2nd Friday Lesson With Harold

So I know yall might be tired of me bragging on my horse, but he really is pretty darn awesome. Just sayin. ;)

So last Friday I decided split second as I was rushing over to feed Harold before driving my oldest to school, that I would just load him up and let him eat his breakfast on the trailer. That way I wouldn't have to go to school, drive all the way home again and then go back to town. I knew I would be a little early to the shop to drop off the kiddos (meaning, my mom doesn't get out of bed early well, lol and wouldn't be there yet) but I figured it was better to be early rather then running late.

Of course Harold was pretty excited he had grain in his manger and hopped right on, all four legs this time, lol. And after I got to the shop he just chilled in the trailer munching on his hay while I waited. I settled both kids in with some breakfast and put Hailey in her jumpy hanging from the doorway and Shelby watching some youtube and figured my dad could handle it until my mom got there.

I learned that morning that I would be sharing the lesson with a home schooled girl on her little gypsy vanner. He's so cute! But like pony sized, lol. He can have a bit of an attitude and I had never rode Harold in the arena with another horse before. Well, I've never rode him with another horse before period actually! I wasn't really worried but it did add a element of the unknown for sure!

So I pulled into L's right before the girl I was riding with and we tacked up pretty much at the same time. I have rode with her several times in lessons so we knew each other fairly well. She's sweet.

Harold did great standing in the cross ties and I had him ready to go in quick order. I decided to walk him around in the arena first before moutning up just to make sure he remembered all was cool. He makes me smile every time we walk into the arena when he puts his head down and checks out the sand, lol.

Harold did great with the other horse. It was pretty amusing how he would speed up to follow him and then slow down to wait on him when the other horse got behind him, but he quite doing that after a bit.

Uh, yeah, the arena is not scary, mom

My first ears picture in a lesson with Harold!!

So it's been more then one sleep since the lesson (hah) so let me see if I can dredge up what we did. I'm sorry but having a major brain lapse. The main thing I remember is we CANTERED! I know! He was so awesome. I was afraid I would have a lot of trouble getting him into it but he was actually better then Charlie is! And got both leads each time no problem! Go, Harold, go Harold! (I will say I had to imploy mister whip a few times, hah) He also gave me some great trot work yielding to the bit.

We did some trot poles again but this time in a circle like we do in regular lessons. He did pretty good! Here is a video of one of our canters and then the poles.

Yeah us!! Of course my butt was bouncing out of the saddle nearly the whole time and my heel was up, but hey, we did it! Poor Harold needs some definite muscle work to strengthen him up for better position, but all in good time! I'm just so excited we were able to get leads, no bucking or other antics, and pretty good departs! Those are all huge wins for me!

So I watched the other girl do some jumping and and let Harold get his breath back. We are definitely not ready to jump but it was fun to just chill in the arena and watch. After that it was time for some treats and a brush down and a drink for Harold (he drank like a bucket of water! Thirsty boy) and off to get my kiddos!

Whatcha doin?

Monday lesson! The rain stayed away and we got to get a lesson in, whoop. I was on Charlie this time, which I was happy about! I've been on Goldie for the last three lessons I think. I don't know if she thinks I like Goldie or what, lol. Anyway, I had a lot of trouble this lesson unlocking his 'give to the bit' button. He was being a pill about it, just throwing his head up and pulling. I finally figured out I could ask for it on a circle and usually he would give it to me. He did unlock his mouth a bit towards the end of the lesson but then it was time for jumping!

So I haven't been in my hunt saddle for like over a month now, it felt really comfy but I haven't jumped in forever exept for that bit in the lesson last time. And it showed! I was so loosey goosey over the fences with a swinging leg. Sigh. So I'm hoping to fix that next time! I know it just takes time and repetition. I was pretty sore the next day but not too bad!

Last night I was able to get Harold out for a short work out before church. I wanted to ride but knew I didn't have time so I just grabbed him and suited him up in his bridle and surcingle. I then stood on a feed bucket, jumped up on my belly and swung my leg over and rode him bareback to the round pen, hah! What a good boy. We even opened and closed the little gate to the pasture! 

