a reality check

It took over a week to drive to Maine from LA. This is partly because I took the extended route through Texas in order to pay a visit to my first horse, Sneezie, who is retired there on an amazing ranch close to Dallas called Camp Rusk. It is opperated by John Gammon, a very nice southern gentleman who runs his ranch in such a manner that keeps all the horses in impeccable shape, and very happy. Sneezie was certainly looking very well-he is king of his designated herd, and no other horse is fool enough to challenge this. He has a good 200 pounds on any other equine in his family I'd say!

Over all it was a fun but sometimes grueling road trip..roughly 4,000 miles with the detour through Texas. We only got stopped once, by a cop who was clearly bored with his life and saw two young girls in a car with California plates, so he thought he'd give us a little scare to break up the monotony of his pointless existence. Poor fool. Other than that, and me scaring the daylights out of a hapless cleaning lady..(long story, and too embarrassing to post here)..our trip was pretty uneventful. We made a stop to see the king in Graceland, saw Nashville and Shenandoah Valley, along with other cool landmarks. We tried strange food, and stepped on the Texarcana state line, brought my fiendish feline into every restaurant we stopped at (without contestation), and took some fun candid pictures. 

Now is where it gets interesting. Obviously the whole point of me moving back to New England was for my lovely mare, Clever-MY horse for real! and my first ride on her since being here happened on Thursday. Now, forgive my naivety in thinking our instant connection from last month's clinic would still be there when I rode her this time! Boy there's really nothing like a horse (especially a Clever one) to bring you down a few notches and keep you humble! I wouldn't say it was a disastrous ride; but she certainly gave me a run for my money. She decided my attempts to steer with a bridged rein were not going to work for her..so we had quite a few runouts and beelines to the gate, that little devil! Her previous owner was instructing me while she rode as well, and after awhile Clever behaved better.

My second ride on Friday was slightly worse. What's more, We had Olympic trainer/rider Dottie Morkis teaching us, and I can say i was quite embarrassed by my seemingly complete lack of knowledge in what I was doing. I found it fairly difficult not to get completely frustrated; but somehow kept my sense of humor. Although Dottie must have been way less than impressed, she was still very encouraging and had lots of good tips for me. I will continue to train with her weekly, and I have high hopes that Clever and I will be back on the same page in short time. 

Now, aside from my stung pride and feeling of insult from a horse who less than a month ago gladly gave me the world the first time riding her, I am suffering from the pressure of a very big recognized show that I am expected to be ready for..and that takes place in one month. As if it's not enough to feel like my horse is over me, I must learn and perfect a Grade 3 test in less than 30 days, which means moves that I have very little experience with and proving that I'm not an idiot for thinking I am good enough to have taken this risk. Surprisingly enough, despite my first 2 less than wonderful rides, I still think I can do well. Dottie is a big part of that confidence; when I asked her, rather sheepishly, whether she could have me ready to show at the HITS Saugerties show in NY in a month, she replied with utmost confidence and no hesitation, "of course." She also said that I must be prepared to work very hard..which I'd planned on already, so it was nice to be assured like that. Anyway, bootcamp has begun. My schedule is to be riding every single day, at least from now until Saugerties, and when I'm not in the barn, I am expected to be in the gym. On top of that, my diet is being closely monitored with high protein and extreme hydration. Welcome folks, to my real Olympic journey. It all starts with bootcamp! If all goes as expected I will compete in Long Island at the huge Saugerties show in one month. Wish us luck!

a gold sparkle and leopard trim flymask depicts the diva's personality perfectly!

crazy, exciting LIFE

WELL everybody, it's happened-I have acquired an FEI level horse (for REAL!!) and made the move back across the country for said horse, in order to take my shot in the competitive para sport. Now, as my best friend Jayme told me, "some people move across country for a man, Elle, but nothing short of a horse could move you." 

the face that moved me 4000 miles

Truer words were never spoken. And what a mare she is! I gushed about her in the last post, but as i'm sure my readers will agree, having a horse (MY HORSE!) to gush about warrants, well, gushing. My Clever girl is a beauty unparalleled...strong backed and proud, correctly built; a super sport horse. her Hanoverian lines evident in her flashy moves and muscled neck.

a never-before tried shoulder-in

 The touch of Thoroughbred in her dam's side gives her that extra fire which promises both the thrill of unpredictability and superior athleticism. Her great-great? granddam on the dam's side was the Hall-of Fame TB Ballycor. She was one of the top event horses the wold has ever seen, one of 9 eventers in the USEA hall of fame..and it shows in Clever's abilities. She herself was the number 2 eventer at her level in the nation several years ago. Anyway, now you have an idea of the ride i've been blessed with..and the reason to forsake the Gold coast and return to my rather gloomier origins. totally worth it! 

super forward canter

I drove across the country in 9 days with one of my best friends..and we had quite an adventure. We traveled roughly 1200 miles out of our way to Dallas in order to pay a visit to my first horse, now retired..it was a lovely visit and i'm thrilled to pieces that he remembered me!! we passed through the southern route and stopped in several memorable places, including Flagstaff, Texarcana and Memphis; where Jayme fulfilled one of her bucketlist items by popping into the home of the King, Graceland. making our way up the eastern seaboard was very scenic, we went through NYC and Boston, and finally, 4,000+ miles later, we arrived safely (surprise) in Belfast, ME. that's where i am now, as it drizzles outside, and my mom sits by the window knitting. It's quite a change, and i already miss SoCal; but it's the start of a very exciting new chapter and i cannot wait to set up a training schedule with the fantastic Cleverness!!

A New Chapter

Good Lord. 
Well, first off, an apology to those out there who've been expecting my next post. I do hope I haven't lost you! A combination of events in my life, too numerous to elaborate on, have prevented my updates. But, most importantly, my Internet has been down, so I plead technological inadequacy! I am sorry for taking so long. 
To give you all the general rundown since my last post, I will skim through some details that you might be curious about. When I left off I was gearing up for the CalNet show. Long story/weekend short, I bathed Ruby til she glowed in the dark, developed 3 raging saddle sore/blisters that nearly incapacitated me, almost died from heat overload in the 107 degree sun under my heavy black wool coat, got galloped away with in an equitation class (embarrassing) and won three blue ribbons and one red second place for my 4 classes. It was an exciting event; despite the nearly unbearable heat, all the riders from Ride On did spectacularly.  I was satisfied with my scores of 68.5% in my first test and 70.5% in my second; wasn't as high as I'd hoped, but decent enough. And Ruby was not happy that weekend; the show proved to be too much for her and she is on pasture rest for the foreseeable future. Poor high strung beast.

