This past Sunday, Tillie and I loaded up and headed over to Loch Moy for our second Novice event of the season. If you guys remember, last year this event was a bit of a shit show. (Read about the XC fails here and dressage fails here). So I headed back in the hopes we could redeem ourselves and have some dignity this time around.
For the sake of keeping these posts from turning into novels, I am going to once again break down each phase in separate posts. But this one will be a sneak preview ;)
All prepped and ready
With our jump lesson thursday feeling really rough/forward I was a bit less confident going in to this weekend. I had a dressage lesson Friday that felt ok, but we also were schooling some newer things and working on upping the game so things just felt different. Tillie tends to get a bit defensive when changing the game on her so its a bit of a fine line trying to coax her into the new stuff...and with what horse is that NOT like? Lol... So my last schooling ride the day before the show was ok and left little to be desired since she still just seemed to not want to let go of some tension and really relax like she has been in recent rides.
What happens when black polish gets mistaken for regular hoof polish - lots of scrubbing
I went home Saturday night feeling a bit in my head and less confident, BUT I did find comfort in our training and found some solace in knowing even with things feeling ok, we still could do it, it just meant me needing to be more on my A game.
We pulled into Loch Moy and I mentally prepared for our dressage knowing this venue is pretty darn crowded so fully expected Tillie to have a harder time. We got there so early to give me time to get her to settle in and I chose to walk the XC course first (which in hindsight I am soooo glad we did). It was humid and muggy so relaxing and cooling off at the trailer was a better move than trying to walk the course between dressage and stadium.
I hopped on for dressage and Tillie walked on a loose rein quite well and would only get slightly jumpy if someone came too close or ran up behind us. She recovered in a matter of moments though and was content. This made me hopeful for our test...until I picked her up and started asking for her to work. The walk was decent enough, but then going into trot she woke up. It was either bracing and racing or low and slow...no in between. It also didnt help I came in ready to ride novice A and actually had to do novice B - Luckily I have been riding both lately so could adapt but it was a bit of a last minute "oh crap" thing... Despite this we put in an ok test and got a 31.8.
oh so tense Tillie...and me trying realllly hard to be soft
Stadium felt amazing and was by far the smoothest phase of the day. All the mistakes made were piloting errors and non faults of Tillies (Like burying her to fence #2 which she luckily got over with no rails).
Part of the outside line to two stride line
XC was also pretty good with the exception of a few things which Ill go over in my posts...but we did all the harder options and it was pretty darn smooth!
We need to work on cantering into water...but she was forward!
We ended on our dressage score and ended up in 5th place!! All in all it was a successful day and I think prepares us a bit more for June 11th!
That title sounds like something really bad happened...dont worry it wasnt THAT bad. I have been incredibly fortunate that Tillie and I have been really cookin and on a good streak for quite a while. This is by far the longest consecutive number of GOOD rides I have ever had with her so for that I am grateful.
Arrived at Windurra!
This lead in makes it sound like yesterdays ride was really bad...lol no it really wasnt! But comparing to our really really GOOD rides lately, it just didnt feel good. Ill elaborate more in a minute.
First off though, Windurra is really as beautiful and awesome as people say. It wasnt too bad of a drive, and pulling in I was excited to see many inviting jumps for all levels (not just giant upper level stuff). This makes sense since young horses have to start somewhere too right?
Alllll the jumps
I mentally noted this is definitely a place I want to come school more often because it has EVERYTHING including coffins and other combinations that will eliminate the guessing game of it Tillie is ok with things like that before we come across them in a show. Dom met us there and told us to meet him in the jump ring first to start. I will preface to say, we ran out of time to actually XC school which was disappointing, but we really worked on some coursework that was beneficial and needed.
Dom had told me last week to bring my pelham...but I did manage to ride her in the snaffle which I think was partially why things didnt feel as good.
kind of an odd shot, but you can see a bit more of the ring!
Tillie was fine hacking to the ring shockingly, but in the picture above you can see the entrance way to the ring is flanked by two sheds. Tillie did NOT like this one bit and spooked backwards a bit. Luckily my barn mate was there with her horse and he led us in. Tillie wasnt so sure about that area even warming up but did eventually get over it to some degree.
