Crazay Day!

Started out well with a good day at school, and I was in a fabulous mood! Went to the barn, which always seem to work its magic by somehow making me sad lately, and saw two big horse accidents. I was really shaken up by that. Then went in the paddock to get Duncan, only for him to run away, and when I smacked him for being dumb he reared and almost hit me, so I had to dodge him and went into the electric fence :p luckily I didn't get zapped!
Went over to see my friend and get away for a bit, and then went back to see Dunc. I decided I wanted to lunge him and maybe ride him. He was really spooky and dumb when I was lunging, but seemed to work out of it okay. I did some in hand work and made sure he was listening, and then got on him in the round pen. My friend and I tried several times to make him walk on his own while still attached to the lead line, but he just was not having it. Finally I said just let him go, and he was perfect! Couldn't have asked for anything better! He was amazing!

I love my horse :) He puts up with my hugs and kisses and crazy ideas. He's such a good boy :)

:)

Really good lesson on Soxy today. Her trot work was soo good by the end, and she even started stretching in the canter. She's come so far!
Saw Duncan today for a little bit. He wasn't exactly thrilled to come in, but was a good sport about it. He freaked out at the cross ties and I thought he was going to break them, but he stopped once he realized he couldn't get away :) good boy Duncan!
Brought one of the kids I'm "mentoring" (I guess you could call it that) to the barn today. She rode Jag... and fell in love. She was really funny. I taught her how to make him go, stop and turn, and she just wanted to do everything. She was pretty sure she knew how to ride by the end of it, and wanted to gallop (I didn't let her). She reviewed everything she learned on the car ride home, she told me all of the horses names and described vividly how to make a horse do what you want. She is the cuttest kid ever :)

The Difference a Day Can Make!

So many things go on in my life, and they're only in a matter of days. Like this whole Duncan being all meh and running away in the paddock. It started Tues. and it is now Friday. It seems like it's been happening for like a month, but no, just a few days. Kind of funny when I think about it... and to think I call him dramatic!
He was good today. I walked up to the paddock to get him thinking everything was going to be okay, and that he was not going to run away, and he didn't! He walked politely down the driveway and let me brush him, and hug him, and kiss him, and squirt him with fly spray! He was such a good boy :) I even forgot to leave his halter on and went back out and he let me put it on, and started to follow me without realizing I wasn't actually making him come :)

Untraditional Learning

     I have learned in a way that most have not. Most dressage instructors might not approve of the way I was brought up in the horse world. At the first barn I was at I gained experience, something often over looked to new riders, but still vital. I was taught the basics of dressage, yes, but I was given horses to just play with. To ride and practice what I learned in my lessons, horses to trail ride. If I hadn't had those experience I know I would not be the rider I am today.
     Although there were plenty of times when I fell hard and got my fair share of dirt in my face, it taught me so much more. It taught me perseverance; that even when I fell and didn't think it possible to continue, I had to pick myself up and get back on. After all, it would be a long walk back to the barn if I didn't. I had the opportunity to ride horses that were plenty capable of throwing me, and I had to learn, unassisted, how to control them. Every time I stayed on a horse spooking or refusing a jump I fell off at least three times doing that same thing before. The lessons I learned could be harsh, but they taught me so much, the falls and the failure I felt then were worth it in the end. It allowed me to ride at the same levels of those who had had far more time in the saddle than I.
 

"Every little thing is gonna be alright."

Wow, sucky, sucky day. My horse was so bad, wouldn't let me catch him, wouldn't go down the driveway, didn't want me to tack him up, didn't want anything to do with me. I put him in the round pen for a bit and watched a group lesson. (Ok, so I was having a bit of a pity party today) and I was sitting watching the lesson, wishing Xavier was sound so I could ride him and get to do the stuff those riders were doing, but ya know I can't do anything about that. I had to keep saying I got to ride Socks, and she was coming along so well! But anyways, I got Duncan back out and started to tack him up. I felt like he just needed a reset button. I didn't want what happened earlier to ruin the whole day, I wanted him to know that I still loved him, and that is was ok. It kinda worked, I pet him and tried reassuring him, but he didn't want much to do with me. He was more interested in what his friends were doing. But anyways ended up putting my leg over him and just taking it slow. A little later I went up to the paddock again with a friend and he at least let me touch him (with some work). I know it's a work in progress, but days when it seems like all your hard work just doesn't pay off can be plain depressing.

