Hard work, strict discipline, long hours and really sore legs are what its taking to achieve the riding improvements that I am getting:) What does this all consist of? well...today I got to ride Lucas in 2 point, THE WHOLE TIME. The only time my bottom was allowed to touch the saddle was when I was walking. I say, that was one of the hardest and best workouts I have ever had. The pain from one half hour ride was as bad as a 2 hour work out for wrestling...my legs will definitely be very strong.
Rode Zena yesterday and today, yesterday we did some baby gymnastics. Today was flat work. Yesterday was the first time she had ever seen a bounce in her life and she was NOT going through it...needless to say she went through it, after about 4 tries of slamming on the brakes and a 5th try of her clumsily going through it pulling the whole thing down. Talk about embarrassing. The singles we did at the beginning were really good for the most part though. We worked on our forwardness to the jump and leaving the jump at more than a lazy trot...and to think I was worried last summer about her rushing jumps. sigh. Her flat work is improving as I improve. She is smart and I am glad for that because I don't think any other horse could re-figure me out as fast as she does, both good and bad. It is a constant discussion between us about which doors are open for her to pop who knows what out, at every chance she gets, its good thing though. she keeps me on my toes:P
I also rode Santiago (The Arab) yesterday and today. We had two TOTALLY different rides. Yesterday he was really good, and allowed me to work on me. I think I rode at least 1/2 that ride without stirrups. But it was good for me because my seat improved greatly. along with the steadiness of my lower leg, which I did not realize, but I have been riding with it pulled out away from the horses barrel trying to touch the horse as little as possible...I think it came from riding Amy enough. She practically launches out of her own skin if you do anything more than lightly brush her sides.
Anyways, today's ride was a completely different story...all the jumps from the day before had been torn down for a few days of flat work, and the jumps are, of course, more scary when they are off to the side minding their own business. so we started out by lunging for at least 5-10min. I then got on him and he was a little better, we started out with easy stuff that he knows, then we added in some serpentines and some leg yielding and some extended trot (posting), and just about the time I was going to let him be done he decided he too tired to go a few more steps before doing a nice quality down transition, and he decided to slam on the brakes and spook at all the jumps along the wall...so he got to canter around the ring until he stopped spooking at the walls. by the time he stopped he was looking straight ahead and not even flicking an ear at the "scary jump stuff." I felt bad about working him that long but the point had to be made that he is not aloud to start spooking at things when he gets tired and wants to stop.
One other thing that I should tell about before I go to bed and nuggle with my pillow for some much needed sleep.I rode Lucas yesterday also, for a short bit, and had a very condensed version of a jumping lesson on him:) Karen's comment was that I had a lot of natural talent and all we needed to do was some concentrated refinement:) Woot! Lucas took the whole gymnastic line like a pro:P well I guess he does pretty much know what he was doing;) here's what the line consisted of (Zena only did the in'n'out bounce in the middle): X to one stride to a triple X bounce to a one stride straight bar:) so it was in, one, bounce, bounce, bounce, one, out. not that complicated and pretty easy to ride...the jumps were small though. I want to jump BIGGER!!! GAH!!! my day will come. I just want it to get her faster dang it!!! lol ok my little "I want, I want" rant is over. I am going to bed now, good night everyone!!!
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