She was a bit jazzed and coiled and Dom commented that despite this, he could see why we do so well on the flat because she has really nice movement even when tense. So while thats nice to hear, It really isnt a pleasant feeling when she gets like this. While I know her well enough now that she isnt going to full blow up or be stupid, she just doesnt relax and braces and it just isnt comfortable for me riding, but also I do have to work harder lol. Nothing wrong with that, it just isnt pleasant. Dom said when he has a horse like that he does so many transitions...and within the gait transitions to help soften them. It helped slightly...but we didnt have a ton of time so we didnt really scratch the surface on that.
Totally loving my trailer!!!
Dom had us start by warming up over some cavaletti sprinkled throughout the ring and work on getting deep to them. He sent us through the curved bounce exercise similar to one of our recent lessons with him which he loved for Tillie to get her to back off.
Here is a video of after warm up, putting that exercise to use:
Couple things...you can see i get pitched forward on the oxer so finishing with the two stride was a bit hairy. Not to mention that 2 stride was LONG and set for higher heights and competition striding lol but we got it done. Dom complemented me and said he noticed I was doing much better staying tall and waiting for the fences, but the pitching forward is my not staying in my two point long enough and sitting up too soon. Which when she gets strong is a bad habit I do because I get defensive.
Dom was really positive despite me not feeling 100% and said he could see improvement in us, and this was GREAT practice because it sort of emulated what I have when being at a show. Granted the last few Tillie hasnt been like this (i think largely because if the pelham)...but regardless I need to learn to work through it especially with my goals of moving up. He said the bigger jumps will only get her more jazzed up so homework is to take her places often like this to get her to relax like she has been lately.
I never asked Dom to switch to the pelham and he never offered it, which on one hand is good because she was still rideable in the snaffle, it was just really hard and she can lean on it, which youll see in the later videos shes low and flat again because I cant get her off it.
Here is our first attempt at the course before he put them up:
Once again, lots to like and lots to go hmmm lol. How about the flying lead change around the jumps?! Then she had a very enthusiastic change after the 5-6 stride line.
She was really tough to get that left lead especially over that first vertical. I would have liked to work on that more, but Dom I think knew it was just her not getting off her right shoulder which wasnt going to change in that snaffle.
What I LIKED about this round was I put in a nice 6 in that outside line...I could have gone for the 5 which we did get when the jumps went up, but it was nice I still had adjustability in the snaffle. The final line was tough because I struggled getting her right to the first fence which Dom said think of riding it more like an oxer so you land long so that your horse doesnt have to reach sooo much for the next jump.
He had us come around and try again:
Not a whole lot better, but when they went up in height it did and we whoad right after it on the straightaway which Dom LOVED and suggested when we jump even when she isnt strong throw that in every 5-10 jumps so she starts anticipating that.
Tillie was huffing and puffing after our last round so Dom called it and said to come back the folling week just to xc school :) So hopefully we can then.
We did take a hack around afterwards, I did go down a bank at the walk because you all know my fears of those lol and we walked through the water.
I realize yesterdays ride and the bracing and just overall her being strong is a bit of a chicken or the egg syndrome. I know I can cause a lot of it when I start trying to hold her or micromanage she gets claustrophobic and it exacerbates her behavior. So im not sure really WHY I still do it...lol.
At last my mare is totally game and saves my butt
Im hoping it was a bit of that yesterday and I need to chill the fuck out and go back to less is more...find that balance of the accurate ride without being too much in Tillie's way. I do also think without that pelham I cant always get her to lay off the bit. She KNOWS the difference and its evident.
I talked to Dom a bit afterwards and he said not to fret, its a huge open ring and with a horse like her, quite normal. We talked about our upcoming novice events and he thought it sounded really solid and agreed that IF she was quiet and just as awesome at those as she was for our first one then he would talk to us about a move up (ehhhhh idk!?)...but as we all know horses training isnt linear and yesterdays ride is a prime example of what I dont want to happen if we move up before we are ready.
He reassured me that if that lesson was as strong as shes been in a while its promising and he is confident to give us that push if we can get that just a hair more refined, But he also said he agreed and didnt want us to move up if she would possibly get really excited about the bigger fences. I wholeheartedly agreed and stressed to him I dont want that to happen and go back to fighting her...things have been feeling soooo good.
