Unfortunately it's been raining quite a bit lately, which is great for the grass and greenery and whatnot but awful for my nerves for not getting Oops out there to school cross country yet... and I sent in my entry for Morven today! Yikes. He's gotten into really good conditioning shape and all but we haven't really gotten out there to gallop or school fences from a gallop and it's freeeaking me out. It's nice (and so helpful) to have someone on the ground helping you every time you jump, but when you only jump once or twice a week, it's hard to work on what you need to over and over again so it becomes muscle memory. I had a great lesson today, but all I want to do now is keep jumping and working on all the mistakes I made before I forget how it's suppose to be! But I can't do that so I'm just going to have to work on the flat and pray that it translates into my jumping habits quickly. I also looked at my bank statement tonight (something I rarely do because it depresses me) and discovered that I am officially broke. Not just like kinda scraping close to bottom, but literally rock bottom broke, so THAT'S cool. And it just so happens this is when I'm finding more and more things I need/want for show season. This is when it would be handy to work somewhere I can make money.
Other than my financial downfall, Oops is really getting back into the dressage mindset faster than in previous years. He is now fully clipped and I had to buy him a neck blanket cover because he was coming in very cold from his nights out in the paddock. And Al jumped the other day!! The first time since before he was injured last summer, he was so lazy about it, which shouldn't have really surprised me.
I'm doing everything humanly possible to delay these college applications any longer but if I don't do them now I may not be going back to school this fall!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Where to begin!?
Well seeing as I haven't been so good at keeping this up to date, there is a whole bunch to review. It's about 1:30 in the morning of my first day off in almost two weeks- that's how busy we've been around the barn lately. Oops' much anticipated arrival (on my behalf) finally happened the first weekend of this month. I have to give credit to my dad for starting to get him back into shape because he got here and jumped right into conditioning and was so happy to be working again. It really has made all the difference having him here, it's what gets me up in the morning knowing I'll be able to be around him and ride him every day. And he's coming back this season so much better than I expected, although of course it helps that I have some of the best horse people around telling me what to do! Sharon helped us jumping a few times before she left for Florida for a month and believes we should be able to head to our first Prelim at the end of April!! So scary and incredible at the same time. We picked out a few shows to start off my season this year before I head back to NH. Hillary and Tim have been helping us jumping since Sharon left and Oops just keeps improving- it's incredible to see the difference in his jumping just from how I've improved from being here. If we keep this up, I know we'll be ready for the Prelim, although I'm also a wee bit nervous. He's so tiny! I want to start cross country schooling to get rid of all my nerves for the ditches and coffins but with this last little bit of snow we've gotten, and then the sudden thawing, the ground is just not up for it yet. Luckily we've got about 10 weeks to calm me down! The more and more time I spend here though the more I find new and improved tack and gear that I need for Oops. I've discovered the benefits of the infamous KK bits (there goes another $120) among other things I've combined into a shopping list for my day off tomorrow.
Al has been doing so well lately too. We've been struggling a little bit lately with the canter work (our trot work has gotten tremendously better) but I guess that will all come with time. He has such a bouncy, lofty trot that's pretty tough to sit to, but I've been trying so hard because I feel like if I can sit his trot, I can sit any trot; and today we finally got it right! He felt so great. I wish every ride always felt that good, but then they wouldn't be that special.
I'm almost done with all my college applications, thank god. It's really the last thing I feel like doing when I get home from work but it obviously has to be done. Lots of my days off have been (partially) devoted to doing those essays, emailing my sister back and forth, correcting and editing her essays while she does the same for me. I finally took a break from all that and went to DC for the first time since I've gotten down here in October! It was great, the family and I went to the Smithsonian and up to the top of the Washington Monument, which I didn't even know you could do. I got to wear normal people clothes and sit down to eat lunch, which is a change of pace if I've ever seen one.
We had quite the warm spell last week where it reached 72 one day. It was so nice, everyone was riding in tshirts and we had all the windows and doors open. It made me want summer so badly! I do love the winter and snow, but while I'm here riding and working outside all day every day, I'd appreciate winter to be over asap.
There are probably a number of other things I've left out, but it's almost 2 am and I have to get up in 6 hours to call the vet so he can go out to give Oops some of his vaccines! Oh how horses never rest...
