What's Up Wednesday

 

Another week flew right by! Having a holiday in the middle always makes the time pass differently. With Thanksgiving on Thursday our lesson schedules were kind of shifted this week and poor Shiny didn't get to have one. I'm not completely sure she'll have one this week either... 

Normally I lesson with Eros and Shiny on Thursday mornings. But the barn owner doesn't really like us doing morning lessons in the winter when we're all stuck in the indoor because she has to do her training rides at the same time. So this week, there is only one open slot before she starts riding and I'd rather do Eros if I have to pick one. BO heads to Florida at the end of December though, so after that, we can get back to our old schedule. In the meantime I'll just keep trying to find a lesson that Shiny can fit into. It's tough because she only jumps 2' (sometimes 2'3") but most of the kids at the barn either jump 2'6" or cross rails. And the ones that jump cross rails do like two a lesson, not courses. I guess it's not the end of the world if Shiny takes a break from jumping for a few weeks. Boring, but not the end of the world. She's feeling pretty good these days at least.

Eros fit into a lesson on Saturday morning this week. I may actually do it again this coming Saturday. It's nice to jump a couple times a week when we can. He was pretty good for that lesson, but I was apparently not awake all the way when I was tacking up as I put his flat bridle on instead of his jumping one. He prefers less bit to jump (we flat in a three ring, but he likes a dee bit to jump). When Eros isn't completely happy, he likes to turn on the turbo thrusters upon landing off the fences. But it's fine. Even when he does that, he means no harm, and there's no real danger happening. I just lose my ability to half halt... Lol. Who needs that anyway? I'm also looking forward to later in the winter when the ring is quieter for his lessons. It can be tricky when he's feeling torpedo-y to try and dodge people not in the lesson. 

Al lessoned Wednesday and Sunday last week, and then again today. We already chatted about last Wednesday. Sunday went great! He was SO BRAVE at the end of the ring! They had set a new course, which involved a gymnastic (four jumps, each with 1 stride in between) and then a regular course. The warm up was through the gymnastic on it's own. First the easier way for us which meant jumping toward the barn, not at the dragon's lair (that's what Al calls the scary end). Then we reversed and did it the other way. Al was great, and by the end the out was a nice size. Once that was going well for all of us, we tacked on more jumps to make a course. Al was great through each course. Like, focused and using the whole ring. So good. To finish we popped over an oxer on the rail that trainer put up a little bit since it was riding so nicely each time. 

Look at this Very Good Boy good-boying all over the place

I think it was only 3'6" but it looked bigger. Regardless, I was proud of us. He just was so ridable and I didn't do anything to mess it up. And that right there is a good day in the saddle if you ask me. 

Our lesson today was with a a rider that's working to move up to the 3' and another that's prepping for a 3'3" debut, so the fences were smaller, but the courses were challenging, and that's a combo I like just fine. Al wasn't quite as brave at the end today, but he had a good excuse. I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this here, but I might have... The winter barn is built across the street from an active rock quarry. Which means that on occasion they do blasting over there. In the beginning, they used to text the barn to let us know it was happening, but now they just do it whenever. If you've never experienced rock blasting, it's basically an underground explosion. So the whole ground shakes and there's a large boom. Oddly enough, it doesn't really bother the horses that much. Some blasts are bigger than others, but the horses always seem to just kind of shake it right off. Of course, when it happened today, I was on Al right next to the scary doors. Because where else would we be? And while it didn't revert him back to full on terrified, he is once again a bit more weary down there than the last few days. It's tough to be Al. Even though that happened and he was feeling a little nervous, he was still a very good boy and was willing to jump toward the dragon's lair. Oh! And for both of these lessons, once we were warmed up, I took off the draw reins. I HATE jumping with draw reins (even though mine are so long, they aren't in his way) so I'm so happy to be getting brave enough to take them away. I've only been using them to help me hold him off the spook and spin. And hopefully (fingers crossed) the spook and spin is phasing out. For now at least.

The dentist is coming tomorrow for the equine kids. I wish it was later in the winter. Additional bills at holiday time is such a bummer! But the barn schedules that stuff so we do it when it happens.

And that's about the it from here. Things are going well with all of the horses despite it being ridiculously cold here already. Like highs only in the 30's the last few days. Seems early for that nonsense. Does not give me warm fuzzy feelings for the rest of winter! But you can't change the weather, only your layers. I'm just really thankful for wool.

Hope all is going well with you all! Has it gotten ridiculously cold your way too?