Well…. what can i say!

Today i CANTERED.

It was totally awesome and unexpected.  After a few rocky starts, Mickey needed to go into canter from walk, we got going.  All the time I spent watching other riders posture in the seat whilst they cantered esp. Tristan and Anel – definitely paid off.

Mickey is also very responsive.  The trotting went well and I managed to get him to move a little faster with my rise.  He had me panting more than himself.  I think I shall have to find myself a hat with a fan and automatic watering system  LOL.

When pam asked if we should canter it was almost too good to be true.  And all it took was to lift the outside leg back and squeeze.  The first couple of rounds I forgot to bring my leg back down and as a result nearly lost the stirrup. heels down and knees in and relax was all that was going thru my mind. Of course all the co-ordination too incl. turning my shoulder in and keeping head up.  The most important thing I did keep forgetting – was to breathe!  it took a few rounds to get going and not trot but when the canter came – bloody hell! I was riding a horse finally.

There were a few times where I forgot to ‘ride’ the saddle and landed up bouncing up and down.  It was so funny and all I was thinking is that I hope the earth tremors were minor   (LMAO!!!)   but then I just relaxed and let the horse do the work.

Mickey survived and I live to canter another day…

For my saturday lesson I chose the Teddy over Mickey – whether this was a good decision at that time or not – was something yet to be determined.  Teddy is still such a comfy ride but my! has he gotten lazy!  The last time I rode him I got so frustrated with myself as I could not get him to move how I wanted him to no matter what I did.  Eventually i gave up.  However this time I managed to move him with my legs, moving in, moving out and getting him to just move.  I hardly used the crop.  When I untacked him, he was so sweaty  he must have really worked hard (oh ok then it was still a little hot too  )

In the last two bootcamp days of december, Diago and I spent lots of time trotting right and doing circles.  I miss that gorgeous beauty.  At least I had the privilege of giving him a bath after my Saturday lesson.  Each time I walked past his stable this weekend I could just not bring myself to look in it for fear of bursting into tears.

It started off at 25degrees C by me this morning so by the time I got to the stables I am sure it must have been at least 6 degrees warmer!

When I got to the yard zainab was on billy trotting like a pro! it was me on diago again and all was going very well until THE FAN!!!! (said in a deep voice reserved for classic horror films lol ) Diago decided to trip going over the poles. It was quite an experience and I must say the one time I seriously thought I was going to fall off going over his head. at the next trip diago decided he had it and wanted to canter off into the heatwave…

After the escape attempt, we did well with the rest of the excercises and my trotting in a circle which is actually becoming a circle is getting way better.

Afterwards we were watching sylvie trying to get Billy to canter in her lesson but he was so stubborn – I think much had to do with the heat. still, sylvie rode well too.

Afterwards pam showed Anel how to work flag on a long lead after lunging him a little. (Anel let me lunge Flag for a few and it was quite fun) Flag is awesome, so obedient and he did very well at the first time of being handled on this long rein/lead. he did give Anel a little bit of a hard time initially (at the start of the lunge) but then he went like a breeze.

I can compare lunging to something like dancing especially when you first start doing twirls/spins and not keeping your eye fixed on a point at each turn. I focused so intently on flag that the background became a blur oh well at least I didn’t fall over lol.

And so ends day 2 on a note Zainab said “legs are malfunctioning” …..

What will tomorrow hold?

Today I started off a little apprehensive… Did I still know what a horse looked like? it has been a while since I rode – I think the end of november was the last lesson. So I have some catching up to do.

Today was the start of bootcamp week. I went out to re-introduce myself to Diago. *Sigh* – still so gorgeous and looking fit. Mounted him and we started walking around the arena. It felt like I rode yesterday! Every part of my body fitted well on him and all the movements, hands, knees etc. just came so naturally. Diago had also not been ridden for a while and all he could do was prick his ears up at every little noise and movement. He also had his eyes glued to Johan and when he could not spot Johan, who was bobbing and weaving behind his bakkie, Diago had to stop dead in his tracks. After eventually spotting him (with Pam’s help) we carried on like nothing happened.

