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| Pal and ball pre game pep talk. 'You will go where I kick you, got that?...' |
Yesterday's weather was a total tease, 17 degrees and sunny! Hmm...call in for a mental health day anyone? I wish!
I got to the barn at about 6:30, set up this weeks gym, finally having the revelation that my course walk steps are about 4 feet, not 3 as I had originally thought. Duh!
One would think I would have had a thought to re-evaluate my set up before immediately jumping on the 'we have a serious problem' bandwagon, followed by the ensuring days of I can't ride depression? Poor Pallie.
Geeze. That is almost as bad as Googling a healthy symptom.
Symptoms; headache, itchy eyes, sleep, snotty.....*wait for page to load... GASP*
"You should contact your local physician immediately!"
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| Skillzzz! |
Anyways... after fixing my set-up and showing off our new, completely Olympic worthy, horse soccer skills to my hubby we started the warm-up routine.
Every time I ride I try to switch things up to keep Pal's brain awake but it can be tough. Some days she is just not 'in the zone'. Our warm up was one of these days.
I used a 2 then 6 and then 9 leg, nothing.... stick... nothing and then spur, which only got me an angry tail swish for attention. Warmblood brain, how I despise thee!
This happens now and then, always when we are inside and she is bored...
Ok, that is it. We are going to wake up now! So we did a few halt, back-up, canter transitions. Finally! We are going somewhere!
Lastly, I dropped my stirrups and wrapped my legs around her barrel and did a full bear hug with my legs. HI-HO Nelly! Now, she knows I mean it ... today.
I do have to admit... maybe I should make this small print, no one ever reads the small print... some mornings I just didn't have the energy to outsmart her and she knows on those days if she gives me some semblance of effort, I accept it. I am bound to fix my slacker induced riding!
Moving forward now, quite literally, yay! We continued our warm up and turned down the quarter line for the grid. I immediately thought, ok, sit up, weight down, LEG!
Normally, trot in grids or fences result in a very lack luster performance. Usually starring me as I do my best impression of a bobble head with the jarring trot jump popping. But, I was determined to keep the impulsion in the trot, make Pal rock back and PUSH up and over the fence rather than relying on expert leg lifting and Newton's Law of Gravity.
Ok, this is it! *enters and exits grid, landing with a lovely balanced canter on the right lead* Wee Hoo! Good pony!. (note: I have been scrunching my left side all summer suddenly wondering why we are always executing flying changes, however lovely, but why did we not land? We always land...).
Thinking it a fluke we went through again. Even better this time. Changed direction, uh oh, going right, this might be tough. Nope! Very relaxed and hullo impulsion!
I decided to pick up the canter and go through one last time as a reward, canter is always easier for her to jump but canter poles... not so easy. We came out the other side, me with a grin giving her lots of thanks and Pal giving a couple victory snorts of pleasure.
Cool out time! That was way... too good of an effort today. No issues finding our feet over canter poles AND we rocked the trot jump. Get it rocked? Haha I know, funny right? Ok. I am done.
We did try to get a video but apparently I forgot that my cam was full of niecey photos. Darnit! Oops. Sorry Dez but this was a monumental moment of collaboration.
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| *Post Ride Celebrity Interview* 'Yes Jim, I am very pleased with today's performance - Do I hear an encore?' |
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