Al has been doing so well lately too. We've been struggling a little bit lately with the canter work (our trot work has gotten tremendously better) but I guess that will all come with time. He has such a bouncy, lofty trot that's pretty tough to sit to, but I've been trying so hard because I feel like if I can sit his trot, I can sit any trot; and today we finally got it right! He felt so great. I wish every ride always felt that good, but then they wouldn't be that special.
I'm almost done with all my college applications, thank god. It's really the last thing I feel like doing when I get home from work but it obviously has to be done. Lots of my days off have been (partially) devoted to doing those essays, emailing my sister back and forth, correcting and editing her essays while she does the same for me. I finally took a break from all that and went to DC for the first time since I've gotten down here in October! It was great, the family and I went to the Smithsonian and up to the top of the Washington Monument, which I didn't even know you could do. I got to wear normal people clothes and sit down to eat lunch, which is a change of pace if I've ever seen one.
We had quite the warm spell last week where it reached 72 one day. It was so nice, everyone was riding in tshirts and we had all the windows and doors open. It made me want summer so badly! I do love the winter and snow, but while I'm here riding and working outside all day every day, I'd appreciate winter to be over asap.
There are probably a number of other things I've left out, but it's almost 2 am and I have to get up in 6 hours to call the vet so he can go out to give Oops some of his vaccines! Oh how horses never rest...
Thursday, January 20, 2011
What Do I Want To Be When I Grow Up?
What a loaded question. I don't really ever want to grow up, actually, so ideally I shouldn't have to answer it at all. I'm trying to apply to schools right now (very unsuccessfully I might add) and I just can't decide what path I want to be on. I want to be in school in New England because I love it there and it's exactly where I need to live right now but depending on where I go to school will impact/limit my riding capabilities. Farther north is somewhat correlated to fewer resources, which means I have to work harder to maintain my riding and not lose it for the rest of college. Or do I want to take a mini-hiatus every semester to really focus on just being a college kid and enjoying my freedom? GAH I just don't know. Laura brought up an idea tonight while we were talking on the phone that I could even look at schools around the area I'm in now (there are a ton in the PA/DC/VA area that are really good) and continue to ride at the barn here during the school year, which is obviously another option tonight that I hadn't really explored yet. But I don't know how I feel about that; my embarrassing homesick attitude has definitely lessened since Thanksgiving time but after Wake last year I decided I wanted to be back in the good old north country, wearing flannel and getting snow days. I love snow days and I have to say that's one of the best parts of being in school is that they're actually and option. We got a ton of freezing rain the other day and my little cousins had a 'snow' day, but nope not me, I had to drag myself out in that weather to take care of the ponies.
I've been working on my position constantly in my rides, with lots of help from Tim and Sharon but also trying to discipline myself. I've been doing flatwork without stirrups for my seat, and Tim makes me canter and look up (and I'm not kidding you here) right at the ceiling so I feel like I'm falling backwards, but he says that's exactly where I need to be. It's so hard trying to break those bad habits. Tying my stirrups to my girth has helped quite a bit too I might add, even though I find this to be the most uncomfortable and difficult while I'm actually riding because my legs don't typically bend that way, but it does keep my toes forward and my legs wrapped around the horse and I feel more secure that way. I had a jumping lesson last night and worked on keeping my rhythm; Sharon made me yell out very loudly and sternly my beat as I went around the gridwork and little course. I'm beginning to feel more confident in my jumping and riding (minus a little fall off Izzy last weekend) which I really needed because I was beginning to wonder what I was doing here. I guess it pays to stick it out sometimes!
While I could ramble for ever and it's my day off tomorrow, my eyelids are almost drooped over my eyes completely and I'm beginning to get a headache. I guess my college apps and that speeding ticket can wait til tomorrow...
I've been working on my position constantly in my rides, with lots of help from Tim and Sharon but also trying to discipline myself. I've been doing flatwork without stirrups for my seat, and Tim makes me canter and look up (and I'm not kidding you here) right at the ceiling so I feel like I'm falling backwards, but he says that's exactly where I need to be. It's so hard trying to break those bad habits. Tying my stirrups to my girth has helped quite a bit too I might add, even though I find this to be the most uncomfortable and difficult while I'm actually riding because my legs don't typically bend that way, but it does keep my toes forward and my legs wrapped around the horse and I feel more secure that way. I had a jumping lesson last night and worked on keeping my rhythm; Sharon made me yell out very loudly and sternly my beat as I went around the gridwork and little course. I'm beginning to feel more confident in my jumping and riding (minus a little fall off Izzy last weekend) which I really needed because I was beginning to wonder what I was doing here. I guess it pays to stick it out sometimes!
