Amateur at large: What's up Wednesday

Wednesday already. Where does the time go? I can't believe summer is basically over. It went just as fast as this past week!

We had a pretty quiet week with not much at all on the calendar. And it was much needed! It takes me awhile to get back into a routine after the marathon braiding weekends. So I was happy to have nothing to do but horses for a few days.

Shiny had her usual rides with her kiddo last week (Wednesday and Friday) but this week her kiddo couldn't make it today. I think she'll be here either Friday or Saturday though. I'm actually kind of excited to steal Shiny back for a jump school tomorrow. I haven't jumped her in awhile, and neither of the boys have been jumping either... I fear I'm becoming a dressage rider.... Which, nothing against dressage, but I'm not sure I have the attention span for it. Anyway, I'm excited to jump a couple little courses with Shiny.

She's been going great lately for the most part. But, I was a little concerned because she's started kicking out again for the canter transitions. Then I also noticed she's been a little looky at things and not spooky really, but kind of looking for an excuse to think about spooking. These are Shiny's little tells that she needs to have a little gallop and buck. So I let her have a free lunge today, and when I rode her later she didn't kick out at all. So hopefully that's all that was about. The weather has definitely changed, so I'm not surprised she was feeing a little spicy.

I mentioned on Thursday that Eros is trying out Al's saddle for the time being. He's also started using the equiband once a week. Just the belly band, not the one around his bum. Between those two things, he feels like a whole new horse. Like the horse I had before the latest injury. It's lovely! He's more forward, he's lifting his belly (and his withers!), and he just feels a lot better overall. So I guess I need to get the fitter out sooner than later. I really had hoped I was done with saddles for awhile! But horses, amiright? You'd think at his age he'd be done getting wider... The dad bod strikes again!

I'm planning to jump him a little tomorrow, and will bust out the Pivo so maybe next week we'll actually have some media. He's not doing much with jumping just yet. I'm taking things really slow. Last week he trotted four single jumps (two each way) on two different days. This week, I'm hoping to maybe do a little mini course. But we'll see how excited he is. I plan to have the jumps small, like under 2'. So nothing exciting... but sometimes E brings his own excitement. Fingers crossed it goes well and he stays sound.

Al was not sound last week. He seemed to get a bit better as the week went on and by Sunday, I thought he felt pretty good. I had touched base with our vet I think on Friday and let him know we'd probably be scheduling an appointment. By the end of the weekend though, I was feeling more hopeful. On Tuesday, I decided to tack him up, but throw him on the lunge line first so I could see what he looked like. He looked good. Like really good. Both ways. So I hopped on and he also felt good. Yay! I noticed too that getting on after he was warmed up, he was much more willing to move forward. So my current plan is to toss him on the lunge line for a few minutes before riding. Let him warm up without me. Then I can get on and put him to work and he's already loose and ready to go. (I think he's been talking to Shiny... they both come out like they couldn't possibly be expected to move their legs.) We'll see if it holds up as successful. You never know with Al.

I popped him over a handful of raised cavaletti today and that went very nicely. So as long as he's on the same trajectory tomorrow, I may hop him over a few jumps too. Nothing crazy. Little ones like Shiny and E are doing. Baby steps.

Speaking of jumps... I'm not making any new fill this year for fall. I'm pretty happy with what's in the ring for this year. But I did find something I couldn't resist adding to the skull jump...