March 11, 2010

Good News, Bad News

Good news:  very successful dressage lesson on Saturday.  Did a bit of lateral work and turns out that leg yields are SO much easier when you do them properly.  What I thought was straight turns out to have been me asking Solo to lead the leg yield with his haunches, which explains why it was so hard.  P says, "how about you let the shoulder lead like it's supposed to?" and pop, it just flowed forward so much more easily!  Assignments:  keep working on those leg yields and shoulder in to build strength and suppleness.  And we WILL learn how to transition to canter without throwing our head in the air (Solo: NOOOOOOOOOO!).

Good news: FABULOUS XC lesson with David on Sunday.  It was an exquisitely perfect day, 70 degrees and a farm that looked as if it belonged to royalty.  We started out with a few stutters when I rode poor Solo so far to the base of the jump he couldn't take off and once again, a ditch threatened to eat his head.  David calmly led Solo over the ditch and proceeded to have us jump it 37 times until Mr. Red Butt worked it out.  We proceeded to have loads of fun, even conquering a Training level question up a bank, one stride, then over a log.  Reverse it to ride over the log, one stride, then down the bank.  It felt great and we finished off with a mini course that included one of those Novice coop jumps that terrify me so and it all went without a hitch.  So thanks to David, I feel 300% better as does, I believe, my horse, about our upcoming trials!

Good news:  I have sent in entries for both an unrecognized event which will be our first go at Novice at the end of this month as well as our first EVER recognized event in April (ahhhhhhhhh!! I will be looking for a crew member if anyone wants a fun weekend watching my eyes roll).

Bad news:  I am currently under doctor's house arrest for the entire week for some horrid respiratory flu from god knows where.  After I finish typing this, I am going to go renew my dosage of hydrocodone and sink blissfully into the trippy pleasure zone it provides, yeahhhhhhh...  But I can't ride my horse because my lungs are on fire.  Boo.  But the only reason I finally broke down and went to the doctor (besides the shrieking pain) was that I want this virus to have its ass well and truly kicked by horse trial time!

16 comments:

  1. First of all... is this David you so calmly refer to David O'Connor?????????
    Second of all... can I be on your crew? And magically live in NC, not Mormonville? Sounds like a blast (not the sick part...), I wish it was 70 degrees here!

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  2. Not quite DOC, but it is David O'Brien, that "other" David O. We love him dearly and are NEVER GIVING HIM UP! The O'C's farm is farther up north than us, up in VA or PA or somewhere up there. But the O'B's are right down south of us in Vass, NC. :-) I'm writing his name on my Trapper Keeper right under Wofford's! I happily accept out of state crew, but I do not have a charter jet, sorry!

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  3. Ah... that makes more sense. I'm still jealous that you've ridden with Wofford. He'd be on my Trapper Keeper too, along with my Lisa Frank stickers.

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  4. Solo, what about slap bracelets? Are ya gonna make one for David O or did we reserve those strictly for The Woff? I can't recall. And of course, remember that your "I ♥ The Woff" has to be the most prominent writing on your Trapper Keeper. Those are the club rules.
    Sorry you're sick, but you had three goods and only bad -- so, suck it up! ;-) Plus, you had two lessons in one weekend, so you are one lucky girl!
    Go take your drugs and have sweet dreams of blue ribbons and perfect XC runs. Feel better!

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  5. Aw, feel better soon! I will have to double check my work schedule, but I am pretty sure that Longleaf was one of the events my mom and I were planning on going to, so if we are, we would be more than happy to help, and it would be nice to see a more 'back stage' view of a horse trial!

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  6. Never mind, crap, I must have misjudged my work weekend, I am working on all of the lovely trials I had wanted to go drool over! How does this happen!?!? Ugh, so no lovely trials, and no helping you as 'crew member', and no learning, and still plenty of wimpyness on my part (though from all my free jumping of Bailey, I do think I am getting there...)

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  7. Oooo, slap bracelets...pondering. Aw, dang Alana, we would have loved to have you as crew! Hey, did you ever have any luck with that video?

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  8. and apparently you live in NC?! Ha. I saw TCC and Uwharrie and laughed. Keep representing us well :)

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  9. I do live in NC, Rachel! Are you a fellow southerner?

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  10. I am officially jealous. Your horse can jump in lessons and clinics and it's warm there. Phooey.

    Well, enjoy it.

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  11. Sorry to hear you're sick :( Enjoy your happy meds though! You guys are looking great!!
    I have a question: if you were to do a saddlefitting post (like if I sent in pictures of my new saddle on Mr. Pony), would it be best to have it saddle on naked pony or with pad, and what views would be needed? This is hinging, of course, on you being willing to do said saddle-fitting post. It's something I never picked up much info on over the years & now I have a hard to fit horse to compound the problem! Next question: would you ever consider doing a conformation post? Now that I'm done being needy, I'll sign off! :-)

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  12. yep! born and raised on the obx but relocated to the piedmont for college and just haven't left yet.

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  13. Hey Jen -- I would be happy to look at pictures. However, it's pretty much impossible to truly assess fit from a picture, you really need to be there in person. You can look at the gullet, the panels, the balance, etc, but I offer no guarantees of meaningfulness! There is a fitter from Trumbull Mtn Saddlery that does her own blog, there's a link on Life's Highway about it. I'd also be happy to post and comment on conformation pics you want to send if you think it would be helpful for you. :-)

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  14. I am curious where you live in NC? I recently started reading your blog and part of the draw for me was where you are located. I live in Chapel Hill and have never evented, -mostly due lack of a horse and funds-but always wanted to. Currently I ride hunters at a farm in Apex. I hope you are feeling better!

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  15. Hi Catherine and thanks for reading! For reasons of avoiding any creepy stalkers, I will say that I live in the greater Triangle area. But we attend events all over the Piedmont, it's a great place to be situated! You should definitely give eventing a try if you get a chance! It is definitely a lot of work but the community is like none other.

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  16. Ugh, no, no luck with that stupid cursed video, and I will never touch that camera again. EVER!!!!! I did manage to somehow end up with a crooked super-sped-up video of you guys, which was hilarious to watch, but totally pointless to learn anything with, which has since been deleted along with several other videos, grrr...but, when looking through my pics the other day I realized I have some pics of you guys I need to email you. There is one my mom took before she realized who you were of you and Solo watching another dressage test, it is is soo cute of Solo, cause I swear it looks like he is trying to learn from the other horse! I will try to get that over to you soon.

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