He laughed at me and promised we will keep it that way and we have a solid plan ahead with options and thats a great place to be. While I didnt feel great about that ride, it did feel good to have an instructor talking to me about it and instill confidence in the work we are doing.
So fingers crossed for this weekend!!! And heres to hoping that this was just the kick in the butt ride we needed and NOT something starting to develop lol. Lets hang on to that good streak eh!?
Not sure why all of a sudden my nerves and anxiety is kicking in for this weekend's event at Loch Moy. The more I think about it, the more I think its more or less excitement than fear.
Don't get me wrong, every time I compete, there is a healthy dose of fear...its not about messing up in the sense we knock a rail or have a run out XC, but more or less the safety aspect because lets face it, my mare hasnt always been the safest thing to ride.
Who me?!
I feel pretty confident about the work we have done and our preparation...She is going more uphill, we havent had a ton of sass, dolphining or bucking or taking off issues but all the same this event means a lot.
While we went out and rocked our first Novice and I do honestly feel pretty darn good going into this one this weekend...this event is like the one that will determine if Novice really feels good. It will be the event that will hopefully tell us if we are solid here or if we have holes we need to fill in.
Lets feel this good about jumping this weekend ok Tills?!
Either way, thats part of horses right? I am realllllyyy trying hard to go in confident, but also with the ability to adapt with what Tillie throws my way IF there are some holes that pop up. I am happy to be able to say Tillie feels the best shes ever felt so I at least have that in the back of my mind assuaging some of my doubt about either of our abilities.
Like being able to jump this kind of stuff without hesitating
I just need to focus on what we know, what we have been working on and have faith in the training.
I am hopeful that our XC schooling today at Windurra (Yes at Boyd Martin's place!) with Dom Schramm (Ok that sentence with all the name dropping is a bit overboard-groupie) will just solidify how good things are feeling.
The story of my life...and now officially broke due to buying a dressage saddle Tillie prefers. BUT at the end of the day, it was needed and honestly fits ME the best too.
Literally eating away at alllll my money
Apparently finding a saddle that fits us both is a bit like trying to find a unicorn. The major issue being she's fairly wide for a thoroughbred but also short backed and bum high. As for me, many saddles have exacerbated my crooked issues and finding one that didnt in addition to fitting Tillie has been less than fun.
So i am now locking up my credit cards and resolving to pay down all my crazy debt. Anyone know of someone needing a website!? Lol but seriously...I dont regret buying it
Look at that face...of course she can have whatever she wants
We ultimately did purchase the Custom Saddlery VLX. I got extremely lucky and was able to snag the leathers, girth and crazy nice stirrups that the top adjusts and twists to wither 45 or 90 degree angles. P.S. its also brown. What are the chances of that?! Ill be sure to show photos in my next post but for now going to condition and clean it up a bit.
Tillie after getting traced
It was probably the most expensive saddle fitting I have ever had, but he also looked at my Stubben Roxanne jump saddle and agreed it wasnt perfect, but if we both were going well in it there is nothing alarming about it to have to sell to get anything new. That was a relief to hear. He did recommend using the prolite pad for both saddles and said prolites are great pads and the next best thing to a thinline, the only reason he doesnt carry them is the material being a bit slippery. Luckily we havent had too much of a problem with that happening.
Tillie was a perfect lady for the fitter and when it was all said and done, I got to hop on and try it out. It was exactly as awesome as I remembered riding in it the first two times. I felt really even and Tillie felt nice in it.
Mare glare
I only trotted her around a few times since I had been talking with C for a while about her riding Tillie to hopefully give me some insights from her perspective to help keep us moving in the right direction.
Tillie's mind was pretty instantly blown as C started putting her through the paces and was talking me through what she was doing. C laughed at Tillie because she got herself emotionally worked up and was super sweaty despite not working all that hard. Luckily Tillie internalized most of it and really was thinking very hard and trying...sometimes trying many different ways to evade but eventually would give the correct answer.