CALNET results :)

  
Now, the more interesting and thrilling news: I have found my competitive mount!!! I attended a USPEA/USEF training symposium in my home state of Maine, and fully expected to have a jam packed week of riding, lectures, lessons and networking. I never once suspected I would fall in love, and then ACQUIRE an international quality warmblood whilst I was there. 
Too many things happened that week (last week) to go into too much detail. It was a whirlwind of activity at Carlisle Academy. The Dutch "O" judge Hanneke Gerritsen was there, as well as the GB gold medal coach Clive Milkins, Olympic rider and trainer Catherine Haddad Staller and former USEF high performance dressage director Gil Merrick. There were countless other coaches, trainers, team members etc; so needless to say it was a jam packed weekend!
The highlight for me presened herself in the form of the most refined, beautiful, daintiest creature imaginable. Her name is Clever, a Hanoverian mare with a dash of Thoroughbred which gives her that touch of fire. She is immaculately put together, a smallish horse just shy of 16hh. She resembles a Breyer Horse, with her teacup nose, arched neck, foxy little ears and big doe eyes.

her beautiful head

 She stands square at all times, on 4 perfectly shaped small hooves. 3 socks with little black ermine spots around the coronary band. Her left hind is unmarked. A tiny star marks the center of her lovely face. This horse is a powerhouse. She may be petite, but she moves like a 17.2hh dressage horse. Huge flowy gaits, beautiful extension, a worldclass walk..she overtracks by a lot! Her back is strong and supple, a mark of diligent care and conditioning, coupled with the fact that she is an eventer, and crosstraining for horses, just as with humans, achieves the highest level of athleticism. Her coat is mahogany bay with subtle dapples. She stole my heart (and my mother's!) in a second. It's that instant connection that you find maybe 3 times in a lifetime. A recognition of a counterpart. 
When I mounted the first time, I was blown away by her easy movement, her sensitivity, and her ability to almost read my mind. We were performing moves I'd never tried before, flying changes, half passes, canter-halt, as if I'd been riding her for years. Her owner/breeder, Mary Jordan was generous enough to let me ride her during the entire clinic; and word spread like wildfire to each party about the match we made! 

Hanneke said "this horse, she wants to work for you."

To bring a very long story to a wonderfully happy ending, it so happened that Clever was put up for sale just before I met her, and the decision was made that it was an opportunity not to miss. So I am buying her, and must now put my utmost in raising the funds to complete the purchase. 
What this means for me is that I will be moving to the east coast once again so that I may train with more USPEA affiliates, and so that I may afford keeping my horse (my horse!) housed. I know I will be back in CA someday, but I had my shot handed to me, and now I am sure that I will be competing with the team for years to come!!! I am hoping and praying that the move goes smoothly and I am reunited with Ms. Clever in no time!

It's all uphill from here!

The feeling you get after a really good lesson is euphoric. It's kind of like riding a cloud. You and the horse are completely connected, giving to each other, communicating and growing together, which makes for such a smooth ride, you almost feel like you and your horse are one being. 

Riding gives you wings. 
I was back to riding Ms. Ruby this past week; Wednesday with Megan featured only Casey, Cali and myself in the lesson. We worked extensively on serpentines. First 3 loops in the arena and then 4. The main benefit from doing serpentines, and the whole reason to do them in training, is to get the horse bending correctly in each direction, and then to fluidly and easily switch the bend in just a couple strides. Basically, it limbers the horse up, and in dressage, we are always striving for a supple horse. Rigidness is not an option. Nor is it very comfortable, for horse or rider! Ruby started out on Wednesday in her general obstinate mood..unwilling to flex in either direction, but noticeably stiffer to the left. Surprise, surprise! She warmed up quickly though, and began to loosen up as we worked the 3-loop at the trot. Then Megan instructed us to canter each time we bent right..transitioning to trot as we changed the bend to the left through the centerline. It was a fun exercise; not so easy with 3 horses of completely different sizes all in a row..and it ended up with many added circles thrown in and breaks to the trot so we didn't cause a pile up. Most of the time it was me having to deviate from the conga line, as I was on the biggest (relatively speaking) horse. Anyway, we then added a 4th loop and then switched directions so we could canter in every  leftward bend. 
The biggest thing I noticed was that after the first few canter departs Ruby really got into it, and became very round and supple. We achieved really great bend in each direction; something that has been more difficult in the past. She eventually began anticipating the canter so I had to throw in some different maneuvers to keep her guessing. The best part was that every upward transition was very uphill and thus immensely comfortable. I was very happy with Wednesday's ride.

Yesterday's ride was even better! But I'll let you hear about that tomorrow. Happy trails!

just CruZin'

driving to the valley yesterday i expected i'd be paired with Ruby once more despite the success i had with the Irish Sporthorse Cruz on wednesday. it was already 92 degrees by the time i pulled into Ride On, and bright sunshine. one of the volunteers greeted me happily as i walked into the aisle, "hey Elle you're riding Cruz today!" I felt a flutter of anticipation and excitement as this meant that i'd have the chance to show both trainers that i am skilled enough to handle this big guy. Gloria, the co-founder of Ride On, looked a bit surprised and asked if i was indeed riding Cruz that day. she's used to seeing me on the mare, since that's who i've competed with. i assured her it was true, and i'd ridden him with good success on wednesday with megan. 

tacking this horse up is difficult for a person with both hands...and let me tell you, getting a saddle up to his back (which is slightly above my head) with one hand is no easy feat. luckily i am quite strong. i was already warm by the time i mounted!

right away, Brie told me to get Cruz marching forward instead of plodding along. it's imperative with a horse like that to get their attention straight away so you don't have to beg for it later. i bumped him with both spurs, one quick kick and he immediately perked up and nearly trotted off. then i quieted and allowed him to walk nicely forward into a frame. Brie was impressed (surprised?) at his responsiveness to me. really i don't see how everyone thinks he's such a lunk! as of yet i haven't experienced any laziness or obstinance from this boy!

we did the usual bending and counter bending each direction and then moved into the trot. at first we did 20 meters at A, E, B, and C to get our horses moving off our inside legs and bending around them, as well as on the bit and in a round frame. Cruz needed a couple wake up bumps to get a quality forward trot, but again Brie complimented the responsiveness i got out of him. 

it's interesting going between those 2, Ruby is easier to collect (in a sense) because she is smaller and more upright, where Cruise is a tank of a horse, very long and used to a jumper's frame (lower and more stretched out). Ruby is more sensitive (so they say) and Cruz makes you work to get what you want. this point however, i disagree with. for me i feel that Cruz is very sensitive, but not overly so. once he knew i meant business he didn't try at all to get out of doing work. Cruz is easier in the sense that he has more training and experience than Ruby, but over all they are just 2 completely different rides. this is great for me because one teaches me how to teach her, and the other teaches me by testing my own knowledge and conviction.

