Thursday, March 31, 2011

Shabby Apple Shout Out!

So, I ordered my first Shabby Apple dress!! It came in the mail and was so soft and feminine! Very beautiful and good craftsmanship! The only problem was that it was too big - so I'm off to return (30 day free exchange!) and I am thrilled and impatient to get the better fitting dress back...

If you haven't checked them out yet - do so!! I have a huge list of dresses I'd like to order from them. Knocking them off as I can, hopefully soon I'll be fashionable and comfortable all the time!

Monday, March 21, 2011

The Journey Continues


Isn't she so good with Dave? And she's so in tune with when I'm really 'riding' v. when I'm not completely engaged. It's almost as if she's saying 'hey - if you aren't paying attention, I'm sure not paying attention!' And begins to ignore leg cues and be generally stubborn but I switch that flip in my head, carry it through by body and she's 'whoaing' with my seat (and words) and turning with seat and leg cues with reins just there as a reinforcement. Still working on bringing back my perfect lounging mare but we're getting there. She does much better when no one is around, I think we both suffer from lack of concentration. =)

Monday, March 14, 2011

Freedom!! (from the lead)

Saturday marked another lesson day. Des and I are working on restoring her spectacular lounging skills so for the lesson we concentrated on where she was ready to progress - riding. We had been walking with someone on a lead rope to help us and the lesson started out that way. Jodi on Des and me leading, then I detached the lead and walked along beside her, then Brianna joined and walked in front of Des with me on the side. Individually we would slowly stop, me first and a half lap later, Brianna. Until finally, Des was independent! After a couple laps of that, I got to hop on and experience a similar routine. During my few independent laps Destinee began to get bored and started testing. First she tested my guiding her by running my stirrup against the walls, then it was walking straight toward the hay and not listening. Both times I started with the realization that she didn't know many cues and I should try to be as gentle as possible. Yet I ended these 'tests' with leg cues and reigning directions that I didn't expect her to know but were more 'automatic' for me. True to her overachiever style, she understood and handled leg cues and seat cues way better than I could've imagined after such a few rides! She was 'woah'ing for Jodi with no reign cues at all, only seat cues and even managed a good hind yield with leg cues and a bit of reigns.

Oops story of the week: Colleen and I were out training my girl and Des' belly was covered in spring manure yuck. I decided that instead of getting my girth messy, I would slide on bareback. Ha. I knew it was stupid as I was doing it but I had faith that my little overachieving mare would be ok. Which may have in fact been the case, had she not been pointed at the bridge and had she not started walking before I settled in. She quickly moved into a trot and as soon as her last foot left the bridge we started cantering. I was close to finding my center of balance when we came upon the wall and Des tried a short stop/turn and off I went! Landing in a pile of dust on my back. Oh how funny her face was! We patted her, I apologized profusely and the saddle went on. Then up I went and she relaxed seemingly to say 'See? Saddle THEN you, dummy. How did you forget that?' And I've decided that bareback will be tackled again after we've mastered trotting and cantering WITH a saddle... Oh how funny this will seem in a couple years when we ride bareback more often than not. And MAN, what a nice canter she has! Even as an unbalanced nervous youngin'! Yay.