Happy Tillie
Here is what C says we need to focus on:
Start ridding her on both sides of her body and get straighter
Be more through on the outside aids
Bend her more off the thigh...basically use my thighs more to get what I want
Keep the movability in her neck...work on this in canter especially as she likes to lock
Do not let her get low on downward transitions
Tillie posing for the pretty dressage horses here
C didnt stay on too long and said she wanted me to get back on her and ride her now that she had and talk me through how to achieve what she did.
Tillie cooperated and tried very hard...it just felt really different to me! It was a bit of a game changing ride and something I will need to adjust to. I know with this stuff there will always be more or new and I went through a similar feeling just a few months ago.
This post is a bit out of order, but I was way too excited to share about yesterdays lesson...so we dressaged on Saturday. The weather here on the east coast has been, you guessed it, non stop raining. It sucks, but I am trying to make the best of and keep on keeping on with our training.
Wet unhappy Tillie
Tillie has started her Doxy treatment and luckily hasnt been worse for ware since starting. She still feels really good and supple and happy to work.
schooling saturday and she was happy to work
We did a jump school Friday practicing what we learned in our lesson with Dom that previous Wednesday. It went and felt so much smoother which is nice because it tells me she is learning...the only mistakes were piloting error so I am trying realllllly hard to give her the best ride possible. I guess it will come with time...
Saturday was so yucky we decided to haul to the indoor where we take dressage lessons to school. I dont mind riding in the rain, but once in a while its nice to have access to such nice state-of-the art footing to ride on to eliminate the blips in the footing in our ring.
Starting to get better about those lengthenings!
Tillie was all business when we arrived and ready to work. I started off trying to get her to stretch a bit with this being one of our goals. I know this will help keeping her loose and swinging in her back which will help her while being treated for lymes and its also a movement we will be tested on in training level tests so we need to get more confirmed at it now.
Pats for a good girl trying so hard
Tillie did a really nice job staying connected in the contact while stretching down...in the past shes poked her nose out and lost that nice full feeling in my reins.
Some video of stretching and starting canter work:
After this we did some canter work and while the transitions still leave something to be desired, the canter itself felt way more comfortable for me to ride and much more soft through her body.
Here is some video of our canter and lengthening work:
She did break once into canter, but C has told me in the past this isnt a bad thing and to not reprimand her...forward is good and its the correct answer, but usually shell break if I am not 100% even in both stirrups or half halting enough evenly.
Starting to get more uphill!
I am very eager to try the Custom Saddlery VLX this week and finally get a dressage saddle again! But shockingly my jump saddle seems to have worked well for us in the meantime.
A bit last minute, Dan invited me to join in on a lesson early this morning before work. So I got myself up at 6am so I could be ready to ride by 7am.
Initially I wasnt too keen on rising before 7am outside of a show morning, but I am really glad I did because it gave me a nice kick start to my day. There is something just so relaxing about it and it sets you up for the rest of the day so nicely.
Ready to work!
I havent had a lesson with Dan since before our first show of the season at Olde Hope back in April. With him being a bit farther its been harder coordinating, but I sort of like the bit of time in between so I have time to process and practice. His lessons are always more technical and thinking lessons. They really do challenge us and get us pushing past our safe zone which is exactly what we need with me aspiring to move up the levels.
The above says it all, and this mornings lesson really made me reflect on this in a way to appreciate the grit and crappy rides we went through and, Im sure, will still experience in the future.
I see some fellow barn mates struggling with confidence or having those harder rides right now and really struggle with what to say because I know when I experienced my own low period, not a whole lot said made me feel better. All I know is, they really suck...but somewhere in there is a silver lining. I just want to hug them all and reassure them it will get better.
Today's lesson wasnt the best feeling lesson...it was really hard and majority of the time we didnt achieve the entire exercise cleanly, BUT I did feel growth and did have a few light bulb moments.
Tillie ready for breakfast after a hard lesson
Just like the flower image saying we need to go through dirt before it gets pretty...yea well thats what this lesson was all about.
It was nice starting out...Dan was riding, but said he would shout out things as he saw them and for the first time, he was pretty satisfied with what he saw. He said he liked what he saw and that Tillie was connected and pushing from behind which was good, but now he wanted to see how true it was and if she could be ridden deeper, lower etc without losing the connection since Training level will ask for a stretchy trot.