i really love Cruz's canter. it is very smooth and a huge stride..but cantering down the longside he doesn't pull like Ruby does. Ruby gets very strung out and nearly pulls my arm off at times (we're getting better) but Cruz is easier on my arm and shoulder. he likes to stretch out, but he's more of a leg workout than upper body workout! i have to really hold him together with my thighs to keep him collected. it's a really cool feeling to "jump him up into the bridle" and feel his hind end come up underneath. i guess he's just so big that every move feels monstrous! 

i actually had to break in the middle of my canterwork so someone could grab my a water. it was that hot and dry. i felt like i couldn't breathe! but then we continued on, and wrapped up at the canter with brie having me do 10m circles. this forces Cruz to be more upright and collected, and forces me to really use my body to steer him. it's hardest to the right lead when my lack of strength in my outside leg allows him to bow out through the left rein. i have to crank my right shoulder back (which is naturally pulled forward by only using my right hand on the reins) and be really serious about getting that circle accurate for Cruz to know what i mean. the first attempt ended up being more like a 6m circle (almost a pirouette! lol) and Brie said it was lucky that he was able to do it. i chalk it up to his showjumping days where he'd have to make some really tight turns. 

doing the 10m circles really did help his canter on the straight aways, he held himself more upright in a dressage frame and definitely listened to me more! all in all, it was another great ride; and i'm really excited at the prospect of growing more with him. we'll see when i am asked to ride the notorious Mambo! until then i'm enjoying the pair of chestnuts. complete opposites in every way, but equally helpful in my learning. 

new beginnings and big news!

well it's been an exciting week in the equestrian field! so much to update about. i'll start with Wednesday's lesson:

i got to the stable and was expecting to ride Ruby, but to my surprise and total excitement, i was paired with Cruz. now, i have been wanting to ride Cruz since i first saw him; when i started up again at Ride On after a hiatus from an injury. the hulking gelding caught my eye not only because of his height but his warm blood confirmation, which made it clear that he was well bred and a different caliber horse than most of the others there. Cruz is a 16.3hh Irish sporthorse; a showjumper in his former life and now retired to dressage. chestnut with lots of chrome. he's a pretty guy! anyway as i mentioned i'd been wanting to ride him for a long time, but hadn't been allowed due to his habits of spooking and acting too silly for his size! but that day, it was decided i be put to the test. 

using a 3 step mounting block, it was still a climb to get up on the gelding..but once i was on i immediately felt at ease. the girl who leases him had warned me earlier that he has the tendency to be lazy and not too responsive, which slightly dampened my excitement. if i need any quality in a horse, it's sensitivity and forwardness since i only have about 3/4 of my strength. however, i found that Cruz was perfectly forward, stiff from arthritis but no lazier than Ruby for instance. also, it was immediately apparent that Cruz knew more of what i was asking of him..his training was clear! he willingly got in a frame, and bent to both sides. the problem i experienced with him was he would run out with his left shoulder when we were tracking right..not because he was taking advantage of me but because he was unused to someone without the leg strength to stand him up and create that outside wall. i worked through that problem eventually. 

megan had us try shoulder-in down both longsides, and let me tell you, that needs a LOT of work. again, lack of strength in my left leg allows the horse to drift through that left rein, which made it hard for me to keep his shoulders off the track. we had moments of acceptable shoulder-in, but there's a long way to go. then we started canterwork; and having seen other students ride Cruz with some difficulty getting him to canter,i was not expecting an easy transition. Cruz surprised me. he very willingly went into canter going each direction; it's a very ground-covering canter! he was really nicely round for me in the canter, the problem here being that he likes to canter in a jumper frame (long and stretched out) rather than the more upright dressage frame. megan had me adjust my hand, holding the reins up higher off his neck, and told me to "jump him up into the bridle" by asking simultaneously for a bigger canter and more collection. by the end Cruz and i were mostly on the same page..and it was a complete blast riding him.

the climax of the lesson was during our cool-down. we were walking nicely past the corner by A, and there happened to be (God forbid!) a cat passing the corner. one second we were walking one way, and within the blink of an eye, a split second later with no recollection of what happdened, Cruz and i were on the FAR side of the arena, completely in the opposite direction, and a pending buck on the way. the cool part was my seat didn't even BUDGE, let alone fall off..i sat tighter than superglue, and kept him under control the entire time. it's moments like those that make you feel like an accomplished rider. also, 16.3 hands is great incentive to not fall off! can't wait til my next shot at riding him. 

the other very exciting news was i went to my favorite tack store LA SADDLERY in burbank to speak with Amanda about sponsorship possibilities. i expected to talk solely about the possibility of getting some dressage boots, but when i met her, she informed me that she knows an older woman with an upper level horse that she thought may be a good competition horse for me! he is a rare breed, Akhal-Teke stallion that is perlino colored (iridescent white) with blue eyes.

the blue eyes and exotic metallic coat of this horse make it an eye catcher!

 once i saw a picture i was sold. he is stunning, a shocking looking animal but looks like a piece of art! i was so touched by the gesture of the women at LA saddlery for giving me so much support and encouragement! i certainly wasn't expecting to get a lead on a horse i may be able to use!!

the akhal-teke

while we were discussing this FEI stallion, another woman approached me and inquired if i was searching for a horse. "yes, yes i am!" i replied! she proceeded to describe an I-1 schoolmsater she knew who was owned by a woman who is not looking to compete. she thought that a life as a paraequestrian mount would be a wonderful job for him, and offered to look into THAT possibility! again i was moved beyond words at the kindness of these women. it literally made my day to receive that generosity and support from the equestrian circuit here! 2 leads in one day...it was a brilliant day! 

https://www.facebook.com/LASaddlery

BEST tack shop, with the most helpful staff in the world!

