Yearly Archive: 2015

Rode in my new saddle. It was so definitely the most comfortable saddle I have ever ridden in – and it’s not even broken in yet! My leg was so much for still and I could sit the trot and canter so much better. Just goes to show the difference a custom fitted saddle really makes! So glad I bought it. It is a beautiful, rich, ‘mocha’ colour and I am so in love. The detailing on the knee roll is simply gorgeous. Everyone at the barn was impressed! Horse loved it too – I could feel him so much better and I think he felt comfy too! Now for a good conditioning to help break it in!

Sorry it has been a while. Riding has been excellent, and I am still half-leasing the gelding. Hoping to show with him next season! Today, my saddle came in. I have ordered a Stubben Portos, that was custom fitted. I battled between different brands – namely Stubben and CWD. I came very close to purchasing a CWD, but after having a Stubben fitting it was what I ultimately chose. I will update on how it rides!

Have moved barns. I am now riding with Harley Brown Equestrian. Brown is a consistently ranked FEI rider. He, his wife, and team are an excellent barn and I am very excited for what the future brings! I am also beginning a half-lease with an 11 year old Oldenburg jumper. Such a cool horse, very excited!

Showed a boarder’s horse at Woodside Horse Park. Did very well! We did .70s and .80s jumpers and won/ placed in both, won a medal class, and placed in a couple flat equitation. Very happy with this mare! Wish I could show her more and at higher level equitation and jumpers.

Rode the green pony. She was great in our lesson. Today was the first day that she really began to go on the bit and really work her hind end. We jumped a bit and we discovered that she really needs work on shaping out in corners and riding on the rail. She really fought me on that, so we’ll have to keep working on it. She also needs to learn her lead changes, but her transitions are getting a lot better and she’s learning to not pop her left shoulder which is good. 🙂

Rode my trainer’s Grand Prix horse again! He was much less lazy this time, and while he is still not easy to get going, he got a really good trot and canter going. About 15 minutes to the end of my lesson, I switched onto a friend’s horse that my trainer was schooling, and my other friend got off her horse and got on my trainer’s Grand Prix horse, and my trainer got on her OTTB. Wow I like my friend’s horse! He is so easy off the leg and has a really flowing, forward, smooth movement. I really like him, so hopefully she’ll let me take him in a few classes this show season! (That’s very wishful thinking 🙂 )

Rode the hunter pony again. What a difference! He was so so happy. We did a trot-in one stride, rollback to a vertical, and then around to a 6-stride bending line. I must be doing something right! He jumped great, shaped out where I asked him, worked with me to get the distance to the fences and work the 6-stride perfectly every time we did it! We did the one-stride up to 2’9 on the second fence, and he was just really really good. He wasn’t stubborn at all. Afterwards, I took him out to graze because the weather was excellent and he deserved a treat for really cooperating.

So in case anyone is wondering, I stopped leasing my ex-lease because I need a horse who can jump higher and take me further at shows. She can be a bit unpredictable at times. But I still love her a lot!

Rode the hunter pony. He was not a happy pony to say the least. He did what I asked him to do, but he was really resistant to shaping out in the corners, and didn’t want to go forward a few times. He even refused one fence, which is very odd for him, but I circled him and he rode it great. I think my approach was bad and he didn’t feel like helping me out. 😀 He still jumped around 2’9 great, and I’m trying to work with him on the ground to improve his attitude and his behaviour. Hopefully it works!

Rode the green pony. She was a bit fresh today, but we usually put that down to the weather change because her schedule has not changed at all. We warmed up on the flat, and then worked on a 3-jump bounce combination. She was really good through it. We trotted into it, and she was coming up slow, but I asked for more impulsion from her and she was getting a lot better. By the end, the last bounce was 2’6 and she was going great through it! Couldn’t have asked for more from this lovely mare. 🙂

Rode my ex-lease. She was fabulous. Downhill a bit (as per usual), but I tried to look a bit higher than I usually do when I ride, and she rode more uphill which was interesting and amazing at the same time. We jumped 2’6 and she was so good, since it is close to her upper limit. So proud of my girl 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day from my favourite horsie and me!