that aren't too cold or windy. I'm starting yoga on monday. Agility restarts this next week too. I'm getting non-fat milk in my frappuccinos (getting rid of the frapps is not an option :D ) They taste almost exactly the same, so it was an easy substitution. Sometime soon I'll start hiking (weather permitting) since I'm also getting in shape to hike a Fourteener (14,000' mountain.) Lots to do. But there's this nice comfy couch...
Neato!
Yesterday I watched our dressage trainer do 19 one tempi changes in a row on one of the other horses. So. Freaking. Cool.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
What we're thinking of for the coming year
My friends and I have the following tentative plan:
April 14-15 St. Johns H.T. (AZ)
May 19-20 Spring Gulch H.T.(CO)
June 1-3 Colorado Horse Park CCI2*/1* & H.T. (CO)
June 11-16 Pony Club Camp at St Johns (AZ)
July 14-15 Coconino Summer H.T I (AZ)
July 20-22 Coconino Summer Classic 3-Day Event & H.T (AZ)
August 4-5 Rocky Mountain H.T.(CO)
September 6-9 American Eventing Championships
Others options are:
February 18-19 Las Cruces H.T. (NM)
May 5-6 Watermelon Mountain Pony Club HT (NM)
June 1-3 Colorado Horse Park CCI2*/1* & H.T. (CO)
June 16 Round Top H.T (CO)
June 15-17 Golden Spike H.T (UT)
June 22-24 Abbe Ranch H.T (CO)
July 21-22 Aspen Ridge H.T. (CO)
July 28 Moqui Meadows (CO)
Aug 12 Colorado Horse Park One day (CO)
August 18-19 The Event at Goose Downs (NM)
August 31-Sept.2 Northern Colorado H.T. (CO)
September 28-30 Colorado Horse Park CCI1* & H.T (CO)
October 13-14 Grass Ridge H.T (AZ)
November 17-18 Las Cruces H.T. (NM)
We may also do some dressage shows in ABQ
March 10-11 Dances with Horses 1&2
May 26-27 Horses Unlimited Dressage Challenge
July 7-8 Horses Unlimited Fiesta de Dressage
October 20-21 Harvest Fling
April 14-15 St. Johns H.T. (AZ)
May 19-20 Spring Gulch H.T.(CO)
June 1-3 Colorado Horse Park CCI2*/1* & H.T. (CO)
June 11-16 Pony Club Camp at St Johns (AZ)
July 14-15 Coconino Summer H.T I (AZ)
July 20-22 Coconino Summer Classic 3-Day Event & H.T (AZ)
August 4-5 Rocky Mountain H.T.(CO)
September 6-9 American Eventing Championships
Others options are:
February 18-19 Las Cruces H.T. (NM)
May 5-6 Watermelon Mountain Pony Club HT (NM)
June 1-3 Colorado Horse Park CCI2*/1* & H.T. (CO)
June 16 Round Top H.T (CO)
June 15-17 Golden Spike H.T (UT)
June 22-24 Abbe Ranch H.T (CO)
July 21-22 Aspen Ridge H.T. (CO)
July 28 Moqui Meadows (CO)
Aug 12 Colorado Horse Park One day (CO)
August 18-19 The Event at Goose Downs (NM)
August 31-Sept.2 Northern Colorado H.T. (CO)
September 28-30 Colorado Horse Park CCI1* & H.T (CO)
October 13-14 Grass Ridge H.T (AZ)
November 17-18 Las Cruces H.T. (NM)
We may also do some dressage shows in ABQ
March 10-11 Dances with Horses 1&2
May 26-27 Horses Unlimited Dressage Challenge
July 7-8 Horses Unlimited Fiesta de Dressage
October 20-21 Harvest Fling
Monday, January 2, 2012
Today with our dressage trainer
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Year of the Pony
Today starts the "Year of the Pony." YotP is the plan for my pony Better Than Ice Cream (Penny) and I to become competitive enough at Beginner Novice eventing to qualify for the American Eventing Championships. We live on the border of Areas IX and X, not an area with a wealth of competition opportunities. My house, where she lives in the summer, is in Area IX, but right now she's 40 minutes south with our dressage trainer in Area X.
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