the icing on the cake was learning that i will in fact be traveling to my home state of Maine in one month to attend a para equestrian clinic with a worldclass lineup of paradressage people. trainers, coaches, qualifiers, fellow riders etc will be present, along with Hope Hand (USPEA president) for an intensive 4 day paradressage bootcamp. I will be paired with a horse and riding along with 9 others, and i literally CAN'T WAIT!!! this will be a great chance for my parents to get involved as well, and see the things i am working on as a rider and paralympic hopeful. so the ball is really rolling now, and it's only going to get faster as i improve and meet more people! it's an extremely exciting time right now. will keep you posted on my ride tomorrw! xo

flying high

Saturday's lesson was one that left me on cloud nine and stoked about life. it's an indescribable feeling when you have a ride like this, everything in life just seems perfect. the proverbial "rose colored glasses" come on and you're left with a feeling of utter peace and massive elation at the same time. 
i went in the arena completely determined to ride like i was going for gold. certain occurrences were present in my mind that day that renewed my drive to improve tenfold. for example, i had a chat with Hope Hand prior to the weekend ride and she mentioned after seeing my show video that though Ruby and I looked nice, the mare could have been quite a bit rounder..this only reinforced what i had already seen of myself in the video, how even though i had felt like i had Ruby in a very good frame, the video showed that it was not as good as i perceived! hearing this  from someone so revered in the para equestrian circuit literally tripled my sense of ambition to ride at a better level with each lesson.
Ruby started off as usual, rigid and resistant to contact. but as Brie went to check on something in the barn leaving me, Norman and Callie to warm up by ourselves, i took matters into my own [hand]. i got right to work, bending left and right, leg yielding, really forcing myself to focus on using my left leg as much as possible to get Ruby moving off it. staying at the walk i tried harder than i think i really ever have, to get the mare moving off my left seatbone and leg. i circled, did lateral work, anything to keep her guessing and get that response right off the bat instead of halfway through the lesson. it's time that i ride 100% on the bit. in a frame right out of the gate. no fooling around anymore! 
this attitude really seemed to work, and Ruby responded right away. i got her in a better frame than we have previously been able to achieve, and when Brie came back she immediately commented on the fact that Ruby was flexing and moving off my legs better than we'd been doing. 
the lesson started with 3 loop serpentines at the trot, focusing on changing the bend through the middle of each loop. it was difficult at first, as ruby likes to cut corners on my weaker side. but the more i focused hard on using that left leg, the more i was able to keep her straight between the rails and finally make a noticeable change of bend through the middle parts. Brie was extremely encouraging and really praised me when she could actually see me implementing my left side. it takes an extreme amount of mental focus and effort for me to make those commands, but the strength is there in my left leg (not as strong as my right one, but probably about 70%) and it's more about focus when it comes down to it. the thing i do appreciate about Ruby is that she's quite sensitive, and will move off of only slight pressure. 

you complete it by doing the mirror on the opposite side

throughout this exercise, the quality of Ruby's trot improved with every serpentine. when brie told us to complete the loops at sitting trot, it was bouncy still but the horse gave me her back, so i was able to sit a LITTLE better than before. she was round and supple, flexing and moving very nicely. 
then brie had me start canter work, first on a 20m, on which we had an incredibly collected, rockinghorse gait that felt wonderful. we did 6 or 8 circles and then brie told me to do the one loop canter serpentines around the perimeter of the ring. Ruby and i are still new to this maneuver, and i am still trying to wrap my head around what exactly is supposed to happen, but we went for it and i surprised myself!
the difference was that i focused more on keeping the correct bend as i steered her back to the rail in what is the beginning stage of counter-canter; and for the first time, i actually succeeded in getting her all the way back to the wall after going through X. we lapped the arena about 4 times and then did a simple lead change and repeated the exercise the other way. only once did Ruby break to a freight train trot and get all strung out and icky; otherwise we kept perfect control and roundness. the feedback i received was just a slight adjustment that needs to be made in order to make the one loops correct; which i will work on next time! this is that when i ask Ruby to steer back to the wall through X, she is doing a kind of sideways crab step instead of making 2 clear straight lines (the first from the corner to X, and the second from X to the far corner). so i know for next lesson what exactly i need to fix! 

collected canter

we ended with Brie telling me to lap the arena and keep the quality canter that we'd managed. it's Ruby's tendency to pull down the longsides and get all wobbly and strung out, but no such trick this time. we went down the rails at a perfect 3 beat and collected pace, without a hesitation or a wrong step. best ride i can remember to date! i am STOKED for wednesday :) #improvements!

transitions

i was pleasantly surprised when i went for my lesson today, to find that i would be matched with Ruby once more. megan simply stated, "yes, horses spook sometimes," when i inquired about last week's incident. cool! i was happy to be reunited with the little knucklehead, as i truly feel i'm on the verge of really excelling with her. i'll admit there was a slight flutter of trepidation before i mounted..but i am the girl with iron nerves and no regard for self-preservation..so up i went!
i must add that some crazy wind picked up just before we started to ride..prime spook conditions. but ruby seemed normal and was paying good attention to me while we warmed up. i made sure of that, by doing a lot of bending, leg yielding and flexion exercises. i wanted to ensure her mind was focused on me, keeping her on her toes so she wouldn't have the opportunity to flip out!
megan got down to business today with me getting ruby in a frame. we're at the point now where it's expected. i am progressing, and now it's time that i ride the horse round all the time, and not just now and then, or for a period of time and then allow hollowness again. we got serious straight away, lots of small circles at the trot to get her bending and softening in each direction, and then some warmup canter. 
the interesting thing here is that the quality of the trot in a canter-trot transition is a zillion times better than just trying to get Ruby in a frame IN the trot...i suppose this is because her forwardness coupled with the size of halfhalt i need to get her down makes her automatically have to give to the bridle. i'm not really sure! anyway, she was not sufficiently in a frame by that point so megan instructed me to do a million trot-walk transitions, keeping the lightness and roundness achieved in whichever gait DURING the downward transition. Ruby's number one trick is to hollow her back and poke her nose way out during a trot-walk, so we repeated the move numerous times until i could maintain the frame through the transition. once we'd mastered it in each direction, it was time for canter-trot transitions. we repeated the same exercise at the faster gait, and by the end, Ruby was certainly grunting with every stride! it was a workout. but i was ready for more. i can't describe the feeling of riding a  horse you've achieved a new level of rideability on except it's just FUN! i had a real horse under me. i was even starting to sit her trot a bit..i'd say i could go about 8 steps before needing to post..because she gave me her back. it felt amazing. we were winding the lesson down, but i was itching to do just a bit more work, despit an arm cramp..just because of the quality i was getting with Ruby. so we did one loop canter serpentines around the arena..

this is a maneuver i've mentioned several times, but i'd never managed it on Ms Ruby. it is the beginning stage of counter canter, which is required in 2nd Level. you must maintain the bend toward the inside lead whilst steering the horse the opposite way. not terribly easy, and it takes major leg power. we went to the right lead first so i'd have my stronger leg to push her back to the rail first. it went better than i expected; the best part being i managed to keep her very collected and framed around the arena a thousand times without her getting strung out or breaking. she's got an AMAZING canter when she's not hauling me along. and i did get her nearly into the corners during the counter canter bits, less so on the left lead, but like i said, the quality of her gait made up for the fact i don't have it perfectly down! 

