Uhggg!

 

Can I say it again? Uhhhhggg!

I am so tired. PCA had a fundraiser dinner on Saturday night and I ended up sick enough to not be able to eat and drink properly, but not sick enough to be able to miss it. It would have been a major issue had I missed it anyway.

Uhhhggg!

 

Somehow I managed to get put in charge of yet another fundraiser event, I swear I am going to leave the organization, but I can never quite bring myself to do it. Now I am stuck with planning this trail ride since I am doing it to get one horse person in perticular there (who is my friend) and because no one else in the organization is capable of putting together a trail ride like this. And of course after that we will be having our hike-a-thon again, and since I planned it last year, I guess I will have to do it this year too. What I really want is to go back to what I did in the begining, just being the secratery really.

 

Uhhhgg!

 

So I am only just now getting back to my normal sleep and self. My sickness has gotten better (thank goodness!) but I still have a sore throat. See I got this sore throat on I think Friday morning. It was really bad and it hurt to swallow. But it got better throughout the day. But on Saturday it got much worse and I was unable to swallow any food or water without great pain. I did eat, but not nearly enough. On Sunday I went through the day in a haze, not just because I was tired but also because my sore throat still hurt and I still couldn’t eat without pain. On Monday it was the worst. Even without eating anything I was in pain, it was horrible. It even woke me up in the middle of the night the pain was so bad. But apperently once its that bad it gets better because it felt much better yesterday and today. It no longer hurts to swallow, but I still have a sore throat and cough.

 

Uhhhggg!

But then I have had a cold for the last month and a half so its not much of a change.

 

Uhhhggg!!

 

So because of this event I haven’t ridden  Lucy in two weeks. Last week because I was too busy (although I did ride Fadzki, but that just made me want to ride Lucy even more) and this week because I haven’t had the energy to get up in the morning to ride.

 

Uhhhggg!

 

 

Well anyway, hopefully I’ll get back to my normal schedule soon and be riding Lucy in the mornings again.

Crazy week, and Hurrah for Spring!

 

I love spring, I just wish I had more time to enjoy it! Although part of what is making me so busy is horses, so I shouldn’t complain too much, but I still will!

Lucy is doing really, really well! I rode a couple more times on my trail at home doing flatwork last weekend and was very happy with her. Then I rode with my friend Ellie in Portola Valley. We rode up from the bottom of the mountain up to the top and had lunch at a resturant up there. Lu was a bit confused when I left her tied up with Firefly (and really cute little Morgan that I have ridden in the past), but she kept herself busy by staring ademendly at the firehouse close by. She kept up with Firefly really well (and she is in very good shape) and she floated when we trotted.

When I got back to town I unloaded her at my sisters and took her for a walk up and down the street. I would love to be driving her this summer so I need to get her used to town. My sister brought all the kids out with us and walked behind, which Lucy didn’t mind at all. She was very cool and composed about the whole walk.

On Saturday I rode with another endurance rider who’s horse I am going to be riding over the next year or so. She rode the horse I will be riding and I rode Lucy. Lucy was an angel and behaved herself really well, which was good because Fadzki did not! We decided it was him having not been out for a while and being out with a new horse, and a mare at that.

Daniella was very impressed with Lucy as a trail horse, and love hearing about how precieve Lucy, since I get very caught up in how I think she should behave and whatnot. I’m glad that I have brought her along nicely, espeshally now that I will have another baby around soon.

 

Today I rode Fadzki by myself at Daniella’s, first in the arena and then on the trail (her rode leads up to a really nice park for conditioning). He is still very tenative of me, and soooo slow! But I think that is because he doesn’t know me yet. Daniella wants him ridden on contact so that is taking some getting used to. I am suddenly really aware of Lucy’s smooth, flowing walk now! Or at least my body is! His walk is very rough and slow, and Daniella rides in a freeform which was a much wider twist then I am used to. So my body may be a bit beat up until it gets used to things. It certainly feels wasted today! But then I am REALLY busy right now.

Anyway, I am going to ride Lu tomorrow morning so I can enjoy a nice smooth pace before riding Fadzki again on Sunday.

 

I am really really busy right now because I got put in charge of a fundraiser dinner for PCA, AGAIN!! I am so tired of being put in charge of these things. And the really annoying thing is that I have agreed to put together a benefit trail ride later this year. Grrrr! But at least for  that I have friends that I know I can help from, and mostly I will be inviting my horse friends.

So right now I am really stressed and tired and can’t wait for Sunday, hopefully Fadzki will be easy to ride with the other horses and relaxing. After I get back from riding I am taking a nap. Seriously!

