JANUARY 2008

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January 20

Yaayyy!  Tomorrow is a holiday!  Looooooooooove the long weekend.  Rode Wed, Fri, Sat and today again.  Honestly can't remember who I rode - when.  Had to cut some rides short yesterday -- rode Deuce...the indoor was so busy that he was a little nervous with all the activity so I thought it best to end our ride.  He did give me a nice quiet trot but there just was no room to really let him get out there and stretch.  Mr. Dew was a little ouchy on one foot -- hopefully he just tweaked it while running around outside.  Rode him long enough to decide if it was something he'd work out of or not -- was still ouchy so ended the ride after about 15 mins.  Was supposed to ride Gracie girl but she pulled a shoe.  That got me home early enough to take a WONDERFUL nap with Bob.  We love our naps.  Later, we tried a new (to us) Italian restaurant that I ended up liking very much.  Always good to find new places to go in this area.  Getting into restaurants is just impossible without a lengthy wait.

Lori came out to visit me at the barn on Friday night.  She brought a couple of things I'd left at the barn -- my girth and my braiding box.  Meant to remember to pull my ear poms out of the box but didn't so there were a few occasions today where the snow sliding off the roof of the indoor surprised the horses.

Today was bitter cold with a windchill in the teens to single digits.  I got to the barn at 9:30, right after breakfast with Bob, and that meant I beat a lot of other people to the indoor.  This time, I was able to ride Deuce all around the ring.  He's such a good boy for being off the track and a baby.  Also rode Miss Jazz.  Such a good mare.  She has a lovely canter.

After that, my friend, Joan, met me at the barn and we headed to lunch together.  Great to see her -- we haven't seen each other in forever so that was cool to catch up.  We were done around 1:00 so I headed back home and caught yet another nap with Bob!  Yay!

It's about dinner time so I need to scoot and get something going!

January 14

Busy, busy riding lately.  I’m not even sure if I can remember everyone I rode on what day.  But here goes – rode Deuce on Wednesday.  He was his good boy self.  We worked on getting him to listen to my leg for upward transitions.  He’s so quiet and doesn’t really get fazed by much so I worked on exercises to get him to respond a little quicker.  I rode him again on Sunday and he seemed to remember what we worked on so I continued with an exercise that worked on that, as well as keeping flexion and staying light to the downward transition.  He’s such a trier.

Friday, I rode the Tinker-mare.  I think she and Dewey have become my favorites.  She was lovely and we had a wonderful, productive, relaxed ride.  I give her lots of treats because she’s such a nice girl. 

Saturday, I rode three.  Dewey, Tinker and Gracie.  I first rode Mr. Dew outside.  The weather was such that it was quite nice so I thought we’d get some air.  There was a lesson, though, and he was having trouble staying focused so I decided to bring him back inside.  Inside, he went right to work and went back to being the good boy I’ve grown to really enjoy riding.  He also gets lots of treats. 

Tinker girl was great, as usual and then I rode little Gracie.  She was also a good girl.  I’m always surprised at what a good girl she is for so young.  I don’t give the babies treats because I have come to the conclusion that a horse needs a certain level of maturity to handle treats.  The babies get really fussy and demanding once they figure out you are a treat dispenser.  So, no treats for Deuce, Gracie, Cartier or Forrest.

After riding there, I went out to Blue Ridge to ride Miss Kitty, who thanked me by stepping on my toe.  She only managed to get the very tip of my toe so I’m confident I won’t have some nasty toenail-less toe soon.  I was able to walk on it pretty well by Sunday so I’m sure I’ll be able to run with it today. 

On my way out there, I was driving up Rectortown Rd. and Orange County hunt went through.  I was at the head of the line of traffic going my direction and saw one of the whips (whippers-in – staff) on the road and immediately put my blinkers on, stopping the people behind me.  The WHOLE field was on the road, along with the hounds.  As much as I’ve hunted, I’ve never been in the car while the hunt was on the road and it was quite the sight.  What was funny was to recognize people that I knew from horse shows.

Anyway, Vic, Susan and I went out for a little turn around the farm.  Miss Kitty is a big girl, a draft and probably weighs about 1300 lbs.  She’s very cute, though.  She looks like an overgrown pony.  She even whinnies like a pony.  We’re trying to get her out more so maybe Patricia can start riding with us.  I think Carlos is going to start riding her during the week, which will be good.  I was going to try to get back out to ride her on Sun but I had four to ride in Aldie and was just whipped by the time I was done there.  I was in Aldie by 9 and was done by 2 so, heading to Upperville would have put me home quite later than I wanted.