i have much more work to do before i'll be at 2nd level, but we're at the point now where there's a noticeable improvement in every lesson. i must focus on my seat bones more! where i lack strength in my left leg, i have full motion and control in that hip, and after all, one is meant to drive with one's seat :) 
until next ride, happy trails!

trials and tribulations

as i arrived at my saturday lesson, i received some rather disturbing news. Brie told me that i would not be riding Ruby because she had caused a bad accident the day prior..so i would be riding Lusco. i pressed for details, and was informed that Ruby had an alarming spook that threw one of the strongest riders...apparently she saw a squirrel and instead of just a simple buck that most of the able bodied riders can ride through, she went into a blind panic and spun, bashing her rider's face with her neck, put her foot through the mounting block and nearly went down; which unseated the rider and cut both of them up pretty bad. now we could have chalked this up to a fluke accident, as Ruby is generally pretty steady..but she'd thrown another rider a week ago. this is not boding well for Ruby. brie was exasperated, and said she doesn't know what's gotten into this girl; but the spooking is not acceptable, especially at something so trivial as a squirrel. Ride On is not a stable where problem horses are of use. they need mounts who are bomb proof and reliable, as many of the riders are either just beginning or not strong enough to handle a true spook like that. as i mentioned, a buck is not so worrisome as a reaction in which the horse is out of control completely. and to unseat one of the strongest riders is a matter of deep concern. at this point she is on time out, until further notice. this is sad news indeed for me; as i am JUST starting to really gel with this horse. Brie luckily thinks that it's just a phase (who knows why..she is a mare after all) and that she'll get over it. but they're not letting me chance it at this point, and i'm not looking for another injury. the rider she threw is fine, and still riding; but it could have been very bad; Ruby is scraped up as well. not something i wanted to hear! 

we've all been there

anyway, i rode Lusco; which is also good practice so that i can put my learning to use on other (more difficult) horses. he really is much harder to frame; even though he's better at it than the western-trained Ruby. Lusco's had extensive dressage training, but is much more adept at avoiding the bit. it took me an arm cramp and 30+minutes to make that boy even begin to carry himself. brie had me regress a little and start from the halt to get him to give. then we tried it through all gaits, and by the end, had an acceptable frame. not great, but improved. we finished the lesson with me doing one loop canter serpentines around the entire arena; which is not simple on a horse who doesn't want to stay balanced! all in all, a good ride; tough but rewarding!
please keep ruby in your thoughts and cross your fingers that i'll still be able to show her..i think we could go through a few levels this summer if she stays sane! 

a realization

i attacked wednesday's lesson with renewed vigor and determination. after watching the video from my show, i was very eager to fix the areas i saw that needed adjusting. it was a very helpful thing to study that test, because it put a visual in my mind of what my trainers were constantly telling me to do, but that i couldn't necessarily figure out whilst riding: lean your upper body further back, you have a hunter seat, firm up the contact, your horse is above the bit, stretch your legs longer, etc. all of these issues, i feel like i've addressed during my rides, and i feel like the changes i make are adequate, but seeing it on film i can see the problem areas and thus i was very excited for my first lesson after my show, so i could put my newfound knowledge to use. 
i rode my mare (i've become fond enough of Ruby to claim her) and she was very stiff. not giving at all to the right side, and hardly to the left; bracing against the contact and avoiding flexion. we warmed up with Megan asking me to do simple changes of bend, try to get Ruby more soft etc. the mare wasn't having it. after 20 minutes or so of bending, transitions and circles, without much improvement, megan instructed me to hop off and let her school Ruby. this is very helpful because when i watch megan (an upper level rider) ride with the bar rein in one hand, i am able to see what she does and thus mimic her as much as possible. it helps Megan as well because riding in that way is a challenge, and she can see what the problem is for me, and thus find a way to instruct me in what to do when she can feel what's going on. and it helps Ruby because having a much more advanced rider on her helps her figure out what is being asked of her. megan schooled her for a good 15 minutes, and i could see that ruby was really resisting her as well; which makes me feel a bit better because it's not my lack of skill that is causing the issue!
finally i was told to mount again and there was a good difference in how Ruby was moving; i was more able to focus on my own body position. when megan told me to sink further in the saddle i would make a big effort to really "sit on my pockets," which helps EVERYTHING, i turns out, because when i sit deeper in the saddle and make sure my upper body is correct, it makes the reins shorter and i automatically take up more contact without choking the horse by rolling the bar up, and Ruby responds by becoming rounder, and everyone is happy!by the end of the lesson, ruby's canter was that rocking horse quality we strive for, and i had NO airtime between my butt and the saddle! 
what i really love about this horse is her movement. she's not very fancy but she has a lot of suspension and she can really move out. the judges love it too! in my next post i will tell you about all the drama that's happened over the weekend and how who knows if i'll be riding this mare anymore :( i'm crossing my fingers on that one!!!

training level test 2

i didn't dismount between my tests, as there was only about 20 minutes between them. i stood with Ruby in the on-deck area with Megan holding her head while i strstched my aching arm and shoulder. riding one handed dressage is not as easy as it may seem! i was ultimately more confident going into the second one, and put more pressure on myself. at this point my heart was going crazy! i've got to work on the show nerves. the test went well until near the end when i asked for right lead canter. sure enough, Ruby chose to completely blow off my outside aides, and we missed the transition entirely. then i made the mistake of insisting she do it on our 20m circle right, when really i should have brought her back, balanced her and THEN asked. c'est la vie! i was immensely upset afterward and very sullen. i had been sure i'd improve on my first test and we really botched it! but at the end of the day, i only missed first place by 0.4%, and i ended up tied for second. so not too bad after all. we still scored 70.86%, which is satisfactory, and it's only a schooling show and not a rated one. anyhow, there is much to work on and perfect before the next one, and i have this certain feeling that next time i ride Ms. Ruby, there will have been leaps and bounds made. mom said "dressage is a language, and you and Ruby are starting to speak." i think so too! 

the results from the show!

on another note, i spoke to Laureen Johnson, discipline director of the US para-equestrian association, and she inquired if i was intending to compete at next year's World Equestrian Games, to be eld in Normandy, Fr. i responded with a resounding YES!! and now am very much more in need of that special horse to take me there!it felt great to know i have that shot. moving on and up! i'm itching to get back in the saddle and test my theory that Ruby and i are going to have made improvements after the show. 