 

 

Well then, thats my very long update! Its getting close to the time for Georgie to be coming home and I am getting excited and a little worried about how I am going to fit everything in.

I don’t feel any older, just more tired

 

So yep, I had a birthday. Good old 21. I went to work, got yelled at, made macaroni for dinner and watched Lord Of The Rings. Very exciting.

But really, these days, getting older just feels like a farce. Like I am supposed to be older and wiser and more in control of my life. But it seems like every time I get close to being in control and happy, it all goes down the drain again.

 

I wish I had more to say on this subject, but oh well! I’ll be back with my weekend ride info!

 

 

Oh and as far as feeling tired, I HATE DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME!!

Whoah Nelly!

 

So I rode bareback yesterday. Yeah. Its hard to walk straight today. Initially I was thinking I would try to ride bareback twice a week to improve my sit trot and balance. But in consideration for my bum and Lucy’s back, I’m thinking once a week tops and maybe just without stirrups at first!

I did however get to ride all the way to the end of the trail. The flat spot out there is bigger and flatter then I remember. I think I might be able to use it!

I meant to trot and canter Lucy bareback but she didn’t want to canter. I think it was because I wasn’t well balanced. We did however trot for a really long time (she was happy to keep going and going) and I got to a chance to work on speeding her up and slowing her down through my seat.

 

I really wanted to ride this morning before the rain. But we stayed up till 2am last night and I just could not get out of bed. I slept waaayyy in! I really need to get proper amounts of sleep if I am going to ride on a regular basis. And Lucy really needs it. She generally is waiting at the gate when I go to feed in the morning, then while I am getting their grain she runs half way back up the pasture. When I bring the grain in she come charging back down the pasture to the spot where the big bucket is. Well this morning I was apperently taking too long because she came charging back down the hill, and straight at me! I actually had to jump out of the way!

Lucy is usually much better at respecting my space then that! I was too suprised to punish her and probably couldn’t in the mud anyway. But she deffinatly needs to get out and be worked more!

 

Hopefully going to go for a trail ride this weekend.

Lucy’s first horse show

 

This is from about two years ago, Lucy’s very first horse show. She was just getting sick at this time, it was about a month or so before she got rally sick and lost weight. But at this time she had very little energy, and my vet told me to “feed her more grain”. Ummm, not thats not the problem!

 

Anyway, I got lots of great photos from my old trainers husband who does professional photography.

This is what Loren took during dressage:

Warm up, way hunching here!

She’s um, pooing here! Not sure how putting my hands up in the air is helping!

I am unsure if we are walking or trotting here!

And cross county from the professional photographer:

Yep, Lucy isn’t into jumping over anything she can trot over!

Horrible position here!

 

Oh my goodness! Is that a real jump!? Or at least two legs of the ground at once!

OOO! Hay! Can I eat it mom?

Just had to show off my pretty braid

OMG a tiny fence! What on earth am I going to do!? Ok not sure what is with the terrified look on my face I have jumped that bigger jump next to our little puny jump a ton of times.

Still with the terrified look! But Lucy is as cool as a cucumber!

Love this picture! We look nice and together here.

This one is pretty cool too!

Umm, not only did I get left behind here, but I look like a beanpole!

I really like this picture, minus the RV in the backround.

Love that reach! Just wish she would actually jump!

I think this is funny!

 

Whoah!  A real jump!

Another pretty tail picture! And I think  this is a really interesting angle.

She just looks so pretty here!

Wow! Big trot!

Love, love, love this picture! I was soooo thrilled with her after our cross country course! She LOVED it!

 

Well that was our first show! We won 3rd in Cross Country which suprised my old trainer (she hasn’t worked with Lucy much)

Some thoughts on Lucy’s training

 

So, I haven’t been riding, due to one night over the weekend when Loren and I stayed up all night. It generally takes me a week or so to recover, provided I get normal sleep the whole time.

So getting up early to ride has been out, actually just getting up on time has been hard!

 

But I have been doing some thinking about Lucy’s training, eventing and endurance wise. And I have been reading some dressage articles (a few years ago when I was still getting dressage today, I went through all my old magazines and cut out all the interesting articles and put them into one big binder, its really handy!).

Conclusion number 1:

Lucy may not have been getting enough calories for the kind of work I was asking of her last Summer. Lucy only gets large amounts of grain in the winter to keep her weight up. I only feed more grain if I think her weight isn’t right. Maybe she won’t expend the energy out on the trail if she feels she doesn’t have the reserves to handle it. Maybe I am giving my horse too much credit! But I think I might continue giving her grain this Spring/Summer and see how she does.

