I have to say firstly how much I hate some computers - in particular this one. For the record I typed out this lengthy wonderful email about our lesson today. How he had total jumper brain because he had to do flat work in the arena while there was standards put up. And all about our lesson today. Lovely, wordy, descriptive - usual blog information and then my $&%@*$& computer deletes it. No there was no saving it. I used to type this out directly on weebly, but that program also seems to like to delete my entries. So now I type these out on my hotmail account as a draft and then save it and transfer it to weebly. So today there was no going back to undo the delete or to find it anywhere as I hadn't saved it at that point.
Frankly this is why some laptops are p.o.s. and this particular laptop is one of those.
So we will keep this to a short and frank blog. We rode, we jumped and then I went home. Yeah like thats all I'm going to write. Als watching football, so I think I've got maybe another 10 minutes before he starts to complain I'm on the computer too much. Don't blame me, blame the addiction that is facebook.
So as a particularly difficult flat work session, because Ozzy has become a jumper crackhead. And if there are perfectly good standards up in the ring, then WHY are we focussing on flat work! As much as I love the enthusiasm he shows towards jumping, frankly I would just appreciate a horse some days that listens to me and my leg and doesnt have a single brain focus. He was certainly in his cracker warmblood mood prior to us working on the poles on the ground. And I've also created a rail monster of a horse, outside leg what outside leg, if we are on the quarter line then frankly we should move over to the rail. I remember going up the long side at one point on the 1/4 line and Brianne said move him to the rail - well she praised at how quickly he went, when quite frankly I think he just heard her instructions and shot over before I had a chance to ask for it. So we will be workign on more flat work, off the rail and while standards are set up in the middle of the ring.
Then we moved to poles on the ground, to work on my form. After hiking my stirrups up so my knees were jumping against my ear lobes, we moved to working on my form while jumping a cross rail. We know Oz can jump, so we don't need to be working on my form and have him jump over 3' - 3+ height. Remember people YOUR HORSE ONLY HAS SO MANY JUMPS IN IT!! So my form needs the most amount of work, heels down, eyes up, releasing, back straight, etc, etc... So after not properly releasing and having a bit of a death grip on his face, Brianne said jump the next one with your inside hand on your hip. Now this makes sense as it will give me the confidence to reach back and tap his butt mid jump if I have to while holding on with the outside hand (crap the computer is making those warning signs again.... frankly if it poops this blog out - you guys are all on your own!!). So we did that once, and it felt okay, not as scary as I originally thought - now we do it with the other side, again not a problem. Now I hear no hands - um HELLO !!!! Have you seen me ride. Let me remind you if you've forgotten my knees are around my eye sockets my stirrups are so up! Well needless to say the first couple of times of this - it didn't work out so well - so you can imagine what my homework is. The third time I could put my hands on the crest of his neck or grab some mane if need be. And that time felt a wee bit better, but not impressive at all..... so definately will be working on a posting trot with no hands this week on the flat homework. Then we moved to the next step, I can have the reins back but no eyes. I warned Brianne then that I would pay her back in this blog if she made me do this, (hahaha like thats going to happen) So I swallowed my fear - along with my gum, and went at the jump and did close my eyes - nope didn't cheat or peak at all. And the first jump felt incrediable, I have no idea what it actually looked like, but it felt amazing to have to focus on feeling your horse instead of using your eyes. We did this a couple of more times - and now I'm convinced that I can actually ride 3 day event now. Stadium Jumping - well not really an issue, we are working on that, Dressage - again not a problem, we are focussing on that now, and the Eventing phase - well frankly this will be my easiest part. I plan to do this while keeping my eyes closed the entire time! No sight - no fear!
No people I am not going to start cross country eventing - that will happen right after Oz and I try bungie jumping!
But it was an incrediable feeling and something I definately want to try again. But todays lessons were definately defining where I so need improvements, and focus on using other parts of my body. Yes I know this means I have to build up my core strength - yuck this means the gym.... I hate the gym!
Tomorrow is my day to spend with Al, so no riding - instead draggin him to the huge crafts fair, - now if there was just some craft I could make from hay binder twine, and sell it off there. And of course a few stops at some wineries as well - so not a lost day. But we will be trail riding on Tuesday, and I think by then I will have I'm sure another beef to write about. I will try to keep it equine related.
Okay now, please please please - save draft and then save and hopefully upload okay. Did I mention how much I love this computer ?????