Monday, September 28, 2009

Blogging is like exercising it is one of the first things to be neglected. I have been pretty busy. Josie and I had a wonderful schooling show. Of course we were in intensive training getting ready. Unlike all the schooling shows we have entered this one was outside. The great outdoors, the land of great distractions, wide open spaces for bucking. The Tuesday before I was riding her in the updoor, gave her the cue for a left lead canter depart and waaaaaaahoooooo! Josie let out a barrel rolling quarter horse buck. Her barrel roll turned me so that I could see her hind feet out the side of my eyes. Quite the buck! I brought her back down and turned her head to the left against her side and circled and said no, no, no! I asked again and she considered it but then complied.

During the warm up for the schooling show I had a chance to ride in the updoor. We had ridden in it the night before with everything all set up except the judge, scribe and table. I warmed her up as best I could and given a two minute warming of needing to clear the arena, I decided to ask for a canter depart to get a feel for how she was feeling. She was apparently feeling pretty good, she shook her head and bounced a little. I backed off and took her down to the indoor and we did multiple canter departs on both sides. This had two plus actions - tiring her out and getting her submitting. Ya! Mare submitting - hee, hee, hee.

Our tests went well. She didn't like the reader off to the side. One of our canter circles she wouldn't turn to start the circle. I was really pleased with our score for Training 2 63.5. I am very proud of that.

Sunday life went back to normal. I rode in my western saddle intending to go out on trail. It was dinner time so I fed her the grain she would have received. Well, she finished just as the others were going in the eat and she felt she should be joining them. I tell you if she were let loose in a grainery she would eat until she dropped. As I rode up the driveway with the pups at our heels, she neighed and neighed. We went in the indoor as I had our exercise ball waiting for us. She neighed some more. This is not typical behavior for her. We warmed up and played with the ball. Eventually I decided to take her and the ball to the updoor just to see how she would be. As suspected, she got a little squirrelly when I asked her to canter towards the ball. I have been closing the gate and she tends to be a bit better. I am also getting stronger with my legs for turning.

We are going to take a bit of a break from intensive training - back to breaking in our jumping saddle. Speaking of which I have signed up for a trot pole lesson for October 4.

We are having a tack sale October 3. I have been going through all my gear and have a big tub ready and keep adding more. All I have left to do is put stickers on. This money will go towards Pix getting spayed.

My rig is almost ready. More later