The Honeymoon Phase

I have been out of touch for a while here, but I have a great excuse! Erik & I finally went on our honeymoon that has been 2 years delayed due to Navy scheduling. We went to New Zealand & Fiji, and it was an amazing trip, but not horse related, so I shall not digress... :P

Since being back, I've been really turning up the heat on riding regularly & trying to make some progress with my girls. I made a riding schedule while in the airport in Fiji on our return trip, & it gave me some great brainstorming time to think of things to work on & how I wanted to progress.

So, to start with Meadow, I have been really concentrating on the basics with her. 20m circles with good bend, sprinkling in some 10m voltes if need-be to balance her out. I have been doing this consistently for the last few rides with her and it has seemed to help her strength and balance a bit. We also did a long trail-ride on my first Sunday back, & I had her out leading the majority of the time. We had quite a few "training opportunities" on the trail with a TON of bridges. Ended up doing a lot of tight circles and framed-up backings. By the end, she was really responding to my leg & trusting me when I asked her to go forward, but due to the hard ride & "training sessions," she scratched up her back right & it was puffy for the next couple days. So, Meadow basically got a week off; I lunged her once & today was my first day back riding her.

Also, I forgot to mention that I set up a little crossrail to start schooling Meadow over & add some variety, but she would not treat anything that small as a jump and ended up knocking it over every time I'd try to ride over it. I eventually got sick of that, so I hiked it up to a 2' verticle, put a hay bail underneath to make it look "solid," and tried her over that. We've done it a total of 6 times now, each time she takes it super calm, hasn't knocked it down, and jumps very nicely. Proud of my little girl's jumping skills!

Meadow's 6th time over the jump!

Now onto the dreaded canter... Well, the right has really been coming along. At my friend's indoor, we are able to canter full 20m circle, starting to work on a bit of bend even, but the left... not so much. Still bucking & not wanting to hold it. However, out on the trail, going straight, she was fine with both leads. I found that very interesting, as well as the fact that she had knocked up her right hind on the trail. I went ahead and put SMBs on her today for the first time, & while the first canter to the left was buckity, break--per usual--the 2nd and 3rd times were just fine. We got an entire long-side in & the starts of a curve before she broke. I'm thinking--and hoping--that she has been interfering behind causing a lot of these canter issues & with boots, it'll all be solved!! Crossing fingers!

Well... I wanted to update on Elly too, but I am a tired girl... I'll try to update tomorrow... *Teaser* I attempted canter with her both directions today for the first time!! :)