So he was pretty up that night, it was windy and quite cool. I think he was also a bit nervous about round penning since the last time I worked his butt off. I made sure he wasn't afraid of the whip and then sent him around. This time I had a lunge line run through the bit and over his poll so I could have some more steering control. I warmed him up without side reins both ways and then hooked them up. He did a lot better then last time and I really saw a lot of improvement with his give. He hardly ever pulled on them and I got some good work out of him. I even had him moving out at the walk and trot a lot faster then normal. We may be able to canter a bit with them next session as long as the footing is good. But I may need to get his fitness up a bit more at the canter first, I don't want to overface him.

We also walked and trotted over three ground poles a bit too. It was kind of soft footing around them but he did good figuring out where his feet were. One time he hit them wrong and actually cantered two of them. Good boy!

I found out I will be showing Goldie at least at my first show of the season. I hope I can become better partners with her before then! L wants me to come and watch the March shows and then start showing myself in April. Can't wait!

Well thats all for now. I'm hoping to be able to work Harold with side reins again today, although hooked up to his dressage saddle, and then ride after. Since I know we can canter without dying now, I might do a bit of that if the ground has dried out enough!

Adios!

PS, If anyone is out there reading, I'd love to hear from you! Share your blog if you have one so I can read yours! :)

Training Days

So I'm going to skim over last Tuesdays lesson real quick. I rode Goldie, and had to ride in a Wintec of L's because of a miscommunication. I was thinking we were doing just dressage and it turns out we were also jumping, lol. It was an okay saddle but not mine, you know? So I felt a little off in it.

Lean back!! I think this was the free walk of Intro B

I'm really getting annoyed with myself. I feel like instead of getting better here lately I am regressing. I think it all started when we began to do more dressage. I have gotten so used to sitting in a 'hunter perch' that I have a really hard time sitting vertical and not forward a bit. What is the deal! I'm also still having trouble sitting the canter. I can two point or forward seat it all day. But keep my behind in the saddle? HAHAHA. Grr. Any tips anyone?? I know all about the scoop, sitting back a bit, etc. It's gotten better but still needs work. I want to get solid on the lesson horses before I try to canter mister Harold. I havent loped him since I rode him western two years ago. I feel like on a green horse I might want a 'o crap' strap on my cantle, haha. His mane is pretty long but farther away then I'd like if I lose my balance! I'm also wondering if it will help me anchor my behind a bit too.

Gosh, I just got back to this post and so much has happened. I'm so behind!


Anyway its Monday now and I had another lesson at L's with Harold on Friday and once again he was absolutely wonderful.

Anyway last lesson on Goldie we first did dressage and then onto the jump arena. Goldie wasn't real into listening to my aids for collection again but we did an ok test.

I decided to take my spurs off for jumping and so glad I did. But it was kind of disappointing because L said I was just letting her pull me over the jump instead of knowing where to take off. I wasn't sure how to fix it and left the lesson a tad morose. Although I was proud for staying pretty solid when she jumped a crazy jump and went sideways in the air over it to look at it, haha.

This last week it rained so no lesson on Monday. Today should be good to go though!

So! Harold news. I didn't get to ride the week after his first lesson and just got one side rein work out in. But this last week I was able to ride twice! Hailey was nice enough to space her naps perfect for me to he able to ride after work.

He did great the first ride, the side rein work had helped a ton already, plus I wasn't just throwing my reins away at him anymore like I used to when he gave to the bit so he had somewhere to direct his new energy when I asked for contact.

Pretty pony in 'school'

So each ride I could hear L in my head saying, elbows by your side, close your hands! Shorter reins! Lol, and I tried to comply every time I thought of it. I also asked more of mister Harold and didn't 'baby' him as much.

So fuzzy!

So thats about all for now! Next post I'll talk about our Friday lesson! And I also had a jump lesson on Charlie last night. 

Till then!

