Monday, March 15, 2010

Time just woooshes by! Mid-March already. One little hunk of snow left in the yard. High 50's are drying things out well but they are forecasting white stuff on the weekend coming up.

Thursday, LM videoed the girl and I. Josie was very, very dirty! J said I should have seen her earlier - you couldn't tell what color she was. I cleaned her up as best I could, with L waiting I didn't do my normal thorough clean up. Josie was in a good mood. I warmed up and on my cue LM started recording us. The arena was a little busy so I now have footage of Josie's game face. I will have to take some stills from the DVD. What a character my girl has become.

At first watching the DVD I thought OMG! What a hack! After watching it about ten times I am seeing how nicely we both are doing. I am riding her from front to back. I can see from the DVD that my upper body is improved but I still need to work on it. I am not putting my leg as far forward as I think I am. Say turning to the left, I should put my left leg forward to give her something to "bend" around and use my outside leg back to press her into my other leg "post") to turn and keep her haunches from going out.

Josie started out a bit sluggish. Must be tiring slogging through the mud and then rolling in it and carrying it around all day. I made a point to do some turns on the forehand in both directions so I could see if she steps with her front feet as her haunches (hind leg crossing over) move away from my leg.

Our canter look pretty good. LM thought my downward canter to trot was good. It feels like we are falling on the forehand but the vid shows an immediate power transition down. Josie steps well under herself. As I rode I took more contact on the reins and got Josie rounder. We have some nice trot work with the energy we want.

Of special note - I have footage of her leg yielding off my left leg. I think we have made it over that hump - BoooooYA!

There is nothing like watching a movie where you are the star :)

Friday was a b-day celebration for CR. I had told her I would give her a head set I had so I gift bagged it - hee, hee, hee.

Saturday soccer night. We had different folks this time. Josie was covered. I mean COVERED in mud! I should have put a hanky over my face the dust clouds were just rolling off her. I rode with the bareback pad but used my dressage bridle so Josie couldn't bite the ball. We had a lot of fun. She was very good about cantering. I had the foresight to let her run and buck a bit while the arena was empty. After tearing around a bit she got a sweet look on her face and walked to me. She felt good to get that out of her system.

With the time change I didn't stay too late. I knew it would be best for me to get out early in the morning to clean her up for our Trot Poles class.

During the time I spent trudging through the mud to get Josie the pups had rolled in something very terrible. Josie peaked out of the shed but wouldn't come when I called her. Darn it! Sunday baths are becoming a habit again.

I was most happily surprised when she wasn't too dirty the next morning. I could have slept in but if I had I would have had a mud pit for a horse. That is how things work.

Trot poles went very well. I put my leathers up a notch to see if that would improve my position. Oh, yes! Very much so. H had us leg yield from one set up to another. Good thing I have been practicing. Josie and I had one stall. She wasn't use to the white bloks being side by side. I paid for four lessons (save a tree and a check) so I have three left. I will have to ask H to let me know when she thinks we are ready for jumping. I am getting antsy. The Trot Poles are good as we are learning bending lines, bringing the horse straight to the jump, having a good tempo, etc. I am definitely feeling stronger.

Since the dogs were already filthy and Josie and I needed cooling off we went down the lane, over the tracks and to the water's edge. Josie didn't want to walk in the middle of the path. After getting my new breeches snagged on the thorny branches, she didn't get a choice. I toyed with the idea of taking the water crossing but decided against it. I will wait until we have company. It is very wide and I didn't want to get my new jumping saddle wet either. There will be time enough for that.

Bath for the pups, a little bit of chores and then a nap for me. It will be hard enough to get up in the morning.

I have gotten back to my eating lifestyle but not the working out part. I have been able to walk the dogs a bit more but no where near a last chance workout workout.

We have hunted the field a few times now but still only vole carcasses. Must have been a tough winter for them.

Ahhhhhh, life is most good!