With my stirrups a fraction longer the trotting went a lot more smoothly. Rising from the knee was so much easier. I also felt ‘lighter’ when coming down on Diago’s back too. I just have to remember what it feels like to rise on the correct leg and to get it right again. During the lesson, Boots happened to stroll through the arena to the other side and well!!! I could almost feel Diago lift himself proudly up. He wanted to strut in front of her and his ears went up so high on his head they nearly came together lol but he had to leave the lady alone and carry on working

We trotted a few small circles changing rein. After a while Diago let me know he was getting hot and had enough of such hard work – by stopping at the same point in the circles. After the lesson we did a few tight circles around the jumps in the middle of the arena but it didn’t take long for diago to start deviating and trying to head for the exit.

Eventually I gave in and we headed off… Diago can walk really fast when exiting

Di was also in the arena on polaris and diago left them in a dust cloud of note lol

Day 2 of bootcamp = lunging and my lesson may be on Diago or Mickey.

Of course the first person I had to go and greet when I arrived at the stables today was Teddy.  Unfortunately I was not interesting enough to him as he could not smell any carrots or apples on my person.

I made my way down to Diago to go and tack him up but he was almost ready and waiting.  I was checking his nose band and it seemed too tight.  I loosened it and then he could open his mouth.  Seems like the nose band is quite restrictive.  He was perfectly good after that!

Out we went into the arena and I hardly had to apply leg – Diago was going really really well.  So different from the last few sessions.  And then came the surprise… we trotted!  At first it felt really weird as I have not trotted since diago first got sore.  I “allowed?” him to go where he felt like while I was getting my rhythm  Then we tried circles which were so tiny for him he decided it was easier to walk them.  I walked him out into a big enough circle and we started trotting again.

It went well and so did the three loop serpentine well(ish).  We didnt trot for long but it was totally awesome when we did.  It’s like riding a bicycle I think that my hands were much better and more stable – not all over the place like before.  My rise wasnt as high either.

I did try to be soft on his back but there were a couple of times my bum disagreed with my head

Pam told me to lift my legs up backwards on Diago’s sides to stretch my thigh….. mmmmmmmm I am not so sure about that!  This afternoon the jelly started settling in *grin*  something in my legs worked albeit not the target group –  lol

Have fun always

it was good to start lessons again but the time spent with diago out of lessons was also awesome.  today all we did was walk and he did not ‘dip’ his hips like last weekend.  also from the shadows on the ground i could see his tail was up a bit better too.

so we did the spirals in and out with pam and i tried to practice my 3 loop serpentine not so much that as trying to keep diago straight.

still it was a fun morning.

after the lesson i was standing chatting to jay and rubbing diago totally oblivious to what he was doing with his feet when he stepped on my foot.  i have been hoping it wouldnt happen especially after seeing the damage to anels foot – but it did.  all i could do was say eina eina eina eina (naturally i must have looked an idiot lol).  diago realised his foot wasnt quite right so moved it and like jay said he gave my feet wide berth  diagos such a good soul!!!!!!!   of course from my stupidity comes some learning and next time i will be watching where i put my feet too lol. (on that note all i can say thank goodness it wasnt teddys foot )

luckily theres no bruising.

i also learnt what a carrot stretch is – amazing how the horses muscles can be seen quite well when its done.  pam showed me how to get diago to stretch and its something i should be doing after each lesson.  diago will be in carrot heaven!!! but as pam says – he has to work for it.

i almost think that diaog wanted to hot foot it around the arena today.  there were times when it seemed he wanted to trot but that fizzled down to a lazy walk… then again there was a spurt of energy and so it went like that until we did the lesson and after the lesson while walking around it seemed he wanted to take off again.   when diagos ready he will be the ever graceful animal and i will be the “penelope” trotter once more LOL

…. and you know what????       i look forward to it