I sorta sighed in my head like oh crap....but then mentally blocked it knowing we have been working on this and sorta bucked up and confidentially started allowing the stretch to happen.
This is from Schooling on saturday but a still of me trying to find the adjustable frame
I didnt quite hear what Dan said after this, but Emma was there and said "He said your horse looks good!" Coming from Dan thats super nice to hear!!!
Next he set up ground poles for a figure 8, lead change exercise where we would ask for the flying change over the poles. I immediately thought "oh crap" again and rather embarrassed asked him how I would go about doing that. Fun fact: I have only ever ridden horses that had auto changes, so knowing how to ask, the timing, let alone training the lead change is really foreign to me.
He was really patient and he himself rode through the exercise talking me through it. When it was my turn, it was of course not as flawless as his...and the first few times was a bit like trying to walk for the first time...but it slowly started to get smoother and a little less rough around the edges.
He made me drop my stirrups (**GASP!!!**) to make sure I wasnt leaning or twisting to ask for the lead, but doing it correctly off my leg. I thought I was going to die....lol but we survived!
Sweaty mare!
I discovered Tillie is much easier left lead changing to right lead, which is no surprise there, since that tends to be her easier side anyway. Dan scolded me a bit on being more accurate to my poles and said that riding a rhythm is great and all and very important with jumping, you also need to see the striding and adapt. Dan put them up to jumps and I happily put my feet back in my stirrups and we moved on with the same exercise but now with jumps.
Tillie was pretty good, but on the landings with longer straightaways wanted to get a bit low and basically tell me she didnt want me messing with her. Dan was encouraging though and kept reminding me to get her sitting down in the canter, really work to get it sharp and in front of my leg with more collection.
He preferred us to get a deeper distance and really kept getting after me when going right lead changing to left lead to keep Tillie more straight. She has a tendency this way to drift left and drop her left shoulder so Dan was persistent to not turn too sharp on landing and that going straight would get the clean change.
Ears up Tillie! No one likes a mare glare
Sure enough after staying on her enough, we eventually were getting them. Not every time, but there wasnt a lack of trying!
By the end of the lesson I was huffing and puffing clearly needing to work on my own fitness, but Dan seemed pretty happy with what we offered. It was even more exciting for him to wrap up with what this exercise was all about saying with my goals of moving up, taking more responsibility in my riding rather than letting Tillie pick every spot will get us to Training and Prelim. Dan said at those levels you need to choose your spot depending on the question, you cant jump a table like you would a combination...etc
He sounded pretty positive Training level was a definite for us this year (he offered that...I honestly wasnt asking about it at all) and even said he thinks Prelim is definitely in our reach next season. Both sound really exciting and terrifying all at the same time, but I am committed to only doing whatever level we feel confident at. But it is kind of cool to think Dan thinks we are capable!
I am happy and hopeful...and trying to challenge us enough to grow without hurting either of our confidence.
Sheesh...can you believe its been since MARCH (Read the full post here) that I published goals?! Totally dropped the ball on that one, but hey better late than never right?
remember back when this bank was terrifying to me!?
With our first novice starter trial under our belts and two more already entered, one of them recognized (eeeek!), I am really trying to dig down and make sure things stay positive for us. I want to ensure we keep things feeling good, keeping in mind some challenges may arise, but try to see things from the bigger picture. I dont want to focus on the level we are so much as, is it feeling good? Is Tillie really responding how she should be and happy to? I am stressing this so much because last year we lost sight of that and it wasnt fun...it was just hard all the time. Not that riding isnt lol, but it should be fun some of the time right!?
Trying to avoid moments like this would be great
First lets talk goals:
ME:
Work on my crookedness issues (This one I am keeping...but think this will be a forever thing. I really do think at this point it was more a wrong saddle for me issue
Ride the outside aids more - Its getting there, but still need to figure out what degree of "heaviness" in the reins I like for Tillie and I
Improve sitting trot - Dont think this is going away anytime soon
Wait with my shoulders if I dont see a distance- basically my nemisis
Better timing on the half halt - will i ever cross this one off?!
