Ready For The Jumping Show and a Saddle

So no cantering on Tacki today although mentally I absolutely could have. We set up some jump standards and ground poles and I worked on getting Tacki and Delight used to them for the show tomorrow. Delight will be a piece of cake as long as I ride her "Western" on a loose rein. Tacki was really concerned, but she never refused and did her best to trust me. I love riding that mare, she is such a pleasure to ride even in her greenness.

I tried out a Wintec AP saddle today. It fit Delight and Tacki well. It is not my dream saddle but I think it might be a good transition-to-English-Endurance-type-saddle. When I am riding in it I feel like I am driving a Chevette with vinyl seats. My dream saddle will fit me more like a Jaguar. Unfortunately it will cost like one too. So, all that to say it's not real comfortable but I think it will do. It is 175oo. Of course I don't have the money right now. I am thinking about asking the tack shop where I have my western saddle on consignment if they want to buy it outright.

So tomorrow I will be going second up in the whole show. I am right behind Mr Mitleider. I was sure to thank Nancy for that honor. >.<

I haven't ever memorized anything but a trail course since I was 16. I figure if I can get the horses to actually trot the course in the right order I will be happy. I am thinking of using the English Wintec on Delight... we'll see how brave I am.

Pushing Forward

I finally cantered on Sam yesterday! Yeah it was on the longe and it was awkward unbalanced, clutching, tense, insert all the appropriate adjectives here... but I did it!

I have a hella time staying over my inside leg at the canter and Sam is one of those horses you have to direct every body part or he will trip over himself and fall over. (Well, not really, but he is still very unbalanced.) He also is very lazy and has to be kicked up to stay round and engaged even at the slower gaits. Nancy said I looked great so I must have done something right in there somewhere. Next step is to do this off the longe. It won't be long! Stay tuned for updates next week!

Here is a nice picture of Me riding Tacki and Sandra riding Sam.
We were doing some desensitizing work on this day...

I have decided to take Tacki and Delight to a Jumping Show on Sat. It is a winter series put on by my trainer Nancy. NO I WON'T BE JUMPING! In fact will be riding in my tacky cordura western saddle. My Sexy Breeches should make things all better right?? Ha ha.

At the show the rounds are all timed and there is a certain target time put on each level. The goal is to finish in that amount of time with no faults. I will be in the class where you ride your horse through the course with all the rails down. There will be ground poles to ride over in each jump. I am taking Tacki for experience and Delight so that I will have one horse that I won't fall off of in front of everybody. Neither of them has even ever SEEN a jump course.

I know I am probably asking for trouble, but it should be fun and maybe another blow to my AOF. Sara Mittleider's parents will be there with some horses (Google her!) No I will not be intimidated at all... I will just enjoy being in their presence... I will enjoy... I will enjoy... and be in awe :)

Horse Racing Festival of Lithang, Ba e

12.8.10 continued...

Well, I didn't ride either of my training horses! My endurance partner Sandra came to ride Sam. I ride Sam most often because she can't. But, she is the one who rides him in the Endurance rides. I can only ride one out on the trail at a time! Darn! We had an issue with not having enough tack. When she was done riding  Sam we tacked up Tacki and I encouraged her to ride her too. Sandra has only had the opportunity to ride "my" Tacki a couple of times. It was really fun watching them. Seeing someone else ride her really helped me see some of the progress that I am making with her!

I came across a lovely quote yesterday: "The horse you get off of is not the same horse you got on. It is your job as a rider to ensure that as often as possible, the change is for the better" - unknown author

Wed Dec 8, 2010

Well, today is training day. I will be riding Sam and Tacki the two little black Arabs. I didn't sleep well and I don't have cream for my coffee so I am starting a little slow. I need to shower and heat my soup to go into my thermos and head out.

I have cantered Tacki but only out on the trail, and I have yet to canter Sam despite being the one who started him 2 years ago. Even though the arena is super little dark and spooky My plan is to "get over it" and canter them both in the indoors soon. This summer unless they sell I will be doing endurance rides on Tacki and hopefully Dressage test or two on Sam (and maybe Tacki though she is much farther behind in her training.)