Revealing my secret freestyle

Bean and I had an excellent time at a local dressage schooling show on Saturday.

First we did Intro B:

We got 8's on four movements: both halts, our first turn, and the freewalk. Our collective marks were all 7's, except Impulsion where we got a 6. Best comment: "Elegant pair and well ridden test." 68.75%. We'll be the Year End Award winners for Intro Level.


Then I got to unveil the Secret Project I've been working on: our Dressage Queen/Dancing Queen Freestyle. Alas, I'm not posting the video because I don't want ABBA's lawyers coming after me.

It was so much freaking fun. I didn't adhere to any one level's movements so I made my own score sheet and called it "Fun Level." We got a 57%, but whatevers. We did pull it together in 6 rides. My personal favorite part was going into a canter from the first halt. The judge left us an amusing comment, "Lovely try at fun and freedom. Keep playing and dreaming girl!"

Sonny Sunning

Sonny's mom took him home for the winter yesterday. Before he got on the trailer he gave me the slobberiest nuzzle on my cheek. I really enjoyed having him here this summer, but I know his mom is glad to have him home. He may wish he were still here since now he's back with 3 mules and Curly Boy. Living with Condi and Penny was probably much more peaceful.

I had decided against her, but she's so nice...

Ow

Remember back at Santa Fe when Penny was spooking during dressage? She also spooked at every jump judge on XC. At first we thought she was spooky because she hurt because she needed her hocks done. Then the vet noticed the melanoma on her noggin and we thought she was spooking because of pain from bridle combined with hocks.

I haven't ridden her much since then, dragging my feet on getting her hocks done. They got done 10 days ago. The first five days you can't ride, then I couldn't ride. On Friday I took her for a long hack down the road. She was very spooky. There was smoke in the air from a wildfire, I thought that was it. She spooked at a trashcan in both directions. They were all her little spooks: step to the side to get in a better position to look at it, but she did a lot of them.

Today I got on her with the intention of riding the fence line. I hadn't been on her for five minutes when something made her spook so badly she ran. I fell off. I whacked my thigh pretty good. My head did make contact with the ground, but very lightly (I will be replacing my helmet anyway.)

My first thought is she now has a melanoma growing in her brain, making her spooky. The vet was kind enough to return my call today and said not to jump to that conclusion, that there's lots of other possibilities.

No rebound horses allowed

I started today thinking I was going to take Noodle on trial. Instead, I've now decided I'm not going to buy a new horse at all unless something absolutely perfect comes along.

The Taskmaster thinks I'm looking at horses so I don't have to think about the pain that goes along with the death of the dreams I had for Penny and I. Yeah, I'll go along with that. Thinking about a new horse is fun! and! exciting! Thinking about the pony sitting out in the barn that you've poured heart, soul, and money into is less than pleasant.

The horses I've been considering; they're nice. But, they're not nice enough to help me win at the AEC's (yes, I have big dreams.) There's a rider at most of the events I go to that wins BN every time she's there. I want a chance to beat her. I'd also like to go higher than BN someday, so my next horse must be capable of such feats.

I also realized today any equine I buy right now is going to be a "rebound" horse. I was so caught up in wanting something that just wasn't Penny and healthy that I forgot about my goals. I'd love a pony to have fun on, but I'd like something I can have fun on and kick ass. If there isn't a kicking ass component then I should not buy it.

Until such horse is found I have Bean to ride and we can start riding Meatball again next week. When all is said and done, Meatball is the horse I want to event. He just needs to get the nuances of jumping figured out.

Bays!

The Taskmaster rode N (who will be known as Noodle from here on out) today and watched me ride him. She really likes him, but is a bit concerned that he's quite downhill, as she worries he might not pick his feet up well enough to jump. Valid point, but Penny is more downhill than he is and she's a super jumper.

Banana's owner has decided to sell her again (she's changed her mind at least twice.) This leaves me with a dilemma. Banana is the superior horse, but I like Noodle better. I felt like I belonged on his back.

If N's owners allow he's going to go to the Taskmaster's for a month, so we can figure out how well he's going to jump. It's going to be the Battle of the Bays!

Potentials

Today I tried out three horses, two of which I'd be happy to own. They have the same father, who was a Breyer Horse, which is really cool (I'll reveal who that is if I do buy one of them.) They're local, so I know all the gossip about them (not much.)

This is A, he's 3. WTC, good on trails, even water. Has been shown dressage locally. Lovely movement. He's sort of in an awkward stage and lives with a stud colt that likes to chew on him.

This is N, he's 4. Same training A is getting, though he's a year further along. Accepts contact and trots around with a reasonable, though at this point inconsistent, frame. He's been free jumped 3' and has also been to a local dressage show.

They are both extremely snuggly and like to be loved on (so unlike Penny.)

Every horse can teach you something

I've returned to riding Ellie the One-Eyed Wonder after taking off the summer. Riding her is not as fun as it once was, because I've been spoiled by the Taskmaster's horses. She's just not very well trained. She's just a basics horse: go, stop, steer. She does leg yield, but doesn't have one of her canter leads. However, because she's an Icy she does tolt and that beats out a lot of her missing training.

I ride Miss Ellie bareback for the most part. 1) I'm lazy 2) It's good for me to ride someone bareback. I have noticed in the last two weeks a big change in my riding that developed over the summer. I am absolutely balanced on her without needing to clench my legs. I just sit up perfectly vertical regardless of what she's doing underneath me, legs loose down her sides.

This week I rode Ellie Weds and Bean on Thursday. Bean and I were working on our Secret Project and I did some trot that was so collected it was almost piaffe. As I sat there, my hands up, totally balanced on Bean I realized it was exactly how I sit on Ellie when she tolts.

The moral of this story (which I was already quite aware of:) every horse can teach you something.

The bulge

Found a better shot. The bulge at the intersection of browband and cheek is the melanoma. It's on the eye side of the intersection. There is a natural bulge there, which is why I didn't notice it for so long, but this is really quite giant.

Some pictures from Santa Fe