Lunging Queen

I apologize in advance as I am posting from my phone, but desperate times call for desperate measures. 

I've been a really terrible horse mom in the last 7 days but I have notoriously bad "times of the month" and legit become useless for about 4 days while my body is trying to make me lose the will to live. 

Therefore, Bacardi barely gets ridden. I did lunge a few times because that's better than nothing, but I'm tired of it and I'm sure he is too. 

Not to worry, riding resumes tonight and we have plans for a photo shoot/schooling sesh over some jumps tomorrow! 

With all that TMI aside, Bacardi has continued to be a total doll face despite his human being lazy and only lunging. 

 

"Hello I am handsome feed me treats now slave girl". 

Lately, we've been working on transitions and balance through all the gaits, as well as remaining calm. I know this seems simple, but in the last when B has been weak and lost balance instead of just gathering himself, he would freak out and bolt. 

None of that is happening anymore. 

To make it a little spicy the other days, I added some poles in the mix. 

Again, in the past this has been out of the question. To say he would throw a tantrum is putting it lightly. Explosions of epic proportions is more accurate, because as we all know, poles are ankle munching death traps for horses and should be avoided. 

I kept good faith, knowing how well he has been doing lately and began. 

He did spook at them a for a few rounds, glancing sideways or determining mid stride they might eat him...

...However, he recovered quickly and went right back into a lovely trot after each mini spook. 

This. Is. Huge. 

Previously, he would bolt, and never recover enough to even continue. Think sweating, wild eyed, prancing, nervous, tense, wound up ball of fear. And now, to come back down within seconds was a huge step for baby B and I wasn't even mad. 

After a few sticky rounds each way (avoiding or missing the distance) he REALLY settled and gave me some brilliant effort. 

I am in love with all of this. Like. LOOK AT MY HORSE. Look at 'em. 

I kept the pole session super short, maybe a total of 20 min on the lunge and called it a day. I try to keep lunging sessions short anyways, but ending on a good note is always my goal too. I was sorely tempted to make them cavaletti, but that's for another day. 

I couldn't have been happier with the effort Bacrdi gave me. He looks truly engaged and relaxed. 

Yay for learning! 

 

"Was I good? Can I have treats now?"

The Boys Are Back In Town

I took this evening and made an adult decision to shirk all responsibility (ride my horse, do laundry) and drink in bed with my dog and blog.

That should be someone's blog name, by the way.

Pushing aside extreme guilt, I am happy it gives me time to read, COMMENT and blog, whereas I usually wouldn't (its gross and cold and raining anyways- though it doesn't matter because INDOOR ARENA :D) and I MISS you guys! Don't think I'm not stalking from afar. I am. I just can't comment at work, its a blocked function. But I have been lurking and still love you all.

As previously mentioned many times before, I love this barn, this arena and my BO. I just love it. And I love what its doing for us. When everything else seems pretty shitty, for ONCE, I am happy and positive about my horse.

He's been progressing in leaps and bounds. Quite literally.

Overcoming that hoof injury was scary. I really thought he would be out for months. Its still an open wound, for the record, but slowly (EVER so slowly) closing up. It doesn't seem to bother him too much, I can just feel the stiffness in warm-up at first. So not quite out of the woods yet, but almost.

While dealing with that, we've been coming back together, from injury and way too much time off.

In my last post I talked about us connecting. Its not stopped and only gotten better!

This week, I lunged a little before I rode each time because its been extra chilly (yay fall) and we are both creaky, and honestly I've been REALLY tired this week and wanted to be my best for the ride and not get beat by the warm-up.

I was expecting shenanigans and upside down moose-ness and was happily surprised with some of the best lunge work ever to come out of him.

And before I show the pics and people have a snit fit (there are some out there that will) about sidereins and reins and lunge line...chill.

Anyways, here's some lovely evidence of a very responsive, relaxed, and forward thinking horsebeast.

Serious swoon. I've discovered since re learning to relax myself, Bacardi truly enjoys the stretch work and willingly will trot around for 10 min on the lunge or under saddle with his nose on the floor.

Its really hard to video, and lunge and be sneaky about it (remember what I said about him being honest f you're not paying attention/being lazy?) but I did a few grainy indoor pics & it made me happy.

