Making progress

Today was a good riding day for me and Lilly for the most part. We got over (or at least got over it for today) one of her big vices she has been having for a while.

So Lilly is very difficult to get to really keep going after a jump that is over 18 inches. And when ever you keep her going, she drags you to the out side a little bit - or a lot.

So that had really been getting on my nerves lately, so, I lowered my jump to about 20 inches. I trotted it first, and made her keep going at a steady pace, and not drag me, just to show her what she was supposed to be doing. After that, I cantered it, and all I did once she has landed was drive, drive drive, to make sure she had a canter, that was very nice, maybe even a little faster than normal, but I let her drag me. At this point, I just wanted to make her go.

Then, after that, I went over it again, and this time all I did was make sure she didn't drag; by crossing my outside reign over her neck, while keeping a nice tight inside reign, and occasionally tugging on it a bit. She did slow down, but she never actually broke into the trot, so that was nice.

After that I did both, and hey, what do you know, she actually did it perfectly! Not to say she will tomorrow, or even for another month possibly, and it will probably be a long time before we get it when we go over a big jump, but the fact that we did it, even just this once, really makes me feel like I've accomplished something.

I can't tell you how frustrating it is sometimes having to train a horse, and be a young rider who still as a lot to learn myself, but I also can't tell you how good it feels when you get something good done. On bad days it is really hard to remember good days, but today really gave me hope, even though it wasn't that big a deal, those little things can really make your day.

Happy thanks giving!

Happy thanksgiving everyone! I might get around to riding today if I can. Lilly of course wants a feast of her own, maybe I will give her a little extra hay today ^.^

I hope everyone (and everyone's horses) have a great Thanksgiving!!!!

Well today I fell off :p

It wasn't a bad fall at all. I mostly fell because I was goofing around like the maniac I am.

We were jumping bareback, and we went over a jump (it was 2'4 and thats pretty good for bareback on a 5 year old horse- not to brag) and then after we landed, she took a sharp turn (she had tried to pull a run out before the jump, so I guess she made up for it after) and I just sort of slid off.

In my defense, it was raining, so she was slippery. But yes, I still did fall of which is irritating in a sense, because i hang on for bucks, refusals, everything, but then I had to go and fall off after something stupid. Oh well, that is so me.

I was laughing so hard when I hit the ground though, because it was so ridiculous. I was hanging on to her neck like a monkey and then slipped.

Oh well, it's just another example to show everyone falls over stupid stuff :). It is also another example that I am a clutz, even when I'm not even on my own feet.

So my horse Lilly went to her first show on Sunday, and I must say I am very, very proud of her.

It was just a dressage show, I figured that would be a good start because there isn't as much going on as there is at a hunt seat show. We got second, because Lilly stopped in the middle of our 20m circle to bite at a fly....

But either way I am still just really proud of her for behaving, after all she is only 5 and is not used to being at a barn, or around other horses.