Appointments

Cupid's had a very busy week with a bunch of appointments.

First up he saw a dentist.  It's been about a year since he's had his teeth done.  The vet gave him a sedative so he just dozed through the appointment.  The vet showed me where he had some sharp edges on his back teeth.  He also pulled out the last of Cupid's baby teeth so I guess he's pretty much all grown up!

Smile!

Getting very sleepy!

Filing off the sharp edges

Then while Cupid was still drowsy he got his coat clipped.  He's been working up quite a sweat when I ride him.  We decided to do a trace clip so he will be okay if he's outside overnight without a blanket.  Cupid was waking up by the end and getting a little restless.

Trace clip

Cupid also saw the vet this week for a general checkup and to get his fall vaccines.  Everything looked good.  The vet said Cupid had put on a little muscle since he last saw him.  We also talked about his stifle, though he's looked pretty good lately.  The vet said to continue with the conditioning program and to make sure I ride him correctly.  Trotting nice and forward will help him build the right muscles, while shuffling along doesn't do anything - good thing my trainer likes to remind me of this. :) 

In our lessons we have been working on halting after jumps.  Cupid has been jumping nice and quiet and comes to a halt, but once halted he gets fidgety.  A lot of times I know I'm not sitting deep enough, I tend to pinch with my upper leg and hover over the saddle.  Working on this will help with our dressage tests too.  I've also been trying to work on my position over fences.  I let me leg slide back, then my upper body pitches forward and I stand too much out of the saddle.  It turns out if I feel like I'm kind of in a jet ski position with my legs in front of me my legs are actually pretty well underneath me.  I've been trying to keep my butt in the saddle until the base of the jump to not prevent getting ahead.  When I remember to focus on this it's a lot better, but unfortunately I've been doing it wrong for so long it's going to be a hard habit to break.  Good thing Cupid and my trainer are both very patient with me!

Camelot - Schooling Weekend Days 2 and 3

I woke up early and went to check Cupid.  We went for a little walk, then I put him in the round pen while I cleaned his stall and filled his hay and water.  Then I went for a run while he had his breakfast, and got a little lost on the trails! 

We saddled up a little before noon and warmed up in one of the jumping rings.  I was a little nervous because I wasn't sure how Cupid would act in a new place - which of course doesn't help him relax!  I was holding the reins tighter than usual and Cupid gently reminded me not to do that.  Sorry Cupid!  I was still quite nervous heading out to the cross country course, it definitely feels different when you don't have the arena walls around you!  I wasn't sure if I was ready to do any jumps so at first we just watched.  Then I saw a little log.  In fact it was so little Cupid could step over it.  So I had him walk over it.  Then we walked back the other way.  So far so good.  I was still scared, but asked him to trot and he calmly hopped over it. 

Our first cross country jump!  

After a few times over the tiny log we moved on.  We went on to jump up a bank, and over our first ditch!  Cupid was a star.  He took everything in stride, wasn't concerned about the new obstacles and didn't try to run off with me.  I was so proud of him!  I wish I could say I was as confident as he was, but I was still pretty scared.  I'm surprised Cupid didn't react to my tenseness but he was such a good boy and took care of me.  Once again I was reminded how lucky I am to have him! 

We jumped up this bank

Our tiny ditch

I was hoping I would be more comfortable on day three, then was dismayed to find myself still tense.  I told my trainer that perhaps I would just turn Cupid into a Western trail horse.  He would be pretty good at it!  But I was feeling pretty down on myself, and like I let Cupid and my trainer down.  So my wonderful trainer took me on a nice easy trail ride and we talked about my fears.  He reassured me that my feelings weren't uncommon, I shouldn't expect to feel the same as I did when I was young.  I was reminded that riding is supposed to be fun and I don't need to put so much pressure on myself.  By the end of the ride I felt a lot better, like a weight had been lifted.  So Cupid and I cantered around the field, then went back out to the cross country course and hopped over a few logs!  I'm glad we ended on a good note.

The third afternoon Cupid was happy to doze in his stall with his head resting on the door.  We loaded up mid afternoon for the long drive back.  Cupid seemed happy to be back home, and walked straight to the pasture gate.  Probably to brag to his buddies about his adventures!

Camelot - Schooling Weekend Day 1

Cupid and I had finally had our first excursion away from home.  Our trainer and a few of his clients were going to a clinic, and Cupid and I tagged along.  We went to a wonderful facility with lots of trails, jumping and dressage arenas, and a cross country course, and to top it off you can camp out right next to the horses!  I've always wanted to go horse camping.

Cupid was very good going into the trailer.  The ride was about 4 hours long.

Wrapped & ready

Step right up

We got there a little before the horses and got the stalls ready.  I took Cupid for a short walk to stretch his legs.  He looked around and whinnied a few times but seemed to be handling it okay.  He relaxed in his stall for a bit and had some hay, then we saddled up for our first ride.  I lunged him a little, he was distracted but trying very hard to listen and be a good boy.  He stopped to look around a few times but wasn't acting crazy.  I warmed up in a dressage arena and then we headed out toward the cross country course.

This was Cupid's first time on a cross country course, and I haven't been on one in over 15 years.  I think I was definitely the more nervous between us two!  But Cupid was behaving very well.  We kept it pretty easy, did a little trotting and a short canter.  Then we investigated the water complex.  Cupid only looked at it for a brief moment before bravely walking in.  The water was about halfway to his knees.  We walked through it a few times and then did it at a trot.  Cupid pawed in it a few times and I was afraid he wanted to roll so we kept moving.