Conclusion number 2:

If I am riding Lucy at home during the week, working on dressage training, then perhaps if I take her on a long trail ride once a week and do lots of trot/canter work, she might not hate trail work so much.

Conclusion number 3:

We are going to Shine and Shine Only in April! That will give us enough time to get her in shape (she should be fine for a 25 miler without a huge amount of conditioning) and should give Georgie enough time to settle in first. Then I can see if Lucy enjoys the competition enough to work through her not liking the conditioning aspect. I was pretty sure I would take her to one. If not Shine and Shine Only, then Fireworks.

Now I really need to ride! Yesterday was my birthday, and it was upsetting to not get to ride! So I am deffiantly going for a good ride this weekend and then get back to riding during the week next week.

Crazy ride!

 

It started out all normal and fun, and turned out very crazy and not so fun!

 

So I did a lot of trot/canter transistions, Lucy seems to really like moving out more. I am still having problems with my stirrup strap twisting at the canter, can’t figure that out! Lucy’s canter is so big and fast! I am hoping lots of trot/canter transitions will slow it down and collect it a bit.

She was so excited to canter that she picked up the canter on her own just before I was going to ask, very strange for Lucy!

 

Then further down the trail I got off to clear branches (its a bit beyond her to hold still for me while I am on her back right now).

And….

 

Its started dripping on us! Grrr it had been so pretty and nice out! So I threw my sweatshirt over my saddle to keep it from getting too wet while I continued clearing.

 

Then….

 

Boom!!! Huge long clap of thunder that scared the living daylights out of Lucy and I. Eli was the only one not scared! Lucy spooked and got all bug eyed, and for some reason the thunder made me really nervous (no idea why!).

So (leading a rather antsy Lucy) we heading home.

 

It started raining harder. So out of concern for my saddle I mounted back up.

 

Then….

 

It started hailing. And I am not talking little tiny friendly sized hail, no I’m talking decent sized pieces of ice.

Hitting my arms and Lucy’s neck.

My arms got rather red and sore.

 

The only good thing is that it was warm for hail so I wasn’t too cold despite the fact that my sweatshirt was under my bum!

 

Yep, crazy ride!

Frustrated, but riding

 

So I am finally riding on a regular basis again! But I am very frustrated!

 

First, my total awesome discovery!

Lucy gets bored on the trail and needs more to do and think about.

Obviously this is something that should have occurred to me before, and in a way it did. I was aware that Lucy was getting bored riding on the same trail all the time, but it hadn’t occurred to me that the reason she doesn’t like trail riding as much is because there is very little to do.

Anyway, this gives me a great opportunity to start her driving and get back into eventing. IF I had an arena that is. Yep, that's the rub!

 

This week I have ridden three times and am having fun working on transition and whatnot out on the trail, but every time I think how much better we could be doing in an arena. I do have a couple options open to me:

- Convince my dad to clear an arena, we have two spots that might work but would require cleaning, tractor work and tree falling.

- Trailer out to a friends house a couple times a week. I have two barns close by that have arenas. One is about 15 minutes away, I used to board there but had some issues with the owner. We are still friends and get along and she is ok with me using the arena. The other place is about 30 minutes away. I board here on and off and am very good friends with the owner, but she drives me crazy! He arena is waayyy nicer, but the weather at her place can be a lot worse then the other. I also owe her money, so I am hesitant to ask her any favors.

 

So one way or another I am going to work in an arena or whatever I can find! Even if I end up boarding again for a while, THAT would get my dad going on putting in an arena!

 

So my rides! They were fun! Mostly I am concentrating on using my seat to influence Lucy’s speed and gait. She is pretty good, but not consistent. Some times she will transition down from a walk to a halt just from my seat, no reins, other times I have to give her lots of reminders. I am also working on walk/trot transitions and trot speed. Her trot is very fast and strung out right now so I prefer to not sit trot, plus my body is a bit out of practice in that area! Hehe! This morning we did some  trot/canter transitions, its been a while since I asked her to canter out other a long stretch, rather then just a stride or two. She seemed to really like it! I love when she has energy!My canter aids suck, so our transitions are horrible! But its something to be worked on!

Considering how much time she has had off lately, I think she is doing quite well!  I on the other hand need to get in shape and work on my position badly!

So far we are staying together and somewhat in rhythm about 50 to 60% of the time. Quite often, especially during transitions and the trot, I kinda fall apart and loose contact and are whole rhythm is thrown off. BUT I am not doing so bad regaining the rhythm and balance. And hey, its kinda hard to keep a good rhythm and balance when going up and down hills and dodging branches!

