Saturday, July 23, 2011
Happyhappyhappy
I love my mare I love my mare I love my mare I love my mare. And the new barn, and my trainer, and all of the lovely little things that go along with horse ownership. I will post something coherent later.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Bleh
So yesterday's ride was nothing short of a clusterf***, and hrgh. Just bad, and entirely my fault. I am in a bit of a rush to get things under way for BoTB this year- hoping to move up to 2'3 with her. Obviously, rushing training does NOTHING but make things more difficult.
See, Bunny has a dirty stop to her. It's generally my fault, i.e. I drop her in front of the fence or am not committed to a distance, but nonetheless she can slam on the brakes. I think HER confidence is a little rattled, and mine has never been 100% so it makes for a less than ideal situation. In my wee little brain, I thought, "Hey! Let's set up a gymnastic and set the final fence to 2'3! Yay!" So I did, not taking into account the fact that a.) Bunny has not been able to open her stride up to 12' yet as she is out of shape, and b.) she had not been over that fence before. So you can imagine how this went- she overjumped it by abooouuuut two feet. I got left, only reinforcing her nervousness. Second time through she tried to run out and I got her with my spur in time, but got left again. Third time, she said "Oh HELL no!" and came to a screeching halt. I stayed on fine, but ugh.
So we went through it the other way without any horrible issues. I lowered it for the rest of the work, and we toddled on merrily without issue. I figured I would take her over the outside single a few times and get it over with, so we trotted up to it, she overjumped, I grabbed mane but still got left. Second time, she hit it, which rattled her. I put it down so it was just the flower box for the third time, which she jumped fine, but the next time I came to it she tried to run at it two strides out then slid to a stop, launching me over her shoulder. Hrgh. I smacked her, jumped back on, and spent the next brief eternity coaxing her over it from a walk. Miserable.
See, Bunny has a dirty stop to her. It's generally my fault, i.e. I drop her in front of the fence or am not committed to a distance, but nonetheless she can slam on the brakes. I think HER confidence is a little rattled, and mine has never been 100% so it makes for a less than ideal situation. In my wee little brain, I thought, "Hey! Let's set up a gymnastic and set the final fence to 2'3! Yay!" So I did, not taking into account the fact that a.) Bunny has not been able to open her stride up to 12' yet as she is out of shape, and b.) she had not been over that fence before. So you can imagine how this went- she overjumped it by abooouuuut two feet. I got left, only reinforcing her nervousness. Second time through she tried to run out and I got her with my spur in time, but got left again. Third time, she said "Oh HELL no!" and came to a screeching halt. I stayed on fine, but ugh.
So we went through it the other way without any horrible issues. I lowered it for the rest of the work, and we toddled on merrily without issue. I figured I would take her over the outside single a few times and get it over with, so we trotted up to it, she overjumped, I grabbed mane but still got left. Second time, she hit it, which rattled her. I put it down so it was just the flower box for the third time, which she jumped fine, but the next time I came to it she tried to run at it two strides out then slid to a stop, launching me over her shoulder. Hrgh. I smacked her, jumped back on, and spent the next brief eternity coaxing her over it from a walk. Miserable.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Thinking out loud.
Hmm. I have been looking into sports psychology a lot lately as I really need to get a handle on my show ring anxiety. I just always blow my first class, and hrgh! have issues over fences. Flat classes are my love- Bunny and I almost always pin and have a good time, but jumping just wigs me out a little. See, I KNOW she will go over anything I point her at if I just take it easy, but I always pick pick pick before the fence and it shakes her up, resulting in bad distances and the occasional involuntary dismount.
This particularly involves my twitchy desire to move up to 2'6, because I mean it's freaking tiny and I am sick of toodling around with the little kids, but at the same time I get so nervous. I mean, it's just three inches higher and it's not like Bunny cares, but gawd, as soon as I see it looming it looks a foot taller. And then I like to pick fences to be scared of, which makes her unsure of herself. I have been riding for SIX. YEARS. There is no reason for me to continue being anxious.
I am leaning toward going out and DOING IT. Just doing it until she and I are used to it. But then I worry that she will stop and then it will ruin both of our confidence. I just don't know. I might do some gymnastics and set the last fence to 2'6, and then make it an oxer since she and I both have distance issues with oxers. Hmmm.
Anyways, here is some footage of our first jump school since March. My equitation is pretty nasty- I need to fix my release and the hunching.
This particularly involves my twitchy desire to move up to 2'6, because I mean it's freaking tiny and I am sick of toodling around with the little kids, but at the same time I get so nervous. I mean, it's just three inches higher and it's not like Bunny cares, but gawd, as soon as I see it looming it looks a foot taller. And then I like to pick fences to be scared of, which makes her unsure of herself. I have been riding for SIX. YEARS. There is no reason for me to continue being anxious.
I am leaning toward going out and DOING IT. Just doing it until she and I are used to it. But then I worry that she will stop and then it will ruin both of our confidence. I just don't know. I might do some gymnastics and set the last fence to 2'6, and then make it an oxer since she and I both have distance issues with oxers. Hmmm.
Anyways, here is some footage of our first jump school since March. My equitation is pretty nasty- I need to fix my release and the hunching.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
New barn... again, lol.
Moved her out to Patti's, finally. I had wanted to for so long! Bunny got a three month break in my spring semester, hence the lack of updates- there were really none to give. Just recently brought her back into work. There is a big ECQHA show down the road from the new barn, and I am thinking of taking her for the miles. I dunno. Anyways, here is some from today's ride. She was a titch ouchy from her trim but warmed up out of it. Didn't do anything strenuous for that reason. Boy, I am loving that indoor!
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