Stop Being Better Than Me

As many of you may know by now, I am heading off to FL in January, permanently. Much excite.

On Wednesday of next will I will there 6 whole days to apartment and barn search. If anyone knows of any barns in the Jacksonville area that aren't $1200/mo in board that would be great. I only have 2 in a realistic budget that has eventing riders. (I very much dislike boarding without people who ride my discipline...don't judge me)

I have a friend riding Yankee while I'm gone. Even though our last show until we move was today (later post on that bipolar shit show/fucking epic time), he loses his topline after a week of inactivity. CURSE THAT TB-ness.

She already schooled him on the flat and literally made him look more amazing in 20 minutes than I ever could in 8 years.

Granted she is classically trained and one of the best riders I've seen in a while when it comes to dressage. Her expensive lessons really paid off.

She hadn't jumped in over a year and was a little apprehensive about it. I wanted him worked once over small jumps while I'm gone, just to keep him happy. I told her he is a point and shoot kinda guy, but you can't drop him or get forward or he MIGHT refuse (my forever curse thanks to showing HJ eq for 6 years). But he is solid and anyone can jump him. Anyone.

She nailed it from the get-go. He loved her.

God dammit woman stop being better than me! Haha. I was like yay, but at the same time I'm like, why can't I look like that all the time. Why do I continuously make mistakes and get a bad spot or make him mistrust me for a few seconds. I applaud her steady riding and am hella envious.

She made me feel better by reassuring me that if I hadn't trained him so well he wouldn't be so fab. I mean, I can agree with that- I've literally put blood sweat and tears into that horse and he is my life. I'm just glad when people notice how much effort I have spent into making him the way he is.

Jackie put it the best. She said I'm the one who has had to deal with all his shit. Made all the mistakes, and then corrected them. It still bruises me though when someone can just hop up and be flawless.

Much jealousy.

We rode in her saddle too just for shits and gigs. I am madly in like with the color and it was like sitting on a cloud.

I hopped on too since I wanted to practice for the show today. I felt shaky and off my game, but Yankee was pretty on point and it was a good school in the end.

I shall blog about the show today when I recover from a horse show hangover and an actual hangover (Mizzou game day saturdays are...very fun)

DEUCES

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

(Jackie took the pony face on a hunter pace with A and Fancy this past Sunday. I sadly worked all day, so I couldn't attend, but the horse at least got out and had fun on an amazing fall day!)

Also, check out the frickin sweet contest over at Sprinkler Bandits (seriously bitchin prize)

Stupid Human Tricks

First off, this is my 360th post, woot woot, even number!

I'm very appreciative of all my compliments, readers and advice givers that read the bullshit that is my rambling. I'm sorry I hardly ever answer anyone's commentary! I rarely am home to use my computer and answer all comments, and my app doesn't let me comment from my phone! UGH!

There's no easy way to start this post. I should've named it "Tales of an overconfident daredevil stupidface rider" cuz that was me Friday.

I fell off for the first time in over a year. It WAS by choice, but still, an exceptionally ungraceful emergency dismount.

I blame Instagram.

I LOVE instagram. Like seriously, I am on it at least 3 times daily, scrolling through the feed, looking at all the pretty pictures. Especially all the cool ones. Like bareback and tackless jumping.

I LOVE looking at other riders and their horses, and I love getting new ideas from them! Jump ideas, training tips, etc etc.

I decided friday I would work on bareback jumping (totally easy for me) and dabble in some tackless jumping, because you know, YOLO.

I was alone, so I spent a good portion of 30 minutes setting up standards just right so I could video myself, like a total loser.

My plan was to warm up over some fences bareback, attempt a few without reins then go full tackless. It started off seriously amazing. We were in sync...

..He was jumping nicely....

And I never once slipped around...

..good right?

So I dropped the reins and practiced steering and stopping with my legs and seat. WONDERFUL. I was like, so connected with my horse.

 so then I popped him over the barrels twice with no bridle, no saddle and I was all like

you know, all overconfident and conceited like.

Then I pointed him at the oxer...

I sat back, said whoa and he stopped and was like, this is weird but I can get down with this.

So of course what did I have to go do the next time?

NO hands, no tack, duh.

And NOTE THE HORRID ANGRY FACE Yankee has.

Yeah. He did not approve of that slick move.

He landed, bucked and BOLTED.

um.

Luckily he stayed within the confines of the arena but I was HAULING on the "oh shit" neck strap and whoahing like my life depended on it (oh, right, it did). I contemplated steering him into a corner with my legs, but was absolutely sure he would attempt to jump it. And there's a massive drop on the other side AND electric wiring.

I don't  know if you've ever been on a horse that has decided running and never stopping is the right idea, but it is like attempting to stop a freight train. Literally impossible. Especially one who used to race and currently was wearing only a neck strap.

So on lap 3 of mad fucking gallop of death, I decided it would be best to risk breaking a bone and bail, than almost certainly die on pissed bolting thoroughbred.  I mustered up all my courage, and bailed. I pushed away as hard as I could but I was sure he was going to trample me to death anyways

Have you ever fallen in slo-mo?

I'm pretty sure thats what happened to me, as I fell I contemplated what made me decide riding like this was a grand idea. And then I hit the ground very hard. And then I laid there, not able to breathe, certain I broke all of my ribs on my left side, and maybe my hip.

Of course Yankee stops immediately and looks at me like,

Its safe to say I will never attempt to jump tackless with  no hands never again. I KNEW he didn't like that move, even fully clothed so I'm really not sure what mad eme do it. I'll plead insanity for now.

Don't judge me.

Fully recovered from getting the wind knocked out of me, I threw on some tack, dug sand out of my butt and jumped right back on. You must. Strangely after my brush with death I was not shaken, merely, ashamed of my stupidity.

At least I got back on.

So I will leave you (all shaking your heads) with this picture of Yankee's ass.

Ride All the Horses PT III-IV

Since I have been just THE WORST blogger the past week, I'm going to condense my last few rides into just pictures.

After I rode Gid the bad pony I flatted the Yankee pony, working on relaxing the neck and moving forward with dat trot. I also tried out the black sheepskin thin- line pad. (Christmas liiiiiiist!)

Working on moving forward

Looking very relaxed & forward!

Haunches on helped a little

Sadly he will never have a bomb ass trot for dressage. If he was in the hunter ring, I think they'd die for it because he's pretty flat and non expressive, but it still looks flowy. Just not what judges in dressage want to see. Forever trot less.

The day after we jumped and it was just fantamiscal.

Minus the one time he took off about 4 feet early and I almost died

dat bounce doh

He was like a loaded rocket that day!

We also did some bow work

Yesterday, I let my horseless friend hop on Yankee for a bit. Her horse died in a freak accident a year ago and she was itching to ride. I felt so bad for her :( She's actually a seriously awesome rider and has been trained in dressage. She had Yankee looking ridiculously good...like, better than I can ride him.

They worked on a little shoulder fore since he HATES it and general forward moving. For not having ridden in a whole year she looked amazing. Yankee really liked her!

And yes, pony face is sportin a fresh new 'do. Clipped by yours truly.

Might do flames on a friends horse.

I think I'm all caught up now! Jumping tomorrow!