Dressage Queen Says Hello

I've been  home like two weeks and I am seriously sick of the rain and mud.

Everything is wet.

Everything is muddy.

Everything is moist.

There are puddles and mud everywhere.

BOY DID I TAKE THAT PRECIOUS ARENA FOR GRANTED.

Besides a brief 3 week layover, I never once went without a covered arena in MO, and even in rain the outdoors were fine. It made me forget all the woes of training and OTTB in muddy fields and having to suck it up and board over the winters (please dear god no). It makes me wonder how I ever got so far with Yankee and then I remember OH YEAH the most progression came with an arena.

WHAT HAVE I DONE.

My inner eventer is being shoved aside as my DQ makes an appearance. Its seriously just...so hard. Okay. I want flat. And sandy. 

Nonetheless the boys are being okay sports about it.

Poor Bacardi is slipping all over the place and getting frustrated because he simply isn't strong enough to maintain proper bend or frame on DRY GROUND and I'm just sittin in the saddle like, "this sucks" because I can't get mad at him for insubordination. He's trying pretty hard though.

And Yankee is a total diva about mud. Like, refuses to step in it at all. So we've been doing lots and lots  and lots of 15m trot work on the flattest part of the field with the least amount of mud. Jesus.. Its been...fun.

Running out of ideas here.

Today I guess I will take each boy down the road...up and down up and down. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

I just want it to stop raining. Am I being too whiny? Probably. First world problems.

And then there's this... of Yankee having a thoroughbred moment.

He literally galloped around for 7 minutes straight, as hard and fast as he could. Was having a ball! So adorable <3 br="">

I still miss jumping.

Saturdays Are My Favorite

I HATE BLOGGER JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT YOU SHOULDNT BLOG WHILE SLIGHTLY ACCIDENTALLY TIPSY ON WINE BECAUSE YOULL HIT BUTTON SOMEHOW AND MISSPELL THINGS AND IT WILL DELETE YOUR HARD 45 MIN WORK. IM SO ANNOYED OH MY GOD.

What I had said was some reminaition of, "I love all you guys and your posts and I'm sorrry I don't personally respond to your comments but just posting a blogpost takes like an hour with this freaking country internet. I HATE.

SO.

To continue off my recent post, I wanted to post some comparison pics with Mr. Baby B and his process in training.

Saturdays are my favorite. Lately, my friend Chris (he bought Mrs. black and beautiful-see last post) has been coming over and we have been working the boys together. We usually go for a hack, then he takes a dressage lesson on Yankee Pants and then I school B and he videos, and then I jump on Yankee to do a  few more advanced movements.

Also, Coffee

Per usual, Yankee is a saint and tolerates Chris's greenness in Dressage. He is a great student and understands what I ask of him and DOES it. Genuinely willing to learn. Yankee also shows him what is right and what is wrong. LOVE THAT HORSE.

Learning balance and forward

Feeling what inside leg to outside rein does

Let me just say I MISS MY ARENA. It is exceptionally difficult to practice balace and straightness in a muddy, not very flat field. Throws a very interesting curve ball into my training with Bacardi. AS most OTTBs he is VERY weak to the right and getting him to be consistent through the contact, or even be straight is....highly difficult.

Warming up on light seat and contact

I love this, forward and working

As I explained before in my last post I train my ponies inside leg to outside supporting rein, with my inside rein doing whatever it has to. With B, that usually means half halts or leading rein to help him around the turns, with a very solid outside leg to keep his bod going around the curves. In theory this works, but he is a baby and still doesn't quite get it/isn't strong enough to cary it very long. BUT. He is very smart and understandsand tries SO HARD.

A light, inside leading rein to help guide around the turn

Even when he isn't quite sure, he still stays active and doesn't suck back. My favorite thing about him. Yankee was HORRENDOUS as a child doing this. Yes, he will be behind the contact a little bit at times, but all I do is bring my hands up a smidge and press forward with my legs...

Diving a little. But still forward

 My favorite is the next 2 pics. Two stride difference. The first he is rather overbent, avoiding contact (to the untrained eye he looks "on the bit" but nah), though still forward. I pick up my hands and put my leg on (especially that inside leg) and he responds by driving forward more from behind, lifting his back and consequentially, his head and neck to a more relaxed, accepting position.

What a good baby! Truly impressed with his work ethic and ability to just remain calm and work through the "question at hand"

GAH SHINY SEXY BUTT

Love this! Soft jaw, relaxed neck, forward, active hind end, back engaged. Good OTTB!

 Pats for the baby! Really excited to see where this guy goes.

In other news, I really miss jumping....