Slackin'

I've gotten behind on my journal. Work is pretty busy and my child insists on growing and developing and doing cute things, and other exasperating but funny things. Last night Daddy took his diaper off and let him loose before his bath. The baby pooped all over the living room. And his daddy wonders why I talk to him like he's an idiot afterwards.

Last Tuesday-
Nadia and Bree were both out riding. Nadia and I both love Peggy's saddle (a Prestige 2000) but Nadia's the one riding a 3 year old stallion so I used my old saddle on Fontana. Fontana still seems like her back is maybe a little sore though- (last Saturday when I groomed her and tacked her up she seemed kind of touchy there and laid her ears back). I got on her and she was laying her ears back a lot- I don't think she likes other horses being near her when she's being ridden. I wasn't sure whether she was crabby, disliked the other horses, disliked me, or was sore, but I gave her a few minutes and trotted her and she quit laying her ears back so much and stopped acting balky.
When she got going she was really good- I'm working on getting her a little more up because she wants to travel in a hunter frame. The ab thing (tightening my stomach) really works with her for halfhalting and elevating the forehand. She's sooooo cool- extremely well trained. She goes sideways and bends easily. She's sensitive without being hot, she's flexible, and she's incredibly well balanced. She stepped into a canter while I was trying to get her to trot more forward and it was super smooth. That's actually the only "problem" I have with her- she does smaller, slower gaits so they're very smooth, but not very brilliant. Other than that, I just need to get used to her and learn how to tell her what I want- she can do anything and will, I just need to know how to tell her. I have a split personality when I ride her- on the one hand I'm like "I'm queen of the world!" and then on the other, "I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!"

Last Thursday:
It amazes me how quickly Fontana is changing. Nadia commented that she could already see a difference as we were finishing up. I had been thinking that I could feel and see Fontana's shoulders coming up more when she said that. It's odd that even on Fontana, shoulder fore on a 20 meter circle is HARD. I'm trying really hard not to use too much rein or leg on her, and not to run her off her feet but to still get energy from the hind. Peggy told me not to try and do much with the forehand besides trying to get the shoulders in, which is quite hard (I totally heard her voice in my head- "BRING THE SHOULDERS IN" because I had been trying but not making it happen. I finally thought "Just do it already!" and things went better). It's hard because I'll get it right for a couple of steps and then lose it for several strides- and my instinct is to try and hold her with my rein and leg, which is stupid because A. she's too big for me to hold and B. that's not helping her develop. So intellectually I know it but physically I have to conciously let go. She needs a warm up like no other horse though- when I first get on she's like a twisty cranky knot, but as soon as she goes for a few minutes she's a different animal. I really like her though. She broke to the canter again a couple of times when she was starting to get tired and it's like jumping on a waterbed- smooth but enormous up and down motion.

paparazzi

Last Saturday we took pictures of Wally, Nadia's stallion. He is really beautiful, but he's 3. Standing around posing for pictures is not his idea of a fun time. In spite of the fact that he's one of the sleekest horses in the barn, it's still november and he looks a little fuzzy, but we got at least one good conformation shot and a good headshot. I LOVE digital cameras. You can go ahead and shoot 50+ photos in order to end up with 1 good shot, and it doesn't cost a thing. I love nice photos and I think Wally has a very noble look to him (at least when he's not pulling his Scarlett O'Hara southern belle routine ^_^).
The results of our labor:



I love the mountain backdrop- it's too bad there's not more pavement in front of them, but they just HAD to build the barn there ;).


I rode the Deputy as Fontana has an owie from a girth chafing her. Peggy's done an outstading job with him- he's still not completely sound but he's so much more flexible now. He steers much better and he moves and carries himself better. He's gained weight and is getting nicely muscled. Nadia took some pictures of him while I rode him, and I think he looks so nice. And after being reminded how much I slouch by clinic pictures, I've been sitting more upright- just hope I can keep with it. :)