Heels down more on landing after jumps - i want this to be more consistent especially when she jumps so powerful
Ride the canter more brave and comfortably (ll gaits for that matter)
Dont get handsy before a fence
Get braver and ride the more forward distance
Release more!!
be braver about down hill terrain and down banks - Definitely conqured this last weekend...will always be something I dont like and im sure will resurface
Let Tillie go more forward and trust her
Canter fences!!!! no more trotting everything
NEW GOALS:
Keep my chin up over fences and look ahead to my next fence
DONT GET AHEAD
Get comfortable riding the larger gaits
Do not "fight" with tillie when she falls in or out, simply open the rein but dont pull back
Needing my position to be more solid really will come in handy as we start jumping this big stuff!
TILLIE:
Improve right hind weakness
Get stretchy trot more confirmed - Im not crossing this off just yet. Its more consistent but not quite enough for me to say its confirmed
Get the right shoulder lifting more - get both shoulders lifting more (shes been changing which one she falls in on...lately its been left)
Jump more uphill more of the time - getting there
Stretch more over fences - getting there
Gallop/canter more uphill
Jump without looking at the jumps all the way over so its more uphill
Be able to boldy jump skinnier fences and brush without hesitation
NEW GOALS
Dont let her fall in on turns in stadium or fall through the outside rein
Get extended trot tracking off a right turn quicker to build like off the left
Canter transitions without turning into a giraffe
Keep the same relaxation when doing a test as in warm up
How I want us both to jumo every single fence
Sorry those are a lot of goals to get through!! I know I could list more...but at least some are scratching off!
Now for what my competition season goals / schedule looks like in terms of starter events vs recognized.
I have discussed this in great length with a few different trainers...Our first novice felt good. REALLY good and to really make sure we keep things feeling good we want to enter another starter trial at the end of this month confirming us at this level, but this time at a venue that hosts recognized shows. As much as I wanted to go to a starter on the same day with my barn friends so we could all compete together, my trainer strongly encouraged me to do Loch Moy because they host recognized events therefore we will get a better taste of what to expect at one.
I also entered a recognized event July 11th because the closing date was before Loch Moy. My trainers also said go for it and thinks we are ready...which I was a bit nervous about entering this before doing another novice event BUT both trainers said they felt we were ready.
Why enter a recognized? They are over double the price as a starter trial, I have to braid and if we royally fuck up, its on our record...
sooo much money
Well in short my trainer asked me, why go through a move up AND experiencing your first recognized all at once?
Now that we are at novice level...my immediate goal is to get us confirmed here. Keep it feeling good and obviously think about how to keep us feeling that way. I know all too easily how quickly confidence can go right out the window. BUT with that said, the next level is Training level. I will only move up to it when we both feel 100% ready and really am committed to not rushing us at all. I have learned this last year it really isnt about the level. Sure we tend to make a level our goal, but for me its turned more into how we are feeling with what we are doing. I do not want to regress to that awful place last year...but I also do still maintain goals to getting to the higher levels so have to think about the safest and happiest way for us to get there.
feeling happy and brave like this all the time at this height
While Training level is not a level I intend to move up to right now, I need to think of how to make it as successful as this first move up to novice was and talking with my trainers, there are very few starter events offering training level. Sure there are some, but I will definitely not be able to skirt around doing recognized any more when that happens.
So the thought is to start doing them now and make the whole braiding thing and heightened competition a little bit more comfortable like we've been working towards with showing in general.
The plan is to stay here at novice right now and test ourselves here so it feels like no big deal. Keep it feeling good and not shy away from recognized or harder events. When we achieve that AND have the go ahead from our trainers we will start throwing out the idea of a move up...but for now, we will be rocking it at novice.
After stadium, we marched on over to XC. I was feeling very confident as long as Tillie could stay as adjustable and calm out here as she did in the ring and the last event.
Walking the course, I felt really good about most of the fences...there were some pretty cool ones and I was excited to see they were legit novice questions with some good length between some to allow some actual galloping. I realized while walking the course that when I schooled here right before Rolex, I actually had schooled the training level stuff thinking it was novice...No one entered training so they werent flagged except the #15 so I resolved that if things were REALLY amazing we would do it, if not playing it safe and having a clean round would also just thrill me.
Much to my horror there was a HUGE downbank on course that standing next to it was just below my chest. I luckily schooled that one just before Rolex and on accident...but was super glad I did. It wasnt the greatest feeling when I schooled it, but I at least knew I had done it which meant I COULD do it again right?
