So as I packed up the horse trailer to go home, I though to myself it had been a great day, could have been better though. But the day did not go as smoothly as id had hoped. First, my mom was unable to drive me to the show so I had to car pool me and my horse with a barn friend. Anyway, my class started at 8 so at the least had to be their at the least 7:30, so i got picked up at 7:00 (supposed to be picked up at 6:30) and we got there at 7:45! Well yes, my first show with Summer I was…

This was an interesting week. Early on Sunday morning the black TB mare Cricket had a foal! Cute little filly, they've named her Glory for now. Since her sire is a Section A Welsh pony she is nowhere as tall as a TB foal. I find it truly amazing the amount of nurturing instincts that a new foal raise in humans, including me. Every human at the stable is oohing and aahing as if this little equine was their first grandchild.

And…

March 11th through the 13th Chance and I got to attend the Dressage Affaire in Del Mar, California. The show's over and all of our things are packed up for tomorrow morning when my trainer Teri will drive the horses back to AZ. My mom, dad, and I will follow a little bit later. We had a great show and won both of our classes! The first day we were drawn first to go in our…

Tuesday and Wednesday were windy and not ridable.

Thursday – March 11

So…

Conditions After work light enough that I was able to ride outside. Hack before and after ride

Tia Quick ride. She has not been worked outside since october/november. After my hack went to "woodchip" ring where the footing is really good. She settled right into work with rising trot and big figures 20m - 15m circles and 3 loop serpentines with me emphasing the straightness.

Quick walk break then picking up the…

I’ve often been asked whether wild and domestic horses are the same or different from one another. Here’s my take on it.…

Shoulder-in is the father of the advanced lateral dressage movements. It does many wonderful things for your horse. Here are just some of them:

• Shoulder-in is a suppling exercise because it stretches and loosens the muscles and ligaments of the inside shoulder and forearm. During shoulder-in, your horse passes his inside foreleg in…

Monday 8th Conditions; after work very crowded ring rode both horses in snaffle

Caddy couldn't really get him to the place he was in the last 2 days. My theory - he could have been tired or, I rode him in Tia's saddle and I think it interferred with the freedom of his shoulder. I generally ride him in an Albion slk which fits him great.

Tia by the time I got on her, the ring was full of a larger than…

I would always support investing in our coaches because the pay off is so great as they influence so many hundreds of riders over their lifetime. I agree with Sebastian Coe, the Olympic 800m and 1,500m medalist and now head of the 2012 London Olympics, that more money should go to

coaching and coaches rather than to individual performers…

Saturday, March 7, 2010

Well, I settled for free lunging and wind sprints today. Not enough hours in the day. Still, for the week, Belle got ridden 3 times and free lunged twice, and I can’t recall when she has had that consistent of work schedule! Still, I need to…