After letting him trot nicely around both ways all long and stretchy, I asked for more collection and energy. He responded and I almost cried with happiness.

SWOON OMG SWOON

I just...I just love this

And this

And this

Even his canter work on the lunge was wonderful. No insane, weird bending going on and very calm transitions. Literal tears.

Each ride we just worked on staying calm through transitions and maintaining proper contact. It was lovely. I was tired and beat from long days (I ride in PM's after gym and work) but they were productive rides- short and sweet.  All very good.

Which brings me to my next and first horse, Yankee Pants.

There have been a few things going on in his life that I can't fully disclose yet, but I can say that Jackie has been riding him lately.

If you all remember Jackie, she owned Wondermare and is my beautiful best friend, and shes a saint and an angel and wonderful and perfect.

This is us.

Anyways, she has been riding Yanks about 3 days a week and its going.

Again, I can't update fully, but I can show you pics of The Pants and he is still beautiful!

Still enthusiastic about everrything

Still as darling as always

Still perfect

Still beautiful

I do miss my guy, but I'm still grateful he' doing so well in my absence! More on that later, when I can.

HOPEFULLY I can get pics tomorrow outside, but its supposed to rain all day and I still dont have friends so probably not.

TTFN

Taking The Plunge

Adulting is really hard. Do we ever really grow up? Nah.

But it can be really fun.

The coolest thing I've learned while trying to adult is that you're a fucking adult. And you can do what you want. Pretty much anytime you want (or pre-approved work PTO, whichever).

I also have acquired the mentality of "money was meant to be spent" (that is of course after stashing away your alloted amounts into savings and 401K, paying insurance, etc) and have REALLY been doing that.

Dont get me wrong, I know its important to save..but its also important to LIVE.

I've learned to say YES.

So many people live their life afraid and worrying about all the things, fretting abotu this and that and always saying no.

I just live worrying about all the things, but also have fun fearlessly.

For example, I moved my horse to a really expensive boarding barn I can barely afford because a spot opened up. I said yes. It was an amazing decision.

I also took a VERY random and spontaneous trip to West Virginia to go whitewater rafting and zipling because BUCKET LIST.

They Boy asked if I would want to drop a few stacks and snag a spot for Gauley season and I said yes. Because why the fuck not.

It was..... phenomenal. I do not regret one second of it, or my spontaneous decision.

I was absolutely terrified, but it ended up being quite the glorious adrenaline rush, well worth the money.

We went to Adventures on the Gorge in Lansing, WV and it was to die for...eeven if it did rain all weekend.

Literally having the time of my life

Everyone needs to take the plunge. Seriously, go do shit. Especially things you're afraid to do. Mayeb it wont be so bad, and you'll enjoy it!

How hot is this

Breathtaking

Seriously look at us. LOOK at our faces.

ARE WE NOT ENTERTAINED?

So.

Plan a trip.

Take risks. Live life. Soak it in and be with the ones you love! Its so worth it.

The guides complimented my boots. Those are my paddock boots for riding.

The AdrenaLine-3,150 ft of pure awesomeness. Reached up to 70 mph!! It was bananas!

End scene.

Learning How To Ride, Again

It is truly hurting me that I have zero pictures to prove my next few points. I really need that camera that follows you around because obviously pictures are imperative because pictures.

I have about 100 pics of him in the aisle looking like a complete moose, but I'm sure you all don't need to see more than one of those.

Obligatory aisle pic

Winter is also coming and indoor photos are notorious for being atrocious/blurry/dark so we might as well name this era "the Era of No Pics".

Moving on from the lack of photographical evidence that I have indeed, been riding my horse and he has indeed, has been a real angelface.

As I was riding last night, I was trying to figure out how to explain whats been happening without sounding too wordy or boring, but I'm having a hard time on where to even begin, so brace yourselves for a lengthy post.

I guess the best place to start is with a small recap on how last winter was for us.

Bad.

There we have it.

And then Spring & Summer turned into "consistently inconsistent" due to mostly adulting.

We had great moments, but it was a lot more of "Oh we are hacking again, at the walk, this is fun" or "I'm trying to ride in this muddy field but B doesnt like it. Fuck"

To say we have been in a training rut is a massive understatement.

