Week in Browntown

Lots has happened since my last post! Things with Duncan had been going really well, and I was starting to trust him. He would check things out, but wouldn't spook or anything. The spurs help him listen. Although I am no so sure I want to use spurs on him, if used appropriately they do work. The other day we were working on some leg yielding and transitions (which he was doing super well with!) and then another rider appeared on the other side of the arena. He hates that side of the arena, but had been good down there, until the horse appeared. He spun and took off and I almost stayed on, but then the lady kept going and he moved again, and off I went. It didn't hurt or anything (well, as little as falling off a horse can't hurt) but I did loose some confidence. Of course the next day it snowed like crazy up in Browntown, so there was so on the roof and lots of wind, and we were all by ourselves. So I free lunged him, tried on my new saddle, and face timed Emma. A good use of my time I think.

I stayed up at Terry's this week. I came Monday after school before the snow storm and got a lesson, and just never made it home. I went to school and headed back up for the vet Wednesday. We went on a trail ride and Terry got on him in the ring. She does an amazing job with him. I'm happy she can ride him so well because it means she can teach me something, but I want to be able to ride him like her. He's soft, round, on the bit, forward. If she could show him dressage he'd be set.

I also noticed how hard it is to get up and go ride when you live at a barn. It's not that fun when you're there all day everyday. I'm happy I board. It makes riding more fun. As for summer plans... I feel like I'm always caught between a rock and a hard place lately. Only, my choices aren't that hard. I could stay in Brownfield and do some lessons and do some house sitting and a whole lot of chores. Or I could teach at Hearts and Horses and guide trail rides, and show with the other girls, and still be home and get to see some friends. It seems like working at HnH is better, but I really love it in Brownfield. I don't know how... it's the middle of no where, but it's a great place to be.

:)

Yesterday Duncan and I practiced our first ever dressage test! Woohoo! He did it a lot better than I thought he would. We did Intro C, because I'm way too bored in intro and and b... even if it is probably what I should be doing. I would probably score and place better in intro A and B, but what fun is that? I want to challenge ourselves, and this way I know I need to work on his canter, need to get a soft feel, and need to get him straight. Something kind of clicked today with the straightness thing. Terry says she moves a horse with her right leg to go right, and her left leg to go left. She also doesn't do an outside reign. That confused me, as I have always been taught inside leg to outside reign, and intend to do that for dressage. What I had been doing was wrong. I was just directing him with whatever way I wanted him to go, and he just followed his head. I realized Terry tells me to have contact, and she tells me to use my outside reign. I was throwing it away, when that wasn't what she wanted at all. So today when I went to make him straight I used more outside reign, and when he reaches that straight point, he gets soft. But with that I need to see when to release. It's kind of confusing, and you really have to have the happy medium. A soft feel, but still have enough contact so that you can make him straight. You want to be able to block him from twisting his body all around, and I always have to remember to keep my hands a little wider, but I try to remember to use some outside reign. But he doesn't really know what that is yet, so I'm not sure how to teach it to him. But still keep him forward, but don't let him get too forward. And don't let him get hard in his mouth, but don't give it away. Oh yea, and then try doing a dressage test :)
Duncan was scared of the other side of the arena today, but I let him go down and look, and then made him pay attention to me, and he did really well! It was hard to have him pick up the canters, but he did it!

Things I need to work on:
Soft feel
Giving when he releases
Backing up wit ha soft feel
Roundness (which comes in with the soft feel)
Straightness

But I am on my horse, and having a lot of fun! I'm super excited for show season! And to start really getting to work on stuff. I'm excited to have a long term horse to go places with. When I leased horses I got to ride a wide variety of horses, but there was never any consistency, so it was hard to progress up the levels. I finally feel like I will be able to do that.

Happenings

I had a really good ride on Duncan today. I'm really enjoying this whole western thing! More than I thought I would. It's just fun, and different. And it's a lot harder to loose your seat in a western saddle, so I think I am a little braver. Duncan kept looking at the scary side of the arena, but was responsive when I tapped him on the shoulder or made him bend in to ignore whatever he was scared of. It is good to have Terry there, she is so laid back and doesn't care when Duncan looks at anything. All of the horses were running around outside and Duncan was nervous when I first brought him in. So I tacked him up and free lunged and then got on, and he was great! If I was by myself I probably would have done a lot more before I got on him, but he really doesn't do much but look. While I was riding we worked on halt, back up and then trot, which is way cooler western. He was forward and off my leg, and had some decent canters. I need to work on the timing of the canters, but they have gotten better. I just need to get braver.

I'm not sure where I want to be for the summer. I could keep him in Brownfield, even if Terry is gone, or I could go to Hearts and Horses. All my friends are at HnH but I would probably enjoy being up there better. But it is further away from home, and I don't really have any friends there. I think I'm more concerned about this than what college I'm going to. Houghton is looking the best right now though.