the judges have spoken

i realize this post is long overdue, but to my credit i have not been slacking. on the contrary, i've been rather overworking myself the past few weeks and have now seemed to hit a wall. i am taking this time to regather my wits and strength, and to update you all on the goings on with my equestrian endeavors. 
this sunday past (the 24th) was the first horseshow of the season for me. the day dawned sunny and crisp; ideal conditions. i woke with a tight neck and back (nerves) at the dim hour of 6am..i was planning to sleep til 7 in order to reach the grounds by 11, but my psyche had other plans. up and truly anxious by 6, on the road at 930, and my roommate and i reached White Birch right on schedule 2 hours before my first ride time.
i must say that this show had more mayhem than any i've attended thus far. the air was buzzing with nervous horses, each causing their peers to worry in turn. this did nothing to calm my own nerves...especially witnessing several wild steeds causing a ruckus in their paddocks, bucking, rearing and behaving all sorts of ridiculous. luckily Ruby had one ride before me, so even though she was anxious and wouldn't stand still at the trailer, she was somewhat warmed up. 
my first test was training level 1. i approached the on-deck area and watched as the rider before me completed the test. unfortunately, for reasons only apparent in a horse's mind, this horse spooked massively, throwing her rider and proceeded to bolt from the arena, straight toward where i was on Ruby. this was a hairy moment to say the least, as one loose horse will often cause one's own mount to panic and fly away. Megan kept a tight grip, as did i, and someone caught that horse and all was alright. however, my anxiety doubled, knowing that Ruby would likely try something in the same corner, having seen this entire event. i entered the ring very stiff, i think. i was taut as a bow...good old Ruby soldiered on, and i relaxed into the "zone. all was going well; i had her in a decent frame, and she was listening fairly well; when in our first canter part we approached that fated corner and low and behold, Ruby tensed up and started to do something. i had anticipated as much though; so i kept her going, insisted she keep cool and the moment passed. that was really the highlight in my mind..intervening in a potential spook fest. anyway we finished up that first test, and took first with a 71.89% score. not too bad!! i finished out the day with a first and second; both scores over 70%, and a satisfied glow. i think this bodes well for the show season. i've included the video from my first test my roomy so nicely recorded! and i will elaborate on the training test 2 tomorrow. enjoy!

USEF

sorry i haven't posted in a few days!Hollywood life just gets crazy sometimes.
i'm here to update you all on my saturday lesson. first off, i still have that slight fracture in my left wrist, which is bothering me. but not enough to stop me from riding, obviously! i have a show coming up in 3 weeks, and it will be my Training Level debut, so there's much work to be done and no time to take off! i'm learning all three tests, just in case. 

one foot on the ground!

saturday was the first real scorcher of a day we've had since last year; it was 86 and sunny at 10:00am. i am consistently working only with Ruby for the time being, as she is a fancier mover, and goes into a good frame; she will be the one moving me up the lower levels for the next few seasons. she was responsive right from the get-go; as she has recently realized that i'm not going to put up with laziness anymore. she gave me a good powerful walk and had some spirit. she also went right into a frame without much coaxing from me; even at the walk. there were sticky points during bending warmups where she thought she'd ignore my left side, but we worked out those issues much quicker than before. 

schooling the canter

after warming up, Brie had us working on canter transitions, upward and downward, and i uncovered a new problem to be sorted. i have mentioned that Ruby is quite a strong mare, and when going from canter to trot she's reminiscent of a freight train. well, Brie wasn't ok with that, so we spent a good half hour or so working the canter to a point where she was nearly cantering in place and THEN asking for the trot. it took a lot of energy, but we finally were able to go from a good collected canter into a decent controlled trot. however, by that time, Ruby was pissy and ready to get back to her hay. 
we weren't finished. 
i loved saturday's lesson because Brie kept me and Ruby working quite awhile longer than the lesson time; there were kinks to be sorted out and after that, we needed to go through our test to start getting it in order. we did most of training test 3, but got it backwards and a bit confused; but she had us work an extra 45 minutes or so until we got satisafctory transitions. poor Ruby was entirely miffed by the end of it; and i was drenched and parched. but it was an awesome lesson, and i have a great feeling for the upcoming show. plus, even more exciting, i will actually have friends coming to support me. i had no relatives or anyone close to me at my last competition, which was a bit sad (especially since i won!) so i'm very excited to be able to have some great friends coming out to watch. i will update you all after tomorrow's lesson with megan (i have to seriously memorize these tests beforehand!) until then, here are a couple pictures that my awesome friend Adela was able to get from saturday! 

down the centerline

cantering along with a cast on

no breaks!

in a humiliating twist of fate, i missed some stairs going onstage during my performance tuesday and ate it in front of the entire audience. i wound up with a hairline fracture, with which i had to finish the show and pretend like nothing had happened. it was much worse the day after, so i went to urgent care and they wrapped it tight and put it in a sling, after telling me that the osteoporosis is bad enough in my arm that they couldn't tell exactly if there was a fracture or not, but most likely there is. this is the third time ive done that to my left wrist; and all i can say is thank god it wasn't my right!
anyway, seeing as my lesson was wednesday, i decided i wasn't going to let a little crack like that get in the way of my training. mother, i know you're reading this so don't worry, when it really bothered me i took walk breaks! Megan tried to dissuade me but i wasn't having it. i have a show next month and i only have 2 rides per week as it is. my wrist can just take it for now. 
i was on Ruby, and once again she was quite a different mare than just several weeks ago. it's like i am riding an entirely different horse. she was supple; almost immediately got into a frame, and was both forward and calm at the same time. we started with leg yielding first from the quarterline, then the centerline in either direction. megan instructed me to really use my left hip to push her over going to the left, which did help but we are still having some problems with Ruby ignoring my left leg. it's getting better, but will take both me getting more strength and figuring out how to rely on my seat more. 
next we did some lengthening and collecting exercises at the trot. we used about 3/4 of the arena, extending the trot on the longsides and collecting and sitting the trot on the short ones. i won't lie, that was slightly uncomfortable, since at the sit trot, my left hand bangs pretty hard with each step. i cheated a tiny bit during that time, by posting just slightly to lessen the jarring of my wrist. Ruby was a bit stiff still going to the left, cutting corners where my leg wasn;t strong enough to push her out. every time ruby blew off my leg, Megan made me put her on a 10m circle until she softened and yielded to my inside aides. at this point it is ten million times easier for me to get her to soften and flex using one hand than when i first started with her..and i do not have to choke up the reins to get her on the bit. that makes me feel very accomplished!
next we worked on the canter, doing 20m circles and then cantering the full arena, getting our horses bent and carrying themselves until megan told us to canter one loops. at first Ruby was very balanced, felt like a rocking horse, and we did a fairly decent one loop on the left lead, and then she got distracted by another student entering the arena, and she got entirely strung out and too strong so i had to work really hard to get her back to a walk. then megan had me do walk-canter and trot-canter transitions until Ruby was sufficiently light in the bridle and not hauling me around. after megan stopped our lesson, i did several more transitions just to make sure ruby was indeed respecting my aides, and then i cooled her out and we were done. i'm pretty sure megan took it a lot more easy on me last night cuz she was concerned about my arm; but we got good work done and i feel like i'm in great shape to compete next month!the excitement builds. i've got to be prepared with at least 2, possibly all 3 training level tests, so that's what i'll be memorizing for the next 4 weeks. stay tuned to see how i do on saturday! 