Sunday, back in Aldie, I rode Tinker again, Deuce, Gracie and Jazz.  Tinker is very smart and started trying to do for me what she thought I wanted when I wasn’t even asking.  So, I decided to do some different things.  I’m trying to teach her to stop quickly and with just my seat and legs.  Or, at least mostly with my seat and legs.  Gracie and I worked on rhythm and Jazz and I worked on keeping flexion from trot to canter and back down. 

Everyone was great and I really enjoyed all of my rides.

January 9

Yay!  Got to ride again tonight.  Rode the Tinker mare.  She's such a good girl.  Did more of the same stuff I did the other day.  Didn't ride her for as long and it was nice to see I still got those really nice, soft transitions out of her at the canter.  Did lots of bend-counter-bend and leg yields.  When I gave her a break, I still kept up with the bending and yielding.  Did do something different from the canter to the trot.  For the downward, once in the trot, I counter bent her until she gave me a soft and balanced trot -- she wants to lock just a little in her jaw at the downward -- then I bent her back in the correct direction, then asked for the canter again.  She was so good.  I really want to work on making the downward transitions happen from the seat and I want her to be more responsive to inside and outside leg.  She's great when the leg asks her to move forward but it takes her awhile to warm up to a quick response to using the leg to bend.  She's so smart, she'll get it.  Such a good girl and I gave her lots of treats.

January 6

I could not be more pleased with my rides this weekend!  I rode Tinker-mare on Friday.  She's such a good girl.  Our transitions from trot to canter weren't as good as they were the last time but you can't have it all!  Yesterday, first, I went out to Blue Ridge and rode Forrest.  I could only stay out for an hour so I rode out with the crew for a half hour, then made my way back.  Forrest was a pretty good boy, since he'd actually already been ridden by Carlos earlier.  He did fuss a little when he noticed some of the girls in the mare's field having fun without him.  But overall, a good boy, especially at the gate.  Very proud of how well he does some of his gates.

Later, I rode little Gracie.  She is the cutest and is just so fancy.  She was super good girl and I was so pleased at how well she maintained a rhythm at the trot and at how soft her canter was.  She has a wonderful canter as it is but I expected her to bounce from leg to leg with me, since she's so green and is still learning to stay between your legs but she was a superstar!  Really enjoyed that ride.  Unfortunately, that's all I had time to ride, since Bob and I had reservations for dinner at The Inn at Little Washington at 6:00.  I needed to be home by 3:30 to get to dinner on time (it's a bit of a drive).  Bob had taken me there for my birthday years ago and I'd been there with my old boss, John (he grew up in the house before it became the inn!) and it is always a treat to go back.  Dinner was fabulous and we really enjoyed ourselves.

Today, after breakfast, Bob and I did a little shopping at Home Depot (I'm on a mission to find the Snake Light -- it seems no one sells it anymore...grrr!!!) and then, it was off to the barn.  It was raining when I started out so I went to the barn in Aldie.  That meant I didn't get to ride Miss Kitty as planned.  Of course, once at the place in Aldie, the rain stopped, but I was already committed so I stayed there.  I rode the Tinka-mayo first -- she was such a good good girl!  She can be a little tough on her left side so I took a very, very long time prepping her at the walk.  I did lots of bending and counter bending, leg yielding, haunches in, half-passes (making sure I was bent in the direction I was going), then worked on walk to halt and would halt on the quarter line, then push her away from my left leg -- just really, really working that left side.  When I let her relax at the walk, I still made her bend and counter bend and leg yield away from my left leg.  Then, I had her trot -- I didn't push her at the trot -- actually kind of just let her shuffle along (which is actually bad) but I wanted more so to work that left side of her jaw before I moved on to anything else.  Did the same thing at the trot that I did at the walk and then eventually moved up into the canter.  Did trot to canter transitions that were AWESOME.  SOOOO much better than the last time I rode her.  I was so, so pleased with what a good girl she was.