I have been working on retraining her the leg yield aids, but she is very antsy. I think I will do some groundwork with her on that to help her remember.

 

So far my plan for trail riding is to go on a real trail ride (where we don’t work on transitions or anything) once a week with someone else whenever possible. And in new places whenever possible. That way when I do take her out for solo trail rides, it won’t seem quite so boring. Hopefully.

Defining moment

 

Or an “ah ha” moment! I had one just the other day.

 

Loren and I got home late from his parents house where we were celebrating his brothers birthday. I went out to feed the horses. My flashlight was not cooperating at all! The battery and the bulb were both dieing. So I was struggling through the muck with an armful of hay and hardly any light. When the horses came down to eat Lucy was shivering so I decided I better put her blanket on her. She was suprisingly good about holding still for that, she doesn’t always like holding still for the blanket. It always amazes me how much trust our horses put into us. I can throw this huge blanket over her back and she barely flinches. And it always amazes me how much trust we put into our horses, I can stand right before my horse and reach between her legs for the leg straps and know that she would never kick me (withstanding any outside influences, in other words if something were to spook her from behind), that in fact she will stand perfectly at ease while I connect everything.

 

Anyway, even though it was raining, and dark and late and cold, I really didn’t want to leave my horses. I was just so happy being with them. Lately I have been getting home late and not always feeding because I am dead tired or its raining out. I feed them extra in the morning but its not really acceptable to let them go that long without food in front of them. I have always taken the best care of my horses that I can. So missing dinner feedings will not be happening anymore, my horses did not choose to come live with me, but I would like to think that they are in a better then usual situation for horses.

 

Anyway, it made be realize just how much I need to be with my horses. Even if I am not riding them.

Wet weekend

 

So I was dead set on riding this weekend, but not till Sunday because I really didn’t want to get my new saddle wet.

 

I got my new saddle wet.

 

What ended up happening is that on Saturday morning I went into town to do some e-mailing and it was just so beautiful that I decided to ride then and drive Huck on Sunday.

Lucy was so energetic! She was practicly trotting down the trail as soon as I got on. I think being fed grain and having not been ridden for a while made her more excited. When we did trot though it made it even more obvious how much I need to work on balancing her since she would throw me forward whenever she came down from the trot.

I was worried about getting the front of my saddle wet whenever we went under a branch that had drops of water on it. I was very upset whenever a drop landed on the saddle. I should have saved my anxiety.

I ended up turning around at one point because the trail was overgrown with broom (a non-native shrub that grows to be just over the height of Lucy) and I knew it would be totally full of water. Normally that would not deter me, but with my new saddle I wasn’t taking any chances. As it turned out it was all for naught anyway. It started raining on us barely a minute after we turned around. It was very upsetting!

Lucy, it turns out, does not like being out in the rain, which is funny because I have ridden her in the rain before without problems. But on Saturday she was either very energetic or just really not wanting to get wet. She actually came close to taking off with me at one point! She kept trying to trot then when I leaned down to go under some low hanging branches she decided to start trotting and didn’t listen right away when I asked to walk. That is Lucy taking off!

 

Anyway, it didn’t turn out so bad! It turns out my saddle can handle getting rained on better then I expected.

There were a couple of things I didn’t like about the saddle:

1. I was very concerned about the fit. The panels seemed to be digging into her shoulders a bit before I got on, but once my weight was in the saddle they eased up considerably.

2. The panels come very close to sitting on her spine. I kept feeling it and it didn’t feel as if they were, but I am still a little concerned about that, a longer ride will show better.

3. Because the panels are so long I ended up placing the saddle further back on her back then I would have liked. I think I can move it forward the next ride since I now know that the panels will ease up once I am in the saddle.

4. When going down hill the back of the saddle made an odd thumping sound. I am pretty sure it was one of the back rotator things (what connects the flex panel to the saddle tree). I could feel it if I put my hand on the panel and Lucy didn’t seem to like it much. I am going to take the booties off and see if I can find what was moving.

 

Other then that, the saddle was amazing! Very comforitable and well balanced. I will hold out judgment on how well it fits until I go on a longer ride and can assess her sweat marks.

 

 

Sunday

Sunday was way fun! I took all the horses out to eat grass by the generator shed. Everyone was pretty happy since I also fed them their grain out on the driveway so they didn’t have to stand in mud to eat it.

 

I took Huck to town to drive. I cannot wait until I can get him long lining and driving in an arena so I can figure out why he is so crooked in the cart. It may be an adjustment on his harness but either way I think he would benefit from some long lining work. Which I need to do to prepare him and Ollie for Tandem driving anyway.