We are so excited about the change! We worked very hard on it, and of course we chose to do everything right in the middle of the 105* heat wave. But I would say it's worth it.
As you can imagine, with the heat wave and all the overhaul in the front yard, I haven't been riding much. At least, not my own horses on my own time. I have sort of decided not to ride Benny again until he moves out to the barn; the frustration is just not worth it, and I don't want to give him a chance to enforce his sudden bad habits. I am hoping to move him next Monday, perhaps before then. Hopefully his baby-sitters will understand and his buddy won't be too upset...I did mention it to the woman a couple weeks ago, and told her it's nothing to do with them or the care he's receiving; I just can't allow him to behave the way he is under saddle and I think he needs the structure an actual stable provides, as well as a large herd that he would actually prefer to be separated from.
He looks pretty good, though!
Tooey is doing all right, too. I hadn't ridden her a whole lot for a couple weeks, but since I've sort of decided to go ahead and sell her if she'll sell, I dragged my sister out last Monday morning to get some updated videos and photos...and it randomly stormed badly enough that I never left the indoor and gave up on getting anything done since her poor brain was too distracted by the storm and the farrier half parked in the ring to think about balancing or, you know, listening to her rider. So I had my sister throw her big ball in for us and we kicked it around for a bit and called it quits.
She even kicks it around by herself sometimes.
So yesterday after fishing, I brought Boyfriend to the barn with me and asked him to take some video and photos. She was a hyper turkey! I can't blame her at all, but seriously? I took her out in the grass ring to wear her down a bit on the hill, and she focused a bit better after that... until I tried to work on trotting a 15' vertical, which she absolutely bolted after every time. To be fair, I've barely jumped her since we moved, but before we did move, she seemed to have a good grasp of "don't build during jumps." Not so much now, I guess. We did have a couple of good lines eventually, after one small semi-bucking fit, one episode of nearly bolting into my boss and the horse she was riding, and a few...okay, several moments of jumping like a wrecking ball, but, ya know...these things happen. Right? Yeah...
I rode her again today because it wasn't too hot after work, and she was so much better. After looking at the photos and especially the videos Boyfriend took yesterday, I couldn't believe the state my hands and arms have gotten into! I don't know when I started riding with rigid arms and broken wrists with my hands in my lap; I know I've been doing it for a while, but I never feel like I am. So today I tried to exaggerate bend in my elbows and a straight wrist. Actually, I tried to over-bend my wrists so that eventually a straight wrist will feel natural, and she was so much more relaxed and round. Her trot was so springy and driven after a bit of a good warm up! I wish I had video of today's ride instead of yesterday's. As far as her canter goes, I've realized that almost immediately after I got her, I decided there was no way I could ride her canter nicely and gave up on it, and threw my body away every single time I've cantered her since...well, no more. I've started thinking about the inside of my foot in my stirrup while I ride, which seems to help a bit on keeping the insides of my legs on her instead of turning out and having daylight between my knee and the flaps. It's not perfect yet, but it's allowing me to open my hips and relax more, and I feel like the more I do it the better it will get. That is, as long as I DO have her. I've contacted her old owner to see if she'd like her back, but she doesn't have the space. She said she'll help me find her a good home, but I think I'm going to wait through August before I push it. That'll give me a little more time to work on both of us, and it'll be easier with both of my horses out there.
Now, doesn't this look a bit better?
Ignore the crazy 'do, I'm trying to get her wild Indian woman mohawk to lay down.
And for anyone bored enough...there is some actual riding in there. Be gentle; I've already discussed the hands, and I should go ahead and mention the floppy legs and wiggleworm spine I've got going on...
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