new advances and roadblocks

yesterday's lesson proved my theory that Ruby and i are now at least for the time being) on the same page.
Susan filled in as the sub instructor for Brie, and she decided it was time we tried some more advanced moves. specifically walk-canter transitions, and then surprisingly, HALT-canter transitions. now, keeping in mind that just several weeks ago, i could barely get Ruby to canter from the trot, these new tasks seemed daunting. however, as of the past lesson; i was feeling much more confident and sure of the connection  between myself and the mare. from the moment i mounted i could feel Ruby's collected power underneath me; i felt an unspoken understanding between us, and i intuitively knew that the walk-canter would be a piece of cake. we started with me and Norman (aboard Pippin) demonstrating to the two younger students how to use the correct aides to accomplish a good walk-canter depart. the first time i asked ruby, she sprang upward into a perfect collected and round canter, on the correct lead and i swear my butt did not leave the saddle for a split second. it was like riding a wave. her transit into the canter was textbook; her shoulders came up under me, her neck and back arched, and away we went; the real accomplishment being i asked for the canter on the longside. a straight away is more difficult to get the canter on because the horse must be bent to the inside in order to pick up the correct lead. when asking for a canter, doing it in a corner makes it easier since they are already bending through the corner. but Ruby and i were sharing the same thought pattern, and she was ready for anything. once we had showed the younger set (Cali and Gaul) the way to aske for a good transition, and they had practiced to Susan's satisfaction; it was Norman's turn to attempt the much more difficult and higher level halt-canter transition. Pippin is an easy candidate to try this on, as he's wired 24/7 and will fly away at the slightest touch. norman got the move down within a few steps, and then Susan asked if i wanted to attempt it. 
???

no room for red next month; all blue baby!

well i'll leave my reaction up to your imaginations; but the gist of it was an obvious affirmative. i just had this inexplicable knowledge that Ruby and i could do it. my first attempt was a one step depart; from a square halt into a perfect lovely canter. however, when we tried to go to the right; we met a few obstacles. the problem was not the impulsion, which certainly was there. Ruby did pick up the canter every time, which was lovely, but going to the right, she kept picking up the wrong lead. this happened 5 or 6 consecutive times; and Susan observed that since my outside leg was weaker, the mare was confusing my aides and taking her cue from my stronger (inside) leg. i had to make a herculean effort to adjust my body in such a way that ruby would understand what i wanted. i really focused on keeping my right leg very soft, and really scooching my left hip back at the same time as moving my left leg back as well as i could behind the girth. it took a few tries, but we did accomplish the move. the kids watching cheered and hooted with enthusiasm, which kinda melted my heart! i stayed a few minutes longer schooling ruby on her leads; mainly from the walk. the best tip i received was Susan telling me the precise moment to ask for a canter depart. what you do is give the aides right as the inside front leg moves forward in a step, which means the horse's weight distribution is correct for taking off on the correct lead. 
at the end of the lesson Cali vehemently praised my work, telling me how great it was that i could do the halt to canter move. it was so sweet! Susan was very pleased with all of us; and i am very much looking forward to my next lesson!

Breakthrough

every once in awhile, you have one of those rides that reminds you why you're putting so much blood, sweat and tears into such an impossible dream. you go for months seemingly without any improvements, and then suddenly you make a huge leap into the next level. last night was one of those rides. 
i was on Ruby, who gave me the usual fussy attitude while i groomed and tacked her. (myself!) she only tried to kick me twice, and halfheartedly at that. i've got her antics down to a science though; and my trick is to make her keep her weight on the back foot that i'm next to. if she cocks the hoof on the side i'm grooming then i push her until she shifts weight. that way she can't get me! i know all her signs too; gnashing teeth, pinned ears. such a fuss budget. 
anyway, Megan was the trainer (as with all wednesdays) and is notoriously hard to please. i mean this in the best sense, because when she does give you praise, you know you really killed it and that she is sincere. diring the warmup Ruby decided to blow off my left side a few times, but with enough play on the bit, she began to come round. 
now with a bar rein, i have literally no way to adjust the contact, other than to roll up the bar to shorten the rein. Megan insists constantly that i shorten and shorten the reins, to get leverage so she'll come into the bridle. however, when i choke up like that, i've noticed that ruby gets more aggravated and less likely to relax. therefore i much prefer riding her with a looser rein. Megan repeated that i would not be able to get an acceptable frame with the reins like that, so i told her that after the warmup if ruby wasn't round i would roll up the bar. however, almost the moment i loosened the contact a bit, she started to flex and get into a frame. we warmed up in walk, trot and canter, did some leg yielding, and made sure the horses were supple and listening. then Megan told Casey and myself to do our test (which i hadn't as of yet memorized!) 
this is Training level test 1, and i was instructed to watch Casey do it and then do it myself. i was slightly nervy, just because a)it was dark out and Ruby was fairly uppy, b)Ruby had been leaning on my arm a bit and i was tired, and c)i hadn't the slightest idea what the test was. anyway, i watched and thought i had a grasp on it, so as Casey finished, megan told me to warmup with some canter and get Ruby listening and round again, and then to start. 

collected canter

as soon as we entered at A, i knew we were on point. Ruby was arching her neck and back and reaching under with her hocks. i could feel her power collected and at my disposal. we proceeded through the test with megan calling out the next moves once in awhile. Ruby picked up both correct leads at the canter, stayed bent to the inside AND round as a rubber ball through the entire test. when we halted and saluted at X after we finished, Megan praised me to the highest i've heard. she complimented the quality of all my gaits, my circles, and finished by saying that it's the best test she's ever seen me ride. that this is the first ride she's seen from me where i kept ruby in a frame the entire time. 
the one area where megan made me really school ruby was our downward transition from canter to trot. she comes down like a freight train and it takes a massive amount of strength to collect her trot afterward, so when she would barge through my attempts to halfhalt her, megan had me repeatedly canter then trot until she responded to my aides and did a decent transition. the overall tone though was that of praise, and i felt giddy with pride and happiness. Megan told me that if i rode my test like that in the show next month i'd be ahead of the game, and that we could start talking about going to a rated show after this one IF i rode that well! it would be my first rated show and a huge move for me, so you can imagine how excited i was. 
the icing on the cake came as i was dismounting and getting ready to put the horse away. as i ran up my stirrups and loosened the girth, Megan said to me: "Elle, one last thing. just so you know, it's YOU. this is the same mare you've been working with all along; YOU have changed as a rider."
i'll never forget those words coming from Megan! 