Making the decision to board was the most expensive (minus purchasing the damn animal), but the most practical, wonderful and glorious decision I think I've ever made.

In the few short weeks we've been there, I've managed to ride about 4-5 times a week, usually in a row, with weekends off (due to adulting). Its...awesome.

I'm learning so many things about this horse and my riding.

In a few short weeks, we've gone from floppy, sore and stiff to fluid, together and...not as sore.

I've learned that this horse is a whistleblower. The second you tense up, he does. Like the instant.

Now you're all thinking, well duh, horses are their riders mirrors.

Not always.

Yankee (& many other horses I know) are SO forgiving of our mistakes as riders. They lull us into a sense of security or feeling of greatness.

How tragic really.

With Bacardi, I've also (re) learned that not all horses can be ridden the same. And certainly not every method works for every horse.

Also, LE DUH.

But again, I had owned Yankee exclusively for so long and trained him MY way and just figured if it worked for him it must work on most OTTBs.

Please excuse my idiocracy.

The methodology remains the same, but with each horse you have to personalize it. (FUCKING duh what is wrong with me).

For example. Fresh off the track, OTTBs have no concept of correct contact, how to move forward in a balanced fashion or even how to change gaits without falling over.

We aim to teach them these things gradually. Learning that the contact is good, but can't be heavy. That its inside leg to outside hand. That transitions can be made without falling onto the forehand, etc.

I am making a point, I swear.

With Bacardi, I tried everything. Literally everything. Every method I've ever been taught ever about anything that involves riding ever.. I could go into them, but the most specific one I want to talk about is simple.

How to hold the reins.

Specifically, rein pressure.

With Yankee, I was always taught and rode with wider set hands, parallel to the bit and with more pressure on the outside rein because thats just how it should be done to teach them.

He was happy with that, and eventually learned how to horse and accept contact.

I tried it with B.

And we have fought constantly.

For a year.

I was so frustrated and upset that I couldn't get through to this horse.

And you know what I NEVER thought to do?

Bring my fucking hands closer together and even out the rein pressure.

I was riding about a week ago when I remembered something I read somewhere (maybe Carly's blog?) that said, "horses mouths are only 5 inches wide, why are your hand so far apart?"

And I was like, yeah, why are they?

Its obviously not jiiving with Bacardi...the contact is so inconsistent and just not THERE. So why do I keep doing it?

So I brought them closer together.

Novel fucking idea.

And you know what? For about 6 rides now, we start out fighting and then I relax and remember, ASK not TELL. Ask not tell. Ask not tell. And keep my hands very close, soft and near the withers...and he relaxes.

As long as I remember that, we are good.

Which *is* hard to do. Muscle memory sucks. Real memory sucks too.

I also have to remember that he is a FLIGHT horse. Like really, he bolts.

Whenever he is worried or feels scared or trapped he wants to RUN.

So, since I know this, its REALLY hard to NOT pull back when I feel him tense, knowing full well a bolt is coming.

BUT.

In our training the last few days, if I feel him tense up, we come to a walk and practice free walk (which is his favorite). It brings him back down, I can regroup mentally, and then we try again. Because what is the actual point of staying in the same movement/gait that you're failing and flailing miserably at?

There is none. Thats why its called training.

And he has REALLY started to relax for out entire rides. If something is hard for him, like learning to turn off outside aids yet still remain round and not brace/fall in/ hollow out, instead of instinctively pulling back to stop him from running, I push through my hands, breathe and let my seat do the talking.

Like, I KNOW that you cannot force a horse into contact. Or even get happy contact from pulling. I literally know this. But It was SO hard to practice because my damn horse bolts. Constantly.

All it took though was a few times of me trusting my riding, my horse and relaxing and pushing INTO the contact and actually moving those feet forward. Sucking back does nothing but create tension, which I also knew, yet still was constantly creating. So I just stopped doing that.

The result has been incredible.

Instead of feeling like I'm riding a rubber band, I feel like I'm riding putty. Instead of feeling out of control, I feel a partnership. He is TRUSTING me to not let him down or pull on him or be afraid and therefore HE isn't afraid.