It sucks when you don't get what you want, or things just don't go your way. No one ever likes that, but I think it is a really important lesson to learn. God has a plan for my life, everything will work itself out. I will be okay. Duncan will be okay. Everything will be okay.

Win some, loose some.

Bad day with Duncan today, which is really a bummer, because he's been doing so well lately. I was ready to trot on him. But I went out to the paddock to get him and he wouldn't let me get near him, like not even touch him or give him a treat. It's been like this ever since he went out in the back field. He's been so dumb. So frustrating!
It's also hard to train him... There always seems to be something that comes up and she can't make it, or I can't, or there is no ring time. Complications!
I guess things in my life have just been bad lately, and having Duncan hasn't helped. Duncan is so stressful, and not fun to work, I don't really enjoy him. I'm also mad that I'm too scared of him and can't train him myself, and have to rely on other people so much. And now I suck at riding. I haven't ridden well trained horses in so long, I feel like I can't do anything right. I'm timid around horses I used to be able to ride, and my seat is just bad. School work is getting so hard, and finals are coming up, and all kinds of end of the year tests and such. God doesn't seem to be here like He promised He would. Everything in my life is out of control, and God isn't helping. He is supposed to, but He isn't. So what do I do? Fill my time with horses. And what does that do? Nothing good.

Show

Had my first show with High Socks yesterday! It was better than I expected. In our first intro c class we had a better ride, she was in front of my leg and reached for more contact, but we got 4th. In our second class, training 1, we didn't have as good a ride, but we came in second. She was really good, especially for a first show. I'm so proud of her! And it is soo exciting to see the work you put in, actually come out! A month or so ago I started riding her and she didn't really have a canter, and now we're showing it! What? Awesomeness!

Saw my horse for like the first time all week. I brushed him a little then brought him in the arena during a group lesson. There were a few Friesians running around that really scared him. I just stood there with him for awhile until he relaxed. I'm glad I can handle him when he's freaking out now. Slow steps, but we're getting there.

High Socks

I feel bad for putting Duncan on hold this week. I have a show with High Socks Sunday, and didn't know I was doing it until Tuesday... less than a week to get ready for a show=awesome.
It actually isn't that bad though. I love the stress of getting ready, trying so hard to work towards a goal. It is something I didn't realize I missed so much until I started to get ready for this show season. I'm not sure how we are going to do though. Sometimes she is really good, and other times she is a train wreck, breaks the canter, or worse, doesn't want to pick it up when I say so. So I guess we shall se, main goal: stay in the ring. I'm not sure if we will be able to do it, but I'm going to try!
Duncan has been getting worked a little bit. People are getting on, he lunges with someone on him at the walk. Trying to get him to trot. He's doing well, but it's still slow.

And she's on!

I GOT ON MY HORSE!
It is so much scarier when you're actually up there, and not just the ground person. I didn't think I would do it, but I did, and now I am soo glad! He was perfect! Awesome experience.

Missin my girl

Although I love Duncan and he is learning very fast, I miss having an easy horse to ride. A horse I didn't have to always be watching. With Bella I could hop on and run around and have fun, or do some dressage, set up some ground poles. It was just fun. I could ride bareback and lay on her, cry on her, laugh with her. And now she's gone, and I have Duncan. And he is great, but he is not Bella. Bella was a once in a lifetime horse, truly special. She was amazing, and her heart was like no other. I was so privileged to get to work with her, and am glad she has moved on to a home where she will enjoy herself more.

After talking with a friend, I think my issue is I'm not ready for dressage. There is riding, and then there is dressage. I need to fix stuff... hard stuff. But I will work on it.
I am getting on Duncan today... I am getting on my horse for the very first time today :)