Rockstar Harold

He was PERFECT. I mean, it kind of scares me for future lessons. How can we top this?? Lol, but seriously we have a lot of work to do and things to learn. BUT his overall behavior and been there done that attitude was EXACTLY what I was hoping for.

So the morning didn't start without a hitch though. I had the girls up earlier then udual and we were still pushing the envelope getting out of the house when I wanted because they weren't cooperating like I wanted. Still, I was able to get the horses fed and my oldest to school on time. I ended up pulling the trailer through the drop off line to save time, haha. I can't wait till it looks a little more like a horse trailer and not a pile of junk on wheels that's slightly embarrassing to drive.

So I rushed home, grabbed Harold's blanket, threw that on him and loaded him up! I had a slightly harrowing moment where I hooked him up to the trailer tie before all 4 legs were in (unknowingly!) and the dog started barking at him and I thought we were gonna have a wreck. But thankfully I was able to de escalate the situation and all was well. Whew!

He's a wild one

So we pulled up at L's finally after another issue with one of the trailer tires was dealt with by my dad at the shop were I dropped the kiddos with my mom. We were a tad late so L was kind enough to grab all my stuff out if the trailer and have it ready for me at the cross ties while I took mister out to check out the arena.

He was a saint. Never even thought about spooking. Just looked around and calmly strolled the perimeter with me. He was a tad curious about the sandy footing but no issues at all.

So then I lunged him briefly both directions at the walk and trot and called him good. L helped me tack up since I was running late and then out to the arena we went! He was a little wiggly at the mounting block but L held him for me and we were off to the arena. It's been a week now since this all happened (have NOT had time to sit down and write about it lately!!) so I'm a little fuzzy on the specifics. I do know that I found out I baby him WAY too much, and I let him be lazy way too much! She had us doing a good steady trot and asking him for a lot more then I usually do. We also worked up to a set of four ground poles to trot over which was SO fun!

Isn't he cute?! So I also was having a issue with too long reins and not keeping my elbows by my side. Also open hands. I don't do these things in lessons, so it's apparently something to do with Harold. I think it's because he carries his head so low!! She at one point told me that I looked like a QH rider about to go into a HUS class, lol, eep.

Anyway we did a lot of half the circle around her at posting trot (and over the poles) then we would do a sitting trot trying to get him to round a bit. By the end when I started riding right! we were getting pretty good! We also did quite a few turns on the forehand, which he had never done before. But thankfully I have worked with him a few times on moving his hind end over off my leg so he had a bit of a clue. And he did great! L said he was really stepping under himself well.

Here is a short vid of us doing the trot poles!

She said he did so good and loves his pretty head, lol. I was thrilled with him, really was. As if you couldn't tell! And it was windy and cold to boot! Not a problem for Mister man at all. L also told me my saddle was not too big for me. Yeah!

I did get hot and sweaty in my ski jacket finally! And, him so perty!!

L had to go so I leisurely untacked him and brushed him down. Filched some of the horse cookies for him from the feed room, lol. He stood there just as quiet as you please. Then loaded right up! This time putting all four feet in, thankfully!

I went over to get the girls from my mom and my 11 month old had just gone down for a nap. So we hung out with her for an hour or so and he just stood out there and munched on his hay. Such a good boy!

I guess that's about all! So proud of him! I've decided to do every other Friday at L's with him for right now. Once we get into spring I will probably try and bring him to lessons to ride. Although I won't be able to do jumping with him when they do, so not sure how that will go yet. It will also be interesting to see how he does in the ring with 3 or 4 other horses! Which reminds me, one of the things I was worried about was how he would do with other horses around he had never seen. He did great obviously! Acted like he didn't care at all. He would look at them and then be like, whatever.

Photobomb by Charlie! Haha

Well I do have another lesson update from last Monday, and a side rein session I did with Harold to blog about! L suggested that would be good So look for those soon! (hopefully!) Today is too wet to have lessons, boo. So unless she can find a time to reschedule me I will be back at L's on Friday with Harold! :)