Mr. Dew -- the Dew-meister -- he was next.  I think he might not be everyone's favorite but he actually happens to be one of my absolute FAVES.  Even though he is the one that can spin at mach speed from anything he thinks might eat him, even if it is an inanimate object....  anyway, Dewey has the opposite problem of Tinker, he's bad on his right side.  So, this was good -- I wore my left side out on Tinker and could even things up if I rode Mr. Dew.  Anyway, same thing -- I walked him a really, really long time doing the leg yielding, bending counter-bending and so on.  At the trot, I was constantly asking him to give in his jaw on that right side and then I'd let go -- ask and give, ask and give the whole time, while really keeping my leg there.  And eventually, he was carrying himself and was flexed and soft and he was just the best, best boy!  His canter transitions have been less than pretty in the past and he was SUPERB this time.  A few trotting steps off the bit here and there but once in the canter, he stayed collected and soft and the transitions down were PERFECT.  I was just thrilled.

Left the barn around 3, went to get lunch and a car wash and here I am!

January 2

Well, well, if it isn’t 2008!  Can’t say that I made any New Year’s resolutions.  It used to always be to try to kick the habit of using the F-word but I failed miserably at that so I gave up.  I’m far from fat so trying to lose weight has never been on the list.  Riding more is an everyday desire.  Staying organized – I do pretty well at that.  Balancing home, work, and other activities – have that down pat.  I think I kind of practice some pretty good goals day in and day out so I just didn’t bother.  Anyway….

You know if you haven’t heard from me in awhile, I’ve been riding a bunch.  Have been getting some rides in a few times during the week and also on the weekends.  I’ve only been able to ride Forrest on the weekends because of daylight.

Anyway, riding has been great.  I can definitely tell my back and legs are much stronger than they were before – and not like I felt weak at all in the past.  But riding 7 different horses, 4 – 5 days a week, 2-4 horses a day will definitely put a whole new kind of fitness on you. 

Had quite the eventful New Years.  Bob and I did our usual breakfast in the morning, then, on Saturday, did some furniture shopping.  Have a lovely new entertainment center headed our way in 6-8 weeks.  It will be for the living room and will be a companion to our new custom couch.  That night, we went to a party in Middleburg.  All the folks from the barn out there showed up so it was good to see all of them.  It was at Pat’s house.  GORGEOUS place.  Food was phenomenal.  Next day, Bob and I went to the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum (after the usual breakfast, of course).  First thing we did was get on the flight simulators, which honestly, were not very high-tech but the motion made me feel a little green.  I didn’t want to risk getting on the last one so we milled around looking at all the nifty aircraft the rest of the time.  It was cool.  I liked looking for our house from the observation deck.  Last night, we went Potbelly for dinner, then to see ‘I am Legend’.  That was cool.  Spooky, but cool.

Yesterday, I wrapped things up at the barn early.  The horses were just wild – the weather makes them all skitzy and I think it had rained so everyone was on limited turnout.  Plus, it was windy as all get out so all the doors were blowing and the indoor was making a lot of noise and that made for some interesting rides. 

Dewey was certain, no matter how many times I tried to reassure him, that the noise was coming from the evil new jumps in the corners.  So, we’d be tootling along, when all of a sudden, he’d wheel like a freaking cutting horse (all 16 years of him) and nearly lose me.  This happened enough times for me to decide he was just fried and it was time to get off.  I tried to end things on a successful note by getting him to do a collected trot on a light rein.  Success.  Done.  Off.  Then, a barnmate loaned me some ear stuffers to use on little Deuce, who is adorable and quite the good boy.  He only flinched a few times, since his hearing was somewhat altered and I was able to execute a decent ride on him – kept it short at about 30 min’s and quit while I was ahead. 

As much as I adore Cartier, I knew he would hand me a whole new set of challenges since he is least fond of the spooky new jumps.  The plan was for me to save him for last anyway, because one of the trainers heading back after holiday travel might ride him.  I thought quitting at 2 was the best idea and so I puttered on home which got me there early enough to finish up some stuff around the house and head out for dinner and a movie with Bob.  Yay!

Samantha came to visit at the barn on Sat.  That was awesome.  She might start riding there, which I would love.  It’s always nice to see my girls!  Speaking of…. Codi came for lunch here at the office the other day.  Such a treat to see her.  Out of all the girls, she’s the one I’ve gotten to see the least.  It was great to hear about all her exciting news and some of her upcoming plans. 

I know I’m forgetting a TON but that’ll have to do for now.