And we are off.....

I met my new jump trainer Juliet Cottey yesterday and had our first jumping lesson with Eager B. Despite the fact she was half asleep (Eager not Juliet), I believe it was a resounding success.  Nothing too complicated, nothing over jumped.  Everything done in Eager style :-)

Juliet was great, she asked me a about a few things I was doing, raising my hand etc.  She wasn't critical just curious.  So I think we have our new jump trainer! 

She loved Eager (let's face it... who doesn't) and was highly complementary of her balance and rhythmic paces (lol these are not an accident) and could see why I am thinking of getting back eventing. Although she agreed 7 years out is a long time and may be tricky.  Let's see how we go. Certainly the lack of over jumping everything, unlike the big man makes me feel very much at ease. :-)

Next lesson is booked for the 13 May and I am hoping to have them at least every two weeks.  Having received quite a bit of cash for my birthday, I have stuck it in a pot to pay her with.  This should hopefully see me through the summer!  When for obvious reasons it will have to go to weekends only.

Birthday

I used to find myself feeling a bit miserable on my birthday. But today I am alone (not all day) lying on a waterbed in a spa in Mallorca.  Having had a lovely massage and a huge breakfast! Feeling reflective, but not unhappy.  This, I think is the thing, it's quite an obvious anniversary to look at the years events and to become nostalgic, happy or sad.  But I have decided to use this moment to and set goals for the future and it would appear, document!

Yesterday I had the absolute pleasure of having a lesson with and hanging out with Mallorcan show jumping champion and general athlete Emelie Marsh.  I don't know Emelie at all, but the timing of us coming out to Mallorca seems to coincide with Emellie having a major incident and the reason we are here is because David is cycling with her husband Dan. So a couple of years ago we came out just after Emelie's tragic fall from a horse that was to have a huge impact on the rest of her life. Please read her blog, from the beginning.  It's a true read of someone's determination and open mindedness overcoming adversity! www.emeliemarsh.com

Having read this you will understand I was possibly a little nervous to meet her! But, that was completely wasted as from the minute we met I don't think either of us stopped talking and all preconceptions gone! I was pleased to see she was driving, walking, talking and riding with apparent ease and had I not been reading the blog over the last year or so, I would have not suspected anything had happened in the last couple of years. 

I then had the pleasure of riding Laala (I think) who is the horse she won the Mallorca championship on.  I will be honest I was nervous, of course.  I was 41 and 364 days old about to get on a beautiful, fit exceptionally athletic mare of 600kg!  But, I had a thoroughly good time and Emelie did well with me (I wish she was about in England) getting me to concentrate on my riding and not the poles on the ground. She made me feel/realise I can ride and when she asked me to ride a tight circle in canter like I was doing a pirouette, I knew exactly what to do and executed it first time. I came away with a good feeling of what I need Eager to feel like and today I am in pain! My stomach muscles and bum are killing me! I literally rode my arse off! It's a real pity I forgot to ask her to take some photos. 

So goals I need to focus on are Eager's jumping and I want to be eventing next year.  I have already set the ball rolling....  To get to eventing I need to have jumping experience, repetition and trust under my belt. I need to know she will jump anything I point her at. 

Jumping is much easier said than done when you are home alone.  But Emelie reminded me yesterday about canter poles and it doesn't really matter of they move or get kicked about. Also last week I found someone who is willing to come to me after work and teach. So if we get on, hopefully I can get this going in the summer at least to every 2 weeks.  Apart from that I need to get David back in training to put jumps up! 

To also set my goal I have booked a lesson with John Bowen at brook farm, which will be in the big scary arena with hopefully small inviting jumps. This is at the end of May. I have 1 month!  Also by the end of June, I need to have competed in a dressage comp. 

Documented! 

It's times like these

That horses are just great!

The horses are living out and have been for a couple of weeks now.  Still supplying vast quantities of hay, but oh my god life is so much easier! The horses are happy. I feel less guilty and to top it off riding has been good.

I hacked with Vicky and Marian at the weekend which was lovely although almost didn't happen because I had forgotten my bridle. Who would have thought we would manage to cobble together a bridle for a 16.2 horse from two people that own ponies :-) I will take this opportunity to mention when I got home I found a neue schule bit in the grooming box......  (Clearing throat) 

Which incidentally I switched her to last night. I have been using a curved snaffle that I had found in my tack room from my collection when she arrived. But she does have times when she throws her head around a bit and stops to rub her nose on her legs a lot.  I thought was a stress thing but I have thought about trying another bit.  So after I found it I thought would give a go.  I have no idea what it is but could have been a starter big with a lozenge.  Anyway, she seemed much happier and no head rubbing at all!

For the last couple of schooling sessions has gone like a dream and have found myself suddenly wanting to ride again :-)  so looking forward to Becky's next week. 

One step forward, two back

So I have started a few posts recently.  

The first one being about my 3 day course at Becky's at the beginning of March.  I was expecting great things after the success of February, but it was a little bit of a nothing for me riding wise. I think it failed for a few reasons 1) it was just too close to the February course.  I had a great course and 2 weeks away was just not long enough for me to practise enough (think I had actually ridden 3 times) although saying that Becky said we looked so much better and had  already incorporated what we had learnt really quickly. So day one was great and was looking forward to the next 3 sessions over the next 2 days.... 

Day 2 is where it started to go a little wrong. Eager is an absolute gem and there is no malice in her at all.  But she does have her days when she can be a little skittish and sharp.  Maybe over time I will learn these are the 'lady' times. She looks fine from the outside and manages from the ground pretty much the same, which is great. But you get on and you just know it is going to be interesting. After spooking twice and again coming the closest I have been in a few years to coming off. I started to get nervous. We were trying to do some trot work and all she wanted to do was go up.  Becky was telling me to push her forward, but I just knew if I did that she was going to go up more or forward at a great, great speed and I just wasn't comfortable with that.  So I got off and put her on the lunge line. Where she confirmed my suspicion's and wazzed around at full tilt for 10 minutes with airs above the ground for good measure. Again testament to her, for not doing it with me on board!  I got on, trotted around a couple of times and put her away. The afternoon session we were all in the school together. I went in let her mooch around and put her away again.  Mood was pretty much unchanged from the morning! Now this left me feeling pretty shitty if I'm honest.  It was technically the first time I'd been scared of her and I was cross with myself.

Next day she was back to normal..... But lame.  Turns out she had slight tendon strain (not bloody surprised) so she has been in rest for the last 3 weeks.

So only rode once effectively. I was disappointed but had a great 3 days off with Vicky and Marian staying in the bunk house! Where we ate far to much food and wine and generally behaved like it was adult pony camp and had far too little sleep. Lol

So I got back on board last Sunday and took her out by herself for a hack.  She was great and well behaved.  The clocks went forward as well that day.  So have managed further 2 hacks after work this week and it's only Thursday! Not all have been as successful as the first but we have ridden anyway!

So now I need to remain focused and will start schooling tonight in aim to get her fit enough and make it productive enough at Becky's in 2 weeks time.  Again not ideal timing, but I geared all my time at Becky's this year front half of the year heavy.... I didn't take into account lameness!