Everything else looked fine...some I knew I would need to ride more than others, but all in all I knew Tillie could do them.
In the start box I had a mini pow wow with my girl and said lets do this and be calm ok? She flicked her ears almost in understanding, and off we went.
Before I knew it, I was coming up to the chevron and was shocked at how easy it all felt. I was still riding a bit defensively and after letting her go out to gallop in two spots, would bring her back to a slower canter. The chevron, I overheard, was giving a few people some trouble so this is why I decided to really come back for this one, also because the trakhener was a somewhat related distance away.
After the trakhener was the bank bank and I made myself breath and mentally said "we got this"
I told my helpers, mom and niece that came to watch me that if I nailed the down bank and was still on after a stride that I expected to hear the loudest cheer that would be Rolex cheering caliber. They certainly didnt disappoint and it actually rode alot smoother than when I schooled it thankfully!
At this point I was feeling REALLY confident and actually started allowing Tillie to go. There was a coop and black pipe fence right after the down bank that were prefect for letting her jump more forward out of and I even opted to do the biggest of the black Pipes.
The corner was another fence that apparently was presenting some issue, but I was more worried about the narrow railroad tie fence (2nd to last). Luckily Tillie ate them both up and sailed over the last fence without a care in the world.
Here is some footage captured:
Overall, it was super fun and I couldnt stop smiling the whole hack back to the trailer. Tillie was quite full of herself as we tried to sponge her off and took about 20 min for her to stop dancing around.
I am so hopeful that our next event is so fun which is Loch moy on the 29th!! My plan is to do this event since they run recognized events and start getting myself acclimated to these.
While I am not ready for training level and not doing them any time soon...I know majority of them are only offered at recognized shows so want to start doing them at novice so I dont have to worry about all that as well as moving up whenever that may be.
I feel really good about where we are and just excited to keep it that way.
I feel like I am in a bit of a weird place right now with my riding...on one hand, I am feeling really confident in the progress Tillie is making, but on the other hand, I am feeling like *I* need to get my butt in gear.
It is becoming really apparent when I dont ride the way I should. Tillie is a super star and covers my butt half the time but that will become less and less ok with trying to stay at novice and with training level as our new goal in the distant future.
I need to be this solid ALL the time
I had another lesson with Dom Schramm last night and it was nice to hear him encourage us and said that the tough exercises he was setting up were certainly looking smoother and he could see improvement. BUT it was a bit rocky at times mostly due to me just not knowing how to ride through it. It was a bit hairy too because Tillie was a lot less forgiving and rightly so...Ill explain more on that in a minute.
Im using this again because basically this is what it was like in the lesson
Another concern is Tillie's health at the moment on two counts. 1)I always pull a lymes titer on her every year because of the area we live in. Shes been astoundingly negative since I have had her....that is until today.
Just after submitting my entry for Loch Moy on the 29th and our FIRST recognized entry for Plantation on 6-11, I got the call that she wasnt terribly positive, but it definitely is and positive enough to warrant a month of doxy. I expressed my concern to my vet and he reassured me that shes most likely had this for some time and keep an eye on her, but the extreme irritation she had with me in my lesson was most likely due to health issue #2.
2) Hives and allergies. Tillie last year got a bit hivey during the summer and I took her off the depo thinking that that was the culprit. It was right when I started her on it the first time and my vet agreed to try taking her off for a period.
Old media....but basically Tillies reaction to me if I sat on her too hard in our lesson
She did clear up so I thought I figured out the culprit...when I complained of her shenanigans to my vet once again the winter, he suggested to try it again and it hasnt given us any issues since.
Well yesterday Tillie was covered all over in tiny hives and also what looked like possible rain rot in some areas. Neither would be surprising with how bad allergies are for everyone this year in addition to all this extreme rain we have had.
Shockingly enough, she hasnt gotten any scratches or fungus like last year...but trying to curry her yesterday was awful.
The mare glare....
Poor thing was so skin sensitive she would buckle and was clearly not comfortable. I almost didnt ride her in the lesson, but I decided to see how uncomfortable she was once on since she always tends to be sensitive about brushing in general even without the skin issue.
