Spring is Bipolar :)

 

  The weather in Maine has been up, down, and sideways. Last week it was mid 80's, and as of right now it is like 15 degrees not including the wind chill. I very happy we have not had horses colic with this sudden change in weather.


   On a happy and not so bipolar note. Ryn is now sold! My instructor, Gail McCormack bought her! She loves being a lesson horse and is teaching everyone so much. That horse will always be a staple in my riding. No instructor could teach me what I learned from that mare. :) I'll still be riding her sometimes. Right now she has someone that LOVES her, Brooke Boeglin. Her and I laugh about it because she is not a mare person, but she loves this horse. She is doing great with her and I am so proud of Brooke for last Friday. She did jump group with her and she said Ryn was great! That makes me feel so much better. Now I know that Ryn really is understanding jumping. :).

   Now that Ryn is no longer mine, Gail and I made a deal so that Ms. Duellsa could go over to the barn! She went to Infinity Farm on the 17th. We had a ground work clinic with Elijah Moore on that day (which was amazing) so we brought her over then. I've been riding her for a little over a week now, and it is like she never had the winter off. The couple of lesson I've had with Gail already Duellsa has been pretty good! We are really working on my position, which is helping Duellsa. Lately I've been in a TON of pain due to my shoulder. I can get my left one back to where it needs to be, but that darn right one I've gotta fix. About 5 years ago we had a submission issue with Dixie and I must have displaced my right shoulder blade,  and now I've built up so much muscle under it-it kills to put it back. I was getting massages last summer and it was helping. I've gotta get that going again. Anyway, my 1st lesson was hammering my rider position and staying steady. The next one was adding outside aids and not using my inside rein to steer, (I know, sounds VERY beginner but we all do it.) and using my leg to get her round. It was working great, and then Duelli started totally ignoring my left aids and running away from them. Have you ever been so frustrated that once your horse gives in and does the right thing you just...cry? That was me. A big embarrassing ball of tears. I don't cry often, and never like to cry in front of people. The next lesson was so much better, we slowed stuff down and Gail real explain every little step. This lesson was 110% better. Gail explained Duellsa as being sloshing water, and I have to be steady to slow that down.
    I had a pony club dressage lesson on Sunday and that just proved both Duellsa and I were getting it. I really think we are getting somewhere! Monday I did some jumping to change it up. Duelli is turning into a totally different horse. Who would have thought I actually have to use my bat with her?! She was fantastic. 7 more weeks with this kind of progression? We might just be ready for summer UNH. :)

   On and Pony club note, we had NER Quiz rally this past Saturday! Everyone in FPC did fantastic. I actually competed! Yeah, that right there was two team of three that were C's this year. (I think that was a first)  Both teams did great! I had not done Quiz in two years, so I think it was due. I was on a team with Katie Sypher and Pheobe Downer. We did great! We ended up getting 1st, and Katie and Pheobe got High point and reserve!

  My arena is drying and just about ride able. I can start getting Keiko and Dixie back into work! Next on the agenda is me doing my 1st ratings for our D-1's and D-2's. Then the big show jumping clinic with Sandra Low-Mitchell.