Water complex

In the evening I took him for another walk, then gave him his dinner and topped off his water and headed to my tent.  It was really cool hearing the horses as I was falling asleep and knowing Cupid would be right there when I woke up!

Too bad he can't fit inside!

Checking In

Cupid and I have been taking it relatively easy the past week.  I was gone camping last weekend, and yesterday had a dentist appointment so Cupid got a few extra days off.  I had been a little concerned about his right hind leg but he felt good today.  We did some basic flatwork, mostly working on getting him a little more forward in his trot.  We did short canters on each lead and he was good.  Then we did some jumps.  We started out with a few crossrails.  My trainer asked how I was feeling today, and I was feeling very relaxed so we built up to a little course with a few crossrails, the brush box, and the barrels with a rail over it.  If he lands on the appropriate lead then I've been letting him canter between jumps.  He has been excellent, cantering quietly without rushing.  We added a 2'6" oxer to the course.  The first time to the oxer Cupid chipped in but we got over it.  The second time was much better.  I was really happy with our performance, it was a good confidence booster.  I need to work on not letting my leg swing back or out over jumps.  I told my trainer I would ride more in two point to strengthen it. 

Cupid decided he doesn't want to lunge anymore.  It is so hard to get him going!  Once I get on him he is great, it seems like he just doesn't like going around in circles.  I don't really blame him, it's not really my favorite thing to do either.  I just try to do a little to make the trainer happy.

Guest Rider

Yesterday one of my trainer's working students rode Cupid after my lesson.  Other than my sister no one else has rode him in quite a while.  It took them a few minutes to get used to each other, Cupid was fussing with his head at first but then settled down.  It was fun watching him go, though also a bit nerve-wracking for me!  (I'm a little protective...)  The girl is a pony clubber, and a lot more confident than me!  After a little flat work she asked if she could do some jumps.  I told her if she was comfortable go ahead.  They did very well, just one run out on a three stride combo.  Cupid tried ducking out with me on that same line but I was able to get him back on track instead of just let him take control.  Then we put the jumps up a little, I think they finished at around 2'6".

Cupid being a good boy for his guest rider.

My lesson prior went very well.  Cupid has been very responsive, and I'm becoming more focused and organized.  Apparently I have a bad tendency to stand up over jumps instead of folding forward, so I'm trying to work on that.  We started by jumping the little three stride combo, first as a pole to a jump then raised the pole to a small crossrail.  Then we added a little brush box after that, in kind of a figure 8 pattern.  Then we added the barrel jump, which was next to the brush box so jumped, landed and circled around to the barrels.  I didn't hesitate so neither did Cupid. :)  I was very happy with our lesson.

On my non-lesson days I spent one day in my dressage saddle working primarily on our transitions.  The halts still need work, I think I'll have my trainer help me with that at our next session.  I also went on a nice little trail ride.  We took it easy and mainly just walked and enjoyed the view.

View from Cupid's back

We watched the fog roll over the ocean

Lazy Day

The heatwave finally broke today.  In fact it was cool and drizzly when I went out to the barn this morning.  I figured Cupid would probably be feeling a little spry with the change in temperature, and was a little surprised to find that if anything he was lazier than usual!  Thankfully we were all alone.  What I call Cupid's "comfortable trot" my trainer usually refers to as "revolting!"  We trotted over a pole and cantered a bit.  Usually jumping wakes Cupid up, so I point him towards a little X.  He comes to a crawl a few steps out, and makes the smallest possible effort to barely clear it!  So I decided both of us need to put a little bit more effort into this ride and encouraged him on.  The rest of the ride was not bad.  We jumped a few Xs, a little vertical, the brush box, and even the dreaded barrels.  I decided not to attempt the 4 jump combo set up on the diagonal.

Some of the jumps we went over today - blurry because I took from the saddle.

Cupid modeling his fleece cooler - he is accumulating quite the wardrobe!

Debut delayed

Cupid and I have been working hard towards our first show, which was supposed to be next weekend.  Unfortunately it looks like we will have to wait a little longer to make our debut.  :(  It sounds like no one else from my boarding stable is planning on going, and it is just too cost-prohibitive to charter a trailer just for one horse.  Although I was pretty nervous I was also excited to see how we would do and how Cupid reacts in that environment.  It is a little disappointing that we can't go, but he is still young and we there will be plenty of other opportunities in the future. 

We have been working a lot on our down transitions and halts.  Trot to walk tends to be pretty abrupt, and Cupid gets fidgety at the halt.  I noticed he tends to swing his hindquarters to the right after he halts, I don't know if I'm sitting or holding the reins uneven and making him do it or if it's just his own tendency.  For me I've been working on just getting more comfortable/relaxed jumping.  I still jump ahead a little and let me legs swing back but it's a bit better when I'm specifically thinking about it. 

Our trainer would like us to work on our fitness - doing sets of 3 minutes trot and 2 minutes canter (about twice around the large covered arena).  The canter work is fun!  Cupid and I are both getting used to me riding in the saddle instead of two point.  I'm working on using my core and starting to play a little with increasing and decreasing Cupid's stride. 

Quick rinse after our ride - by 8am it is already pretty warm!