I have never before thought it was truly my fault. I mean some things are obviously my doing, but in general if a horse wasn't acting the way I wanted or the way I felt that they should, it has always been there fault. I, as the rider, did what I felt any normal person would have done, and it is the stupid horse's fault if they did not understand. Today while I was riding Bella I realized she was doing things she knows not to do, but I was not good enough to fix it. I don't have the skills or tools to get her past it. It was my fault she would not do the stuff I wanted, because my aids were not clear enough. That's a hard thing to realize.

As for Duncan I really miss him. I hate these days when I can't see him. I haven't seen him since the clinic on Sunday, and will finally get to see him tomorrow. This is pathetic, but two days is too long without riding him.

Clinic with Terry

After day light savings time and a busy day yesterday I did not get much sleep. I was expecting a not so great day today with Bella and Duncan in the Terry clinic. But luckily both horses proved me very wrong!
I was more nervous about Bella, but with small fixes she ended up doing really well. Terry told me to push her girth area more and keep her moving. That helped a lot. And to just do a spiral and then make her keep walking, as opposed to doing the whole hind and shoulder move. This was kind of what I had been thinking, but she reaffirmed it and executed the plan. It worked really well and I had a good ride on her too! So happy with her! Her owner was also able to do the second session and they did really well together!
Duncan also did amazing! It was fun to compare him from a month ago to today. A month ago I was scared to even get on him, or walk him into the arena. This time I felt no fear doing either. We did all of the exercises and I was even able to help explain things to people. Terry chased us with the flag again. The first time I was nervous and wouldn't let go... no matter how much she does it that stupid thing still scares me. The next time though I let go and just rode it, and it was really fun! And not scary at all. A month ago I wouldn't even look at a flag. We played a herding game where one person pretended to be the cow and one pretended to be the horse, and he did really well in that too! We also did the spiral thing, and disengaging the hind end, softness, etc. We ended with a nice, calm walk down the drive way. An over all great day! So proud of the milestones we have made and so thankful for the people who have helped us get there!

Things have been going pretty well with both the horses. Duncan is doing well. He doesn't really spook anymore, but now I have to put a go button back on him. I think this may take some kicking, but it will get there. It is just not fun to ride him when I know everything he's doing wrong, but am too nervous to fix it. Also the saddle was rubbing his back, so I didn't want to push it. Neither of my saddles fit him very well. It is really frustrating. I need to have the saddle fitter look at it. Which is now possible because I can go to another barn and get on him because he isn't insane! Me on the other hand...
This morning we had a really nice time. I didn't get on because I was frustrated about the saddle and didn't want to hurt his back, and did not want to ride unless I could actually accomplish anything. So we free lunged and joined up (we did it the way you hook them to you to change directions) and then did some groundwork. It was windy and peaceful and really nice.

Going to work Bella tonight. Will see how that goes. She has been doing okay. She has been rearing full up in my face. It is not that fun to work her. It's rather stressful. Hopefully we will have a good ride tonight. Clinic with Mcclare this weekend. 

Change is good... right?

There are so many thoughts going through my mind, I'm not even sure where to start. I guess the easiest place to start of with is Duncan. He is doing well. I am starting to trust him. He is still a little looky at things, but he doesn't really spook anymore. Today the snow fell off and he didn't even care. He needs to work on forward and listening, but it will come with time. I am happy where we are, and excited to move forward.

This is not necessarily relating to just Duncan. Other stuff has been bugging me lately. The other day I was thinking about how life used to be, and how much has changed. Some of my best friends have gone to college, I'm heading there soon, Duncan and I are going to New York for Dressage for Kids, I'm going to do some western riding with him, I have been to more barns in the past few months than I ever have been in my life, and I'm more confused than ever. Some great things are happening. I am going to Houghton soon, and am beyond ready to meet new people and start a "new life". Duncan and I are finally doing well.. finally! I'm a senior, and it's pretty awesome. So many exciting things are happening, but with all of these new chances, comes sadness for the things I'm loosing. My old friends, who I will now only see during vacations and summer. I'm going far away, and won't be able to come home for a long weekend. I have some great friends, and it hasn't always been that way, and just when life seems good, it's time to leave. I will never be in high school again. And Duncan has to move eventually, and I have to leave a really great place. After I left Robyn's I searched for where I wanted to be. I wasn't sure of who I was as a rider without being in her shadow. And I found some place. Some place awesome, but nothing is permanent. So I have to say goodbye when I feel like I'm not done saying hello. And it really makes me mad. Why couldn't it have been sooner? Why now? It's frustrating, and sad, and I'm just really sick of change right now.