While I could ramble for ever and it's my day off tomorrow, my eyelids are almost drooped over my eyes completely and I'm beginning to get a headache. I guess my college apps and that speeding ticket can wait til tomorrow...
Monday, January 10, 2011
There goes another month
I really thought I'd be a lot better at updating this than I am. Well let's see how I can condense a month into a few gripping paragraphs...
Steph came down the 23rd of last month through the 26th and we had Christmas together which was great- work was slow as everyone else was basically gone so all the horses had a few days off. We got to road trip to Middleburg for Sharon, but Steph, Alyssa and I made an afternoon out of it instead and I have to say Middleburg might be one of the most picturesque towns ever. I brought all my riding stuff with me the week I was home over New Years but I didn't end up riding at all, I should've guessed my motivation would peter out. Oops should be here in about 3 weeks now! I can't wait to get him going again and to get him into shape for show season, I have high hopes for us this summer as long as I can stay on my game and keep pushing myself (he does whatever I ask; he's that fantastic. It's me that needs to keep going). My rides have been going in and out here at the barn- now that we've added another rider to the mix, my rides dwindle more than I'd like them too, which is part of the reason it will be nice to have Oops here, so I have at least my horse every day that I know I'll be riding.
It's crazy the way my days have completely flipped though since arriving here. Last week I rode 3-6 horses a day, including one of Kristin Bachmans' little prelim mares who is a little trickier but I loved riding while she was away for the week. Today Linda Zang came and did a dressage clinic at the barn for most of the day; I got to watch a bunch of great riders while I was 'working'. How great is that? It's been a bit cold lately and I think my toes got frostbitten today while I was watching but they warmed right back up when it was time to do dinner chores.
My riding has improved in LEAPS and BOUNDS but is obviously still not where I'd like it to be. Riding so many more horses a day gives me such an opportunity to practice more and more but I wish I could just ride all day every day. I want to be so good and watching all these great riders at the barn daily motivates me so much and I just wish I had all the free time in the world to keep working at it. I almost feel bad for my horses this summer because they don't really know what they have coming yet, they're going to be working so much harder than they have ever had to prior. I need to make sure I stay up on getting lots of lessons too this summer, I never set up jumping lessons for myself but am now realizing just how much that handicapped me for all my previous years. How typical, to learn and gain the wisdom after you needed it the most.
Peace out girl scouts
Steph came down the 23rd of last month through the 26th and we had Christmas together which was great- work was slow as everyone else was basically gone so all the horses had a few days off. We got to road trip to Middleburg for Sharon, but Steph, Alyssa and I made an afternoon out of it instead and I have to say Middleburg might be one of the most picturesque towns ever. I brought all my riding stuff with me the week I was home over New Years but I didn't end up riding at all, I should've guessed my motivation would peter out. Oops should be here in about 3 weeks now! I can't wait to get him going again and to get him into shape for show season, I have high hopes for us this summer as long as I can stay on my game and keep pushing myself (he does whatever I ask; he's that fantastic. It's me that needs to keep going). My rides have been going in and out here at the barn- now that we've added another rider to the mix, my rides dwindle more than I'd like them too, which is part of the reason it will be nice to have Oops here, so I have at least my horse every day that I know I'll be riding.
It's crazy the way my days have completely flipped though since arriving here. Last week I rode 3-6 horses a day, including one of Kristin Bachmans' little prelim mares who is a little trickier but I loved riding while she was away for the week. Today Linda Zang came and did a dressage clinic at the barn for most of the day; I got to watch a bunch of great riders while I was 'working'. How great is that? It's been a bit cold lately and I think my toes got frostbitten today while I was watching but they warmed right back up when it was time to do dinner chores.
My riding has improved in LEAPS and BOUNDS but is obviously still not where I'd like it to be. Riding so many more horses a day gives me such an opportunity to practice more and more but I wish I could just ride all day every day. I want to be so good and watching all these great riders at the barn daily motivates me so much and I just wish I had all the free time in the world to keep working at it. I almost feel bad for my horses this summer because they don't really know what they have coming yet, they're going to be working so much harder than they have ever had to prior. I need to make sure I stay up on getting lots of lessons too this summer, I never set up jumping lessons for myself but am now realizing just how much that handicapped me for all my previous years. How typical, to learn and gain the wisdom after you needed it the most.
Peace out girl scouts
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