To Fall, Or Not To Fall, That is the Question...

Yesterday as I peel myself out of bed and make myself some coffee I start hearing about the earthquake in Chile. Who couldn't? After about an hour my hubby calls me and says "hey there is suppose to be a tsunami hitting Hawaii," STACEY!!! I instantly grabbed my cell and text her telling her to GET UP! The text wasn't as polite. I wasn't sure if she had even heard. Luckily and thankfully she text me back saying she was on it. I followed the KHON2 live news feed for a few hours and then decided that the big worry was not so big, everyone was gonna be fine. Whew! After finishing my coffee I get my Carhart and head out to do some slow canter work with Olly. We start off with pulling and racing, not my favorite. After fixing my seat and lots of circles I decided to take my coat off and lay it next to the camera. We had some jumps to work on. Well, let me tell you this next part didn't go as planned. NEVER, NEVER take your jacket off while on a TB who thinks he is from off the track (he isn't he just thinks he is). I totally wish I had the camera on to film me. It would have been the most embarassing moment of my life to capture it but, it would have been good! As I am walking to the tripod, I decided to kinda hang my jacket a bit further out than normal. At first he kinda shied, but then recovered. Good Boy! So what do I do? Let's shake it a bit! OMG, this totally was not proof of me having a brain. He held for a minute but then started skittering to the right, I had this!!! I sat and rode him about 15 feet, then he spun. I had the reins in my right hand and the jacket still in my left, yup, that's right folks, I never even thought of dropping the jacket. Not even after I was laying flat on my back. I waited for a 3 count to make sure I didn't lose my breath. I hit hard on my left shoulder, I even have a pretty nice bruise on the inside of my left elbow. As I sit up I see Olly looking at me like, "Mom, I am soooo sorry, it was gonna eat me!" I got up and started walking to him and he hangs his head and meets me. I told him I was sorry and it was all my fault. I carried my jacket over to the camera, brushed te leaves off and turned ON the camera. This is the video I got. We worked alot on slowng down. I decided to keep the Boucher on him for the time being. I think that he will be fine with it. I think I need to fix my riding. Until I fix myself I really don't want to change bits. I can already see some habits that are carrying over to him. The speed is the biggest. He is now attacking the jumps with out pausing and I am now the problem. I remembered a lot of information at the lesson that I HAVEN'T been applying when I ride. Like Terri at Brandywine Farms said "the hardest thing is to do nothing on his back." And it is. After trying so hard to get him over those jumps, now all I have to do is nothing....seems too easy. But I am trying to break my habits. After about and hour of going slow, or trying really hard to go slow, Olly was in a sweat. It is hard work to try to exert litlle enegry when you are a big red horse. We walked home, I was on foot. He had worked so hard he deserved to not carry me the last 1/4 mile. After a good brushing and some sugar cubes, I went straight up to the bath with my homework and sat in some HOT water to try to relieve what aches would be there in the morning.
Today we worked on the same thing, no jumping and no cantering. Just a nice even pace at a walk and a trot. We worked in circles alot and collecting. He actually did better than I thought. He is really slow and collected with these two gaits, it is really just the canter we have problems with. My thought: Lets work in the trot for a bit and then make the canter our next project. I am going to set up some low verticals (2ft) and work on speed before and after the jumps. That will be next weeks project. In the mean time, over the next few days we are going to continue working on our flat work, trotting and cantering controlling our speed over ground poles. Our first show is March 27th. So time is ticking. I am curious to see what he will be like in the show ring.

Bits Galore!

The bitless, see how thrilled he is?

So after the bitless bridle tryout, we decided to make our way back to the bit closet and pick out something that wouldn't encourage bucking and head shaking. Next up on the list a French Link boucher. I know Olly likes the french links, but he seemed to have a bit of a high head and being speedy. I did try him in a kimberwike, which seemed to work out great, but I just don't think he needs that "strong" of a bit right now. The middle ground? A Boucher!

Olly and his Boucher!

Still snaffle-y, but with a little poll pressure to keep the giraffe mode in check. He seemed to like it. I did notice that he was more willing to run off a bit with it though. I think he is just testing it out. We started out with a little flat work, just to get used to it in his mouth and then we tried a few jumps. Nothing complicated. He would have done great if we weren't going 80mph. What is up with the speed? I have changed the food, which seemed to help for a short time and I changed his bit. I decided to go back to the barn where I took lessons before I moved. Brandywine Farms, I love that place, I wish Istill lived only 5 minutes away. The people are great and the learning curve is amazing.I packed up all my stuff at like 1445 in the afternoon and headed out for my 1700 lesson.

