Keep plugging along
Back to business, after a motorsport holiday and rain days took me out of the loop. Took Mico and Irish to the indoor, after promising Christine for weeks that I'd keep Irish going for her, I finally made good and got on him. Mico, as expected after nearly 2 weeks of no flatwork, was sufficiently difficult, but with some help on the ground from Christine I was able to get some ok work at all three gaits, even the left lead canter. Consistency continues to elude me, but hopefully between now and the first and second Kingsbury horse trials, I'll be able to apply myself. Pushing myself ridingwise will be the theme for the rest of the season. Already I have two lessons lined up for next week: a dressage lesson with Verne Batchelder and a jumping lesson later in the week with Janet. That should get us through the Hilltop 3 phase in good shape next weekend, especially if I can iron out my lapses of attention in stadium.
Christine has warned me that once she is back riding, we can expect her to hound us to ride consistently through the winter, as she will have missed it so much, she'll be particularly rabid about riding. I said I was already planning to get some electric gloves and socks!
Ideally, I had wanted to have Katrina lunge me on Irish, just so I could get used to his bigger movement as well as Christine's new treeless saddle, which, according to all accounts, takes a bit of getting used to for the rider. It was different, but not as difficult to adjust to as I feared. I rode Irish first. I got on and promptly went sideways, I hadn't adjusted the girth tightly enough on the treeless saddle. Irish was a saint and stood quietly, if not a bit surprised as I struggled back upright again and got myself sorted out. I kept it to walking and trotting, very tentative and very wobbly--I felt like a kid taking her first up-down lessons. When I rode quieter, Irish started to come together. I don't think it will take me forever to get used to him and start riding him to his best advantage. As Mico teaches me to have a good seat, Irish will teach me to use it better and have quiet hands--just how much I hand ride really was evident with him.
I wasn't disappointed with last night's rides; I'll just keep plugging along, and try to keep the negative internal monologue down to a dull roar.
Christine has warned me that once she is back riding, we can expect her to hound us to ride consistently through the winter, as she will have missed it so much, she'll be particularly rabid about riding. I said I was already planning to get some electric gloves and socks!
Ideally, I had wanted to have Katrina lunge me on Irish, just so I could get used to his bigger movement as well as Christine's new treeless saddle, which, according to all accounts, takes a bit of getting used to for the rider. It was different, but not as difficult to adjust to as I feared. I rode Irish first. I got on and promptly went sideways, I hadn't adjusted the girth tightly enough on the treeless saddle. Irish was a saint and stood quietly, if not a bit surprised as I struggled back upright again and got myself sorted out. I kept it to walking and trotting, very tentative and very wobbly--I felt like a kid taking her first up-down lessons. When I rode quieter, Irish started to come together. I don't think it will take me forever to get used to him and start riding him to his best advantage. As Mico teaches me to have a good seat, Irish will teach me to use it better and have quiet hands--just how much I hand ride really was evident with him.
I wasn't disappointed with last night's rides; I'll just keep plugging along, and try to keep the negative internal monologue down to a dull roar.
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