She was fine warming up and even starting off...she was however NOT as fine when I messed up and did pull a few instances of the horse I had early winter with some miner dolphining and mini sass episodes.
(last year) but you get the idea...So sassy
Regardless, Dom reassured me that he thought we looked like we were improving and one of the three items he gave me to work on (being softer when landing and not sitting on her too soon) was improved.
Luckily her hives seem to be better today after talking with this morning's feeder but she will still be getting a mild soap bath which im sure she will hate. She wasnt THAT sore Monday after our event when I rode, so I was a bit alarmed at the sudden change. I was also anxious to find out if her lymes numbers were contributing at all as well...which now I know what they are could very well also be.
Monday after the event conditioning ride (mostly walking)
So after much discussion with my vet today, we will continue as planned since she hasnt been showing me discomfort other than yesterday and proceed with caution. He doesnt see any reason this will affect us at all and shell start the doxy tomorrow.
He also suggested for her hives a fly sheet since this happened last year as well so I bought one this morning with some fly boots (no more losing shoes this year tillie!) which should be here in a few days.
Hey, remember when you always hurt yourself!? Lets not start that again.
Oh you know, because I have money growing on trees! It definitely hurt after dropping some dough for my two entries...especially the recognized one (holy cow $260!!!) which I know for us in this area is fairly cheap compared to other but still!! Im used to paying around $100.
Its ok Tillie, its not like youre high maintenance or anything.
Im still optimistic of our schedule and hope we can stay on course. I am a bit sad I wont have any buddies with me at Loch Moy and even considered doing Olde Hope (because showing with people is WAY MORE fun). But my trainer suggested I try to do a venue that held recognized events so that we navigated an event a bit more true to what we will find when we do our recognized in July.
Ill be posting about my goals and my decision to do recognized sometime this week :)
So anyone else have horses that get hives in spring and summer? Any tips?
After dressage, my nerves really started to get to me. I HATE waiting and would much rather just do it all right away. Tillie was calm as a cucumber at the trailer seemingly unaware of our looming stadium and XC rounds which helped. Luckily I had to walk my courses which gave me something to do...
Glad this part was over!
I walked the stadium course, which was on grass, and was glad to know I was rider #7 so was hopeful the footing would hold up ok. We had two lines in the course that made me thankful for my P lessons. One was a one stride, another was a two stride. I knew I had to make sure I came into them forward and with soft hands and could hear Dan in my head telling me how to ride through the turn to get the right approach.
After I got back to the trailer, I went ahead and put hind studs on Tillie and opted for one of the smaller sets I had. The ground wasnt THAT terrible, but knowing Tillie's sensitivity to slipping I figured it wouldnt hurt to have them.
My niece also was a good distraction and her questions kept my nerves preoccupied
Warming up, Tillie was right with me. She was a bit excited, but not at all leaning on the bit...just a bit reactive to leg like in dressage so I made a point to just warm up easy breezy and stay out of her way before sitting on her and packing her back together.
I sort of followed this "Im not touching you" mode over the small x-rail a few times but did ask her to land on whatever lead I asked which she did swimmingly.
I did the same over a small 2'3-2'7 ish vertical before starting to ask her to work more and it was quite easy and less of a reaction when I did. Once I felt like I found the allusive 12ft canter stride I started warming up over the novice size fences and this also felt really nice. We walked a bit...stood and watched a few rounds and about two riders ahead of me, I popped over the novice fence two more times for good measure.
Oxer in one of the lines
She was giving me some fuss about landing on the left lead, but I chose not to fight it and keep things nice and relaxed, confident in the ring we would be able to manage.
The round went pretty smoothly. There were a few biffs on my part and I was getting a bit jumped out of the tack, but I recovered and Tillie luckily is a good girl and saved my butt. She handled the lines like a champ and I had really nice adjustability throughout the entire thing. She still wouldnt give me the darn left lead, but she at least offered flyings to make up for it.
I was super pleased with how well she went and how much she was in tune with me. There was no leaning, no OMG please slow down moments. I am hopeful we continue on this trend! Any mistakes were my mistakes...and I know i was getting a bit ahead on some. So back to homework for myself to MAKE myself wait more with my shoulders.
