Hopefully this post comes with things to look at...

So yesterday I went to the local (Joe Schmoe) tack store to look for a few things I needed for Culpeper. It's still a week and a half away, but my work schedule is going to keep me from doing anything other than procrastination, so I decided to swing by and grab a few things. Naturally, I walked out spending $253.00, but what one of us hasn't done that? They had the $140.00 Cosequin on sale for $99.00, so I bought the next two years worth of Cosequin and saved $80 in the long run. It made sense. Sort of.

Anyways, their customer service was particularly shotty yesterday. I waited at the cash register for nearly 30 minutes trying to get someone to help me! This is against their norm; usually you can't walk in there without getting hounded. However, it wound up being a rather fruitless shopping trip, aside from my supplement spending spree. They don't carry gag cheek pieces. The only reason I even looked is because they're on backorder at Dover until July, and that doesn't do me any good! Oh the frustration of living in a rural area.

I've decided to try Bella in a gag. I got the softest mouthpiece I could; a rubber snaffle. It's not that she's strong...quite the opposite actually. She has a very soft and willing mouth. However, her balance has always been a little off, and she tends to pass my distances a bit, which gets us into trouble over anything bigger than 1m. I figured I'd give an elevation bit a try, but I don't want leverage. Then she just tucks her nose and gets nervous. Hopefully I'm on the right track, I guess we'll find out IF I ever get cheek pieces for it! Grr...

I went to ride yesterday with the intention of putting Bailey over a few little jumping exercises. I really wanted to see how she'd handle herself since it had been a while since I showed her a jump. So I got there and my arena was still pretty wet. Boo:( But since Bailey doesn't wear shoes yet, I went through with it. I figured the footing would provide her with another challenge. It wasn't dangerous, just sloppy.

To say the least, I am jumping out of my SKIN with excitement over this filly. The first time over it, which I didn't catch on video, she jumped very square and tight. Not exactly a 'green' baby jump, just very nice. By the third and fourth attempts, which I recorded, she was already comfortable and relaxed.

Enjoy, I sure did!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgfeMNkEFKQ

The other horses got the day off (again). I was worried about Bella pulling a shoe, and I didn't want to risk Patrick because we have a show next weekend. Besides, if he's going to be a hunter, I don't want him fit anyways!

So for the rest of the afternoon, I headed out to Pickwick and rode Luna again, hoping for a better ride than before. It would have been the perfect day to get some video or photos of her. She was fantastic! Go figure. I guess all I need to do is get after her a bit, and she raises her standards a bit. By the time we finished our ride, she was almost consistently on the bit and moving forward (and even seeking!) into the contact. Maybe I've actually gotten through to this little mare, finally!

After these photos upload onto to Facebook (we have satellite internet, so you'll get those tomorrow), I'm going to head out and hopefully sit on five horses today. I'll let you know how it goes:)

I've been a little lazy

So yesterday Bella had off and remained outside all afternoon with Quinn and Fiesta, but for some reason she didn't feel like lounging. Ignoring her leg wraps and day of rest, she continually ran around her field, bucking and carrying on like a two year old. It was a little annoying, but if that's what she felt like doing in her free time, hey, have at it, I suppose.

I had a fantastic flat on Patrick. He was totally stellar, and I'm starting to really increase my opinion of him. He's really starting to push from behind, and threw out some insane extended trots down the long sides, really reaching into the contact. I honestly never suspected he'd be anything more than a little kids backyard horse, but my efforts to make him into something fancier are really paying off. I saw some pictures my mom took of him on the flat, and he's actually quite cute! I'll have to get my hands on them to put up here. Anyways, I was super pleased with him, and made a huge fuss over him afterward, which he reveled in.

This weekend there's another county show at the barn I used to ride with. Saturday is the junior day, while Sunday is the adult and jumper day. I'm planning on bringing Patrick over early Saturday morning for the 7:30 schooling. He hasn't been off the farm before, so I'm starting to really put the pressure on myself to expose him to different things to get him sold. I figured a local schooling show session would be perfect for a place to start. So I guess I should probably teach him how to trailer, right? Haha, he hasn't been on one since he was 6 months old, and that was the only time. I opened it up yesterday after our ride and planned on showing it to him again. He put his front feet on the ramp, but was content to just stand there until I shook a bucket of grain in his face. Then we walked right up, stood on it rather calmly to eat his little lunch, then backed off smoothly and went out to his field. I plan on doing that again a few times, and then putting Scooter on there with him if need be. I knew I kept that little brat around for a reason!

