Tuesday, June 2, 2015

November to June


Ummm... It's June.

When the hell did that happen?

I feel like I was just trying to figure out my goals for fall and now it's Summer?

Did I mention it finally rained and went for 80* to 50*? I'm so thankful for the rain though!


I'm loving all these showing and event posts. Everyone is looking great! Can't wait to get out there, but I am definitely looking forward to a Hunter Pace we've got planned! My most recent adventure with the W/E team was a lesson with a local trainer at the barn she grew up.

Now my goal lately has been getting him to pick up his shoulder and bend through his corners then straightening out again. He's been kicking ass with this at home especially since I'm taking in a bit more contact and pushing him out of his comfort zone. It's helping. I relayed this to Q (we'll call him that) and we got straight to work.

Right away Brantley had some ADHD going. Okay, not some, more like, he was the definition of ADHD. "And we're walking... walking... vertical? No let's walk. Okay trot? Shit! That's a shelter. Crap! There's a horse in there. Okay mom, you want my nose into the fence and then my body going straight? Is that your leg? Wait... BIRD! What's that ticking noise?"

Q kept asking me to do things with my body but I honestly could not get a hold of my horse. I finally said, "Let me to try to get his brain working." Q was open to watch me work B in his small serpentines and mini figure-8's and finally I felt him start to focus. Getting grounded has started to become easier and easier for us so that helps.

Back to the rail and straight back to work - Brantley was a superstar.



I don't think either of us have worked that hard in a lesson situation in a long time and I can't wait to go back. By the end of the lesson we worked on a rounded rectangle at one side of the ring with halt to canter transitions. We started with our right lead because that I had full confidence he'd pick up just to introduce the exercise. We'd go around a circle to the right, deep into our corners, back up the center, halt, and then off we went to the left.

He'd want to stick his head, neck, and body in about 4 different directions and we'd have to straighten out around the corner and get the connection back. After a few times around, he was actually halting straight. I was really able to focus in on my body and pick up his shoulder with my own.

I'm ready to go back...

Amanda and I finally got to get together this weekend and she showed up to the barn for coffee with "no intention of riding". Psh... Like not riding was ever an option. It had been since last October that she had been on B and I wasn't sure if Jax was coming to play with Zoe sooo... This is what we got:


First ride back had to totally be in a rope halter. Yes, I made her flip it over his head.
And get on without a mounting block.

The best part of the ride was when she went to get off. Her normal jumping off experience with him is that he freaks out, but I told her if she goes nice and steady like he's a "normal" horse, he'll be fine. I took a moment or two to slowly show her how to do it... She looked at me funny as if to say, "Why are you showing me?" but seemed to shrug it off and go with the flow.

It was after she was on the ground and his cinch was loose that I told her there was a giant bomber type plane flying off in the distance... Close distance... Like close enough where it looked like it was going to touch the trees. Yeah... I forgot that there was an Air Show that day and Brantley wasn't freaked out about her getting off at all, but hey... They handled it well.

I have to work Friday so no lesson for me but it's a 50/50 chance of rain again and he's had the last two days off sooo, I can wait until next week for sure.

Oh... By the way... I had a meeting at work (for any interested) and let's just say that anything and everything I've been stressing about was put on the table. Hold back? Me? Not at all - I had even brought an empty backpack and told them I was fully prepared to empty my locker.

We'll see what the next few weeks bring - Think I can hold out until the end of the summer?

6 Comments:

At June 3, 2015 at 2:31 PM , Blogger emma said...

sounds like a great lesson! very cool too that the trainer was willing to sit and watch while you did what you know will work for bringing B's focus back. and good luck about work - hopefully they see things your way!

 
At June 4, 2015 at 9:20 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

What a great and productive lesson!

 
At June 4, 2015 at 11:01 PM , Blogger Madeline C. said...

It was really nice of him to let us do it. And thanks... I hope so too. Or better yet I hope I find something new!

 
At June 4, 2015 at 11:02 PM , Blogger Madeline C. said...

Hopefully it won't be the last!

 
At June 7, 2015 at 12:42 AM , Blogger Karley said...

Yeah great lesson!

Welcome to June lol!

 
At June 10, 2015 at 3:16 PM , Blogger Lauren said...

The lesson sounds like it went awesome!

 

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http://www.controlhaltdelete.com/ Tear Drop Winken: November to June

November to June


Ummm... It's June.

When the hell did that happen?

I feel like I was just trying to figure out my goals for fall and now it's Summer?

Did I mention it finally rained and went for 80* to 50*? I'm so thankful for the rain though!


I'm loving all these showing and event posts. Everyone is looking great! Can't wait to get out there, but I am definitely looking forward to a Hunter Pace we've got planned! My most recent adventure with the W/E team was a lesson with a local trainer at the barn she grew up.

Now my goal lately has been getting him to pick up his shoulder and bend through his corners then straightening out again. He's been kicking ass with this at home especially since I'm taking in a bit more contact and pushing him out of his comfort zone. It's helping. I relayed this to Q (we'll call him that) and we got straight to work.

Right away Brantley had some ADHD going. Okay, not some, more like, he was the definition of ADHD. "And we're walking... walking... vertical? No let's walk. Okay trot? Shit! That's a shelter. Crap! There's a horse in there. Okay mom, you want my nose into the fence and then my body going straight? Is that your leg? Wait... BIRD! What's that ticking noise?"

Q kept asking me to do things with my body but I honestly could not get a hold of my horse. I finally said, "Let me to try to get his brain working." Q was open to watch me work B in his small serpentines and mini figure-8's and finally I felt him start to focus. Getting grounded has started to become easier and easier for us so that helps.

Back to the rail and straight back to work - Brantley was a superstar.



I don't think either of us have worked that hard in a lesson situation in a long time and I can't wait to go back. By the end of the lesson we worked on a rounded rectangle at one side of the ring with halt to canter transitions. We started with our right lead because that I had full confidence he'd pick up just to introduce the exercise. We'd go around a circle to the right, deep into our corners, back up the center, halt, and then off we went to the left.

He'd want to stick his head, neck, and body in about 4 different directions and we'd have to straighten out around the corner and get the connection back. After a few times around, he was actually halting straight. I was really able to focus in on my body and pick up his shoulder with my own.

I'm ready to go back...

Amanda and I finally got to get together this weekend and she showed up to the barn for coffee with "no intention of riding". Psh... Like not riding was ever an option. It had been since last October that she had been on B and I wasn't sure if Jax was coming to play with Zoe sooo... This is what we got:


First ride back had to totally be in a rope halter. Yes, I made her flip it over his head.
And get on without a mounting block.

The best part of the ride was when she went to get off. Her normal jumping off experience with him is that he freaks out, but I told her if she goes nice and steady like he's a "normal" horse, he'll be fine. I took a moment or two to slowly show her how to do it... She looked at me funny as if to say, "Why are you showing me?" but seemed to shrug it off and go with the flow.

It was after she was on the ground and his cinch was loose that I told her there was a giant bomber type plane flying off in the distance... Close distance... Like close enough where it looked like it was going to touch the trees. Yeah... I forgot that there was an Air Show that day and Brantley wasn't freaked out about her getting off at all, but hey... They handled it well.

I have to work Friday so no lesson for me but it's a 50/50 chance of rain again and he's had the last two days off sooo, I can wait until next week for sure.

Oh... By the way... I had a meeting at work (for any interested) and let's just say that anything and everything I've been stressing about was put on the table. Hold back? Me? Not at all - I had even brought an empty backpack and told them I was fully prepared to empty my locker.

We'll see what the next few weeks bring - Think I can hold out until the end of the summer?