Finally a post

I know its been a while but I started my senior year of high school so I homework, horses, work and sleep have been my top priorities! I did have lessons on August 24th and August 20th but they are so long ago that I can't remember the details well enough to write anything worth reading. As I posted already in my show season blog Carino and I competed in our first sanctioned and also his first BN. The results were great and we had a blast. A few days later I went for my D3 rating for Pony Club and passed with flying colors...on to C1 when the next rating is held!

However, after the show Carino and I kinda went into a rut...the fancy dressage seemed to disappear the jumping was great and easy but I couldn't get over the fact that I no longer had that fancy dressage work we had just a week ago. We had a lesson on Sept. 8th and Carino came out pretty stocked up which hasn't happened since I bought him but oh well. Since I was there a little early I decided to go for a nice hack before our lesson...We went for a good 10-15 walk all through the trails and water. So by the time the lesson started he should be ready to trot and get to work. It was a group lesson and we began flat work outside. He was very relaxed but I still didn't feel like I had any spring or engine. We did a lot of shoulder in on the circle at the trot and canter. Canter has been most difficult for him the past weeks for some reason but even the trot was not to our usual standards. It started to thunder and lightning but didn't start to rain so we decided it was time to take cover and finish in the indoor. However, when we got to the indoor we didn't finish the flat where we left off but began jumping...So I was kinda disappointed that I couldn't work through it. Erin set up a jump with the plastic blocks that was even weird looking to me. Carino turned the corner and said no way. He hasn't refused anything in a month so I was shocked but then kinda understood since we haven't jumped in the indoor since spring. We reproached and leaped over it throwing me onto his neck, he did this a few times. Erin then made it into a bounce with the blocks making a low wall and then to a 2'6 vertical. He didn't like the look of it the first few times but after a few times was going threw perfectly. I worked on closing my hip angle over the fence which helped me follow the rhythm more. Erin then made the block wall higher and skinner which of course made me a little tense. However, I thought about the turn, the approach and each step instead of the jump and he did it perfectly on the first try. So, an awful ride ended up quite nice...I still need to work on my frustration and to not always expect that horse to be perfect. Did I mention I was doing this in my dressage saddle?

The next day I jumped Carino outside over a x-rail, vertical and oxer..just white poles and then went in the indoor to jump the dreaded blocks. The block wall he barley picked his feet up over. However, I am realizing I need a stronger lower leg that needs to be there more consistently because he can die around corners and on the landing of fences. I have been doing a lot of 'experimenting' rides... really focusing on what is causing the problems or what I could do better or where he is falling out or where he is weak. I have been riding him bareback a lot which I realize I am actually a lot more relaxed and confident. We have a training ride this Thursday and a lesson on Friday and then Stoneliegh HT on Saturday. I am confident about the dressage and stadium at Stoneliegh but a little worried..or a lot worried about the xc since they usually have 2 of either water, ditch and a down bank. Carino hasn't done down banks much at all. Also their water is about a 5 foot by 5 foot black puddle with two fences on the side of it...we might take the jumper approach I saw yesterday at the Fidelity Hampton Jumper Classic and just jump the whole thing... we will see. No matter what it will be great mileage for the little man.