Monday 18 May 2015

Lean On Me

Another weekend, another lesson. I'm a bit sad I'm missing out on the weekend shows so far, but honestly, there hasn't been anything worthy of the expense (about $4-500 for ferry fares alone - trailers are expensive when they charge by the foot!) Since I know our move closer to the shows and events is imminent, I'm finding it a little easier to save the $ and stay home for now. Besides, I can live vicariously through the blogging community and all the great outings everyone seems to be having this spring :)



Waiting for the fun to begin
 I'm still hoping to have a proper show season this year and be there for their schooling event day and the dressage % days at a minimum. I have my eye on some little jumper days too and obviously the 'big' fall events, but of course it's all dependent on how quickly I find adequate boarding. Fingers crossed, I have a great coach lined up there and of course, S is here and I plan on continuing getting her help with Ginger.

As you can probably guess by my enthusiasm for a show season this year, my lesson went well! Midge brought pretty much the same attitude to the lesson as she did to the previous days schooling ride. Soft, responsive, and fairly forward. I like this new pony! Leg yields, shoulder in, haunches in were all great - fingers crossed, we've had no issues with gradually increasing the difficulty and we're doing 'proper' grown up pony lateral work more often than not. She impressed S by cantering multiple 20m circles to the left with a respectable amount of softness and balance. We're not anywhere near perfect, but generally we're in a positive trend and I'm hopeful we'll be dressage worthy at some point in this lifetime :) The right was harder for her, so my homework lies there. All our current issues revolve around us both being left handed. I let Bridget hang on my right rein too much and that being her weaker side, she quite happily takes advantage of that and leans on me and does the whole motorbike thing.  I just generally feel more uncoordinated that way, as does she, so we both need to step it up a little. S had us work in the trot and focus on having a correct bend and make Midge responsible for holding it, and me responsible for immediately correcting her! I mentioned I felt like I was nagging, and her response was that that's her point entirely - I am way too passive about correcting Bridget. Make it quick, make it effective, and then leave her alone, rather than my default of asking nicely...repeatedly. Easier said than done!

We finished up with a fun little cross rail 'course'. Bridget of course loved it, but her gas tank was running a little low and we called it good after 10 minutes or so of that. Unsurprisingly, tired ponies are good ponies, and my hack home was much less eventful than yesterdays athletic show of pony naughtiness (who says pony can't collect the canter? In place, even? LOL, Bridget, you're so busted :)



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6 comments

  1. I can't wait to hear about the shows you and Bridget go to! :) When are your planning your first one?

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    1. Looking at the 'local' schedule they have something almost every weekend, and it averages out to about one dressage show, one hunter/jumper, one open show, and one western games day a month, all very reasonably priced, so lots of options there and I think I'll try to go to whatever I can get to and get as many miles as possible! As for events, they have a schooling one in June with one of the local coaches I'd love to go to if I'm organized enough, and then aim for one of the smaller ones in Vancouver area in the fall. It seems like the majority of the 'english' riders in the area are eventers so I'm hopeful I will find some people interested in sharing rides to things. They also have a Boxing Day Hunt locally which I'm already pumped about!

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    2. Sorry, that was a vague answer...I'm hoping by mid June I will get out there. We missed our first planned one last weekend due to me moving and being $ conscious.

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  2. you guys are totally gonna rock it at some shows this year - Bridget is doing so well, she's gonna be a star! in the meantime, i know *exactly* what you mean about nagging vs. one quick effective correction... it's a tough habit to break tho, that's for sure!

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  3. That is how I feel about showing... too much money, not worth the mad expense.
    While I plan to attend a few outings (clinics, shows), I am honestly pretty happy just riding and training at home and out on the trail. BUT that being said, if I didn't get out at all I might go stir crazy.

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  4. I'm working on being less passive as well. It's hard to break those types of habits!!

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