Bailey was a little fiery yesterday, and by that I mean she did her super slow clunky warmblood wanna-be gallop instead of her putzy little trot for one lap, then settled into her usual self. I cantered her a little more than normal, continually pushing her just a little bit harder, but I kept it short. She had a minor case of hives when I tacked her up, but it got worse as the day wore on. I didn't have anything to treat it, so I just left her be so I could see if it got worse. This morning most of them were gone except the ones by her face and neck, which kind of worried me, but I'm not one to overreact about vet situations, so I'm just keeping an eye on it.

Of course, today was supposed to be Bella's day back, and it's been raining all day. Since I'm not a grand prix rider in Florida or trying to sell a high a/o horse, I feel absolutely no need to ride in the rain (I say that with only a small amount of resentment!). So the training horses are inside, while the retirees mow my lawn in a nice sprinkle and I've been exceedingly lazy all day long, but I'm certainly not complaining!

You know there's a quirk in your training program when...

...your riding horse is terrified of jumps every time they move somewhere new, and your 19 year old retired broodmare keeps jumping out of the field. Talk about strange. I knew I should have bred that silly thing back this season...

And I just realized that there's a handy little button up top that lets you include pictures. I feel really smart (and by that, I mean really dumb).

So today was spent out at the barn, in its entirety. I never anticipated spending 2 and a half hours setting jumps (I mean, I only have 5), but who knew it could be so difficult to get a triple combination straight?? I think that was my own personal form of Hell. Anyways, I wound up with raised cavaletti at 2.20m, a single vertical at 2'6", a triple combination: vertical, oxer, vertical set at 13m in and 13m out, and then the famous coop, all of which I designed for Bella. Then I kept the 2.80m ground poles for Patrick to continue developing over.

As you may be able to tell, I finally got a phone call from the elusive Mr. Trainer last night, and finally received some much appreciated advice:D He claims he's coming to my place Wednesday morning to give me a lesson on Bella and Patrick, and he wants to ride Bailey, who he says is his future Grand Prix horse. I can only hope! I'd be happy if she could make it around the low A/Os! It'll be interesting though. Five Olympic games, but he's never been on a genuine baby. I'll be sure to get video!

So I jumped Bella lightly today, just to introduce her to the new line so on Wednesday we can add some height to the equation. I was a little nervous about the 13 meters. It's meant to be ridden so you jump the first vertical, hold for one stride, build for two, and hit liverpool at the base with impulsion, then balance for the remaining three strides to the last vertical. Here lately, Bella hasn't been doing 'holding' or 'balancing' very well, when it pertains to jumping. She was out of the mix for so long, she just wants to rush and run and get it over with as fast as possible. I've worked really hard about that the last two months, and she's finally relaxing into her old self. She jumped every jump like a pro, and cantered right down the line. I've never had such an honest horse, and it's so rewarding to know that I made her that way.

Patrick, on the other hand, decided it was far too hot and he was worked way too hard yesterday to be cooperative for a second day in a row. I guess that's just how it goes. You can't get brains AND an agreeable attitude all at the same time. He didn't enjoy the left lead today. It took two tries before he gave up arguing and picked up the correct lead. I took him through the ground poles a few times, and they're actually starting to get a little long for him. He's finally engaging his hind end! I think he might be ready for 2.60m, and I'm jumping him for the first time on Wednesday:D I love the look he gets in his eye when he feels like picking a fight. It just screams "I really don't like you right now...". I can't help but laugh every time.

 Bailey has recently decided that the mounting process is absolutely terrifying. This happens occasionally, I've come to realize. They learn new things, and old things become scary again. So I reduced mounting to its simplest form: I now walk in circles around her, dropping the mounting block all the time until she stops jumping and rolling her eyes, then get on her in the stall. So far, so good. Today there was minimal eye rolls. She proceeded to walk, trot, and canter (on cue!) around the arena like a little saint, stopping on a dime whenever I even started to say, "Whoa!". Mind you, this was the second time she's ever been ridden out of the round pen, and only the 6th time all season. I should mention, this filly was the biggest, rudest, most obnoxiously stupid foal I've ever met. She's come a long way!

Now that I've typed too much, I'm going to go sip some iced tea and relax until I return to the barn once again for evening feed. A horsewoman's work is never done, but do we ever really complain? ;)