Winter Music

  Oh thank you God! It's been so hot lately. I got home yesterday evening and the barn was like an oven! Even with all the fans going. Poor Fleck was puffing and huffing and the others were all dripping sweat too. We were supposed to get a storm last night but we only got lightning. BUT... this morning was actually pleasant!! I mean, pleasant for late June. There was a cloud cover, a nice breeze, and... I was hot and sweated but nothing compared to how miserable it's been! So, even though I had to take care of Fleck and I didn't get up at 6 am and stayed in bed til 7 to try to sleep some more... it was still a nice ride at 8:30 am. Yay!   I put her back in the Bliss but I used the half pad. I debated switching out the gullet plate because Amanda had said she thought I should go wider... but honestly... I was debating going narrower. I put the plates on her and it seemed like the teal one (which is what is in it now) seems like the best fit, but... what do I know? But I didn...

 tried the loxley... then the icon flight... then back in the loxley.  photos: less noise

 First impressions..... not sure. photo: loxley something or other   and while i mow

    Well, mostly easy. Since she's had off from the horse show, I figured a nice hack today would be a good break in her week off. We loaded up and met Sharon and Baylor this morning. And it was steamy already so we mostly stayed in the woods. Of course, the bugs were bad. Ugh.. We had a good ride though. We mostly walked because it was sooooo wet and slick. We did managed to trot some of the gallop track though, which was fun. We crossed two creeks. And then I saw a great photo opportunity so I told Sharon to go pose and Lyric was not having it. She was wiggly and wouldn't stand still. She got so worked up. And admittedly I got a little mad. But eventually I was able to stop waving my stick around (inadvertently... trying to ride one hand so I could take a photo) and I put my phone in my mouth, so I could pet her and she settled. I think I did manage to get a good photo. After that she was good again.    She does make me laugh because both creek crosssings... she ge...

  Okay, so maybe it was a small show... and maybe I beat some kids. But, it wasn't so much about the blue ribbon as it was about the success of the day. Lyric was amazing!!!!  She was fairly calm when I got there although apparently she tried to break her door down yesterday when her neighbors walked their horses. Luckily Mackenzie took her out for me and calmed her down. Thanks Mack! I let her finish her breakfast  and we took a short walk and then I groomed her and tacked up. We jogged in the grass for about... 30 seconds. Ha ha. I'm so not fit. Then I got on and we walked around a good bit as we were a little early getting on but I also wanted to make sure she had time to stretch her back out. It was such a small show that we had plenty of room in warm up. And she wasn't anxious. Probably because I wasn't either. I was still nervous enough to get the poops, but more physiologically nervous than mentally nervous. Which... good??? We did a trot to try and stretch and g...

  Today was a really good day!!! The kind of day where you literally have to stop and gush your praises to God! I'm so grateful and so blessed!   I got up and rode Dan this morning and then Lyric and I headed to Aiken. Mike is out of town so I hauled her up there and schooled XC and then left her there with Jacel and the crew. I came back home to take care of the critters here and then I'll drive back up there at 5 am tomorrow morning and show. Unfortunately there's some serious thunderstorms so I hope Lyric is okay. But if I was there, I'd be worried about the ones at home, so... And quite frankly... nothing I could do about it either way. I'm glad and thankful though that Jacel offered to take care of her tonight because I think having her haul two hours, school, haul two home, then haul two back up to show and two back home is a bit much. Especially with this awful heat and humidity. So yay!   Anyways, we got to Aiken and found our stall. It's such a small sh...

Man.. it is soooo hot and humid this morning. SOOOO steamy!! Lyric and I were both sweating up a storm after our ride. But it was a good ride. I ended up riding her at home because of life... She's the only horse not missing shoes. SHOES... with an S at the end... Both Dan and Funny are missing two shoes each. And.. ha... Lyric was missing two last week. This weather has been miserable. But anyways... Patrick was coming "this afternoon" so I didn't want to be at Ashland when he was on his way. Plus we needed to do some dressage and with her showing this weekend, she didn't have to haul.    So we headed up to the arena and did our pillar work and thoracic sling work. And then i got on and we rode. It was a pretty easy ride... nothing too strenuous. And honestly... I probably could have done more or hacked out a little but... it was just so steamy and we got a good ride in so I left it at that. We practiced the basics... moving her body... lifting her back... not br...

 Adult amateur hour.... doh! feeling brave... warmed up soft and quiet at the trot... then went feral and "ran away with me" . let her canter and dealt with it. Some mild porpoising.  then went to work... worked on things around the water complex.. bending, turning, etc. had to ride her body not her face. I was getting sucked into hanging onto her mouth, which translated to gallop. but when I did alternating half halts it "broke up her neck" ie the tension, and allowed me to half halt and ride. I still felt like she was quick, but i need to put my leg on. She was game and jumped allt he things, even the big scary roll top uphill!!  Hard because she gets so locked in her body and it's kind of scary. and then she feels so bold and brave but then she isn't... so it's hard to not throw my shoulders at her and wait for the add. Which I don't like. But If I'm brave and close my leg, she'll jump more out of stride.  photos; chaos xc videos