Also, I'm getting stronger and not flopping around like a sack of useless potatoes (thank you Crossfit). Unlike any horse I've ever ridden, he is truly an "off the seat" type of guy. He feels so much more relaxed when I sit the trot and envision pushing the saddle up his withers (cute little "tip" I learned a long time ago on how to ask for "more") than when I'm posting. I dont know what it is but I'm OK with it because I'm getting abs of steel.

What I'm trying to convey is how lovely its been lately.

I know most of you have felt "the moment" and ours was on Monday when I asked for the right lead canter and he just stepped into it, round and soft and quiet as could be.

I literally almost cried.

Unlocking his secret has been indescribable. I NEVER thought it would happen.

This doesn't mean he's perfect 100% now. Hes still an asshole sometimes. I will never understand his spooking and insanity in this weather, but as long as *I* remember to stay calm and not brace, he eventually calms down...like a half hour later. BUT, we are getting there!

Long, slow warm-ups and a calm, collected rider makes for a happy B.

Hopefully now I can stay consistent and remember to not suck while riding.

Who knew pushing forward instead of pulling back would get you somewhere -_-

Baby Growing Up

This past weekend my little nugget went to school.

I felt like a real parent, even mentioning to The Boy that I was nervous about him behaving, and what if the other horses were mean to him or what if the teacher didnt like him?

I was a mess.

The Boy and I had been invited to a weekend away filled with dinners, and dressing up and a Broadway show, so when a last minute XC schooling opp cropped up, I was sorely tempted to cancel on our fancy plans, but didn't.

I adulted and sent my kid to school.

I've NEVER, repeat, never, paid anyone else to ride my horse.

It felt weird...and liberating.

For one, I've never taken the Red One XC schooling. For two, I wasn't in town. For three, Supertrainer is amazing and was not baffled by me texting her a thousand times, asking if he trailered OK and if he was dead or broke a leg. For Four, I can almost afford it.

I was most anxious about him trailering. No one else, in over a year, has tried to load him, and he's only been regularly trailering in my two horse. He did  not really like Amy's slant load, and that is what Supertrainer had.

I'm pretty sure my heart almost exploded with anxiety, hoping the nugget would behave and not embarrass me or rip himself open on something.

If this is comparable to having human children, don't sign me up. I can't take it.

However, I received that sweet, sweet text that gave me great relief when Supertrainer said "He got in after about 4 minutes of thinking, no problem".

WHEW.

I waited for a few hours to hear anything, assuming the worst, but knowing that she was just teaching and riding. Then, I had to turn my phone off, because apparently thats the respectable thing to do at Broadway, and while I enjoyed the broadway experience, all I could think about was the Nugget.

During intermission I checked my phone and get another relief text stating that he was a doll. Even with all the commotion going around, he worked out of his anxiety and popped over all the BN fences with no issues, AT ALL.

He then got right back in the trailer on the way home without any pause.

We've been having really great rides together too, just no photos. Which is crushing my soul. Really digging the indoor and being able to consistently ride though.

Product Review For the Broke Bitches: Piper Breeches

After JUST posting about How To Post, I get a "lucky break" in my day when I woke up to a flat tire (MY SECOND OF THE WEEK THANKS UNIVERSE) and couldn't go workout or ride, which gives me approximately 30 minutes to do this review I've been wanting to do for ages now on aforementioned Piper Breeches.

it is no secret that riding is expensive. The horse is expensive. The facilities are expensive. Horse care is expensive. You need expensive tack. And also you need "riding clothes" to ride said expensive horse in expensive tack at expensive facility.

You get the gist.

I have never been one to truly care about my riding attire.

Like at all.

After paying for everything else, clothes specifically made for riding were last on my list of things to buy.

You can catch me 3/5 times riding in $6 leggings from walmart, or actual sweatpants and a nasty old T shirt from middle school.

That being said, it doesn't mean I dont appreciate or lust after nice clothes.

I am a girl. A horse girl, but still a girl.

FITS have been #1 on my list forever, but the price I literally can never justify. Along with how ridiculously hard it is to size my weird body, I will continue to just lust after them.

Second on my list was Pipers. I had heard nothing but good things about them, but at like $90 something I still was like ehhhhhhh, no.

Then they went on sale.

This bitch loves sales and will buy things on sale even if I shouldn't...because SALE.