Saddling up

The indoor, which was awesome in 38* weather and gail force winds

It took me 1h20min to get there, but it was worth it. After not being in a lesson for a few months and working hard on Olly, I had forgotten all the right things to do for myself. It was a nice change to be able to jump anything and not wonder if the horse I was on was going to go over or not. After only a few laps over the jumps I realized that maybe the speed that I was battling with Olly wasn't due to feed or open grass. It was my too forward seat. Now, I haven't been out to try out my theory yet today, but I have a good feeling that this may solve alot. Since that forward seat increases speed, it also throughs off our strides and the actual jump. I anticipate, he anticipates. Maybe that is why I have such a hard time getting him over those spooky jumps? AND!! If I am riding forward, and he refuses, I am on step away from going over his head. I haven't (knock on wood) lost it over a jump, yet. And I am striving with all my power and pride not to. So lter today if I can get my homework done and the wind DIES down to hurrican force level, I am going to put my theories to work.

Oh, and I would like to take a minute for a ProMo, I got these new sturrips, they have the flex bars on the side, they are AWESOME! My knees thank the makers of these sturrips. When we moved to Hawaii, I started running and the more miles I ran the more my knees started to bother me. Anything over 3 miles would kill me. After going to the doctor, he gave me stretches to do, which fixed the running part. Now I can run my five miles with no problems. BUT riding is another story. After a few times around the "arena" posting they start to ache. I tested a pair out and instantly fell in love. So thank you to my Mommy for getting me a pair!

The twinkle adds a nice touch.

Riding in the Rain

Yesterday I trailered out to Brandywine Farms (where I take my lessons) and rode for the morning. There were all kinds of jumps to explore. I was hoping that the weather would actually be what was forcasted, 69* and sunny...it ended up being 60* and don't-look-up-or-you'll-drown rainy. Still, warm enough to ride. It almost reminded me of the Hawaii winters.
I was hoping that after our ride on Thursday Olly would be calmer. When I unloaded him from the trailer, he seemed ready to go. Don't get me wrong, that is one of the things I love about him, his forward (which is sometimes an understatment) movement. But as usual when I got on he was cool as a cucumber. I talked to Terri about this change in personality and she suggested that is was because when he is with the "herd" he feels comfortable and confident and when he is alone at home is is always on alert. Makes sense to me. I'll take it.
We started warming up by taking a look at EVERY fence that was in the arena. Only two looked normal. The others were eye-balled carefully. There were seven of us riding including me. Hannah, Casey, Darcy, Emily, Lindsay, Terri and I made the bunch. I love riding with all the girls. It makes it so much more fun.
It was only a few minutes until the sky opened up and we were headed to the indoor.

I love Casey in this pic! lol!!

We warmed up in the indoor for a few, trotting and cantering. And sure enough the rain stopped.


Back to the outdoor, Batman!!



After warming up we started over one crossrail, a bit of a what is that and then over. No problem. Then the line. PIE!



Moving on! We next tried the please-don't-eat-me green wall. It took a few swift kicks but he went over.



History was made. From that moment on he didn't refuse another jump. He put his trust in me. A feeling that made me smile from here to Hawaii.



We did alot of trotting in and cantering out of the jumps. Although we can canter, going over the jump versus counting strides is a big difference. We were just focusing going over new and exciting things. Strides will be later. We hit up the wall a few times and then Terri calls out "white barrels" and looks directly at me. Ummmm...I'm not going first!


Terri was confident that I was mostly the reason that my big red horse was not going over the jumps like he should. The anticipation from me was carrying over to him. No arguements there! "What you need is a packer," she suggested. O.k., remember how that went at the show...not in our favor AND it was way smaller than 2ft barrels. How can I say no, I mean, part of me was curious and wanted to try it again. This time Casey was my leader. The first time I watched her ride she was with us at the over fences show. I really think the judge had it out for our barn. I totally think she should have placed higher.

Casey and Breeze

But back to the jumping...Terri calls out "Sit, shoulders back and keep your leg on him." "Oh, and breathe!" I followed Casey and Breeze right over the barrels. HOLY CRAP! He did it! Now that was excitement. I felt like an Olympic jumper. I think that was the first time that he went over a jump without refusing it first. Sad, I know.
Next jump, blue barrels. Again, I wasn't going first. Hannah was the first off the line. She will jump anything. I wish that I was as good as she is when I was that age. One word for her...Fearless. And I still swear that she is older than 14.

Hannah and Neveah

We didn't need a packer this time, he not only went over the jump but cleared it by a mile. It would have been nice to know HOW high he was gonna jump. I had to hang on for dear life!

I didn't even get to my two-point!

At least he was calm after the jump he just cantered away, unlike one of the ponies...LUCY.
I rode Lucy at one of the barn shows, bareback. I have no idea how I did it. Darcy was hanging on for dear life, I mean not like grabbing mane or anything, but her legs were a-grippin' around those corners!! That pony would be great for an Open Jumping class, she can change a lead, cut a corner, and take a jump like nothing I have ever seen. I wish I would have gotten it on video. And Darcy...she rode her like a pro.

Darcy, ride her like you stole her!

After a few times over the barrels we called it a day. I think Olly had a great work out, two hours of jumping...he was WALKING on the trail to cool out.

Hannah and Neveah, Emily and Hailey, and Olly and I