I was so glad I chose to ride. She was fantastic today! Easy to adjust, better on transitions trot AND canter. I figured out why my position is so wonky. I'm still riding like a dressage rider, but I'm throwing myself off balance because I'm in the CC (not to mention my too-long stirrup leathers!).
If I do the whole "pop my butt out" thing, fit forward but not leaning, insuring my shoulders are back, I'm ten times quieter instead of wobbling all over the place wondering why I'm so off balance. Even with long stirrups. My half-seat needs work, but it would also probably look better with shorter stirrups!
I'm so ready to jump her again, but she's got to get in shape first and see the chiro. I'm a little scared because of how she over jumps sometimes. But then again, she was overjumping at Andrea's because I was getting in her face too much and riding too forward - basically, giving her mixed signals. Seat said go go go, hands said stop, and as a result, she was disorganized coming up to the fence and was just doing her best not to crash. My fault, I keep telling myself, but I'm scared I'll do it again.
Someone came out to look at Tommy (Victoria's rescue, remember him?). I think the guy liked him the best of the two horses he tried out, but I'm not sure about the trainer he brought with him, but from what I saw, she was a really shitty rider herself. She couldn't get him to pick up his right lead. It was entirely her fault because she was using inside leg/inside rein and just leaving him totally free on the outside, giving him the opportunity - which he took at no fault of his own - to run out through his shoulder and pick up the left lead that he prefers. But she got frustrating and like, threw up her arms and started snatching on him. She just looked like she was giving random aids hoping something would work.
I went on a mini-adventure cooling Amber out...I rode back to her pasture to take a picture for you guys. It was being mowed when I rode up, hence the tractor, but isn't it pretty back there?
Kristen and Natalie with some of the ponies. Lance, the chestnut, who is Amber's long-lost boyfriend. And the black bay I'm not sure who that is. But he is CUTE.
Remember how Amber, for whatever reason, used to be SO tense walking outside the arena around the farm at Halcyon? It took me a couple of weeks to get her comfortable doing it? She was more than happy to walk all around Goldsboro today. Tractors, horses being ridden, chilly weather and all. Did not feel tense, did not care.
Lack of turnout was what was making her miserable. It was literally driving her crazy. She started walking to me in the pasture today, and I almost cried. She hasn't done that in MONTHS. You couldn't pay me to stall her again, save injury or inclement weather.
She is showing a little wear on her toes again, but I think it's mostly from all the walking and moving she does out in her pasture. The footing is so soft in the arena, it's not going to wear her toes, and I don't think she's dragging under saddle anyway, judging from her tracks - yes, I do inspect her tracks...
It looks more like an extreme mustang roll though. And she's due in 2 weeks.
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