So I bought a pair on a whim. I really do like full seats for jumping and NONE of my fullseats fit me.  Like at all. They all sag in the crotchal region and just fall down and look awful and NO. Pipers were fire on the models on the site. So cute, yes please. And colors, SO MANY COLORS.

So brace yourself for a LOT of selfies. Most of them taken of snapchat, so I'm sorry. 

 
First off, I literally had no clue what my size was because I'm usually a medium and they're like, waist size, inseam size, length blah blah, I got lost after waist.

So I guessed.

It was a wrong guess, so I had to send them back and wait on another pair. First world problems.

Then the glorious day came and I got them in the mail!

I tried them on immediately and...didn't like them. WHOMP WHOMP.

First thoughts 1) really tight-how will I get in a saddle 2) these sag too, fuck 3) really thick, its summer and 90* wtf 4) these would be cute AF if I didnt have a huge ass

Second thoughts upon closer inspection, they are REALLy well made. The material seems like it would last a long time and I love the stitching.

Also, the leg doesn't have that horrible elastic near the ankle, instead its this super thin mesh material that is really amazing.

Also also, I realized I was trying to wear them like hip huggers. Either I'm built really weird or these arent meant to be worn like that because as soon as I hiked them up and belted them there, they didnt sag. The first time I rode in them I was like seriously what the actual fuck, these suck.

The fuck is this bulge doing here?

As for riding review...not meant for summer. Holy hot AF. The material is quite thick IMO and I sweat more than usual in them. And they do.not.breathe at all. Essentially I was dying in them with tall boots on.

These would be excellent for fall or winter though. So the search continues for summer full seats.

Also, like I said before, they were REALLY tight when I first put them on. However, after riding in them once they seemed to mold and stretch a little and they were pretty nice after that. I still dont think I could hang out in them all day, or even a few hours, like I could my cheap schooling breeches, but thats OK I guess. I do like all the jiggliness being sucked in while flopping around on top of my horse, but I do appreciate comfort as well.

I'm not a huge fan of the pocket either. Handy for unmounted business, but while in the saddle literally nothing will stay in the damn pockets. Which would be useful for hacks.

As for the full seat, I like it. The material isnt so thick it gives you that weird "four buttcheeks" look from slicing your ass in half with the hem, but it still functions as a grippy seat.

Overall if I had to make up a random score, I would give a 7/10 due to the thickness of the material, needing a belt to stay in place, slight discomfort over long periods of time, as well as the retail price.

If they go on sale again I might buy a different color, but for now, as a broke bitch, I will stick with my Kerrits pull on jods and walmart leggings and keep the Pipers for special occasions. Not worth paying full price, but nice enough to splurge on very occasionally.

Surprise Surprise

I sound like a broken record. 

I literally don't know how you all do this. 

Blog. 

With lives. 

Everyday or semi everyday. 

I have enough time (barely) to sleep, make my lunches, gym, work & ride. That's it. 

Boarding has helped tremendously. 

I've ridden almost every other day, which is fucking fabulous. We look like shit because each of us has taken a solid amount of time off (like holy shit, we are weak AF), so please disregard position and things. 

I just haven't had time to blog about it, because, you know, adulting.  (It's also not horribly interesting because I am currently working on both of us getting our strength back. Which is a lot of slow, annoying work and little bit of more of tasty complicated work, tossed in like bacon bits on a salad. Think of the long and slow work like lettuce. Necessary & good for you, but evil.) 

Like, I finally put my laundry away. This hasn't happened in literal months. It usually lives in rotating piles of cleanliness or filth. 

Don't even want to mention the pile of bills I acquired from hospitalization that haunt my dreams. 

But I still want to blog, just haven't been able to. 

I don't know if it's just me, but it takes me almost a full hour to write one post that I'm satisfied with. And I have several on deck that need to be written, which translates to several hours of writing, formatting and getting pictures on said posts. 

It's a pain in the ass honestly. 

I can do so from work when it's slow, but only from my phone, due to internet restrictions. And I HATE the formatting from mobile blogger. It's also harder to write & make it flow/sound okay, on a tiny screen. 

So my question to you all is, how the frick do you do it?? Live lives, do things and still find the time to write beautiful, well thought out, lovely posts...like everyday 

#strugglebus