thrills and spills

all i can say is thank god for full seat breeches and fast reflexes. 
my saturday ride started like any other; i was on Lusco, we warmed up doing bending at the walk and trot etc. i could tell Lusco was having concentration issues, it was immensely hot and he was more interested in watching the horses over the fence in the barn next to ours than paying attention to my leg. he was also lagging (a typical Lusco trick, hence why i got spurs). the heat was unexpected..it was roughlu 87 degrees at 11am when the rest of the week had been in the 60s. anyway, we were all doing warmup bending and flexing, Brie had me really urge Lusco faster just to wake him up, and then we were informed that Norman (who was riding Pippin)and myself would be practicing the centerline entry. at the canter. 
i love when we're introduced to new exercises because it makes me feel like i'm steadily improving. generally at lower levels, you enter a test down the centerline at A at the trot. but in upper levels, it's done at the canter, and either way you are judged on the straightness of your line. the canter is a more difficult gait for a horse to stay on a straight line in, because they need a slight bend to keep the correct lead. this calls for good balance and strength. 
the exercise was that i would follow directly behind pippin at the canter, we would canter down the longside from H to K, round the corner and enter the centerline at A, canter a straight centerline down to the far end and pass C, and then trot and break by H. the turn from the longside onto the centerline is pretty tight, so the horse must be very balanced and collected in order to make a clean entry. it's about a 10m turn, so it woud require good horse/rider communication. i circled several times to give Pippin and Norman adequate headstart, then Lusco and i began along the longside. i was pleasantly surprised and impressed with how tight Lusco made his turn; we made an impressive entry at A. however his energy was "low" (in his mind) so he annoyingly broke to a trot around X. Brie instructed me to try again and get more impulsion, so i urged Lusco forward with my spurs and we made a fairly good entry again. however this time, Pippin wasn't far ahead of me, and in order to keep the canter i had to really spur Lusco forward, but he was blowing off my collecting aides, so we were fast approaching pippin's behind. well, i decided to really haul up so we didn't crash! unfortunately Lusco ignored first the halfhalt, then the true halt, then the bit, and somehow or another, between me hauling him back and him spacing out, he took a huge tumble after tangling his front legs. what a dummy!
i'm really not sure how i stayed on him. he was down to his knees literally faceplanting before i realized what had happened. i thank my lucky stars for my reaction time, because it saved me from a nasty head first spill. instead of clinging to the reins, my instinct took hold and i immediately dropped the reins, giving the horse his head, and ultimately allowing me to put my feet "on the dash" (meaning shoving them against the stirrups way out in front of me) and making sure i stayed in the saddle. my full seat breeches really helped too- Kerrits to the rescue! i stuck like glue while Lusco regained his composure. had i held the reins, i would have been flung off over his head and probably face planted as well, but happily, that didn't happen. 

Brie was concerned about the horse, but he was fine; slightly bamboozled and a little embarrassed, i think, but no worse for the wear. and i didn't get so much as a "good job" from anyone watching! haha i kid, i kid. i didn't need praise to be satisfied with myself for not flying off. anyway, looks like i lived to see another lesson! 

playing catch up

wow, i didn't realize how many days i've not updated..sorry for the delay! i have been on my grind so hard the past few days; audition, photoshoot, and my play tonight. i've really been working extremely hard. i would love a break soon! but at the same time i am feeling oh so good about myself lately; Granny would be proud!! i think of her often while i'm working, and how i wish she could see me. i know she's watching. 
anyway, here's the story about my lesson last saturday.
first off, i was stressed the night before because i was booked for a double lesson on saturday, first one at 8am, the next at 830. i was stressing because i couldn't fall asleep and in order to get to Mill Creek on time, i would have to leave by 630am. this was just a disaster waiting to happen. see i have this awful subconscious habit of unwittingly turning my alarm off in my sleep...convenient right?
sure enough, i woke up at 8am on saturday in a panic; saw the time and had a mini heartattack...i called MC and Lindsey, the instructor, ripped into me. "you bum!! where do you think you are?!" among other remarks. i had that early morning, just-woke-up robot voice too, so i was sufficiently embarrassed. i apologized profusely and did some groveling, and finally Lindsey said to get my [Butt] there ASAP because there was a 9am cancellation. at this point i was trying to put my breeches on backwards, and that sure lit a fire under me. i had 45min to get there, and it's an hour drive. 
needless to say, i made it with 5 minutes to spare, they threw Zory at me and i booked it to the back ring where Lindsey met me with an icy stare. i don't blame her. i took full blame for my sloth. 
once we were past the annoyance, Lindsey started asking what my goals were, and what level i would need to compete at to make the US paraequestrian team. we discussed things, and she reminded me that Mette Rosencrantz had given  her old GP horse, Basquewille, to a para rider. i already knew this, and it refreshed my enthusiasm for being linked to people like this. 

one handed pirouette. if she can do it, i can!

lindsey asked me to warm up by trotting in a progressively smaller circle around some jumps; first a 20m circle, then 3m away from the first track we made, then 3m smaller etc. until we were trotting in about a 5m circle in the arena. every time i made one side of the circle smaller or asymmetrical, we'd have to repeat laps. Lindsey is big on accuracy; which is, essentially, dressage. then we would spiral back out slowly to the original 20m circle. this helped Zory really pay attention to my leg and not cut in, and made me be very vigilant about keeping her from falling in at the shoulder. then we did it at the canter, without going to the smallest circle; and it was definitely a tough exercise. it takes massive leg strength to steer a horse at the canter when i am using normal reins instead of a bar rein! the rein situation is still an issue at Mill Creek; i've got to figure out how to get a new pair. it will literally amp up my training 10fold! once i'm not worrying about something so basic as steering anymore, i'll be able to get some real work done. this was about all we had time for on saturday, since it was only a half hour lesson, but thankfully no vicious coyotes came down to the ring that morning! Lindsey's parting words of the day were, "once you start using a bar rein, i'm going to expect so much more out of you." sounds like a challenge to me. BRING IT ON!!!